Customer Reviews

Scandal Becomes Her

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ten years earlier, Eleanor "Nell" Anslowe, a beautiful wealthy heiress was once betrothed to a Duke's heir. That was before the `accident' which left her lame and haunted by nightmares of hideous brutality - always the same perpetrator who remained in shadows, but different victims. Firmly off the shelf at twenty-nine she agreed to accompany her father to London for the season where she is looked at as the answer to the nefarious Lord Tynedale's way out of debt. Rebuffing his advances, Tynedale later kidnapped her with the intention of rape and forcing her to wed, but due to a storm along the way, Nell escaped and found shelter in a nearby hut.

Fate stepped in when on that same stormy night, Julian, the Earl of Wyndham was racing to prevent his step-sister from eloping to Gretna Greene. Thrown by his horse he also found shelter in the same hut as Nell and when Nell's father and brother discovered them Julian - who had vowed never to re-marry - did the honorable thing and offered marriage. Their marriage would blossom into a sensual and powerful love that would last forever....or until they could discover the identity of Nell's `shadow man' before he destroyed them both.

*** I was completely swept away from the very first pages of this tremendous Regency Romance mystery and read it in one sitting. The author combined all the elements I look for in a romance with two ideal lead characters truly meant for one another; after the requisite initial problems of conflict over their hasty marriage. Julian is kind, honorable, considerate, and in lust with Nell until he finally realizes he's fallen in love with his wife. While Nell's initial qualms over being married without love to a complete stranger are worked out in a reasonable amount of time, she has also fallen in love with her husband, but feels that his heart is bound to his deceased wife.

At first I was wondering why the author opened up the book with Nell's nightmares and then as the romance progressed the author simultaneously directed the intrigue towards the horror that Nell's nightmares were based in fact! As Nell's nightmares which Julian was trying to soothe away became more and more real, an event happened to make her realize that her initial nightmare of a man being killed was not a nightmare at all but a real event. At this point, Nell realized she was actually looking through the eyes of the madman. The author then built up the suspense with the introduction of legitimate and illegitimate cousins, uncles, and by-blows from Julian's rakish grandfather and uncle, giving the reader a wide range of possibilities as to what face belonged to the "shadow-man" from Nell's dreams, especially when the features of all the relations were so similar to one another. Thrilling with an edge-of -the seat climax, the author kept up the suspense right up to the spine chilling ending.

This was my very first book by the esteemed historical romance author Shirlee Busbee but it surely will not be the last. In short it was a fast and beautifully paced romance with a huge dollop of suspense and mystery that will keep the reader enthralled from beginning to end! What a treat!

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization for www.paranormalromance.org

When Nell is forced to marry Julian to avoid a scandal she's not sure how her life will turn out. Although she's very attracted to him and he with her neither was confident about falling in love. But horrible, vivid nightmares and grisly murders pull the couple together as they begin to delve into Nell's past. Startling conclusions come to light eventually, but the story tends to drag along, then fizzle out. After the limp suspense and guessing throughout the book, when the murderer is revealed it comes across as weak and lacking in ingenuity. I was rather disappointed that there wasn't enough thought, intrigue and suspense used to reveal the culprit's identity. Busbee is usually an excellent writer, but this book was not her best.

I've been on a recent less is more kick... as in, less sex hopefully means more actual intimacy and a stronger relationship between characters. This is one of those books! If you're looking for a trashy smut novel, this one isn't it. I definitely felt like I was reading a mystery novel with a love story in it versus a romance novel. I've read quite a few romances with a sci-fi/fantasy edge... the psychic abilities, telepathy, etc. I feel like the author handled this well- incredible but believeable. Given the amount of time that passes in this book, I do feel like it was a nice love story. The villains were really villains and the heroes were really heroes... none of this tortured rake who has no reedeeming qualities stuff.

After an accident left her damaged by society standards heiress Nell Anslowe's life changed dramatically. The beautiful heiress was left lame, abandoned by her fiancée and plagued with nightmares that continuously haunted her over the ten years since the accident. At twenty-nine Nell didn't think any man would want to marry her until Lord Tynedale requested her hand. In her refusal Nell never expected Lord Tynedale's desperation to save his failing fortune would lead to him kidnapping her. During a storm Nell escaped her captor and took refuge in an abandoned hut. Her safe haven was soon disrupted when she woke to find that she was no longer alone.

Thrown from his horse, Julian Weston, the Earl of Wyndham took shelter in the same hut where Nell was hiding. When Julian attempts to physically show Nell that it was not safe for her stay in the hut all alone, Nell's rescuers choose that moment to come to her aid. To save Nell's honor she and Julian are forced to wed.

As major changes occur in her life again, Nell's nightmares do not stop. As her nightmares become more frequent and much more vivid Nell begins to realize that her dreams may be based on reality.

Scandal Becomes Her is a sweet historical romance amidst a gruesome psychological thriller. I really liked the fact that Julian listened to Nell and didn't dismiss her nightmares as something that would pass or tried to explain them away. The plot was well thought out and the entire book was very engrossing. Scandal Becomes Her is a story of deception, suspense, murder and of course love. I found it highly entertaining and I'm certain other readers will too.

Ley

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

It's been a long time since I've read such a beautiful and suspenseful love story. I've added Shirlee Busbee to my fave authors list. I couldn't put this book down and highly recommend it. Can't wait to read the second book in the series.

Although a longtime romance reader I was new to this author and on a friend's recommendation read this book. Though I will admit it took me a bit of time to get into the story I found the story to be well done and in all honesty read like much older romances. The conflicts have been done before but the way in which this author presented them in this story made them seem fresh and new. She doesn't bogged the reader down with unnecessary directions and keeps the hero/heroines story at the forefront. Both the main characters are believable and better yet likable for the reader. This is definitely an author I will try again and shouldn't be missed by those who want a well written Regency romance.

This book was everything and more. Great storyline, characters and kept your attention with the suspense and romance.

Due to an accident, nineteen year old, engaged to a future Duke, Nell Anslow has lost everything in her future. Engagement called off and cripled from a fall from a cliff, Nell,still a great heiress,but cripled, has come to the attention of a desolute rake, gambler and fortune hunter ten years later. He kidnaps her, but things go wrong and by coincident,she meets Julian, Earl of Wyndham,and is caught in compromising position by her family searching for her. Julian, proposing marriage, does not expect to fall in love and not wanting to marry again marries Nell, who also does not want to love someone who does not love her, but they have no choice but to marry and settle into a convenient marriage.

Nell has been plagued by horrible nightmares since her accident and they have gotten worse. She dreams of young women being brutally slashed and killed, but can't quite make out the identity of the murderer. She can describe a dungeon in detail, but not the location where the murders take place. Julian learns of the nightmares and the plot thickens when the fortune hunter takes up residence with one of Julian's cousins. There's been uneasy truce between cousins and this adds to the tensions. Strange mutilations start to occur on the estate, Busbee builds her story from there and you will not want to put it down. The book was very good and well worth the read.

I wish the back of the book would of told me the truth of what this book was about. I didnt know it was a murder myster/paranormal kind of book, I wouldnt of bought it if I did. Other than that the book was just ok. The chemistry between Julian and Nell was hit or miss and sometimes the book just dragged. Im not going to read the other books in the series, especially with the hints of Raoul still being alive. I dont feel like reading about more innocent women and babies being killed.

Disappointing. That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book. It was in the "free loaner" pile at work, and I figured, "Why not?" After about 20 pages, I realized why not, but not being a quitter, I slogged through. I feel like Ms. Busbee was trying to backdoor into the love most female readers have for the Regency Period, without having actually done any research. Perhaps she picked up a discount copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Regency Colloquialisms" to add in a few words like 'perspicacious' and 'Lud!' All in all, I felt that she changed the time setting of the book last minute and threw in a couple of descriptions of period furniture to appeal to a larger audience. Which only means that more readers are going to be disappointed, because it does seem like an afterthought.

As far as story goes, I felt it to be pedestrian at best, as boring as watching grass grow at worst. The beautiful-feisty-woman-who-loses-her-intelligence-when-she-falls-in-love-with-her-husband-but-thinks-he-doesn't-love-her character is over-used. The rakishly-handsome-gentleman-who-has-been-wronged-and-swears-to-never-marry-or-love-another-woman character is, also, a cliche. But, surprise, they work out their misunderstandings, only to find their love threatened by a paranormal link with a sadistic killer. Gasp! Enter too many characters & sub-plots, too many unnecessary descriptions of furniture, hair ribbons, or lace handkerchief waving, and not enough substance to make this a well-told tale.

The story ends abruptly, as if the author finally got bored. The heroine is saved just in the nick of time and that's it. No actual resolution except the aunt getting her comeuppance for enabling her favorite son to be a killer. This story lacks research, originality, and closure. I'm not happy that I spent a few hours in it when there were so many other good books. I'll never get those hours of my life back, and I am disgruntled that I didn't re-read one of my favorites instead.

I was disappointed in my first Shirlee Busbee book. It seems to cater to the regency romance fan that is not turned off by cliches and formulas. I felt that was all this book was. The conflict exist between the characters in a way that makes them seem dumb and annoys the reader with constant miscommunications that go on way to long to have any repect for the character when they finally get with the program. I unfortunately already purchased the other two books in the trilogy so I will give Ms. Busbee another chance with the next one. One good thing that has come out of reading this book is I am finally getting a full nights sleep.