Sophie has nothing in common with the Earl of Banallt?s many women?and his attempts to seduce her fall flat. Good thing Fate has a way of giving second chances. But can Sophie entrust her heart to a man who appears to be as rakish as her dead husband? Or would that be madness?
| |||||||||||||||
Browse the best books of summer including blockbusters, beach reads, and editors' picks in our Summer Reading Store. |
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Carolyn Jewel was born on a moonless night. That darkness was seared into her soul and she became an award winning author of historical and paranormal romance. She has a very dusty car and a Master's degree in English that proves useful at the oddest times. An avid fan of fine chocolate, finer heroines, Bollywood films, and heroism in all forms, she has three cats and a dog. Also a son. One of the cats is his.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By K. Reinke
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is such a wonderful story, I felt compelled to weigh in...
I won't sum up the plot, which you can read in the synopsis and in the other reviews. What drew me in was the authors wonderful way with words, and her realistic characters! Both Sophie and Banalt were so memorable and TRUE.
Sophie is an eccentric bookworm and romantic. Against her very nature and instincts, constant betrayals by her first husband force her to raise a high wall around her heart. Her pain and strength are both palpable things in her life. Banalt is a rather typical, jaded, and yes - irredeemable - nobleman. However, his exposure to Sophie's innate strength, goodness, and "beautiful blue-green eyes", inspire a desire in him to become his better self. I felt that I knew them and was very invested in their lives and happiness. Ms. Jewel has done a marvelous job of showing and telling us about these two people. As readers, we understood their instincts, desires, and motivations. I was frequently moved to tears, on both their behalves, because I understood them.
The secondary characters were equally well and honestly portrayed. I will not soon forget Sophie's brother, John.
Bravo to wonderful characters and a wonderful story of second chances!
I won't sum up the plot, which you can read in the synopsis and in the other reviews. What drew me in was the authors wonderful way with words, and her realistic characters! Both Sophie and Banalt were so memorable and TRUE.
Sophie is an eccentric bookworm and romantic. Against her very nature and instincts, constant betrayals by her first husband force her to raise a high wall around her heart. Her pain and strength are both palpable things in her life. Banalt is a rather typical, jaded, and yes - irredeemable - nobleman. However, his exposure to Sophie's innate strength, goodness, and "beautiful blue-green eyes", inspire a desire in him to become his better self. I felt that I knew them and was very invested in their lives and happiness. Ms. Jewel has done a marvelous job of showing and telling us about these two people. As readers, we understood their instincts, desires, and motivations. I was frequently moved to tears, on both their behalves, because I understood them.
The secondary characters were equally well and honestly portrayed. I will not soon forget Sophie's brother, John.
Bravo to wonderful characters and a wonderful story of second chances!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By R. Phillips
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a story about a rake who falls in love with his best friend's wife. The problem is that she despises him. Over time, their friendship grows and he is overcome by his love for her. He is obsessed with her, and when she is widowed, he will do anything to win her love and respect. This is a good story with a heartfelt romance. The heroine's resistance did wear on me a little. It just seemed to go on and on and on, and consequently, made the heroine a bit annoying at times. However, it was nice to read about a hero who never gives up on the true love of his life. I agree that this story is very slow paced and I also agree that it was nice to finally read a HR without a murder plot driving it.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Cindylouwho
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I have to say this was a very, very good book, and only had some minor problems with it. In Jewel's attempt to take a scandal and tell it in a different way, BRAVO and Thank you! I felt this was a new story. When the book begins, we know Banallt is a rake, but yet his love for Sophie, having her or not, has already reformed him. He's smitten, ruined (his words), and utterly enchanted by Sophie's mind, heart and body. They meet under uncomfortable circumstances, but yet become friends while he is a friend of her husband's. In Private Arrangements, it annoyed me bouncing back and forth between present and past, but in this book, it was so enjoyable. You feel the build up of their relationship, and regardless of it starting out a bit slower than I like, it still worked well.
[...]
Ms. Jewel, please tell me there will be a story with Tallboys winning the heartbroken Miss Fidelia.
[...]
Ms. Jewel, please tell me there will be a story with Tallboys winning the heartbroken Miss Fidelia.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite book....
So far I think this was my favorite by this author. I read I think three more after this and wasn't too impressed. Read more
Published 4 months ago by marinam
2.0 out of 5 stars
A scarred heroine and a reformed rake...but it's all a bit dreary
Our heroine Sophie has been badly burned by her cheating hubby. He's since died and she's living with her brother still in mourning, when she is visited by Banallt, a Duke, and one... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Georgia O'Keefe
4.0 out of 5 stars
There is a heaviness to the story that stops it from being completlely...
Although I put this one is as four-stars, It is actually a 3 1/2 star book. I loved the writing and the structure of the story. Read more
Published 8 months ago by T. Wheaton
3.0 out of 5 stars
Puzzling
I just couldn't connect with the characters in this book. The narrative works through a lot of flashbacks - the H & H have known each other for several years, and the story... Read more
Published 16 months ago by jhl
3.0 out of 5 stars
romantic but not happy
In some ways, SCANDAL exceeded my expectations - there are moments that are achingly romantic, and Carolyn Jewel digs a little deeper into the ever-popular reform-a-rake plot than... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Madame X
4.0 out of 5 stars
Passionate and emotional story of a true rake's efforts to win the...
The Earl of Banallt makes love like a pornstar...if pornstars were crafted with beautiful and provocative words, that is. Read more
Published 20 months ago by AJ, The Original
4.0 out of 5 stars
Did She Forget to Write the Last Chapter?
*Possible spoilers*
It took a while to get into this book, but once I did, I became engrossed in it. Jewel's use of language is superb, almost lyrical and very visual. Read more
It took a while to get into this book, but once I did, I became engrossed in it. Jewel's use of language is superb, almost lyrical and very visual. Read more
Published 21 months ago by I Read Anything
5.0 out of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book; Banallt is one of the best heroes I've...
My thanks to my GR friends who recommended this book and kept reminding me to read it! Such a fabulous book. Read more
Published 22 months ago by J. P.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love the Hero
If there's one thing I can say about Carolyn Jewel, it's that she can write the hell out of an emotional scene. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Catherine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!
I'm so happy I have discovered Carolyn Jewel's historicals. This is a really original story with a difference, complex characters and a hero to die for. Read more
Published on September 10, 2010 by CJ
