Customer Reviews

Scandalizing The Ton (Harlequin Historical)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

At one time, Lady Lydia Wexin was one of the Ton's most sought after beauties. Now since the scandalous death of her murderous husband she's been abandoned by family and those she once thought friends. Left impoverished, the only people calling on her these days are reporters looking for more gossip and creditors looking for payment. When it becomes clear the widow is with child the news causes another frenzy with the newsmen surrounding her home all asking the same question; who is the father? Only one man knows - Adrian Pomroy, the new Viscount Cavanley. Known among the ton as a libertine, a reputation Adrian has carefully cultivated, very few realize that what he seeks now is `purpose' in his life. Coming to the aid of the very beautiful Lady Wexin seems like a noble and inspiring challenge; unfortunately the Lady would prefer not to have anything to do with him.

*** Ah, but does the Lady protest too much? That is the question and will only be discovered by reading another of Diane Gaston's truly inspiring and deliciously sensual Regency historical novels! Ms. Gaston once again proves that she is at the top of her game in writing SCANDALIZING THE TON - another beautifully crafted novel with memorable characters and a very sensual love story.

While SCANDALIZING THE TON is completely stand alone, it follows up on the heels of THE VANISHING VISCOUNTESS mentioning names and events while bringing back the leads from that book as secondary characters in this one. I thought it very ingenious of Gaston to return and write of the repercussions that befall the `innocents' connected to the villain from THE VANISHING VISCOUNTESS. Gaston picks up the thread and tells the story of how one scandal affects the life of those `innocent' but tainted by the villain's crimes. It is sad but true that those associated with a murderer are often found `guilty by association', and as the widow of such a scandalous murderer, Lydia was tried and convicted by the lies and innuendoes spread by the gossip mongers. Yet in spite of being left with a tattered reputation and near penniless, Gaston showed Lydia to have enormous strength and the support of her faithful servants - much appreciated when even her family would not come to her aid.

Adrian was divine as he attempted to help behind the scenes remaining in the background while his regard and love of Lydia remained absolute. I thought it quite imaginative to have him working completely in the background to save Lydia from her own stubbornness when he could have just forgotten her after she continually pleaded for him to `stay away' all the while her libido warred with her mind. When Adrian finally convinced Lydia to marry him all should have settled nicely, except for more lies and innuendoes that continued to torment the fragile bond of trust Adrian had tried so hard to forge with Lydia. I thought the passion and the bumps along the road to happily ever after were paced very well making this a non-stop fascinating and nothing less than what I've come to expect from Ms. Gaston.

Bottom line: Fans of Regency Historical romance need look no further when seeking the ultimate of entertainment from that genre. Ms. Gaston provides pure genius with stories and characters that are everything you expect and more.

Marilyn Rondeau

Diane Gaston knows how to write about the deepest fears and desires that drive us, and in SCANDALIZING THE TON, she has done it again - this is a KEEPER! She has created a set of believable characters, in a believable and desperate situation, and created a riveting plot, based in something we have all seen in our own lifetimes... how the tabloid press can hound famous people (including innocent people), into the ground. Lydia, Lady Wexin, is that person in this romance, and Adrian, Viscount Cavanley, is the hero who loves her enough to help her even though she has rejected him, even after a night of passionate lovemaking.

Gaston's background as a psychiatric social worker gives her insights into the human condition that allow her to create amazing depth in her characters. She KNOWS what makes people tick, and I look forward to every new novel impatiently! This is a page-turner. What will happen when Lydia's child is born? Who IS the father? (And no DNA testing, here!) How will she be united with Adrian?

You'll love this romance!

Lord Wexton has killed a man in order to marry Lydia. Upon his death, she comes back to London in the mist of a scandal, fed by daily tidbits written by unscrupulous reporters. Isolated, her family gone to India, and lonely, she shares one night of passion with Lord Caverley.
I found the book enjoyable but could not beleive Lydia would have seduced Adrian Caverley so quickly, after just one encounter. He, as a gentleman, should have refused and never come back. Too bad, otherwise, i'd have given it 4 stars.

Since I enjoyed my first Diane Gaston (The Vanishing Viscountess) so much, I decided to read the next one too. This was a bad decision, as I disliked almost everything about this book.

The hero Adrian was way too passive and beta for me. He helps out the heroine but after having sex with her (in the opening chapters), he seems to disappear almost entirely for the next 100 pages. He tries to see the heroine but goes away meekly enough when she shoos him away. I'm used to heros who make things happen and he just never does. He's more prominent in the second half of the book but by then I'd given up on him.

The heroine Lydia was a shrew. Yes she had it tough with reporters hounding her, but I got tired of her stubbornly sending the hero away. I wasn't impressed with her plan to pretend her baby was her dead husband's either. And after she and Adrian finally get together in the second half, I cringed every time she lost her temper upon seeing another scurrilous attack in the papers and blamed Adrian. How is it his fault? Then a couple of chapters before the end, she's demanding a separation. And he goes along with it. Ugh.

During the early period when Adrian is mostly invisible, focus is on the reporter who's responsible for the smearing stories. I didn't care for him at all, I thought he was a villain and a waste of pages. I loathe reporters who hound innocent people. Imagine my surprise when he became the hero of the secondary romance. With Lydia's maid whom he was pumping for information. No, no, no! This totally did not work for me. Rather than see him get a HEA, I wanted to kick his rear into the next continent.

There was not enough action in this book, no excitement. Not enough focus on the hero and heroine either. They were apart for too long, then they were unhappy and quarreling when together, then they were apart again. Where were the scenes of them being happy and in love? And with sex occurring so early in the story, there was no sexual tension to speak of.

A big disappointment all around. And a weak 2 stars, even on my Harlequin grading scale.

Gaston manages a fresh approach by using an aggressive reporter for a scandal-mongering newspaper as the external problem who both brings our protagonists together and pulls them apart. The characters and motivations of Lord C- and Lady W- ring true and it is easy to see them being happy together after they surmount the very large hurdle which confronts them.

This is part of a series, perhaps the final installment. I have not read any of the other installments, at least not recently. I am very likely to read this again, but I will first read the preceding stories. I recommend Scandalizing the Ton as very well-done and highly satisfying.

I'm VERY picky when it comes to my Regency romance novels and it takes a lot to get me to truly love a story.
Scandalizing the Ton IS a great story but the problem is Diane Gaston felt the need to make everyone happy.

I loved love LOVED the fact that she moved the time line along. Nothing annoys me more than a story that suppose to feature a pregnancy and the woman is barely showing for the majority of the book. Move that pregnancy along!

The widowed Lady Wexin lives in seclusion after the death of her husband with the reporters hounding her and sensational journalism abound.

You REALLY feel for Lydia being a victim and trapped in her own home. If she leaves, she'll be hounding by reporters who just don't care and want some story. She's rescued by Adrian, Lord Calvanley from the MOST persistent reporter in London. An act of kindness sparks Lydia's loneliness and his offer of friendship encourages her to ask him to make love to her....naturally she gets pregnant. But this is only a month after her husband's death so time line wise it makes for even more sensational headlines wondering if she's carrying her late husband's heir.

Lydia is shocked by her pregnancy but thrilled. You find yourself happy for her because after multiple miscarriages you want her to carry this baby to term and love that she finally has something to smile about despite the reporters still camped out on her lawn.

But she keeps mum on the father not confirming that the baby is another man's nor her late husband's wanting some peace and privacy in fear that she'll lose this baby like the others. Adrian suspects he might be the father but Lydia tells him he's not. It's easy to hate Lydia for that but you have to remember what she's been through. After having one man pull the wool over her eyes (she thought her husband was a good man and was crazy in love and he turned out to be a murdering liar) you understand why Lydia lies to Adrian. She does so to not make herself dependent on a man again. A man who would have to do his duty and marry her and could take her child from her if he chose.

When she doesn't given birth in the correct time span, Adrian confronts her over her lie and they quickly marry to secure their child's legitimacy but of course nothing is ever that simple. He's a Viscount and now with a wife and legitimate heir but they have to return back to society and face them head on despite the reporters. And with reporters seeing this juicy story(the most notorious rake and gambler, the murderer's widow and now a new baby in tow) nothing is going to be easy.

The romance between Adrian and Lydia is sexy and understandable. Lydia runs hot and cold at times but when you remember just how awful she's been treated in the newspaper you sympathize with her. She makes a few bad decisions but she's treated so awful by the newspaper you cry for her and while you don't like her choices, you can sympathize and understand why she does and says certain things. Adrian is a good man and hero and I like that he's determined but not pushy. He's so very kind with a heart of gold.

The ONLY thing, the ONLY THING that makes me give this book 3 stars is seeing the just plain awful, evil reporter. I didn't like him at all and I don't care for his Grinch character suddenly growing a heart 3 sizes too big and him getting his happily ever after. I wanted it to be about Lydia and Adrian and I felt that Samuel being redeemed made it all about HIM in the end. As if this is his story of growing a heart.

Really 5 stars. SO close to 5 stars but that reporter just sullied it and made it 4 and not the full 5.

But a really great story so if you're looking for a good read with a different twist (the reporters and up to date gossip) then pick this one up.

Though I'm sad to see the last of this combination of characters, what an incredible way to end! Diane manages to create a feeling of familiarity with the characters and their situation while remaining true to historical social details. Watching these characters grow into healthier, happier people was heart wrenching and rewarding. The little unexpected insights into human nature are present, as ever found in any of Diane's books. I wondered how in the world Diane would be able to bring together such very different people and have it work believably. She succeeded delightfully. Brava!!