Scandalous Again [Mass Market Paperback]

Christina Dodd (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 25, 2003

Two exquisite cousins must exchange identities in a scandalous deception.

Madeline de Lacy, the duchess of Magnus, prides herself on being one of the most sensible young women in England, which is why she can't believe that, in a turn of the cards, her noble father has lost his entire estate -- and her! -- to a stranger.

On a mission to salvage her family fortune, she changes places with her cousin and companion, sending the meeker Eleanor to confront the man who had won Madeline's hand. Now, Madeline is free to enter the home of a notorious gambler, and pretends to be meek, humble, and competent with an iron. She is, of course, none of those things; she simply is resolved to win her family's fortune back. Just when she thinks matters can't get worse, she meets Gabriel Ansell, the earl of Campion, and they do. Horribly worse.

Four years ago, Madeline was engaged to Gabriel, and worshipped his arrogant kisses. Now, being forced to marry a man she doesn't know pales in comparison to the ordeal of facing Gabriel again, the man who betrayed her -- Gabriel, the only man she ever loved.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dodd, author of the bestselling Governess Brides series (My Favorite Bride, etc.), is back with the first Regency-era romance in her two-part Changing Places series. Lady Madeline de Lacy, one of the most powerful women in England, is struggling to hold her family together following her gambler father's catastrophic loss at cards. When she learns that he has gambled away her hand in marriage and is planning to stake her most precious heirloom in the Game of the Century, she takes drastic action. She switches places with her cousin and companion, Eleanor, and heads to The Game disguised as a companion herself. Eleanor, in turn, agrees to see Madeline's new fiance and break the engagement. Madeline is accustomed to running her life and the lives of those around her, so posing as a lady's maid proves to be a challenge, especially when she discovers her former fiance, Lord Gabriel, at the party. Now she must maintain her ruse even as she's drawn to the man she jilted four years earlier. Dodd is known for crafting spicy romances with a touch of humor, and this book is no exception. Less appealing, however, is her alpha-male hero, who spends most of the book punishing Madeline for her past behavior. Still, the story moves along at a bright clip and will likely please Dodd's fans despite a hasty denouement.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Christina Dodd's novels have been translated into ten languages, won Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart and RITA^® Awards, and have been called the year's best by Library Journal. Dodd is a regular on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and New York Times bestseller lists. Christina loves to hear from fans.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Reprint edition (February 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060092653
• ISBN-13: 978-0060092658
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( D ) > Dodd, Christina

More About the Author

Chat with Christina via Facebook and Twitter, and even better, join her mailing list to have her news delivered right to your inbox! http://christinadodd.com/lists/?p=subscribe

Readers become writers, and Christina Dodd has always been a reader. She reads everything, but because she loves humor, she likes romance best.

A woman wants things like world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants things like a Craftsman router with attachments, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will miraculously make his bald spot disappear. So when Christina's first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to quit work and write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?

Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before her first novel, CANDLE IN THE WINDOW, was published. In the twenty-two years since, her novels have been translated into 25 languages, won Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart and RITA Awards and been called the year's best by Library Journal. Christina Dodd herself has been a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle (11/18/05, # 13 Down: Romance Novelist named Christina.) Publishers Weekly praises her style that 'showcases Dodd's easy, addictive charm and steamy storytelling.'

Christina's 2011 releases include TAKEN BY THE PRINCE, #9 in the Governess Brides series, and in the tradition of Nora Roberts, a new romantic suspense series starting with SECRETS OF BELLA TERRA and REVENGE AT BELLA TERRA.

Christina Dodd is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Such a disappointment..., March 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Scandalous Again (Mass Market Paperback)

I always await Christina Dodd's books with great anticipation. For the first time I can say I was sorry that I even read one. The behavious of both of the main characters left a lot to be desired - but the repeated humiliation and put downs of Madeline by Gabriel and his manservant left a bad taste in the mouth. Not only did she accept everything at the hands of Gabriel - she accepted it as her due which came across as warped. Well - she wasn't perfect, but neither was his behaviour - yet somehow all of his atrocious behavious was ok because she LOOVED him. YUCK. Unlike other books by Christina Dodd there was no balance in this book at all. The ending seemed to be put together in haste, ending the story in a very unsatisfactory way. I would recommend giving this one a pass. I will think twice before rushing out to get the next in this series.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Up To Dodd's Par, February 27, 2003

By 

missgooch (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scandalous Again (Mass Market Paperback)

As a fervent fan of Christina Dodd, I was heartily disappointed with the pacing and storyline here.

The plot points are a bit thin, and for the first time in my recollection, so are the characters. Maddie is stumbling around being pompous and self-righteous, refusing to use common sense logic in the listening to the reason's behind his gambling, much less bothering to take note that he's stopped... *Yawn*. The usual humor and candor of the characters was missing, and frankly, the love scenes were dry.

But MOST of all, the abrupt ending was irritating, and though I can only assume that this is a launch to a sequel, I felt jilted at the end with relatively little closure of the situation/adventure.

Read as if Ms. Dodd churned this out in an afternoon, leaving open threadlines, mistaken clues, and diluted dialogue. Boo.

Still a fan to the end, but truly was disappointed in this unmemorable adventure.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful read!!, April 20, 2003

By 

P. Rudnicki "cynderela23" (Norfolk Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scandalous Again (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read all of Christina Dodd's books, and this one is, by far, her best to date! Scandalous Again is the tale of Madeline de Lacy, the future duchess of Magnus, and her x-fiancee, Gabriel Ansell. This is the first book in a while that I have read that the characters were so well balanced, with believable personalities and character flaws. Most times you will find in historical romances that the female is always putty in the male's hands. Not so in Scandalous Again. Maddie is very independant, and headstrong due to her fathers gambling problem, and she has a big problem trusting anyone, especially Gabriel, who is also a notorious gambler. Thoughout the story Gabriel is trying to gain Maddie's trust, and avenge his little brothers death, all the while trying to keep Maddie's secret, that she is really a duchess posing as a companion, at one of the biggest parties of the ton!! All in all, I believe anyone that reads this book will be happy they did. The little foibles that Dodd puts our heroine in make for a great read alone. Just imagine a Duchess trying to iron!