A Scandalous Marriage [Mass Market Paperback]

Cathy Maxwell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2000

Leah Carrollton had dreams of meeting—and marrying—the perfect man. Then a scandalous affair ended in abandonment, and she left London rather than face her disgrace. With no one to turn to, Leah ran away to the country. Abruptly Devon Marshall, Viscount Huxhold, strides into her life, enveloping her in his strong embrace and offering her a chance to recapture what she'd lost.

Heir to one of England's most honorable titles, Devon has spent his life breaking the rules—and giving Leah and her fatherless child his name is just one more way to flaunt convention. But Devon discovers Leah tantalizes him as no other woman ever has, making him long for all the sweet bliss that marriage has to offer. But can a marriage made in scandal become a happily-ever-after affair?

Leah Carrollton had dreams of meeting—and marrying—the perfect man. Then a scandalous affair ended in abandonment, and she left London rather than face her disgrace. With no one to turn to, Leah ran away to the country. Abruptly Devon Marshall, Viscount Huxhold, strides into her life, enveloping her in his strong embrace and offering her a chance to recapture what she'd lost.

Heir to one of England's most honorable titles, Devon has spent his life breaking the rules—and giving Leah and her fatherless child his name is just one more way to flaunt convention. But Devon discovers Leah tantalizes him as no other woman ever has, making him long for all the sweet bliss that marriage has to offer. But can a marriage made in scandal become a happily-ever-after affair?Leah Carrollton had dreams of meeting—and marrying—the perfect man. Then a scandalous affair ended in abandonment, and she left London rather than face her disgrace. With no one to turn to, Leah ran away to the country. Abruptly Devon Marshall, Viscount Huxhold, strides into her life, enveloping her in his strong embrace and offering her a chance to recapture what she'd lost.

Heir to one of England's most honorable titles, Devon has spent his life breaking the rules—and giving Leah and her fatherless child his name is just one more way to flaunt convention. But Devon discovers Leah tantalizes him as no other woman ever has, making him long for all the sweet bliss that marriage has to offer. But can a marriage made in scandal become a happily-ever-after affair?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

To most eyes Leah Carrollton might appear the dutiful debutante, but it takes Devon Marshall less than a minute to feel the enormous pull of a kindred, rebellious soul. At their first meeting, Devon and Leah are about to acknowledge the amazing connection between them when her brother steps in and clarifies their identities. As members of the rival Carrollton and Marshall families, the two can never mix. However, Devon has never met a woman he couldn't seduce, and a bet--with a bit of bravado mixed in--leads him straight to Leah and a scandal that turns the ton upside down.

With a fast-moving story line, strong plot twists, and a good dose of drama, Cathy Maxwell brings a fresh take to the regency genre. Devon has depth beyond that of the usual romance rake, and Leah is neither the stereotypical naive waif nor the spunky but idiotic go-getter. Their realistic character flaws and mature reactions make Leah and Devon a couple you can truly root for. Keep an eye out for future works by Cathy Maxwell. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien

Review

"For laughter and tears Cathy Maxwell can't be beat! -- Jill Barnett, author of Wild

"For laughter and tears Cathy Maxwell can't be beat!" -- Jill Barnett

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (February 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380808323
• ISBN-13: 978-0380808328
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bestselling novelist Cathy Maxwell, a storyteller since childhood, embraces her writing romance as a way to express her belief that "loving well is the greatest adventure of all," and to explore her fascination with the Regency period.

The author of twenty-five historical romance novels and four novellas Cathy's latest THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL, the fifth of her Scandal and Seduction novels, has just been published. The others, also set in the Regency period, are quintessential Cathy Maxwell--traditional historicals with a contemporary sensibility and a touch of humor. They are A Seduction at Christmas, The Marriage Ring, The Earl Claims His Wife, and His Christmas Pleasure. Each has appeared for multiple weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list.


Cathy received recognition from the start with her first novel, All Things Beautiful. Published in 1994, it was nominated for Best First Book by the Romance Writers of America and for Best First Historical by Romantic Times magazine. It also received first place recognition as Best Read of 1994 from the Reader's Voice

Born in Olathe, Kansas, Cathy's family roots go back to the Mayflower and the Revolutionary War. She has long called Virginia home, noting she is "a Virginian by choice, but a Kansan by nature." She worked in television news and spent six years in the Navy. She attended Air Force intelligence school, worked in the Pentagon and did a tour with Naval Intelligence.

Cathy began her writing career in 1991. Now, twenty years later, she is the author of sixteen national bestsellers and her novels appear regularly on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. Her books include In the Highlander's Bed, Bedding the Heiress, In the Bed of a Duke, The Price of Indiscretion, Temptation of a Proper Governess, and The Seduction of an English Lady. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, Virginia Romance Writers, and Novelists Inc., and she is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences, libraries and special events.

She lives in rural Powhatan County with her rescued dogs Rico and Maya and with her son during college breaks, and is just a few miles from her horses, Duncan and Dinero.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Hero but a Mediocre Story, May 26, 2004

By 

"klpepsi" (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Scandalous Marriage (Mass Market Paperback)

Beautiful debutante, Leah Carrollton, could have any man she wanted. But the selection found in London ballrooms was dull and unappealing. That is, until she met Devon Marshall, Viscount Huxhold, who was most appealing indeed. Devon shared the same regard for the lovely Leah, and since her family had been pressing her to pick a husband of means to offset their financial situation, Devon seemed perfect. But Leah's brother would not even consider a union between the two, since the Carrollton and Marshall families were old enemies. Leah was forced to end her relationship with Devon, and he left London soon afterward. A distraught Leah exercised poor judgment, and ran off with a notorious scoundrel who ruined her and left her pregnant. She then fled London for the countryside to bear her child alone.

Some months later, while traveling through the English countryside, Devon discovers a very pregnant Leah living in squalor. Before much could be spoken between the two, Leah went into labor. After assisting with the difficult delivery, Devon married her and claimed the child as his own. But old secrets and hurts still exist between the two. Will they be able to get past their problems, and rediscover their love for each other?

I'm beginning to think Cathy Maxwell is a writer whose work I'm just not really drawn to. I found her story in the anthology TWO FOR TEA quite good, so I sought out more of her titles. Next I read THE WEDDING WAGER, which I also found to be very satisfying. But the last two books I've read by her, this one and its prequel MARRIED IN HASTE, were horribly average. This story started off well, and I very much enjoyed the hero saving the heroine from her less than perfect living situation. Then he even went so far as to claim her fatherless child as his own. In fact, the hero of this book is a wonderful, charming, and honorable man, and his character is the best part of this story. Not that I found Leah unlikable; she was just okay. But after they married, the story seemed forced, lost momentum, and ceased to be as interesting. I did finish the book, but overall it just wasn't that special or memorable for me. I have one other novel by this author already in my possession, so I'll probably read it. However, if its not better than these last two, I'm most likely done reading Ms. Maxwell's work.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The viscount who stole my heart, February 19, 2000

By 

Bonnie Gilbert - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Scandalous Marriage (Mass Market Paperback)

When Devon and Leah first met they felt a connection that they had never felt before, but when they realized that their families were enemies they vowed to hate eachother forever. After several weeks of avoiding eachother, Devon sought Leah out with a plan to seduce her. But he fell in love instead.

Unable to marry due to the family quarrel and a devestating duel, Devon leaves London and Leah behind. Leah is distraught and throws herself at other men. After she becomes pregnant she leaves London to live a life as a pauper.

A chance meeting brings the two lovers back together on the date of her son''s birth. After Devon helps to birth her child he immediately falls in love with her son. He marries her and claims her child for his own.

Although both love eachother, neither will allow themself to acknowledge that love. The past haunts them. Devon brings his new wife and son home to meet his family that he hasn''t seen in over a year. They are outraged that he would marry the daughter of their sworn enemy.

I loved this book, I truly did. Especially Devon, the viscount who stole my heart. If you''re a lover of regency and you love a hero who will melt your heart, this is the book for you. I can''t wait to read all past novels by Cathy Maxwell.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Scandalous Marriage, February 27, 2000

By 

Rebecca Goodwin (Friendswood, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Scandalous Marriage (Mass Market Paperback)

Leah and Devon seemed so real to me. When Leah was having her baby, I felt every one of her pains, and then all her joys. Mostly, it was the uncertainty she felt about her future, yet her determination to succeed despite everything that seemed so real to me. It's been so rare lately that I can pick up a book and loose myself in the story. I really cared alot about the people in this book. I don't know if it's the way they were written that brought everyone so much to life, or if the story was just so good that I was able to loose myself in it. Or a combination of both. All I can say is I hope I find a husband someday that will love me and care about me as much as Devon loved Leah. Their feelings for each other were so strong. It was as if they were real people. I've read several books by Cathy Maxwell and have liked them all. This one is very, very special.