Name: Slightly Scandalous
ISBN: 9780440241119

Mary Balogh

During a visit to Bath, independent, adventure-loving Lady Freyja Bedwyn gets more than she had bargained for when Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, enlists her aid to thwart the matchmaking schemes of his family by posing as his fiancTe. Original.

Slightly Scandalous

Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom. Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fiance and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect planuntil passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart...

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
 

  First Impressions

I have been meaning to return to this series, I have seen lately quite a bit of creators talk about this series lately and it helps me realize that I have been neglecting it in that I haven’t read it at all. I really wanted to explore it more and see how I would enjoy these older books from this series and I grabbed this one in audio and I am really happy that I did because It just ended up being such a win I am not sure if it was the book or the narration or a combination of both but it ended up being such a win of a read. I loved everything about this book here and I was really interested in seeing how this author would write this story and develop the story and the way it would differ from her more recently released releases and I have to say I love the charm and the higher level of heat that she uses and in Slightly Scandalous we see a story that just has this gritty feel to it with the same level of charm, regency authenticity and a romance you can cheer on,


  Summary

Freyja Bedwyn has four brothers that she has had to compete with and even as much as she loves them she needs some distance from them and from a heart hurting when a man she thinks that she loves chose another woman to love. She decides to do a visit to Bath, and then she has a stranger storm into her room, who is being hunted by others, and instant chemistry builds between these two but through a set of events that occur, they come to a mutual arrangement that will benefit them both….a fake engagement, Jake the Marquest of Hallmere, is being almost forced into an engagement with his cousin by his aunt who is determined to claim the title for her daughter no matter the cost. And that is not whom he would ever want to marry, he loves his cousin but more in a brotherly way. Then Freyja agrees to act as his betrothed to protect him and then her family becomes involved and what was to be a temporary relationship turns into something more real than either of them imagined.


  What I Loved

I know some people had reservations about this book due to Freyja actions in the previous books but, to be honest it’s been years since I have read those books so I didn’t have that issue at all. I will admit that she took some getting used to but she wormed her way into my heart. I loved her drive and passion and independent she wanted to be from her family and society. I liked that she wanted to make her own rules in life and have a semblance of control when there wasn’t much. Then we have Jake, who appeared to be a wild rake but is so much more to him than a playful rogue. He is trying to get away from some trauma that happened when he was younger but he also wants to fight his own battles and find his own way without his meddlesome family, The romance was such fun, the way that these two banter with each other was beyond fun and they are both so independent but also see each other. Even though they are in denial of what they are feeling, especially Freyja, we see how they can help but aid and fight for each other. The sex scenes in this book is steamier than what you will see in her more recent releases and I really liked seeing a different level of heat than we are typically used to. The involvement of the Bedwyn family was hilarious; the more you are around this family, the more you are charmed by them.


  
    I Know what you meant when you told me she was full of love and brimming over with it. And so innocent that one fears for her. Perhaps we ought not to fear for such people but for ourselves whose experience has taught us not to trust one another or life itself.
  



  What I Struggled With

There was hardly anything I had issues with, just had so much fun with this one


  The Narration

Rosalyn Landor is such a queen when it comes to narrating historicals, especially the regency/victorian kind. She can take some getting used to, but I found that she reflected the personalities of the characters so well and really delivered on all fronts. The level of emotion and unrequited love that felt so real was so perfectly delivered by this narrator.


  Overall View

Slightly Scandalous is a witty, challenging, and a fight for love type of romance. Its a story that won’t be easy to let go of and will charm you endlessly.

Kate

2.5 stars, given ignominiously (why does Mary Balogh seem to think an adverb that a) is not used almost ever in modern vernacular and b) means "deserving or causing public disgrace or shame" is a good adverb to constantly describe her characters' actions)