Reviewer: Tracy The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake
Series: Cinderella Sisterhood #6
Also in this series: Abducted by a Prince
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 31st 2017
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 352
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Series Rating:
Scandal begins with just one kiss. . .
Aurora Paxton was once the belle of the ball, the most sought-after debutante of the season―until a scandalous mistake ruined her. Shunned by her family, Rory was banished to the country to live in disgrace. Now she’s been summoned back to London by her stepmother, who is being blackmailed by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell.
Lucas is someone Rory’s known for years―a man as devastatingly handsome as he is coldly disapproving of her. What in the world could he want from her or her family? Rory intends to find out as soon as she comes face to face with her old foe. What she never expects, however, is that the icy aristocrat has a soft spot for her―and a secret plan to redeem her status. Could it be that Lucas has been in love with Rory all along. . .and has finally found a way to win her heart?
Aurora Paxton had it all. Beautiful, vivacious – having the time of her life during her first season. That all came to a crashing halt when she was found in a compromising position with an Italian diplomat, Stefano. When her father demanded that Stefano marry Rory, Stefano admitted to having a wife back in Italy. Rory was devastated that the man she thought loved her had lied to her. Then her father and stepmother banished her from London and off she went to live with her aunt in Norfolk. That was eight years ago.
When a Lady Milford shows up at her aunt’s house unexpectedly and tells Rory that her stepmother needs her help, Rory is skeptical as her aunt dislikes her intensely. Then Lady Milford mentions that not only is her stepmother being blackmailed but that Rory’s sister, Celeste, is getting married to a duke in a month – a man that Rory thinks is way too old for her sister.
Rory heads to London and after talking with her stepmonster…uh, I mean stepmother, she heads off to work as a companion to the Marchioness of Dashell, the current Marquesses mother who is bedridden. Rory’s stepmother believes that the Marquess, Lucas Vale, is the one that stole the letters and is blackmailing her. While working as a companion Rory will be able to search the house for the missing letters. Rory remembers the Marquess as being a stuffy prig and he proves he still is – for a bit. The longer that Rory is in the household the clearer she sees that Lucas isn’t as stuffy as she originally believed. When Rory determines that Lucas isn’t behind the blackmail he agrees to help her find the true culprit which pushes the pair together.
The Scandalous Flirt is a book inspired by a fairy tale. Lady Milford has enchanted slippers that supposedly bring the wearer to their true love. When Rory heads back to London Lady Milford hands over the shoes for Rory to wear. Now, I know that the whole premise of the fairy tale is that the enchanted slippers were supposed to bring Rory to her true love but that was mostly Lady Milford and the stepmother pushing Rory toward Lucas. Yes, Rory wore the shoes but really, I didn’t feel they had anything to do with it and they were only mentioned a couple of times in the book. Lucas had been smitten with Rory eight years earlier and with them in close contact constantly they were bound to get closer. Since this is based on a fairy tale I just wish that it had been more fairy tale-ish. But that’s me. 🙂
While I liked Lucas by the end of the story, he wasn’t a soft man and for most of the book I was on the shelf as to whether I actually liked him or not. I did believe he truly loved Rory and was happy they ended up together in the end.
Rory and I had a love hate relationship. There were things I liked about her, definitely, but sometimes her stubbornness and I-am-woman-hear-me-roar ways drove me a bit batty. I understand she was a feminist and that was awesome but there were occasions in the book where what she thought of as feminism was her just being reckless and yes, I’ll say it, stupid.
The romance wasn’t typical in this book but it was good. I liked Rory and Lucas together and they played well off of each other. I was happy that Lucas went for the poor, scandalous girl in the end.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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