Tracy’s review of Wedded in Scandal by Jade Lee

For his whole life, Robert Percy, Viscount Redhill, has worked hard to maintain a sterling reputation. And while it’s socially acceptable to seduce delectable dress designer Mrs. Mortimer, Robert learns too late the heartbreaking truth about who she used to be.

Mrs. Helen Mortimer, aka Lady Helaine Chelmorton daughter of an Earl, has become a dressmaker. Five years ago her drunkard father created a scandal so huge that Helaine and her mother would be forever ostracized from the ton. Luckily Helaine had only attended one ball and wasn’t well known so was able to start a dress shop along with her friend Wendy without her true identity becoming known.

She has finally gotten an order for a trousseau that will put the shop, A Lady’s Favor, on the map, but she needs to be paid in advance as she doesn’t have the coin to purchase the needed material. The bride ordering the trousseau, Gwen, daughter of Earl herself, had stated that she would pay up front. Unfortunately the accountant handling the families money isn’t so keen on paying up front because it just isn’t done. Helaine is forced to request payment from Gwen’s brother, Viscount Redhill who then basically tells her she’s a con artist and almost calls the constable. The Viscount, Robert, soon shows up at Helaine’s shop and tries to find out what the situation is with Helaine as he doesn’t trust her. Robert and Helaine soon start verbally sparring and Robert finds that he wants to be around her more and more. Yes, he likes her for her looks and body but he likes her mind as well – a definite point in Robert’s favor.

Robert is desperate for Helaine and soon asks her to become his mistress. While the reputation that Helaine created for herself states that she was someone’s mistress already, the truth of the matter is that she’s not ever been kissed much less bedded. Helaine eventually acquiesces but she knows that the relationship can go no further as she’s just a dressmaker and Robert’s a Viscount.

This is my first read by Jade Lee and I definitely enjoyed the book. I got into the verbal sparring and witty banter that Helaine and Robert exchanged – it made me smile. I really liked the fact that Helaine didn’t give in to Robert’s request right away. In fact she turned him down flat on more than one occasion and I loved that she had the strength to stand up for herself like that.

Robert was a great guy as well. He was thoughtful and giving and would do almost anything for his family and I loved that about him. What I couldn’t figure out was the money. He didn’t have a ton of it and it was spread far and wide with all of his good works. He stated on several occasions that he didn’t know where he was going to get the money for this or that but he’d find it. Then he was offering to set Helaine up in a house with a monthly allowance. It didn’t make sense to me. There felt like a lack of consistency in this matter as well as several others in the book.

The story is entertaining but the ending really was too contrived for my liking. Also, the HEA came so late in the story we didn’t get to find out how the heck it was all going to work. The sheer logistics of the relationship was something that I just couldn’t figure out. If Robert wed Helaine then she would become a lady and does a lady run a dress shop? No. And she wouldn’t give up her shop for anything…or so she stated. I would have liked more information so that I could figure out all the twists and turns.

I think I will be reading the next book in this series as the excerpt for it at the end of Wedded in Scandal was definitely intriguing.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.