Review: Love and Scandal by Donna Lea Simpson

A lady in Victorian times had little options when it came to acceptable jobs. Writing novels was simply not one of them and certainly not publishing them. That’s why Collette Jardiniere hides her authorship of The Last Days of a Rake behind the pseudonym Collin Jenkins. That is until some trumped-up peacock of a rake refuses to deny authorship. So she goes to London to rectify the gross injustice of her work be unfairly attributed to another and for the first time finds herself experiencing freedom and passion. A very heady combination for a virginal spinster.

Charles Jameson (Jamie) wants nothing more than to meet the man behind the scandalous novel and pick his brain. As a lover of the literary world but lacking skill with a pen, Charles is very much a man of the time. He refuses (at first) to believe woman capable of intelligence, thinking they merely parrot men in their lives. He also can’t believe that they write, let alone one having written a novel he considers to be written by a rakehell.

Simpson does an excellent job weaving both characters together. They’re helpless attraction to each other doesn’t hurt either. She carefully chips Collette’s cowardice to claim authorship away and slowly builds Charles’ character up so that he can be the hero Collette needs. Of course their relationship is not without a series of hardships but eventually all obstacles are overcome.

In addition to Love & Scandal, I read the companion novella Last Days of a Rake. It’s not a love story. Collette didn’t write a romantic piece, it’s a dark look into the redemption of a rake who doesn’t even understand why he’s changed. It reflects everything the characters from Love & Scandal claim it to be and that includes its flaws. If you have a little time on your hands, be sure to check it out and read it before starting the other. I thought it helped a lot with understanding points made in the novel about the heroine’s writing, but you don’t have to read it to enjoy the romance.

Rating: 4 Stars

Buy: Love & Scandal

Free Download: The Last Days of a Rake

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Tagged as: authorship, Donna Lea Simpson, ebook, last days of a rake, peacock, pseudonym, rake, rakehell, redemption, scandal, Spinster, victorian times, virginal, writing novels

This post was written by...

Keira – who has written 1035 posts on Love Romance Passion.

Keira's favorite type of heroes are blind, scarred, and tortured... yes, she understands those should be separate, but all 3 at once is also nice! She enjoys historical romances best and adores audio books because great narrators turn books into auditory/mental movies (and she loves her romantic dramas like Pride and Prejudice/North and South!) Learn more about Keira in My Instant Turn Ons, Offs, and Ifs.