Review: A DASH OF SCANDAL by Amelia Gray

Not only scandal, but love, laughter, secrets and mystery abound in Amelia Grey's latest delightful Regency historical, A Dash of Scandal.

A mysterious thief has invaded the ton, stealing priceless objects d'art, including a gold raven sculpture from the Earl of Dunraven. Then the earl meets Miss Millicent Blair, who always takes notes at parties and secretes herself in dark corners. Could this charming young lady possibly be the thief? Not helping Dunraven's quest to retrieve his property are the daily doses of scandal offered by the ton's favorite gossip columnist, Lord Truefitt, who has the uncanny knack of skewering the rich and famous, especially the earl.

Millicent despises dashing young men of the ton--one of them ruined her mother. She wants nothing to do with the earl, even though he's the only man who has ever stirred her heart. But she also guards a secret not her own she must keep from him.

Ms. Grey has written another of my favorite type of story, romance plus. I prefer romances that contain another element in addition to the love story, and this one has plenty of mystery and humor to enliven the action. I also like honorable main characters, especially ones who are evenly matched, and Dunraven and Millicent are wonderful. Millicent, with her witty, spirited repartee, is the formidable earl's equal. And Dunraven honors her as a worthy opponent, even as he seeks to unravel her secrets.

Fresh and fast-paced, with abundant doses of humor, plenty of deceptive appearances, and a mystery to tantalize us until the end, A Dash of Scandal has everything.

Thank you all,
Linda
ARC provided by Sourcebooks

Review: A GENTLEMAN NEVER TELLS by Amelia Grey

A Gentleman Never Tells--even when a strange lady kisses him in the park, thereby forcing him into an unwanted betrothal.

But what a lady! Duke's daughter Gabrielle is lovely, smart and concerned about people and animals. Viscount Brentwood could do much worse.

But Gabrielle kissed Brent in order to extricate herself from an unwanted betrothal. She's not about to shackle herself into another. But she never meant to involve an innocent party in her problems. What to do? Why, convince Brent she will make a terrible wife and have him call off the engagement.

Fun abounds as Gabrielle concocts failing scheme after failing scheme to convince Brent what a bad wife she will make, even as they present a solid front against the high sticklers of the Regency ton. And why have all those pet dogs disappeared?

A Gentleman Never Tells is a witty story with likeable main characters whose actions are guided by a concern for others. Gabrielle wants both Brent and herself to have a choice in their futures. Also guiding their actions are Gabrielle's concern for her sister's well-being (although I think she is a little too kind to her flighty sister), and Brent's solicitude for his brothers. And entwined through the story is the puzzle of the lost dogs and their owners' anguish over their loss

Ms. Grey keeps the action fresh, compelling and witty while the suspense about the characters' future and the riddle surrounding the dogs keeps us wondering right until the end.

A book I couldn't put down.

Thank you all,
Linda
ARC provided by Sourcebooks