SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS

Author: Mary Balogh ISBN: 0440241111 6/2003 HISTORICAL Publisher: BANTAM
Time Period: Regency

Growing up with four powerful brothers has made Lady Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom. Adventure soon finds her on the way to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into her inn room in the middle of the night and entreats her to hide him. He is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own. They meet again in Bath, where sparks fly as two strong wills clash and each tries to best the other. But when Joshua needs sudden rescue from the matchmaking schemes of his aunt, it is Freyja to whom he turns because he knows that only she is reckless enough to engage in a fake betrothal with him for the sheer fun of it. And fun it is until the Duke of Bewcastle, Freyja's eldest brother, learns of the betrothal. And until passion blindsides them both. And until a danger more deadly than marriage threatens Joshua. While he tries desperately to preserve his freedom--in more ways than one--Freyja tries just as determinedly not to lose her heart--again. But there is no doubt about the fact that it admirably suits both Freyja and Joshua to be caught up together in something very slightly scandalous... More information can be found on Mary Balogh's' website: http://www.marybalogh.com/

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

All I can say is, this year Ms. Balogh's gone 3 for 3 with me, a grand slam all the way; a rarity because there's usually at least one book in a series I read that seems not to be as fulfilling or as well written as another. Oh! And what a great joy to not have to wait 6 months to a year for each release in order to get my dose of a good, healthy all-night read! I actually didn't have to go back and reread a bit of the book issued before this one to refresh myself with characters or plot points...believe me, when you read so many books in a year, it's very easy to forget those major things now and then.

I didn't really care for Freyja in A SUMMER TO REMEMBER, but in SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS Ms. Balogh fleshed out her personality well enough for me to tolerate her. To be quite honest I *still* didn't like her all that much, even after reading SS, but having lived much of my own life in a household full of men, I pretty much knew where she was coming from. What I did like about Freyja is that she's not pretty, she shoots straight from the hip, and she's got gumption. Freyja and Joshua are the perfect foils for each other - he's the kind of leading man I love: onery, roguish, playful--the little bad boy you want to tame (think Mel Gibson-ish), and, not-to-mention drop-dead gorgeous, while Freyja's older, she's ordinary looking, but she possesses an inner beauty that Joshua is able to see. He loves her for who she is, and their personalities both clash and mesh perfectly, much to the enjoyment of their audience.

As usual, the dialogue's superb, with barbs and wit abounding, and the characters are well defined and drawn. What else can I say other than I enjoyed every single minute of reading this book. What I don't like is the fact that now I'm going to have to wait another year for the next trio of books in the Bedwyn series to be released. *sigh* It's such a long, long time until next summer...

Nancy Davis