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JUNE TOP PICK!
When Marrying a Scoundrel
Author: Kathryn Smith
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Pub. Date: May 25, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0061923005
Retail: $7.99
384 pages

Sadie Moon once thought she was in love. Then her dashing husband left her to seek his fortune, and she had no choice but to transform herself from a heartbroken waif into London Society’s favorite fortuneteller. But even she could not have foreseen Jack’s return — until their paths cross in the last place either would have expected: London’s most exclusive house of pleasure.

Now wealthy and successful, Jack Friday has everything he’d ever dreamed of…except Sadie. He swears he cannot trust the woman who broke her promise to wait for him, though his passion for her burns as hotly as it did years before. But love, like the past, comes back to haunt them —drawing them into a web of intrigue and betrayal while reigniting a fire that could save or destroy them both.

~*~*~

Sadie has made a new life for herself, after the abandonment of her young husband shatters her world. In lieu of starving, she reinvents herself as the foremost fortune teller of London. When she sees her husband, Jack Farrington, in the tea leaves, she is astounded. Where has he been and what is he doing using the name Jack Friday? Questions multiply as Sadie pretends not to know Jack, and yet cannot overcome the passion and desire he brings forth in her with each encounter. How can she trust this man who betrayed her young heart? Who is it that is trying to tear the lovers apart?

Jack is a wealthy and powerful man. His only desire in life is the one woman who promised to wait for him, Sadie. Now, seeing her, he realizes his desire for her is stronger than before, though he knows he can never trust her. As each day passes, he falls deeper under her spell but there is someone out there who does not want them together and will stop at nothing to separate them again. When the true reasons for their parting surface, will they forgive each other and move on to a life filled with promise?

Return to Victorian England to meet Sadie Moon and Jack Friday, young lovers separated by time and circumstance. Kathryn Smith gifts readers with a solid and engaging tale sure to be a “keeper” for many. As a reader, an emotional connection is made from the opening scenes; the brisk plotting and likeable characters draw the reader into the story like a fly on the wall. One cannot help but become Sadie and Jack’s cheerleader as they work their way back to each other’s arms. Along the way, there is intrigue and danger, regret and misunderstanding as we learn the reason for the separation. What began as young and immature love is soon replaced with a mature and abiding love. When Marrying a Scoundrel isn’t so much about sex, but instead is all about romance. Though Jack had some forgiveness to beg, by the time he fell back under Sadie’s spell I loved him as much as Sadie.

Rating: 9 (Excellent)

Heat-Level: 4 (Hot)

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By Avon Books, Giveaways, Reviews45 Comments on Review: When Marrying a Scoundrel

45 Replies to “Review: When Marrying a Scoundrel”

  2. thanks for the review. will have to look for this one. wonder how high the tbr pile can get before there’s an anvalanch? ;D good wknd and good reading all 🙂

  8. Great review! Kathryn will always have a special place in my heart since she was the first romance author i ever read. ^^

  9. Your review has really hooked my interest! I am going to put this book on the top of my TBB list.

  11. Great review! Kathryn Smith is a new author to me and I’ve been wondering about this book, so thanks to your review I know I definitely want to read this. I love books that are all about the romance. Thanks!

  13. Wonderful review!! I keep looking at this brilliant cover, and wondered why I have not picked it up, LOL! I guess I was waiting for a review on this board.

  14. The review has influenced me to make sure I pick this book up at the first opportunity. When Marrying a Scoundrel sounds like a fantastic story.

  15. Oh I love the cover on this book and it sounds really good, great review! I would love to read this one! Please enter me!

  18. I absolutely love stories where the heroine grows into her own and meets her long lost husband!

  20. Enjoyed reading the review. The book sounds really good and I have added it to my TBR list for the summer. Kathryn writes exciting stories.

  22. Nice review. I enjoy stories where the backdrop has a fortune teller. Courtney Milan’s last release wove fortune telling into the plot to great effect.

  25. Great review!!! I haven’t read to many stories with fortune tellers and those I have….I really liked them. This story sounds wonderful and I’m definitely adding it to my wish list!!!

  26. Sounds awesome! I love books where the characters have regrets and grow into their own. I hope I win!

  29. Great review and it definitely sounds like a keeper! Adding it to my ever increasing list of things to read once I get my word count back up. Sheesh! The floors of my house are creaking under the weight of books as it is! Still, I can’t resist a good reunion story!

  30. I like the idea of the heroine being a fortune teller in London. That sounds intriguing and fun! I also love strong emotional connections in my books! And reunion romances.

    Thanks for this review Lettetia!!

  31. I accidentally put a wrong email in my post above. I hope it went through!

  32. I seem to be having problems posting my comment! 🙁

    I love the idea of the heroine being a fortune teller in London, it seems intriguing and fun! (I also bought Courtnay Milan’s book because of the fortune teller story! :)) I also like strong emotional connections in my books. And I love reunion romances!

    Thanks for writing this reveiw Lettetia, you made this book sound great!! 🙂

  33. Thanks for the review. You gave a bit more information on the book than the others I have read, making it even more appealing.
    Thanks.

  35. I didn’t realize this was set in Victorian times. Plus, I love the “estranged spouses” storyline. I’d love to read it.

  36. I’m looking forward to reading this one. I need a month at the beach to catch up with all these wonderful books that are coming out!

  37. Nicely done review! I’ve read some of Kathryn’s previous books and enjoyed them and this sounds equally as good. Would love the chance to win this.

  40. This seems like such a good book & I love the cover! It looks as if they are in heaven….
    Would like to read it, so please count me in. Thanks.

  42. Beautiful review! I love that name Sadie! There’s some names used in historicals that were common then and this is one of them. I wished I read historicals then because I would have loved to name my daughter this! I’m in love with Jack already!

  43. Thanks for your rave review. I have several of Kathryn’s older works on my TBR shelves and I have been stung a little by a couple of her books that I just didn’t like. Because of that, I have set her aside with thoughts of coming back to them at some point in time. I have this book on my BTB list without really moving forward to obtain because of my previous bad experience. Didn’t know that I really wanted to get more of her stuff. Your review is changing my mind about her. Guess a couple of bad apples don’t really spoil the barrel after all.

    Count me in the drawing please and thanks again!

  44. Great review. This sounds like a great book. I enjoy historicals. Please enter me.tarenn98[at]yahoo[dot]com.

  45. I stumbled across your blog thanks to an author Retweeting a link on twitter. Glad I did, you have recommended several good books for me to track down already! This one sounds interesting & i’d love to read it. Maybe I’ll get lucky & win a copy. 🙂

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