Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath (AND GIVEAWAY)

Is it just me or is there something about the winter that puts you in the mood for some stuffy English dudes?  I certainly hope it’s not just me.  Thank goodness my Avon Addicts box came with not one, not two, but three copies of Lorraine Heath’s newest novel, Beyond Scandal and Desire, out January 30^th, 2018.  Also, do you see how beautiful the cover is?  I don’t usually judge books based on their covers but there’s something about these particular colors that makes it hard to ignore when it’s sitting there on your shelf.

It took me a few tries to get started on this novel—not because of anything that the novel did, but rather that’s just my usual pattern with historical romances—but once I fully invested myself I was sunk.  Beyond Scandal and Desire had a complicated revenge scheme, orphans, gambling dens, and wicked innocence.  So… basically everything I love in my historical romance novels.  It had a really wonderful flow to it that kept me interested and engaged the entire time I was reading.

This is the age-old tale of the revenge of the bastard.  Mick Trewlove is the bastard child of a duke who dumped him on the doorstep of a widow without a thought to whether he lived or died.  He has spent his entire life trying to make something of himself with the express purpose of taking revenge on the father who abandoned him.  Now he finally has that chance, but Lady Aslyn—with her impeccable reputation—must be an unfortunate casualty.  He tries desperately to keep a detached view of the situation, but Aslyn—with her kindness, beauty, and open-mindedness—is making it very difficult for him.

I will admit that I wasn’t smitten on Aslyn, our female heroine, right off the bat.  She’s uppity and posh, confused and cautious, judgmental and upptiy.  There were a few moments where I was certain that she didn’t deserve Mick.  But as the story went on and I got to see her spirit, her wit, her desire to do what’s right damned the consequences, she started to grow on me.  By the end I was totally Team Aslyn, especially with such a kick ass name.  On occasion regency women can be a tad boring with their rules and propriety.  And then sometimes they’re too far on the other end of the spectrum with their wild disregard of societal standards and penchant for making out with any men who cross their paths.  There’s a time for every sort of woman in my book, of course, but it was actually quite refreshing to find Aslyn who falls right in the middle of that equation.  She was witty and bold, but with a naivety about her that was incredibly charming.

Mick was the type of man you want to find behind the pages of any and all romance novels.  He’s the man every woman dreams about meeting when they’ve accessed the part of their brain that craves the forbidden.  Honestly, he’s the dream male protagonist in any historical romance novel.  He’s handsome, dark, brooding; the type of man who dominates a room without even trying.  He is dangerous and unforgiving, but he would do anything for his adoptive family.  That’s the sort of man who is the most attractive.  Rakes are all well and good, but there’s something really amazing about a guy who loves his family.  Mick has some wildly sexy moves that will have you leaning in and pressing your nose to the pages.

This story isn’t fast-paced, but most historical romance novels are a little slower in comparison to other subgenres.  It was a happy, tumultuous read and the best part is that I’VE GOT TWO COPIES TO GIVEAWAY.  Does the above sound like a novel that you’d like to get your hands on pre-release date?  Yes?  

To enter you can follow me on Instagram: @romantically_inclined or Like my Facebook page: Romantically Inclined Reviews.  OR you can do both and double your chances of winning as I’ll be giving one copy away on each social media page!  One winner from each page will be chosen at 12pm tomorrow (Saturday, December 30th).