A Common Scandal
The Grantham Girls #2
By: Amanda Weaver
Releasing May 30, 2016
Carina Press
Blurb
Finishing school taught Amelia Wheeler how to put on a well-mannered performance—when she’s not bored and looking for trouble. Lady Grantham’s is behind her and now it’s time for Amelia to keep her promise to her dying mother: marry a title and leave her wild days behind.
That promise would be much easier to keep if Nate Smythe hadn’t just reappeared in a London ballroom. The son of an impoverished sailor, Nate—Natty, as he used to be called—has grown up to become handsome, rich and polished. He claims to be looking for a proper bride who can advance his business interests, but that doesn’t stop him from seeking out Amelia every chance he gets. Challenging her. Kissing her.
Suddenly, struggling against her simmering passion is the least of Amelia’s problems—one of her titled suitors is hiding a desperate secret that could stop Amelia from pleasing her parents or finding happiness with Nate. As a weeklong house party threatens to derail her hard-won future, Amelia must decide: fight against disaster or act like the lady she’s promised to become?
Review:
Amelia has known Nate since was 10 years old. He’s always been her protector, just as she’s always been his – in her own way. When tragedy struck, he was forced to become the man of the house, and in order to provide for his mother and younger siblings, he had to navigate the rough waters, which took him away from Amelia.
Amelia had always been headstrong, preferring to roughhouse it with the boys than to act like a proper lady-in-the-making. Ten years later, not much had changed. However, her father insists that she grows up and conducts herself in a proper manner. He needs the connection her marriage to an aristocrat could provide, just as Natty (although wealthy), needs to marry an aristocrat in order to seal his future.
A house party throws them together, and while they each are determined to do what others feel is right, their attraction to each other is too strong to ignore.
Amelia has her share of suitors, some honorable, others not so much so, and Natty finds it difficult to see her as the little girl he once knew. He knows her better than anyone else, so he sees right through her charade, but sisterly is not the proper word to use to describe his feelings, as there is nothing so girlish about her anymore.
Weaver has crafted a scandalous tale with secrets, lies, untold stories, and threats of danger. The chemistry between Amelia and Nate is undeniable, and their history together and behavior towards each other makes them the perfect couple. I was not thrown by the fact that he’d known her when she was such a young age, because his abrupt and long absence cleared away any thoughts that he should see he as a sister. The party was certainly entertaining. It was obvious that they were both jealous of the attention the other was getting, but they never behaved immaturely.
The writing is very good, the flow is smooth, and the pace is steady. There’s some action, a lot of romance, and a big mystery – a little something for everyone.
Rating system: Cups of Coffee (the less the better)
0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.
My rating: 1/2 cup of coffee
Author Info
Amanda Weaver has loved romance since she read that very first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel at fifteen. After a long detour into a career as a costume designer in theatre, she’s found her way back to romance, this time as a writer.
A native Floridian, Amanda transplanted to New York City many years ago and now considers Brooklyn home, along with her husband, daughter, two cats, and nowhere near enough space.
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