Book Review-Never Trust A Scoundrel

Never Trust A Scoundrel
Scandals Son Series
Gayle Callen
Avon, 374 Pages
Published April 2008
Victorian Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-0-06-123505-4

Synopsis

A pact with the devil . . .


Miss Grace Banbury was in shock. Her mother put her up as a prize in a high stakes card game, and now the gentleman who won is ready to claim her! But Grace has other plans. She just needs the dastardly rogue to go along with it . . .


A notorious rake from a scandalous family, Daniel Throckmorten has no use for blushing virgins. Yet there's no denying the attraction for the beauty standing before him, proposing an enticing wager: He will use all his charm and wit to seduce her into his bed . . . and she only has to resist. If she succeeds, she wins enough funds to secure her own future. If he wins . . . she'll be his. Daniel has never been so tempted--and he has no intention of losing . . .

My Review:
Miss Grace Banbury, has grown up with a mother who has a severe addiction to gambling, now she finds out that her mother lost in a high stakes game and they lost everything, including Grace herself. So when the rogue that won her and everything her family owns, she and Daniel Throckmorton come to a scandalous wager, where Daniel will try to seduce her as his mistress, and if Grace resists she will win back her father's violin where she could sell it to provide for herself and her brother. However things never go as planned, and Grace finds resisting Daniel Throckmorton alot more difficult than she ever thought it would be, and desperate to win such a wager. Daniel has always used his roguish charms to win the ladies into his bed, but has never found one that has charmed him as much as Grace Banbury has done, and not only does he wish her in his bed but in his life. But who will be the winner of this dangerous wager?

Never Trust A Scoudrel is the first installment in the Scandal's son series that Gayle Callen has created for her avid readers.Grace has lived a proper life in Society, but her mother is a different story altogether. When she finds out what her mother has done to both her and her brother, she is at a loss as to where they go from here. But when she meets Daniel and battles wills with him, and comes to a agreement on a wager, she knows that she is in bigger trouble than she would have ever thought. Because Daniel tempts her to such sensual and wicked delights that she wonders if she can last the few weeks they decided on. Daniel Throckmorton, lost his father when he was younger, who was a great muscician, and his mother once had a passion for music. But loved his father so much, she lost that deep passion for music, and Daniel himself, even though quite talented with music, doesn't want to hurt his mother, so he refuses to pick up any instrument. However once Grace enters his life, he starts to wonder if she is the key to his very happiness that he has denied himself of for so long. This was truly such a wonderful story. Although even though I loved the plot to this story, I found that I couldn't get into the story as much as I have with her other books, I found the flow to be erratic at times, yet at others flowed quite smoothly. But once I got half way through, it started to even out a bit, and become more like her other stories that I have come to love. I will say that the ending was magical, and definitely had me shedding a tear or two (in a good way) and it was also good to see characters from her previous book The Visount In Her Bedroom too, all in all a truly wonderfully written story, that will make you fall in love with these characters that will steal their way into your hearts. A very captivating romance!!

My Grade On This Book
4 Blossoms

Other Books In The Series
Never Dare A Duke
Never Marry A Stranger

Book Review-Never Dare A Duke

Never Dare A Duke
Sons of Scandal Trilogy
Gayle Callen
Avon, 373 Pages
Published December 2008
ISBN: 9780061235061

Synopsis
An indecent proposal

Abigail Shaw is a proper young lady, hardly the sort to boldly offer a deal to London's most distinguished and perfect duke. But Abigail, desperate to save her father's newspaper business, is after a good scandal. She'd have the sensational headlines that would keep the ton talking—and the family business thriving—if only she could uncover the secrets of Christopher Cabot, the Duke of Madingley. What better way than a pretend romance? Yet, with all his seductive glances and stolen caresses, she somehow has to keep from succumbing to temptation.

Christopher finds Abigail—and her proposal—intriguing. A fake romance with the stunning commoner would allow him time to choose a suitable wife from among the would-be duchesses nipping at his heels. It seems like a perfect plan . . . as long as he can keep her from uncovering his one deep, dark secret. But as he falls for the cunning beauty, he will be tempted to reveal all—his secret, his heart, and his soul.

My Review:
Abigail Shaw, has a deep love for writing, her father owns a respectable newspaper, and without knowing it his daughter is one of its writers. Abigail, learning that the fathers paper is having financial trouble, wants to find a scandal that will help her father, and to be respected as a woman author in a newspaper. So when she hears that there is a Duke in the Realm that appears to have a perfect past, she knows she needs to find out what scandal there is in his past. Knowing that the Lords of the realm are used to scandals, this could help save her father, so she poses as someone else at a house party hosted by his family for his younger sister who is coming out in society. But she knows the key part of her plan, is to gain the trust of Christopher Cabot, the Duke of Madingley. But there is something about the Duke, that causes her to be tempted by his kisses, where she starts to forget the real reason she is there. Christopher, after having a terrible event happening in his past, he overcomes it and prevents any scandal occuring. But when a young woman comes to him with a proposal that he can't deny, he knows he is in deep trouble. For he is getting closer attached to this woman who tempts him to sharing his secrets and thought to her. But what will happen when he falls for this enticing beauty where despite the deceptions he has found something more precious than he ever thought he would find.

I have always loved reading from Gayle Callen, and Never Dare A Duke was no different. I love the whole aspect of the mystery side of the story. It kept me in suspense until the very end. Christopher in his younger years suffered and has to live with it ever since, and just when he starts to come to terms with his past, he meets Abigail who is unlike any other woman he has ever met. There is a mystery about her, and he is anxious in his endeavor to find the truth. Abigail, at first is firm in her resolve to find the scandal in Christophers past, however after spending time with him, and sharing some intimate moments, she starts to doubt herself in the plan she has set in motion, wondering if she could ever hurt the one who has made her feel and experience things she never thought she ever would in her lifetime, and find a love so precious she never would want to give him up. As we see these two characters collide, and a ride that will take them and bring them exquisite joy and sorrow, we also see a tender love that blossoms between the two but will it destroy them or unite them? I found I truly enjoyed reading this story, and plus the cover is every bit as tempting and sensual as the story portrays. Never Dare A Duke is truly a WONDERFUL read!!!

My Grade On This Book
4.5 Blossoms

Other Books In The Series
Never Trust A Scoundrel
Never Marry A Stranger

Book Review-Never Marry A Stranger

Never Marry A Stranger
Scandal's Son

Gayle Callen
Avon, 372 Pages
Published Sep 2009
Victorian Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-0-06-123507-8

Synopsis:
The prodigal return . . .


It's an absolute scandal when Captain Matthew Leland arrives at Madingley Court. Presumed dead in battle, his sudden appearance gives the ton quite the shock. But no one is more surprised than Matthew, because waiting for him at home is a bewitching, blue-eyed beauty -- and she claims to be his wife!


Miss Emily Grey was alone in the world when a knight in shining armor came to her rescue, claimed her heart, and then disappeared. But now her little white lie, a desperate act of self-preservation, has come back to haunt her. Her husband, once a far-off fantasy, is now a flesh-and-blood man who insists she share his bed . . .


Matthew has no memory of any marriage to this scheming seductress, and he's determined to expose her in every way. But a life with the exquisite Emily will prove irresistible . . . and a marriage of deception will become a marriage of sweet, sweet surrender.

My Review:
In Never Marry A Stranger it starts off with Captain Matthew LeLand arrives home after being thought dead by his family. He knew that it would be definitely a shock to them. After leaving and joining the British military and leaving for adventure and excitement, he certainly never thought that he would have it right at home. He comes home not only to his parents, but is delightfully shocked to find that there is a woman claiming to be his wife. Where she faints in his arms after his arrival. Matthew knows he would have remembered being married, and figuring that this poor chit did it out of some sort of desperation, he claims to have amnesia to his family. Hoping that he can get to the bottom of everything, and find out the truth from Emily. However things aren’t as simple as they may seem. There is a lurking danger that is hidden beneath Emily’s past, only if Emily learns to trust in her heart and in Matthew will she be able to overcome all that haunts her.

This was truly a much amusing love story if I do say so myself. From the very beginning I have to say I was on Matthew’s side of things. He took it all in good form, I mean he arrives home after everyone thinking he had died, and finds a stranger that claims to have been married to him. There is definitely something amusing in this story, as he aches for the truth and what drove her to do such a thing. Emily, after losing her family and going through some hardships of her own, claims to be his wife out of desperation, what she never expected was for him to arrive home alive. She knows that there is the magnetism about the man, that she finds hard to resist. As they draw closer together, there is a desire that spikes up and dares to consume them both, as well as a love that neither one of them expects to find in each other. I have to say that I truly loved this story, even though I wish that from the beginning that Emily would have had the courage to confide in Matthew. I understood her side of things, how she never learned to trust in anyone including herself, but throughout the book you see that she gradually starts to, and knows she can’t run from the truth as much as she would like to. Matthew however, is one of those male figures that you just wish you could fall in love with. He has such character and enthusiasm about life and he never really gets angry or frustrated about the situation, just amused and wanting to burst with laughter at any point. It was definitely one I enjoyed most thoroughly and I am looking forward to read the rest of the series.

My Grade On The Book
4 Blossoms

Other Books In The Series (Sons of Scandal )
Never Trust A Scoundrel
Never Dare A Duke