SCANDAL OF THE SUMMER

Their lies bring them together, but their connection is all too true.

Lady Ruby Ballimore hasn’t actually done anything wrong—just embarrassed a friend of her father’s—but she’s desperate to flee the judgment of London society. An opportunity presents itself in Cornwall, in the form of Pomeroy House, a country estate that ostensibly belongs to Princess Serafina of Monfalcone but has never been occupied by her. Ruby’s two best friends agree to pretend they are all the princess’ ladies-in-waiting and set out on a summer adventure—but when they arrive at Pomeroy, they discover the house is occupied by a very odd staff whose housekeeping is chaotic at best. This motley crew is led by the handsome Malcolm Archer, and the unkempt house reflects the fact that they are actually sailors-turned-smugglers who use it as a base for trading illegal ostrich feathers, cigars, and whatever else they can bring across the English Channel. So, though none of them should be there, both groups uneasily coexist and attempt to preserve their false identities. Despite the many lies that both keep telling, Malcolm and Ruby can’t resist their growing attraction. But just as the pair (and both groups) start to get more comfortable with each other, Princess Serafina’s majordomo arrives, and then things truly go around the bend. Vasti’s newest series gets off to a rollicking start with a story enlivened not only by Malcolm and Ruby, but also the found families that surround them. Ruby’s bluestocking tendencies and Malcolm’s dubious creativity as a pirate make for two strong characters, and it’s a pleasure to see an attraction slowly develop between them, described with Vasti’s signature blend of steam and silliness. At times, the zany plot and the extended, almost theatrical cast distract from the central love story, but this may be fine with readers who want to start predicting which characters will feature in future volumes.

An entertaining summer Regency romance filled with yearning and antics.