What do you think?
Rate this book
Bedwyn Saga #3
Slightly Scandalous
Meet the Bedwyns¡six brothers and sisters¡ªmen and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality.
Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction¡where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal¡and where Freyja Bedwyn, the wild-hearted daughter, meets her match in a man as passionate, reckless, and scandalous as she.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom.
Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fianc¨¦e and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan¡until passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart¡
Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction¡where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal¡and where Freyja Bedwyn, the wild-hearted daughter, meets her match in a man as passionate, reckless, and scandalous as she.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom.
Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fianc¨¦e and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan¡until passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart¡
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 3, 2003
742 people are currently reading
4139 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
223?books6,219?followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 964 reviews
January 15, 2012
As someone who had been quite happy hating Freyja Bedwyn since meeting her in , I have no qualms admitting that I wasn't very thrilled about reading her book. At the same time, I couldn't help feeling some kind of morbid anxiety about it, as I wondered if Ms. Balogh would be able to redeem "lovely" Freyja. So, it was with some trepidation that I started reading ...
As the story opens, Freyja has left Lindsey Hall, her older brother Wulf's estate, and is on her way to Bath just to avoid being in the neighborhood during the birth of her former beau Kit Butler's first child. Even though that was not the impression I had when I read , it looks like Freyja was truly in love with Kit back then and she hasn't quite recovered from it, so she can't stand being near and pretend to be happy while watching Kit and his beloved wife Lauren burst in joy with the arrival of their love child. Bitter much? Ha, haughty Freyja fancies herself above that! Riiiight... Anyway, I digress. Let's get back to the story...
During her journey to Bath, Freyja has to spend the night at a rather shabby inn. While she's fighting the lumpy mattress for sleep, a disheveled man bursts into her room, hides in her wardrobe and asks her to cover for him. How dare he?!? Freyja isn't willing to harbor a "criminal", but when his pursuers treat her with less than the respect she deserves, she lifts her regal chin and orders them to leave her room without giving away the man hidden in her wardrobe. But then, the man has the nerve to kiss her and Freyja, being Freyja, punches him in the nose - Strike One! - and forces him out the window. Naturally, Freyja and her unexpected visitor are to cross paths again, as he's none other than Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, and he's also on his way to Bath, where he's to spend some time with his grandmother.
One of the first things that Freyja does when she meets Joshua in Bath is confront him about another misconduct of his and punch him in the nose - Strike Two! And she does this in public, for everyone in Bath to see! But as it turns out, Joshua's innocent of what she's accused him of, and he doesn't hesitate to mockingly put her in her place. Strangely enough, Joshua and Freyja end up striking some kind of friendship - Bath must be a very boring place! - where he enjoys teasing and winking at her and she finds pleasure in threatening to punch him in the nose. Again!... I'm making fun here, but Joshua and Freyja's relationship does work and their progression is quite believable.
When Joshua's aunt comes to Bath and starts stirring trouble, trying to get him to marry her eldest daughter Constance, he asks Freyja to enter into a fake betrothal with him to thwart his aunt's plan. Bored with life in Bath and willing to have some fun, she agrees. But what starts as a temporary diversion to fool Joshua's aunt gets more and more complicated, and they can't find an easy way out of it. So what does this mean? Should they turn their fake betrothal into a real one?
As everyone is tired of hearing, I really disliked Freyja in and none of the previous books in this Slightly series have changed my mind about her. She was too haughty, spoiled and truly unlikable! The way she talked, walked and acted, lifting her chin and punching the nose of every poor male who had the misfortune of crossing her path, everything in her annoyed me. There's a difference between being feisty and being downright rude! BUT - and it pains me to say it - I couldn't keep hating her after reading this book. I still don't like her and I haven't excused her behavior, but now I understand why she was so awfully nasty towards Kit and his beloved Lauren. Plus, Lauren has forgiven her so who am I to hold a grudge? While I was reading this book, I got the feeling that Ms. Balogh had worked hard trying to redeem Freyja and, to be fair, Freyja did show some redeeming qualities but, at the end of the day, she was still haughty and spoiled Freyja - as she was supposed to be since she didn't have a personality-change surgery - and she wasn't the kind of heroine I love. I've learned to tolerate her, though. :)
As for Joshua, he seemed to be a bit silly and air-headed at first, which wasn't a bad thing considering Freyja's character - I mean, no stuffy and serious man would have been able to tackle her and survive, LOL. He had to be that way to get past her initial defenses, both emotional and physical, but he grated on my nerves with his frequent winking. Halfway through the story, I was on the verge of asking Freyja to punch him in the nose if he "depressed one eyelid in that slow wink of his" one more time! Anyway, I was glad to see that there was more to him than what he presented to the world, and he was a caring, protective and honorable man. I even felt a bit sorry for him the first time he made love with Freyja, because I think she was just using him to forget Kit. I do believe she fell in love with him later, but that first time didn't feel right to me.
As for the plot, it wasn't the most original one and I'm starting to wonder if all the books in this series have the same theme, as in marriage/betrothal of convenience. As much as I love Ms. Balogh's writing, I don't think it's good to have all the books in the series with the same basic plot.
All in all, this was a slightly better than average read to me, but I don't think it would be fair to place it in the same level as , which I liked better and has earned 4 stars from me, so I'm giving it 3 stars.
As the story opens, Freyja has left Lindsey Hall, her older brother Wulf's estate, and is on her way to Bath just to avoid being in the neighborhood during the birth of her former beau Kit Butler's first child. Even though that was not the impression I had when I read , it looks like Freyja was truly in love with Kit back then and she hasn't quite recovered from it, so she can't stand being near and pretend to be happy while watching Kit and his beloved wife Lauren burst in joy with the arrival of their love child. Bitter much? Ha, haughty Freyja fancies herself above that! Riiiight... Anyway, I digress. Let's get back to the story...
During her journey to Bath, Freyja has to spend the night at a rather shabby inn. While she's fighting the lumpy mattress for sleep, a disheveled man bursts into her room, hides in her wardrobe and asks her to cover for him. How dare he?!? Freyja isn't willing to harbor a "criminal", but when his pursuers treat her with less than the respect she deserves, she lifts her regal chin and orders them to leave her room without giving away the man hidden in her wardrobe. But then, the man has the nerve to kiss her and Freyja, being Freyja, punches him in the nose - Strike One! - and forces him out the window. Naturally, Freyja and her unexpected visitor are to cross paths again, as he's none other than Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, and he's also on his way to Bath, where he's to spend some time with his grandmother.
One of the first things that Freyja does when she meets Joshua in Bath is confront him about another misconduct of his and punch him in the nose - Strike Two! And she does this in public, for everyone in Bath to see! But as it turns out, Joshua's innocent of what she's accused him of, and he doesn't hesitate to mockingly put her in her place. Strangely enough, Joshua and Freyja end up striking some kind of friendship - Bath must be a very boring place! - where he enjoys teasing and winking at her and she finds pleasure in threatening to punch him in the nose. Again!... I'm making fun here, but Joshua and Freyja's relationship does work and their progression is quite believable.
When Joshua's aunt comes to Bath and starts stirring trouble, trying to get him to marry her eldest daughter Constance, he asks Freyja to enter into a fake betrothal with him to thwart his aunt's plan. Bored with life in Bath and willing to have some fun, she agrees. But what starts as a temporary diversion to fool Joshua's aunt gets more and more complicated, and they can't find an easy way out of it. So what does this mean? Should they turn their fake betrothal into a real one?
As everyone is tired of hearing, I really disliked Freyja in and none of the previous books in this Slightly series have changed my mind about her. She was too haughty, spoiled and truly unlikable! The way she talked, walked and acted, lifting her chin and punching the nose of every poor male who had the misfortune of crossing her path, everything in her annoyed me. There's a difference between being feisty and being downright rude! BUT - and it pains me to say it - I couldn't keep hating her after reading this book. I still don't like her and I haven't excused her behavior, but now I understand why she was so awfully nasty towards Kit and his beloved Lauren. Plus, Lauren has forgiven her so who am I to hold a grudge? While I was reading this book, I got the feeling that Ms. Balogh had worked hard trying to redeem Freyja and, to be fair, Freyja did show some redeeming qualities but, at the end of the day, she was still haughty and spoiled Freyja - as she was supposed to be since she didn't have a personality-change surgery - and she wasn't the kind of heroine I love. I've learned to tolerate her, though. :)
As for Joshua, he seemed to be a bit silly and air-headed at first, which wasn't a bad thing considering Freyja's character - I mean, no stuffy and serious man would have been able to tackle her and survive, LOL. He had to be that way to get past her initial defenses, both emotional and physical, but he grated on my nerves with his frequent winking. Halfway through the story, I was on the verge of asking Freyja to punch him in the nose if he "depressed one eyelid in that slow wink of his" one more time! Anyway, I was glad to see that there was more to him than what he presented to the world, and he was a caring, protective and honorable man. I even felt a bit sorry for him the first time he made love with Freyja, because I think she was just using him to forget Kit. I do believe she fell in love with him later, but that first time didn't feel right to me.
As for the plot, it wasn't the most original one and I'm starting to wonder if all the books in this series have the same theme, as in marriage/betrothal of convenience. As much as I love Ms. Balogh's writing, I don't think it's good to have all the books in the series with the same basic plot.
All in all, this was a slightly better than average read to me, but I don't think it would be fair to place it in the same level as , which I liked better and has earned 4 stars from me, so I'm giving it 3 stars.
April 13, 2020
3.5 stars.
Original review Oct 2016:
Not the best in this series, but still an enjoyable HR read. I have been rereading this series, slightly out of order, and enjoying it all over again. This one is Freya Bedwyn's story, and her slightly reluctant romance with Joshua, Marquess of Hallmere.
I like that Freya is portrayed as being a strong woman, full of character, but not having the most beautiful face in the world. But she is still attractive, sexy, and charismatic. It's nice to have an appealing heroine who isn't your traditional gorgeous beauty, but as a reader you like her and are rooting for her. And Joshua is likeable, charming, hot, and a man of integrity.
But in spite of all, this book isn't quite as fun as some of the others. Something just didn't quite gel. I didn't really like the Bath setting in the first part of the book (not sure why??) and the plot of the whole book is also a little too complicated. Some of the 'baddies' are very unpleasant characters, and perhaps too much time is spent with them and the complications they create. I also didn't like the shadow hanging over Joshua. You knew all would be well in the end, but along the way it was a bit uncomfortable. Maybe that's why I didn't like this book as much?
Anyway, overall still an enjoyable addition to this series.
Original review Oct 2016:
Not the best in this series, but still an enjoyable HR read. I have been rereading this series, slightly out of order, and enjoying it all over again. This one is Freya Bedwyn's story, and her slightly reluctant romance with Joshua, Marquess of Hallmere.
I like that Freya is portrayed as being a strong woman, full of character, but not having the most beautiful face in the world. But she is still attractive, sexy, and charismatic. It's nice to have an appealing heroine who isn't your traditional gorgeous beauty, but as a reader you like her and are rooting for her. And Joshua is likeable, charming, hot, and a man of integrity.
But in spite of all, this book isn't quite as fun as some of the others. Something just didn't quite gel. I didn't really like the Bath setting in the first part of the book (not sure why??) and the plot of the whole book is also a little too complicated. Some of the 'baddies' are very unpleasant characters, and perhaps too much time is spent with them and the complications they create. I also didn't like the shadow hanging over Joshua. You knew all would be well in the end, but along the way it was a bit uncomfortable. Maybe that's why I didn't like this book as much?
Anyway, overall still an enjoyable addition to this series.
May 21, 2025
My first true Western tsundere
There's the 'black cat' heroine term in English, but I still don't think it's exactly right for Freyja. I don't think she's just bitchy or cold. She's regal. She's also the product of her own upbringing which is the daughter and sister of powerful dukes.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? The heroine
Tsundere is a type of anime character where the hero/heroine is cold or even violent as a way to protect their soft interior. Usually their most violent outbursts are reserved for their love interest and the way you know they love you is when they punch and say 'I hate you'.
That's Freyja.
She's the young version of those formidable matrons in HRs that are harsh and strong, yet always steer the MCs to their HEAs. Like Lady Danbury in Bridgeton or the dowager Marchioness of Wallingham in the Rescued from Ruin Series.
I've always wondered about those types of women and how they end up as leaders of society.
Freyja satisfied that curiosity. I loved that her first instinct is to dive head first into whatever thing terrifies her. I loved how she recognizes her prejudices and tries to correct them. I loved that she never once lets the vicious aunt win a single inch. And most important of all, I loved that she doesn't slap, but punches.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? The hero
What is the perfect foil for the tsundere heroine? What type of hero is the perfect counterpart for the unshakable regal heroine?
The jokester. The class clown. The carefree, always smiling hero.
That's Joshua.
And while he does carry some scars and unresolved issues, I think he's at his core a very joyful man. He's able to find the silver lining in almost any situation and is able to thaw the parts of her heart the heroine had frozen.
My one complaint would be that he's too passive in his pursuit of the heroine. I wish he had been more aggressive towards the end.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? The plot
It's a bit slow in places and very fun in others.
It's divided into
? The weeks at Bath
? The week(s?) at the heroine's family's estate
? The weeks at the hero's estate
The beginning of the weeks at Bath were a bit boring, but the moment she confronts the hero publicly I was laughing and enjoying it.
We lost some of the momentum during the time at the heroine's family's estate. Partly because nothing much is happening and partly because of my own bias. I tend to side with the MCs a tad too much and having the guy who jilted the heroine be so happy and lovey-dovey annoyed me. I prefer it when the slighters live miserably (or at the very minimum, get their redemption after the slightees have had their own HEAs)
But the last part of the book at the hero's estate was fun, sweet and highly entertaining.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? Final thoughts
I enjoyed the MCs immensely. I loved that the heroine's love language is to put her nose in the air. Yeah, it sounds weird, but tsundere heroines have been a favorite of mine for so long I was just really happy to read one for the first time.
I know it's irrational, but I just didn't like to read about fickle Kit and his stupidly bland wife being all happy and content.
Other than that, I loved the last part of the book. The villainous aunt getting punched made me literally whoop out loud.
4 ¡°Will I acquire two black eyes and a broken nose if I give in to that urge?¡± ¡ï
There's the 'black cat' heroine term in English, but I still don't think it's exactly right for Freyja. I don't think she's just bitchy or cold. She's regal. She's also the product of her own upbringing which is the daughter and sister of powerful dukes.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? The heroine
Tsundere is a type of anime character where the hero/heroine is cold or even violent as a way to protect their soft interior. Usually their most violent outbursts are reserved for their love interest and the way you know they love you is when they punch and say 'I hate you'.
That's Freyja.
She's the young version of those formidable matrons in HRs that are harsh and strong, yet always steer the MCs to their HEAs. Like Lady Danbury in Bridgeton or the dowager Marchioness of Wallingham in the Rescued from Ruin Series.
I've always wondered about those types of women and how they end up as leaders of society.
Freyja satisfied that curiosity. I loved that her first instinct is to dive head first into whatever thing terrifies her. I loved how she recognizes her prejudices and tries to correct them. I loved that she never once lets the vicious aunt win a single inch. And most important of all, I loved that she doesn't slap, but punches.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? The hero
What is the perfect foil for the tsundere heroine? What type of hero is the perfect counterpart for the unshakable regal heroine?
The jokester. The class clown. The carefree, always smiling hero.
That's Joshua.
And while he does carry some scars and unresolved issues, I think he's at his core a very joyful man. He's able to find the silver lining in almost any situation and is able to thaw the parts of her heart the heroine had frozen.
My one complaint would be that he's too passive in his pursuit of the heroine. I wish he had been more aggressive towards the end.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? The plot
It's a bit slow in places and very fun in others.
It's divided into
? The weeks at Bath
? The week(s?) at the heroine's family's estate
? The weeks at the hero's estate
The beginning of the weeks at Bath were a bit boring, but the moment she confronts the hero publicly I was laughing and enjoying it.
We lost some of the momentum during the time at the heroine's family's estate. Partly because nothing much is happening and partly because of my own bias. I tend to side with the MCs a tad too much and having the guy who jilted the heroine be so happy and lovey-dovey annoyed me. I prefer it when the slighters live miserably (or at the very minimum, get their redemption after the slightees have had their own HEAs)
But the last part of the book at the hero's estate was fun, sweet and highly entertaining.
©¤©¤©¤¡¨? ? Final thoughts
I enjoyed the MCs immensely. I loved that the heroine's love language is to put her nose in the air. Yeah, it sounds weird, but tsundere heroines have been a favorite of mine for so long I was just really happy to read one for the first time.
I know it's irrational, but I just didn't like to read about fickle Kit and his stupidly bland wife being all happy and content.
Other than that, I loved the last part of the book. The villainous aunt getting punched made me literally whoop out loud.
4 ¡°Will I acquire two black eyes and a broken nose if I give in to that urge?¡± ¡ï
September 20, 2021
Overall: ??????????
Plot/Storyline: ?????
Feels: ???
Emotional Depth: ?????
Sexual Tension: ???
Romance: ???
Sensuality: ??
Sex Scene Length: ?? (for the two main ones, the third is extremely vague and brief)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): ?? (with 2 additional very brief scenes)
Humor: Yes
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
Soooo, yes? The Bedwyn Saga is built over the series of books, including two prequel novels. Given the fact that the beginning of this book starts with Freyja running away to Bath because she doesn¡¯t want to deal with her former fiance¡¯s pregnancy and birth announcement, it may be best to at the very least read A Summer to Remember (which is Kit¡¯s story and does give the background of their relationship. And then if you¡¯re reading that one, you¡¯ll probably want Lauren¡¯s background, which is found in the previous prequel novel, One Night for Love. See the tangle we¡¯re getting into?)
Now, many people actually disliked Freyja because of her behavior in the books. They couldn¡¯t get over it enough to love her story here. I, being a rebel, chose this book first to read out of all the Bedwyns and just loved it. That may have happened anyway, but it could also have been because I didn¡¯t have any prior perception of who Freyja was exactly. When I read it, I didn¡¯t feel like I was missing anything and it was fine by itself.
Basic plot
Freyja just cannot abide sitting around waiting for her ex fiance¡¯s announcement of their perfect child. She decides to escape to Bath for at least a month. On the way there, some rogue breaks into her room and tries to hide in her wardrobe, escaping the wrath of an angry father. They are both surprised when they meet each other again at their destination and he asks her to pose as his fiance to evade his family¡¯s matchmaking.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period ¨C 1814. Most of it takes place in Bath, but also at the hero¡¯s country home
- Lower steam ¨C there are 2 full scenes, that aren¡¯t super detailed or long, and one very brief scene as well as a few kisses
- Enemies to lovers feel ¨C the banter here and back and forth goes for much of the book
- Fake relationship ¨C the hero makes a plan for a fake betrothal to save him from his aunt¡¯s marriage plans
My thoughts:
This is a reread for me, as this was the first Bedwyn novel I had ever tried and I quite loved it. I still love it, maybe even more this read through. This has been my favorite of the series so far (as I¡¯ve actually read them all in order this go around)
There¡¯s something about this book that just grabs my heart. I really enjoy both characters, Freyja for her strength and hardness that protects her cracked heart, and Joshua for his humor and heart of gold he hides.
Joshua seems like a rake at first, someone that will kiss anything that stands still long enough, and like there¡¯s no substance to him. But as we find out, he has quite a bit to him and you can¡¯t help, as Freyja does too, to fall in love with him, totally, utterly. He makes me laugh and I thought he was quite perfect for Freyja. He is fun and silliness and he is up for her challenges. I found he did grow over the course of the book, especially once we are at his family home and everything happening in the plot is wrapped up in perfect packages.
Freyja has a prickly personality. She does punch people rather a lot throughout the story. She has no problem speaking her mind, and definitely attempts to tell herself certain things are the way they are to avoid having to deal with ¡®feelings¡¯. She has hurt from her past and resists falling in love so badly. She hates that she¡¯s falling in love. She hates it, it¡¯s making her vulnerable and exposed and Freyja can¡¯t abide that. But, it really held onto my heart. Watching them fall in love was memorable for me, I adore their love story.
I am not one for villains and find a lot of murder/mystery etc plot stuff to be something I don¡¯t enjoy. There was a bit of this here but I found it very satisfying. It¡¯s something I see with Balogh, if she puts in some type of problem or villain, it¡¯s usually resolved in a way I appreciate. I especially like reading people being put in their place verbally, so I found the scenes with Freyja (and her family) taking on Joshua¡¯s irritating aunt extremely fun to read.
And I loved when they realize they are falling for each other:
¡°I have shocked you, sweetheart,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Does this mean there will be no more dalliance between us? You have slain me.¡±
¡°Is nothing serious to you?¡± she asked disdainfully.
But she knew the answer to that question now, of course, and really wished she did not.
Yes, there were many things in his life that were serious to Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere.
She should have said good-bye to him long ago, before she even began to suspect that he was not simply a laughing, carefree rogue too handsome for his own good.
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: ?????
Feels: ???
Emotional Depth: ?????
Sexual Tension: ???
Romance: ???
Sensuality: ??
Sex Scene Length: ?? (for the two main ones, the third is extremely vague and brief)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): ?? (with 2 additional very brief scenes)
Humor: Yes
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and the Tartans facebook group.)
Should I read in order?
Soooo, yes? The Bedwyn Saga is built over the series of books, including two prequel novels. Given the fact that the beginning of this book starts with Freyja running away to Bath because she doesn¡¯t want to deal with her former fiance¡¯s pregnancy and birth announcement, it may be best to at the very least read A Summer to Remember (which is Kit¡¯s story and does give the background of their relationship. And then if you¡¯re reading that one, you¡¯ll probably want Lauren¡¯s background, which is found in the previous prequel novel, One Night for Love. See the tangle we¡¯re getting into?)
Now, many people actually disliked Freyja because of her behavior in the books. They couldn¡¯t get over it enough to love her story here. I, being a rebel, chose this book first to read out of all the Bedwyns and just loved it. That may have happened anyway, but it could also have been because I didn¡¯t have any prior perception of who Freyja was exactly. When I read it, I didn¡¯t feel like I was missing anything and it was fine by itself.
Basic plot
Freyja just cannot abide sitting around waiting for her ex fiance¡¯s announcement of their perfect child. She decides to escape to Bath for at least a month. On the way there, some rogue breaks into her room and tries to hide in her wardrobe, escaping the wrath of an angry father. They are both surprised when they meet each other again at their destination and he asks her to pose as his fiance to evade his family¡¯s matchmaking.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period ¨C 1814. Most of it takes place in Bath, but also at the hero¡¯s country home
- Lower steam ¨C there are 2 full scenes, that aren¡¯t super detailed or long, and one very brief scene as well as a few kisses
- Enemies to lovers feel ¨C the banter here and back and forth goes for much of the book
- Fake relationship ¨C the hero makes a plan for a fake betrothal to save him from his aunt¡¯s marriage plans
My thoughts:
This is a reread for me, as this was the first Bedwyn novel I had ever tried and I quite loved it. I still love it, maybe even more this read through. This has been my favorite of the series so far (as I¡¯ve actually read them all in order this go around)
There¡¯s something about this book that just grabs my heart. I really enjoy both characters, Freyja for her strength and hardness that protects her cracked heart, and Joshua for his humor and heart of gold he hides.
Joshua seems like a rake at first, someone that will kiss anything that stands still long enough, and like there¡¯s no substance to him. But as we find out, he has quite a bit to him and you can¡¯t help, as Freyja does too, to fall in love with him, totally, utterly. He makes me laugh and I thought he was quite perfect for Freyja. He is fun and silliness and he is up for her challenges. I found he did grow over the course of the book, especially once we are at his family home and everything happening in the plot is wrapped up in perfect packages.
Freyja has a prickly personality. She does punch people rather a lot throughout the story. She has no problem speaking her mind, and definitely attempts to tell herself certain things are the way they are to avoid having to deal with ¡®feelings¡¯. She has hurt from her past and resists falling in love so badly. She hates that she¡¯s falling in love. She hates it, it¡¯s making her vulnerable and exposed and Freyja can¡¯t abide that. But, it really held onto my heart. Watching them fall in love was memorable for me, I adore their love story.
I am not one for villains and find a lot of murder/mystery etc plot stuff to be something I don¡¯t enjoy. There was a bit of this here but I found it very satisfying. It¡¯s something I see with Balogh, if she puts in some type of problem or villain, it¡¯s usually resolved in a way I appreciate. I especially like reading people being put in their place verbally, so I found the scenes with Freyja (and her family) taking on Joshua¡¯s irritating aunt extremely fun to read.
And I loved when they realize they are falling for each other:
¡°I have shocked you, sweetheart,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Does this mean there will be no more dalliance between us? You have slain me.¡±
¡°Is nothing serious to you?¡± she asked disdainfully.
But she knew the answer to that question now, of course, and really wished she did not.
Yes, there were many things in his life that were serious to Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere.
She should have said good-bye to him long ago, before she even began to suspect that he was not simply a laughing, carefree rogue too handsome for his own good.
Content Warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
February 1, 2016
If it weren't for the fact that I absolutely love Mary Balogh's writing, I would give this one star for the horrible heroine and awful aunt. But I did like the Bedwyn family overall, I did like the hero. But I'm sorry. I tried to like Freyja, but I just couldn't.
Very early on, she jumps to conclusions, hits the hero on the nose (it's a really annoying habit of hers), and marches off without talking to him. At their next meeting, she causes a huge scene in public and demands he be taken into custody for "assaulting" (he in fact tried to calm a young girl who had been scared by a squirrel and was about to kiss her when Freyia hit him) a girl. I thought the humiliation after she was forced to admit that she was wrong would be a wake-up call for her, but it wasn't.
At around 68% she finds out that he has let everyone believe that he had gotten his cousin's governess pregnant, and she does this: "'I find you remarkably stupid. I am enormously relieved we will never be married.' And she stuck her nose in the air and went striding off ... She hated him. She really did. How dare he be so foolishly noble". At this point I stopped caring. How dare he indeed have a sense of honor and provide for a woman his family wronged and would have shamed out of the county if he hadn't intervened.
The last straw, however, was when she hit his aunt. Admittedly, the woman is a nightmare and adds way too much drama to the plot for my taste. But how am I supposed to respect a heroine who would PUNCH an elderly woman on the nose, knocking her unconscious? Now matter how foul that woman is, there is no excuse for this sort of behavior in what is supposed to be a grown-up for me.
I will continue with this series, because Mary Balogh is an insanely talented writer and I am dying to see the haughty Wulf fall in love. But this book just wasn't for me.
Very early on, she jumps to conclusions, hits the hero on the nose (it's a really annoying habit of hers), and marches off without talking to him. At their next meeting, she causes a huge scene in public and demands he be taken into custody for "assaulting" (he in fact tried to calm a young girl who had been scared by a squirrel and was about to kiss her when Freyia hit him) a girl. I thought the humiliation after she was forced to admit that she was wrong would be a wake-up call for her, but it wasn't.
At around 68% she finds out that he has let everyone believe that he had gotten his cousin's governess pregnant, and she does this: "'I find you remarkably stupid. I am enormously relieved we will never be married.' And she stuck her nose in the air and went striding off ... She hated him. She really did. How dare he be so foolishly noble". At this point I stopped caring. How dare he indeed have a sense of honor and provide for a woman his family wronged and would have shamed out of the county if he hadn't intervened.
The last straw, however, was when she hit his aunt. Admittedly, the woman is a nightmare and adds way too much drama to the plot for my taste. But how am I supposed to respect a heroine who would PUNCH an elderly woman on the nose, knocking her unconscious? Now matter how foul that woman is, there is no excuse for this sort of behavior in what is supposed to be a grown-up for me.
I will continue with this series, because Mary Balogh is an insanely talented writer and I am dying to see the haughty Wulf fall in love. But this book just wasn't for me.
November 14, 2023
Freyja was so perfectly not-like-other-girls, I should have hated her. But somehow I didn¡¯t. She was annoying at times but most of the time she was just fun. She was still pining after Kit at the beginning but then she fell for Josh and was cured once and for all.
Josh was very handsome and always smiling and everyone loved him. The man didn¡¯t have any single flaw. None. I know that¡¯s how book boyfriends work but Mary overdid this one a little.
I like fake dating and fake engagements and I love reverse grumpy-sunshine, so it all worked very well for me. What bothered me a little was how similar this book was to Kit and Lauren¡¯s. I would have preferred to think less about Kit when reading Freyja's story.
It was great to meet all the Bedwyns, even Aidan is improving. On to the next! When's Alleyne? I want Alleyne!!!
¡ª-
I hated Freya in the first two books because she was mean, especially to Lauren. However I always feel for the other woman and I know that she was being a bitch because she had her heart broken. I¡¯m glad she¡¯s getting a hea because I want everyone happy but also because I want her to stop pining after Kit!!!
Josh was very handsome and always smiling and everyone loved him. The man didn¡¯t have any single flaw. None. I know that¡¯s how book boyfriends work but Mary overdid this one a little.
I like fake dating and fake engagements and I love reverse grumpy-sunshine, so it all worked very well for me. What bothered me a little was how similar this book was to Kit and Lauren¡¯s. I would have preferred to think less about Kit when reading Freyja's story.
It was great to meet all the Bedwyns, even Aidan is improving. On to the next! When's Alleyne? I want Alleyne!!!
¡ª-
I hated Freya in the first two books because she was mean, especially to Lauren. However I always feel for the other woman and I know that she was being a bitch because she had her heart broken. I¡¯m glad she¡¯s getting a hea because I want everyone happy but also because I want her to stop pining after Kit!!!
August 17, 2020
3.25 stars.
After boring 25%, the story improved.
But the hero grins too much for my taste and Freyja still a rather silly cow who was grumpy for the whole story. I know that suppose to be her character but don't like it at all.
However the storyline is good though and I love Prue too, she is Joshua's cousin, she has a DS, right? Her character made us see the ugly and the good side of Joshua's relatives.
I will love to read Wulf, Morgan and Alleyne's stories too but much later on!:)
After boring 25%, the story improved.
But the hero grins too much for my taste and Freyja still a rather silly cow who was grumpy for the whole story. I know that suppose to be her character but don't like it at all.
However the storyline is good though and I love Prue too, she is Joshua's cousin, she has a DS, right? Her character made us see the ugly and the good side of Joshua's relatives.
I will love to read Wulf, Morgan and Alleyne's stories too but much later on!:)
June 20, 2022
This review was originally posted on
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
First Impressions
I have been meaning to return to this series, I have seen lately quite a bit of creators talk about this series lately and it helps me realize that I have been neglecting it in that I haven¡¯t read it at all. I really wanted to explore it more and see how I would enjoy these older books from this series and I grabbed this one in audio and I am really happy that I did because It just ended up being such a win I am not sure if it was the book or the narration or a combination of both but it ended up being such a win of a read. I loved everything about this book here and I was really interested in seeing how this author would write this story and develop the story and the way it would differ from her more recently released releases and I have to say I love the charm and the higher level of heat that she uses and in Slightly Scandalous we see a story that just has this gritty feel to it with the same level of charm, regency authenticity and a romance you can cheer on,
Summary
Freyja Bedwyn has four brothers that she has had to compete with and even as much as she loves them she needs some distance from them and from a heart hurting when a man she thinks that she loves chose another woman to love. She decides to do a visit to Bath, and then she has a stranger storm into her room, who is being hunted by others, and instant chemistry builds between these two but through a set of events that occur, they come to a mutual arrangement that will benefit them both¡.a fake engagement, Jake the Marquest of Hallmere, is being almost forced into an engagement with his cousin by his aunt who is determined to claim the title for her daughter no matter the cost. And that is not whom he would ever want to marry, he loves his cousin but more in a brotherly way. Then Freyja agrees to act as his betrothed to protect him and then her family becomes involved and what was to be a temporary relationship turns into something more real than either of them imagined.
What I Loved
I know some people had reservations about this book due to Freyja actions in the previous books but, to be honest it¡¯s been years since I have read those books so I didn¡¯t have that issue at all. I will admit that she took some getting used to but she wormed her way into my heart. I loved her drive and passion and independent she wanted to be from her family and society. I liked that she wanted to make her own rules in life and have a semblance of control when there wasn¡¯t much. Then we have Jake, who appeared to be a wild rake but is so much more to him than a playful rogue. He is trying to get away from some trauma that happened when he was younger but he also wants to fight his own battles and find his own way without his meddlesome family, The romance was such fun, the way that these two banter with each other was beyond fun and they are both so independent but also see each other. Even though they are in denial of what they are feeling, especially Freyja, we see how they can help but aid and fight for each other. The sex scenes in this book is steamier than what you will see in her more recent releases and I really liked seeing a different level of heat than we are typically used to. The involvement of the Bedwyn family was hilarious; the more you are around this family, the more you are charmed by them.
What I Struggled With
There was hardly anything I had issues with, just had so much fun with this one
The Narration
Rosalyn Landor is such a queen when it comes to narrating historicals, especially the regency/victorian kind. She can take some getting used to, but I found that she reflected the personalities of the characters so well and really delivered on all fronts. The level of emotion and unrequited love that felt so real was so perfectly delivered by this narrator.
Overall View
Slightly Scandalous is a witty, challenging, and a fight for love type of romance. Its a story that won¡¯t be easy to let go of and will charm you endlessly.
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
First Impressions
I have been meaning to return to this series, I have seen lately quite a bit of creators talk about this series lately and it helps me realize that I have been neglecting it in that I haven¡¯t read it at all. I really wanted to explore it more and see how I would enjoy these older books from this series and I grabbed this one in audio and I am really happy that I did because It just ended up being such a win I am not sure if it was the book or the narration or a combination of both but it ended up being such a win of a read. I loved everything about this book here and I was really interested in seeing how this author would write this story and develop the story and the way it would differ from her more recently released releases and I have to say I love the charm and the higher level of heat that she uses and in Slightly Scandalous we see a story that just has this gritty feel to it with the same level of charm, regency authenticity and a romance you can cheer on,
Summary
Freyja Bedwyn has four brothers that she has had to compete with and even as much as she loves them she needs some distance from them and from a heart hurting when a man she thinks that she loves chose another woman to love. She decides to do a visit to Bath, and then she has a stranger storm into her room, who is being hunted by others, and instant chemistry builds between these two but through a set of events that occur, they come to a mutual arrangement that will benefit them both¡.a fake engagement, Jake the Marquest of Hallmere, is being almost forced into an engagement with his cousin by his aunt who is determined to claim the title for her daughter no matter the cost. And that is not whom he would ever want to marry, he loves his cousin but more in a brotherly way. Then Freyja agrees to act as his betrothed to protect him and then her family becomes involved and what was to be a temporary relationship turns into something more real than either of them imagined.
What I Loved
I know some people had reservations about this book due to Freyja actions in the previous books but, to be honest it¡¯s been years since I have read those books so I didn¡¯t have that issue at all. I will admit that she took some getting used to but she wormed her way into my heart. I loved her drive and passion and independent she wanted to be from her family and society. I liked that she wanted to make her own rules in life and have a semblance of control when there wasn¡¯t much. Then we have Jake, who appeared to be a wild rake but is so much more to him than a playful rogue. He is trying to get away from some trauma that happened when he was younger but he also wants to fight his own battles and find his own way without his meddlesome family, The romance was such fun, the way that these two banter with each other was beyond fun and they are both so independent but also see each other. Even though they are in denial of what they are feeling, especially Freyja, we see how they can help but aid and fight for each other. The sex scenes in this book is steamier than what you will see in her more recent releases and I really liked seeing a different level of heat than we are typically used to. The involvement of the Bedwyn family was hilarious; the more you are around this family, the more you are charmed by them.
I Know what you meant when you told me she was full of love and brimming over with it. And so innocent that one fears for her. Perhaps we ought not to fear for such people but for ourselves whose experience has taught us not to trust one another or life itself.
What I Struggled With
There was hardly anything I had issues with, just had so much fun with this one
The Narration
Rosalyn Landor is such a queen when it comes to narrating historicals, especially the regency/victorian kind. She can take some getting used to, but I found that she reflected the personalities of the characters so well and really delivered on all fronts. The level of emotion and unrequited love that felt so real was so perfectly delivered by this narrator.
Overall View
Slightly Scandalous is a witty, challenging, and a fight for love type of romance. Its a story that won¡¯t be easy to let go of and will charm you endlessly.
November 7, 2019
SOO FUNNY!!
I LOVED IT
Sin duda este es mi favorito hasta el momento (porque me falta el de Wulf) desde la primera p¨¢gina este libro te engancha y la primera escena de ellos juntos sacan chispas.
Es una pareja demasiado divertida me encant¨®.
Sin duda el libro se lo lleva Joshua a LO AMO!!
Me encant¨® el fake romance.
Me gust¨® TODO!!
Fin.
I LOVED IT
Sin duda este es mi favorito hasta el momento (porque me falta el de Wulf) desde la primera p¨¢gina este libro te engancha y la primera escena de ellos juntos sacan chispas.
Es una pareja demasiado divertida me encant¨®.
Sin duda el libro se lo lleva Joshua a LO AMO!!
Me encant¨® el fake romance.
Me gust¨® TODO!!
Fin.
December 2, 2021
I truly enjoyed the first half of this book but then the heroine started showing me why I didn't like her since the prequel "A summer to remember ".
When she was forgetting herself and having fun she was alright but when she was arrogant, kept fighting over everything and also kept saying she's afraid of nothing I thought she was simply ridiculous and over the top.
The hero on the other hand I liked from the start. You know that naughty boy that will try to kiss and charm anything that moves? That describe how the hero is hehehe and the more in depth I learned about him, the more I enjoyed him. But the thing is, even though I think the hero was a great antidote for the heroine's arrogance, they did not have ANY chemistry. Their private times were super boring and mechanical and when she said that she didn't understand why he was with her, I was asking myself the same thing.
The plot was nice and plausible, the couple was boring and I don't know if it is because I already know Wulfric (as his book was the first I read 2 or 3 years ago and loved so much) but in every book when there's an emotional moment happening it involves him. Call me crazy, but here we go.
When she was forgetting herself and having fun she was alright but when she was arrogant, kept fighting over everything and also kept saying she's afraid of nothing I thought she was simply ridiculous and over the top.
The hero on the other hand I liked from the start. You know that naughty boy that will try to kiss and charm anything that moves? That describe how the hero is hehehe and the more in depth I learned about him, the more I enjoyed him. But the thing is, even though I think the hero was a great antidote for the heroine's arrogance, they did not have ANY chemistry. Their private times were super boring and mechanical and when she said that she didn't understand why he was with her, I was asking myself the same thing.
The plot was nice and plausible, the couple was boring and I don't know if it is because I already know Wulfric (as his book was the first I read 2 or 3 years ago and loved so much) but in every book when there's an emotional moment happening it involves him. Call me crazy, but here we go.
October 10, 2017
Maravillosa lectura! Una historia de amor muy bonita con sus tira y afloja. Personajes muy buenos. Y las escenas en las que aparecen todos los Bedwyn juntos son desternillantes. Gran familia.
April 7, 2015
With all justice, this should probably get a two/ two and a half star rating, but, I did manage to read this in less than a day, so it has to get at least an half star for that reason entirely.
This is what?
The fourth or fifth book I've read by this author, and I still can't say that this is a favourite series.
This was written in 2004 _ I think _ so maybe her latest instalments are better?
I can only wonder.
So far, a pattern seems to exist: I struggle with the beginnings and I end up enjoying the last pages.
I wasn't crazy about the characters, not because they weren't likeable _ which, okay they mostly weren't _ but because they felt undeveloped. Very one dimensional.
Also, there is quite a number of eye rolling situations: I don't care if they were engaged _ of fake engaged _ some things just weren't done at those times. At least not blatantly so.
Also in one of the prequels, the whole fake engagement plot, had already been used, and two books later here it is again?
Not very original..but at least in Kit's and Lauren's case, the situation was much more believable.
What can I say?
I never felt the "love" between Freyja and Joshua, and their supposedly "hot" scenes were more tepid than anything else. -_-
February 14, 2023
Reread 02/2023
A very enjoyable addition to the series, everything I wrote the last times is still valid... and now I can't wait to get to Morgan's and then finally Wulf's book (reading Alleyne's book I already know I'll mostly skip as I did the last time, to hurry up a bit ?).
4,5 stars.
----------
Reread 04/2022
Still love the way Mary Balogh is able to get me to like Freya slowly, to get me to empathise with her and hope for her happiness, although she had shown us in the previous books just her cool and haughty side.
A great addition to the series.
-------------------------
Review 07/2020
I hated Freya in the previous books and was sure I would hold on to my hatred for her. But the author did a great job in showing us Freya's human side. I loved how the story developed. 5 stars.
A very enjoyable addition to the series, everything I wrote the last times is still valid... and now I can't wait to get to Morgan's and then finally Wulf's book (reading Alleyne's book I already know I'll mostly skip as I did the last time, to hurry up a bit ?).
4,5 stars.
----------
Reread 04/2022
Still love the way Mary Balogh is able to get me to like Freya slowly, to get me to empathise with her and hope for her happiness, although she had shown us in the previous books just her cool and haughty side.
A great addition to the series.
-------------------------
Review 07/2020
I hated Freya in the previous books and was sure I would hold on to my hatred for her. But the author did a great job in showing us Freya's human side. I loved how the story developed. 5 stars.
January 10, 2024
Wonderful story of mutual attraction and denial. The h is such an interesting character, abrasive, arrogant and sometimes downright unpleasant. He is the complete opposite, charming, irreverent and I loved how he teased her. Of course he's hiding a lifetime of sorrows, so she saves him. Perfect love story.
July 24, 2017
The haughty and unusual Freyja meets her match in Joshua, a laughing Adonis
This is a very enjoyable book. The sparring between Freyja and Joshua is wonderful and it's funny seeing her lose her temper with him - sometimes in very public places. They have very different personalities, but complement each other very well and seem destined for one another (and the chemistry between them is great!). One of the highlights is encountering the other members of the Bedwyn family again; they contribute greatly to a few of the entertaining and humorous scenes.
SUMMARY (Bedwyn Family, Book 3):
Lady Freyja Bedwyn goes to stay with a friend in Bath to avoid the birth of a past flame's child (Kit Butler, hero of ). Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, is in Bath to visit his grandmother after gallivanting around Europe (and doing unofficial spy work) for five years. They meet and enjoy several *very* amusing incidents, leading to an impulsively created fake betrothal to help Joshua avoid an undesired forced one. While the betrothal was only supposed to stand for a few days, it ends up lengthening all the way to Lindsey Hall (Bedwyn home) and then to Penhallow in Cornwall (Hallmere's home). Balogh includes the usual villain subplot (this one is well-employed), dastardly relatives, past ghosts and demons to be faced and overcome, but in the end the book is an enjoyable read and as always, it's a treat to see the hero and heroine get their happily-ever-after.
MAIN CHARACTERS, Freyja and Joshua:
Lady Freyja Bedwyn is the third youngest Bedywn sibling and is 25 years old at the time of the story. If you have read previous Bedwyn family books, you may not be predisposed to like her; she's arrogant and haughty and in the aforementioned , she's horribly malicious and unfriendly towards Lauren. Slightly Scandalous shows a different side to her, however, and we find that she's also a lonely woman with a sensitive side, who hides this in order to not appear vulnerable or be hurt again. A plus in my opinion is that she's not the normal beauty - well, actually she's not a beauty at all, and is considered ugly at worst, and somewhat handsome and interesting-looking at best.
Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere is 28 years old and comes off at first as a devil-may-care blond Adonis whose laughing eyes show him to be the rogue he is and nothing more. Of course (surprise, surprise!), this is not the case, and although he is a cheerful man whose teasing grin comes easily, his childhood was an unhappy one and his past is riddled with painful secrets. He is a very charming and engaging character who initially comes off as shallow and unable to take anything seriously, but is actually a very thoughtful and kind man.
Neither Freyja nor Joshua expect their light flirtation to turn into anything serious and due to this, they are actually a little afraid to get to know each other on any other level. She doesn't want to see beyond the laughing roguishness and he only wants to have fun by teasing her into losing her haughty temper. Of course, love gets in the way!
FAVORITE LINE:
"Freyja," he said, "what are you doing for the rest of your life?" ::sigh::
BOTTOM LINE:
Although if you read many of Balogh's books you'll start to experience deja vu quite frequently (some of the lines, the idea of a fake betrothal that will later be called off, etc.), she's an excellent writer and this is a highly enjoyable read and must-have if you're going through the whole Bedwyn family series. Enjoy!
This is a very enjoyable book. The sparring between Freyja and Joshua is wonderful and it's funny seeing her lose her temper with him - sometimes in very public places. They have very different personalities, but complement each other very well and seem destined for one another (and the chemistry between them is great!). One of the highlights is encountering the other members of the Bedwyn family again; they contribute greatly to a few of the entertaining and humorous scenes.
SUMMARY (Bedwyn Family, Book 3):
Lady Freyja Bedwyn goes to stay with a friend in Bath to avoid the birth of a past flame's child (Kit Butler, hero of ). Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, is in Bath to visit his grandmother after gallivanting around Europe (and doing unofficial spy work) for five years. They meet and enjoy several *very* amusing incidents, leading to an impulsively created fake betrothal to help Joshua avoid an undesired forced one. While the betrothal was only supposed to stand for a few days, it ends up lengthening all the way to Lindsey Hall (Bedwyn home) and then to Penhallow in Cornwall (Hallmere's home). Balogh includes the usual villain subplot (this one is well-employed), dastardly relatives, past ghosts and demons to be faced and overcome, but in the end the book is an enjoyable read and as always, it's a treat to see the hero and heroine get their happily-ever-after.
MAIN CHARACTERS, Freyja and Joshua:
Lady Freyja Bedwyn is the third youngest Bedywn sibling and is 25 years old at the time of the story. If you have read previous Bedwyn family books, you may not be predisposed to like her; she's arrogant and haughty and in the aforementioned , she's horribly malicious and unfriendly towards Lauren. Slightly Scandalous shows a different side to her, however, and we find that she's also a lonely woman with a sensitive side, who hides this in order to not appear vulnerable or be hurt again. A plus in my opinion is that she's not the normal beauty - well, actually she's not a beauty at all, and is considered ugly at worst, and somewhat handsome and interesting-looking at best.
Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere is 28 years old and comes off at first as a devil-may-care blond Adonis whose laughing eyes show him to be the rogue he is and nothing more. Of course (surprise, surprise!), this is not the case, and although he is a cheerful man whose teasing grin comes easily, his childhood was an unhappy one and his past is riddled with painful secrets. He is a very charming and engaging character who initially comes off as shallow and unable to take anything seriously, but is actually a very thoughtful and kind man.
Neither Freyja nor Joshua expect their light flirtation to turn into anything serious and due to this, they are actually a little afraid to get to know each other on any other level. She doesn't want to see beyond the laughing roguishness and he only wants to have fun by teasing her into losing her haughty temper. Of course, love gets in the way!
FAVORITE LINE:
"Freyja," he said, "what are you doing for the rest of your life?" ::sigh::
BOTTOM LINE:
Although if you read many of Balogh's books you'll start to experience deja vu quite frequently (some of the lines, the idea of a fake betrothal that will later be called off, etc.), she's an excellent writer and this is a highly enjoyable read and must-have if you're going through the whole Bedwyn family series. Enjoy!
July 15, 2015
Freyja hater, yep, that's me, guilty as charged.
The rating is not a reflection of Ms. Balogh's writing. This is Freyja hating, plain and simple. My disgust for Freyja runs deep. I read this book many, I repeat, many years ago. And I still remember how disgusted I was by Freyja. This is a 200% personal feeling. I am certain that she would appeal to another group of readers who love her to pieces. I respect that. It is just my feelings are on the other side of the spectrum. She completely destroyed the story for me. Her poor husband to be, dilicious poor Joshua, was put in a relationship that has a lot of "how dare you" moments.
Why do I dislike her, you ask?
Let's see, what do I hate in a female?
1. Capriciousness - check
2. Prideful but insecure - check
3. Spoiled - checked
4. Asking "how dare you?" - check (why the hell dare I not? You dare me, I dare you right back.)
5. Taking things for granted - check
6. Issuing accusations when none is warranted - check
7. Pretending to not care while actually harboring a strong sense of inferiority - so check
8. Equating being prideful with being snobbish - check
Need I go on? I hope I have painted a telling picutre of who Freyja Bedwyn is. It is petty of me but I dislike her so much that I have to write a review for my Freyja-bashing.
I beg your pardon. Such females really give me headaches.
The rating is not a reflection of Ms. Balogh's writing. This is Freyja hating, plain and simple. My disgust for Freyja runs deep. I read this book many, I repeat, many years ago. And I still remember how disgusted I was by Freyja. This is a 200% personal feeling. I am certain that she would appeal to another group of readers who love her to pieces. I respect that. It is just my feelings are on the other side of the spectrum. She completely destroyed the story for me. Her poor husband to be, dilicious poor Joshua, was put in a relationship that has a lot of "how dare you" moments.
Why do I dislike her, you ask?
Let's see, what do I hate in a female?
1. Capriciousness - check
2. Prideful but insecure - check
3. Spoiled - checked
4. Asking "how dare you?" - check (why the hell dare I not? You dare me, I dare you right back.)
5. Taking things for granted - check
6. Issuing accusations when none is warranted - check
7. Pretending to not care while actually harboring a strong sense of inferiority - so check
8. Equating being prideful with being snobbish - check
Need I go on? I hope I have painted a telling picutre of who Freyja Bedwyn is. It is petty of me but I dislike her so much that I have to write a review for my Freyja-bashing.
I beg your pardon. Such females really give me headaches.
March 12, 2017
Another outstanding performance by Rosalyn Landor bumps this into the 5 star bracket.
October 31, 2019
Uyyyy y ese Joshua mi amor ?
Me hac¨ªa re¨ªr mucho jajaja
Y ella tambi¨¦n me encanta es de mis favoritas. Aunque su relaci¨®n fue un poco extra?a.
Me hac¨ªa re¨ªr mucho jajaja
Y ella tambi¨¦n me encanta es de mis favoritas. Aunque su relaci¨®n fue un poco extra?a.
August 12, 2020
Este libro me pareci¨® super divertido. Encontr¨¦ a una Freyja fuerte y decidida. He le¨ªdo por ah¨ª que hay una precuela sobre ella que no la deja en demasiado buen lugar, pero a mi en Ligeramente escandalosos me encant¨®. Joshua le sigue el ritmo fant¨¢sticamente y es un digno contrincante en todo momento. En definitiva, me gust¨® mucho el libro y no me esperaba pasarlo tan bien con Freyja.
La saga en el blog:
La saga en el blog:
November 3, 2009
Slightly Scandalous is the third book in the Slightly series by Mary Balogh. We first meet Freyja Bedwyn in A Summer to Remember. I didn't like Freyja in that book. I didn't like any of the Bedwyns, in fact. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading Aiden's book Slightly Married and Rannulf's Slightly Wicked. I figured that if MB could turn Rannulf into a sexy, likable hero then I should like Freyja too, right?
Wrong. Freyja Bedwyn was easily one of the worst heroines I have come across. The best adjective that I could use to describe her would rhyme with witch, ditch, pitch, etc...you get the picture. She snapped at the hero constantly and I lost count of the number of times she punched him in the face with her fist. I don't know how he could stand to be in the same room with her for 5 minutes much less carry on a "pretend" betrothal. The only thing that saved this book was the fact that Joshua was such a wonderful hero. He was sexy, kind hearted, and had the patience of a saint if he could put up with Freyja. I don't think physical abuse is okay whether it's coming from the man or the woman, and Joshua's need to dodge Freyja's fist every time he said something she didn't like totally turned me off.
I'm giving this book a 3 solely based on how much I cared about Josh. Freyja deserves less than a 1.
Wrong. Freyja Bedwyn was easily one of the worst heroines I have come across. The best adjective that I could use to describe her would rhyme with witch, ditch, pitch, etc...you get the picture. She snapped at the hero constantly and I lost count of the number of times she punched him in the face with her fist. I don't know how he could stand to be in the same room with her for 5 minutes much less carry on a "pretend" betrothal. The only thing that saved this book was the fact that Joshua was such a wonderful hero. He was sexy, kind hearted, and had the patience of a saint if he could put up with Freyja. I don't think physical abuse is okay whether it's coming from the man or the woman, and Joshua's need to dodge Freyja's fist every time he said something she didn't like totally turned me off.
I'm giving this book a 3 solely based on how much I cared about Josh. Freyja deserves less than a 1.
January 30, 2020
Le doy 3/5 ?
Este es el tercer libro de la serie "Bedwyn" que leo y la verdad me ha dejado con un gusto amargo. No me transmiti¨® nada y eso que los anteriores libros me gustaron un mont¨®n. No s¨¦, porqu¨¦ fue necesario el alargamiento de la trama del compromiso entre Freyja y Jorshua. Se me hizo muy poco cre¨ªble todo.
En fin, solo trato de leerme los libros en orden para llegar a la historia del hermano mayor de la familia y la verdad me esta costando much¨ªsimo leerlos puesto que, las historias est¨¢n cayendo. Espero que el siguiente me guste un poco m¨¢s.
Este es el tercer libro de la serie "Bedwyn" que leo y la verdad me ha dejado con un gusto amargo. No me transmiti¨® nada y eso que los anteriores libros me gustaron un mont¨®n. No s¨¦, porqu¨¦ fue necesario el alargamiento de la trama del compromiso entre Freyja y Jorshua. Se me hizo muy poco cre¨ªble todo.
En fin, solo trato de leerme los libros en orden para llegar a la historia del hermano mayor de la familia y la verdad me esta costando much¨ªsimo leerlos puesto que, las historias est¨¢n cayendo. Espero que el siguiente me guste un poco m¨¢s.
April 17, 2019
Lady Freyja Bedwyn has been a larger than life presence since the prequel to this series and as a secondary character for each of her two brothers' romances. Now, for her turn, I was eager to see who would be her match. And, oh, was he a doozy. Somewhat spoiled and arrogant, not just any noble hero would do. This was one of the two Bedwyn stories that I have wanted since I encountered them and it was as colorful and exciting as I could have predicted.
Slightly Scandalous is book three in the Bedwyn Saga and follows two related Bedwyn prequels. I would definitely recommend the books in order, though, in a pinch, one could do all right out of order. But, I'm going to also recommend that this one works even better if the prequel, A Summer to Remember, is read before this one because it is the backstory for this one and explains a lot about why the heroine is the way she is.
So, yes, fiery and feisty Freyja is brave and outspoken- to a point. She plays it off well, but she was hurt when her former fiance' set out to jilt her and get his revenge for her accepting his elder brother. Now, he's happily married and expecting a child. She does not want to be in the neighborhood for those rejoicings so has escaped to Bath. Along the way, she has an encounter with a rogue and the dust up does her good. In Bath, all is staid and boring until she encounters the rogue once again and learns he's the new Marquess of Hallmere. Freyja gets things wrong and confronts him to his amusement then she lets the charmer talk her into a plan that will aid them both avoid their problems- if she can just resist falling in love.
Joshua Moore was content with his life until his uncle passed and he is now propelled into his lofty position, wealth, and estates. Joshua is the target of schemes to land a titled lord and his wealth and also the target of his aunt who is not desirous of giving way to the young man she treated poorly and fears her comeuppance has arrived. From the first encounter, the tempestuous Freyja has captured his interest and her temper distracts him from his own troubles. She agrees to help him stay free of entanglements even entanglements with him.
I might have set myself up on this one. I have been enchanted with Freyja since my first encounter. I felt badly for her in A Summer to Remember, but she held her head high when the man she thought she loved wants another and she's been a rock when two of her older brothers and their brides needed help. She's loyal and true to her family when they need her.
But, I don't think I had a good grasp of her full personality. She bowled me over in this book and not in a good way half the time. She's got a bad temper for one thing and likes to punch which is a no-no for me. She also goes off half-cocked and her snobbishness shows up now and then.
Fortunately, that is not all there is to her. Like many a Balogh character, she's not all this or all that, but layered and takes a bit to get to know as her story unfolds. Oh, and the biggest redeeming factor? Freyja cracked me up so much when she rushed in where angels fear to tread and got herself into a few pickles.
This is also true of her hero, Joshua. I was none too keen on him for a time, either. He drifts about, living in the moment, going with what feels good. He's harmless for the most part. I needed to see him get serious and take an interest in something and someone outside himself which he did. He eventually won me over. They both did.
This pair seemed to have too much going on personally to convince me they were good together, but then it happened. I saw where they worked out just fine and made a fine pair. It helped that they had a common cause in dealing with Joshua's horrid aunt. I mean, I get an older woman fearful of her future and wanting to hold onto what she could, but this harridan went beyond that and was quite the villain in her schemes. It was fun to see Freyja use her strength and character to fight this woman and others on Joshua's behalf, and then, when the big moment came, there were all those Bedwyn siblings pulling together and supporting Joshua for Freyja's sake. More and more, I love what each book in this series reveals about the aloof and powerful Wulfric, the oldest of the Bedwyn siblings.
So, another engaging story and fun surprising way that it changed my mind and made me enjoy the romance I got. I do love this series with its foundation in family. Looking forward to more Bedwyn romance and can easily recommend these historicals to those who don't mind an older series and characters up to some fun antics as they find their happily ever afters.
Slightly Scandalous is book three in the Bedwyn Saga and follows two related Bedwyn prequels. I would definitely recommend the books in order, though, in a pinch, one could do all right out of order. But, I'm going to also recommend that this one works even better if the prequel, A Summer to Remember, is read before this one because it is the backstory for this one and explains a lot about why the heroine is the way she is.
So, yes, fiery and feisty Freyja is brave and outspoken- to a point. She plays it off well, but she was hurt when her former fiance' set out to jilt her and get his revenge for her accepting his elder brother. Now, he's happily married and expecting a child. She does not want to be in the neighborhood for those rejoicings so has escaped to Bath. Along the way, she has an encounter with a rogue and the dust up does her good. In Bath, all is staid and boring until she encounters the rogue once again and learns he's the new Marquess of Hallmere. Freyja gets things wrong and confronts him to his amusement then she lets the charmer talk her into a plan that will aid them both avoid their problems- if she can just resist falling in love.
Joshua Moore was content with his life until his uncle passed and he is now propelled into his lofty position, wealth, and estates. Joshua is the target of schemes to land a titled lord and his wealth and also the target of his aunt who is not desirous of giving way to the young man she treated poorly and fears her comeuppance has arrived. From the first encounter, the tempestuous Freyja has captured his interest and her temper distracts him from his own troubles. She agrees to help him stay free of entanglements even entanglements with him.
I might have set myself up on this one. I have been enchanted with Freyja since my first encounter. I felt badly for her in A Summer to Remember, but she held her head high when the man she thought she loved wants another and she's been a rock when two of her older brothers and their brides needed help. She's loyal and true to her family when they need her.
But, I don't think I had a good grasp of her full personality. She bowled me over in this book and not in a good way half the time. She's got a bad temper for one thing and likes to punch which is a no-no for me. She also goes off half-cocked and her snobbishness shows up now and then.
Fortunately, that is not all there is to her. Like many a Balogh character, she's not all this or all that, but layered and takes a bit to get to know as her story unfolds. Oh, and the biggest redeeming factor? Freyja cracked me up so much when she rushed in where angels fear to tread and got herself into a few pickles.
This is also true of her hero, Joshua. I was none too keen on him for a time, either. He drifts about, living in the moment, going with what feels good. He's harmless for the most part. I needed to see him get serious and take an interest in something and someone outside himself which he did. He eventually won me over. They both did.
This pair seemed to have too much going on personally to convince me they were good together, but then it happened. I saw where they worked out just fine and made a fine pair. It helped that they had a common cause in dealing with Joshua's horrid aunt. I mean, I get an older woman fearful of her future and wanting to hold onto what she could, but this harridan went beyond that and was quite the villain in her schemes. It was fun to see Freyja use her strength and character to fight this woman and others on Joshua's behalf, and then, when the big moment came, there were all those Bedwyn siblings pulling together and supporting Joshua for Freyja's sake. More and more, I love what each book in this series reveals about the aloof and powerful Wulfric, the oldest of the Bedwyn siblings.
So, another engaging story and fun surprising way that it changed my mind and made me enjoy the romance I got. I do love this series with its foundation in family. Looking forward to more Bedwyn romance and can easily recommend these historicals to those who don't mind an older series and characters up to some fun antics as they find their happily ever afters.
April 13, 2025
Books I Own. Historical Romance. Tropes: Regency Romance, Fake Fiance, Extended Family & Friends, RomCom, Spinster, Ugly Duckling.
MC's h Lady Freyja Bedwyn, 25, spinster (Previous fiance died), 4 older brothers and 1 sister. H Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere 28, just inherited the title 6 months before after his Uncle passed.
This is a very entertaining and humerous story. I am loving all the quick wit and repartee.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom.
Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fianc¨¦e and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan¡until passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart¡
***
MC's h Lady Freyja Bedwyn, 25, spinster (Previous fiance died), 4 older brothers and 1 sister. H Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere 28, just inherited the title 6 months before after his Uncle passed.
This is a very entertaining and humerous story. I am loving all the quick wit and repartee.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom.
Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fianc¨¦e and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan¡until passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart¡
***
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2019
I usually dislike heroines whose first impulse is to hit someone. I loved Freyja Bedwyn, though.
I thought I would be annoyed by her behaviour throughout the story. She wasn't the warmest person so far, after all. Actually, the prequel introduces her as an almost despicable character: jealous, petty, full of herself and so on. She has been redeemed without being changed as a person here. I loved her.
As for the romance, it starts as a sort of a trick and every new situation prolongs their trickery. That time gave them both enough opportunities to see one another. I liked the hero too, but Freyja is the one who carries this story through to the end.
The Kit situation is resolved. I'm satisfied with how that played out.
With every new book, I love Wulf more and more. I'm afraid his book won't live up to my expectations.
I thought I would be annoyed by her behaviour throughout the story. She wasn't the warmest person so far, after all. Actually, the prequel introduces her as an almost despicable character: jealous, petty, full of herself and so on. She has been redeemed without being changed as a person here. I loved her.
As for the romance, it starts as a sort of a trick and every new situation prolongs their trickery. That time gave them both enough opportunities to see one another. I liked the hero too, but Freyja is the one who carries this story through to the end.
The Kit situation is resolved. I'm satisfied with how that played out.
With every new book, I love Wulf more and more. I'm afraid his book won't live up to my expectations.
June 9, 2017
This historical romance was pretty funny but a little bit too long. i'm not sure I like my protagonists to be quite so headstrong, but it was cute none the less. as far as the historical accuracy, it felt like those details may have been a little loose... so I just be prepared to suspend some disbelief.
October 14, 2020
TW: rape off screen
I dont usually describe my visual headcanons on goodreads but something about the descriptions of an ¡°ugly¡± heroine with handsome striking features, and blonde hair in disarray was so vivid I couldnt help but imagine Freyja as , a model with a strong aquiline nose and the non-dainty kind of beauty.
I applaud Mary Balogh for succeeding where many others have failed; she¡¯s written such a self-confident, reflective, complex heroine without erring into TSTL category. She doesnt care if I like her, only that I respect her. Its refreshing. I can see Freyja as a younger version of those society matrons popular in historical romance, she has such a presence. Very Captain America¡¯s Peggy Carter blended with the Downton Abbey¡¯s Dowager Countess of Grantham. Full disclosure, I only read Aiden¡¯s book before this, so Kit¡¯s book didnt influence me.
¡°I do not believe,¡± Joshua said, ¡°she can be controlled, easily or otherwise. It is perhaps a blessing that I like her as she is.¡±
I love this type of hero, the grinning charmer with hidden depths. If only we could all be lucky enough to have a Josh of our own. There was momentum in the plot but that didnt really matter as much as the strength of the character interactions. I¡¯m easy. Give me a communicating compatible couple and I fall.
PS- minor gripe but couldve done without all the slow winks and nose references ?. Editors exist.
I dont usually describe my visual headcanons on goodreads but something about the descriptions of an ¡°ugly¡± heroine with handsome striking features, and blonde hair in disarray was so vivid I couldnt help but imagine Freyja as , a model with a strong aquiline nose and the non-dainty kind of beauty.
I applaud Mary Balogh for succeeding where many others have failed; she¡¯s written such a self-confident, reflective, complex heroine without erring into TSTL category. She doesnt care if I like her, only that I respect her. Its refreshing. I can see Freyja as a younger version of those society matrons popular in historical romance, she has such a presence. Very Captain America¡¯s Peggy Carter blended with the Downton Abbey¡¯s Dowager Countess of Grantham. Full disclosure, I only read Aiden¡¯s book before this, so Kit¡¯s book didnt influence me.
¡°I do not believe,¡± Joshua said, ¡°she can be controlled, easily or otherwise. It is perhaps a blessing that I like her as she is.¡±
I love this type of hero, the grinning charmer with hidden depths. If only we could all be lucky enough to have a Josh of our own. There was momentum in the plot but that didnt really matter as much as the strength of the character interactions. I¡¯m easy. Give me a communicating compatible couple and I fall.
PS- minor gripe but couldve done without all the slow winks and nose references ?. Editors exist.
September 29, 2015
I had been looking forward to Freyja's book with some trepidation; I so wanted it to be good. I liked her independence and sense of fun for what little we see her in the prior two books and I hoped we'd see that expanded on here. This was everything I was looking forward to and more.
Freyja was everything I was looking forward to: confident, assertive, a little wild, and very, very willing to speak up for herself. Her initial meeting with Joshua was everything I hoped for and that she maintained that throughout was just golden. I particularly liked seeing how falling in love expressed itself through her personality¡ªnot so much tempering her willfulness as honing it. I also liked seeing her human side as she confronts various fears with Josh present as witness.
Speaking of, I even liked Josh (which is something of a miracle). He's brash and a touch obnoxious and I don't typically like that kind of guy. I think he got away with it here because he was so busy provoking Free in ways that made her shine that I was eager to see what he'd do to/for her next. Seeing his character illuminated through interactions with those he grew up with helped, as well. In all, he turned out extremely satisfactorily.
I still have a hard time with some of the historical revisionism. Most of Josh and Freyja's social attitudes were rather unlikely and I find I still have a problem with that. Some of Free's actions, too, would have been way, way beyond the pale for a lady and would have drawn censure even if her brother is a duke.
That said, I knew all this going in so I wasn't surprised and wasn't put off. Which makes this a solid four star read and a great deal of fun. I hope Morgan's book (which is next) turns out half so well.
A note about Steamy: Two explicit sex scenes put this firmly in my mid range of steam tolerance. Maybe a bit on the low side as they both fit the plot and character arc pretty perfectly.
Freyja was everything I was looking forward to: confident, assertive, a little wild, and very, very willing to speak up for herself. Her initial meeting with Joshua was everything I hoped for and that she maintained that throughout was just golden. I particularly liked seeing how falling in love expressed itself through her personality¡ªnot so much tempering her willfulness as honing it. I also liked seeing her human side as she confronts various fears with Josh present as witness.
Speaking of, I even liked Josh (which is something of a miracle). He's brash and a touch obnoxious and I don't typically like that kind of guy. I think he got away with it here because he was so busy provoking Free in ways that made her shine that I was eager to see what he'd do to/for her next. Seeing his character illuminated through interactions with those he grew up with helped, as well. In all, he turned out extremely satisfactorily.
I still have a hard time with some of the historical revisionism. Most of Josh and Freyja's social attitudes were rather unlikely and I find I still have a problem with that. Some of Free's actions, too, would have been way, way beyond the pale for a lady and would have drawn censure even if her brother is a duke.
That said, I knew all this going in so I wasn't surprised and wasn't put off. Which makes this a solid four star read and a great deal of fun. I hope Morgan's book (which is next) turns out half so well.
A note about Steamy: Two explicit sex scenes put this firmly in my mid range of steam tolerance. Maybe a bit on the low side as they both fit the plot and character arc pretty perfectly.
August 13, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up because I love Mary Balogh! I could have skipped this book in the series and been perfectly okay with that. It is not my favorite. I felt like I spent half the book trying to keep track of the characters strewn throughout this series.
The plot follows much the same theme as in the first 2, which doesn't really bother me. It's a theme I like and can read over and over... the refusal to marry when the characters are obviously in love. The side plot about a maybe murder took backseat to the reminder of past and current family members.
What I did love about this book were, oddly, the main characters. I needed more of their story and less of the story fill in for previous books and less set up for the next 3 books.
I would definitely recommend this book, but if I read the series again I'll probably skip this one.
The plot follows much the same theme as in the first 2, which doesn't really bother me. It's a theme I like and can read over and over... the refusal to marry when the characters are obviously in love. The side plot about a maybe murder took backseat to the reminder of past and current family members.
What I did love about this book were, oddly, the main characters. I needed more of their story and less of the story fill in for previous books and less set up for the next 3 books.
I would definitely recommend this book, but if I read the series again I'll probably skip this one.
December 30, 2021
Freya is my least favorite heroine in this series so far, but I still really enjoyed this slow building romance. Josh was an endearing Scoundrel and their slow descent into love was beautiful.
September 12, 2021
This was, by Mary Balogh¡¯s standards, a fairly poor book. Which isn¡¯t exactly a bad book by general standards, but still. I get that any author who¡¯s written dozens of novels is likely to redo certain themes or tropes, to a certain extent. But Slightly Scandalous is just...too much. Too much, I say.
Readers first met Freyja Bedwyn in , which was about Kit and Lauren. To sum up the plot of that particular book: the heir of a title dies unexpectedly, forcing his brother to assume his duties. New heir (AKA hero) is expected to marry a certain woman his relatives have picked out for him. Hero doesn¡¯t like this, so decides to have a fake engagement with heroine, a woman who has decided she never wants to marry again after the ¡°love of her life¡± left her for someone else. Over the course of the fake engagement, hero and heroine falle in love. Boom, HEA.
Okay, so that is the plot of , and in that book, Freyja, the heroine of this book, was the woman the hero wanted to avoid marrying.
So now we have this book, Slightly Scandalous. Here¡¯s the basic plot: After being thwarted in love and thoroughly humiliated (see above), Frejya has decided she doesn¡¯t want to be married ever. Enter Joshua, the reluctant heir of a marquessate, whose scheming aunt wants him to marry her daughter. The only clear way to avoid this is a fake engagement, which naturally turns into a real one over time.
...like, haven¡¯t we read this same story already, Balogh? Haven¡¯t we???
It¡¯s especially weird because not only did the author use an identical plot set-up to a prior book, but all the same characters reappear. Complete lack of awareness, in my opinion. Also, just...why. Including Slightly Scandalous, I¡¯ve read 5 Balogh novels total, and they¡¯re all starting to blur together because she really loves the marriage of convenience, class differences, and fake engagement tropes. How about some variety, please?
(This coming from someone whose favorite historical tropes are marriage of convenience and class differences.)
So, I mean, the book itself was good. This author¡¯s stories are always readable and I think she brings a memorable, and enjoyable, tone/mood to her Regencies. They¡¯re not quite fluffy, but not quite serious. Goldilocks would probably say they¡¯re just right, if Goldilocks didn¡¯t mind repetitive plotlines, that is.
Okay, so the thing with Freyja is that she¡¯s not likeable. I think the majority of this book¡¯s negative reviews are negative because of this character. She¡¯s snobby, she¡¯s over-violent (seriously, what upper class woman in 1814 runs around punching people?), and kind of deluded as to what her romantic issues really are. Romance readers tend to be harsher on female protagonists than they are on the hero. They want her to be likeable and not too difficult. That¡¯s a whole other subject for another time. I honestly didn¡¯t care for Freyja either, for the record, but I mostly think this is because Balogh screwed up really badly in making her the villain of a previous novel. It¡¯s hard to see a person treat the protagonist of one book like absolute shit, and then in a later book get inside her head and hear that she just acted like shit because she loved him.
Sure, Freyja. Sure.
The whole ¡°I was mean to you because I loved you and didn¡¯t know how to express it like an adult¡± clich¨¦ is something that needs to go die in a hole and never come back. Especially when we spend so much time inside Freyja¡¯s angsty head before she comes to the realization that she never even loved Kit in the first place¡ªshe just loved the feeling of being in love. Uh huh, okay.
So first in , Freyja comes across as the nastiest bitch in the universe because some man dared to pick someone else. Then in Slightly Scandalous we learn this is because she really loved him and was heartbroken. But THEN we learn that Freyja didn¡¯t even love him at all, and it she was just confused with her feelings. That is a lot of emotional yo-yoing for me, I¡¯m sorry.
Also, I just find it absolutely ridiculous that in Romancelandia, it¡¯s never okay for a person to have loved previously. There¡¯s always some stunning realization that what a character had with their ex wasn¡¯t true love (whatever that is). Invariably, the protagonist was confused or immature or mistaking what they felt for love. Why do authors do this? Because, obviously, it¡¯s IMPERATIVE that there be no competition or comparison or other issues when the hero and heroine finally embark upon their happily ever after.
But the thing is that in Freyja¡¯s case, this totally derails the plot. If she didn¡¯t love Kit at all, in any way, then her whole vow to remain single forever because she¡¯s already met her one true love is completely beside the point. She hasn¡¯t met her one true love, so there¡¯s no point for her to spend the rest of her days mourning what she lost. I mean, obviously I don¡¯t support a person spending decades sulking about their ex, but c¡¯mon. Balogh massively undercut the stakes and complications implicit in this novel when she removed all of Freyja¡¯s turmoil in one very conveniently timed epiphany.
But I digress.
Slightly Scandalous is readable, but the storyline and character motivations are flimsy. At one point everyone has to go to Cornwall to confront Joshua¡¯s aunt because she¡¯s attempting to set him up for murdering his cousin (and thus paving the way for his own accession to the title). So, wow, here¡¯s a real problem that has to be solved. Except it¡¯s fixed entirely too quickly, because heaven forbid an actually difficult obstacle impede the course of true love.
Right.
There was a nice character, one of Joshua¡¯s young cousins, who I believe has Down Syndrome, and I quite liked her presence in the story. Balogh handled that very well and that whole B-romance between Lady Prudence and the nice fisherman made me happy. It was also fun (though also annoying?) that Balogh trotted out all the other happily married couples we¡¯ve encountered in this series thus far, even including Neville and Lily from . Nothing that a romance author loves more than showing off her previous protagonists and how blissful their HEAs are.
I still feel like Mary Balogh has my number when it comes to Regency romance. She writes exactly the stuff I love to read, and this book was no different. I was just disappointed by how deeply redundant this particular story was. It lacked depth and logical sense. The heroine is difficult for a variety of reasons, even if I didn¡¯t mind her ¡°unlikeableness.¡±
Overall, I very much liked this book, but Slightly Scandalous is not an outstanding example of what I enjoy so much about this author and her writing. It didn¡¯t live up to the standard Balogh has established in previous novels.
? . | | | | Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ
Readers first met Freyja Bedwyn in , which was about Kit and Lauren. To sum up the plot of that particular book: the heir of a title dies unexpectedly, forcing his brother to assume his duties. New heir (AKA hero) is expected to marry a certain woman his relatives have picked out for him. Hero doesn¡¯t like this, so decides to have a fake engagement with heroine, a woman who has decided she never wants to marry again after the ¡°love of her life¡± left her for someone else. Over the course of the fake engagement, hero and heroine falle in love. Boom, HEA.
Okay, so that is the plot of , and in that book, Freyja, the heroine of this book, was the woman the hero wanted to avoid marrying.
So now we have this book, Slightly Scandalous. Here¡¯s the basic plot: After being thwarted in love and thoroughly humiliated (see above), Frejya has decided she doesn¡¯t want to be married ever. Enter Joshua, the reluctant heir of a marquessate, whose scheming aunt wants him to marry her daughter. The only clear way to avoid this is a fake engagement, which naturally turns into a real one over time.
...like, haven¡¯t we read this same story already, Balogh? Haven¡¯t we???
It¡¯s especially weird because not only did the author use an identical plot set-up to a prior book, but all the same characters reappear. Complete lack of awareness, in my opinion. Also, just...why. Including Slightly Scandalous, I¡¯ve read 5 Balogh novels total, and they¡¯re all starting to blur together because she really loves the marriage of convenience, class differences, and fake engagement tropes. How about some variety, please?
(This coming from someone whose favorite historical tropes are marriage of convenience and class differences.)
So, I mean, the book itself was good. This author¡¯s stories are always readable and I think she brings a memorable, and enjoyable, tone/mood to her Regencies. They¡¯re not quite fluffy, but not quite serious. Goldilocks would probably say they¡¯re just right, if Goldilocks didn¡¯t mind repetitive plotlines, that is.
Okay, so the thing with Freyja is that she¡¯s not likeable. I think the majority of this book¡¯s negative reviews are negative because of this character. She¡¯s snobby, she¡¯s over-violent (seriously, what upper class woman in 1814 runs around punching people?), and kind of deluded as to what her romantic issues really are. Romance readers tend to be harsher on female protagonists than they are on the hero. They want her to be likeable and not too difficult. That¡¯s a whole other subject for another time. I honestly didn¡¯t care for Freyja either, for the record, but I mostly think this is because Balogh screwed up really badly in making her the villain of a previous novel. It¡¯s hard to see a person treat the protagonist of one book like absolute shit, and then in a later book get inside her head and hear that she just acted like shit because she loved him.
Sure, Freyja. Sure.
The whole ¡°I was mean to you because I loved you and didn¡¯t know how to express it like an adult¡± clich¨¦ is something that needs to go die in a hole and never come back. Especially when we spend so much time inside Freyja¡¯s angsty head before she comes to the realization that she never even loved Kit in the first place¡ªshe just loved the feeling of being in love. Uh huh, okay.
So first in , Freyja comes across as the nastiest bitch in the universe because some man dared to pick someone else. Then in Slightly Scandalous we learn this is because she really loved him and was heartbroken. But THEN we learn that Freyja didn¡¯t even love him at all, and it she was just confused with her feelings. That is a lot of emotional yo-yoing for me, I¡¯m sorry.
Also, I just find it absolutely ridiculous that in Romancelandia, it¡¯s never okay for a person to have loved previously. There¡¯s always some stunning realization that what a character had with their ex wasn¡¯t true love (whatever that is). Invariably, the protagonist was confused or immature or mistaking what they felt for love. Why do authors do this? Because, obviously, it¡¯s IMPERATIVE that there be no competition or comparison or other issues when the hero and heroine finally embark upon their happily ever after.
But the thing is that in Freyja¡¯s case, this totally derails the plot. If she didn¡¯t love Kit at all, in any way, then her whole vow to remain single forever because she¡¯s already met her one true love is completely beside the point. She hasn¡¯t met her one true love, so there¡¯s no point for her to spend the rest of her days mourning what she lost. I mean, obviously I don¡¯t support a person spending decades sulking about their ex, but c¡¯mon. Balogh massively undercut the stakes and complications implicit in this novel when she removed all of Freyja¡¯s turmoil in one very conveniently timed epiphany.
But I digress.
Slightly Scandalous is readable, but the storyline and character motivations are flimsy. At one point everyone has to go to Cornwall to confront Joshua¡¯s aunt because she¡¯s attempting to set him up for murdering his cousin (and thus paving the way for his own accession to the title). So, wow, here¡¯s a real problem that has to be solved. Except it¡¯s fixed entirely too quickly, because heaven forbid an actually difficult obstacle impede the course of true love.
Right.
There was a nice character, one of Joshua¡¯s young cousins, who I believe has Down Syndrome, and I quite liked her presence in the story. Balogh handled that very well and that whole B-romance between Lady Prudence and the nice fisherman made me happy. It was also fun (though also annoying?) that Balogh trotted out all the other happily married couples we¡¯ve encountered in this series thus far, even including Neville and Lily from . Nothing that a romance author loves more than showing off her previous protagonists and how blissful their HEAs are.
I still feel like Mary Balogh has my number when it comes to Regency romance. She writes exactly the stuff I love to read, and this book was no different. I was just disappointed by how deeply redundant this particular story was. It lacked depth and logical sense. The heroine is difficult for a variety of reasons, even if I didn¡¯t mind her ¡°unlikeableness.¡±
Overall, I very much liked this book, but Slightly Scandalous is not an outstanding example of what I enjoy so much about this author and her writing. It didn¡¯t live up to the standard Balogh has established in previous novels.
? . | | | | Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ
Displaying 1 - 30 of 964 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.