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A Scandalous Countess (Malloren #12)

by Jo Beverley (Goodreads Author)

3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 · rating details · 263 ratings · 51 reviews

Lady May is back. And so is the scandal that sent her tumbling from her position as the toast of London, when her husband, the Earl of Maybury, was killed in a duel. Even a year of mourning hasn't quieted the rumors of her infidelity.

Georgia Maybury is determined to regain her position in the beau monde, but a scarred ex-naval officer threatens her plans...

Published February 7th 2012

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Georgian Romance (1714 - 1810)

46th out of 181 books — 105 voters

The 18th century Romance List

42nd out of 165 books — 99 voters

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Mar 03, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books-read, 2012-men-in-uniform-challenge, historical-fiction-romance, romance

Very good book. At the beginning, I didn't care much for Georgia. She was selfish and spoiled, and intent only on finding a new husband that would keep her in style. I did like Dracy from the beginning. He was determined to bring his estate back from ruin, and had a plan to make it happen. When Georgia's father comes to him and offers his daughter in marriage, he is tempted. Not just for the money, but for Georgia herself. Georgia has been tasked by her parents to help Dracy fit in - she knows n...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

I reviewed this book for Night Owl Reviews - Rated 4.75 Stars

Lady May returns!

Falling from her position as the “toast” of Georgian society because of her husband’s death has been hard for Georgia, the Countess of Maybury. Even a year of mourning hasn’t silenced the rumors that her infidelity led to her husband’s death in a duel. It’s a scandal that doesn’t want to go away.

While Georgia has plans to regain her footing in the beau monde, Lord Dracy has plans to restore Dracy Manor to its former g...more I reviewed this book for Night Owl Reviews - Rated 4.75 Stars

Lady May returns!

Falling from her position as the “toast” of Georgian society because of her husband’s death has been hard for Georgia, the Countess of Maybury. Even a year of mourning hasn’t silenced the rumors that her infidelity led to her husband’s death in a duel. It’s a scandal that doesn’t want to go away.

While Georgia has plans to regain her footing in the beau monde, Lord Dracy has plans to restore Dracy Manor to its former glory. While Lord Dracy wasn’t looking for a wife, and his financial footing isn’t what she’s accustomed to, he can’t deny the beauty of Lady May or her charm. The only thing he has to offer is passion like she’s never experienced before…….

When new scandals threaten Lady May, both their plans and their lives are suddenly at risk.

“A Scandalous Countess” by Jo Beverley is the dazzling second story in the Three Countesses Trilogy, a part of the Malloren World series. Having read the previous book in the trilogy, An Unlikely Countess, I was once again drawn into Ms. Beverley’s Georgian world filled with lively characters, a touch of intrigue and witty conversation. While this is a historical series and while I do generally recommend reading the other books, this book can easily be read on its own. Be prepared though, once you get started, you never want Ms. Beverley’s book to end.

Georgia, the Countess of Maybury, seems to live a charmed life, the “toast” of society at only twenty years old, she’s beautiful, married to a man who indulges her desires and she has plenty of friends. All of that changes when her husband, Dickon, gets killed in a duel. A duel she knew nothing about. While the reason for the duel is allegedly over a horse race, soon the rumor begins that the reason for the duel was Georgia’s alleged affair with Sir Charnley Vance, the man who killed her husband. Since Georgia is known to be a flirt, it’s easy for many to believe the rumors.

While Georgia not only has to deal with the loss of her husband, she also has to deal with the loss of their home, as a woman she can’t inherit the estate. Everything goes to her husband’s male cousin; she only gets to keep her clothes and the small nick-knacks her husband bought her. Giving in to her parents, Georgia agrees to spend her mourning period at their estate in the country. Her plans are to let the scandal die down, and then return to society to find her next husband. I really liked how Ms. Beverley developed Georgia’s character throughout this story, at first she does appear to be somewhat flighty and spoiled, but once you begin to get to know her, she’s really so much more. She’s loving, loyal and quite bright. As the story progresses, her quick wit and charm really grew on me.

Lord Dracy has just inherited his family’s estate due to his cousin’s death. Coming back from years in the navy, he’s not prepared for how rundown Dracy Manor has become. Determined to restore his childhood home, he suffers from a lack of funds; his cousin spent all of the family money while living in London. He does have one hope, a horse he plans to race to raise money. When the Earl of Hernescroft, Georgia’s father, challenges his horse to a race, Dracy accepts. He knows his horse will win and has plans for the prize, the Earl’s prize horse. He didn’t plan on getting outwitted by the wily Earl, who never planned to give up his horse but has plans to talk Dracy into marrying his widowed daughter. While Dracy may not be his financial equal, the Earl knows he’s the perfect man for his daughter. He’ll tame her and keep her out of trouble. They just have to convince her to overlook Dracy’s flaws, his poor wallet and the scar on his face. A scar he received in service to his country.

I really enjoyed the scenes between Georgia and Dracy. They are lively, charming and engage in witty conversation. While it does seem like an odd match, they are perfect for each other. While Georgia’s beauty can’t be ignored, Dracy admires her latent wit and realizes she’s everything he wants in life. While at first shocked at Dracy’s scar, Georgia’s good manners and the discovery that it was a result of the war, she sees a man she can admire. As they spend time together they learn each other’s weaknesses and strengths. While Georgia’s family encourages their union, there is still the issue of Georgia’s maturity and of the scandal that won’t die down. Just as they make progress on one item, something else just seems to pop up. I really enjoyed how Ms. Beverley showed us Georgia’s progression as she goes flighty society girl to becoming a woman of substance. She also did a great job managing the mystery of the scandal, who was behind the rumors and why it came up.

I enjoyed meeting the secondary characters especially Georgia’s family, which is an interesting bunch, and her friends. While most are supportive, like any family there are some conflicts. I especially enjoyed getting to know Georgia’s brother, Peregrine Perriam, who secretly works for the home office (think MI-6). He and Lord Dracy worked well together resolving the scandal and discovering the source. The villain of the story is also well done, and when the mystery is solved and everything falls into place, it’s nice to see justice take place.

When it becomes apparent Georgia’s life is in danger, will Dracy be able to keep her safe? And will Georgia recognize that a future with Dracy is what she’s been looking for all along? You’ll have to read A Scandalous Countess to find out. I loved this installment in this series and can’t wait to see what will come next.(less)

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Nov 26, 2012 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars

A solid 3 star. An enjoyable, if slightly dull read. Dull meaning it felt like I read it before with some slight alterations.

I really liked Dracy. He's a sinister looking man, with his badly scarred side of his face from combat on a war ship. He's really a nice guy who's low on cash, trying to build up his run down estate.

Georgia is another story. She's likable, but very young to be already widowed at 19. She's high spirited, which ALWAYS gets her in trouble & she has to learn a lesson a...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Janet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angsty-goodness, cabin-romance, georgian-setting, road-trip-romance, unusual-couple

I'll go out on a limb and say this is more like 4 1/2* -- Jo Beverley is back in fine form. I checked off the cabin-romance and road-trip-romance shelves because once Dracy and Georgia met, they really weren't separated again. Lots of echoes of Beverley's I've liked, like another widow that was very popular with the ton (Skylark). The tension between a daughter and her powerful parents reminded me of Hazard. A Scandalous Countess was so enjoyable, I'd like to go back and read the book that prece...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Mary Lauer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am not sure I can stand to read the rest of the book about Georgia. Despite the author trying to convince the reader there is more to her than shallow fluff, I haven't seen if yet. I do like Dracy tho, can't wait to see more (literally!) of him. Also, for about the last 3-4 Malloren books, Jo B. has really had a bee in her bonnet about women's rights in the 18th century. Not something we can fix retroactively, unfortunately.

Finished the book. Figured out the villain way too early. Plot very re...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Anna May rated it 3 of 5 stars

I usually enjoy all books by this author but this time around I couldn't warm up to the heroine. I tried to like her but she was shallow, without any real thought in her head. Even she tried to be kind and act with heart, it felt more like an act.

No, I couldn't like her at all which made enjoying the book kind of hard. I did adore her hero. He was, as always, a very excellent character.

I would still recommend to buy this book because she is a good author who spins a good tale. But from all her b...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

While I love Jo Beverley exceedingly (everyone knows this), her last few books have been... faltering. Especially in the character development department. And while I could have done with a bit more backstory on Dracy, my biggest complaint about this book is that Dracy (spelling-wise) looks a lot like Darcy, and I kept misreading it.
While I did figure out the villain pretty early on, this book didn't really rely on being a mystery, so it didn't matter much.
At any rate, Jo Beverley is back in to...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Elis Madison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-bit-of-mystery, add-a-half-star, bad-guys-galore, character-development, era-georgian, good-historical-detail, hero-damaged, like-the-author

Georgia was 16 when she married her childhood friend Dickon, Earl of Maybury. She’s become the darling of the beau monde (the male half, at least), known for her daring and flirtatious ways. She’s true to her husband, though, who adored being the envy of his pals.

In one fatal morning, now 20-year-old Georgia is widowed and the new earl drop-kicks her and her dowry back to her father, the Earl of Hernescroft. It's whispered that the fatal duel was fought over her. She retires to her father's cou...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Amy Gideon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical-romance

I actually rate this about a 3.75, but since it's not an option I round up.

Great writing and world building as usual, but not my favorite heroine. While I thought she was a well developed character it was hard to really sympathize with her. At times she could come off us superficial and thoughtless, which I do recognize as a plot driver. However, this made it difficult to really like her in the 1st half of the book.

As the story progresses she matures and becomes a more sympathetic character albe...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Nadine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, regency

grrrr hate when that happens - I had the review all typed out, hit the wrong key, and mysteriously the screen went back two pages and lost all my typing. Too lazy to re-type. Suffice it to say: I liked but did not love this book. There is a certain detachment and formality to it that kept me from being drawn in. The big reveal towards the end had been blindingly obvious for hundreds of pages.

Plot summary: Lady May (widow of Lord Maybury, killed in a duel) has finished her year of mourning, and h...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Dabney rated it 4 of 5 stars

In 1763, England passed a law fixing the minimum age for marriage at 16, with parental consent needed for anyone under 21. During the Georgian Period, the average age of marriage was 27. Teenage brides were anomalous. One can understand why when reading Jo Beverley’s latest novel, A Scandalous Countess. Her heroine, Georgia, is just twenty and after almost three years of marriage, a widow.

Georgie was an immature bride — she was wed to a neighbor three years her senior when she was 16 — and is an...more In 1763, England passed a law fixing the minimum age for marriage at 16, with parental consent needed for anyone under 21. During the Georgian Period, the average age of marriage was 27. Teenage brides were anomalous. One can understand why when reading Jo Beverley’s latest novel, A Scandalous Countess. Her heroine, Georgia, is just twenty and after almost three years of marriage, a widow.

Georgie was an immature bride — she was wed to a neighbor three years her senior when she was 16 — and is an immature widow. Her husband was killed in a duel over what many believe was Georgie’s infidelity. She’s young, lovely, and after her year of mourning, desperate to regain her place in society. She’s too immature to live on her own — although under the law, she could — and yet she longs for the freedom she had while married. She wants a new husband, preferably one with a title and lots of money to buy the outrageous gowns for which she is known.

Lord Dracy has neither money nor an impressive title. He abruptly left the naval life he loved when his fribble of a cousin, the previous Lord Dracy, died after bankrupting the family holdings. Dracy has come to Devon and is trying to raise funds to rebuild his estate. One of the only things his cousin left was a fast filly named Cartagena. Dracy brings Cartagena to Georgia’s father’s estate, Herne, to race her against the Earl of Hernscroft’s famous bay mare, Fancy Free. The race is winner takes all — whoever wins gets both horses. Dracy wants to win but not to gain Fancy Free. He plans to ask the Earl to instead give him one of the Earl’s stud horses, a prize breeder named Gosling-go. Dracy wins the race but, when he sits down to talk about the trade — the Earl really doesn’t want to part with Fancy Free — Dracy is distressed to find that earlier in the week, Gosling-go had to be put down. The Earl then offers Dracy a trade for a different filly: his daughter. If Darcy marries the young widow, he’ll get her portion of twelve thousand pounds, cash in hand, the day he weds her. As the Earl points out, Dracy could buy a herd of stallions with that kind of blunt.

Dracy is shocked to hear the Earl’s proposal. The Earl points out that his daughter, who was wild when married (although faithful), is likely to return to her scandalous ways when she’s let loose on the ton again and would probably end up married to a “blackguard.” He’s looked into Dracy’s background, and feels Dracy is a trustworthy, solid man. The Earl laughs and says, “You’re the type she needs. A man of iron, used to command.” The Earl urges Dracy to take his offer; the Earl can keep his beloved horse, rid himself of a troublesome, scandalous daughter, and Dracy can wed and bed a gorgeous young girl and gain twelve thousand pounds.

This is a partial review. To read the entire review, please go to All About Romance.
http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/boo...(less)

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Jun 13, 2012 Terra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-on-nook, historical-romance, gave-up

For nostalgia's sake and because I sorta liked the hero, I upped this from 1 to 2 stars. I have loved so many of Jo Beverley's books. Especially the earlier Mallorens. This one didn't capture me. At all. I seriously disliked the heroine from the beginning. I kept reading. I actually enjoyed the hero and was disappointed when I reached page 134 and realized I didn't like him enough to endure anymore of Lady May's arrogant blabbering. Here is what did me in:
Lord Dracy is taken aback by her beauty...more

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May 01, 2012 Samatha Delancy rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was my first Jo Beverley i was not inprest. I will try another one day. Did you know that you dount have to put in ever detale about ever thing and ever one around them. The story was a goodish one. Just to much detale. It was nice that u know that chick dig skares. Butter luck with me next time. Over all sumare less detales in cothing, hear, and over all ferasing. More detale would have be nice in the last chapter it fell faet.

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Aug 28, 2012 Krishawna Stewart rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: scarred-or-imperfect-heroes

Just couldn't get into this one. I honestly tried but just couldn't do it :( This was a definite "skimmer"(i.e. I just skimmed through the book). This was my first Jo Beverley book and I am unsure if I will try another one. If you know a better book of hers then please, by all means, recommend one to me. I am willing to give her a second chance.

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Jul 23, 2012 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, july

While the disfigured war hero and the young widow make for an interesting plot line, as characters, they are not particularly likable. "A Scandalous Countess" is rather ponderous and slow moving, and the action in the story, to me, read like a device of the scandal and mystery of the plot, not the romance.

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Aug 19, 2012 Ilze rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: jo-beverley

Lovely, lovely read. Hero to die for and a delightful heroine who grows from a carefree, careless hoyden into a much wiser woman over the course of the story. Yes, the villain is pretty obvious fairly soon into the story, but the author had the sense to grant some intelligence to her characters, who also figure out what's going on well before the end of the book. However, they still have to deal with the problem, so the remainder of the book revolves around that (and the romance itself, of cours...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Jeanne Mulcahy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed it. Plot pulled right from "Crime TV", sort of. Interesting characters, warts and all.
I could have done with a little less about the clothes, though.
Can't wait for the next in the series.

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Jul 18, 2012 Hazel rated it 1 of 5 stars

Love the author! Was so disappointed in the book. I just could not like the main Character. I felt sorry for Georgia, was annoyed by Georgia, but sadley could never relate to her.

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Jul 17, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ok, yes - a romance novel for fun. This one was pretty good - the 'heroine' wasn't just a regular push-over or your typical one as in most romance novels. Good, quick, easy read.

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Jun 05, 2012 Karyn Gerrard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-read

2.5 stars round up to 3 stars.

Another scarred hero, the book lost steam for me unfortunately and I found it sagged in the middle. Still and all, Jo Beverley is a great writer and this was a solid, satisfactory read.

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Apr 19, 2012 Virginia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, started-but-didn-t-finish, historical-fiction

I couldn't relate or care about either of the main characters. I didn't believe the family, the setup, or the people. Skip this one, folks.

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Jun 05, 2012 Gloriavirtutisumbra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fuzzy-fluffly-romance-girly-yeah

This was one of the more satisfying Jo Beverley reads, really enjoyed many of the elements of this one.

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Mar 02, 2012 Cam rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was okay, but definitely not a keeper. I liked it better than The Unlikely Countess, which was tedious. Will not read another of the series.

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Jan 13, 2013 Marianne rated it 3 of 5 stars

First time with this author, good writer. Lovely, snappy dialogue. I'll read more of her.

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Jul 22, 2012 Linda Hays-Gibbs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amazingly wonderful. I love Jo Beverley's books! She never fails to entertain!

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Mar 27, 2012 Kellianne Stevens rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-books

3.5 Stars. I enjoyed this book, but it really was dragged out in places. I liked the H and h. The plot was OK (don't like crazy villians). BUT there seemed to be a lot of superfluous information and conversation. Not the most satisfying read.

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Jan 05, 2013 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not as good as most of her books. The heroine was annoyingly shallow at first and she never improved throughout the book. The plot twists were visible from miles away.

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Apr 05, 2012 Tishke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: georgian-or-regency-era

The plot is very similar to Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh.

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Jun 23, 2012 MB rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, read-in-2012, romance-and-chicklit

3.5*'s. An unusual plot--nice to run across something different!

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Mar 26, 2012 Sharon Sherman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Can she quiet the rumors? Will he make them worse?

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About Jo Beverley

Mary Josephine Dunn was born 22 September 1947 in Lancashire, England, UK. At the age of eleven she went to an all-girls boarding school, Layton Hill Convent, Blackpool. At sixteen, she wrote her first romance, with a medieval setting, completed in installments in an exercise book. From 1966 to 1970, she obtained a degree in English history from Keele University in Staffordshire, where she met her...more

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Books by Jo Beverley

An Arranged Marriage (Company of Rogues, #1)

An Unwilling Bride (Company of Rogues, #2)

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A Scandalous Countess (Malloren #12)

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