Prelude to a Scandal (Scandal, #1)

Nov 09, 2010 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-copy, ebook, genre-historical, genre-humor, netgalley, published-2011, read-2010, steam-warm

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

If you enjoyed this author’s School of Gallantry series then please IGNORE this review. When compared to her earlier series, Prelude to a Scandal is very much ‘more of the same’. If her writing style worked for you, it will likely work for you again. As for me, I DNF’d her debut Mistress of Pleasure halfway through, and for much of the same reasons that made me thoroughly frustrated with Prelude to a Scandal. I wanted to give this author a second try as I know she has a lot of fans, and I had ho...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Ceridwen rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: It's coming for you, mark

Recommended to Ceridwen by: The O'Malley

Shelves: for-teh-ladies, insomnia, not-for-me-maybe-for-you, rule-britannia, reviewed

The romance novel seems the logical place to work out some complex stuff about sexual desire, the relationship between sex and love, the domestic, etc. But I wouldn't know it from the (admittedly few) romances that I've read. There's a chilling sameness to the sexual responses, underneath all the wonderful/awful variety of the way bodies are described in some romances - “throbbing vulva” “apex of her thighs” “manroots” “aching groin”. The principles in romances often respond to one another with...more The romance novel seems the logical place to work out some complex stuff about sexual desire, the relationship between sex and love, the domestic, etc. But I wouldn't know it from the (admittedly few) romances that I've read. There's a chilling sameness to the sexual responses, underneath all the wonderful/awful variety of the way bodies are described in some romances - “throbbing vulva” “apex of her thighs” “manroots” “aching groin”. The principles in romances often respond to one another with a violent tandem lust, nipples popping their moorings, erections chaffing urgently against the scratch of the zipper. It doesn't always seem so silly, but there are times when I think, girl, you have a neurological disease, or you are having a stroke. Sexual response translates then to sexual fulfillment, and then to love and marriage and babies, an inevitable trajectory.

This is what I really liked about this book: this violent sexual response is understood to be pathological. Duke Whatshisface has a sex addiction, and all the fluttering, boner-popping and heaving has got to be brought under control before the relationship is going to work. Justine thinks he's hot and all, but doesn't always fall into his arms just because he gives her a smoldering look. The trajectory of the relationship is mussed up a bit: affection through friendship, then marriage, then a series of sexual encounters that don't always go well, interspersed with some chat about the difference between sexual response and the emotional one. A couple's sexual relationship has to move from flash-bang to actual work, and these two honestly work. It is understood the flash-bang isn't the same as fidelity and commitment, an equation I see running though most, maybe all, of the romances I've read. Well, hot damn, this is pretty awesome.

Setting this in the Regency is problematic. I can see why it was done – I cannot think of a modern situation where a girl is going to marry or otherwise commit to a guy and then work out the relationship and the sex addiction, short of some stupid green card scenario. So it's set Regency so we can have a woman marrying not-for-love, but for social expediency. But there's no nomenclature to talk about sex addiction in a Regency setting. I mean, Justine, the girl, has a naturalist father who has been incarcerated – this is the fuel for the marriage plot – due to publishing a defense of homosexuality – it's natural! You sir, are promoting buggery, and this will not stand! So there is some reference to prevailing opinions on sex, but when it comes to dealing with sex addiction, I just think the mental/linguistic framework isn't there, and it makes it hard to ken how this whole sex addiction thing works.

I admit I kinda don't get sex addictions. I'm not saying they don't exist, and I can see how any activity that produces pleasure can become an activity that people seek out compulsively. But it can't be explained here in terms that I will understand, given the setting. And I think Marvelle put a fair amount of time into working through Duke Whatshisface's thought processes, which were riddled with shame one moment, and dealing with his obsessions the next. He, more often than not, makes progress with his addiction, only to backslide and mess it all up again the next day. I think this has psychological truth to it. His rock-bottom moment happened before this book takes place, so he's now coming out of self-enforced abstinence, and is learning how to engage sexually. I imagine like people with food addictions learning to eat again, people with sex addictions can't just abstain from their sexual lives forever, because one's sexual identity is too godamn important.

All this said, this book is not a well-constructed book. The interesting parts for me had to do with Justine and The Duke working out the interpersonal, but those sections are bookended by some very ripe silliness. There's a cringe-inducing bathing sequence in the beginning that ends with Justine falling in a tub and The Duke managing his boner for laughs*, and the ending sets up the stupidest third-act impediment to the lovers of all time. OF ALL TIME. Imma let you finish, book, but that was not the smart way to wrap this relationship up. There were more than a couple places where I felt something had been cut out, a connective in motivations, which felt maybe editorial. Which was funny, because the time headings should have been the first thing cut in the editorial process. Like seriously, don't tell me it's two weeks later, show me, and I'll figure it out. Maybe they were thrown in to cover the elisions. I don't know.

I have other gripes, mostly centering on anachronism, and the weird characterization of Africa. Like, I get that Justine is supposed to be like the lead from Mean Girls, coming into the social politics of “civilization” with her refreshing naturalist's understanding of how uncivilized “civilization” is. But, you know, this was not written by Tina Fey, and has this credulous “natural” “Natives” thing going for it that I do not enjoy. (I know there are too many scare quotes in the last two sentences.) I would normally give something like this two-stars, because I can't say I liked the writing, but I'm tacking one on for grappling with a subject that should be perfect for the romance novel, dealing as they do with love, sex, and the interpersonal.

Perversely, I think the romance novel form is what hobbles this book, because it is difficult to write a psychologically real exploration of sexual damage in a form mostly consumed as an escapism. The inevitable HEA makes demands, and we can't end with a tentative and fragile understanding between our lovers, one that respects that no addict is ever cured. I don't think this was Marvelle's intent, but the whole thing ends up looking like cure by Magic Vagina. There are lots of books I wished ended earlier, and this is one goes on the list. No spoilers, but when Justine's parents come and talk to her near the end, that's when I wished I had stopped reading. That would have been cool.

*This has nothing to do with anything, but I keep seeing this sexual slap-stick starting off romance novels – Alexia in the tarts in Soulless, the inadvertent nipple-sucking in that Highlander book, and some others I can't remember at the moment – and it's really making me wonder. On the one had, I like the demonstration that bodies are funny and that sex can be funny, but on the other, slap-stick doesn't usually work on the page. But it's interesting that there's this physical comedy embedded in narratives that are otherwise about idealized and perfected sexual encounters. (less)

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Mar 10, 2011 Dina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, ebook

This was only my first read by Ms. Marvelle and I'm sorry to say it was a great disappointment. The premise was interesting, but I just couldn't get into the story or connect with the characters.

Desperate to have her father released from prison, where he's been thrown for publishing his observations on innate buggery in the Animal Kingdom and stating that homosexuality is allowed by God and therefore shouldn't be condemned, Lady Justine Palmer approaches his father's academic patron, the notorio...more This was only my first read by Ms. Marvelle and I'm sorry to say it was a great disappointment. The premise was interesting, but I just couldn't get into the story or connect with the characters.

Desperate to have her father released from prison, where he's been thrown for publishing his observations on innate buggery in the Animal Kingdom and stating that homosexuality is allowed by God and therefore shouldn't be condemned, Lady Justine Palmer approaches his father's academic patron, the notorious Duke of Bradford (better known to the ton as The Rake Extraordinaire) and offers herself up to him in exchange for his help releasing her father. Braced for surrendering her virginity to a man who (seemingly) presents no wedding prospect, she's shocked when he refuses her offer and proposes marriage instead.

Unbeknownst to Justine, Radcliff Morton, the Duke of Bradford, is as desperate as her. Consumed by his addiction to sex, he's been in seclusion for the last eight months in an effort to reform himself. Convinced that Justine is his last hope of salvation, Radcliff does his best to control the sexual urges that torment his body, knowing that he needs to become a better man for their marriage to work.

That was the basic premise of this book, but there were so many other subjects crammed into the story that it lost its focus. Besides his sex addiction, Radcliff and Justine also had to deal with his "mommy issues", his villainous brother Carlton, his brother's abused mistress Matilda, a gay servant, and other minor problems. It was too much, and I just couldn't make myself care for any of them.

Radcliff had the potential to be a great tortured hero, but his character fizzled. He was described as being a sex addict, but I never saw him acting as one. I was told over and over again that he was a sex addict, but he was one of the most self-controlled heroes I've ever seen. (view spoiler) I'm not an expert on the subject, but I don't think a sex addict would be able to control himself like that.

As for Justine, she was a pain. Assuming that Radcliff was indeed a sex addict, I thought she was very insensitive about it and did nothing to help him. I don't know why he put up with her incongruous demands and let her steamroll him, because he got nothing out of it. Not even sex! Their relationship was so unbalanced and unhealthy that I found myself dreading the HEA. Radcliff and Justine did not belong together!

As I mentioned above, this was my one and only read by Ms. Marvelle so far. I usually give new-to-me authors three chances to win me, and this one has been wasted. I have the next two books in this series on my TBR so I'll be reading them soon. I hope they're better than this one. *keeps fingers crossed*(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

So the fluff binge-reading train keeps rolling on, no matter how hard I keep trying to buckle down and hit up some more serious reads again.

There were just a couple of weird scenes near the front of the book comparing human mating with animals that threw me off, and this author uses a few bedroom terms that are so 1980's (every time I see a word like "member" I have flashbacks of reading Cosmo in high school, and that wasn't even the worst of it).

What made me really fall into the story though wa...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: delilah-marvelle, historical-romance

By reading the back cover blurb for this book you would expect the story to be about "the battle between the lady and the rake is about to begin". Which it is.....Lady Justine is willing to become her friends (I just can't think of a better word right now) mistress in exchange for him helping to get her father out of prison for his book on his views on animals, sex, and how they are similar to humans. Justine is very surprised when Radcliff, Duke of Bradford, makes a different offer to her inste...more By reading the back cover blurb for this book you would expect the story to be about "the battle between the lady and the rake is about to begin". Which it is.....Lady Justine is willing to become her friends (I just can't think of a better word right now) mistress in exchange for him helping to get her father out of prison for his book on his views on animals, sex, and how they are similar to humans. Justine is very surprised when Radcliff, Duke of Bradford, makes a different offer to her instead, he wants to marry her in six weeks time but they can not see each other, as he has gotten a terrible scar on his face due to his...problem.

That brings us to what else this book is about. When you open the book and read the Dear Reader letter, you learn that Radcliff is dealing with a sex addiction problem. Which really leads to some, um, interesting happenings in the book that definitely pushed my comfort zone area and left me shaking my head a bit. But Ms Marvelle does make the request to set aside what we think of 1829 and allow her to give us her version of 1829. So, I did try to do that and with saying that, this actually was a very interesting book to read. I did not love it but I did not feel like I was wasting my time reading it. It definitely makes you think that this probably really did happen during this time and I thought the author did a fairly good job handling it.

Overall, I give this book 3 1/2 stars. What dragged it down a bit for me was how Radcliff suddenly had an "aha" moment as to why he acted the way he did and I didn't quite feel that. Also, he had quite a few mood swings and with his problem, even though the romance between Justine and Radcliff seemed very genuine and true, I'm just not sure if it is deep enough to outlast everything. And then there is his (rotten) brothers pregnant mistress, Miranda who is part of the book. I didn't really like her and I thought her twist she added was a bit too much and not needed. There are two more books in this trilogy, Once Upon a Scandal and The Perfect Scandal which I am looking forward to reading. But this book reminds me to always check for that Dear Reader letter so you know what you are getting yourself into because the back blurb may not always define it so clearly! :) (less)

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Dec 01, 2010 Audra (Unabridged Chick) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guilty-pleasure, historicals, heroine-unusually-attractive, place-london, sex-sex-and-more-sex, place-uk, predatory-lesbian

Did... I laugh a lot?: YES. In a good way. A great way. This book is snappy and funny, perfect weekend reading.

Am... I totally over the predatory lesbian preying on married straight women?: YES. It seemed especially out of left field in this book.

Did... I find the sex sexy?: YES, although there wasn't a ton but what occurred was in character and actually rather plot-necessary!

Review: As I said in my last Teaser Tuesday, this is an unusual pick for me -- I'm not a regular romance novel reader. Bu...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Book Review Diva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historicalromance

Delilah Marvelle- "Prelude To A Scandal"

Justine Marwood is willing to sacrifice everything including her name and reputation in deciding to marry London's most notorious Duke. In exchange for her hand in marriage, the Duke of Bradford has agreed to help Justine get her father released from jail. Justine has no idea that Duke of Bradford is a sex addict. He just can not get enough. She will also learn, once they are married, how Bradford received the scar on his face that faithful night. To give...more

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Oct 31, 2012 D.W. Nichols rated it 5 of 5 stars

Una novela extraña, con personajes singulares y situaciones poco habituales en una narración de este tipo.

Vale, él, duque de Bradford, es un libertino y está asqueado de sí mismo. Pero creo que ahí termina el cliché masculino. Es un personaje complicado que va dando tumbos, perdido, sin saber realmente lo que desea de la vida. Está vacío, hueco por dentro, ansía ser salvado pero no cree ser merecedor de ello. Totalmente imperfecto, mete la pata constantemente en su relación con su flamante nueva...more Una novela extraña, con personajes singulares y situaciones poco habituales en una narración de este tipo.

Vale, él, duque de Bradford, es un libertino y está asqueado de sí mismo. Pero creo que ahí termina el cliché masculino. Es un personaje complicado que va dando tumbos, perdido, sin saber realmente lo que desea de la vida. Está vacío, hueco por dentro, ansía ser salvado pero no cree ser merecedor de ello. Totalmente imperfecto, mete la pata constantemente en su relación con su flamante nueva esposa, Justine.

Justine está perdidamente enamorada de él. O eso cree. Aunque la verdad es que está enamorada de la imagen que tiene del duque, de las pocas veces que se han visto.

Es una mujer extraña, diferente, debido a que se ha criado en áfrica, muy lejos de la rígida sociedad londinense. Es franca, honesta, arrojada; nada ni nadie puede echarle el freno. Ni siquiera Bradford.

La forma en que empieza la novela es absolutamente original y nos da una muestra bastante clara de lo que podremos encontrar más allá de las primeras páginas. Un vaivén de sentimientos encontrados, de decisiones precipitadas que pueden llevar al caos mas absoluto en una relación entre dos personas que nada tienen en común.

Personajes masculinos mentalmente torturados y físicamente marcados hay muchos, pero este Bradford me ha llegado al alma. ¿Por qué? No lo sé, sinceramente. Quizá la forma en que la autora dirige a sus personajes hacen que parezcan mas humanos y menos de cartón piedra. Puede que sea el hecho que ninguno de los dos sean convencionales.

La mezcla entre inocencia y madurez intelectual de Justine, justamente equilibradas, hacen de ella un personaje femenino a la altura de Bradford, tan absolutamente retorcido y hundido en su miseria amoral, el contrapunto perfecto entre ambas cualidades, buenas y malas.

Absolutamente imperfectos, Bradford y Justin navegarán por un mar de incertidumbres y malas decisiones y nos arrastrarán en su barco que esta constantemente amenazando con hundirse. La cuestión es si su amor no confesado, sobrevivirá al naufragio.(less)

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Mar 27, 2012 Laura Navarre rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, regency-romance

The first in historical romance author Marvelle’s Scandal trilogy set in late Regency London, Prelude to a Scandal (HQN) is the sensual romance of eccentric scholar’s daughter Justine Palmer and her father’s renegade academic patron, the scarred but charismatic Duke of Bradford. When Justine’s adored papa is sentenced to Marshalsea Prison for penning and publishing a notorious treatise on same-sex attachments among African mammals—with the strong suggestion that the species of Homo sapiens shoul...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book, and the spunky character of Lady Justine, hooked me from page one. With interspersed quotes from the guidebook How To Avoid a Scandal, Marvelle transports you back in time to witness first hand the blooming romance between Lady Justine and her dark, scarred husband Radcliffe, the Duke of Bradford. And it's not as easy as it sounds for them to get together.

Justine grew up in South Africa, where her father studied the sexual habits of animals in the wild to better understand human relat...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Mary rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, romance

I loved the possibilities and characters in the beginning of this book.
Justine was fearless and wonderful. A beautiful and clever character that is easy to relate to and laugh with.
Radcliff is a manly character that is sweet yet strong.
But I hated their dynamic by the end of the book.
His 'obssession'? Same one every other male has and I felt that it was stretched too far here. The relationship with his brother and Matilda are a bit absurd.
I feel like Radcliff's character was neutered and complet...more

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Sep 07, 2011 RomReader rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Unconventional heroine accepts rake Duke's marriage proposal of marriage in return for bailing her zoologist father who was imprisoned by England's king for publishing a shocking book about human sexuality from his animal research. Both heroine & Hero have been attracted to each other since they 1st met a year before & heroine has written weekly letters to Hero. But their marriage starts out already strained. Hero has been steadfastly controlling his obsessive sexual impulses for the las...more Unconventional heroine accepts rake Duke's marriage proposal of marriage in return for bailing her zoologist father who was imprisoned by England's king for publishing a shocking book about human sexuality from his animal research. Both heroine & Hero have been attracted to each other since they 1st met a year before & heroine has written weekly letters to Hero. But their marriage starts out already strained. Hero has been steadfastly controlling his obsessive sexual impulses for the last 8 months due to a horrendous incident that scarred him physically & emotionally & he finds it tough to let go of his sexual control with heroine. Heroine makes it clear to Hero that she won't sleep with him until he can treat her with respect & want her for herself instead of just her body. The presence of the former mistress of Hero's brother increases the strain of their marriage. How will Hero & heroine manage the challenges to their r/s?

My 1st Marvelle book & it was promising. The writing, romance, sexual chemistry, sex scenes, emotionality, & character development were good overall but it wasn't tightly-written nor was it consistent. There were some very strong elements to the story (romance b/w 2 social outsiders, tortured Hero, personal growth) that were mixed with weak or misdirected ones, making this book have an inconsistent flow. There were motives & reasons for why things happened that didn't fully make sense to me (i.e., if Hero was so attracted to heroine since they 1st met, then why didn't he pursue her as relentlessly as he did his brother's mistress? Why was he still so tempted to masturbate to his brother's mistress portrait when heroine was sexually available to him?). The main unresolved factor for me is Hero's tangled feelings for his brother's mistress. I finished the book puzzled & dissatisfied about how Hero truly felt about his brother's mistress. He seemed more obsessed with her than he was with heroine. Marvelle took the easy way out in dealing with this tangle by making the mistress have lesbian tendencies. This made it easy for Hero to cut emotional & sexual ties with the mistress & thus focus solely on heroine. It would've made Hero's love for heroine stronger & any doubts about Hero's feelings about the mistress clearer if Hero soundly chose heroine due to deep deliberation & introspection.

Moderately recommended.(less)

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May 24, 2011 Joy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

A very quirky romance. At the outset of the book, Lady Justine's family is laboring under a bit of a scandal--her father, a naturalist, took his family to South Africa where he apparently went on Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride and came back to Regency England saying that it's OK to be gay. But Regency England wasn't quite ready for such a progressive attitude, and between "conspiracy to promote buggery" and, of course, debt her father is imprisoned. She offers her body to her father's patron, th...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, non-erotic

Her father imprisoned for demanding rights for sodomites, based on his study of animal habits, Lady Justine Palmer takes matters into her own hands and offers herself as payment to the one man who can rescue her father and clear his name.

If Justine had not known the Duke of Bradford for most of her life, petitioning The Rake Extraordinaire might have been more daunting if not downright scandalous. Imagine her surprise when Bradford agrees to her request but only if she promises to marry him fir...more Her father imprisoned for demanding rights for sodomites, based on his study of animal habits, Lady Justine Palmer takes matters into her own hands and offers herself as payment to the one man who can rescue her father and clear his name.

If Justine had not known the Duke of Bradford for most of her life, petitioning The Rake Extraordinaire might have been more daunting if not downright scandalous. Imagine her surprise when Bradford agrees to her request but only if she promises to marry him first. To take a quote directly from Justine’s musings “a lady couldn’t always avoid a scandal”.

If this is your first experience with the writings of Delilah Marvelle you are in for a treat! The Scandal series takes the reader on a three part adventure that begins with Lady Justine Palmer and the Duke of Bradford, Radcliff E. Morton. Each book is easily a stand alone story but they have a common underlying thread regarding a women’s etiquette book entitled How To Avoid A Scandal by an unknown author. In each story the etiquette comes to the forefront of the relationship between the hero and heroine and contributes to the personal growth of both central characters. Ms. Marvelle begins each chapter with an excerpt from the book that gives a lead in to the chapter. One of the aspects of the stories that I found to be really funny was how often what is suggested in the excerpt is exactly the opposite of what either the hero or heroine does within the chapter.

Be sure to read the author’s letter to the reader at the beginning of each book. Not only does Ms. Marvelle share insight into how she came up with the plot but she gives you some terrific historical information that breathes life into the story.

I had so much fun reading each of the books in this series and simply loved both the hero’s and heroines. Justine has lived abroad most of her life and experienced so much more of the real world than most London debutantes that she doesn’t shy away from conversations that would make other young ladies blush if not fall into a dead faint. Likewise, Justine isn’t afraid to take on Bradford or his somewhat taboo proclivities. She is witty and sometimes downright feisty. I laughed out loud on more than several occasions. For his part, Bradford is just precious. Bless his heart he knows he has a problem and he honestly puts effort into curbing his sexual tendencies but he’s been giving in for so long that fighting his desires is downright painful. I couldn’t help but fall in love with him right along with Justine, even when his stubbornness is almost the death of their relationship.

These are so truly beautiful and breathe stealing stories. I’m so thankful I was able to read them back to back as a reviewer because I don’t think I would have been a very patient reader if I had had to wait for the February and March releases for Once Upon A Scandal or The Perfect Scandal. After reading this first book in the Scandal series be prepared to add the other two to your “must be read ASAP” list. You won’t be sorry!

originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...(less)

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Feb 25, 2011 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I guess I'll make it a B-, but I have mixed feelings. It's close to a C+, too. Overall, I liked it, and I'll read the next one. But it was a bit inconsistent. I loved the different premise, the backstory of the heroine. The different conflicts, which are totally different than anything I've seen before in historical romance. But just when I'm really liking it and looking forward to what comes next, something ridiculous happens or either Radcliffe or Justine act especially silly. That happens not...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Becca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, netgalley, books-read-in-2011, arc-s, historical

Justine is not your average society woman, she grew up with her parents in Africa, her father was doing research and rating some liberal things. One day her father writes something so scandalous in the eyes of London that he is imprisoned for it. He writes that man can fall in love with man and woman can also fall in love with women. This is something that was not allowed then so while he is imprisoned Justine asks her fathers patron and long time crush Radcliff to help him get out of jail. Radc...more Justine is not your average society woman, she grew up with her parents in Africa, her father was doing research and rating some liberal things. One day her father writes something so scandalous in the eyes of London that he is imprisoned for it. He writes that man can fall in love with man and woman can also fall in love with women. This is something that was not allowed then so while he is imprisoned Justine asks her fathers patron and long time crush Radcliff to help him get out of jail. Radcliff agrees but says that he would like to marry her, but she cannot see him before the wedding.

Justine is out-going and not like any of the other woman that Radcliff has met, he was always intrigued by her but never courted her because she would expect marriage. Marriage was not something Radcliff had ever really seen happening, he knew one day it would happen but never expected to find someone like Justine. It is obvious he cares for her although throughout the book he never really shows Justine these affections and when he does she misses it completely. I found that it took way too long for Radcliff and Justine even to figure out why Radcliff was a sex addict, and why he could not believe Justine when she said she loved him.

This book was very different than what I had expected. For one thing the male lead character the Duke Bradford, Radcliff was a sex addict. They continually referred to his addiction as his obsession, and that was unexpected. Also Justine's friend Matilda really made me angry. Radcliff continually helped her even when she was stupid enough to return to a bad situation, and yet at the end of the book she treated him horribly. I also found that it was far fetched for her to seek out Radcliff during the big incident that left him scarred. I don't think she ever really would have done that, but even after they were kind towards one another and then she was hostile. I really didn't care for her attitude. This book was an interesting take on the rakes of London at the time, and it was an enjoyable read. (less)

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Feb 08, 2011 Eh?Eh! rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-o-malley, babble-added

I sped through this in about 2 or 3 hours. I wonder if the spacious margins, generous line spacing, and largish text were chosen to bulk out the book, so that a reader could feel the same familiar heft as when holding another, wordier romance paperback?

Caris wrote a very thoughtful review/reaction and then offered to lend out the book.* I haven't met a bandwagon I didn't like so I jumped on. His assessment is accurate, that this book is rape-free. High five, author! I have to admit, as my foggy...more

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Jan 27, 2011 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

แม็กซ์จัดให้เดไลลาห์ มาร์วิลล์เป็นนักเขียนหน้าใหม่ที่อยู่ในกลุ่มที่ต้องจับตามองสำหรับเราค่ะ เพราะหลังจากได้อ่านหนังสือเล่มแรกของเธอเรื่อง Mistress of Pleasure เราก็ประทับใจฝีมือการเขียนของเธอมาก ๆ เรื่องน่าเสียดายก็คือ สนพ.เก่าของเธอ (เคนซิงตัน) ตัดสินใจไม่ต่อสัญญาให้เธอเขียนเรื่องในชุด School of Gallentryจนจบ ทำให้ตามแผนที่จะมีห้าเล่มในชุด เหลือแค่สองเล่ม

แต่ก็มีสนพ.อื่นตาถึงรับเธอเข้าสังกัด แต่ก็เหมือนกับกรณีส่วนใหญ่ค่ะ ที่เมื่อนักเขียนย้ายสนพ. ก็มักจะต้องเริ่มต้นหนังสือชุดใหม่ (เพราะสนพ.ใหม่ไม...more

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Jan 08, 2011 Maggie Jaimeson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyedDelilah Marvelle's Gallantry series. It was light, sexy, and romantic. But the beginning of this Scandal series is AMAZING!

In Prelude to a Scandal, the battle of wills between Radcliffe and Justine is so well written I was turning the pages dying to know which one would win or how they would ever finally come together. Justine, raised in Africa by a scientist father, is intelligent, feisty, and doesn't put up with the politics of London. She knows not only what she wants but what she d...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Romancelover rated it 5 of 5 stars

Prelude to a Scandal is not in any way a typical romance, thank god. I read the book in one sitting and devoured it whole.

Firstly, its clear that there has been significant research into the period and its mores. . . However, it isn't bogged down by this, rather it flourishes with the subtleties of the time. Essentially, this story for me is the ultimate romance because is it delves into the idea that even the most broken deserve to be loved and believed in.

Radcliffe is an addict. . . And not j...more

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Nov 05, 2010 Rida rated it 2 of 5 stars

When I read in the Introduction that this is a book about a sex addict's life in the 1820s I thought that this should be an interesting and rather different historical novel. I had also never read anything by this author before, so I approached the book with an open mind and some anticipation because of the subject matter. I must now say that I was very disappointed.

To start with, the style is stilted and there is an excessive use of short sentences that do not help the story to flow. The story...more

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Oct 25, 2010 Mary Gramlich rated it 5 of 5 stars

This Series has the making of Historical Romance Greatness

We are the accumulation of where we have been and how we have lived our lives up to and including the day we exist in. Each of us has both the visible and invisible scars of what has brought us to the place we presently live our life and in fact the way we live our life and it shows people what we are made of, this character cannot be found in an instructional manual you need real life experiences for depth to your being.

Lady Justine Fedo...more This Series has the making of Historical Romance Greatness

We are the accumulation of where we have been and how we have lived our lives up to and including the day we exist in. Each of us has both the visible and invisible scars of what has brought us to the place we presently live our life and in fact the way we live our life and it shows people what we are made of, this character cannot be found in an instructional manual you need real life experiences for depth to your being.

Lady Justine Fedora Palmer was brought up by unconventional parents who believed in allowing their daughter the full extent of freedom and liberties which were most uncommon for the time and cause a stir when she comes to proper London and tries to assimilate into the Ton. On the other hand Radcliff Edwin Morton, the fourth Duke of Bradford was given a most conventional upbringing but he grew up to be The Rake Extraordinaire and turned a passion into an obsession with an inability to control his cravings.

Is it possible for just one woman to please a man with a ravenous appetite – well perhaps and when Justine approaches Radcliff with an offer to get her father freed from an unjust incarceration he counters with not a mere relationship but a marriage that will provide him with the one missing piece he feels will complete him – a partner. Justine is convinced she is the person who can save Radcliff but it appears at times she has taken on a completely out of control situation in the form of a husband and wonders if she is woman enough for this man. Is Justine going to be strong enough to convince Radcliff to rid himself of the guilt and shame he walks around with and begin to enjoy life and possible fall in love with her? She is a hopeless romantic who truly knows the depth of Radcliff’s soul and wants him to see himself as she does and know that together their partnership is one that will not trap him but set him free.

The ride they take together in and out of the bedroom is a wild one with mistresses, a French lady’s man that is a man, crazy in-laws and some wild requests from the Duchess not the Duke – who saw that coming?

Delilah Marvelle has always written cutting edge historical romance and is one to test the boundaries and explore the less discussed side of life. Ms. Marvelle never shows darkness without light which is why her books discuss the subjects of addiction and alternative life styles and explore these as fact not fiction but in the context of a back story and how it affects the characters who are the heart of the story. This book will at times shock you but in the end will absolutely pleasure you with romance.
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Jul 10, 2011 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jenn by: Delilah Marvelle

Want something different from you historical romance? Read this. What more can I say about it? This is a man nobody would choose to be with, really. The issues in this book are powerful and strong. The emotions meet them head-on.

What an incredible take on the historical Rake.

LOVED every word.

I rolled my eyes a bit at the end because I believed by then, after the carriage, nothing would come between them. I also failed to see the parents as such sticklers after all. So I understand why what wa...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Andrea the historical nut rated it 5 of 5 stars

Huh and wow. Where do I begin? This is a historical romance that is going to create a lot of noise. Both good and bad. I think it will depend a lot on what your age is, how open you are to a book that steps outside of romancelandia, and how comfortable you are with the idea of your hero being a sex addict. The writing is intelligent yet playful. I thought it was fascinating how Marvelle uses a "portrait of the mistress" as a form of pornography which the hero uses. Gentlemen actually used to han...more

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Nov 19, 2010 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, series, arc, netgalley

In the preface to the story, Marvelle offers the supposition that some of the so-called rakes of the Regency period may have actually been undiagnosed sex addicts. Obviously those types of addictions would hardly have been addressed at the time and it would be easy to simply excuse the resulting behavior, even admiring a man who could easily jump from lover to lover. Frankly from the sort of doom and gloom clinical examination of the awful reasons these men are forced to seek out women to use fo...more In the preface to the story, Marvelle offers the supposition that some of the so-called rakes of the Regency period may have actually been undiagnosed sex addicts. Obviously those types of addictions would hardly have been addressed at the time and it would be easy to simply excuse the resulting behavior, even admiring a man who could easily jump from lover to lover. Frankly from the sort of doom and gloom clinical examination of the awful reasons these men are forced to seek out women to use for mindless pleasure, I expected something along the lines of a bodice ripper, but was pleased that this turned out to be something midway between a character study of a man tormented by his unwanted addiction and a rather sweet, if frustrating, love story.

Lady Justine Palmer is in dire need of assistance from the notorious Duke of Bradford. Fresh from his studies of animals’ sexual habits in South Africa, her father has been out promoting his book claiming that same sex attraction is perfectly natural and as a result, has gotten himself tossed in Marshalsea Prison. Assured that Bradford has the means to get her father released, Justine offers him the one thing the confirmed bachelor and rake thinks he might accept in return: her hand in marriage. To her amazement, he does.

Bradford’s been harboring a secret for six long months; he wants Justine and has sworn to change his ways to be the kind of man who can have her. Terrified that he’ll break his vow and use other women for sex, he’s dismissed his female servants and has become all but a prisoner in his own home to avoid temptation. When he finally has Justine though, he fears he’s waited too long and will overwhelm her, so he leaves her alone and their marriage is a series misunderstandings, frustrating with occasionally tender moments. Frustrating, because Justine keeps shoving him out of her bedroom even when he does what she asks, tender because sometimes she’s actually nice to him and gives him a chance to show her that he cares about her before she shoves him out of her bedroom.

I haven’t read any of Ms. Marvelle’s other books so while I understand she has another series out there, I can’t compare this to that. I generally liked the tone of this; there were some funny moments, some that had an ick factor, some that stretched the imagination and I didn’t always like one character or another, but I never felt like putting the book down and I never felt like this was less than a really interesting read.

To a great degree, I sympathized and liked Radcliffe more than Justine. Even though he wasn’t always kind or truthful and some of his behavior was offensive, he was a man who was trying to do the right thing. He may not have been able to say he loved Justine, but he knew it from the beginning and knowing he was in for a world of hurt from doing what Justine wanted, he did it anyway. He asked little of her, got less, and still stood by her. That he was forced into a position of responsibility earlier than he was ready and his stress valve was sex was quite plausible.

For all of her worldliness from time spent studying animal mating in South Africa with her parents, Justine was awfully priggish. At the beginning of each chapter was a quote from the book, How to Avoid a Scandal, and she applied most of its lessons to her marriage. From the beginning, she set out to change Radcliffe, and considering his acknowledged problem, it was appropriate, but she was harsh. He was her husband and she treated him like a child. She thawed towards him later and the results were affectionate and passionate (oddly indistinct, considering there was some ardent foreplay). I know that her heart seemed to be in the right place when it came to helping Radcliffe and there were moments when she wanted him in her bed and he refused her, but she seemed to take too many “moments” and turned them into lessons.

The ending was well done and thought out, I think. I did wonder about how sexual addiction is recovered from, to what degree is it ever really gone and how Radcliffe really could ever have told whether that was the cause for his behavior or if it was something else. It would be interesting if the author followed up with other books in the same vein.
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Feb 02, 2011 Caris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, 2011, first-reads

I’m going to start this, like many do, by admitting that I won this in the GR giveaway. Usually, this is the point at which folks say that, while the book wasn’t what they’d typically read, it was surprisingly good. Five star good.

I’m not going to do that.

My winning this book was no act of randomness. I do not enter the giveaway often. I entered specifically to win this book. There was something in the description of the book that caused me to believe that bestiality might be a major plot point....more

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Jan 10, 2011 VampFanGirl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, historical-romance, for-review

My Review:

The Plot:

After Lady Justine's father publishes his "offensive" findings of the natural world's innate predilection for buggery, he's thrown into prison by the king for suggesting, even scientifically, that homosexuality is God's creation and therefore should not be condemned. Desperate to have her father released, Justine offers up her body for one night to the powerfully influential Duke of Bradford in exchange for her father's release but is shocking offered marriage in response.

Just...more

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Nov 05, 2010 Em rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, don-t-judge-me-i-like-romance

I got Prelude to a Scandal on Netgalley the moment I knew it was there. And a big thanks to them for that. Having read Delilah's earlier work, I already knew I should expect a healthy dose of humor, sexual tension, and hot encounters. Her characters earn their encounters, pour their hearts out, and fill all the spaces with quips, barbs, and snark. I love how she takes two seemingly incompatible people and shows how they're perfect for each other without using cliche's or making it feel forced.

In...more

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Dec 29, 2010 Giovanni Gelati rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think I got this one right; it is Wednesday. Earlier today we had a guest post by Travis Hiltz on some graphic novel history (we usually reserve that for Friday) and tomorrow I am putting up a digital short story post we usually pop in on Saturday. Go figure, short week and another awesome holiday, Happy New Year to everyone; I hope you enjoy your festivities.
Okay business aside let’s get into Prelude to a Scandal by Delilah Marvelle. Color me surprised, I am not sure what shade that may be,...more I think I got this one right; it is Wednesday. Earlier today we had a guest post by Travis Hiltz on some graphic novel history (we usually reserve that for Friday) and tomorrow I am putting up a digital short story post we usually pop in on Saturday. Go figure, short week and another awesome holiday, Happy New Year to everyone; I hope you enjoy your festivities.
Okay business aside let’s get into Prelude to a Scandal by Delilah Marvelle. Color me surprised, I am not sure what shade that may be, but that I am. I’m still getting used to reading romance novels and there seems to be a lot of territory the novels in this genre cover. This one is a historical romance with a twist; let’s get to the pertinent information shall we:
” Lady Justine is willing to trade her good name, her reputation and her place in London's gossip-hungry ton to secure her father's release from prison. But when the notorious Duke of Bradford counters her offer with a proposal of marriage, the stakes grow higher still. For while the smoldering lord is famous for his conquests, the man is oblivious to both her devotion and her charms. And Justine is soon afraid she has wagered all for naught… “
To say that I had some fun with this is understatement. Justine is a really good character: filled with witty banter, right to the point, sharp tongue, and above all she’s a handful. Delilah Marvelle sets the time period well and makes the historical element of the novel blend in and be a piece of what we are engaging in, not the whole. The time she has spent researching the period and the patience she has devoted into bringing it to us is not lost, but a very subtle sub current.
Prelude to a Scandal is a nice way for me to close out the year on Romantic Wednesday. It is a strong, historical romance that is long on entertainment, well- crafted characters, great narrative and excellent sub-plots. I beseech you then, is there much more one could ask of this novel? I think not. Take a leap and have some surprisingly good fun whether you are a fan of this genre or not, let Lady Justine work her charms on you will not be wagering for naught.
Here is her website: www.DelilahMarvelle.com
What are you reading today? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari & Linkedin. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. You can also follow us on Twitter, Wattpad and the Gelati’s Scoop Facebook Fan Page. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com

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Dec 27, 2011 Historical Romance Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance-books

Delilah Marvelle- "Prelude To A Scandal"

Justine Marwood is willing to sacrifice everything including her name and reputation in deciding to marry London's most notorious Duke. In exchange for her hand in marriage, the Duke of Bradford has agreed to help Justine get her father released from jail. Justine has no idea that Duke of Bradford is a sex addict. He just can not get enough. She will also learn, once they are married, how Bradford received the scar on his face that faithful night. To give...more

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Prelude to a Scandal (Scandal #1)

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