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The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior

(Seduction Diaries #2)

Jennifer McQuiston (Goodreads Author)

3.59 · Rating details · 1,195 ratings · 194 reviews

In New York Times bestselling author Jennifer McQuiston's enticing new Seduction Diaries entry, a mysterious journal may provide a potential spinster with instruction—or lead her to her heart's desire...

Free-spirited Lucy Westmore isn't yet a spinster, although she fully intends to be. Fortunately, an eccentric aunt has left her both a diary detailing the secrets to ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 383 pages

Published November 24th 2015 by Avon

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May 14, 2015 sraxe rated it it was ok

Shelves: written-review, adult, edwardian-regency-victorian, historical, 2-stars, romance, hero-celibate

I really did not like Lucy. Right from the beginning, and a couple times afterwards, we're given the "she isn't like other girls!!" line about her. We're told that she's smart, but she doesn't act it at all. She's always jumping to conclusions and being idiotically impulsive. I got so annoyed with how she'd jump to the worst possible conclusion literally every single time when it came to Thomas. I like angst, but she was just stubbornly stupid. Her rebellions came off as petty and childish, not I really did not like Lucy. Right from the beginning, and a couple times afterwards, we're given the "she isn't like other girls!!" line about her. We're told that she's smart, but she doesn't act it at all. She's always jumping to conclusions and being idiotically impulsive. I got so annoyed with how she'd jump to the worst possible conclusion literally every single time when it came to Thomas. I like angst, but she was just stubbornly stupid. Her rebellions came off as petty and childish, not endearing. Like when Thomas tells her to stay inside and she defies him anyway because...well, why not, right? It's stupid. She's not outgoing and adventurous and free-spirited...she's TSTL.

She also really doesn't have a mind of her own. She first starts calling herself Miss L because her aunt called herself Miss E. Then her aunt wants to be a spinster, and Lucy decides she wants to as well! Her aunt doesn't trust men...so Lucy decides she doesn't either. And then her aunt tells her to not let love pass her by...and then Lucy regrets her decisions. Just...what? I would've preferred her aunt to have a book of her own because she was original, unlike Lucy.

I felt Lucy's emotions were inconsistent and didn't feel reliable. I don't feel that it made sense that she felt humiliated when he rejected her at the inn, but not later when he does so at Heathmore. Even his fumbled proposal had me cringing, yet she doesn't feel that way. I mean...wouldn't you feel humiliated (or at least embarrassed or angry) if someone's proposal consisted of them saying "Yes...maybe...I don't know" when you ask them if they're proposing?? Instead, she just sits there and thinks. It was inauthentic to me.

Thomas's three year self-exile was just...well, stupid. I honestly didn't like the inclusion of Josephine at all. I felt her role was simply to be used as a source of pain for Thomas. I don't like it when a woman's pain or hurt is used for a man's. She was a plot device and nothing more. It's not cute. And what was the point of making Thomas an alcoholic? We see nothing of his struggle and the one time we see him struggle with spirits, he succumbs. The one time he's tried since he's sobered up, he falls off the wagon. And just as with the inclusion of his sister, the alcoholism was used as a plot device and nothing more. I don't like when something as serious as alcoholism is used with no real exploration of it. However! I will say that I'm glad that the author didn't use the excuse of his sister in order to turn Thomas into a manwhore. In fact, he remains celibate! It was very refreshing to read compared to all these other books. I've read faaaar too many books in which the author utilizes this cliched damaged-manwhore trope.

The entire romance aspect didn't appeal to me. The book was instalovey, with the two falling in love and confessing within a week's time. And let's not even get started on that out-of-place consummation of their relationship. I felt the author just threw it in in order to include it. It didn't fit at all.

And although I was surprised with the Mrs. Smythe business, I don't understand why the secret with the vicar was kept as long as it was. I thought it was fairly obvious that it was the Reverend who had mailed the diaries, so I found it to be pretty lame that it was drawn out and kept as a secret until nearly three-fourths of the novel.

The other thing I didn't like about the Mrs. Smythe business was that I don't understand how the Lizardite stuff represents financial independence for her? She obviously depends on Lucy and Thomas to bring the jewellery...so I didn't understand her involvement in it because she added nothing to the collecting, fashioning or anything to do with the production of the jewellery. It would've been different if she had been the one preparing the pieces for them. It seemed forced and lazy on the author's part in order to get Mrs. Smythe to mesh into Thomas's life.

Oh! And this book is another in which children are inaccurately depicted.

“Eddie next door has an uncle who takes him to sail boats on the water at Hyde Park. You’ve never taken me to sail a boat,” she accused.

Sorry, but three-year-old children just don't speak like this. At this age, they speak in simple sentences and are just about starting to get the hang of forming full sentences. No way will they be speaking in full and complete sentences that are 10+ words long!

The book does need some extra editing. It had some spelling errors I noticed, though nothing was too bothersome. The one thing that did stand out to me was what Heathmore was worth. We're told Heathmore is worth one hundred times what Thomas offered, which was seven hundred pounds. Then:

“He’s offered me seven hundred pounds to buy Heathmore Cottage,” she conceded, remembered the last solid offer between them.

His eyes grew round. “Gor! That’s . . . that’s . . .” His nose wrinkled again. “Seven thousand pounds?”

She nodded, the amount making her feel ill instead of glad.

Now...I haven't taken math in a while...but I'm pretty sure a hundred times seven hundred is not seven thousand...it's seventy thousand?? It feels like a very big mistake to miss, imo. The author even later uses both seven and seventy thousand. ...more

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Oct 28, 2017 ᴥ Irena ᴥ rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-romance

What you should know about The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior: it's low angst (almost no angst really), it doesn't have any villains unless you count the heroine's mother's attempts to make her more ladylike villainous. Lucy can sometimes be annoying with her inability to listen. The most entertaining parts of the book are the extracts from a diary of Lucy's late aunt. They range from hilarious to bittersweet and sad.

I couldn't suspend my disbelief and I didn't really like the heroine ...more

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Dec 26, 2015 Letitia rated it it was ok

I probably should've DNF'd this one around the halfway point... but I skipped and skimmed along, hoping for Lucy to have some character growth. I waited in vain, sadly. That girl... man, she was annoying. Stubborn to a ridiculous point, brash to a dangerous degree. Worst of all, almost no original thoughts in her head. She lived 99% of the time by the motto, "What would Aunt E do...?" I hate to write it but she was pretty much TSTL, which is not at all like McQuinstons usual heroine.

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Nov 29, 2015 Dina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: to-review, ebook, historical-romance, 2015-white-collar-heroes

4 1/2 stars

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Mar 23, 2015 Jo rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gr2016, 3-stars

I love unconventional HR heroines. The wallflowers, the strong-willed, the brave ones who refuses to conform to society’s rules. So I really wanted to like Lucy, because she is unconventional, but all her plans, all her determination to not be dependent on a husband, in the end just aggravated me. She was set on claiming her inheritance, but she would lose hope very quickly, thinking it was just too difficult to live on her own, and care for a broken down house. And all she wanted to do then was

...more

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Nov 30, 2015 Al George rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Ok let's be honest: Lucy our fair or rather not so fair, heroine got on my last nerve for much of the book. As in I kinda wanted to throat punch her a time or two.

Lucy had nothing but grand ideas and plans that really amounted to, well, not so much. She's totally quick to judge. To think ill of others and to think most are untrustworthy. Chances are she's got some family issues to work out :)

Thomas? Dude, I'm totally in love with this man. I find his character is so compelling, so well defined ...more

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Sep 08, 2015 Caz rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, romance-1800-1850, aar

I've given this a B+ at AAR, so 4.5 stars.

This second book in Jennifer McQuiston’s Seduction Diaries series re-acquaints readers with Lucy Westmore, the free-spirited, rather hoydenish younger sister of the heroine of the previous book. The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior is a deftly written story that packs quite the emotional punch and boasts plenty of humour and sexual tension between the leads. But Lucy is one of those heroines who insists on being contrary for the sake of it, and I've given this a B+ at AAR, so 4.5 stars.

This second book in Jennifer McQuiston’s Seduction Diaries series re-acquaints readers with Lucy Westmore, the free-spirited, rather hoydenish younger sister of the heroine of the previous book. The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior is a deftly written story that packs quite the emotional punch and boasts plenty of humour and sexual tension between the leads. But Lucy is one of those heroines who insists on being contrary for the sake of it, and whose stubbornness and impetuosity often lead her into difficult and potentially dangerous situations for no other reason than that she won’t be told what to do by a man - which puts her into the TSTL bracket more often than I would have liked.

Lucy is now twenty-one, and not at all relishing the prospect of making her début and having a season, no matter that her mother’s dearest wish is for her to find a husband and settle down. But Lucy doesn’t want to marry, knowing full-well that as a wife, she will in effect be her husband’s property and will have no freedom or independence. When she receives a package containing her recently deceased Aunt Edith’s diaries together with a letter informing her that she has been left a cottage in Lizard Bay, Cornwall in the old lady’s will, Lucy sees it as a sign. She doesn’t remember much about her rather eccentric aunt, but she knows that she trod her own path, choosing not to marry and to live an independent life, exactly as Lucy wants to do. Naturally, she is furious when she discovers that her father has arranged to sell Heathmore Cottage without her knowledge and without her having even seen it – and is even more determined to make her way to Cornwall to see the place and perhaps even take up residence.

The cottage’s would-be purchaser is Thomas, Marquess of Branston, a young man who retreated to rural Cornwall following his sister’s funeral some three years earlier. Having lost both parents and come into his marquessate at the age of eleven, Thomas was a studious young man, but after he left university, he fell in with the wrong crowd and spent most of his time thereafter in the bottom of a bottle. When his sister turned up on his doorstep pregnant, Thomas was too drunk to do anything to help her and then went into a further downward spiral upon the realisation that he had failed her. After the funeral, he fled London and the horrendous resultant scandal and ended up in Lizard Bay, where he encountered the redoubtable Miss E – Lucy’s aunt – who bullied him into the sobriety he has maintained for the past three years.

When Lucy, furious at her father’s presumption in attempting to sell her inheritance, dashes off an uncompromising letter to Thomas, he immediately travels to London – a place he has avoided like the plague for three years – to see if he can charm her into selling to him after all, but Lucy is adamant. She wants to travel to Cornwall to see the cottage for herself before she makes a decision, and even though Thomas offers her far more than the place is worth, she sticks to her guns and refuses him once more, suspicious as to why he is so desperate to buy a place that her father has told her is rat-infested, falling down and situated in the middle of nowhere.

I enjoyed the flirtatiously antagonistic relationship that springs up between Thomas and Lucy, although I did get a bit impatient with Lucy’s persistence in believing the worst of him. That said, their romance develops at a good pace so there’s a sense of their getting to know each other even as they are grappling with the strength of their unexpected mutual attraction. Lucy never expected to feel desire for a man or to have such feelings reciprocated; and the moment when she admits to herself that her determination to remain a spinster has more to do with her fears that she is undesirable than it does with a true inclination to remain single is a poignant one. This also marks the beginning of a new maturity for Lucy, as she begins to understand herself better and to see that so many of her decisions had been prompted by a need to feel important rather than genuine altruism.

Thomas is a lovely hero – kind, funny, understanding and genuinely caring, he grew to admire and respect Lucy’s aunt, and sees much of Miss E in her niece; but he is clear-sighted enough to recognise that perhaps the lady’s life wasn’t quite as full and happy as Lucy seems to believe. The inclusion of various passages from Miss E’s diary is an effective device used to draw parallels between her mindset and Lucy’s. Ms McQuiston does a very good job here of getting the reader to read between the lines as to the truth of Edith Westmore’s self-imposed exile, gradually revealing to Lucy that what her aunt is really trying to tell her is that a life well-loved is a life well-lived.. I did wish that Lucy had arrived at that realisation sooner, however, as her stubborn belief that Miss E would have wanted her to follow in her footsteps and make her life alone makes her seem hopelessly naïve at times and is part of the reason she is not always easy to like.

It’s a refreshing change to read a romance set away from the hustle and bustle of London, and I really appreciated the way in which the community of Lizard Bay is integrated into Thomas and Lucy’s story. One of the things Ms McQuiston has done in all the books of hers I’ve read is to give her heroes an unusual profession (for a romantic hero, that is), and she continues that here by making Thomas a botanist and, in modern parlance, an environmentalist.

I had a few other minor issues with the story, such as the fact that some of the flirtatious banter between Lucy and Thomas is perhaps a little TOO shocking, even for a scandalous spinster! But in spite of that, and even with my reservations about the heroine, The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior is still a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read.
...more

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Sep 13, 2017 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2017, library, audiobooks, adult

I took a chance on a new-to-me author when my library had nothing new from my faves on offer, and it paid off. I loved the bequest of a cottage to Lucy by her dearly departed aunt and where it led the spinster-to-be, but I also loved the parallels between the two women's lives, as drawn through Lucy's reading of Lady E's diaries. And, of course, I always enjoy stories about spinsters and wallflowers finding love in unexpected places. Cute story. Would definitely read more from this author.

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Sep 21, 2017 Jen Ryland marked it as setting-aside-for-now

DNF'd this around 60%

I don't read a ton of historical romance, but I enjoy them now and then and am on the lookout for new authors to add to the small number I read. I thought this seemed promising, but then a lot of things popped up that I really didn't like, and I couldn't keep reading.

What I did like: this was an unconventional heroine, which is great. She wanted to avoid the whole marriage market/Season and live alone as a spinster. Also great. I also liked that the servants (well, one at ...more

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Feb 28, 2015 Kimia Safavi rated it it was amazing

Jennifer McQuiston is one of the talented authors that I was lucky to find. After reading her first book she becomes one of my auto buy authors.
The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior is the second book in the Seduction Diaries, it can be read as a stand-alone novel but I recommend to read the first book in the series.
Lucy Westmore is free-spirited heroine who used to dress as a boy and climb up the tree but after her sister scandalous marriage four year ago, she decides to go through the ...more

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May 12, 2015 Molly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: hero-was-lovely-and-not-a-jerk, lovely, love-love-love, character-driven-hr, adorable

An environmentalist hero? Yes, please. Oh, and he's a nice guy to boot? Sign me up.

I'll admit to being a little frustrated with Lucy's stubbornness throughout the story, but the character development was really well done. Toward the end of the story, I found myself really cheering for her instead of being annoyed by her kind of clueless, privileged behavior. And there were a few surprising twists with Thomas that made me love him even more.

I loved it!

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Feb 27, 2015 Jenny Koch rated it it was ok

Shelves: dnf, g-historical-romance, nice-guy-hero, requested, enemies-to-lovers

DNF @ pg. 189 (~50%)

I've loved some of Jennifer McQuiston's previous books but I just couldn't stand the heroine of this one. She came off overly proud and sanctimonious. I found myself rooting for the hero to find himself another girl - any girl - and so I figured it was time to quit.

I wish Miss E was the heroine. She sounded like she was a riot.

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Apr 13, 2015 Keri rated it liked it

Shelves: romance-historical, 2015-read

3.5 Stars. It took me a long while to warm up to Lucy. She was so judgmental and flew off the handle too many times with our hero. Our hero though was sweet and I wanted to kick Lucy in her behind more than once.

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Oct 12, 2018 OLT rated it liked it

(2.5 stars) I enjoyed the first novel in this series (DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL WALLFLOWER), so this second one has suffered by comparison. This one is about Lucy Westmore, the younger sister of Clare, heroine of the first book. Lucy, it seems, doesn't want to marry and has decided she'd rather be a spinster than an unhappy wife. When her spinster aunt E dies and leaves her cottage in Cornwall to Lucy, not to mention also all her diaries (hence the title of this book), Lucy has a rethink about her (2.5 stars) I enjoyed the first novel in this series (DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL WALLFLOWER), so this second one has suffered by comparison. This one is about Lucy Westmore, the younger sister of Clare, heroine of the first book. Lucy, it seems, doesn't want to marry and has decided she'd rather be a spinster than an unhappy wife. When her spinster aunt E dies and leaves her cottage in Cornwall to Lucy, not to mention also all her diaries (hence the title of this book), Lucy has a rethink about her life in London.

Meanwhile, there's a certain Lord Branston who seems rather desperate to purchase Lucy's new property. Why? So Lucy's off to Cornwall (w/o parental knowledge or consent) to see what's what.

Lucy is impulsive, spirited, hoydenish, stubborn and, IMO, a big pain in the patootie, especially in her dealings with the hero Thomas, Lord Branston. When she gets an idea in her head she runs with it, with very little rational thought behind any of her decisions. I lost patience with her countless times and could not fathom why the hero falls so in love with her and has such endless patience. He obviously sees more in her than I ever did.

The hero, BTW, is far superior to the heroine. He's a kind, sensitive soul. Unfortunately, he also has some things about him I didn't quite get. He has a somewhat messy past in that he spent his early years after inheriting his title in an alcoholic haze. The reason for this drinking problem was not clear, but because of his reckless, immature life choices, he didn't pay enough attention to his younger sister, with rather tragic results. And that, of course, led to more drinking and more navel gazing and then to his self-exile in Cornwall.

When Lucy arrives in Cornwall, she finds herself in a small village that's in economic straits, full of quirky characters, many poor and superstitious, and none willing to take her to her aunt's cottage located far from town. There's a bit of a subplot about why the former fishing town is having such woes, why the neighboring town is so prosperous, why sensitive soul Thomas wants to own Lucy's inherited property. And there's the spinster issue, with Lucy reading her aunt's diary while hanging around in Cornwall.

Will Lucy gain any insights into what life as a spinster entails? Will we learn more about our hero's past woes? Will Lucy stop, for once, being such an impulsive knee-jerker and see Thomas for what he is? Can the town be brought back to economic solvency? Will both Lucy and Thomas become more reconciled to things in their past and their relationships with family members? (Hint: This is a romance novel.)

There's an interesting industry vs environment issue running through this. This and Thomas's part in it are perhaps the best thing about this book. The worst thing about the story is the heroine. I hope she finally grows up and gets a clue about proper behavior. Thomas deserves better than Lucy. But, hey, it's not for me to say. He loves her. ...more

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May 01, 2016 Susan rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, historical-romance

Good story about a headstrong young woman and a man with a haunted past. Lucy is twenty-one years old and about to start her long delayed Season. The problem is, she doesn't want it. She has no desire to parade herself in front of a bunch of men who only want her for her dowry. She would prefer to follow in the footsteps of her Aunt Edith, who is a spinster. Then she gets word that her aunt has died and left her a cottage in Lizard Bay, Cornwall. Lucy takes this as sign that she's on the right Good story about a headstrong young woman and a man with a haunted past. Lucy is twenty-one years old and about to start her long delayed Season. The problem is, she doesn't want it. She has no desire to parade herself in front of a bunch of men who only want her for her dowry. She would prefer to follow in the footsteps of her Aunt Edith, who is a spinster. Then she gets word that her aunt has died and left her a cottage in Lizard Bay, Cornwall. Lucy takes this as sign that she's on the right track. She also receives a package with her aunt's diaries, a chronicle of her life on her own.

Thomas is living in Lizard Bay and was friends with Miss E, as everyone called her. When Lucy's father comes for the funeral, Thomas makes an offer for the cottage, which her father accepts on Lucy's behalf. The property holds secrets and Thomas is determined to protect them. He is stunned to receive a letter a few days later, from a furious Lucy, who has canceled the sale. He heads to London to convince what he's sure is a silly young girl to part with the property. That meeting isn't at all what he expected.

I had some trouble liking Lucy. She was sheltered, therefore completely inexperienced with the real world. She was a bit selfish, taking action without thinking how it would affect others. I understood her need for independence, rather than following the norms of the day. I even understood her desire to see the house for herself. But she was far too impulsive and proceeded without really thinking things through. Her meeting with Thomas was very confrontational, with her being rather judgmental and unwilling to listen to him, though she is also rather drawn to him. When she encounters him on the train, her stubborn attitude continues, even though he is obviously trying to help her.

I liked Thomas a lot. He had his errors in judgment at the start, by not telling her the truth about the cottage and why he wants it. But he is at heart, a good man. Three years earlier he had moved to Lizard Bay, trying to escape the memory of what he saw as his failure to help his sister. Friendship with Miss E and becoming part of the community helped, but he still carries a lot of guilt. He is intrigued by Lucy, who is nothing like he expected.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship, though I frequently wanted to smack Lucy. They arrive in Lizard Bay and Thomas offers to show her the property, but she is sure that she can't trust him. After two days of trying to get someone else to do it, she finally gives in. By the time they arrive it is dark and raining and the house is only partly habitable. Lucy still insists that she can't trust him, and sends him on his way, only to find herself alone in the house with no clue how to go on. I loved the bit of self-realization as she admits her own shortcomings to herself. An encounter with a rat brings Thomas (who hadn't gone far) running. His protectiveness toward her has him staying close, and attraction continues to flare between them. Her stubbornness gets her into a dangerous situation the next morning. A combined rescue from Thomas and her father also brings out one of the secrets of the property. Lucy's mistrust is stirred again, and she is left wondering which is the real Thomas - the one who keeps secrets or the one who helped her?

A little real soul-searching has her finally realizing that she at least owes Thomas the courtesy of listening to what he has to say. I loved this part, as Thomas opens his heart and shows her the real treasure hidden on the property. He also opens up about his past and his feelings for Lucy. But there are still obstacles, mostly his, that come between them and a future. I liked Lucy's realization that Thomas must make certain decisions on his own and how she leaves him to it. I also liked seeing her stand up to her father about her property, and their conversation after was pretty sweet.

A trip back to London for her delayed entry into the season puts Lucy back where she started. She still has no desire to participate, but will do so for her mother and cousin. A surprise arrival brings Thomas to her door, after a lecture from Lizard Bay's vicar (who had an interesting revelation of his own). The day brings additional surprises, as well as the happy ending that both Lucy and Thomas yearned for.

I loved the epilogue, back in Lizard Bay. Lucy has found a way to help the town that they love. There is another surprise waiting for them, one that I rather expected, but satisfying anyway. ...more

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Mar 01, 2017 Nidofito rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf, did-not-like, historical-romance

DNF at 57%

I've tried, and I've tried. But I can't seem to care enough to continue.

There is no real plot, no admirable or even likable personalities to the hero and heroine. It's so banal, with repeated sections. Lucy is ridiculous, and I'm sure the intent was to reform a spoiled girl into maturity, but it's done rather poorly I'd say. And Thomas was just meh. He kept saying how Lucy's reckless nature was admirable etc. but to me, it was annoyingly ignorant. You might chuckle the first couple but ...more

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May 05, 2015 Noura rated it it was ok

After a very. very long wait......i finally got my grabby hands on this one.

Was i excited? Yes! I even forgot that Lucy is Clare's younger tomboy sister...Clare of the previous book. Was i disappointed? A bit. I was expecting a more lavish story-telling very much like the previous book and the Second Sons series. Those books made me a fan of Jennifer McQuiston. This story is draggy. Although it's quite interesting to have snippets of Aunt E's diary which is funny and sassy, it all became a bit ...more

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Aug 02, 2016 Amanda rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, historical, books-i-own

Generally not bad, but not as good as the first book in the series. Lucy's insistence on being called Miss L was a little silly and the "I knew I loved you the first day..." bit really bugs me. Otherwise, though, this was quick and relaxing and just what I needed.

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Apr 06, 2019 Elodie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I do not like to give up on a book, the heroine had me on edge for most of the book, but I so wanted to see how it will turn out for her.
Is it the author’s talent to create such an upsetting character m, but it worked.
I was angry at her for being too stubborn to listen nor give some thoughts before taking matter in hands.
The parallel with her aunt’s diary were so flagrant, I was kicking over the traces of her idiocy and impossibility to see past her nose.
I hoped she would see beyond the ...more

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Dec 02, 2015 WTF Are You Reading? rated it it was amazing

Shelves: edelweiss, historical, clever-quirk, favorites, great-leading-man-boy, adult, family-drama, hard-to-beat-heroines, want-to-read-series, oh-how-romantic

The Spinster's Guide To Scandalous Behavior could be seen as a feminist manifesto... Regency style.

Lady Lucy Westmore is a woman determined to live life as she sees fit.
Unimpressed by the "sell one's self to the highest bidder" meat market.
Otherwise known as The Season.
Young Lucy has chosen, much to the chagrin of her parents, to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to a life of cause laden spinsterhood.
The seeming green light in Lucy's plan for singlehood, comes in the form of the gift of a ...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Julie (Manga Maniac Cafe) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5 stars

This just did not hold my attention. I didn't enjoy the setting or the story, and the heroine made so many problems for herself. The hero had problems asserting himself, and the conflict didn't work for me.

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Jul 08, 2015 raindropsandroses rated it liked it

The heroine was such a pain for two thirds of the book, I was tempted to give this 2 stars. Thankfully, everyone came to their senses before I lost it.

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Dec 06, 2015 Mel rated it did not like it

This could of easily of been a DNF for me. I really disliked the heroine.....she was an idiot!

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Aug 05, 2018 Julia A rated it did not like it

Shelves: romance, historical-romance, reviewed, historical-fiction, blergh

Now I know that I wrote a review for this already, because it was a cathartic experience after dragging myself through that whole chore of a book--but it seems to have disappeared, so here's the still-not-so-condensed version, rewritten for your pleasure (or at least for your warning).

tl;dr: the book promises a witty heroine with a lively, competitive flirtationship with the marquess who semi-accidentally tried to buy her inheritance out from under her. It doesn't deliver. He's totally ...more

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Sep 16, 2017 Donna rated it liked it

This was a decent romance about an unconventional heroine and a grieving hero. Lucy is being forced into society with a grand season that she never wanted. She reads her late spinster aunt's diaries and slips out to run away to the crumbling cottage in Cornwall that her aunt has left her. Reclusive Lord Branston has tried to purchase the cottage from her father, and Lucy has decided she must see the property first herself before she sells it to anyone. She is suspicious of Branston's motives. ...more

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Dec 06, 2017 Kathryn rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance

3.5 stars. A heroine who acts often before she thinks, a mystery aunt and a hero who has his heart in the right place. A plot that sprung a few surprises. Pleasant reading.

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Nov 14, 2019 Heydi Smith rated it liked it

Shelves: adult

This was a very innocent, romance. You won’t be shocked by anything here.

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May 20, 2019 Pj rated it liked it

3.5 stars

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Aug 12, 2015 Bambi Unbridled rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-netgalley, million-page-challenge, read-2015, romance-historical

This is my first read from Jennifer McQuiston, although I have had What Happens in Scotland shelved for a long time. We are off to a good start with The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior, so I will definitely try to move the other books up my TBR list. This is the 2nd installment of the Seduction Diaries series, and I obviously have not read the first, which featured the current heroine's sister. There were some mentions of the sister, but not to the extent that I felt lost without reading This is my first read from Jennifer McQuiston, although I have had What Happens in Scotland shelved for a long time. We are off to a good start with The Spinster's Guide to Scandalous Behavior, so I will definitely try to move the other books up my TBR list. This is the 2nd installment of the Seduction Diaries series, and I obviously have not read the first, which featured the current heroine's sister. There were some mentions of the sister, but not to the extent that I felt lost without reading the first book.

Lucy Westmore is a 21 y/o eccentric aspiring spinster who has inherited a remote dilapidated cottage in Cornwall from an eccentric spinster aunt. Unfortunately, Lucy's father decided he could act in Lucy's stead and sell it to Lord Thomas Branston. Lucy renigs on the sale, latching onto the property as freedom from her family's expectations and the season they are forcing upon her. I empathized with Lucy's plight - it must have been very hard to follow societal dictates back then to be a mild and meek female whose sole purpose was to make a beneficial marriage, often to an unappealing stranger. I liked her impertinent impulsive behavior at first, as I would have probably been the same way in her situation. However he stubborn obstinance grated on me in the 2nd half of the book... I wish she could have gotten with a program a little sooner.

Thomas Branston is a broken and broody marquess hiding out from his demons on the Cornish coast. In the tiny town of Lizard Bay, Lucky's eccentric aunt (Miss E) had taken Thomas under her wing. So when Miss E dies, he wants to make sure her property is not sold off to the highest bidder. This has Thomas pairing off with the not-so-biddable Lucy Westmore. I loved that Thomas was a bit of a botany nerd and chose to live simply among the town folk instead of exhibiting his status and wealth in London (which he could have done despite the scandal). I really liked Thomas' character, and felt he truly had limitless patience to continue dealing with Lucy's mistrust and headstrong ways.

I really loved the snippets of Miss E's diary woven throughout the story. Her memoirs were humorous and somewhat sad at the same time. I wish Lucy would have finished the volumes sooner and learned the ultimate lesson her aunt was trying to impart, because it was very important. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars / 3 flames. ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Gerrie rated it liked it

Shelves: heroes-physical-or-emotional-issues, romance-historical, victorian-and-edwardian-period

I really liked the first book in this series, Diary of an Accidental Wallflower, so I looked forward to reading this book, the second in the trilogy. Unfortunately, although the author writes well, I was disappointed with this book.

The problem for me was Lucy, the heroine. Lucy is 21 years old, but acts like she's 15, and an immature 15 at that. She's in a constant state of simmering adolescent rage and rebellion. So if her parents or Thomas (the hero) say one thing, she'll run out just as fast I really liked the first book in this series, Diary of an Accidental Wallflower, so I looked forward to reading this book, the second in the trilogy. Unfortunately, although the author writes well, I was disappointed with this book.

The problem for me was Lucy, the heroine. Lucy is 21 years old, but acts like she's 15, and an immature 15 at that. She's in a constant state of simmering adolescent rage and rebellion. So if her parents or Thomas (the hero) say one thing, she'll run out just as fast as possible to do exactly the opposite, without even a nanosecond of reflection. And, like a rebellious teenager, she argues incessantly with the hero. Throughout the first ¾ of the book she was the textbook definition of TSTL. Even though she calmed down a bit towards the end, I didn't really see enough real growth or maturity to change my view of her.

Because of Lucy's extreme immaturity and mindless impetuosity, I also didn't find her romance with Thomas at all plausible. Although the book doesn't give Thomas' age, from some references the author makes, I assumed that Thomas was somewhere in his early to mid thirties. While Thomas has his own emotional issues, he comes across as a grown up man. He's known suffering and regrets for some of his life choices, so that adds to his emotional maturity. He's trying very hard to be a better person. Thus, it was impossible for me to believe that not only was he attracted to Lucy, but he kept taking her adolescent sniping and abuse and coming back for more. It was incomprehensible to me why he fell in love with her. Therefore, the romance just didn't work for me.

However, I do plan to read the next - and final - book in the trilogy. Despite the fact that for me Lucy fails as a romantic heroine, I still thinks the author writes well. Perhaps because the author is a veterinarian, and works as an infectious disease specialist for the CDC, her writing seamlessly incorporated some of the larger issues of Victorian times into the stories that gave the books an added depth.

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About Jennifer McQuiston

Jennifer McQuiston

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A veterinarian and infectious disease researcher by training, Jennifer McQuiston has always preferred reading romance to scientific textbooks. A New York Times and USA Today bestseller, her books include WHAT HAPPENS IN SCOTLAND, SUMMER IS FOR LOVERS, MOONLIGHT ON MY MIND, DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL WALLFLOWER, and THE SPINSTER'S GUIDE TO SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR. She also has a novella, HER HIGHLAND ...more