Le Miroir du Scandale

Sins for All Seasons #1

by Lorraine Heath

Londres, 1871

À l’ombre des amours clandestines, l’illicite est le moindre de leurs forfaits…

Respecter les convenances. Épouser Lord Kipwick. Aslyn n’a de cesse de se répéter les règles qu’elle doit observer alors qu’elle s’impatiente de retrouver Mick Trewlove pour leur promenade quotidienne dans les dédales de Hyde Park. Comment peut-elle alors frissonner à la simple idée de revoir ce fils illégitime aux yeux d’acier, cet homme au goût d’interdit, qu’elle devrait tenir à distance ? Pour elle qui a tant peiné à s’arracher de sa condition d’orpheline, fréquenter un homme d’aussi basse extraction, qui ne respecte pas ses vœux, est bien le pire qu’il puisse arriver. Car la société victorienne n’admet aucun faux pas sur le parcours de la réussite…

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 30, 2018

About the author

Also writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.

Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."​​​​​​​

She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.

When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.

Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including ​​​​​​​USA TODAY and the New York Times.

The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.

Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal r​​omance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.

Reviews

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT: Bumping this book up to five stars because this story was memorable to me and I don't know why I didn't give it five stars when I read it then. One thing's for sure, I think about the hero and this book a lot so I can say it's worthy of five stars. I loved Mick Trewlove!

“You intrigue me, Lady Aslyn, but I can’t call on you for two reasons—you are already betrothed, and I sincerely doubt your guardians would welcome me into their home.”

Mick Trewlove is a Duke's by-blow and he suffers a great deal from the stigma of his birth. Now a self-made man, he possesses a great wealth but even all the money in the world isn't enough to satisfy him. What Mick wants the most is for his father to acknowledge him as a son and for the Duke's downfall. It seems simple enough when he already has his targets to begin with. He would start with his father's legitimate heir and his brother's betrothed's ruination. The plan seems to be going well at first but the more time he spends with Lady Aslyn, the more Mick is fascinated with her as she is with him. But she is a lady, and he's a bastard. Would a match between the two ever be possible when she's already engaged to another and he has plans that when discovered by Aslyn would break her heart and lose her trust?

Beyond Scandal and Desire is the first book from Lorraine Heath's historical romance series, Sins for all seasons. This book is quite good! it had all the right elements that I enjoy in a book. I see myself reading more books from the series in the near future.

Meet Lady Aslyn Hastings, orphaned and sheltered. Her parents died when she was a mere child, so she's been the Duke and Duchess of Hedley's ward for a long, long time. She has been trained to behave like a proper lady all her life. She has been prepared to be Lord Kipwick's countess, soon to be Duchess. The Duke and Duchess loved her and she loved them in return. She'd be an official member of the family the moment she marries their son. She was a girl who already had her future before her. She'd never been courted by gentlemen as they all knew she was already spoken for. She found no problem with this, but the moment she met Mick Trewlove, there is something inside her that yearns for an adventure, and yearns for the very improper man who she seemed to think about a great deal but ought not to.

Mick Trewlove is the Duke of Hedley's bastard. He has hatred for his aristocratic father who delivered him to a baby farmer. He spent a great deal of his life working in order to survive and he worked hard to acquire great wealth. At thirty one years old, he's a man in possession of a good fortune, but a man no one of proper birth should be acquainted with because of the circumstances of his birth. Set on getting revenge, he had thought of the perfect plan. Although, at first, his intentions with Lady Aslyn were manipulative at best, he grew to care for the lady.

I loved the heroine. I was annoyed with her at first, she is so naive. It's like she does not make decisions for herself, she lets the Duke and Duchess make those for her. She also seemed to think that she was in love with Lord Kipwick, which she later on realized was more of a brotherly affection. Her character development was satisfying and I grew to love her, seem to understand why the hero was so enamored by her. Moving on, I had great love for the hero of the story as well. What can I say? I love reading about the Lords and the Ladies of the historical romance genre but I also have a soft spot for self-made men. Mick was supposed to be using the lady as an instrument for his revenge plan but very early on in the book, he's already quite taken with her. Not insta-love though. It was more attraction and curiosity.

It had a slow start but when things began to be interesting, I was fully hooked and hated that I had to attend classes because I could not focus on reading the book. What you must know about me is that I love the illicit affair trope. I love the forbidden romance trope. I love the revenge trope. I love bastard-lady trope. It hits all the right spot for me. I love it. The angst is unmatched. Those tropes are all present in this book so of course I enjoyed reading this one.

Aslyn is already spoken for, and around somewhere in the book, Lord Kipwick finally proposed to which she accepted. Though she was highly intrigued by Mick Trewlove, she knew there was no future for the two of them. Ladies did not consort with bastards. There was the social class division, her charge, and all of society would turn their back on her the moment she lets things get serious with a bastard, a commoner at that. A lady of her standing had been trained to be proper and to marry titled gentlemen, otherwise, those who were not aristocrats had no right to call on her, should not even be breathing the same air as her. Harsh, but that's how it was.

What I loved about Aslyn is that when she realized that she loved Mick, she was willing to marry him and did not care anymore what the people would say or how many would raise their eyebrows. She was ready to risk it all so she was devastated when she discovered that at the beginning, she was merely a means to an end. I loved seeing her growth from a naive lady to a woman who does not let other people decide for her and to fight for what she wants in her life.

As for Mick, I loved him as a hero. He had a hard childhood and who is to blame but his own father. I loved Ettie Trewlove and how she raised many children not her own even though she did not really have the means to. She's a brave and strong woman, I wish we got to see more of her. I did not really see the plot twist coming. I thought the Duke had a mistress that's why he had to dispose his child but turns it out it was not what it seemed. As for the Duchess, I feel sorry for what she had to go through. I was very mad at her at first because she had a weird behaviour and was oddly against those who she deemed below her - though I do not believe that justifies her distaste for commoners, it does explain why she is the way she is.

I loved the ending but I wish we had more of Aslyn and Mick as a couple! Also liked how The Duchess and Ettie became friends. That was really fun to read about. The "turns-out-he-is-a-Duke's-heir" plot might be cliche but I ate it up nonetheless. I do not know how I feel about him turning down the title though, I believe he deserved it better than Kipwick seeing as he is actually the first son and way more responsible than his wastrel of a brother. Maybe I am a petty person but I never disliked Mick, even when he was plotting revenge. I think he has a right to be mad at the people who made his life hard. He did not deserve to go all through that so no one can really blame me if I was cheering on the side whenever his revenge plan seem to go well.


Over all, I loved Mick and Aslyn together. Seeing them fall in love and realize their love for each other was satisfying and it was pretty romantic. And my! those explicit scenes! this man is hot! As someone who rather dislike reading too much smut on romance books, though this one was mild, it was pretty hot. Loved it! Girly is getting that dick everyday!

I am glad I decided to read this book because it had all the right ingredients and Lorraine Heath managed to make it work. Will definitely be reading more of her books.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Mick grew up knowing he was illegitimate and experienced all the society pitfalls because of it. All he has ever wanted is for his father to publicly acknowledge him but when his father refuses, he decides to ruin his half-brother heir.
Aslyn has been the Duke of Hedley's ward for most of her life after her parents died. With it understood that she would eventually marry Hedley's son and their very protective nature, Aslyn has been sheltered. Starting to feel stifled, she begins to push for more freedom. After meeting Mick, she senses a freedom she has never thought to experience.
Mick wants revenge but how far will he be willing to get it?
 
"I intend to take from him everything he holds dear---including the lady at his side."
 
The first in a new series, Beyond Scandal and Desire focuses on the eldest child of Widow Trewlove, a woman who took in unwanted babies. While we are introduced to Mick as a very successful business man, he alludes and mentions how tough it was growing up poor and with the taint of being a bastard. The revenge he seeks is a bit different; he simply wants his father to acknowledge him and hopes this will open higher society doors to him. It's a little heartbreaking that Mick obviously just wants to feel acknowledged by his father, making him feel meaningful since he was given away. Mick was the hero where circumstances force him to have a tough outer shell but is angry and hurt over feeling abandoned. He was somewhat romance hero trope (a bit more sensitive) but how he fell for heroine made him very enjoyable to read.
 
Why did this man have such an effect on her?
Why did everyone else seem so small in comparison?
 
Our heroine Aslyn starts off very sheltered and buttoned up but with some inner thoughts that hint at a will striving to break free. I, personally, thought Aslyn stole the show a bit with her living in quiet desperation. Her journey and growth from accepting her gilded cage, to starting to question, finding herself, and finally expressing and owning what she wanted was so satisfying. Usually it is the hero who stands tall during the declarations of love but, here, oh the heroine brings it and I was cheering her on. Aslyn could have taken the easy road but she spoke her truth and I delighted in following along on her journey.
 
Never before had he ever been so weak-willed.
He was a man of strength, and yet he thought for her he'd go to his knees.
 
With a mysterious painful beginning, I was sucked into the story right away. I took pleasure in the slow buildup and burn Heath provided, we get to know Mick and Aslyn (does start to feel a smidgen too slow as the anticipation for reveals starts to settle in). There are some scenes with Mick interacting with his family that helped fill out his character (and introduce future series heroes/heroines) and I wished there had been more for Aslyn. The Duke and Duchess of Hedley don't get as flushed out as I would have liked and their son definitely gets too much of a thinly veiled villain w/ maybe future redemption arc. While I enjoyed the slower buildup, the story had too much of a top heavy feel, the ending felt rushed. I would be lying if I didn't say I started watching the page count after I got around 60% waiting for a reveal that would have repercussions in Mick and Aslyn's relationship. The reveal was extremely needed too, but with how late it finally happened, I was left feeling a bit bereft and missing some crucial emotional angst and growth between the two; my favorite romance components. At minimum, this story needed to be 100 pages longer (my old romance reading heart would have delighted in a full sequel book finishing Aslyn and Mick's story with working things out after full reveal).
 
The buildup and getting to know characters first half will have you engrossed into the story but the very late reveals give the ending a rushed feel. Some secondary characters felt too thin but Aslyn's growth and journey along with her instant connection and simmering romance with Mick will have you appreciating and taking pleasure in the story.
 
All his life he'd been searching for acceptance, and here it was in the form of a woman with a tilted-up nose and crooked smile.

[Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review @ Vanilla & Spice Books



✭ ✭ ✭ 4.5 STARS ✭ ✭ ✭




Lorraine Heath's introduction into her new series follows one of her well-loved formulas of unconventional heroes and/or heroines who often have the danger of scandal hanging above them. Even more fascinating is that the author often explores social deficiencies of that time which serves to provide a deeper experience and understanding as to how people lived in Georgian/Regency/Victorian times.

The prologue offers a tragic view on a moment in the life of aristocracy. I was appalled but also felt an odd sense of compassion because something just didn't sit right with me from the beginning. A baby born in sin, delivered at the door of a woman who very well could have let the child die. An aristocrat who is filled with grief for his love and raising walls so that he won't be overwhelmed by guilt for giving the child away. These people didn't sound horrible or callous. So I was completely captivated and could not wait to untangle the mystery.

Mick Trewlove is a bastard. He has come to terms with his status in life, yet he wants acknowledgement from the man who sired him. Being rebuffed once and then ignored only stirred his anger and calls for revenge. He is cunning, smart, wealthy and determined to use all the resources at his disposal to destroy the heir of his alleged father, the Duke of Hedley. A means to an end is Lady Aslyn, ward to the duke and soon-to-be-betrothed to his son, Kipwick. What he didn't anticipate was the enchantment Aslyn would cast over him. It was endlessly sweet to watch him fall for her, how defenseless he was and how she became his addiction. He still wants his revenge but all of a sudden he can't bear the thought of her falling with Kip, who had everything Mick wanted.

He’d once thought her crucial to his scheme of bringing about Hedley’s downfall. Now he feared that she might very well lead to his.

Ironic, that Mick had everything Kip wanted. And all of the time Mick is acutely aware of how unsuitable he is, how scandalous it would be for her to be associated with him.

Aslyn grew up sheltered in her guardian's home. The duchess in particular feels extremely protective of her and there are lectures of morality in spades. There is an unspoken agreement that she will marry Kip, the man she grew up with and loves. At a not-so-chance run into Mick she is fascinated. The man who has risen above his origins calls to her but her guardians would never allow her to breathe the same air. I found it very satisfying that Aslyn showed that she had a good head on her shoulders and didn't blame the children for being born on the wrong side of the blanket but rather casting the responsibility on their parents, despite her coddled and sheltered upbringing.

Aslyn's growth from when she meets Mick, still under the influence of the obvious hypocrisy of two people of the ton, to when she falls in love with a bastard is remarkable. I was happy to see that she was able to shed her own status and accept Mick for the man he was.

“You’re someone’s son. What does it matter that your parents weren’t married? I don’t care how you came into the world. I only care that you’re here.

Miss Heath slowly unravels the threads of the mystery surrounding Mick's birth. While I was pretty confident to know about his parentage I was kept in the dark for a very long time about how that fit together with him being a bastard. I commend the author for that successful twist in the story. Since that came rather late in the story, however, I felt that the end was slightly rushed.

This story is an intriguing social study of the late 19th century - baby farmers were real. It was their job to rid people of the aristocracy and those who had money of unwanted children by letting them die. It's horrifying to what lengths people went (and still go) to keep their reputation intact.

I got a kick out of getting a glimpse of Graves from The Last Wicked Scoundrel from the author's Scoundrels of St. James series. We are being introduced to Mick's colorful and merry band of adopted siblings who I'm sure we will see getting their HEAs. Towards the end it is mentioned that all his siblings born in sin would be accepted into the family which I found a little bit unbelievable, given the duke's and the duchess' previous opinion of illegitimate children.

In my (not so humble) opinion Lorraine Heath is one of the most underrated and under-appreciated Historical Romance authors of today. Her words are poetry with the taste of old yet still very readable and enjoyable. She is one of the most reliable authors to pull my heartstrings. Romance, angst, a scandalous hero and a heroine who will grow on you make up this wonderful story that will leave you completely satisfied and will make you swoon.

All his life he’d been searching for acceptance, and here it was in the form of a woman with a tilted-up nose and crooked smile.

[Mei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lately, I have problems with HR... Here they were not big, but I was still annoyed occasionally while reading.

What I have problem with is the insta-part, being it insta-lust or love or attraction. I like my MCs to become attracted, yes, but not blindly. There should be some developing, some growth…

Here we have a very sheltered heroine, Aslyn, who never ventured beyond the gilded cage here guardians have set for her. I cannot believe that a woman of 21 never had any hint of rebellion, but meekly stayed where they put her. They even decided that she will marry their son and when Aslyn try to tell them that she will not, they just ignore her. And she still justifies them!

She grew during the book, but I still didn’t like her. She was too stiff, too sheltered, too a useless being for me to like. Maybe it is that I’m bored with heroines who attract the hero only because they’re a lady with soft hands, with perfect bearing, with perfect pose and coiffured hair and nothing more. I prefer my heroines to be a little bit different, a little bit rebellious, a little bit more!

She herself admits that she’s useless and in the second half of the book my esteem of her grew and at the end I tentatively liked her.

As far as Mick is concerned, I admired his love for his mum and his brothers and sisters and his desire to help the less fortunate, but I didn’t like his conviction that he’s always right. I understand that he’s a self made man, but he didn’t took into consideration anyone else’s opinion but his own. He is always convinced that what he does is what’s right. It was a bit OTT for me.

During the book he changes his aim from revenge to love and I appreciated that he was ready to sacrifice for the heroine’s love, but it came a little bit late for me.

Aslyn’s guardians story plays a big part here and, while I’m first to admit that the duke’s love for his wife was immense, I wanted to smack both of them for sheer stupidity and cruelty. Maybe I’m too harsh, but I don’t appreciate a mother who just gave birth to reject the baby without even taking a look, even if said baby could be the fruit of a rape! And just because she was afraid that the child will inherit the title and proprieties!!!
And then, ask the husband to throw it away just like a piece of garbage!!!! And he following her instructions like a puppet and never going to ask if the baby survived or not!!
And even after he discovers that the baby was their child and not of the rapist, he still hides it because it will upset her highness???!!!
Both those selfish people never thought of the innocent baby!!!

With all the things that irked me in this book, the characters did grow and evolved, so I liked how the author managed that, thus a 3 star.

I will read Gillie's story because she seems more like a heroine I could like! She's dressing however she likes, she's managing a tavern and doesn't mince her words!!! :-)

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up because I cannot wait to read the next book in the series

After the prologue, you would have had to pry this book from my cold, dead fingers. I started the list of people who needed to be killed right there, and added to it as the book went along.

Mick Trewlove was abandoned by a duke to the hands of a destitute widow at the age of a few hours old to be either raised or killed as the widow saw fit, and the duke never looked back. Mick had drive and ambition and other “brothers and sisters” (fellow abandoned babies) to provide for, so at the age of 30-ish he has worked and clawed and invested his way to successful businessman, although he can never escape the label of “bastard.”

Lady Aslyn Hastings, orphaned daughter of an earl, has been the ward of the Duke and Duchess of Hedley since her parents died, and always expected to marry their son and heir, Kipwick. Aslyn has built her future around marrying Kip, but the lack of passion between them troubles her and she has no knowledge of his weakness for drink and gambling. When Mick Trewlove and his sister accidentally meet her on an outing to Cremorne Gardens, she is curious about Mick but the social gulf is impossibly wide and she has a duty to marry Kipwick. But Mick keeps arranging those accidental meetings and little by little the impossible width of the gulf between them keeps shrinking and the divide between Aslyn and Kip keeps growing. If only Mick can figure out a way to both use her for his ends and keep her forever…

The middle of the book churned the same thoughts a little too often, and I got impatient for it to move faster, so a .5 star deduction. But this still delivered bang after bang until the big denouement, then BOOM.

I had suspicions all along about the big plot twist but was still taken by surprise, not by the what but by the why. Mind blown.

However, as sympathetic as I am to the “why,” and acknowledging my more modern sensibilities and egalitarian leanings, I’m still reeling that three people in this book did not end up punished for their actions toward innocent children. Two of them had an understandable reason, however horrifying their actions. One of them should have been hanged for two murders instead of sipping tea in a garden. Surprisingly, in this instance, I kinda liked it when the book ended with me feeling lingering outrage.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorraine Heath kicks off her new  Sins for All Seasons  series with Beyond Scandal and Desire, the story of a man intent on revenge upon the father who abandoned him and the young woman he intends to use as part of the scheme he has concocted in order to achieve that end.  I’m not a great lover of the heroine-as-instrument-of-revenge trope, but I trust Lorraine Heath to deliver an engaging and emotionally rich story and know that she has the writing chops to turn a hackneyed plotline into something a little different.  She certainly manages that here and crafts an intense, sensual character-driven romance with a final twist I didn’t quite see coming.

Mick Trewlove has known for many years that his mum isn’t his biological parent, and discovered the identity of his father, the Duke of Hedley, when he was fifteen.  Knowing he had been consigned at birth to the not-so-tender mercies of a baby farmer (a terrible practice whereby women took in illegitimate children of the nobility and often ensured they did not live), Mick – who has worked hard to make something of himself and is now a successful businessman – is still fuelled by anger at the man who threw him away like so much rubbish.  He is determined that his father should publicly acknowledge him,  admit him to be worthy and regret his decision to cast him aside, but other than one unequivocal refusal,  Mick’s written requests have all gone unanswered.  Furious at the duke’s dismissal, Mick sets in motion his plan to destroy Hedley’s legitimate son and heir, the Earl of Kipwick and ruin his ward, Lady Aslyn Hastings – who happens to be Kipwick’s intended. “She’d be to him (Mick) whatever the woman who had given birth to him had been to his father, and he’d throw the similarities into the duke’s face.”

Lady Aslyn’s parents, the Earl and Countess of Eames, were killed in a train crash when she was just a girl.  She has led a very sheltered life with her guardian and his wife, who rarely goes out into society and is of a delicate constitution.  The two are clearly devoted to one another, and Aslyn can’t help but hope that her own marriage will prove equally felicitous. Although nothing is official, it’s widely known that Aslyn has been destined for Kipwick since the cradle.  But Aslyn has become rather restless of late, and is chafing at the restrictions that are constantly imposed upon her by her gender, her position and the duchess, who dislikes going out and encourages Aslyn to remain home as often as possible.  Thinking that perhaps an evening visit to the Cremorne pleasure gardens will yield a glimpse of something exciting, she hopes to persuade Kipwick to remain there until after dark, when, according to the gossip rags, the naughty undertakings that have titillated her imagination are… undertaken.   Sadly however, it seems as though the place is rather staid, and she has just owned to Kip that Cremorne isn’t quite what she expected when a young woman accidentally bumps into them and promptly introduces herself as Miss Fancy Trewlove.  When a tall, handsome, dark-eyed gentleman emerges from the shadows and is introduced as her brother, Aslyn – whose ‘understanding’ with Kipwick means she has never been courted or even experienced the mildest of flirtations – is struck by the sheer force of his presence and shocked at the strength of her physical reaction to him.

While Mick hadn’t planned for his sister to engineer the meeting, he makes the most of the opportunity, rather surprised to find that Lady Aslyn is not what he expected; unlike most young ladies of her class, she is approachable and easy to talk to. She is also, Mick notes with satisfaction, intrigued by him and has hardly taken her eyes off him since he first appeared – which is all to the good as far as his plans go.

This is the first of many encounters Mick contrives with Aslyn, over the course of which he finds himself growing reluctantly fascinated by her mix of intelligence, innocence and curiosity about the world around her. Before long, his desire for the woman herself far outstrips his desire for revenge against his father – but even if Aslyn were not promised to Kipwick, there is no possibility that the daughter of an earl and a bastard – even one with noble blood running through his veins – can have a future together.

The revenge plot hums along in the background but Ms. Heath focuses firmly on the developing relationship between Aslyn and Mick, whose immediate fascination with each other soon goes beyond infatuation and physical attraction and turns into a deep emotional connection that neither had expected. Both are engaging, well-rounded characters and I particularly enjoyed watching Aslyn coming to realise that while she cares for Kip, he is not the man who makes her heart race and her blood pound. Even before meeting Mick, she had begun to question the nature of Kip’s feelings for her and wonder why he’s never attempted to steal so much as a kiss – but her visceral reaction to Mick makes her start to question her situation even more. Mick is good-looking, self-assured, solicitous and charming; he’s like no-one else Aslyn has ever met but just as important as the physical attraction that draws her to him is the way he actually converses with her frankly, opening up a world of which she has largely been ignorant and showing her just how narrow her world-view really is. More than that, he listens to her and encourages her in her own opinions, something the men of her own class never do.

Mick is a sexy, diamond-in-the-rough hero who is perhaps just a little too good to be true in spite of his plan to use Aslyn, bring down Kipwick and force Hedley to recognise him. Everything Mick has, he’s worked bloody hard for, and his many business interests encompass housing, hotels and shops, the latter two providing badly-needed employment for people living in the less prosperous areas of London. He is devoted to his ‘family’ – other illegitimate children ‘farmed’ out to Ettie Trewlove – and believes everyone deserves a chance. But Mick doesn’t see himself as a philanthropist or benefactor – he just thinks he’s a bloke who did what he needed to do to get on in life, and is touched when Aslyn calls his achievements – calls him – remarkable. The trouble is though, that I couldn’t quite credit that a highly successful, self-made man of thirty-one with so much going on in his life would still be craving validation from someone who had made his disinterest so clear. I suppose one could argue that revenge is never rational, but Mick’s determination to get the duke to acknowledge him didn’t really ring true, and as that’s the driving force behind plot, I’ve knocked my final grade down a notch.

In spite of that, however, I enjoyed the book, and am intrigued enough by Mick’s ‘siblings’ to want to continue with the series. Beyond Scandal and Desire is a solid, if slightly flawed start, and I’m sure fans of the genre and the author will enjoy it.

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Beyond Scandal and Desire
Series: Sins for All Seasons #1
Author: Lorraine Heath
Release date: January 30, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
HEAYes

She was no longer the means to an end, but had become the end itself.

This is my first book by Lorraine Heath, and right out of the starting gate, she landed herself a spot on my auto-read author list. I was so impressed that I'm now on a mission to get through some of her backlist this year, to explore what I've been missing out on. This book gave me that rare and elusive giddiness you feel when you find an author and story that you connect with in every way. Heath paints the culture and people so vividly in color for you that her story doesn't just come to life, it takes you inside all of its brilliant shades. If you're late to her work like I was, there's no time like the present to correct that error.

The synopsis for Beyond Scandal and Desire caught my eye immediately. A revenge plot where the unsuspecting heroine is caught in the hero's crossfire? Count me in. Though I have to admit, I was a little nervous in the beginning that Mick would be too heartless and unlikable to warm up to. Luckily, this wasn't the case at all. Yes, he was stern, ruthless, and cut a pretty intimidating figure. But there was a never a point when he was at his worst that I didn't see the good in him. Under his rough exterior, he's fiercely loyal and protective of his adoptive family. Mick's character clearly had some growing to do, but I had faith he would get there in time.

Through the common practice of baby farming, the nobility were spared the hassle of facing the consequences of their actions. The Duke of Hedley believed that his own inconvenient truth was buried, but truth and justice were about to be resurrected. Mick wasn't content with being a dark stain, living in the shadows amongst the dregs of society. He was going to have it all, take it all, or die trying.

He’d climbed as far as he could up the social ladder. To reach the higher rungs, others had to fall—far and spectacularly, like fireworks burning out on their way down. He would be paid what he was owed. And God’s mercy on anyone who stood in his way.

Lady Aslyn Hastings is the ward of the Duke and Duchess of Hedley. For as long as she can remember, there has been an unspoken understanding that one day she would marry their son, Kip. She's coddled, and lectured on etiquette and morality until she feels positively stifled in their care. Secretly, she's bored at this bland life that's allotted to her, but she manages to ignore her rebellious streak for the most part. Her (almost) fiancè Kip is respectful at all times, polite, and the epitome of a proper gentleman around her. So why does she feel like something is not quite right about how they fit?

They were to marry, and yet she felt like a child playing at pretend, not a woman anticipating the days—and nights—to come with relish. She’d been brought up to always feel calm and steady, but at that moment she desired only to feel more.

After Aslyn and Kip have a seemingly chance meeting with Mick, he subtly starts to maneuver them like pawns on his chessboard. What he never could have planned for was the feelings that Aslyn immediately started to stir in him. This was where the story really started to become addictive to me. Forbidden feelings, suppressed desires, and shattered preconceptions made for some heady reading. The tension between these two was tangible, and though Mick had every intention to seduce her from the start, suddenly, all he wants to do is protect her from himself and anyone else who would harm her. She brought a softness out in him, and an inner turmoil that was completely new to him.

He was a man accustomed to controlling his world, his fate, his destiny—yet where she was concerned, he’d lost his bearings. He felt as though she possessed a sledgehammer and was knocking away his wall of indifference, brick by brick. How would he protect himself when they were all gone? He didn’t know if he could find the resilience to stack the bricks back up.

Mick must adjust his plans, or risk losing the woman who has come to mean everything to him. But even if he alters the path he has chosen, there's no guarantee that she will stand by him when the truth is out. Realistically, he knows that society will never favor a match between the two of them. So why can't he bring himself to walk away?

One thing about the story that didn't work for me personally was the way that Kip's severe gambling addiction was swept under the rug at the end. Not only did he seem to have absolutely no consequences for what he did, but we were supposed to believe that his "lesson was learned" and they'll be able to watch over him. All will be well. I just can't accept that, it was a little to convenient to be believed. This was the only thing holding me back from giving this a full five stars, and it didn't affect my enjoyment all that much.

Overall, I was thrilled with the first installment in the Sins for all Seasons series. There was angst, passion, and belly flutters galore. I'm anxiously patiently awaiting When a Duke Loves a Woman's August release. Mick's sister Gillie is up next, and her story promises to be just as exceptional.

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[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I liked it all up until the very end (like 5ish%) because it was way too rushed and ends right after the conflict is resolved. I’m greedy! I wanted to experience them as an actual outed couple! I liked both characters, I liked experiencing their development of feelings, and I liked their connection. I also liked that this didn’t feel like anything else that I had read and had a uniqueness to it that I appreciated. Overall I liked this but felt ripped off in the end even though I would say this had a HEA ending.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Aslyn and Mick’s story. Aslyn meets the businessman Mick when her betrothed takes her to a pleasure garden. She doesn’t understand the sparks she feels when she is around him, but does recognize that she doesn’t feel the same about the man she’s been expected to marry since her birth. Mick is a bastard that has worked his way to the top of society but cannot shed the dirt on his name from the circumstances of his birth. He is setting out to get revenge on his father, who happens to be Aslyn’s charge and fiancé’s father, by using them in his plans. There are some sweet moments, some secrets revealed, and a few sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.

Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Aslyn and Mick in 3rd person narrative.

Overall Pace of Story: Good until the abrupt ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.

Instalove: No, but instant connection

H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Mick. I liked him. I appreciated how he cared for others.

h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Aslyn. I liked her. I appreciated how she looked past the labels and cared for the H regardless.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes They both push away and I’d say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship

Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not very much and not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes The h is betrothed to OM when they meet

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: Yes They are separated shortly (days/week/s?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Yes Child abandonment (partially on page), rape of side character (off page), and the h was a virgin

Closure: This had pretty good closure in the epilogue but there wasn’t enough time experiencing their HEA for me to be satisfied because the end was so close to their conflict resolution. I would still call this a HEA though they’re married with children.

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
I enjoy reading about the hero and heroine spending time together and getting to know one another. Because this a revenge trope, one can argue that he manipulated these encounters to occur, but I think he truly wanted to spend time with our heroine and get to know her. If you can get past the revenge part of the story, seeing them spend time together and falling in love is quite romantic. This is my second time listening to the audiobook and my rating's gone up half a star.

Plus, Kate Reading (narrator) is great! Although...there were two or three instances when her voice for the heroine was inconsistent for a line or two, but I shan't be too picky.

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the slow build-up to the romance and character development in this one. This is a familiar setup for historicals, but Heath, as usual, makes it feel fresh and compelling.

[Jultri · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5. This took me a relatively long time to finish, but I was determined not to DNF a Lorraine Heath book. It's not the worst of hers that I have read, but damn, it came a close second. Let me say it loud and clear: I detest insta-lust in HRs, especially when an extremely sheltered, virginal girl suddenly has sexual awakening at first glance and immediately starts to have lubricious fantasies of a touchy-feely nature, she could not possibly have any knowledge of. Of course women are entitled to sexual feelings too, but the thoughts she had of him were just not that of a cloistered innocent, which LH made clear she was. Okay, I understand the heroine's fascination for the masculine and supremely confident hero. What I did not get is his equal attraction for her, when she was just another naive, pretty face with a rather bland personality. I also didn't get why the Duke would wrap the baby in a blanket with the highly identifiable ducal crest, when the whole abandonment was supposedly hush-hush to protect the Duchess from scandal. I certainly did not follow the giant career leap he made from brick boy collecting ash to a brick factory owner. I was also highly perplexed at the hero's early childhood starvation when the Duke supposedly gave the hero's adoptive mother a fair bit of cash to ensure his comfort. And his adoptive mother killed 2 babes? And did we and the heroine really need to hear his over-sharing of his sexual past.



However, even these ponderings of mine did not stop me from constantly drifting off to sleep every time I tried to read a few pages, which made it a real struggle to finish, particularly when my focus continued to shift to other more interesting endeavours (pretty much anything else) during my waking moments.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS


This was a fantastic start to a new series and now I'm excited for the rest books!I enjoyed a lot this one,the premise was great and there was a twist that I wasn't expected!

Mick and Aslyn’s romance was fun and flirty! I fell in love with Mick , He wanted the best for Aslyn!I like them together, and they make me smile a lot!

Overall it was a great story , There was so much to love about the story and the characters were lovable!

 

  

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Lorraine Heath introduces us to a sensual love affair that takes us back in time to the spicy Victorian Era in London, England. A time of growth in the sciences, politics, and human rights. These two people come together and learn to fight with having all of society against them being together...

HOLY SMOKES!!! This book just blew me away here, and I just didn't want to put it away. I have had such admiration for Lorraine Heath, and over the years she has become one of my favorites here. She has such a solid talent in writing historical romances, and I got a kick out of her delving into the Victorian Era. This story introduces the reader to an aspect of Victorian culture that very few know about...baby farmers. This is actually a very heartwrenching aspect of society and one of the "skeletons" on England and I was really happy that Lorraine Heath did such great research here and implemented this aspect into the story.

Our wonderful key players in the story are:

Mick Trewlove, is a commoner, he was deposited and abandoned by his real parents to be thrown away to a baby farm, but his adopted mother took him in and raised him along with his siblings. Mick has created his own wealth and power but is out for revenge so his father will finally admit that Mick is his son.
Aslyn Hastings, is part of the Ton, her parents died and she was brought in and became the war of the Duke and Duchess of Hedley. Even though she has always has done what was expected of her, she dreams of adventure and passion.

Beyond Scandal and Desire is such a sensational romance and I totally got a kick out of this book and I honestly didn't want it to end. This story made me realize why I fell in love with Lorraine Heath in the first place and this book was pretty epic in its own way.

This story begins when our hero Mick, is out on his journey for revenge and to be claimed by his real father. So his plan is to make his "brother" lose everything including his almost betrothed. Aslyn has always known that her future is to marry the Duke's son, even though she doesn't love him the way that a woman should love the man she is supposed to marry. When she meets Mick in the gardens, she is intrigued because he stirs desire, passion that she has never felt before.

She could practically see it coming from him in waves that had the power to encompass everything around him--including herself. She wanted to experience that power, be drawn into it, captured by it, seduced within it.

Through a set of events, Mick and Aslyn run into each other and the chemistry between them in obvious even though Aslyn knows she is supposed to marry another man, she honestly doesn't feel like she can. Especially when her betrothed starts to change when his desperation for gambling takes a twist. The man that she really wants is Mick, a man that the Duke and his wife DONT approve of. But Mick is the man that she is beginning to love and wants to fight for them. But she will find out that Mick has a mission, one that could bring downfall to the family that she loves dearly.

Mick couldn't help but wonder if sometimes heartache was needed in order to move forward.

I was really intrigued by the turn of events that bring this couple together. There were such sensuality and endearing romantic qualities that pulled me into this story so completely. I just loved every moment that Mick and Aslyn have together. From the sexy flirting to Mick showing Aslyn another side to him, to a journey of forgiveness and redemption. I really was cheering for these two from the beginning. There was such class to their relationship. I really adored the way that they court and fall in love. There were so many tender moments that made me "sigh" in that sweet romantic way that gives you all the warm fuzzies. This is the epitome of ROMANCE and as I was reading this delightful story, I was reminded of this author, the reason I love romance in fiction and why it does so much for me. This book just made me happy, grinning all the way, and I immersed myself completely in this beautiful story.

I don't care. When I am with you, I feel as though, for the first time in my life, I am real, I am seen. It's difficult to explain, but I want to experience everything with you that a woman can experience.

I really fell in love with the siblings though, and seeing their eccentricities and their bond as a family even if it's not by blood. I love how protective Mick is of them and even though they frustrate him at times, he is all about giving them what they dream and desire. Especially to his sisters, he would do anything for even if it means buying a parasol or helping a sister set up a bar. And I felt that Lorraine Heath did a tremendous job in showing the tragic elements of Baby Farming. It definitely broke my heart seeing it in this story and how society viewed children born "on the other side of the blanket" as it were.

Overall Beyond Scandal and Desire is a stunning beginning to a new series, a story of true heart, hidden secrets and a true love affair that sings to your heart!!! INCREDIBLY HEARTFELT!

If I touch you, Aslyn, I'm not going to stop touching you until I've touched every aspect of you

[foogallery id="49161"]

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review to come.

Enjoyable read. Great character development, storyline and pacing.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deliver me from revenge plots! I usually find them unpleasant and unbelievable. In the capable hands of Lorraine Heath, however, Mick Trewlove's desire for revenge against his noble father becomes a moving story of love and courage, leading not only to his redemption but also the deliverance of those who have wronged him.

Mick is the bastard son of the Duke of Hedley, given away at birth to a “baby farmer.” (This was the dreadful practice of impoverished women taking in by-blows for money and causing their deaths by starvation or neglect.) In Mick's case, Ettie Trewlove had lost her own children to typhus and in her loneliness kept Mick and several other babies to raise as her own. It was a loving but desperately poor family, which led Mick to begin working at the age of eight. Through his native intelligence and capacity for hard work, at age thirty Mick is a wealthy man engaged in various commercial endeavors, his most recent being the opening of a grand hotel and shopping area in a formerly blighted section of London.

Mick deeply desires to be acknowledged as Hedley's son, even though he would still be considered illegitimate. Hedley has rebuffed all of Mick's pleas for recognition, so Mick has devised a plot to get revenge by ruining Hedley's heir, Lord Kipwick, along with Hedley's ward, Lady Aslyn Hastings. Kip and Aslyn have been raised together after the deaths of Aslyn's parents; they and everyone else expect the couple to marry. Mick intends to use his charms on Aslyn, ruin her, and blackmail the duke into admitting publicly that Mick is his son. To that end, Mick arranges an “accidental” meeting among Kip, Aslyn, Mick's charming young sister, and himself at Cremorne pleasure gardens.

The attraction between Mick and Aslyn is immediate, and thus begins a series of similar “accidental” encounters where Mick discovers that Aslyn is not silly, stuck-up young lady typical of her class, and Aslyn comes to see that Mick is a gentleman of substance despite his birth and upbringing. Mick also realizes that Kip has a weakness for gambling and that he is not very good at it. When Mick arranges for Kip to be admitted to an exclusive gambling den owned by Mick's brother, all the elements of Mick's plan begin to fall into place.

At this point, however, the revenge element of the plotline begins to recede, and the romance takes center stage. Heath does not rush her fences, and I took great pleasure in watching their attraction grow. Aslyn had been so protected by her guardians that she literally had never left the house without two maids and two footmen accompanying her. Although she moved about in society, she had virtually no friends and given that she was intended to be Kip's wife had never been courted by any eligible gentlemen. It was invigorating to watch Aslyn emerge from her cocoon and sprout wings. Again, Heath tells this part of the story gradually and quite believably.

As Aslyn begins losing her heart to Mick and Kip loses his fortune to Mick's brother, the book became a page-turner for me. I was caught up in Mick and Aslyn's romance, along with the lives of all the secondary characters, and although Heath was clearly setting the scene for future installments in this new series, I never got that feeling of sequel-bait. I do feel, however, that events toward the end, while wonderfully clever and surprising, were rushed a bit, and I wouldn't have minded reading an extra fifty or so pages.

Beyond Scandal and Desire was very close to a five-star book for me, but as I said, revenge plots give me trouble. I suppose that my having the sensibilities of a 21st century American makes it particularly difficult to appreciate Mick's desire for recognition from his father and the nobility, especially given that Mick was immensely wealthy and respected among the business class. And while I developed a rather strong tendre for the man, he was just a bit too good to be true. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book, staying up late one night to finish it, and am certainly looking forward to the next installment in the series.

Note: I see that Audible has the audiobook version, narrated by Kate Reading, who is just about my favorite female narrator. There goes one credit.

[kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mick Trewlove, bastard, wants REVENGE and/or Lady Aslyn Hastings. So he sets about wooing her and ends up wooing himself? And then there's a confrontation with his bio father and setup for what will probably be a bunch more books including one about some guy named BEAST???

1. This wasn't very well edited and it felt like a rush job. I guess my feeling is that just because you can release multiple books a year is...should you release multiple books a year?

2. Mick was your stereo-typical "rich common man struggles with his need for revenge"—which is absolutely a fine trope!—it's just...so done. He's just so driven and so rich and SO GOOD because he helps others and has an orphanage and loves his mother... Yeah, and he's also planning to ruin a perfectly innocent woman just because she happens to be engaged to the legitimate child of his father, not to mention his destruction of Kip (legitmate child) just because he's...legitimate. I mean, these are not good things??

And while Heath leans hard on the "society views bastards as less than human" theme (including the near-drowning OF A CHILD), it felt almost too much like a PBS special. Especially paired with the "and she started a home for illegitimate children and he adopted a bunch of illegitimate children and THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER" ending.

(I do want to say that the ending revelation was handled in an interesting fashion, though! Like, I honestly didn't expect things to fall where they did and was pleasantly shocked that they did.)

3. Aslyn (WHAT IS THIS NAME THE FU-) is fine? I didn't particularly like her, but looking back I'm not sure why. She's sheltered but with ~dreams of experiencing things. And then she begins to step outside herself, and then she kind of goes a bit over the top but in retrospect it doesn't seem all that egregious. But I was bored while reading her, and bored with her development, and bored with the final outcome. (She, IDK, "teaches" Mick an Important Lesson About Family or some shit and UGH.)

4. The twist was decently twisty except it was telegraphed a bit too loudly so I was a bit too ready for it.

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angry H wants justice and when the nice but naïve h is attracted to him, he uses her and falls in love with her. A complex plot, flawed people who should not have met and all of them suffered from their actions. The final reveals felt right and I really liked the ending. Great story.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ...

I love Lorraine Heath's books. This one could easily have been a four star. It has the hero I usually love, the Commoner who rises from his lowly upbringing and takes on the aristocrats who are so quick to snub him.


I can see the attraction that Asylyn had for Mick ... she, a well-bred young lady whose future is preordained and she will some day become a duchess. I honestly thought that she was a bit too forward and independent in some of her characterisation ... she has led a sheltered life and all of a sudden she is quite the little lady of the world... I couldn't really buy it, to be honest.


A good start to the series with the introduction of characters for future books. I didn't see the "twist" coming ...


It took me ages to read it but that was my own fault as I was away and then started watching stuff on Netflix in the evenings... it is either one or the other for me. Reading or Watching!! I am not that much of a multitasker that I can do both ... back to the reading now!

Will I continue with the series? I probably will ...

Nice little epilogue too.

“You’re the daughter of an earl and I—”

“Am a bastard. Yes, I know. But if you didn’t tell anyone, who would know? It’s not as though it’s branded on your forehead.” She charged forward. “You’re someone’s son. What does it matter that your parents weren’t married? I don’t care how you came into the world. I only care that you’re here. I only care that when I’m with you I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life.”

She was magnificent in her fury on his behalf. He thought he could never love her more than he did at that particular moment. For her courage, her determination, her willingness to fight for him.”

[Luana ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whaaaaaaat? What? Just wait a sec, what the heck? I know Lorraine Heath loves her twists but what was that end???? I am so mad right now that I am speechless. I can only think the word: what?

If I explain myself I would have to talk about the twist and give spoilers so I won't, but I am so mad. Ughhhh. It is not the twist I hate, it is what they did about it that has me fuming. It is the reasons behind it all. Just no. No no no no. The hero is a much bigger person than everybody put together and multiplied.

Okay, sigh, I feel a bit better after saying everything and nothing at the same time. I generally don't like revenge plots but it was almost impossible to not admire the hero. His achievements are exceptional and he is more of a gentleman then most. Everytime someone said how he influenced their lives I was almost brought to tears. But even though I admire him I don't exactly liked him. It was weird.

The heroine was alright, I guess. A sheltered lady in want of rebellion/adventure. She was a bit gullible but that was expected. The plot was okay except for what they did with the information they had.

[Vashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strong 4 stars!!!!
Will review soon.

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some may not be a fan of the “seducing for revenge” bit but that’s the drama I love (mainly in historicals). Lorraine is just so good at providing heartwarming angst, so I’m not surprised my heart was in my throat by the end 🥺🥺🥺 I was like HAH when the epilogue was only two years in the future but then it went and projected into the future anyways 🤧

I really liked how I didn’t hate the duke and Kip by the end. I was prepared to go down fighting but this one surprised me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶🌶/5

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

memorable storyline and absolutely amazing hero!!

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just didn't get the chemistry i wanted nor did I get the fluffy parts I really crave from lorraine!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

”All his life he’d been searching for acceptance, and here it was in the form of a woman with a tilted-up nose and crooked smile.”

Plot Summary: Wait, what? I’m supposed to give a plot summary? After finishing this, how the hell am I to be expected to give a plot summary, let alone write a review of this book? But seeing as you gentle readers would like said plot summary, here we go: Revenge is a dish best-served cold, but when you pit one exceedingly hot studmuffin in Regency England to claim a title he rightfully deserves, said revenge plot can become quite difficult.

Spilling the Tea
As mentioned above, I’m having a rather difficult time writing down words on how exactly I feel about this book.

And I mean that in the best possible way.

Historical romances and I have had a much better relationship than bodice rippers (I’m still recovering from my one disastrously failed attempt). But being the eternally suspicious person that I am, I still have feelings of wariness about the genre. Mind you, this is a genre of literature that I have spent most of my life avoiding due to both parental rule and, later, a habitual stigma on my part. Getting me to read a book outside of my normal realm of genres is like asking a selective eater to try a new food; you’re gonna be suspicious. Some of the results I’ve gotten have resulted in duds.

But then there are books like this one; books that make you feel ooey and gooey inside. When you’re reading them, you have this stupid grin on your face that you just can’t seem to get rid of. You actually wish that you were reading a physical copy of this book instead of reading it on your Kindle because you want the entire world to see you reading this wonderful book and ask you about it. And once they do, you’ll gladly shove a copy into their hands so they’ll read it, too.

Mick Trewlove is a bastard; always has been, always will be. Ever since he was abandoned on the doorstep of the Widow Trewlove as a baby, he has always been reminded of the fact that he’s abandoned- unwanted and unloved by the people that were supposed to do exactly that. This fact is made even worse by the fact that when he does locate his biological father, he wants nothing to do with his “by-blow”. Fueled by anger at this rejection and a desire for revenge against the man who denied him, he hatches a plan: he will ruin the man’s legitimate heir (aka his half-brother) by running him into the ground with debt.

”He’d been scheming for far too long to cast it all aside now. He’d climbed as far as he could up the social ladder. To reach the higher rungs, others had to fall—far and spectacularly, like fireworks burning out on their way down. He would be paid what he was owed. And God’s mercy on anyone who stood in his way.”

To sweeten the deal, Mick also plans to woo the heir’s future bride. But like all best laid plots, they never seem to go according to plan. Especially when Mick starts to fall for the woman he had only intended to use as a pawn in his game…

The thing is, I shouldn’t have liked this book. It utilized a trope that I usually can’t stand- a spy/assassin (take your pick) is supposed to kill/betray their target but ends up falling for them. I mean, THEY HAD ONE JOB. But dammit, Lorraine Heath managed to do this plot point so well Even more surprising, she made board the ship that was Mick Trewlove and Aslyn Hastings- a ship I didn’t realize I was supposed to board. The sneaky thing tricked me, and I fell right into her trap. Because I am ready and willing to go to the nearest mountain peak and shout for all the world to hear that I ship Mick and Aslyn with all my heart. I’m not a “shipper”, per se, but for this couple I will sail my ship with all my masts flying, and no iceberg can sink it.

Mick Trewlove, I feel, is the victim of deliberate false advertising. From reading the description, I expected to spend 384 pages hating his guts. I mean, he’s willingly going to destroy a man who he’s never met and use an innocent woman to get revenge on someone else. I was expecting gruff behavior, sexist and masochist behavior, and him generally being an ass-hole.

What I got was the total opposite of that.

Mick Trewlove may be originally advertised as a cold-hearted rake, but he’s anything but that. He’s intelligent, educated, and has the biggest heart of any romantic hero I have yet to encounter. He built himself up from nothing and is a very wealthy man, but he remains endlessly humble. He gives back and helps children who are in the same situation he was once in. He has a close relationship with his mother and other adopted siblings and puts their happiness first and foremost. I don’t think it’s even right to call him a villain or even an anti-hero. Let’s just say that he’s morally gray throughout. The man that I was supposed to not like I ended up being utterly charmed by. The punk probably knew it, too. Through his time with Aslyn, you start to see who he really is as a person.

Aslyn Hastings starts out as a typical historical romance heroine; sheltered, privileged, knowing her place in life. Orphaned as a young girl and taken in by the Duke and Duchess Hedley, she is to be betrothed to their son Kipwick. But she evidently got her lessons from Belle in Beauty and the Beast, because she longs for adventure and a break from her tedious lifestyle. When Mick walks into her life (or schemes, whichever you prefer), she gets the adventure she desired, along with a the heady feelings of being truly in love for the first time. Aslyn had a tremendous character arc for a HR heroine; she really grew as a character, and I enjoyed reading about her. She wasn’t the usual or expected damsel in distress, or all-around annoying. She was brave, witty, and the perfect match for someone like Mick.

But more importantly, Aslyn becomes extremely self-assured and self-confident as the novel progresses. When she observes Kipwick's troubling gambling addiction, she gives him an ultimatum; he either stops of the wedding is off. Most HR heroines wouldn't make an ultimatum like that, let alone follow through with it. Amazingly, she does both. That never happens. Seeing an extremely fleshed out, self-assured heroine is something that’s rarely seen, but it’s much appreciated.

Even more rare is it to find a historical romance novel that deals with such feminist, timely, and taboo topics. The historical romance novel is usually a genre that people can depend on to be light, fluffy, and free of any deep thinking. Lorraine Heath turns that expectation completely on its head with this book, however. One main topic running throughout is the practice of baby farming, which was unfortunately quite common in Regency England. People who had bastards would discard their spawn to a woman for a fee, and that woman in turn would kill the baby. It was something I wasn’t even aware of until this book made me aware, which is horrifying. And if by some miracle the baby was kept alive, society treated them with utter disdain. Heath handles these topics with great care; the feeling of being unwanted, unloved and- worse of all- knowing it. Mick doesn’t want his father to acknowledge him for his own selfish purposes such as gaining his property and his money- he wants his father to acknowledge him because he wants to know that he matters, that he’s loved, and that he was wanted, even if it was for just a brief period of time.
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This book surprised me in the best possible way. I should have disliked it because of the hero and the tried and true tropes I don’t usually like and my eternally suspiciousness of historical romances. But just as life is full of surprises, this book surprised the hell of me. With a rouge with a heart of gold, a fearless heroine, and a richly detailed plot that manages to balance the light and fluffy with the dark and serious, this is the perfect romance novel to read if you like your HR’s to have a bit more depth to them. I'm looking forward to reading about his siblings and their own happy endings, and I know that I'll come back to this book many more times in the future.

[Nabilah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the prolonged lusting between the MMC and FMC to be a bit much—it started to feel repetitive after a while. That said, I’ve mentioned this before and I’ll say it again: Ms. Heath is an incredible writer. The premise of the series was intriguing, and the mystery surrounding Mick’s birth kept me hooked. I genuinely didn’t see that twist coming, which says a lot considering I’ve read more than a thousand historical romance novels—I thought I’d seen it all!

While this isn’t my favorite of her books, it’s still a solid read. The story has its moments, and the unique elements make it worth picking up. I’m curious enough to keep going with the series, so here’s hoping the next installment knocks it out of the park! So, only 3 stars from me.

[C.W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found a new series!! Put everything else aside..

Soon after starting this story it showed potential of being a new favorite. It continued to get better and better even when a part of me expected to be disappointed at any point halfway through then on.
“She’d never seen anyone look so marvelously masculine... He looked up and pierced her with his blue gaze. It was like the one time she dared to climb a tree, fallen from her perch, and hit the ground HARD. She struggled to draw in breath; thought it would be forever denied to her, and then it swooshed back in with a sweet delicious ache.”
Such a fun story that was brilliantly performed by a personal favorite Kate Reading in audio. Absolutely adore the chemistry of this couple.. just enough sweet & with a whole lotta hawt hawt and hawter!! Enjoy the fireworks!

[Book Wonderland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Lorraine Heath's books a lot, I prefered the Hellions of Havisham Hall series a little better, but this one was really good too.
Mick and Aslyn are both great and lovable characters, and I even liked Kip too.
I didn't expected that twist in the end of the story.

[Olga 🌺 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a well written book. It screams classy from begining to end.

I've read this trope before but I don’t believe any of them has been as well done as this one.
Aslyn, what a Lady! In every sense of the word!
And Mick, oh what a man! So elegant, so well accomplished, such a gentleman.
For some reason he reminded me of Rhys from Marrying Winterborne. Both impressive, both exceptional book boyfriends.
There isn't anything I didn’t like about this book and the plot twist at the end?!!! Wow!!

I mean, I get it but I kind of don't at the same time because the possibilities were 50/50 and you don't ruin someone's life based on a guess.

Also, his adopted mother, I mean I know we're supposed to like her but the fact that she used to kill newborn babies before she finally repented! Like WTH!!!! I couldn't forgive her that! She is a murderer and no matter how much she tried making up for it she'll remain a baby killer!

The whole baby farmers plot made my skin crawl and I mourned each and every one of those babies who suffered because their parents couldn't keep it in their pants! What an atrocity!

Other than that, this book is absolutely beautiful. Loved it!

[Mandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of a new series, and I always love to try out new series but I might not continue with this one. Beyond Scandal and Desire has a great set-up, but it fell flat for me.

In the prologue, we have a  gut wrenching seen as our hero takes his newborn son, born to his mistress, away in the middle of the night to a common woman who for a small payment, who will  raise him in a good home. Or as good enough as she can provide. This woman takes in several children this way, supporting herself with the money the rich pay her when they hand over their unwanted children.

Thirty-one years later, Mick, that unwanted baby, is an adult, and a pretty wealthy one at that. He rose up from being dirt poor, to opening up businesses and investing in real estate. When he was just eight years old, he found the blanket with the Hedley ducal seal buried in the backyard. He knows this seal comes from his birth father and from this day on, he wants acknowledgement from his birth father, the duke. He sends him letters, and never gets a reply. When he is an adult, with money, he decides to go a new route. To get close to the duke's legitimate son, Kip, and steal away the woman he loves as revenge.

Lady Aslyn Hastings parents died when she was young, and she was taken in by the Hedley's (Mick's birth parents) and has grown up with Kip. Everyone just assumes the two of them will wed, since they 've been fond of each other for most of their lives. But Aslyn wants adventure in her life. Kip on the surface is very prim and proper, not even trying to kiss her once during their courtship. She is extremely protected by her guardians. And then she meets Mick. As he is "stalking" Kip, and as those two men start to get closer, Aslyn can't keep Mick out of her mind. He is the danger and the naughtiness that she wants to experience. When Kip's gambling obsession becomes known and continues to grow out of control, Aslyn turns to Mick for help and an eventual romance.

I like that Mick knows who is real father is, and that he has built this life for himself of riches and he is very close with his other "adopted" siblings. I wanted him to be fierce and ready to burn down London for his father to acknowledge him. But I waited and waited and his personality just didn't come through. It was like he was played too safe. He couldn't decide if he was going to be a gentleman or a hell raiser. I wanted some passion out of him - instead he fell flat.

Aslyn too just didn't have a lot to offer. She isn't in love with Kip, although in a relationship with him for at least half the book. She desires something a little more dangerous - and Mick is supposed to provide that. But this want didn't transfer to any type of passionate romance.  Too slow for me.

Grade: C-

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in Lorraine Heath’s new Sins for All Seasons series and she weaves an emotional, captivating and sensual love story with a totally unexpected twist at the end.

There’d never been anything gentle in his life. Everything he’d experienced had been hard, harsh and challenging.

Raised in poverty in the Rookeries, Mick had clawed his way up to become wealthy, successful, self-assured and powerful. He is stubbornly obsessed with wreaking revenge on his father, the Duke of Hedley, for his refusal to acknowledge Mick as his illegitimate son; a father who tossed him away like a piece of garbage. Mick has no qualms about ruthlessly using his father’s legitimate son, the Earl of Kipwick, and his ward, Lady Aslyn Hastings, in his revengeful plans.

As first, Mick seems hard and ruthless but I soon saw a very different side to him. He cares deeply for his family and knows that he owes his ‘mother’, Ettie Trewlove, a debt he can never repay and does everything he can to make her life comfortable. They may not be related by blood, but he loves all his siblings and would die for each of his brothers without hesitation. He is protective towards his sisters but also willing to fulfil their wishes, whether it be shopping for a parasol for one sister or buying a tavern for the other. I admire his genuine altruistic desire to improve the lives of those in the poorest areas of London by providing homes, and shops that will provide jobs.

Aslyn has been the Duke of Hedley’s ward since her parents died in a railway accident when she was a girl. Beautiful and dignified, she has led a confined and sheltered life, always being the perfect lady, only too aware that her life has been planned out for her as Kip’s wife and a future duchess. But, deep down, she longs for independence and excitement.

Aslyn longed for more: the independence afforded those who weren’t expected to make a suitable match, the carefree moments enjoyed by those not shackled by duty, the excitement offered within the shadows of the night.

I love how Ms, Heath really takes the time to develop the relationship between Mick and Aslyn. The initial meetings engineered by Mick and their secret assignations allow them to talk and get to know each other in a way that feels real and natural. I could see how they compliment each other and felt that they are truly meant to be together.

I enjoyed seeing Mick’s plans begin to unravel as the seducer becomes the seduced…

His purpose was to draw her in while keeping himself at a distance. Instead, she’d managed to entice him into a maelstrom of emotions and sensations, needs and desires, that were foreign to him.

I love his protectiveness, his kindness and the fact that he actually talks to Aslyn and encourages her to be herself. He finds himself longing for her smiles, her laughter, the lilt of her voice and just enjoying being with her. One of the most poignant moments is when he says…

“Never in my life have I longed to be legitimate more so than I do at this very moment.”

Aslyn has never met a man like Mick. He instils in her a desire to break free of the pampered and stifling existence she has led and makes her aware of herself as a woman with needs that go beyond the strict rules of society.

What was it about the man that had such wicked thoughts bursting forth as though they were perfectly normal?

Her feelings for Mick also make her question her relationship with Kip and their suitability, because he has never made her feel alive as she does when she’s with Mick. I love how she never looks down on Mick or his family and regards him as extraordinary for having achieved such success, despite the stigma of his birth. I really respect Aslyn for her courage, determination, compassion and her willingness to stand up for injustice.

I knew that their idyll could not last because Aslyn would eventually learn of Mick’s scheme, and when she does I could feel her anger, her sense of betrayal and her heartbreak, knowing that he would seek to destroy those she loved. When the mystery surrounding Mick’s birth is finally revealed, the twist is one I never expected. I can’t say more other than it is truly heartbreaking and it changes everything that Mick believed to be true. But his actions reveal what an honourable and compassionate man he is, even though it means giving up the woman he loves. When all seems lost, it is Aslyn who finds a solution and ensures their Happy Ever After.

All his life he’d been searching for acceptance, and here it was in the form of a woman with a tilted-up nose and crooked smile.

I like how Ms. Heath highlighted the practice of baby farming in the late Victorian era, a practice that often meant death for the unfortunate illegitimate or unwanted babies handed over to such women.

We meet Mick’s intriguing siblings, each with their own stories to tell in future books, and I was delighted to see Dr. Graves (the hero of The Last Wicked Scoundrel, the final book in Ms, Heath’s Scoundrels of St. James series) in a cameo appearance. There is also a heart-warming Epilogue which left me with a smile on my face.

MY VERDICT: An excellent start to her new series and Ms. Heath delivers everything I look for in historical romance. Highly recommended.


Sins for All Seasons series so far (click on the book covers for more details):

- 26th February 2019


This review was first posted on Rakes and Rascals blog:

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