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Sixteen Scandals

Sophie Jordan (Goodreads Author)

3.44 · Rating details · 61 ratings · 39 reviews

In this irreverent regency romp by New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan, newly minted sixteen-year-old Primrose Ainsworth finds herself on a wayward birthday adventure through London with a mysterious hero—perfect for fans of My Lady Jane.

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Hardcover, 256 pages

Expected publication: May 25th 2021 by HMH Books for Young Readers

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· 61 ratings · 39 reviews

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Dec 09, 2020 Miranda Reads rated it it was amazing

Shelves: received-to-review, published2021

December Tierlist Vlog is up! Click the link to see the video review of all the books read in December!

Primrose has spent her life behind bars - okay not really, but her mother might as well imprisoned her.

From the moment Primrose could talk, her mother has set laid down the rules - Lady Druthers' Guide to be precise - and absolutely refused any and all signs of rebellion.

While Primrose has chaffed around having such strict guidelines for her life, she has played the role of dutiful daughte ...more

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Sep 30, 2020 Candace Robinson added it

ARC received via publisher!

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Oct 23, 2020 Anna Jackson rated it it was ok

I was drawn into this book by comparisons to My Lady Jane...and if you were too, be forewarned! This book does not have the wit, the driving plot, or the fun character development of My Lady Jane. In fact, I'd say this comparison is an insult to My Lady Jane. So keep that in mind if you continue to read this review - I have been ruined on this book by bad comparisons to one of my favorite novels!

This book was ok. Or at least the first half was. An interesting enough premise, but honestly, the w I was drawn into this book by comparisons to My Lady Jane...and if you were too, be forewarned! This book does not have the wit, the driving plot, or the fun character development of My Lady Jane. In fact, I'd say this comparison is an insult to My Lady Jane. So keep that in mind if you continue to read this review - I have been ruined on this book by bad comparisons to one of my favorite novels!

This book was ok. Or at least the first half was. An interesting enough premise, but honestly, the writing felt very young and immature - like a romance author was intentionally writing something conspicuously for a 12 year old. Which isn't bad in and of itself, except that I was expecting a fun YA storyline, not a ridiculous watered down regency romance. And (minor spoilers ahead) (view spoiler)

Basically, this book was an ode to all 12-13 year old girls who have ever wanted to live vicariously through a *slightly* more exciting story of Pride and Prejudice (at least a bit more scandalous version!). Maybe because most regency books read a little older (see *mature*) I found myself rolling my eyes so many times at the complete immaturity of the characters ("I'm 16 - I'm an adult!" "He was 19 and totally mature" whine whine whine blah blah blah gag me. I'm sure this is realistic for teenagers, but I guess I just don't expect it from regency/historical fiction.)

Anyway, thanks to the publisher for letting me read it and thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy. Hand this one to younger teens who can't get enough regency. Otherwise, skip.

If you want better YA regency, try Cindy Anstey or if you want a better romancy historical fiction try Kathleen Baldwin's School for Unusual Girls, or if you like a little sci-fi in your regency, pick up Alison Goodman's Dark Days Club. (I'll stop with my reader's advisory for now!) ...more

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Dec 15, 2020 Caden rated it it was ok

2.5/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for sending me an E-ARC for an honest review.

Okay... so this book. I have SO MANY mixed feelings about this book. For one, it was so short. This story was rushed and didn't even feel like a novel. It felt more like a short story. (If it is meant to be a short story and I just missed that memo, I apologize.) I was so excited to read this because I absolutely LOVE historical fiction novels. However, there were a few things ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 Simone rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, 2020, ya

Thank you to Edelweiss and HMH Books for the chance to read this book.

Spoiler alert: I absolutely loved this.

Sixteen Scandals (btw, I'll be real with you, I requested this because of the title and cover alone, I mean??? GENIUS???) is about Miss Primrose Ainsworth who is the youngest of four sisters in the Ainsworth household. She is excited about her upcoming 16th birthday, because that means she'll be finally able to enter society. She yearns to do more than be stuck in her house. When her ...more

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Nov 02, 2020 Kristin Gleeson rated it really liked it

A fun light teen romance set in the Regency period, it should engage those budding Austen fans and any girl who's interested in historical novels. Primrose is a frustrated teen desperate for her debut in society and so when her mother tells her outright on her sixteenth birthday that she won't be able to come out into society at all because of her older sister's languishing prospects, she's both depressed and furious. After consulting with her best friend they decide they will have her spend a b ...more

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Oct 30, 2020 Portia rated it it was ok

Jordan's "Sixteen Scandals" delivers on all the promises of the genre: a marriage-minded mama, a masked escapade, a handsome duke, a daring rescue (or two!), and an ending sequence straight out of teenage dreams (seriously, I feel like the ending could have been something I daydreamed as a teen).

Two things held me back from really enjoying this:

First, most romance novels bring the main characters together by helping them change — the protagonists wouldn't have been a couple at the beginning bec ...more

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Nov 24, 2020 Christine rated it liked it

Shelves: books-of-2020, netgalley-books

Primrose turns 16. Which means she can now go out in society and find a husband, attend parties. Her mother is more worried about her older sisters wedding and how the other girls aren't betrothed yet. Her family makes not even a small deal of her birthday and she is not allowed into society until her sisters are married. Primrose goes out for one night with her best friend. What happens when she and her friend get pulled apart? What happens when she meets a young man for the second time and the ...more

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Nov 21, 2020 Holly rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, history-1800s, edelweiss

I received a copy of this from Edelweiss in return for a review.

When I first saw this book, I was really excited. Sophie Jordan has made a name for herself in historical romances, a genre I'm a big fan of. The fact that she was mixing that with YA, my other favorite genre? It was going to be good, right?

Well, kinda.

In this story, we're introduced to Prim. She's just turned 16 and literally no one in her family cares that it's her birthday or that she's supposed to be making a big come-out to mar I received a copy of this from Edelweiss in return for a review.

When I first saw this book, I was really excited. Sophie Jordan has made a name for herself in historical romances, a genre I'm a big fan of. The fact that she was mixing that with YA, my other favorite genre? It was going to be good, right?

Well, kinda.

In this story, we're introduced to Prim. She's just turned 16 and literally no one in her family cares that it's her birthday or that she's supposed to be making a big come-out to mark the occasion and her entrance into society. Instead, she's suddenly told she will still be a child in society's eyes for at least another year--a year in which Prim will continue to be ignored, bored, and lonely. She decides that on this night, she needs to live. So she makes a break for Vauxhall with a friend.

Prim is kind of an interesting character. She's the wild child of the family, the youngest of four in a moderately wealthy family. She's intelligent and clever, something her family does not generally appreciate. She even calls herself the "black sheep" of the family at one point and that does fit pretty well. She's headstrong and witty, which I did enjoy. But her rebelliousness, in many ways, did make her feel cliche.

The plot was a slog. Thankfully, the book is short. The real problem for me is that 80% of the story takes place in a single night. I tend to have trouble with that because of the unbelievability of how a relationship can develop in that time. A good 20-25% of the story is all set-up before we even get to Vauxhall as Prim moans about how terrible her family is. And then once she does get to Vauxhall, it's just a comedy of errors and unfortunate events. I didn't even feel like her friendship with Jacob was super duper. It had its moments, but mostly it was forgettable.

The way this is written as YA and a younger version of a historical romance really didn't do justice to either genre. It felt like a clean historical romance more than anything, even if the heroine was just 16. All you really get that's YA from this is Prim's sense of powerlessness at being under her parents' thumbs and her first taste of freedom. I'm really not sure how much of this actually worked by combining these genres. I think I would have liked it more if it had just gone wholly as a historical romance with a slightly older heroine.

All of that said, this book isn't a complete wash. I knew I was getting fluff when I picked this up--and I was counting on that. It has been a stressful week and I knew this would be fun and easy to follow. And it was. There were times I did giggle to myself when Prim got into a spot of trouble. There were moments of sweetness between the characters. And yeah, I read the entire book in a day. It was fast.

I guess if this is something that sounds interesting to you, give it a try. But if you feel like it's a stretch, that this isn't something you'd normally read, maybe just pass. ...more

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Nov 26, 2020 paperbackfruit rated it liked it

2.75 stars

Thank you to Unplugged Book and Edelweiss for this ARC. In return, here is my honest review.

Primrose is the youngest daughter in her family. With having three elder sisters, she is neglected. Her parents decided to delay her debut into society for another year because her sister Aster didn’t get courted yet. So, Prim decides to go rogue with her best friend on the night of her sixteenth birthday because she feels like no one from her family cares about her. Even though she is fully aw 2.75 stars

Thank you to Unplugged Book and Edelweiss for this ARC. In return, here is my honest review.

Primrose is the youngest daughter in her family. With having three elder sisters, she is neglected. Her parents decided to delay her debut into society for another year because her sister Aster didn’t get courted yet. So, Prim decides to go rogue with her best friend on the night of her sixteenth birthday because she feels like no one from her family cares about her. Even though she is fully aware of the detrimental consequences if she gets caught, she still decides to be selfish and go (which turns out to be in her favour). However, the night doesn’t go as she planned as she meets Jacob, and certain events happen…

I liked how the author TRIED to write in Jane Austen’s style as this could help younger readers get into classics. Emphasis on TRIED.

The author attempted to write in a Jane Austen style. Keyword: attempted. Often times, it felt like the author was trying too hard, using words from the thesaurus that doesn’t really fit the context. The writing felt a bit pompous and pretentious, and at times too youthful. Moreover, the author tended to fluctuate between modern and Austen writing styles, making it inconsistent, just like the incoherent personality of the protagonist.

Primrose speaks her mind and is “smart”, just like Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice. However, Primrose is not as likable as Lizzie. Most of the time, I found Prim to be very vexing. She holds a lot of prejudices about people she doesn’t know, and yet, she tells strangers that they don’t know her –– a hypocrite, but truly, aren’t we all (to some degree)? Anyways, I just didn’t really like the protagonist.
Moreover, this book is written in third-person, but sometimes there were first-person sentences… I think there needs to be more editing.

Most characters lacked depth (maybe except for Jacob, the protagonist’s “lover”; he was the only character I found likable).

I also cannot imagine how a mother could detest her daughters that much merely because of their physical appearances and personalities. Yes, I understand this was the 1800s, but I felt like the characters were way too extreme.

If the author wished to focus on the plot instead of characterization, I would understand. However, I don't think the plot is the main driver as it is very predictable and cliche. ...more

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Jan 19, 2021 Sarah rated it it was ok

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. In exchange, I am leaving an honest review.

This book reads as "Bridgerton-lite". It has a similar feel, but it's far less scandalous, which makes it excellent for a younger reader. Unfortunately, the story feels rushed and could have been fleshed out more to make it more appealing.

Prim, our heroine, has no major defining characteristics besides 'red-haired', 'freckled', and 'thinks she is really unattractive but is in fact stunnin First, I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. In exchange, I am leaving an honest review.

This book reads as "Bridgerton-lite". It has a similar feel, but it's far less scandalous, which makes it excellent for a younger reader. Unfortunately, the story feels rushed and could have been fleshed out more to make it more appealing.

Prim, our heroine, has no major defining characteristics besides 'red-haired', 'freckled', and 'thinks she is really unattractive but is in fact stunning'. As for personality, there is very little to go on. She fluctuates between wanting freedom and wanting to be married, finding her mom to be god-awful (which she is) to having redeeming qualities (which she does not), and other little vagaries that read more as inconsistencies in character than anything else.

The one thing that remains true the whole story is that she is a terrible friend. Prim, in a desperate attempt to find the freedom and adult privileges she craves, talks her friend Olympia into sneaking out to Vauxhall with her on the night of her birthday. Olympia and Prim could both get in major trouble if they are caught. During their night of revelry, the two are split up in a tavern brawl. Prim winds up in the company of a young man ( a "nob" who she also refers to as "man-boy" a lot, which is cringey and gross) and of course, there is insta-love. Finding Olympia basically goes on the back-burner, which is totally cool because she's not an unchaperoned young lady out and about in the middle of the night or anything.

The relationship (if you can even call it that) between Prim and Jacob is based on the tired trope of 'I can be my true self around you!' even though neither of them really have a true-self to reveal. Unless 'hot and misunderstood' is it. Oh, and 'horny but clueless'.

The ending is not a surprise at all, and you can see it coming from a mile away.

I did give it two stars because the writing itself is bearable, even if the rest of the novel is a gigantic eyeroll. ...more

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Nov 05, 2020 Maddie rated it it was amazing

Overall consensus: absolute PERFECTION.

I think the comparison to My Lady Jane in the pitch of this book is spot on. Both books have a similar light, humorous tone with great young female leads. These books would definitely appeal to a similar audience in terms of age and, while both are historical fiction, they have more of an emphasis on the characters’ fun journeys and reactions to the world around them, making the historical element slightly easier to digest for a younger audience or one not ...more

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Dec 06, 2020 Mackenzie | Weekend Prose rated it really liked it

Sixteen Scandals follows Miss Primrose Ainsworth on her 16th birthday - the day her parents promised to have her debut in Society. Prim's eldest sisters (she's the youngest of four!) are married and betrothed, whereas Aster is coming upon her third year season on the "marriage market." Because of Aster's situation, Prim has been told that she is to not debut, and therefore is confined to a purgatory of staying home and reading the same books. Prim decides to take her destiny into her own hands f ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Taylor McCabe rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020

Now that Primrose is finally sixteen, it is her turn to enter Society.... Except, as her mother informs her over breakfast, it's not. She has to wait until her older sister is engaged. Maybe next year. Or the year after. She'll have to wait and see. Tired of being ignored by her parents in favor of her three older sisters, Prim decides to make her own fun; she and her best friend will sneak off to the Vauxhall pleasure gardens for a night of adventure. After they get separated in the chaos, howe ...more

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Dec 05, 2020 Helen rated it really liked it

This is a fun, regency romance for teen readers.

Primrose Ainsworth is just about to turn sixteen. The youngest of four daughters, she is not yet out in society and much to her dismay, she finds out on the morning of her birthday that her mother has no plans to let her debut in society until after her elder sister is betrothed. Not only that, her family have not planned any celebration of her birthday at all. All her mother cares about is the upcoming wedding of another of her elder sisters to a ...more

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Oct 22, 2020 Helena rated it liked it

In congruence with my campaign to judge books by their covers, I requested this book because of the adorable cover and fun title. I love a Regency romp, and this story had definite YA Jane Austen vibes.

As the title implies, the book follows a similar plot to the 80s Molly Ringwald film, “Sixteen Candles”, except it’s set in 1821 England and doesn’t have an extremely racist portrayal of an Asian person. Basically, youngest child and perpetual rule-follower Primrose Ainsworth decides on her sixte ...more

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Jan 10, 2021 Emily rated it liked it

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC of the novel for review. For someone in the middle of their Bridgerton induced Regency phase, this sounded like the perfect YA edition for all the historical romances I've been eyeing. I don't know if this makes any sense, but the only way to describe this is purely YA. It was overall a fun story but a tad predictable and unmemorable, just like a majority of the genre.
The two characters were interesting, but fell flat into the usual archetypes of the Elizab ...more

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Dec 05, 2020 Jessica Samuelson rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, arc, young-adult

This book is essentially Jane Austen meets The Brat Pack.

Primrose has been counting down the days to her sixteenth birthday with increasing desperation. As the youngest of four daughters to a London gentlemen of modest means, she has spent her entire life in the shadow of her older sisters. For Prim, turning sixteen means she is finally old enough to come out to Society and therefore freedom.

When her mother announces that’s Prim’s coming out will be postponed for the foreseeable future, Prim de ...more

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Nov 01, 2020 Alli rated it really liked it

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, perfect for Austen lovers who don't want to reread Emma for the ninth time.

The last of four girls in Regency England, Primrose is used to being overlooked. What she was not expecting, though, was for her mother to tell her *on her birthday!* that she was not going to join the other 16 year old girls and join society. Taking matters into her own hands, Primrose and her best friend, Olympia, decide to have their own night on the town. It doesn't take long for ...more

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Dec 25, 2020 Sarah Minchin rated it really liked it

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review**

The description of this book interested me from the start as I love both Jane Austen and historical fiction. Scanning other reviews before I requested it (a good way to dodge terrible books), I realised that it was based on the classic 80s film Sixteen Candles which I'd never got around to watching. I decided to watch the film before reading the book, just in case there were refer ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Barbara Schultz rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-gr-challenge, ng-2021-challenge, arc, great-cover, netgalley, ya

Although I am not the target audience for this novel; as a high school guidance counselor I liked to read novels that I believe my students would be reading.
I was drawn to this title and cover. Plus the comparison to ‘My Lady Jane’ definitely got my attention.

Time Period: Summer 1821
Place: Ainsworth House, Belgrave Square ~ London, England

Primrose Ainsworth is the youngest of four sisters and she soon will be celebrating her sixteenth birthday.
I was looking forward to a fun YA story. It is cute ...more

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Dec 12, 2020 Erin Mendoza rated it really liked it

Primrose, the youngest of 4 girls, can't wait to celebrate her 16th birthday and come out in society. But when her mother tells her that'll have to wait until her older sister is married, Prim decides to take matters into her own hands. Along with her friend, Olympia, Prim sneaks out for some birthday fun. Almost the whole book takes place during this night of hijinks. While predictable, this story was fun and engaging.
I love stories about girls breaking the mold. Prim was bold, with a thirst f ...more

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Nov 03, 2020 Cindy rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, netgalley

Primrose Ainsworth has made it to the magical age to debut into society, sixteen. Unfortunately, her mother has decided that she will have to wait until after two of her older sisters marry. Prim is terribly upset at still being considered a child. and so she decides to take matters into her own hands and give herself a birthday night to remember. Prim and her best friend, Olympia, head off to Vauxhall for a night of adventure. Adventure is what Prim and Olympia find. I enjoyed the premise of an ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Madalyn Avitabile rated it really liked it

Prim is tired of being trapped in the nursery and takes matters into her own hands on her 16th birthday. When separated from her friend, prim meets Jacob and everything changes. This is a fun, flirty Regency Rom-com perfect for YA fans. Full of commentary about Regency life and women’s rights, Sixteen Scandals gives YA readers a glimpse into the world that our beloved classics were created in. I enjoyed this book and will definitely hand sell when it comes out.

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Dec 09, 2020 Chelsey rated it liked it

Sixteen Scandals was a delightful teen romp in the Regency Era. It's a good starting point for budding Jane Austen and romance readers alike. The plot felt very much in the "Harlequin Romance" area but the writing was adorable and charming so I can't be too hard on it. Primrose and Jacob made me smile and I finished the novel in a single sitting, so I found it quite diverting. If you're looking for a sweet fluffy Regency teen romance, then grab Sixteen Scandals. ...more

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Dec 14, 2020 brook added it

Shelves: dnf, netgalley

I had a lot of problems with this book. The writing was extremely juvenile and the characters acted like toddlers in pre-pubescent bodies. The kissing scene-----like what in the world was that I thought we were over gossip magazine like advice, it was truly terrible. It has such a beautiful cover but the actual book needs some help.

2.5 stars

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Dec 30, 2020 Jes rated it it was amazing

Full review will be featured at the LitBuzz website.

5 stars- I read this delicious and fun take with a Cinderella twist in one sitting. If you’re a fan of the Bridgerton series, do not miss this upcoming release! Primrose is beguiling and headstrong, while Jacob is chivalrous and perfectly swoon worthy. A must read for newly minted teens all the way to the most-dedicated romance reader.

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Jan 07, 2021 Hillary rated it liked it

I'm fine with light-hearted. Not every single thing has to be revolutionary. I'm even okay with predictable in certain situations, but when it became clear the only way our heroine could possibly get out of this was with a man rushing in to save her, I was over it. ...more

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Nov 10, 2020 Britt rated it liked it

This was pure candy, but that is the content ya girl needs rn so.

3 stars!

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Jan 01, 2021 Atijosan Olagoke rated it it was amazing

It is cool

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About Sophie Jordan

Sophie Jordan

7,497 followers

Pseudonym:
Sharie Kohler

Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years ...more