How to Survive a Scandal

Rebels with a Cause #1

by Samara Parish

In this whirlwind Regency romance, a near-death experience leads to a marriage of convenience for two unsuspecting strangers, but will their unusual meeting lead them to true love?

Lady Amelia was raised to be the perfect duchess, accomplished in embroidery, floral arrangement, and managing a massive household. But when an innocent mistake forces her and the uncouth, untitled Benedict Asterly into a marriage of convenience, all her training appears to be for naught. Even worse, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to this man no finishing school could have prepared her for.

Benedict Asterly never dreamed saving Amelia’s life would lead to him being shackled to the hoity Society miss. Benedict was taught to distrust the aristocracy at a young age, so when news of his marriage endangers a business deal, Benedict is wary of Amelia’s offer to help. But his quick-witted, elegant bride defies all his expectations... and if he’s not careful, she’ll break down the walls around his guarded heart.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Regency, Fiction, Enemies To Lovers

332 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 25, 2021

About the author

Samara Parish is an award-winning author of historical romance. Her debut novel, How To Survive A Scandal, won the Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year (RuBY) award in 2022.

How To Deceive A Duke and How To Win A Wallflower both released in 2022. You can download the series epilogue - https://samaraparish.com/rebels-serie...

Her short story, The General's Daughter, is available for free when you sign up to her newsletter - https://samaraparish.com/newsletter

She is always looking for an excuse to procrastinate, so she'd love it if you asked her a question!

As an Australian army brat in the ‘80s, Samara grew up moving from city to city—always with plenty of book boxes (to the movers’ annoyance). She reads anything that lets her escape - in particular romance, YA fantasy, and epic fantasy, although she has been known to read the occasional blockbuster suspense novel, even though she is a total sook who has a tendency to shriek at anything slightly scary.

When she's not writing or reading, she's walking her dogs or trying to tame her out of control harder. She lives in Canberra with her husband (a true romance hero) and her menagerie of pets.

Reviews

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

He wasn’t the fine and graceful gentleman his mother had wanted, or that Amelia was used to, but that was fine. She liked him just the way he was. And that unexpected acceptance had begun to heal wounds he hadn’t cared to admit he had.

Lady Amelia was groomed to be the perfect duchess. She had been engaged to the Duke of Wildeforde for the longest time and soon enough they would be married…except, the wedding will never take place now. The reason? Amelia was caught in a compromising position with the common and unpolished Benedict Asterly. No man would have her now, most especially the Duke of Wildeforde who seeks a respectable wife who is beyond reproach. Forced into a marriage of convenience with the untitled Mr. Asterly is nothing like the life she had been prepared for. And yet, she finds herself drawn to her husband who is the very opposite of the man she dreamt of marrying, who gives her the life opposite of what she has been raised for. A true relationship between the two will be tested for Amelia craves nothing more than to be a part of the society where she was once the most admired and Benedict detests the aristocracy she belongs to. They will have to compromise or risk losing the relationship they built. 

How To Survive A Scandal is the first book from Samara Parish’s historical romance series, Rebels with a cause. This tells the story of Lady Amelia Crofton and Benedict Asterly. If I am not wrong, this was her debut novel. I read this days ago before writing this review so I don’t think I have much to say now. It wasn’t completely forgettable, but it wasn’t that memorable either. 

The heroine of the book was the type of heroine I would have loved. No, she wasn’t the sweet type of heroine I like. She was snobbish, haughty and wanted to marry someone with a title because it was the way the world was for these aristocrats and it was just much more practical to marry a peer for the security it would bring. She had so much potential. I have loved heroines like her before (Annabelle from Secrets of a Summer night and Cynthia from Like no other lover) which is why I wasn’t bothered with her initial attitude, in fact, I quite liked it. Maybe there is something wrong with me but I really like snobbish heroines. It also doesn’t hurt that it is completely satisfying to see their character development. I had much hope for Amelia. She wanted to marry the duke, sure, that is practical, no big deal. She wanted to be accepted back into the ton, of course she would, it was her place, after all. I appreciated her efforts and I always like heroines who know what they want and go for it. I am actually disappointed because I wanted to love her very much. Unlike the heroines I loved which had similarities with her, I feel like Amelia never really grew at all. Who she was from the beginning was who she was until the end. She suddenly realized at the very last chapter that she didn’t want to be part of her society anymore but I felt like it was just to give some redemption to her whatsoever. I would’ve been okay with her still wanting to be part of society (No one can blame her, it’s her world!) but what I didn’t like was how fast she gave up when Benedict spoke his mind. It may have been hurtful but I think what he said was true. I would have liked it so much better if she didn’t pack up her bags and left him. Instead, it was him who came to her until the end. Eh. She did try to be accustomed to her new life which was admirable in a sense and tried to have a purpose so she wasn’t a total disappointment. See, I’ve no problem with her as an individual character. I have a problem with her as a heroine because it felt like she didn’t try hard enough to make their relationship work. 

The hero of the book was a self made man. He was also the grandson of a marquess who deserted his mother when she ran off and married a footman. His mother also wasn’t a very nice motherly figure which explains his disdain for the aristocracy and how shallow they were, especially in his perspective. Benedict and Amelia were caught in a compromising position because he saved her from freezing to death. See, he had good intentions and yet he ended up shackled to a lady who didn’t want anything to do with him. He had his faults as well. I didn’t like how he tried to make the heroine do house chores to teach her a lesson but the heroine was smart enough to figure out what he was playing at and it didn’t even last long. But for the most part, I thought he was a good and honorable man who put most of the effort in their relationship. He tried to welcome her into his life, and even when he detested the aristocracy, he did things such as throw a house party in order to make her happy. I really have nothing more to say except that out of the two characters, he at least had some growth. He was willing enough to make the relationship work that he was able to swallow his pride and follow her to London. Nice guy. Didn’t love him but I don’t dislike him either. He made for a bearable and good enough hero. 

The book wasn’t that engaging either. I lost interest at around 50% but I pushed through until the end because I had hoped that it would get better… it doesn’t. The romance was meh and there weren’t enough spicy scenes to make up for it either. I have very lukewarm feelings towards the characters and the book itself which is why it took me so long to write a review. I just didn’t know what to say. 

This had potential to be better but it wasn’t the worst either. It was good for a debut novel. The author’s writing wasn’t outstanding whatsoever but it was easy to follow. I guess I wanted more romance and I just didn’t get what I was looking for. Also, the duke the heroine was previously engaged to was such an ass, seriously? You would desert your long time fiancee over a scandal that could have been quickly fixed? I get that he wanted a respectable wife but I still thought he was a coward, so I have no interest in reading his book. The father of the heroine also baffled me. I don’t understand how these two (h and H) were forced to marry, (I know no man would have her now) but I don’t think an earl would take kindly to his daughter being married to a commoner? I think he would have rather sent her off the continent. It was weird that it was the father who pushed the marriage but there wouldn’t have been a book if he did not do it. It wasn’t bad! But it wasn’t remarkable either. It was just an average read that I’m not likely to remember. 

Some Quotes:

He was whole. With her in the room, he was complete.

And now he was even more terrified. Because their kiss had answered one question and raised a thousand more. Instead of getting her out of his system, it had planted her at the heart of it. He needed more and— frighteningly— he suspected he always would.

“You’re proud of me? Yet you dress me up in silks and velvets because I wasn’t good enough the way I was.”

“I’m not your mother. I like… this.” She ran her hand across his chest, her cheeks flushing as she did. “And I’m not wasting away.” “I know that.” “Do you?” she whispered. “Because I promise you, I’m not going anywhere.”

None of these girls had any real sense of what really mattered in life. Benedict had shown her. He’d seen a kinder person in her and had taught her how to be that.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

The stranger leaned against the shack walls, and a blond lock of hair fell over his forehead. Deep blue eyes, the color of a twilight sky, stared into hers. He was not the sort of man she was acquainted with. He wasn't pretty or refined; he was granite and rock.

How to Survive a Scandal starts us off with a scandal, Lady Amelia Crofton is found in dishabille, alone in a cabin with Mr. Benedict Asterly by her father, fiance, and Lord Karstark. Benedict had found Amelia unconscious in a broken wheeled carriage on the road during a snow storm, so he brought her to a cabin and was working to warm her up. Lord Karstark is a gossipy old thing and Amelia's fiance since the age of five, the Duke of Wildeforde, hates scandal and now wants nothing to do with Amelia or the scandal. Benedict is a footman's son (he's also the grandson of the Marquess of Harrington but Amelia doesn't know that right away) but to save Amelia's reputation he offers for her and we have our forced marriage of convenience.

Perhaps she wasn't so frigid and dispassionate. Perhaps it was a mask to hide her fragility. He'd been there. He understood.

I enjoyed how this started right away with the scandal and throwing our two leads together right away; the reader learns the characters as they learn each other. Amelia had the traits and personality of what one might think of an aristocratic woman of the time, she's snobby and worried about society. I didn't mind this at first, as I love to go on growth journeys with characters but, except for the very very end, Amelia doesn't lose her need for society's validation. Benedict does more of the changing and he grows to accept his aristocratic side and see how some benefits can come from it. He is an engineer and a partner in a firm that builds steam engines and we get some story of how he's working to close a deal with Americans to build engines and how that will supply the town with jobs. This is during the time of the Peterloo Massacre and while I liked how the author showed the class clashing and upheaval that was starting to manifest, I thought Benedict did more changing than Amelia and that took away some feelings of coming together cohesiveness in their relationship.

He wasn't the fine and graceful gentleman his mother had wanted, or that Amelia was used to, but that was fine. She liked him just the way he was.
And that unexpected acceptance had begun to heal wounds he hadn't cared to admit he had.

Since the marriage of convenience starts early, I was looking for some slow burn tension and while they had some moments, I can't say I really felt the emotion between the two. Their personalities never fully gelled for me and even though there is an orgasm scene for Amelia, this is a bedroom door shut romance. I usually like at least a peak in and without their personalities giving me an emotional connection, Amelia and Benedict never really came together for me.

The end wraps-up with a surprise inheritance that was a little disappointing to me, it took away more opportunity for Amelia to show some growth and the story-thread about the Americans and steam engines being hastily dealt with to the side. There are some secondary characters that drew my interest (the foreman Oliver should definitely get his own story) and I'm sure everyone is going to want to know what is going on between the Duke of Wildeforde and Benedict's partner in the firm Fiona. This had some compelling elements but unfortunately, felt pretty bloodless to me.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one from the start, Lady Amelia is an awesome heroine feisty, strong and so very determined, when she is saved by Benedict Asterly from a carriage nearly freezing to death the life she had planned is just not going to happen, come along and see how things turn out.

Lady Amelia had been raised to be a duchess, she can embroider, do flower arrangements play piano, make small talk and knows how to manage a household filled with servants, but when a mistake sees her forced into a convenient marriage to untiled, uncouth Benedict Asterly, Amelia throws herself into organizing his life, his business and household and her heart is opening up to him in so many ways.

His innocent and well-meaning rescue of Amelia has changed his life completely, after all that happened to his mother the aristocracy is something that he steers clear of, he will never confirm to their ways he wants his sister to stay clear as well, but Amelia has other ideas and when she goes all out to help him with a big business deal and Benedict can feel the walls built around his heart crumbling in the most sensual way.

This one is witty and fabulous the banter between Amelia and Benedict had me smiling throughout the story, it also had me cheering them on as they journey through some very tough times and delightful times, there are lots of emotions, and I fell for Benedict hard and Amelia I loved her courage, she never let herself get knocked down. This is one that I would highly recommend I am looking forward to the next two in the series.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Amelia has been groomed to the perfect duchess since she was 6 years old. She didn't play, read, or really have any sort of childhood due to her hand already being promised to the Duke of Wildeforde. The Duke was willing to do his duty to marry Lady Amelia just when he was ready for her, the years went by and there was always a reason on why they couldn't marry. In a brash move, she leaves London without a ladies maid, and get stuck in the snow. Mr. Benedict Asterly finds her and brings her inside. There they are "caught" and she is ruined. The Duke refuses to marry her, and thus Benedict steps in. He thinks she is to haughty and likens her to an ice princess. But slowly her ice façade melts and they realize that this may be the best thing that ever happened to them if they will allow it.

I loved the playful banter between them, and even when they didn't understand one another you could feel their sexual tension. I loved seeing everything new through Lady Amelia's eyes and her understanding that she was worth more than just a pretty face and what she could bring her father. The entire town is highlighted in this book, and it was refreshing to read an historical romance that was more about the working man then the aristocracy. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next.

*note none of what I wrote is a spoiler it was covered in the first two chapters to set up the book.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first novel by a new author! Benjamin thinks he is doing a good deed by rescuing a woman. Instead, he is forced into marriage to a woman, Amelia, whom had never even noticed his lowly self before. Amelia, betrothed to a Duke since childhood, is furious about being forced to marry below her station. At first they try to make the best of it, with Amelia saving his business interests with her social skills, wit, and connections. They later grow to greatly appreciate each other. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for my honest review.

[Justine Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this delightful debut. Amelia is a wonderfully original heroine in this fish out of water/ reversal of fortune novel. Handsome, intelligent and driven hero Benedict is a perfect match for Amelia in every way.
I enjoyed this book immensely and cannot wait for the next one.

[Joanna Loves Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it a good debut. The story flowed well and was easy to read. At about halfway, however, it started to lose steam.

The h&h become engaged when Benedict rescues Amelia in a snow storm. In the process of getting warm, they are caught in a state of undress by her father, her fiancée and a spiteful lord gossip. When her fiancée, a duke, refuses to marry her due to the scandal/gossip, Benedict offers for Amelia. The difference in their upbringings and social stations is a source of major conflict throughout the book.

This book takes place a few months after the Peterloo uprising, and Benedict is decidedly on the aristocracy-is-bad side of things. Amelia was brought up to marry a duke and everything that entailed. She is a snob and is resentful for her drop in status and significance. They butt heads in the beginning quite a bit, but eventually form a tentative bond and way forward where both give some to meet the other on level ground. Amelia embraces Benedict’s business ventures and helps in meaningful ways, and Benedict allows Amelia to manage their household by hiring staff and redecorating dilapidated areas. Outside forces that came in the form of local threat of an uprising, important business ventures falling through, and society snubs threatened that tentative bond.

This is a fade-to-black book, which was surprising considering how the lust and early intimacies are described. I prefer no love scene to a poorly written one, but I do think one or two would have helped this story, particularly with keeping some tension in the second half. I think it could have helped with character depth, though their were other threads that could have been delved into more to help in that area too, such as flashbacks to their previous meetings or insight into Benedict’s relationship with his father.

Resolutions to conflicts in this tended to be based on compromise. Both needed to be less judgmental of the other social and also make steps to fit in with each other’s worlds. That didn’t work great, in my opinion, because in the end they were both straddling an unstable line. Based on what was show of the Amelia’s fair weather friends, I was surprised she didn’t get to a good riddance point on society. Ultimately, I was hoping they would pave their own path more, rather than bow to pressures on both sides.

I plan to continue this series with the next book. I really liked the planned heroine of that book in this book, and despite some issues, I liked the writing style and thought this book an easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.

[ChasingLeslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Benedict Asterly rescues a woman from freezing to death in a storm, he has no idea that he's about to change both of their lives. Having been found alone with Benedict, Lady Amelia Crofton's lofty future has been upended. The two are forced to marry and struggle to find common ground. But when Benedict's business interests are threatened, Amelia hope she can use her skills to show she can be an asset as a business owner's wife.

This is author Samara Parish's debut novel and it's a really solid showing. Amelia has been betrothed to a duke since five years old and has been told all her life that her only value is in the title that she marries. She seems haughty and insufferable at first but, as the layers are peeled back, she's vulnerable and craving a place to make her own. Benedict hates the aristocracy. He grew up a commoner with ties to a title, never feeling good enough. Even with a lucrative business and a prominent place in his community, his marriage to Amelia brings back memories that he wished could have stayed in the past.

These characters have good chemistry, but my only complaint is that their relationship takes a backseat to the the events-driven plot. The storytelling is very good, but the heat level is low and I wanted more romantic connection. There are "breadcrumbs" for book two, and I'm hopeful that those characters will have a stronger emotional bond.

Tropes: Compromised, Forced to Marry, Class Differences

Eggplant Rating: 1

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #HowtoSurviveaScandal #NetGalley

[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: This was cute! I liked the overall premise. Even though the arranged/compromised marriage has been done before many times, this felt different enough to not feel repetitive. I liked the characters, I liked their progression to deeper feelings, and I liked the businessman aspect of the story. I didn’t like was the complete lack of steam. I don’t need a ton of sex or anything! I just felt like anything could’ve contributed to feeling their connection and I didn’t get anything. I also thought the epilogue sucked. It was super short and left with a lot of unanswered questions. All being said though, I will be looking into this author for more books because I liked her storytelling capabilities.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Amelia and Benedict’s story. Benedict finds Amelia in a dangerous situation and saves her life. What he doesn’t realize is that he now has to marry the girl to save her from ruin. Amelia has been raised since childhood as the new duchess after she gets married, but all things turn upside down when she has to marry a non-titled businessman instead. There are some culture shocks of living in the country, some fun banter, and some drama...and they get a HEA ending.

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

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.

H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Benedict. I liked him. He was a good man.

h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Amelia. She was tough to take at first, but I ended up liking her.

Sadness level: Low/moderate. I did get a little emotional at times, but I never needed any tissues.

Push/Pull: Yes The H pushes away and he also pursues the relationship

Heat level: Low. There is one scene with some touching but stops there and no sex descriptive sex

Descriptive sex: No

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation:Yes, but only physically They are separated shortly (month?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Not really

Closure: This has an epilogue it’s super short and just alright even though I would call it a HEA ending they’re still married and she’s pregnant

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 the H pushing the h away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending

[Milena Tasheva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Очарователен исторически романс, почиващ на класическите за жанра тропи - брак по принуда, противиположностите се привличат и т.н.
Написан е свежо и забавно, а главната героиня много често се излага, така че има и доза реализъм.
Ако не обичате романтика, не я четете.
P.S. Корицата стана много bling-bling, доволна съм

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Full disclosure, this is a client's book, but still, it really is good!!!)

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

3.5 stars! Started off strong. I really liked the ice princess dynamic because hello we love character growth but the remainder of the book felt like it focused way too much on their individual projects.

[Renaissance Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this debut and look forward to the rest of the series and anything else Samara Parish will write. I liked both our hero and heroine and the growth they experienced, the wonderful cast of side characters, and how each element of the plot was woven together to make it all feel well-balanced. The setting was also really fun, going mostly between Benedict’s estate and the factory where he worked to build steam engines for an important deal with the Americans. I really enjoyed the sexual tension between Amelia and Benedict leading up to steamier scenes, however I was disappointed this was a closed-door romance as the chemistry between them was so promising. This was my personal preference, though, and other readers might not mind this. Overall, I would recommend this book and can’t wait for Wilde and Fiona’s story in book #2!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Betrothed to the Duke of Wildeforde for most of her life, Lady Amelia Crofton, the only child of the Earl of Crofton and reigning belle of the ton is tired of waiting for the duke to finally set a wedding date and means to convince him that it is time to wed! In her rush to get to his estate, she leaves unprepared for winter travel and without her maid – mistakes that will change her life forever when she ends up stranded and half-frozen to death on the road. But, as luck would have it (or not), she is saved by Wildeforde’s neighbor and one-time friend, Mr. Benedict Asterly.

Benedict “Ben” Asterly is a self-made man, the son of a misalliance between the daughter of a marquess and a footman, Ben has no liking for the Aristocracy, especially when he saw how unhappy his mother was in his father’s world. His distrust for nobles increased when his mother left them and disintegrated, even more, when he found her alone and dying and her father refused to help. Since then, Ben has avoided interacting with the nobility – but when he is found in a state of undress with Lady Amelia by her father, her fiancé, and a gossipy neighbor, his honor will not let her be ruined, so much to her horror, he offers to marry her.

At first, their marriage seems like it will be just as awful as his parent’s was, but Amelia surprises him time and again and he finds himself agreeing to changes that he has always been adamantly opposed to. Additionally, Amelia’s connections and standing in the ton may be exactly what he needs to secure a lucrative contract to build trains for an American company. Things seem to be going well and Amelia feels like she has finally found her “place” and begins to open her heart to Ben and his young sister, but her happiness is cut short when a tragedy has Ben questioning his actions of late and placing the blame for everything squarely on Amelia. Can these two find their way back to the happiness they had just begun to share? Or will past hurts make a future together impossible?

What a great debut novel! It is a well-written, nicely-paced, fresh, and original story with very likable and relatable characters. This book is a great “fish out of water” type story with strong characters, warm love scenes, detailed character growth, wonderful secondary characters, betrayal, misassumptions, some shocking twists and turns, a dash of angst, some interesting historical facts woven into the story, and a very lovely HEA complete with a touching epilogue. I enjoyed the story despite some title errors and a couple of questionable timeline plot points (it is important to note that the copy I read was an ARC/Proof and any errors/inconsistencies I noted may well be corrected in the final, published copy.). Overall, for a debut, this book was outstanding and I believe Ms. Parish will quickly become a “must-read” author for historical romance lovers! This is the first book in the series and I am happy to recommend this title and will be impatiently waiting for the next installment!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

[Jocelynereadsromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I was immediately drawn into the story from the first line and it kept we fully enthralled till the last. I am amazed that this is Samara Parish's debut, it was so well done. I found her writing to be entirely engaging and very well paced. This novel is very character driven, which I absolutely love when it comes to romance. I was so taken with the story, with the hero and heroine, and with the supporting characters that after I finished I immediately preordered a copy of the finished book for my personal library.

This book is the story of Ben and Amelia who find themselves in a forced marriage in order to save them from scandal. From this forced marriage at the beginning of the novel, we see the growth of two people as individuals and as partners. I found their journey to be one of such beauty, I felt ashamed and embarrassed for them when they misstepped, I felt sadness and heartbreak when they hurt each other and I felt overwhelming joy as I watched them slowly fall in love and become stronger people.

Amelia-our heroine has been raised to be a lady, she has been betrothed to a Duke for most of her life so she is use to giving off the air of perfection. Because of the way she was raised in London society Amelia comes across as very selfish and self-centered at the beginning of her journey. I loved watching her grow and get a better understanding of the world around her as she works to find her footing in a country household. I love that she is able to discover an underlying independence that helps her to make changes around her and stand up for herself and her needs. Amelia is able to realize by the end of the book that she is worthy, that she is not perfect and that she does not have to be, and that she can chose who she loves.

Benedict-our hero, is an untitled gentleman who works for a living. He has a strong distrust of the aristocracy and all it has to ofter due to his mother. Because of this distrust, Ben is constantly questioning his relationship with Amelia and they start off on the wrong foot. As they grow to better understand each other, Ben begins to see Amelia in a new light. I love that around half way through the novel we see Ben soften toward Amelia. He recognizes how strong and smart she is and he makes sure to tell her that. Ultimately, Ben has to realize that he is someone worthy of Amelia's love and trust before he can trust her in return.

This novel so absolutely charming, I loved watching Ben and Amelia go toe to toe at the start of their relationship and then slowly learn to respect each other and embrace a more physical side of their relationship as they slowly built their love and trust. This novel was very sweetly sensual, there is very little, to almost no explicit sex on the page (and although I would not have minded more) I did not feel like it was missing from the novel or their relationship. I loved that by the end of the novel both Ben and Amelia were on equal footing and equal understanding.

I very highly recommend this novel. I think if you love historical romance you absolutely can not go wrong with this one. I am so excited to add Samara Parish to my author watch list, I can not wait to continue reading more books by her as they are published, and I especially can not wait for the second novel in this series (we meet the hero and heroine in this novel and I am so excited for their story)!

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Overboard in a corset and britches.✨

Where do I begin? This book was an incredibly windy set of train tracks. The first half of the book reminded me so (SO!) much of Overboard. Ben was Kurt, Amelia was Goldie, and I absolutely ate it up on my finest China (Longaberger pottery circa 1997). When the two of them were forced into a marriage of convenience, they collided in charming absurdity, est. 1987. Basically, the two were forced into getting married—Ben, a footman’s son with major resentment of the wealthy; Amelia, haughty diamond of the first water born to marry a duke. I loved the character development and just the journey these two went on together. It was so sweet to see them grow together.

I loved the chemistry between the two and I was so ready for them to make a little magic before the night was through. However! I need some mega watt binoculars or superman vision because this was pretty much all closed door. It got a smidge smutty here and there but it was never enough. I felt my hopes and dreams of five stars fade to black as well. Is it ethical to dock at least one star due to lack of explicit sex scenes? I’m not sure but I’m about to find out because your girl needs the kerosine.

The ending got so absurd and just a little bit Shakespearean—just so many bad things happened there were basically cue cards for the audience reading “oooooo,” “ahhhhhh,” “eeeeeek” at every page turn. I think at one point I just muttered “bruhhh” and took a minute for myself. I was impressed with how it was all resolved in a record low number of pages. The epilogue probably could have been a smidge longer, but it was definitely a bonus.

The cover couple also looks like what was described in the book. Especially Ben, like this dude absolutely nailed it. Congratulations random citizen! You’re hot! And canonically sound!

Overall, this one was a bit hard to rate. I really, really missed the explicit connections in the bedroom, entanglements in the bath tub, detentes in the dining room. If I wasn’t so wound up on missing the sex, I think I wouldn’t have been so impatient to get to the end (in hopes that we’d get some more action). I mean yes we got a preview but honey paid for the feature film. Wilde and Fiona? Light my heart ablaze I’m so excited. Wilde can definitely get it and I’m so ready to see his cravat come undone.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶/5


Note: Us reviewers have been heard! Samara said in a Zoom that book two will have more explicit sex scenes because she now understands the depth that is lacking!

[Габриела Иванова · Rating 4 out of 5]

Много се колебаех каква оценка да дам, тъй като през цялото време бях на кантар какво ми е мнението за книгата. В крайна сметка стигнах до заключението, че ми хареса.
Бяха засегнати хубави теми. Амелия през целия си живот е била подготвяна да стане жена на херцог, учена да бъде изтънчена, да води светски разговори и т.н. В последствие на това се беше превърнала в ужасно арогонтен и повърхностен човек. Това на моменти доста ме дразнеше. Обаче Бенедикт я промени. Научи я, че мнението на другите не е всичко, че да се трудиш не е срамно. Също така той се погрижи да се чувства пълноценна, тъй като баща й я беше третирал като мебел. Беше много приятно да чета за катарзиса й. Бен също си имаше своите демони и тя му показа, че не е като майка му, че и той заслужава да бъде обичан.
Не ми се понрави претупването на сексуалните сцени. Те направо си липсваха. Не мисля, че има нещо лошо в тях, стига да са написани добре.
Нещо не ми достигна, затова и давам 4 звезди. Не мога да определя какво точно, но по време на четенето нещо ми липсваше. За мен романът беше по-различен от другите в жанра. Имаше повече мисъл, не беше плиткоумен, засягаха се хубави теми. Ако харесвате подобни книги, може да й хвърлите око.

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was delightful and I’m excited to find a new to me author.

I really liked Amelia and Benedict. She’s ever so proper and he’s one of the people and together they have so much potential. I loved reading their relationship progress and how they found their own rhythm. Of course Cassandra was sweet and I really hope we get to see more of Fiona.

Plot wise it was good. There are a few moving pieces here and some of the conflict definitely could have been handled with a conversation. I wanted more scenes of Amelia and Benedict settling into married life instead of the sweet parts getting glossed over. Oh, and the epilogue was short, but effective.

Overall, it was a great start to a new series and I’m eagerly awaiting the next book.

**Huge thanks to Forever for providing the arc free of charge**

[Debra Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benedict is a hard working man bringing jobs and opportunities to his village. He's poised to win a lucrative American contract for his steam engine design when the deal is thrown in jeopardy when he's forced to marry Lady Amelia. Amelia has been betrothed to the duke since childhood, but when she's stranded in a snowstorm and nearly freezes to death, it's Benedict who rescues her. When they're found together, the duke refuses to marry her. Now wed to a commoner, Amelia is furious that everything she worked for her whole life could change in an instant. Can Amelia learn to love her honorable and hard-working husband or is she destined to live the rest of her life in misery?

This was the first book I've read by Ms. Parish and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked how Amelia learned to value other things in life besides setting the perfect table or presiding over inane teas. She was a resourceful and determined young woman, but I really loved Benedict. He was so honorable and tried to do the right thing for everyone, but he was thwarted at every turn. It takes a near tragedy for both Amelia and Benedict to realize the true value of love and companionship and get their HEA. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

[Niki (mustreadalltheromance) · Rating 3 out of 5]

All her life, Lady Amelia Crofton has expected to become a duchess and has prepared for nothing else. But all that planning is shattered when an unfortunate incident sees her compromised into marriage with untitled, ill-mannered Benedict Asterly. Amelia is left adrift and uncertain, especially when she finds herself feeling a pull toward this man she could never have prepared for.

Benedict Asterly thought only to save Amelia’s life, not see himself bound forever to a high in the instep society lady. His hatred of the aristocracy has developed from a young age so he’s very leery of his new wife and suspicious when she offers to help after news of his marriage jeopardizes his business interests. He’s not prepared when Amelia proves to be different from his expectations in many ways and finds his well-guarded heart in danger.

This is a new book from a debut author, and it has so much potential and quite a lot going for it. Sadly, there were aspects here that I enjoyed and others that just didn’t work for me. Amelia as the spoiler, self-centered debutante came off as a bit overdrawn and it took her too long in her development for me—my dislike of her had already solidified by the time there was any improvement and she kept regressing back to that old hateful behavior too often for me to really get past it, especially since she was usually able to recognize when she was doing it. It annoyed me how little respect Amelia showed Benedict as she completely upended his world, threatened his business, and made decisions about the raising of his sister without consulting him, all the while only focused on how awful things now were for her. Amelia and Benedict did both show a great deal of character development as she learned to be her own person and to think of others rather than just herself and he learned he could have associations with the aristocracy without losing himself. Unfortunately, it was three steps forward, two steps back with this couple and Amelia did nothing to make Benedict feel like he was enough for her. He also did himself no favors by trying to please everyone and spreading himself too thin. I didn’t like the feeling that Amelia was finding herself while Benedict was losing himself. There were several missed opportunities for true communication between Benedict and Amelia, especially in the bedroom, that would’ve made all the difference in the strength of their connection, but sadly these scenes faded to black or devolved into more arguments, making the relationship never quite seem stable, even in the end. Their relationship was interesting, it just felt rather incomplete for me and I wasn’t sure they were wholly solid even at the end, largely because this one featured my pet peeve, the third act separation.

There was a lot of plot going on here with conflict coming from Benedict’s business contracts and his relationship with the villagers, as well as Amelia’s attempts to continue her position in the aristocracy, along with their attempts to establish their married relationship. There was quite enough conflict already between Amelia and Benedict before all this extra turmoil was added. The ending was unexpectedly dramatic, which I didn’t mind at all, but it still left me feeling like Benedict spent all of his time working to take care of everyone else and receiving nothing in return. I think more intimacy shown between Amelia and Benedict would’ve helped a lot, even if it was just some intimate, heartfelt conversation. Overall, this was a strong debut, even if it had some elements I didn’t care for. I liked the secondary characters and look forward to Fiona’s story.

I listened to the audiobook version of this as well as reading it and Christy Jones' narration definitely helped pull me into the story much more than when I was merely reading. While her characterizations didn't make me like the heroine any more, rather the opposite in fact, she absolutely nailed her character exactly as I had imagined her in my mind. This story still has elements that don't work for me, but those are down to the characters themselves and were only helped by the lovely narration.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is incredible! It is heartfelt, romantic, pulls at your heartstrings, thought-provoking, moving, and so much more! Whenever I picked up "How to Survive a Scandal", I was whisked back in time to the Regency Era, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.

This is the first book I have read by Samara Parish, and it certainly won't be my last! Her storytelling is spectacular! She truly knows how to bring the world of her story and characters to life, and I was so immersed from the first page to the last. Her characters all feel like such real people, and their interactions and conversations feel so authentic to who they are. Moreover, I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. Parish must have done, as she truly includes so much in this book that is imperative to the story: what was expected of upper class women in society, the building of steam engines, tension between upper and lower classes, and much, much more.

Lady Amelia has been brought up since a very young age believing she will marry a duke. She has been told her worth is based on who she marries, and she has never imagined anything different for herself. Benedict Asterly is hard-working, passionate about helping others, and caring. Though he often puts up a cold exterior, he truthfully is very warm and loving. From experiences in his own life, and of those he cares about, Benedict despises the aristocracy. When Amelia is found by Benedict on a freezing night alone in a carriage, Benedict brings her home to keep her alive. The two are soon seen in what seems to be a compromising position (though it is not in any way) by Amelia's father, the Duke of Wildeford (the man she is supposed to be marrying), and an awful older man who likes to spread gossip, whether true or not. When the man who Amelia is supposed to marry refuses to marry her, Amelia and Benedict are soon told they must marry. Never could Amelia have imagined how this night will change her life forever, and how it could possibly lead her to a different happiness than she had imagined. Never could Benedict have imagined how this one night will alter his life, and how it will open his heart in a completely different way.

(Possible Spoilers!)
This marriage-of-convenince story is such a great read! Watching Benedict and Amelia truly realize how much they have come to love one another is simply beautiful to read! They truly learn from each other, grow together and apart, and come to realize that, though they are different in many ways, they are more similar in others than either could have imagined.

Moreover, I absolutely adore Fiona and Cassandra! Benedict's relationship with his sister (Cassandra) is so sweet, and truly shows a softer side to him that Amelia slowly begins to see from the start.

If you enjoy Regency Romance, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages to see what would happen next and how everything would work out. There are twists and turns to this story, and poignant messages. Many moments had me on the edge of my seat holding my breath to see what would happen, and many moments had me simply swooning. I so hope we see Amelia and Benedict again in future books!

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this book, it is amazing! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Survive a Scandal by debut author Samara Parish is a fabulously fresh take on regency romance. This fish out of water story delivers everything readers expect from the genre plus so much more.

After being found in compromising situation, Lady Amelia Crofton is dumped by her Duke fiancé and quickly married off to lowly Benedict Asterly, a mere country Mister and son of a footman.

Amelia struggles to accept her new life at first, but soon discovers that the skills which made her a society darling can be put to use as she carves out a place for herself in her new husband’s home and business. Benedict admires the way Amelia can overcome any challenge thrown at her. Before long he battles growing feelings for his new wife, despite his loathing of the aristocracy. The simmering chemistry and developing relationship between these two is a masterclass in conflict and sexual tension.

But possibly my favourite thing about this book is how it deviates from the usual London setting and focuses on life in the country. The exploration of class struggles and political divide among the townspeople and the out-of-touch aristocrats felt fresh and timely.

I can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I was unsure how I would feel about this book during the first couple chapters, but I kept reading and ended really enjoying this book. This a fade to black romance. The year is never stated, but I think it is supposed to take place during the late regency era, though the mention of hot running water in the hero's house threw me off. Benedict, the hero, is a businessman and engineer. He is working on a new type of train engine, and is trying to get a contract with a group of Americans for the production of said engine. His father was a footman and his mother was the daughter of a marquess. He has a strong disdain for the aristocracy. He lives simply, and is raising his 12 year old sister. Amelia, our heroine, has been engaged to a duke since childhood. She has basically been raised to be a duchess. She is very popular among the ton, very ladylike, and a typical woman of her time and station. She starts off a bit bratty, but it is a little refreshing to have a heroine that isn't the awkward wallflower that so many regency heroines are. (though I do love my awkward wallflowers). I enjoyed both the hero and heroine, and I loved the younger sister. The story was a bit repetitive, but still interesting. I found this to be a pretty quick read. I enjoyed it enough to be interested in continuing the series someday.

[Ceylan (CeyGo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read How To Survive A Scandal.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this “forced to marry” romance. That is one of my favourite tropes, and I loved Amelia and Benedict, both as individual characters and as a couple.

I’ll definitely want to read the next book in the series !

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 3 out of 5]

“How to Survive a Scandal” by Samara Parish is a first for this author to this reader. The story is about Lady Amelia and Mr. Benedict Asterly. Upon being caught in a compromising position, they were forced into a marriage of inconvenience. However, the problem between the two is that the heroine has been raised to be a lady and married to a duke. She has no inclination of living a life outside of being catered to and living the high societal life as part of the London ton. On the other hand, there is the hero who has lived among and worked with the common people.

Early on in the story, the heroine is portrayed as shallow and self-centered. Not having to work for anything or the ability to do household chores uncommon to her, she later transforms into a caring and loveable person although she can’t forget her past and upbringing. I enjoyed how the author developed this character to change her way of thinking and know that it is not all about her but those that count on her that makes her a worthy and loveable person in the end. For the hero, his untitled and wishes to never become a titled gentleman. Unfortunately, the duty falls in his life at the death of a cousin who he barely knew. He has strained relations with his grandfather and resents a mother who abandoned him when he was young, thus his dislike for the aristocrats and society. Again, I liked the development of this character and having him understand that becoming a gentleman with a title does not change the person inside or the beliefs you hold.

Typically, I like to see more intimacy in my historical novels and this one fell short in that category. There could have been more relationship building between the H/h instead of the confrontational meetings that was a bit much in the story. The story was nicely written but only kept me moderately interested.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enemies-to-lovers historical romance, How to Survive a Scandal follows Lady Amelia and Benedict, a couple from two different worlds who are thrust together after a near-death experience. When Benedict rescues an unconscious woman from the freezing elements, he had no idea that the woman was Lady Amelia.

Though they don’t want to, the pair is pushed into a marriage so that Lady Amelia’s pristine reputation isn’t tarnished. Benedict distrusts the societal elite, and Amelia knows nothing of the working class, as she was trained to be a duchess. What happens when two people from very different worlds collide?

It’s interesting to see how Amelia and Benedict get over their impressions of each other and what they represent. Amelia and Benedict are vastly different in their social standing and their views of the world. Benedict scorns the elite and has great disdain for the way men and women of the ton use their time. Amelia looks down upon the working class and holds the people and etiquette of the upper crust in high regard. I like that they both learn to be less judgmental and have opportunities to see the positives of each other’s worlds. Of course, they both see the negatives too, and they have to figure out how to be part of both worlds, which proves challenging.

The romance between Amelia and Benedict runs hot and cold, which isn’t surprising considering they were all but forced to marry. Amelia and Benedict are harsh toward each other at times, and they sometimes say hurtful things to each other, which seems intentionally mean. It takes them time to understand, like, and respect each other, and they are often unnecessarily harsh. Though I didn’t love that aspect of their relationship, they are passionate about their feelings, and the sexual tension and chemistry are wonderful. When they both let their guard down, their romance is lovely, which, I think, is the point. Without walls, without societal constraints, without the judgment of others, Amelia and Benedict care for each other. They challenge each other in so many ways, and they change each other for the good. It’s definitely a unique, well-developed, opposites-attract relationship.

Other characters in the story are also really interesting, like Benedict’s younger sister and his co-workers. The story hints at another intriguing romance between an unlikely pair, and I’m curious to see what happens with this couple in future books in the series. It is clear they have a past, and I think they might have a future as well!

I think Amelia is very underestimated throughout the story, and there are definite messages here about gender roles and equality. There are also strong messages about prejudice, inequities among social classes, and the harmful nature of hubris. As Ben tries to insure a contract with an overseas company, the story examines the tense relationships between England and America during this time. I like that the story highlights relevant and prominent issues of the time.

This is an intriguing debut novel from Samara Parish, and I think lovers of historical romance will enjoy How to Survive a Scandal. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Forever, and Samara Parish for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Half way through the book, I could no longer tolerate Lady Amelia's insufferable personality and behavior. Alongside the disastrous lead, the characters and romance lacked that oomph, the story dragged and became too tedious to read. Perhaps it was just me, but it seemed like a whole lot of nothing was happening. There was barely a plot to hold my interest. All in all, if I could go back in time and unread this regency romance, I would.

[Rosie (readingrosiee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise! I was excepting the typicL wallflower to duchess story, but HOW TO SURVIVE A SCANDAL was something WAY better.

Lady Amelia was raised to be a duchess. But when an outing goes terribly wrong, her future is upended and she’s thrown into a marriage of convenience with Mr Benedict Asterly. From the highest of society to country living, Amelia and Benedict must find a way to work together or they may lost it all. The slow burn, the character growth, and story line had me flipping pages at lightening speed. I LOVED IT.

The beginning threw me for a loop. I wasn’t expecting Benedict to be the lead and Amelia wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Instead of steaming fitting perfectly into her new life, she wrestled constantly with her upbringing, accepting who she was versus who she is, and her place in her new life. I found myself angry with her lack of adjustment, BUT Parish does SUCH AN AMAZING job of developing Amelia’s character that you shift with her. I loved Amelia by the end. Her & Benedict’s growth as people together and separate was my favorite part of the book (besides the angst of course).

Have I mention that I loved it yet? If not, I LOVED IT & HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It got my out of my 3 week slump.

Thank you to @readforeverpub & @saramaparish for my copy

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delicious Regency debut novel is amazing. This book is a really interesting tale of an arranged marriage.
When Benedict rescued a freezing young Lady he thinks it's a good deed done until he is caught with her.
Amelia was raised to be a duchess until she's caught with a untitled gentleman. Now that seems to be the worst thing that could happen to her.
This is a delightful book which deserves a five star review.
This author's debut novel is amazing!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[i_hype_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rescue from a wrecked carriage leads to dishabille and disaster...

When Benedict rescues Amelia from her capsized carriage, he doesn't think about the repercussions. He just knows he needs to find the closest shelter available and get her warm as fast as he can. She is pale, her pulse is weak, and she's talking nonsense. Of course he still notices how delectable she is. But he ignores that side of his brain because he knows they are complete opposites. She is a spoiled belle of society and he is a self-made man- the result of an affair between a notorious noblewoman and her brawny footman.

She's suddenly issuing commands like an ice princess, and the only way to quiet her down is to pull her into his lap. Of course the moment he is settling in, the door bangs open and they have the attention of an audience. Her father demands they marry - she is on the verge of receiving a proposal from a duke and she refuses. But her duke avoids scandal at all costs -- and he can't afford to wed a woman whose scandalous encounter is on the tip of every tongue. So Benedict does the valiant thing and rescues the reluctant damsel in distress. He assures her that their marriage will be one of convenience, in name only.

Amelia is flummoxed by her handsome husband. She wanted a spouse and a household she could control. She wanted a relationship that didn't make her dependent or weak. And her husband's glimmering gaze definitely makes her weak in the knees. She can't help staring at his biceps, or how he fills out his breeches, She can't help but admire his quicksilver mind and his accomplishments. And she's falling fast.

He can give her the purpose and security she longs for, and she can give him the peace and confidence he needs. But first they have to admit how they feel and simply surrender to it.

I absolutely adored this lush historical romance with all my heart. A huge thanks to Netgalley and Forever for the chance to read it in exchange for an honest review.