A Touch of Scandal

James Family #2

by Jennifer Haymore

The last thing Garrett, Duke of Calton, expects to find while tracking his sworn enemy is the delectable, mysterious Kate. This beautiful servant girl rouses a longing the battle-scarred ex-soldier had never hoped to feel again. But when she turns out to be the sister of the man he seeks, he's convinced he's been betrayed.

Kate knows her duty to her family, yet how can she ignore Garrett's powerful pull on her heart? Or the heady temptation of his stolen-and sizzling-kisses? Scandal has followed the duke since the war. Now the greatest shock of all is on its way-the one that can separate Garrett and Kate forever.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Regency, Historical Fiction, Regency Romance

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Verity · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS.

This Cinderella story (he’s a scandal-magnet Duke, she’s a housekeeper’s daughter who – gasp ! - enjoys peeping @ the Duke’s nekid @$$) didn’t evoke as strong a visceral response from me as the prequel’s love triangle did. Prolly ‘cuz this sequel’s plot wasn’t as complex / compelling as AHOW.

The one thing that kinda bothered me was how quickly Kate fell head over toes for Garrett. Ok, I like drooling over a gorgeous traffic-stopper as much as the next person, unless the next person is a nun on a rickshaw. So Garrett’’s the hawtest specimen of humankind Kate’s ever laid eyes on in her otherwise-monotonous life, but I couldn’t quite buy her deep feelings went to that extent (more like an insta crush on a marquee movie star), e.g.


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All that in the 1st 53 pages ? I dunno. I get it that whenever they meet, they feel like bangin’ like a barroom door on a windy day, but H/H haven’t spent that much "alone" time (only sporadically throughout the book) & only get together again in the last 30 pages. Also, Kate came across as inconsistent & an “easy” lay, ‘cuz she’s the 1 who most of the time initiates their luvmaking despite Garrett’s initial reluctance (he warns her, no strings attached). She seemed too desperate to lose her cherries, ‘cuz he may be the 1st & the last dude to ever cross her downtrodden path. An example of her internal dialogue :

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Another thing that was kinda suspect : her misplaced loyalty to her bitchy mommie dearest & cuckoo bro. I’m sorry, but if all my life my mom has been treating my twin bros like the golden children & I’m merely her much-abused mental punching bag, being delegated w/ the thankless job as the sole caretaker of my li’l asthmatic bro’ (I used to be asthmatic so I get the heroine’s ordeal) & to deep-massage red chili on my gaping wounds, mom has the audacity to try to brain me w/ a poker, I wouldn’t feel so charitable even if she’s the vessel thu’ which I was born. Same goes for the villain. If I knew my own bro’ turned out to be a creepy loony rabbit torturer (have I mentioned that I luv rabbits ?!?), a liar, a cheater, a manipulative SOB (no pun intended) & gawd knows what else, I wouldn’t have any compunction to turn my back on him.

The ending also didn’t have the heartrending, bittersweet outcome that AHOW had. When HEA seems to shine its dim light @ the end of the dark tunnel, fate decides to throw a curve ball to prolong H/H’S suffering. Alas, I’m not a fan of that particular plot twist, tho’ I shoulda seen it coming ‘cuz it’s been hinted @ from the prequel that Garrett still has some unfinished business. @ that point I was like, geez, as if he’s not tortured enuff, the poor chap still can’t catch a break, it’s 1 calamity after another. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d raised his clenched fists @ the thunderous sky & holler, “What have I done in my past life to deserve this ?” LOL… Is he ever gonna be in control of 1 thing in his life ? Give him a break. He’s like a fav yo-yo, endlessly played & misused by peeps around him. I thought he’d need lifelong therapy after the emotional & physical wringer he’s been thru’. Another thing that annoyed & baffled me, was the appearance of a reptile in several scenes, esp when H/H are making out. What’s the purpose of that, other than to creep us out ? I. Hate. Reptiles. .

There were some aspects of ATOS that I enjoyed reading. Fortunately the villain finally gets his comeuppance & that chapter is closed in less than halfway, I was glad that dangling thread from the prequel didn’t get dragged on & on to the bitter end. I did think, “Obsessed much ?!?” when the unhinged villain kept repeating himself like a broken recorder, w/ his motive for taking his revenge on Garrett for so long.

When H/H go @ it like rabbits on Viagra, the inner perv in me wanted ‘em to go on & on heheee..., ‘cuz they seem to connect more this way, w/ so li’l heart-to-heart time. If anyone deserves a HEA in 1 of the longest-winding roads in romancelandia I’ve ever read, it’s Garrett. Kate, not so sure. I expected her to hold out her amorous inclinations longer. I think in hindsight, I woulda liked it much better if H/H didn’t get to 4TH base until they went home after villain expired.

Overall, it’s uneven for me. It had some of the themes that I usually luv : a damaged but shagadelic hero, improbable romance, a heroine who seizes the day & the H/H’s long bumpy journey (400 pages to be exact) towards HEA was quite riveting in some places & not in others. I just wish they didn’t fall in luv so fast & hard & they’d spent more quality time together. It seemed like hero was on the rebound, fresh off his divorce. Heroine just latched onto the 1st guy that came along. And this coming from someone who luvs ‘Luv @ 1st sight’ theme, I was a bit disappointed that it’s not as memorable as AHOW. I’ll still buy the next book ‘bout Rebecca, Garrett’s sis, but I’ll have some reservations ‘cuz I wasn’t too cwazy ‘bout her here.

[Dinjolina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This whole rew is connected to The rew of book one

Enjoy my rant!

This book succeeded in being a bigger mess than the first one. I have no idea HOW!
Maybe it was some of the following things:

a)Garret just poof stopped thinking about Sophie as soon as he started liking Kate. Fickle man! All that drama in book one and now he just lives it down in five minutes? Super. Makes me wonder why he ever called dibs on Sophie when he was young. He should have just left her to Tristan THEN.

b)The mistress. God was she annoying! How did he EVER like her? What is wrong with him? Why did he want to marry her? OMG!!!! I wanna scream!!!

c) The fact that NOW he doesn't like his mistress. Oh please! Now? Is it not to late for that mister?

d) The marriage. Will it be? Now? Now? Or now? Will Kate be late? Will Garret know? Will he know? What will happen? The first five pages I was like 'Oh now!I hope Kate will tell Garret!' After 20 pages I was having a headache. And after all the drama in the nick of time we come to the next point that blew my mind

e) The paternity. Why do we not know the paternity of the kid? He said he was ALWAYS careful. We know Willy was reckless. So ehm...is it not like a 98% possibility it is the eeeeevil presons kid? Why are we even talking about this? Why was it not just written that it is the wackos kid and then Kate, as his sister, could take it? Angst. I am drowning in angst!

f) The reasons he never got to his family. That was just mean. The author might have just walked all over Garret. I mean was there any other way in which she could have took more from him? In any way? He was in Belgium with a woman that was paid to keep him there and away from his family and kid because..why? Because of a crazy person? That is just…horrible. He lost EVERYTHING because of these people. Sure, he now has Kate. Yay for him. But man oh man…all the stuff he has been trough! And he has a bastard I don’t even want to talk about that is maybe his, maybe the kid a a coocoo but surely the kid of a paid whorish moron.

g) Sophie and Tristan's grand entrance. Horrible. All that love in the air. All that acceptance. All of it so natural... No. Just no. This is the reason I hated the ending in book 1. There is no way it would have been so clean. Ever. Not even in a fairytale. And this? Sophie being all happy because Garret has somebody? And she even said ‘even thou it is so soon’. EVEN THOU IT IS SO SOON????!?!?! Oh, my God! What woman would be ok with this? How can she be stone cold about Kate? Or about the kid that may or may not be his? OMG!! OMFG!!!!!

Do not get these books if you are not really in to some heavy drama. And at that, drama that would never be there if not for crazy bi-polar twin that wanted revenge for no reason what so ever. Think about that. Think about it. A crazy bi-polar twin that wanted revenge. Yeah, that’s right. All that is missing is the evil stepmother. And maybe some makeovers. All in all it is almost as good as the typical plot of Latin American soaps.

The horror!

[Angelc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Fisk is forced by her family to be a maid in her brother's home. Between those duties and caring for her sickly young brother, Reggie, Kate never has time for herself. Until she spots the handsom stranger in her special spot, the pool between her brother's house and the abandoned manor where she lives with her mother and Reggie. She feels like the stranger has been sent from Mt. Olympus and she isn't even sure if he's real. But when he spots her spying on him and introduces himself, she realizes that reality is better than any fantasies she's made up about him. Garrett doesn't trust anyone anymore. Ot even the seemingly innocent girl that his heart keeps telling him to trust. The two of themfall in love against all reason and before learning who the other really is. Little do they know how entwined their lives really are.

I loved the feeling of love at first sight at the beginning of the story. It felt really natural and real to me and had a sense of innocence about it that I really liked. Garret and Kate both had a lot of baggage. Garrett was already divorced and had a child, and Kate was responsible for Reggie. This didn't matter when they were together, it seemed like they could beat any odds against them.

Kate Fisk is forced by her family to be a maid in her brother's home. Between those duties and caring for her sickly young brother, Reggie, Kate never has time for herself. Until she spots the handsome stranger in her special spot, the pool between her brother's house and the abandoned manor where she lives with her mother and Reggie. She feels like the stranger has been sent from Mt. Olympus and she isn't even sure if he's real. But when he spots her spying on him and introduces himself, she realizes that reality is better than any fantasies she's made up about him. Garrett doesn't trust anyone anymore. Not even the seemingly innocent girl that his heart keeps telling him to trust. The two of them fall in love against all reason and before learning who the other really is. Little do they know how entwined their lives really are.

I loved the feeling of love at first sight at the beginning of the story. It felt really natural and real to me and had a sense of innocence about it that I really liked. Garret and Kate both had a lot of baggage. Garrett was already divorced and had a child, and Kate was responsible for Reggie. This didn't matter when they were together, it seemed like they could beat any odds against them.

I really liked Garrett's sister, Rebecca and can't wait to read her story next. She was very frail and delicate on the outside, but whenever it was needed, she mustered up everything she had to get the job done.

The only thing that kept this book from being a five star read for me was the long period of separation for Garrett and Kate. I wanted to read more about their interactions with each other, because they were so sweet together. But instead, they spent a lot of time pining away for each other.

I tried to read the first book from Haymore when it was released, but quit reading soon after I started. After the first scene, I felt like it was going to be erotica (which isn't my cup of tea) instead of historical romance. But this book never seemed over the top in that regard, so now I'm going to go back and give "A Hint of Wicked" another try. Although, that book involves a love triangle with Garrett and I have a feeling I'm going to have a soft spot for him over the hero of that book.

If you are in the mood for a sweeping, dramatic, 'true love conquers all' type of story, I highly recommend this one. It really stands out from the crowd.


This book was provided for review by Hachette

reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Haymore’s books are sophisticated, deeply sensual, and emotionally complex. With a dead sexy hero, a sweetly practical heroine, and a love story that draws together two people from vastly different backgrounds, A TOUCH OF SCANDAL is positively captivating!

[Cinnamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like that, Jennifer Haymore has once again caught my attention and left me completely captivated. Her tales of romance, deception, and adventure continue in A TOUCH OF SCANDAL, the sequel to A Hint of Wicked. Admittedly I was a little nervous about reading this book. A Hint of Wicked was so emotional and so good that I honestly didn’t any of her other books could live up. We’ve all witnessed a sequel that didn’t quite meet our expectations and I didn’t want to see this from Ms. Haymore.

Well, I certainly didn’t need to be worried!

Following in the footsteps of A Hint of Wicked, A TOUCH OF SCANDAL holds the same heart wrenching emotion that we saw earlier. There are probably readers out there who have not experience A Hint of Wicked yet so I will try not to release too many spoilers, but it’s going to be difficult. I’ll let you in on the story, but will attempt to refrain from using too many names if I can avoid it. Honestly, the names of the characters really don’t matter as much as the situations that Ms. Haymore puts them in and the way she develops the story.

Our hero of this story is on a mission to hunt down his enemy and attempt to rescue a young girl whose reputation is on the line. Heart-broken and practically destroyed, our hero is fairly single minded in his anger until one beautiful sight stops him in his tracks. Kate, a beautiful and alluring servant girl draws our hero in like a moth to a fire. Hardly expecting his heart to ever mend, our hero is shocked when he finds himself drawn to her. Perhaps there is hope yet for this man’s battered soul.

Just as our hero finds himself inexplicably drawn to Kate, this lovely girl finds herself falling for him. Class and status issues aside, secret kisses and stole caresses find their way between the two. Everything could fall apart however when our hero discovers that his beautiful Kate is in fact the sister of his enemy.

If there’s anything I can expect from Ms. Haymore, it’s a dose of romance followed by a delicious helping of tension. This is the kind of story that gives you goose bumps and has you reading early into the morning simply to find out what happens next. We love our hero and Kate. We want them to be together but Ms. Haymore certainly isn’t going to make it easy on us. Her talent is in creating a wonderful story that is as much a work of art as it is an addiction.

Fair warning time: A TOUCH OF SCANDAL does have adult themes and graphic scenes.

Obviously I would highly recommend A TOUCH OF SCANDAL. A Hint of Wicked lived on in my mind for months after reading the book and I have no doubt that this story will follow suit. Ms. Haymore’s clear imagery and smooth writing style make these books complete winners. Her ability to reach out and stir our emotions around is fantastic and something that really makes her a wonderful author. If you haven’t experienced her books yet, I highly recommend you start with A Hint of Wicked and then move on to A TOUCH OF SCANDAL. I’m pretty confident in saying that if you love romance fiction, you will absolutely fall in love with these books.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I read: I received the book for review from the publisher.


Favorite Quote: “But I would kill any man that touched you. I can’t let you go.”

Katherine Fisk has been peeking at a mysterious man for eight days now. Every day on her three mile walk home from work, she sees this delectable man bathing in a pond. It has become the highlight of her day, after working as a maid to her brother William and his wife Rebecca. All is not how it seems however. Her brother eloped with Rebecca four months ago, and is living way beyond his means. Rebecca has no idea Kate is her sister in-law. Kate goes along with the charade because she has a sickly brother who lives with their mother, and she is able to go home to him every night, giving him the care he needs as his mother pretty much ignores him.

While watching this man one evening, she is caught, and comes face to face with him. She learns his name is Garrett, but nothing else about him. He is very handsome and her attraction goes full force. Garrett reciprocates this attraction, even though she is in a dirty dress. What Kate doesn’t know, is Garrett is actually the Duke of Calton. He is on a mission to find William and kill him. William blames Garrett for the death of his twin brother eight years ago and held him captive and basically tortured him for many years after his death. Garrett came back with no memories and a wife who presumed he was dead and remarried someone else.

When meeting Kate again and enjoying a picnic with her, William captures him, much to Kate’s surprise. Garrett, realizing Kate is William’s sister assumes she was in on the plot to catch him and assumes the worst of her. Kate is now torn between being loyal to her family or trusting this man she just met. As the truth is slowly revealed, Kate, Rebecca and Garrett realize life has much in store for them.

I have mixed feelings about A Touch of Scandal. The first half of the book has quite an adventurous feel and I enjoyed the secrets and prisoner held captive scenario. But it was hard for me to buy into Kate and Garret’s love at first. When Kate and Garrett meet, they have such inherent trust in each other. Garrett even mentions he has to keep his guard up while seeking William and then foolishly makes out and seduces Kate in the open, while not even knowing who she is. They just became very familiar very quickly.

What would it feel like to lose herself with him?
It would be pleasure like nothing she’d ever known, she thought. it would be the most glorious experience of her life. She’d felt this always, even from the beginning when she’d watched him in the pond and he wasn’t aware of her existence. Deep in her soul, she’d known that of all the men on Earth, this particular man could become her world.

I understand an early attraction with someone – but just from glancing at him swimming in a pond, I don’t get how she knew he could be her whole world.
After the adventure in the beginning, things slow down in the second half of the book although I enjoy the time spent on Garrett and Kate’s relationship. Once Kate discovers who Garrett really is, she is not so eager to jump into his arms. He must convince her true love really exists, and here is where I started to fall for the characters.
I had a slight problem with Kate’s relationship with her mother. Now, her mother is quite a despiteful person and only shows love for William and his deceased brother. I had no problems with Kate getting away from her, but throughout the beginning she preaches how important family is to her no matter what dirty deeds they have done in the past. While I understand she can’t side with William after a certain point, she completely tosses her mother aside after a horrific event. Near the end of the book, she waltzes back into her life like nothing happened.

A Touch of Scandal has high and low points for me. Putting aside their immediate feelings, I recommend for the eventual journey Garrett and Kate travel.

[Joana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garrett, duque de Calton, chega com o intuito de levar LAdy Rebecca, sua irmã, para casa, matando o seu marido, Willian Fisk, o desprezível soldado que o atraiçoara de diversas formas!
Mas, o que Garrett não esperava era encontrar Kate.. a bela e aventureira Kate, que com a sua inocência e ingenuidade torna-se o centro do mundo do duque.
Mas, como seria de esperar, não será fácil unir estes dois apaixonados!
A começar por William, que apanha Garrett e Kate num momento íntimo, e prende o duque nas suas masmorras, alegando que este é um homem perigoso e procurado pelas autoridades, até lhe confere um apelido diferente, para que a sua família, em especial a irmã e a mulher, não saibam quem Garrett é na realidade.
Enquanto isso, Lady Rebecca mantém-se alheada de tudo, até mesmo da identidade de Kate, até que ouve uma conversa do marido, e parte em auxílio da recém-descoberta cunhada e do irmão.
Num acesso de muita bravura, Lady Rebecca, ou Becky, salva o casal.
Decidido a proteger, e tomar conta de Kate, Garrett leva-a para Carlton House, juntamente com o seu pequeno irmão, Reggie.
Ao princípio tudo parece estranho, e não melhora com a chegada de Joelle Martin, uma mulher do passado pós-perda de memória de Garrett, e para surpresa de todos, a bela jovem está grávida!
Desgostosa, Kate parte, deixando Garrett livre para casar com Joelle, e assim, fazer o que é devido, mas ao voltar a casa, a jovem descobre provas do que sempre desconfiou de Joelle, e envia-as a Becky.
Conseguirá impedir o casamento?
Para os que leram "Um Toque de Perversão", e que esperam que este segundo volume venha na mesma linha do primeiro, lamento desiludir, mas esta estória nada tem de perverso, mas não é por isso, que se torna menos encantadora!
Jennifer Haymore tem um dom de escrita, que envolve o leitor da primeira à última página, fazendo-nos querer sempre mais e mais.
O romance entre Garrett e Kate é jovial e fresco, mas não menos escaldante ou desejável.
Garrett é-nos já conhecido. Uma personagem forte, com carácter e determinação.
Kate é uma novidade, além de nova e inocente, é também uma personagem sólida e com a qual nos identificamos prontamente.
A leitura foi rápida e deliciosa, e quando acabou, só conseguia questionar-se: "Para quando mais?".
"Um Toque de Escândalo" é escandaloso, vibrante, sensual e frenético, todos os ingredientes necessários a um excelente romance erótico
Jennifer Haymore não desilude, e continua a conquistar fãs com o seu excelente trabalho!

[Bookaholics · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Touch of Scandal by Jennifer Haymore
Historical Romance- March 30th, 2010
5 stars

This is the second book in Jennifer Haymore’s Regency series. In the first book, A Hint of Wicked, 2 men vie for the love of 1 woman. Garrett the Duke of' Carlton returns home after years of amnesia to find his young wife, Sophie has remarried to his best friend! Unfortunately, Sophie and Garrett have changed and Sophie finds
she is really in love with his friend Tristan. Rejected, his hopes dashed, Garrett was a very sympathetic character. I was really excited to read Garrett's story since I loved him in the first novel, and at times I wanted Sophie to pick him instead of Tristan. But you don't have to read the first novel before reading this one, because this story easily stands alone. However, it was especially interesting to me because I read the first book and was thrilled to read his story.

This second book is very different from the first, it focuses on the typical forbidden love story that we have all heard before: the servant girl who falls for the prince. Though that does happen with Kate and Garrett, the addition of plot twists with past mistresses, and ex-wives makes this story a page-turner. You can't help but enjoy a classic forbidden love story when it is done well, which is the case with Jennifer Haymore's strong second novel. If you like historical novels with good plot twists similar to Nicole Jordan and Amanda Quick, this up and coming author is a wonderful choice. I give this novel 5 stars. I loved the first-rate twist on a classic story, a happy ending that had to be earned, and some evil villains that we love to hate.

Reviewed by Sophia from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading A Hint Of Wicked, I so wanted to read Garrett's story. As I read this book, I was not quite sure of what I thought. There were parts that I did not like, parts that I did and some parts that I loved. Would I tell anyone they had to read this book? No I would not. But over all I did like it enough to want to read the next book in the series, A Season Of Seduction.

[Teechbiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so excited about this book. I can't wait to begin reading

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great follow up to A Hint of Wicked!

I will be honest here... I think I would have had a hard time enjoying this book had I not read A Hint of Wicked first. Or rather, I would have been disappointed that I hadn't read A Hint of Wicked first, so a word to the wise... read these books in order! I'm a big fan of reading books in order anyway, but in this case, the first book gives you a LOT of background on Garrett, William Fisk, Tristan and Sophie. And once armed with their histories, I think A Touch of Scandal will be a much more enjoyable read. Plus, isn't it always fun when your "friends" show up in another book?

A Touch of Scandal starts with us meeting Katherine (Kate), a sweet, outspoken young woman whose loyalty to her family is met with little regard and returned affection since she has lived in the shadows of her two older brothers all her life. Working as a servant in her brother's own home by day and caring for her ailing younger brother by night, Kate daydreams about the man she spied bathing at the pond near her home and rushes there each evening hoping to catch another glimpse of him. Garrett is clearly smitten with the servant girl he finds spying on him but his mission is simple... to find and kill William Fisk. But Garrett and Kate's mutual attraction is electric so he puts his quest on momentary hold to enjoy Kate's company before completing his mission and leaving the area for good. Little do they realize that their worlds are about to collide with monumental force, leaving Kate to question her loyalty in what becomes a war of vengeance between Garrett and her brother.

This story has a lot of colorful twists and tight hairpin turns that keep the reader engaged throughout and Ms. Haymore definitely has a knack for creating situations that make the reader wonder how on earth are they going to get out of this? and then they do! And just when you think things are about to settle down, a big twist comes, and in Garrett’s case, lands literally on his doorstep, leaving Kate to decide if she is ready to fight for what she wants!

I really enjoyed this book. Garrett is a strong man who has been through an emotional battlefield after already having served in the war, and of course the drama from A Hint of Wicked. Kate is strong girl, but she's also compassionate and loyal. Garrett recognizes Kate's inner beauty beyond the servant garb but obstacles litter his path to happiness, including his divorce which is being finalized and a lover he was on his way to reunite with. But my one big gripe with this story was the fact that after one short conversation with this "god sent from Olympus" - Garrett and Kate's initial meeting, mind you - Kate decides to give herself to Garrett the next day. Whoa! That is way too quick for me, even in romance world! She doesn't even know this man's last name, let alone anything else about him! And I found absolutely no justification in the fact that she knew she would probably never see him again. Nope. Did not work for me. However, I am willing to suspend belief for a scene and enjoy the rest of the story, which does flow well and keep the pages turning.

In addition to catching up with Sophie, Tristan and Miranda (from A Hint of Wicked), we also meet Garrett's sister Rebecca - and she plays a big supporting character in this story. She also becomes the focus of the last book in this three book series, A Season of Seduction, coming out in October.

All in all, a great read and a great series! I can't wait for the next book!

[Adriana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Acabei hoje Um Toque de Escândalo, o segundo livro da serie James que conta como protagonista o Duque de Calton - que já era um dos protagonistas do primeiro livro desta serie.

Garrett, desde os seus tempos de guerra que viveu num constante escandalo devido ao seu divórcio com Sophie que casou enquanto achava que ele estava morto com o seu melhor amigo Tristan. Amargurado e magoado, deseja vingar-se do homem que o destruiu.


Kate Fisk tem um hábito secreto de observar um estranho homem a banhar-se num rio em que esta tem por hábito ir após um dia de trabalho. Este homem misterioso intriga Kate de todas as formas que se sente atraída por ele de uma maneira que não consegue explicar. Até um dia em que ele a apanha a observá-lo. A partir daqui a atracção entre ambos é avassaladora e inegável, no entanto há algo mais profundo que os pode separar...é que Kate é irmã do homem que Garrett deseja matar por ter destruído a sua vida e a da sua família - William Fisk.

Ao descobrir a verdade, Garrett acha que Kate está metida num esquema com o irmão para o apanhar antes dele se vingar. Kate fica então dividida entre a lealdade para com a família e o desejo por Garrett. Sem saber em quem acreditar e quem mente, Kate segue o seu coração e deixa-se levar pelo duque até ela descobrir a sua verdadeira identidade.

Primeiro que tudo, eu gostei imenso do primeiro livro e por isso fiquei ansiosa por ler a continuação. No livro anterior tinha ficado com imensa pena de Garrett, a quem deseja um final feliz a que não teve direito no primeiro livro.

A escrita da autora é fluída, leve e lê-se bastante bem. O enredo foi bem construído e até me surpreendeu, visto que pela página 100 achava que a história estava concluída e não estava a ver como é que poderia acontecer alguma coisa que me surpreendesse, o que não correspondeu à verdade e, por isso, já valeu a pena por me ter surpreendido.

Achei o romance entre Garrett e Kate rápido demais. A atracção era inegável e bastou dois dias para ficarem rendidos um ao outro, achei toda essa corrente de sentimentos um quanto forçada. Nos romances de época/históricos gosto de um desenvolvimento mais lento neste aspecto. No entanto, comecei a afeiçoar-me mais às personagens no meio do livro, quando toda a história ganhou mais piada. Mesmo assim continuei a achar que certos acontecimentos foram rápidos demais sem ter havido grande descrição de momentos importantes.

A pouca actividade de Tristan e Sophie - protagonistas do primeiro livro - também me deixou um pouco desiludida. A chegada deles e a interacção deles na história pouca relevância teve.

Em suma, neste livro houve partes que gostei muito e outras que nem tanto. E por isso está um pouco abaixo do primeiro livro a meu ver. Mesmo assim, valeu a pena e, por isso, vou continuar a seguir esta serie.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts ...



There's not much Kate has going for her.. that is until very recently. At a private and secluded place she's found that paradise comes in all shapes and sizes.. And by golly she's going to enjoy as much as she can. For a few days she's been 'spying' on one of the most beautiful man she's ever laid eyes on.


Garrett has also found the scenery and seclusion peaceful and relaxing. He's on a mission to rescue his wayward younger sister unaware that he has captured the eyes of Kate.

At their first is anything but normal and dare I say unique and exciting. Within moments Garrett finds himself deeply intrigued by Kat e and manages a few stolen caresses and kisses. Neither know of each other's true identity.

Unbeknown to both Garrett and Kate, there are outside forces working to keep them apart be any means necessary.

Kate is protective of her family especially her younger brother Reggie.

She has no clue what her older brother is truly like and what he has in store for Garrett and herself.

Garrett know exactly what he is facing but he first get Kate to realize
how dangerous her older brother is and what he is capable of.

I just received this today and once again, I found myself under the spell of yet another addicting novel.

'A Touch of Scandal' is downright sinful, intriguing and so easy to fall in love with the characters of this book. Just when I thought it the drama, heartache and suspense was over for Kate and Garrett…bam…another obstacle is thrown at them.

I do not believe all the hell Kate and Garrett go through hurts the storyline or characters at all. Especially the hell Ms. Haymore puts her characters through.. Especially two particular character that are such a bitches to certain characters. Readers will know whom I am talking about once they “A Touch of Scandal’ for themselves.

'A Touch of Scandal' has manage to do what other historical romances have rarely do in this genre.. It has simply enticed me with its wicked charming tale of riveting tale of a long forgotten romance. And one last thing....There is a hell of lot more going on beside the lovetorn lovers of Garrett and Kate to keep many readers eyes glued to the book until the very end.

Kudos to Jennifer Haymore for her ravishing piece of work she has done with ‘A Touch of Scandal.’


I rate ‘A Touch of Scandal’ a 4 out 4 Star rating




Book review by:


Veronica
Strictly Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to review. It is being released on March 30th.

Jennifer Haymore is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. With her elegant descriptions and heart-tugging plot lines, I can't say enough good things. In the follow-up to A Hint of Wicked, we learn more about Garrett James, the long lost Duke of Calton. He's on the hunt for William Fisk, the man who stole his life and fortune for eight years. He's out for revenge and has no intention of stopping until he gets it.

Katherine Fisk is William's sister and nothing like her wayward sibling. She's unladylike, brash, unconventionally beautiful, and completely devoted to her little brother Reggie. Her life consists of work, Reggie, and her mother. Unaware of William's ulterior motives, she works for he and his wife, Lady Rebecca. Lady Rebecca is the duke's sister, and she isn't aware of Kate's relationship to her husband. William has kept it a secret.

When Kate is walking home one night from her job, she comes across Garrett bathing in a pool. The pool is her secret place, and she is stunned to find someone else there. When she is discovered by Garrett, they feel an immediate connection--as if they were two souls searching for one another their whole lives.

One of the reasons I'm so enthralled with this book is the classic "love at first sight" plot. Often, in romance, we see the hero and heroine entirely at odds with one another until a relationship begins to develop. In Garrett and Kate's case, the relationship is there from the start. They are, however, fraught with complications but determined to find their way back to one another.

I highly recommend this book if you like sexy, sweet romance. It made me smile more than once.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

"The last thing Garrett, Duke of Calton, expects to find while tracking his sworn enemy is the delectable, mysterious Kate. This beautiful servant girl rouses a longing the battle-scarred ex-soldier had never hoped to feel again. But when she turns out to be the sister of the man he seeks, he's convinced he's been betrayed.

Kate knows her duty to her family, yet how can she ignore Garrett's powerful pull on her heart? Or the heady temptation of his stolen-and sizzling-kisses? Scandal has followed the duke since the war. Now the greatest shock of all is on its way-the one that can separate Garrett and Kate forever." (From Amazon)

The second book gets better and Haymore's writing gets tighter and better. A good historical romance adventure.

[Freda Mans-Labianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book to me was a lot like most romances. There was a bit of suspense, they met and ravaged each other, fell madly in love and then had a family. Not much out of the ordinary really, but still entertaining.
This is one of those books that you read on a rainy day. You can easily get lost in the story, and will find it a fairly easy read. There were a few new words to me, but I enjoy learning and looking words up.
All in all, not bad, not great.

[Mafi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 estrelas

A história não me cativou como a do primeiro livro mas mesmo assim gostei de ler e viver o romance da Kate e do Garrett =)

Curiosa para ler o 3º livro e ver como vai ser a história da Rebecca!

[Ermione Pickwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 This is almost as agonising as the first one.

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This romance is filled with complex characters and emotions. I enjoyed it very much, in large part due to Garrett's backstory. I didn't read the previous novel, A Hint of Wicked , but I kind of wish I did. Not because it was in any way confusing, but because I feel like I would have had a more complete and fulfilling reading experience that way. I definitely plan to pick up A Season of Seduction , which comes out in October and features Garrett's sister.

[Elsa Dantas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garret é um Duque que sem se aperceber colocou toda a sua familia em perigo.
Agora ele procura Fisk, o homem que fugiu e casou com a sua irmã, e pretende matá-lo por todo o sofrimento que ele causou.
O que Garret não esperava era apaixonar-se pelo caminho por Kate, a filha de uma governanta, e também a irmã do seu inimigo.
O livro é muito bom, é cheio de aventura e suspense, que nos leva a ficar muitas vezes com o coração na mão. Mas também tem cenas amorosas e escaldantes que nos aquecem o coração.

[Sharyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd in the series, the story of the Duke from book one. He has quite a backstory, and he is off to get revenge. He has followed the villain and comes upon a woman watching him skinny dipping. He gets involved with her and then thinks she betrayed him. The heroine Kate seems too innocent to be believed. Eventually, a complicated plot ensues, but after much anguish and several misunderstandings, there is finally a HEA, and now off to read Rebecca's story.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Daniela Cristóvão · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,3 Estrelas!
O último livro do ano e foi fabuloso *.*

[Alda Delicado · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story with some interesting plot twists. I liked this one better than the first in the series. Let's see how the story unfolds in the last one...

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A história da gata borralheira... previsível, mas sempre encantadora 😍

[Isalys B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Touch of Scandal is the follow-up novel to Haymore's A HINT OF WICKED which I reviewed back in May of 2009. It was because of that novel that I fell in love with regency romance and Jennifer has now become one of my auto-buy/favorite historical romance authors.

In A HINT OF WICKED, we meet Sophie, the Duchess of Calton and her new husband Tristan, best friend and heir to her deceased husband, Garrett, the Duke of Calton.

It was believed that Garrett had perished during a battle in Waterloo. However, it wasn't until seven years later that they find out that Garrett never actually died, but was living as a farmer in Belgium because he has no memories of his life as an English Duke. As soon as his memories return, he high-tails it back to England to reclaim his life and his wife. Imagine the shock of finding that she married his best friend. Let the games begin...

Sophie and Garrett are not able to reconcile their marriage after so many years apart and at the end of this novel, Garrett finds himself in the midst of a scandalous divorce.

Now begins HIS story...Garrett is becoming reacquainted with the life and responsibilities of a Duke while mourning the loss of his marriage and looking for his enemy; the man responsible for the seven years of life that he lost. While searching for him in the countryside, he comes across a hidden pond that he enjoys swimming in. During one of his evening swims, he spies a girl watching him. He confronts her and is captivated by her. Despite her lowly appearance, she's lovely and has a smile that could light up a room. They begin a mutual flirtation until he finds out that she's the sister of his arch nemesis *gasp* and on top of that, he also finds out that she's the maid to the girl he's trying to rescue (I won't mention who in case some of you haven't read the first book) *gasp again*.

Kate spotted the mysterious man a few weeks ago and is completely mesmerized by him. She has never seen anyone more beautiful and she finds herself rushing home after "work" to watch him swim (in the buff - naughty girl!).

A Touch of Scandal focuses on the forbidden love between Garrett and Kate...the Duke and the servant girl. However, this book is so much more than a love story when you consider the evil villain who tries to kill Garrett (along with others), the betrayal of an ex-lover, and the stigma of rank.

There wasn't a single thing I didn't love about this story. Jennifer has a true talent for creating an enthralling story with a hero/heroine you want to root for, a villain you love to hate and twists and turn that will keep the pages turn well into the night.

This historical romance is filled with love, passion, deception, scandal and most importantly, the loyalty of family. If you loved A HINT OF WICKED, then DO NOT miss out on this novel. And if you haven't read either one, get your booty to your local bookstore and get them both!

Psst, we have her third novel to look forward to in October 2010 *high five*

[Sandy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew with Jennifer Haymore’s debut book, A Hint of Wicked, that I’d found myself a new autobuy author, and AToS, which picks up where AHoW leaves off, proves that I made the right decision. And best of all, I like this latest book even more than her first.

Of course, Garrett is a favorite since we met him in AHoW. Having lost the love of his life to his cousin, he sets off on a return journey to the woman he thinks might soothe his broken heart. But he doesn’t get quite that far before both his heart and his world are first taken to new heights and then shaken again to the core.

I really like Kate. She intrigued me from the moment she wants to leave her maid position early to get down to her secret lake where he has been bathing and lounging for the last week. Sly gal. She likes herself a little peek of the male form she’s not supposed to be ogling. But she can’t help herself, and this time she does get caught. Thank goodness it’s by Garrett.

Looking for the bastard who betrayed him, stole so many years of his life, and was the impetus for losing Sophie, Garrett is closing in on William Fisk. But a little side affair with a willing and beautiful woman just might be in order. However, Garrett is touched by Kate’s innocence as well as her eagerness and desire. They enjoy some time together before betrayal is upon him again.

Both Garrett and Kate are thrown together in a set of cruel circumstances. They don’t find out who each other is until it’s too late, their feelings and hearts are engaged. Finding out Kate is Fisk’s brother is a blow to Garrett. Being held in the family basement, he begins to see Kate’s dilemma, though, when she’s the one who takes care of him during his captivity.

I admire Kate’s loyalty to her family. But then after a bit I began to get a little ticked at her steadfastness to them when they didn’t deserve anything from her. It’s hard to imagine Kate coming from a bunch as the Fisks. At one point I did want to shake her and yell at her to wake up, smell the coffee and the roses, woman, leave those idiots behind and be happy with your man. Thank goodness she does see light. I just wish it had come sooner.

Just when you think things are settling down and these two will finally have some peace to get to know one another better, well, you get wumped up the side of the head for thinking that. There’s enough twists in this book to keep you guessing along the wrong lines for a long while.

We also get caught up with Tristan and Sophie from AHoW. We get to see how Garrett finally takes care of his people when given the chance and not ostracized for his past behavior. And, of course, there’s little sister Rebecca and her ill-conceived idea of love. Her book is next and I look forward to her finally finding some happiness.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com

[Patti TheLoveJunkee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Touch of Scandal started off with a bang: Kate Fisk is leaving her employer's house to go watch a naked man bathe!!! Whoa!

Kate is the daughter of a servant, and her current employer is actually her brother William and his new wife, Rebecca. William has married "up" and doesn't want Rebecca to know his true station. He can't afford a bunch of servants so Kate works for them. It is while walking from her brother's home to her own that she comes across a beautiful man bathing in a small lake. Since that first view, she's taken to looking for him on her way home, hoping to get another peek. He sees her watching, and surprises her. He tells her only that his name is Garrett, and they almost instantly feel a connection. They agree to meet again the next day, where their passion for each other is expressed in a physical way.

Garrett, Duke of Calton, has been searching for William. William and Garrett are sworn enemies, but Garrett doesn't know Kate is William's sister. William holds Garrett responsible for the death of his twin and has made it his mission to make Garrett's life miserable in every way imaginable; this includes eloping with Garrett's sister and taking him prisoner in order to torture him.

Things come to a head and Kate ends up living in Garrett's home, surprised he's a duke, loving him although she knows she cannot. When Garrett's former mistress shows up, days away from having his baby, Kate knows what she must do.

This book had so many twists and turns, I was turning the pages to find out what was next! The storyline was not what I thought it would be - I love when that happens! From Kate's "mystery man" to William's and Garrett's enmnity, from Kate's awful mother to Garrett's snobby aunt, and between Garrett's ex-wife and his ex-mistress, the storyline had me wondering what else Kate was going to have to deal with before she got her well-deserved HEA. I even liked her sickly younger brother, Reggie (which, anyone who knows me knows how I feel about kids in romance books ---> bleh).

What I didn't care for was the "instant attraction" between Kate and Garrett. In a paranormal romance - oh, yeah, I love the instant attraction! Not in a historical romance. It was almost immediate that they couldn't live without each other. I think that with everything going on in the book Ms. Haymore would not have had a problem making the attraction a bit more gradual.

I give A Touch of Scandal 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Ms. Haymore's next story in this series, A Season of Seduction, is about Garrett's sister Rebecca - can she find love after William crushed her heart so badly? Although she seemed a bit timid, I liked Rebecca and would love to see her get a HEA

[Tempo de Ler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A jovem Kate não está habituada a receber apreço; nem mesmo, e principalmente, daqueles que lhe são mais próximos. Acostumada a ser ignorada, basta um vislumbre de Garret para que se veja consumida pelo perigoso fogo da paixão… perigoso porque Kate se sente terrível e irremediavelmente atraída pelo homem errado!
Garret já experimentou e sobreviveu a coisas horríveis…Há imenso tempo que não sentia nada com intensidade, até que a doçura de Kate faz com que o seu coração recomece, finalmente, a bater.

O enredo base de Um Toque de Escândalo, o segundo livro de James Family não nos traz nada de novo - rapariga de condição humilde apaixona-se por homem rico e poderoso, ambos com a consciência de que a diferença entre classes sociais serve de ameaça à sua relação… Mas Jennifer Haymore mantém-nos agarrados a esta narrativa emocionalmente complexa, recorrendo a pontos de viragem constantes e estrategicamente colocados!
Esta foi mesmo a minha particularidade preferida do livro - as dúvidas e mistérios não se arrastam em prolongamentos de narrativa aborrecidos. As personagens, e nós próprios, acedem rapidamente à verdade e os confrontos que daí advêm não se demoram demasiado na trama, o que torna a leitura bastante agradável, em constante mutação e consideravelmente rápida.

E se esta foi a minha parte preferida, devo admitir que o meu maior problema com Um Toque de Escândalo foram mesmo os protagonistas, Kate e Garret. Ambos me pareceram desagradavelmente ocos, vagos e evasivos. Penso que o facto de Garret ter esquecido Sophie com uma instantaneidade voraz e que a paixão praticamente espontânea de Kate contribuíram para a minha falta de empatia relativamente aos dois. Uma vez que o núcleo de personagens intervenientes é bastante pequeno, poderia até pensar que tal era característico da autora, não fosse por Rebecca…Acabei a simpatizar imenso com a irmã de Garret e a torcer para que encontre o seu próprio final feliz, portanto escusado será dizer que o meu entusiasmo em terminar esta série mantem-se intacto.

Lamento que ao centrar-se mais na exploração e exposição dos sentimentos e opiniões das personagens, Jennifer Haymore tenha perdido a oportunidade de nos brindar com pormenores e descrições, aliás, o seu relato da época parece-me até bastante rude e insípido quando em comparação com outros romances do género.

Em contrapartida, apreciei imenso o facto de a autora ter optado por seguir um caminho diferente neste segundo livro de James Family, pessoalmente preferi o primeiro livro, que me pareceu também bastante mais sensual, mas numa série reconheço a necessidade de variar e, além de gostar que Haymore o tivesse feito, gostei da forma como o fez!

[Ana (O Mundo Encantado dos Livros) · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.b...

Quando terminei a leitura do livro anterior “Um Toque de Perversão”, fiquei muito curiosa acerca do destino do Duque de Calton. Garrett parecia um homem tão correcto que acabei um pouco desgostosa com tudo o que lhe tinha sucedido e pensei que não merecia um fardo tão grande, depois de tudo o que tinha passado depois da guerra. Afinal tudo não passou de um engano da minha parte, pois a autora apenas tinha preparado o seu caminho para um felicidade absoluta e para a vida que ele realmente merecia.

Confesso que não posso escolher entre os dois, penso que estão bastante equilibrados e que as suas histórias seguem mais ou menos o mesmo padrão, a diferença está no desfecho de alguns assuntos iniciados no livro anterior, os quais pareceram-me ter sido completamente resolvidos. O que acabou por me dificultar um pouco na ambientação da historia foi o longo período de espera na leitura entre os dois, havia já imensos elementos dos quais não estava recordada, algo que me obrigou a fazer um pouco de pesquisa para me relembrar do que se tinha passado.

Em relação às personagens, lembrava-me vagamente de Kate e da mãe terem aparecido em “Um Toque de Perversão”, mas foi um contributo tão pequeno que me deu a sensação que seriam personagens muito apagadas e que não iriam engrandecer muito a serie. Que enganada estava! Na verdade, neste livro podemos conhecer um pouco mais desta família e compreender o ambiente em que o vilão foi educado e até mesmo a dor da sua mãe que toda a vida sofreu pelos erros que foi cometendo ao longo dos anos.
Como em todos os livros, os protagonistas tiveram um papel de destaque, em que acabou por ser mais desenvolvida a vida de Garrett em comparação com o livro anterior e achei que o seu encontro com Kate foi bem proporcionado, sem recorrer a acontecimentos forçados. A relação entre eles também foi bem desenvolvida e cheia de contratempos que apenas vieram engrandecer a trama.

Agora apenas posso esperar pelo terceiro livro, a história da irmã de Garrett. Lady Rebecca acabou muito magoada com todos os acontecimentos nestes dois livros, espero sinceramente que a sua história tenha um final merecido e que o seu par seja um homem que a mereça e que faça por conquistar os seus sentimentos. De todos, penso que esta personagem tem sido a mais sofredora, aquela que acabou por ser mais usada como objecto de vingança de pessoas malévolas e sem escrúpulos e por isso penso que merece um final digno dela. Mais um livro para a minha lista de desejos. Estarei atenta!