Review - Last Night's Scandal

Title: Last Night's Scandal
Author: Loretta Chase
Publishing Date: August 2010
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from Paperbackswap.com

Last Night's Scandal is part of Loretta Chase's Carsington series. Looking up information on this series to write this review, I have come to realize I might have missed out. I read the first book Lord Perfect. A lot of people raved about that book. I, on the other hand, wasn't too crazy about the main characters and instead found myself completely wrapped up in the escapades of the two children, Olivia and Peregrine. Then I caught wind that Ms. Chase had plans to write Olivia and Peregrine’s story and my interest was piqued. I put Last Night's Scandal on the wish list. But come to find out, there are more books in the series that span the time between Mr. Perfect and Last Night's Scandal. I might have missed out on other scenes involving Olivia and Peregrine!

Last Night's Scandal is such an enjoyable, fun read. There is nothing overtly heavy emotionally about this book. The characters Olivia and Peregrine are great and in the story they have been long time friends who have corresponded through letters while Peregrine was in Egypt. Olivia writes the Best Letters and has quite an ADVENTUROUS side to her nature. Peregrine on the other hand is logical and steadfast. They both fight their attraction for each other for fear that it will ruin their friendship. They know that their personalities are too different and that they won't be able to provide the other with what they need. It’s wonderful to see them discover just how much they mean to each other.

So, while Peregrine and Olivia are fighting their attraction or maybe I should say discovering it, they are also putting to rights a haunted castle in Scotland. The mystery is not serious at all. I think it was rather hokey and fun. I really don't have any complaints. This book lived up to my expectations. If you are in the mood for something cheerful and light, look no further.

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Review – The Last Hellion

Title: The Last Hellion
Author: Loretta Chase
Publishing Date: April 1998
Genre: Historical
Rating: A
Sensuality: Warm

The Last Hellion begins when Vere Mallory, the seventh Duke of Ainswood spies two women in a physical confrontation. He believes that Lydia Genville is in trouble and in need of his rescue, since the area where this confrontation is taking place is in the worst sort of neighborhood, full of all sorts of shady characters. Lydia not at all appreciative of his efforts to rescue her and squarely delivers an upper cut to his chin, which lands Ainswood on his back. Dumbfounded by Lydia, he is determined to get revenge for the beating his pride takes. Unfortunately for Vere, he is no match for the “Dragon”, which he aptly nicknames Lydia.

Clever. If I could only use one word to describe this book, that is the word I think best suits it. There are just so many small details that add up to make this book the masterpiece that it is. Lydia is such a smart capable woman who does not need anyone, man or woman to come to her rescue. As a matter of fact, she has taken it upon herself to rescue others who aren’t quite so capable, such as runaway Miss Price.

Vere is completely fascinated by Lydia, because she is so unpredictable. Vere never knows how she will react to his jibes and can’t wait to see what outrageous, outlandish thing she will do next. Vere was a complicated hero. He is jaded. Life has not been kind to him with so many deaths in his family, all one after another. He hides his true feelings behind a brazen, reckless rogue. Some of the most touching scenes are when Lydia slowly uncovers the personality Vere keeps so carefully hidden.

Just when the reader thinks the story might get too sappy or sentimental, Chase turns the tables and explodes with a witticism so dry, it makes the reader smile or chuckle. The writing is beautiful, wavering back and forth between bold and direct at times, to subtle and poignant at others. The Last Hellion has a lovely cast of characters and several different plot threads running through the book that all coalesce at the end bringing everything together ingeniously. This was a thoroughly entertaining and charming story.