A lady's guide to scandal

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Title:

A lady's guide to scandal

Author:

Irwin, Sophie, author.

Series:

Lady's guide ;

Series Number:

Summary:

When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season--no matter that he was not the husband Eliza wanted. Now, ten years later, Eliza is widowed. Suddenly, she is left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future. She’s always lived by society’s conventions, but now, Eliza has resolved to do as she wants. And what she wants is to head to Bath with her cousin Margaret, pursue painting, learn to drive, and flirt with Bath’s most alluring new resident, the infamous Lord Melville. But when the ripples of Eliza’s behavior reach her late husband’s nephew—who broke Eliza’s heart, years ago--Eliza will learn that freedom does not come without consequences. The only way to ensure she can keep her fortune is to avoid all scandal—but where’s the fun in that? -- Amazon.

General Note:

Includes an excerpt from A Lady's guide to fortune hunting by Sophie Irwin.

Physical Description:

359, 10 pages ; 20 cm.

Genre:

Romance fiction.

Historical fiction.

Subject Term:

Upper class -- 19th century -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

London (England) -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction.

Publisher:

Penguin Books,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9780593492000

Publication Information:

New York : Penguin Books, 2023.

Call Number:

IRWIN

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003664805	New Adult Fiction	IRWIN Sophie	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

"Sophie Irwin is an exciting and original voice. She's a must-buy author for me."―Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto Is Back

Internationally bestselling author Sophie Irwin brings us another delightful, escapist historical romance, led by an audacious heroine who has suddenly inherited a fortune--but it has strings attached...

When shy Miss Eliza Balfour married the austere Earl of Somerset, twenty years her senior, it was the match of the season--no matter that he was not the husband Eliza wanted.

Now, ten years later, Eliza is widowed. Suddenly, she is left titled, rich, and, for the first time in her life, utterly in control of her own future. She's always lived by society's conventions, but now, Eliza has resolved to do as she wants. And what she wants is to head to Bath with her cousin Margaret, pursue painting, learn to drive, and flirt with Bath's most alluring new resident, the infamous Lord Melville.

But when the ripples of Eliza's behavior reach her late husband's nephew--who broke Eliza's heart, years ago--Eliza will learn that freedom does not come without consequences. The only way to ensure she can keep her fortune is to avoid all scandal--but where's the fun in that?

Author Notes

Sophie Irwin grew up in Dorset, England; after university, she moved to London to work in publishing. A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting was her debut novel.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

A widow gets caught in a love triangle in Irwin's light and enchanting sophomore historical romance (after A Lady's Guide to Fortune Hunting). Before the start of the book, Lady Eliza's parents forced her to jilt her first love, Oliver Courtney, and marry his uncle, the Earl of Somerset. After her husband dies, Eliza is finally free--but his will stipulates that she will lose her inheritance if she ever brings scandal to the family name, something that will be arbitrated by the new earl, Oliver. Eliza hopes that they will finally be together again but worries that Oliver will use his power to seek revenge. To get away from watchful eyes and experience new things, she and her cousin travel to Bath, where she meets Lord Melville, a famous author with an infamous reputation. Despite this, Eliza is drawn to Melville's adventurous, nonjudgmental nature, and soon finds herself torn between the familiar and the new. Though Eliza's love interests are polar opposites, it's easy to understand what she sees in each of them, and Irwin does a fantastic job making even the characters' flaws appealing. It's a fun, unexpected ride from city ballrooms through country gardens, with a diverse cast, witty repartee, and plenty of laughter to go along with the love. (July)

Library Journal Review

Compelled to marry to fulfill her family's expectations, Eliza Balfour has endured years of tightly regulated living, all the while yearning for the man she really loves, her husband's heir. She is now a rich widow, and the newly minted Earl of Somerset is free to court her, if that is what he chooses. So begins what could have been an ordinary late Regency romance, but Irwin's second "Lady's Guide" novel (following A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting) adds some simmering tension to the path to happily ever after--turns out that Eliza gets to decide what happily means, and her desires clash with almost everyone else's plans. Except, that is, the charming poet Lord Melville. Through a plot that unfolds like the brisk shaking of a tablecloth after a particularly crumbly tea, with characters who plot, plan, and develop, and with some deft touches of asperity and banter, Irwin joins ranks with writers such as Evie Dunmore. VERDICT Once the story gets going, it is easy to cheer for Eliza as she takes control of her life.--Neal Wyatt