Scandalous Ever After by Theresa Romain – a Review
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Description:
After years apart, old friends Lady Kate Whelan and Evan Rhys reunite at a race. They’ve been masking their feelings for each other for years, but when Evan must protect Kate from her late husband’s secrets, he may not be able to resist her any longer.
After being widowed by a steeplechase accident in Ireland, Lady Kate Whelan abandons the turf. But once her mourning is complete, her late husband’s debts drive her to seek help in Newmarket amidst the whirl of a race meet. There she encounters antiquities expert Evan Rhys, her late husband’s roguish friend—whom she hasn’t seen since the day of his lordship’s mysterious death.
Now that fate has reunited them, Evan seizes the chance to win over the woman he’s always loved. But once back within the old stone walls of Whelan House, long-held secrets come to light that shake up everything Kate thought she knew about her marriage. Now she wonders who she can trust with her heart—and Evan must decide between love and a truth that will separate him from all his heart desires.
Review:
Scandalous Ever After is a historical romance love story with a bit of mystery included. It’s set in Cambridge, England in 1818.
Evan Rhys is lecturing on fake Roman antiquities being circulated for the purpose of smuggling, using slides from a magic lantern and painted shots of artifacts he’d collected. It’s at this lecture that Catherine Abigail Durham (Kate), Countess of Whelan speaks up and asks him why he doesn’t go to Ireland, when he claims the artifacts are from there.
Meticulously, the author, Theresa Romain, builds the back narrative of Evan’s friendship with the late Earl of Whelan, Conall Richie Durham. Friends from childhood in school, they were close and inseparable. Thirteen years prior, Con had brought home some brood mares and a wife. Evan’s world changed. She was bright, beautiful and everything he loved in life, but he was completely faithful in his friendship with her husband.
They spent much time together, the three of them. Evan’s own family being very judgmental and not at all happy. Evan was the second son. His family’s opinions of what he should be and do with his life ever critical. So, Evan spent most of his life living at Whelan with Con and Kate. Con became increasingly free spending and risking their estate, as well as many infidelities. He and Evan had argued over his lack of care for his family and Evan had left angry. Con was killed in a steeple race shortly after the argument. Instead of helping Kate, he never came back…hence her wondering what was keeping him from Ireland, at the lecture.
That’s the setup, I don’t do spoilers, or at least I try not to. This love story is built with frustrating slowness. The dialogue is quick and often witty, with a bit of spice. Kate and Evan are each healing from a bit of guilt and sorrow, but wanting to be together. A few obstacles are in the way, but none insurmountable except their own ideas and feelings. There are several secondary characters that are also well written and interesting.
Twists with the smuggling angle and the horse races are woven into this story, adding some interesting and dangerous scenes. The love scenes and near love scenes are sizzling but also frustrating as the characters come to terms with their lives.
Reviewed by Georgianna
Copy provided by Publisher
