Yours In Scandal (Man of the Year #1) by Lauren Layne- Dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 10, 2020

Fresh off being named Citizen magazine’s Man of the Year, New York City’s youngest mayor, Robert Davenport, decides it’s time to strategize. Next move: a bid for the governor’s seat. In his way: an incumbent with a flawless reputation. He also has an Achilles’ heel: an estranged wild-child daughter with a past so scandalous it could be Robert’s ticket to victory. And a charm so irresistible it could be Robert’s downfall.

Rebellion is a thing of the past for Adeline Blake. As New York’s premier event planner, she’s all about reform and respectability. Then she’s approached by Robert to organize the party of the season. Curious, considering he’s her father’s most formidable opponent. And alarming, too. Because Addie can’t help but fall for the righteously popular candidate with the movie-star smile.

Now it’s Robert’s choice. Does he pursue a future that holds his legacy? Or the woman who holds his heart?

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SANDY’S REVIEW:YOURS IN SCANDAL is the first instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult MAN OF THE YEAR romance series. This is twenty-eight year old, event planner Adeline Blake, and thirty-five year old, New York Mayor Robert Davenport’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Adeline and Robert) YOURS IN SCANDAL follows the building relationship between event planner Adeline Blake, and New York Mayor Robert Davenport. Robert Davenport’s second term as the mayor of New York is coming to an end and our hero wants to make a run for the Governor but his campaign chairman first wants dirt on the incumbent, and what better way than to pull skeletons from the closet, starting first with the Governor’s estranged daughter. Adeline Blake knows scandal and heart break better than anyone else, and as such, has distanced herself from her father, a man for whom she has no respect but when she is called to the Mayor’s office, our heroine is both surprised and leery when the Mayor asks Adeline to plan a party for the end of his term. What ensues is the slow building friendship and relationship between Robert and Adeline, and the potential fall-out as Adeline’s past is revealed with the intent to destroy our story line hero.

Adeline Blake was the proverbial wild child but secrets from her past destroyed all hopes for a future with her father, and in this Adeline changed directions in life, including a new identity, and no affiliation with the man she once loved. Meeting Mayor Robert Davenport sent warning flags for our story line heroine knowing the Mayor was hoping for a run for the Governor,against her father, a man she hates and despises. Robert Davenport never wanted to play dirty politics but his campaign chair insisted there was a story to tell. Thirty-five and single, Robert had never found his own happily ever after but meeting Adeline Blake gave Robert a hope for the future, a future that could very well be destroyed if Adeline discovered the truth behind their original meeting.

The relationship between Adeline and Robert begins as a business arrangement albeit a business arrangement meant for underhanded purposes. As the date for the party nears Robert finds himself wanting something more from our story line heroine but something more could mean disaster when the truth is revealed. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.

We are introduced to Robert’s campaign chair Martin, and his chief of staff, thirty-seven year old Kenny Lamb; PA Darlene, as well as Adeline’s friends Rosalie and Jane Kim.

YOURS IN SCANDAL is a cute but predictable story line; a sexy and easy read with a playful hero, and reluctant heroine. The premise is interesting and entertaining; the characters are tenacious; the romance is energetic and encouraging

BARB’S REVIEW:
Yours in Scandal by Lauren Layne is the 1^st book in her new Man of the Year series.  Robert Davenport, our hero, is the youngest Mayor of New York city, has just been named the Man of the Year and he is single.  As his term as mayor is about to end in a couple of months, he and his top staff make plans for him to run for Governor.  As Robert plans to have a party to end his term, his campaign manager tells him to hire an event planner, who he says is the long missing daughter of the current governor, in disguise; the manager wants him to find out any secret information on her father.  Robert is enticed to meet this woman, but is not keen on being sneaky.

Adeline Blake, has a newly successful Event Planning business, and we learn immediately that she changed her name and appearance, to get away from her mean father, the Governor.  Adeline was Addie Bennett, the media’s wild child, who had left her life 5 years ago, as her father treated her very badly.  She is surprised when the Mayor wants her to plan his event, and she is determined to stay out of the spotlight and anything political.  But there is something about the Mayor that draws her attention, as he is not only charming, but very handsome. 

 What follows is a slow burn romance between two unlikely people; the mayor and a political force and a woman with a bad reputation as a wild child.  I loved Robert and Adeline together, as their chemistry was off the wall, and they were so good together.  Will Robert succumb to his feelings for Adeline, especially with the threat of ruining his political ambitions?  Will Adeline allow her feelings for Robert to be pulled back into the political field, which she ran away from?

Yours in Scandal was a quick read, that was a sweet, light, humorous fun story, which was very well written by Lauren Layne.  I absolutely loved the wonderful epilogue which left me with a happy face.  If you enjoy pure romances, great couples, and secondary characters, you should read this story.  If you have not read Lauren Layne, you need to start now.

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