Love in the Time of Scandal by Caroline Linden (Review)

I was able to finish Love in the Time of Scandal by Caroline Linden. First off, I haven't had a chance to read the previous stories in the series, but I do have them waiting for me. So, unlike other readers I didn't see the abominable way Benedict treated his friend in the last book. I take it wasn't good cause Penelope had a major dislike to Benedict from the get go.

So, we know this book is about Benedict and Penelope. This is what we know of Benedict: He's still wife hunting. He wants a sensible, pleasant, pretty girl with a dowery. He struck out with Penelope's sister now he's moved on to Frances Lockwood who fits all the criteria. However, there is one problem, Penelope Weston. Now Penelope is carrying chip on her shoulder cause of the way Benedict treated his childhood friend and her sister. When Frances asks what Penelope thought of Atherton. Oh boy, that couldn't bode well for either party. Anyway, things happen which cause a scandal that kind of forces Penelope and Benedict to wed. Gotta love a wedding that starts with a scandal. Now we must move forward.

I enjoyed this story. I love the smart quips between Benedict and Penelope. We have Penelope who is spirited, intelligent, strong-willed, and beautiful, pretty much the complete opposite of what Benedict wanted in a marriage. However, he starts to see that marriage to Penelope isn't all bad except for the rocky parts. Boy are there rocky parts. Another quality Penelope has is loyalty, she's loyal to a fault which causes a rift between her and Benedict. I would fault Penelope for not being upfront with Benedict when it comes to Olivia's secret, but Olivia was in deep trouble and needed help. By the way, we still don't know what's going on other than Lord Clary is after her. Throughout the story we watch Benedict and Penelope draw closer together, then pull apart because one or the other says something that hurts the other. However, they are well matched, but takes time for them to fully see that.

Love in the Time of Scandal is a pretty good story about enemies to lovers. I love that the story is written in a way that you can pick up and not worry about the previous story. However, we get a better understanding why Benedict picked his a-hole father over a childhood friend. There is one good quality Benedict has and that is his love for his family (not for his father). In ways, Benedict and Penelope are similar. Truthfully, they bring out the best in one another. By the end, I can't wait to see what happens, because we have a mini cliffhanger. The cliffhanger has nothing to do with Benedict and Penelope, but the major plot with has something to do with Lord Clary and Olivia. I hope whoever can save Olivia before Clary gets his hands on her.

Copy provided by Avon via Edelweiss

Rating:
4 1/2 Stars