Once Upon a Scandal

I've been trying for so long to find a good historical spy romance but every book I've come across hasn't worked for me for one reason or another.

This one, though? It's wonderful!

There are so many things I love about this book: the way it ties to the author's previous one, but it isn't necessary to read it first - which, admittedly, I didn't. Because of this, the story starts off immediately. There's no meandering around for the first few chapters.

I also love the two main characters. Jane is great, she's starched and stuck up and, to sell the lie she's perpetrating, must become the exact opposite of that. And she pulls it off wonderfully - leaving everyone thinking that there was something of a coquette to her all along. And Benjamin is...well, honestly, hot. I seldom like the hero in a romance as much as I like him. He plays the part of a dandy, a frivolous man and a bit of a rake with aplomb - but he's really one of the nicest, sweetest guys ever. (Of course, he did mess up things on an epic scale... And the groveling was beautiful.)

What I especially like about their romance is they do know each other before this book starts. I am beyond tired of the hero and heroine meet and there is an intangible ‘something' there from the start. While Jane and Benjamin aren't friends, they do have a passing acquaintance and I love how that played out - especially with them having to change their opinions of each other.

The plot involves French spies, secret dossiers and it is just delightfully old-fashioned spy-y.

I will say, this book does tackle some pretty weighty, horrific topics - such as rape, abuse, assault...let's just go with the heading of ‘violence against women' shall we - so be warned. Although none of this is played out on screen, except for one quickly foiled rape attempt, it is in several characters backstory.

However, the way so many of the women refuse to be victims and determine to overcome, it left me almost empowered. So many of the women faced terrible things, but they refused to be cowed.