Scandal of the Summer
Scandal of the Summer opens at a dinner party in 1818. Outspoken Lady Ruby Ballimore, an expert in antiquities, informs the host that his newly acquired, very expensive, ancient Greek marbles are fakes. This causes a huge scandal among the ton, and displeases her father. Ruby’s father is the British ambassador to Monfalcone, so Ruby knows that the Monfalcone princess owns a large, unoccupied estate in Cornwall: Pomeroy House. To avoid gossip and disgrace in London, Ruby concocts a plan, with two of her friends, to escape to Pomeroy House for the summer, where they pose as the princess’s ladies in waiting. The steward of Pomeroy House is an engaging privateer and confidence artist, Captain Malcolm Archer, who was involved in the sale of the counterfeit Greek marbles. As the arrival of three debutantes interferes with his smuggling sideline, Archer and his crew are determined to get the ladies to leave; while Ruby and her friends are intent on staying.
In the first of a planned series, Vasti expertly draws the reader into a vivid Regency world of smuggling, intrigue, deception and abduction. Scandal of the Summer is a well-plotted adventure, with continually rising stakes, in which the different plot strands merge to reach a satisfying conclusion. The romance between Ruby and Archer is handled deftly, both their growing physical attraction as well as their mental connection and compatibility. Archer meets his match in someone he cannot charm, while Archer’s confidence and loyalty enable Ruby to blossom. There is quite a lot of swearing (by Archer), and the depiction of physical intimacy between the protagonists is at times detailed and graphic, which may not be to everyone’s taste.
Overall, this is a fun Regency romp with a pacy plot and vibrant characters.
