Julia Bishop has led a very sheltered life. Protected by her family from those who might ridicule her for her secrets, she stays hidden away in the country. But she longs for more, if only for an evening. To kiss a rake in full view of the stable boy. Unchaperoned picnics. Romance. But she knows she’ll never experience any of those things.That is, until a handsome duke with a mysterious past of … mysterious past of his own arrives…
Duke Jasper DeVere left London to grieve his grandfather’s death privately, away from the prying eyes and gossips of the ton. Seeking solitude at a friend’s country manor, he’s surprised he finds himself drawn to the company of the shy beauty determined to present the epitome of proper behavior.
That is, until the mysterious woman makes an indecent proposal…
Julia can’t believe what she’s suggested to the duke. Nor that he agrees a distraction is what they both need. But what will happen when Jasper must return to his duties and leave Julia behind? Will the memories of their time together be enough for a lifetime of solitude for either of them?
Because Julia can never leave her country haven and a duke can never stay…
Each book the Tale of Two Sisters series is STANDALONE:
* The Importance of Being Scandalous
* A Scandal By Any Other Name
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Absolutely loved this fun tale featuring and adventurous, disabled heroine and a rakish, and yet respectful of consent and genuine sweet hero. The premise makes you laugh out loud and the funny moments just keep coming. I don’t remember the last time I laughed and went “Awwww” so many times while reading a book.
Great read – I enjoyed it.
The beginning of “A Scandal by Any Other Name” (nook) was unique. Then, the way Jasper and Julia met was a great beginning to their love story. The progression of events kept me captivated but I was not expecting the roadblock thrown in their way. However, I loved the HEA.
I have a silly question: Did the horse that Jasper stole ever get returned to its owner?
Series has engaging, slightly of center characters Including a most delightful woman with spina bifida, the first I have encountered in historical romance.
Jasper DeVere is struggling to come to terms with the death of his beloved grandfather. He is nowhere near ready to step into his shoes and become the Duke . He does just what he did when his parents died, run away to escape from the pressure. His best friend’s new estate, while said friend is away on honeymoon will be perfect.
Julia Bishop decided to stay at her sister’s home while her sister is away. The peace and the freedom is just what she needs. Julia has a disability that has made her the target of vicious tongues all her life. Her family love her, but sometimes smother her with their protection. The chance of being treated as a normal woman is just to good to pass up.
This Victorian romance is emotional, and will pull you into to our heroine’s difficult life right from the first page. Lots of laughs and mischief from both our lead characters.
Very good story and a very unusual romance. I loved it.
This is a story of two people who both have a hard time dealing with their current lives. Jasper De Vere has lost his parents and is about to lose his beloved grandfather and is not ready to take over the Dukedom. So he flees his responsibilities and goes to his friend Nicolas’s estate in the country. There he meets Julia Bishop, Nicolas’s sister in law who has kept to herself hidden away from society. She was born with a spinal injury and has always stayed close to her family. Although really isolated her whole life, Julia had a great spirit, was smart and outspoken. There is some secrets and intentional mistaken identity that liven up the story and keep it entertaining. But the way Julia and Jasper kept the conversations lively, it will bring a smile to your face.
I applaud the author for featuring the heroine, Julia having a spinal injury in this book. It makes it so much more real and as people through the centuries have had illnesses or problems it is good to see it dealt with here.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more by this author!
A Scandal By Any Other Name by Kimberly Bell
A Tale of Two Sisters #2
Jasper De Vere is not ready to be the Duke of Albermarle so he flees his confirmation ceremony thus insulting the queen who was in attendance. He ran out, stole a horse and ran away. Why? He doesn’t feel he can ever be the man his grandfather was or as good at the job of being a Duke as he should be. At the end of his day’s journey he “saves” Julia Bishop by stopping her “runaway” horse. Julia, wanting to have a bit of time to be “normal” pretends to be someone she is not and begins a flirtation with the man she has been harboring a secret crush on. Of course her identity will come out, they will fall for one another, there will be ups and downs and obstacles to overcome before a HEA can be achieved for the two.
This was an intriguing historical romance that dealt with birth defects impacting one’s social life, expectations of others and self, limitations and overcoming them, fears surmounted, coming to terms with one’s lot in life, taking responsibility and taking the reins of one’s life and making it what one wants it to be rather than living the life someone else has plotted out for you. It deals with two people that are perfect for one another although imperfect in other ways. It made me wonder then research the condition Julia was born with and though the likelihood of her having lived as long as she is portrayed to have lived in this book or continuing to live a long full healthy life are probably not realistic it did make me wonder and my research was educational. It also left me with the idea that people should live in and make the best of every moment they are given.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4.5 Stars
Jasper has two simple rules:
(1) Live life to the fullest.
(2) Get out while you can.
Permanent has no place in his life. Until he meets the one woman who stops him in his tracks. Julia is a dreamer. Excitement is what she craves, but life had other plans for her. When a playboy heir to a dukedom walks into her life and makes her forget her less than perfect existence, she starts to think that anything is possible. However, life has a way of changing the best laid plans. Can these two misfits: the running scared playboy and the less than perfect Earl’s daughter find a chance at permanent happiness despite the fears that drive them? Kimberly Bell pens a tale that is full of heartache but thrives on excitement. A Scandal By Any Other Name blends naughty and nice to create a romance that is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking.
I am so pleased to have read this book. I was a little hesitant to request it because I had such mixed feelings about the first book in the series, but I’m so glad I decided to go ahead and request it. It is well plotted, the writing is excellent and it is filled with lighthearted humor and one-liners. I kept picturing Lucy and Ethel (from I Love Lucy) with a smattering of Wonder Woman thrown in. The Bishop sisters are true terrors. They defy convention and do their own thing – especially the older one who is featured in this book. The hero fits right in with the wit and charm of the sisters. What a perfect match.
I have to applaud this author for doing something I almost never see (have I ever seen it?). She featured a heroine with a serious, debilitating, life-threatening disability and she made her strong, intelligent, witty and very interesting. What a delightful change of pace.
Julia Bishop has had many great and wonderful adventures in her life – all in her imagination. Julia was born with spina bifida (although it isn’t specifically named in the book) and has miraculously survived to adulthood. That just never happened back then and the treatments were excruciating (that is true) because they injected iodine into the exposed spine. She still suffers from very frequent infections, etc. because of the disability. Julia and her sister are their father’s pride and joy and he spoils them rotten – but the mother is a real piece of work. She’s consumed with social climbing and if you read the first book, you know what she did to her younger daughter – so NOT motherly. Mother Bishop always kept Julia in hiding – away from any interaction with other people. She didn’t want others to think they were ‘tainted’. Julia’s only companion was her very much loved sister Amelia and they were so close they could barely stand being separated. How Julia managed to grow up to be as headstrong and well-adjusted as she is, just amazes. She knows who she is and isn’t afraid to tell or show anybody what it is she wants or thinks. Just imagine her delight when a real-life adventure rides right into her life.
Jasper DeVere has just insulted Queen Victoria by running out on the ceremony to induct him into Parliament and confirm his title of Duke of Albemarle. He didn’t mean to insult her – he just panicked – so he ran away. His grandfather and hero had just died and Jasper didn’t feel in the least competent to fill his shoes. Jasper flees and basically steals a horse outside the building – he has no idea where he is going – he just rides as fast as the horse will go for as long as it will go. He has no idea where he is and when he asks someone he realizes he is near the home of his friend Nicholas, so he heads toward his home expecting to stay with him and his new wife, Amelia, for a while.
As Jasper is riding up the drive toward the house, he spots a woman on a runaway horse and gives chase to save her. Julia is incensed that someone is stopping her horse – she’d given the horse its head and was allowing it to run with the wind and she was loving it! His stopping the horse causes her to be thrown from the horse – and when she sees that wonderfully handsome adventure just waiting for her to claim it – well – who could blame her. She knew who he was as soon as he gave his name – she’d dreamed of him for years, but she’d never met him because her mother didn’t allow her any interaction with anyone outside the immediate family. She also knew he’d know who she was if she gave him her name. Julia immediately became Juniper – Amelia’s cousin. After all, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and maybe somebody would pay a little attention to her as a person rather than seeing her only as her disability.
Amelia and Nicholas are off on a trip and that leaves Julia (Juniper) and Jasper all alone on the estate. Their time together is magical and they come to really care for each other – but what will Jasper do when he discovers she is really Julia and not Juniper? The answer – love her for who she is!
I won’t give a blow-by-blow of the story because I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you, but I will tell you it is full of fun and whimsical entertainment – and heartbreaking angst – and love and an HEA. After getting almost to the end of the book I was thoroughly miffed and was thinking I’d give the book 2-stars at best because I didn’t consider that a happy ending. Then – more magic happened. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and hope you will too!
There are some exceptional secondary characters in the book. Nicholas and Amelia, of course. You met them in the first book and they have a sizeable role in this one as well. I particularly liked Julia’s father because he loves and supports his girls unconditionally and spoils them rotten. I also liked Julia’s maid, Nora. She definitely had her work cut out for her! I had mixed feelings about Jasper’s sister, Ruby. I think I’d like to see a third book in the series that gives Ruby her HEA as well.
See my review of the first book – The Importance of Being Scandalous
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”