England, 1817. Miss Adeline Hays is out of options. Determined to escape marriage to a repugnant earl, Adeline plans to deliberately allow herself to be caught in a compromising position at a house party with the much kinder man she’d hoped to marry. Instead, Adeline accidentally enters the wrong chamber and tumbles into the bed of the mad duke.Edmond Rochester, the duke of Wolverton, is seeking … of Wolverton, is seeking a wife to care for his two daughters. A young lady of sensibilities, accomplishment, and most importantly, one who he is not attracted to-a complete opposite of the bewitching beauty who traps him into marriage. But despite the lust he feels for his new duchess, Edmond is resolved to never allow them intimacy, refusing to ever again suffer the tormenting loss of a loved one.
Each book in the Wedded by Scandal series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Accidentally Compromising the Duke
Book #2 Wicked in His Arms
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Single Dad Duke seeks bride
As soon as we hear the Duke say he will absolutely not fall in love with his wife, I’m cackling in glee! Edmond is seeking a new wife to mother his two small daughters and Adeline is desperate to escape the evil clutches of the reprobate her father wants her to marry. After a drunken mistaken identity kerfuffle, Adeline and Edmond find themselves married and that’s when the true emotion carries through!
Thrilling!
I was hooked from the beginning. I felt mortified for Adeline yet excited to see how it would all work out. Poor Adeline suffered an onslaught of humiliation, betrayal, and guilt in an already desperate situation. I was touched by the scene when Edmond saved Adeline from sure ruin in society.
This is an amazing story about love developing by accident, despite obstacles caused by fear. The motives and perspectives of the characters are delved into, helping the reader understand their seemingly irrational ideas and risky choices. I enjoyed the audible version of this book and am looking forward to the next in the series.
I love a good marriage of convenience romance, and this one delivers!
As a heroine, Adeline is strong enough to make her own destiny. She’s a little stupid about how she does it (as in, after she has compromised the duke, she refuses to marry him before she can speak to the man she meant to compromise) but once she realizes she wants something, she stops at nothing to make it happen.
As a hero, Edmond is every bit the dark, distant duke. He doesn’t tolerate fools or sycophants or gossips, but he does really love Adeline (although it takes him a while to realize it). He doesn’t think he can love again because he loved his first wife so much, and he feels a huge amount of guilt about the fact that she died in childbirth.
I didn’t love the plot point of Adeline getting pregnant without Edmond’s consent. He gets mad at her for not telling him they had sex when he was very drunk, although the way it is told, it doesn’t seem like he was so drunk that she could assume he didn’t remember. Also, by the time he finds out, she is already pregnant. That water is under the bridge. His reaction is very selfish.
Other than that, the novel is fun and interesting and even the kids were cute, rather than annoying!
Reading this book, and subsequently more by this author, has made Stacy Reid an auto-buy for me. I love, love, love her stories! This one is definitely original, fun, engaging, heartwarming, and so easy to fall in love with all the characters! You will not regret purchasing and delving into any world Ms Reid creates!
I think this rates with as one of my favorite romance books. Great characters and story!
4.5 stars – Sweet, sassy, determined heroine breaks down the walls around the heart of OTT handsome, wealthy, jerk at times hero
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Where do I even begin, my fellow regency romance book loving friends? Since this is not a detailed ARC review, I’m going to have to be brief and to the point, due to time constraints. Just know Duke Edmond, the OTT scares the rest of the world with just a single glare, wealthy, powerful, handsome hero, had walls of steel around his heart. It took sweet, stubborn, sassy at times Adeline, the heroine, to sweep him off his feet and pull his (fill in the blank yourself) out of his (fill in the blank again) by the very end so they could finally have their HEA. Oh, yeah, they also had a little help from fate and destiny when Adeline’s original plan to avoid marriage to an abusive man went awry. The milk toast gent she’d set her sights on instead wasn’t for her, either. No, Edmond got caught in frey, and it couldn’t have worked out better for him. It just took this knucklehead a very l-o-n-g time to wrap his head and heart around the fact he’d been handed the very woman who could heal his wounded soul.
LOTS of relationship angst and even very harsh, angry words/actions (some may find hard to forgive) were used in an attempt to keep her from winning this war over real matrimony. I stayed glued to every single page, folks. There are some eventual VERY graphic, steamy scenes, but they do not hijack the simmering to boiling over romantic plot. I must say I was disappointed she forgave him so easily at the end. He groveled, of course. I just wanted more payback/retribution from him for what he put her through.
I am so looking forward to having my heart yanked back and forth in more romantic reads by this new to me author!
Title: Accidentally Compromising the Duke, Series: Wedded by Scandal (Book 1), Author: Stacy Reid, Pages: 256, stand-alone but part of a series, not a manho, been celibate 3 years, virgin heroine, no cheating, no OW drama, very brief OM drama, very graphic smexy scenes late in book, HEA, widow with two children, romance safe enough for me.
Book 1 – Accidentally Compromising the Duke
Book 2 – Wicked in His Arms
Book 3 – How to Marry a Marquess
(These comments are based on a library edition. This is not a detailed ARC review. I was not compensated in any form for writing this review.)
Seducing the wrong man
Little did Adeline comprehend that the seduction of a duke would be so right. Edmond fights his attraction to his new duchess, but can the power of love and light change his heart. Beautiful romance!
Absolutely wonderful and entertaining! Stacy Reid
Good story good characters good book
Characters are good. There is a nice amount of romance and humor in the storyline. I really enjoyed reading it.
I very much enjoyed “Accidentally Compromising the Duke” (nook book). The plot was compelling, full of love, angst and passion. I am ready to read book 2 in the series.
This author never ceases to amaze me with her stories! This was another wonderful book and your heart will truly go out to the hero, Edmond. My heart ached for him and what he had gone through with his first wife. The heroine, Adeline is so perfect for him and I really loved the way their story progressed throughout the book. Definitely recommend this book!!!
I’m not a fan of the dead spouse trope so I’ve put this book off for a long time. When it came up on a reading challenge I bit the bullet and jumped in, hoping to just get it over with. However, I actually enjoyed it. The problem for me with dead spouses is the sense that the heroine is second best. While Edmond certainly loved his first wife, it is made clear that what he feels for Adeline is much more. There is some comparing in his mind and he hates that he has done so but I do believe that is a realistic action.
I actually liked this hero. He’s so cold and withdrawn but watching Adeline with his daughters and feeling the pull she has on him brought him out of the past and into what could be a beautiful future. The conflict was absolutely heartbreaking. The battle he struggled with had merit. Watching him deal with the devil and come out victorious was wonderful.
I loved Adeline. She initially has the appearance of being weak and malleable but her early actions certainly speaks of someone who is made of steel and determination. The way she dealt with Edmond’s unbending manner was perfect. I fell in love with her even as the hero did.
Secondary characters do not play a large part in this story and the children were hard to distinguish despite their age difference. The three year old spoke like an adult and I was disappointed we didn’t get more childlike behavior as well as more time with both of the girls. The heat level is extreme and it’s obvious this couple have a sizzling chemistry.
Enjoyed it and hope the next book in the series is as good
Excellent read! Well drawn characters and an entertaining thoughtful plot paired with delightful banter made this one a quick and easy read. I will be on the lookout for all of Stacy Reid’s romances!
I love her spicy historical romance style!
Conquer your fears. Sub plot to an unlikely romance.
I really loved Edmond and Adele story. It was sweet, witty, heart warming and sensaul. The author wove a very touching and romanctic tale that pulled me in from the begenning to the end.
She was not seeing her best match under her nose
love it