Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Review + Giveaway: Never Judge A Lady By Her Cover

NEVER JUDGE A LADY BY HER COVER
The Rules of Scoundrels #4
Sarah MacLean
Adult Historical Romance
384 pages
Avon Romance
Available Now
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY
By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking-in London’s darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city’s most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered...until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana’s secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear...including her heart.

MY THOUGHTS
Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover, the fourth and final installment in Sarah MacLean’s outstanding Rules of Scoundrels series, is every bit as emotionally engaging as the previous three, delighting us with a well-matched pair both gloriously stubborn and fiercely protective. Despite this being a romance and therefore predictable in that we know a happily ever after awaits the two of them in the final chapters, Ms. MacLean does a heart-wrenchingly beautiful job of instilling doubt along the way, wrapping the two of them up in so many secrets we honestly wonder if they’ll be able to untangle themselves before we reach the end.

Georgiana, aka Chase, the most mysterious of the four owners of The Fallen Angel, is someone who has us wanting to leap up in her defense from page one, her ruin–as London Society calls it–at a young age leaving her vulnerable to those who seek to empower themselves by belittling those around them. The contrast between Georgiana and Chase–the former at the mercy of other’s opinions and the latter holding the fates of those same people in his mythical hand–is absolutely striking, and we throw ourselves fully behind Georgiana’s masquerade in the hopes she’ll bring London to its knees as it once brought her to hers. She’s immensely intelligent and in possession of a sharp wit, reigning over a male-dominated world in the dead of night but yet forced to carefully navigate female cattiness and disdain in the light of day, playing both roles with grace, aplomb and her head held high.

Duncan is every bit her equal in terms of intelligence and a desire to protect those he loves from societal disapproval, wanting nothing more than to free everyone he can from their perceived shackles just as he struggles to free himself. He has as many skeletons in his closet as Georgiana, making their careful dance of courtship a breathtakingly tense affair that has us wanting to scream the truths they both hold tight to their chests at the top of our lungs just to clear the air. It’s at times extraordinarily painful to watch the two of them desperately want to trust that their secrets will find safe harbor in the hands of the other, but their pasts keep both of them understandably silent, aware of dark corners but terrified to shine a light on them.

When we finally reach the point where silence is no longer an option, we have to remind ourselves that happiness awaits if we just keep reading, so nervous are we for the two of them to come completely clean after years of crafting new lives for themselves. The end for Georgiana and Duncan is everything we could have hoped for, Ms. MacLean delivering on every level and wrapping this series up in utterly satisfying fashion. Overall, The Rules of Scoundrels series is one that should not be missed for any romance lover, historical or otherwise, the stories moving, the characters memorable, and the happily ever afters the kind that demand a reread immediately upon finishing.

Rating: 4/5

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• • • • • • • • • • •

TOUR and GIVEAWAY

http://www.tastybooktours.com/2014/09/never-judge-lady-by-her-cover-rule-of.html

My review today is part of the promotional tour organized by Tasty Book Tours, so be sure and check out the full list of participating blogs for more reviews and excerpts! 

Thanks to Avon, one lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card to the book seller of their choice as well as a print set of the first three books in The Rules of Scoundrels series. This is one of my all time favorite series, so I can't recommend it enough! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

24 comments:

  1. I have heard a lot about this author and I confess that I'm quite curious. I have a book but I need to read it. I'm glad this one was good again! So curious! Great review!

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  2. I haven't read any of the books in this series but it sounds like a wonderful book and series to get one reading Romance Historical Fiction!
    Fantastic review Jenny!

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  3. Fantastic review, Jenny! I read the first book in this series (my first romance novel!) and much to my surprise, I loved it. I will have to check out the other books in the series and thanks for the great giveaway!

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  4. i haven´t read any of the book, but i want to. thanks for the giveaway :)

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  5. I started this yesterday morning, Jenny and finished the book because it was so hard to put down. Georgiana was such a brave girl and I loved how much she had grown and how she didn't allow her situation to make her weak. Also, Duncan!! <3 He was made of swoon. I did grow tired of them not telling each other the truth midway through but I understood where they were coming from. I've loved all of Maclean's books and this was another winner!
    Did you see the announcement for her next series in this one? I'm very excited, especially with the title of the series. :)
    Beautiful review, Jenny!

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  6. JENNY. Why did I choose the no rush shipping for my copy? I am totally regretting it now! Actually considering driving to a different library branch today to pick up one of her books. NEED MOAR SARAH MACLEAN.

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  7. I don't pick up historicals that often but I always enjoy them when I do. I'll have to get to this series as well! Wonderful review, Jenny and what an awesome giveaway! Thanks! :)

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  8. Thank you for hosting today and a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

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  9. I love that both you and Kim love this series! I really need to pick up book one and check it out for myself!

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  10. I could tell by the cover that I would enjoy this one. Glad to see that is the case! Georgiana/Chase seem to be my kind of heroine. Been in the mood for a historical, so this one sounds right for me! :)

    I don't have a rule... yet. :)

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  11. I just found some of her books when I cleaned my shelves the other day and I stuck them in the keep pile cause I remembered the book reviews. I can't wait to read something by her!

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  12. I just need to pick up book one. I am in the middle of a horrible reading slump and I have heard fantastic things about her series. I think I will give it a go over Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Jenny.

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  13. I would say the most important rule for dealing with a scoundrel is to never ever let your guard down! The reviews sound amazing, I can't wait to read this!!

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  14. It is great that last installment was such a great reading experience for you, Jenny.
    Great review!

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