Review: Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library. Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall? Perhaps the butler did it.
All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers’ true identity, she’ll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville—the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she’s ever had the misfortune to embrace. When it comes to emotion, the man hasn’t got a clue.
But as they set about finding the mystery lovers, Piers reveals a few secrets of his own. The oh-so-proper marquess can pick locks, land punches, tease with sly wit . . . and melt a woman’s knees with a single kiss. The only thing he guards more fiercely than Charlotte’s safety is the truth about his dark past.
Their passion is intense. The danger is real. Soon Charlotte’s feeling torn. Will she risk all to prove her innocence? Or surrender it to a man who’s sworn to never love?

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare was another one of those books I picked up during a reading slump on a whim thanks to oh so many glowing reviews from some of the amazing bloggers that I trusted. I never read a Tessa Dare book prior to this and am now wondering how I got away with it? Especially since I adore my share of historical romances.

We meet Charlotte Highwood, a sort of a pariah in the society thanks to her mother who is so very keen on getting Charlotte married into title that she is willing to throw in front of a coach - literally.

Charlotte swoops into the library during the Parkhurst ball in order to warn Piers Brandon, Lord Granville that she is there to save him - from herself - when the two find themselves behind one of the curtains in a middle of a scandalous lovers tryst. When Parkhurts youngest discovers the two in the same room after hearing the sounds, he is convinced that Piers is trying to murder Charlotte and she finds herself trapped into marriage to the very man she was there to save from the same predicament.

Now Charlotte is trying to discover who the lovers so she could clear her name, but Lord Granville has his own plans up his sleeve.

I absolutely adored this. I thought the book was very well done and it was so easy for me to lose myself in Dare’s writing. It’s just so breathtakingly wonderful, romantic, and just in general great storytelling.

Charlotte and Piers had both been just outstanding characters I found that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved their interactions, as they were both funny and endearing. Charlotte has been just someone I found myself relating to. She is not perfect by any means what so ever. She doesn’t see herself fit in taking care of a manor, when her own life is so chaotic. She leaves her clothes thrown all over the floor and has a small bookmark that is made from a blanket when she was a child. Her character just felt so innocent and heartwarming, I found myself a bit annoyed with her mother and everything she felt she needed to put the girl through for the sake of marriage.

Piers is just completely opposite of hurricane Charlotte. He is very clean, he likes things to be out of place and more than once has claimed that her dresses and linens have tried to kill him. He also has a top secret job, that Charlotte apparently did not have a hard time guessing.

Overall, the romance was completely swoon worthy as expected. Charlotte doesn’t want to marry Piers at first because she wants to marry for love, and thinks Piers deserves the same. Charlotte also believes that she is too young for Piers, and in a way she is - not age wise perhaps - but mentally.

She sends Piers into a complete whirl-spin and makes his life a bit more chaotic, which unsettles the man completely but makes it for an enjoyable read. I truly did adore these two and find myself missing them already.

Did I mention that the book was just so funny? Dare does a great job mixing humor into the story that had me snorting with laughter several times throughout. The interactions, the writing, and the actions were just filled with snark and all around light and amusing.

Big brownie points for Tessa Dare, her writing, her storytelling, and adoring characters. I cannot wait to explore and discover what else she has hiding for me.

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