Scandalous

by Jenna Petersen

Book Overview

Katherine Fleming has lived her life without even a hint of indiscretion. So she is devastated to discover the nobleman she's engaged to has a secret he's kept from her: a wife Suddenly Katherine's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060798599
• ISBN13: 9780060798598
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Sensual Scandalous Debut

How delighted I was with the pleasurable erotic historical romance anthology "Parlor Games" and one of the stories by the author Jess Michaels aka Jenna Petersen. So it is no wonder why the historical romance debut of "Scandalous" has wonderful sensual shades of Jess Michaels' erotic touch. On a terrace in the moonlight the handsome and sensual Dominic Mallory sees the beautiful Katherine Fleming enjoying the snow and the stars. Immediately he thinks of this beauty in his bed, but later when he discovers that she is the fiance of his estranged brother Colden, he must back away. But in a strange twist Dominic finds himself quickly engaged and married to the sensual beauty, when his brother's dead wife returns from the dead. Colden insists that Dominic marry Katherine in order to avoid scandal, as Colden has already spent her dowry and in turn he will give Dominic the family lands he has always wanted. As Dominic and Katherine begin their life on his new estate, the passion and desire builds to love, but little does Katherine realize the treachery and lies that she has married into with the Mallory family. When Dominic's identity is revealed to her and she discovers he married her only for access to the lands so he can discover his father's identity, and that Colden, his wife Sarah and other family members were involved in the lies, she is devastated. When Dominic realizes that in his lifelong quest for truth about his paternity, he may lose Katherine, he makes a decision to keep Katherine, but is it too late? The story is sensual and mysterious with underlying treachery that culiminates to an intense conclusion making the reader realize that no matter how scandalous, true love conquers all.

Fantastic, hot, satisfying book!

I loved both the hero and heroine! THis is a debut author with many good books yet to come. The chemistry between the h/h was tremendous and there was a lot of thought put into their personalities. Both were very likable. The hero was one of those tough-on-the-outside, but sweet and vulnerable on the inside men that I love to read about, and the conflict, I felt, was good. I don't think I skipped a page and I read it in one day.

Wonderfully refreshing and fun!!

With her wedding only a short time away, Katherine is distraught to learn that her fiancé's first wife isn't really dead, but has been alive and living abroad all this time. What is she to do? Why marry his brother, of course!! Dominic Mallory has come home to gain what is rightfully his, Lansing Square. But to obtain it, he must marry his brother's fiancé and save the family name from scandal, of which he really couldn't give two figs about. Then his brother offers him a deal; marry Katherine and Lansing Square will be his, there's a catch...of course, there's always a catch. But I won't tell you what it is, you'll have to read it yourself! Jenna Peterson has a very bright and shining future ahead of her, if this first book is anything to go by. Her characters are superb. Katherine and Dominic are very believable characters and are so well written, that the reader can just imagine herself as Katherine, feeling everything she is going through. You will fall in love with Dominic, especially when you learn all of his `sorrid' secrets. The settings are beautiful and the supporting cast only add to the majesty of this story. A real keeper!

An excellent debut novel!

I thought SCANDALOUS was an extremely enthralling and compelling story, as well as, an excellent debut novel. The story's hero Dominic Mallory, is a handsome, sexy, charismatic rake and an intelligent self made man of means. Unfortunately, he's also the Mallory family secret ~ a bastard son, who was hated by his supposed father, the late Lord Harborough and who taught Dominic's older brother Cole to hate and despise him as well. Being treated like a pariah has left Dominic cynical, secretive and because of the many issues he has yet to come to terms with, completely disillusioned with the idea of falling in love. To all outward appearances Katherine Fleming is a soft-spoken, caring and virtuous woman but her seemingly gentle temperament hides a tenacious strong-will and an intensely passionate nature. She has a clearly defined idea of the type of husband who would suit her needs and has spent the last 3 years looking for a man to meet those requirements. She wants a husband with a fortune of his own and because she'd been a lonely only child, someone who would provide companionship and hopefully friendship. Unlike most women, she's not looking for someone to fall passionately in love with ~ she doesn't want the heartache and suffering that she feels will inevitably follow when lust, desire and novelty of love wares off. Her fiancé Colden Mallory, Lord Harborough, seems the to be the perfect match, until just days before their wedding he shockingly announces that his late wife is ~ miraculously alive. In order to save Katherine from being ruined by the scandal that will surely follow this news, and because Dominic wants the house that he thinks hold the answer to his parentage, they both allow Cole to manipulate them into a marriage of convenience. The story's hero and heroine, Dominic and Katherine, were warm, likable and compassionate, and both had a remarkably poignant and riveting story to tell. These were in my opinion, fully fleshed out and completely convincing lifelike characters that were caught up, initially against their will, in a tempestuous, deeply emotional, and yet, hopeful and surprisingly tender romance. Although I believe a traditional historical romance novel is primarily about the journey the hero and heroine take to find their way to love and their happily ever after ending ~ there was plenty of sexual tension between the characters and the story contained enough steamy sex scenes to satisfy most readers. I also enjoyed the secondary cast of characters ~ the good and the bad ones ~ all were interesting and intriguing. They heightened and enhanced the storyline precisely as secondary characters are intended to do. I felt author's style of writing was both smooth and refined. Her ardent, rousing and sensual descriptions admirably expressed the undeniable attraction felt by Dominic and Kat and her illustrative prose conveyed vivid and stirring imagery that immediately pulled me into the story and kept me turning

Scandalous is Fabulous

From the gripping opening all through the lush prose, SCANDALOUS is a great tale of two lovers unexpectedly married...who, just as unexpectedly, find themselves in love. Katherine and Dominic tugged at my heartstrings and made me grab for ice water to cool down. The cast of supporting characters is deliciously devious. In the race to a satisfying conclusion, amid Dominic's doubts about himself as an individual and his place in his family, is a wonderful love story about understanding and acceptance. Jenna Petersen is a great new voice in historical romance!