Series:
Sisterhood of Scandal (Book 1)
From USA Today Bestselling Author, Bronwen Evans comes
her new Sisterhood of Scandal series. A group of ladies whose friendship is
based on ensuring they can take on the world dominated by their men folk. No
male relative is going to choose their destinies.
Shhh. Blue Stocking Miss Tiffany Deveraux has a secret.
The poor orphan is not so poor. But she doesn't want that information to become
common knowledge. Being a plain Jane, any hint of money would just bring
fortune hunters to her door. No. In society’s eyes she will remain the poor
orphaned ward of the Earl of Marlowe. Only then will she ensure the man who
eventually professes his love for her is genuine.
Lord Slade Ware, the Marquess of Wolfarth also has a
secret. He’s a renowned investment guru with everything he touches turning to
gold. Or is he? Society may think so, but mostly his investments have been
blind luck, and he’s pretty sure his luck is about to run out. Help comes in
the form of his best friend’s ward. He’s learned Miss Tiffany Deveraux’s
secret. She’s an investment guru who has accumulated a considerable sum.
Marriage would seem a sensible option with so many dependents relying on him.
But what's a man to do when the one thing a woman wants isn't his looks, title
or money—it's his heart and Wolfarth's heart is shattered beyond repair.
Terrific start to the new series. The book opens as
seventeen-year-old Tiffany, who has lost her parents in a brutal murder,
arrives at her guardian's home after days of travel. Visitor Slade Ware, aka
Wolf, assists by carrying the exhausted girl to her room. Tiffany is
immediately smitten by the handsome young man. Six years later, her feelings
for him haven't changed, but she may as well be invisible to him.
Tiffany has plans for her future. Resigned to the fact
that she is unlikely to marry, Tiffany has used her father's stock market
training and her affinity for numbers to set herself up with enough money to
live independently. She wants to marry for love, if she marries at all, and not
be forced to marry for security. She has done well enough for herself that her
friends, who call themselves the Sisterhood, have also invested through her to
fund their dreams and projects. Their investments are a secret because it isn't
done for a lady to be involved in trading, and their reputations would be
ruined if discovered. Unfortunately for Tiffany, on a rare visit to her
stockjobber, she is seen by Wolf, who is horrified by the potential scandal.
Wolf is at the Exchange to see his stockjobber, hoping
for good news about his investments. He has a reputation as a knowledgeable
investor but feels he has mostly been lucky. With estates to run, a family to
support, and an uncle rapidly running up gambling debts, Wolf constantly
worries about his financial health. When he learns Tiffany's secret, he decides
that marrying her would solve all his problems. He's stunned to discover that
Tiffany disagrees and, in desperation, enters into a wager with her. At the end
of a month, whichever one of them profits the most from their investments wins.
If Tiffany wins, Wolf will keep her secret, while if Wolf wins, Tiffany will
marry him. He decides to hedge his bets by making her fall in love with him.
I loved watching this relationship develop. Wolf is
unaware that Tiffany already loves him, but she won't settle for anything less
than his love. Several years earlier, Wolf lost his fiancée, and he has closed
himself off to love ever since. He tells himself that he is intrigued by her
wit, intelligence, and beauty, which is why he can't get her off his mind. I
loved that he so quickly sees her inner and outer beauty while most people only
see a plain Jane. Tiffany is puzzled by Wolf's pursuit; she doesn't know what
he sees in her. When Tiffany receives disturbing news about her investments,
she turns to Wolf for help. Tiffany's feelings for Wolf deepen in the time they
spend together working to solve her troubles. Wolf begins to suspect that his
feelings for her are deeper than he thought but isn't sure he's ready to risk
his heart again. I loved seeing Tiffany break down the walls he built around
his heart with her kindness, compassion, and refusal to accept anything less
than all of him. Their chemistry is fantastic, and their banter is fun. They
are perfect for each other.
A bit of mystery and danger is attached to Tiffany's
stock trading as she discovers her stockjobber isn't who she thought he was. I
loved Wolf's protectiveness as he uncovered links to his past and hers and his
determination to keep her safe. I enjoyed the investigative process and seeing
them work to recover Tiffany's funds. The final confrontation is intense and
stirs up Wolf's greatest fears before everything is resolved. I loved Tiffany's
understanding and refusal to allow Wolf to backslide into his old ways. The
epilogue was terrific.
As the first in the series, there is a fair amount of
time spent introducing all the characters. We have Tiffany, her cousins, Wolf's
sisters, and several of their friends - eight young ladies in all. All of them
are intelligent, and each suffers from male relatives who treat them like
empty-headed children. I enjoyed their Sisterhood meetings and seeing their
close friendships and support of each other. I laughed out loud at their plan
to show the men up by placing an anonymous investing wager.
On the male side, we have Wolf, Tiffany's cousin Marlowe,
and other brothers, cousins, etc. Tiffany's cousin Marlowe loves her and his
sisters, but his general attitude toward women is appalling. I can't wait for
his story, as I hope whichever lady ends up with him makes his life miserable
as he learns his lesson. Wolf's brother, Rockwell, seems an okay guy but also
has a few things to learn. I loved the guys' reactions to the challenge and
their arrogant belief that they had nothing to worry about. I can't wait to see
their responses when the challenge is over, and they lose (as I'm sure they
will) to a bunch of women.
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