As Lady Milford goes to the bank pondering who will receive the enchanted slippers she runs into Mrs. Kitty Paxton. Lady Milford sees that Kitty Paxton is in some kind of trouble and being blackmailed by someone that wants to harm her and put her daughter’s marriage to a duke in jeopardy. Who does Lady Milford call on Kitty Paxton’s banished stepdaughter Aurora “Rory” Paxton who is living in complete obscurity on the coast of Norfolk? Of course when Rory gets back to London a lot has changed her stepmother still hates her wanting her out of sight out of mind, her stepsister cares for someone other than her betrothed, the servants treat her badly but worst of all there is someone who hates her even more Lucas Vale the Marquess of Dashell. Is it possible since Lucas can’t stand Rory is he the culprit blackmailing her stepmother or is it someone else? Is the strong attraction between Rory and Lucas being doomed from him taking what is most precious to her stepmother and her family or will it help them in the end?
It’s been a long while since I have actually read a story by Ms. Olivia Drake. The few stories I have read of hers were paperback so it was also interesting to read a story of hers in ebook form. Usually that is the scary part for me when I enjoy an author so much I usually stick with paperbacks afraid of the ebook copy because it won’t be the same. Now I haven’t read the paperback but the story hasn’t lost Ms. Drake’s spellbinding intriguing storyline with a good plot and great characters. I will definitely have to look for this book in paperback since I have two books in paperback form from the series. Another great thing is the book can be read as a standalone without getting lost of course the magical slippers remain and there is a recurring character that only enhances the story.
I just loved Rory! What a great heroine despite her banishment she is a strong woman because of it. She wasn’t afraid of the treatment of her stepfamily especially her stepmother and the way Lucas was to her too. Lucas at first wasn’t winning me over he was bitter, stiff, harsh and just really needed to lighten up. So Rory’s spitfire attitude to Lucas dry mean demeanor really helped me like him just a little. Of course the other side characters helped me like everyone too. As the book progressed he turned out to not be so bad after all. I am eager to read the next book whether it be eBook or paperback of Ms. Drake’s.

The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake is a historical romance novel filled with intrigue, drama, memorable characters and of course, romance. A chance encounter at the bank leaves the indomitable Lady Milford wondering after the current state of affairs of Miss Aurora Paxton whose debut season had ended in scandal eight years previous. When she further learns that Aurora's step-mother is being blackmailed, Lady Milford hatches a plan to bring Rory back to London and restart the live of the former debutante that she remembers fondly. Aurora had been caught en flagrante delicto and labeled as a scandalous flirt and banished to live in the country with her aunt. When she returns to London we learn more of her less than stellar relationship with her step-mother but is able to find a compromise in order to preserve the reputation of her sister who is engaged to a Duke. When Rory takes the position in the household of Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell in order to investigate if he is the blackmailer she learns that there is more to Lucas than his reserved exterior.

I liked Rory very much as a character, she is strong and unwilling to give in. She provides a strong counter point to her described younger self as well as her sister, one of experience and assertiveness. Lucas has depths and memories that are drawn out as we learn more about him. The back and forth between these two characters, both flirtatious and intelectual, was fun and dynamic. Most secrets between them don't last too long and that is good since each is smart, quick witted and a match for the other.

Overall, I recommend The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake with an interesting plot that does not overwhelm the character development, I enjoyed reading it very much. Absolutely a page turner with new tidbits of intrigue sprinkled throughout.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received via NetGalley for free in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

This story sounds so good from the synopsis and it was fairly decent. Aurora Paxton was shunned by her family, and forced to live outside of the town but she quickly summoned back by her stepmother because she is being blackmailed by Lucas Vale, one of her worst enemies. However, Lucas's intentions are different from what Aurora thinks. Throughout the story, we can see Lucas's true feelings for Aurora and of course, her feelings for him.

The writing of the story of Aurora and Lucas is strong and their characters are well developed. I liked Rory well enough and while I liked Lucas, I didn't love him. The mystery holds the characters and the story together. The books is enjoyable enough. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't like a lot of steam in their romance but likes the writing and characters to be crisp.

received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a great Cinderella story and I enjoyed it a great deal. The romance was done very well and I also enjoyed the story.

I had some wicked fun with The Scandalous Flirt. Although Aurora had been banished to the country because of a mistake that could have easily ruined her family, she isn’t exactly unhappy there. Rory has created her own world, and she’s for the most part content. Suddenly being told that her stepmother is being blackmailed she will return to London to get to the bottom of it all. Mysteries abound, and the blackmailer is certainly not who her stepmother claims – although why she’d believe that woman about the color of the sky is a good question.

Lucas has his own issues to deal with having recently come into the title – and having to marry well to take care of financial troubles. Now blackmail is certainly not his answer to troubles and along with Rory he will work to get answers. He really hadn’t expected to feel romantically about Aurora, he had a set plan in mind and had to stick with it… but she certainly was getting under his skin. Maybe plans could change for the right person.

I liked Aurora and Lucas, they have a banter that is sweet and sexy, and an easy way about them. I certainly did not like Aurora’s stepmother, she could jump off a high cliff as far as I was concerned. As Lucas and Aurora work to find the true blackmailer they are also finding themselves falling in love.

Mystery, a bit of danger, and a couple who simply work so well together make this a story that I enjoyed every moment in this world. I don’t think you have to have read the entire series to enjoy The Scandalous Flirt – but the earlier books are fun and a great read so definitely pick them up when you get the chance. I’d have no trouble recommending this story to any Historical Romance reader. I enjoyed myself and I believe you would as well.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of a young woman (Rory) who was caught by her parents with a man in a compromising position 8 years ago and was subsequently scuttled off to the country to try and save her from making any future dire mistakes. Now though, she is back in London to help her selfish and jerk of a stepmother (Kitty) figure out who is blackmailing her. Kitty apparently has some love letters from years ago that have been taken and someone is now using them to force substantial payments from Kitty. Believing the son of the author of the letters to be the culprit (Lucas), Rory gets a position in his household as his mother’s companion. The more time she spends with Lucas however, the more she realizes that he could never have done this. And the more she falls a little bit in love with him everyday. Unfortunately Lucas needs an infusion of cash to help save his debt-ridden properties, and since Rory comes with no dowry, their relationship is doomed to fail. This doesn’t stop the feelings of passion that ignite when they’re together.

Overall I liked this book a good amount. There are some pieces of the story line that didn’t fit super well. I kept forgetting about the shoes because it it wasn’t well highlighted in the story and kind of didn’t fit within the plot line. Lucas’s character was brooding and romantic and I liked him but he was a little too proud for my tastes. Some of the supporting characters in the book were ridiculous, like Lucas’s mother who was so obnoxious I wanted to punch her. Other than that it was a sweet and romantic story. I would have like to know what happened to Alice but maybe she’ll be featured in a future book even. This was a cute story with interesting characters and I would recommend it,

“The Scandalous Flirt” has an interesting twist on the typical regency novel. Blackmail, ruined debutants, and a hero and heroine that are more than they seem make for an enjoyable read.

3.5*

This is my first book by Olivia Drake and I thoroughly enjoyed it. (I rated it 3.5 because it definitely wasn't a 3 but it wasn't what I would consider a 4 either). I'll be reading more of Drakes stories.

It’s nice that there’s a bit of mystery/suspense in the mix. There was definite chemistry between Lucas and Rory (Aurora).
The story is reads at a steady pace with a surprise I didn't see coming. I’d recommend it to any Regency reader.

Aurora Paxton was banished by her family to Norfolk to live with her widow aunt when she was caught in an amorous embrace with the man she thought loved her. How wrong she was, the bounder fled and left her in disgrace. One mistake for the most sought-after debutante of the season equates to ruination. Six years on, her stepmother has sent for her to come back to London to help her sort out the alleged blackmailer by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell. Aurora would not have heed the summon had it not for her lovely younger sister, who's betrothed to a duke. The damning situation will damage her sister's chance of becoming a duchess. Their father has passed on, Aurora sees it as her duty to protect her sister.

Lucas Vale is incredibly handsome who looks at Aurora with disdain. Unbeknownst to her, he tamps down his feelings for her as he has pressing economic quandary which can be resolved by marrying an heiress. When he caught Aurora going through his personal possessions, he demands an explanation. As more grief unfolds, more anxiety befalls both of them.Only their, concerted effort will pull them through.

This is the first book I've read by Olivia Drake. Some characters are redundant like the 'fairy godmother' (funnily enough) and the maid. It has flaws but it's entertaining enough.

Received and read an eGalley complimentary copy. This is my impartial review.

This is book 6 in the Cinderella sisterhood series. All are stand alone books. The constant in them is Lady Milford and her Ruby slippers. Lady Milford is known as a matchmaker of the ton. She picks a young lady, usually one that had fallen on hard times, and gives her the Ruby slippers. She also tries to point them in the direction of their true love. She let's them and the magic work from there.
This story is about Aroura (Rory). She had been banned from the ton due to a youthful indescrection with an Italian diplomat who turned out to be married.
She is brought back to town to help investigate who is blackmailing her stepmother.
Lady Milford, for various reasons, points her in the direction of the Lucas Vale, the Marquess of Dashell. Of course he isn't the blackmailer but he offers to help her find our who it is.
The adventures and romance continue from there.
I like that in Olivia Drake's books her heroines are always strong minded individuals who have usually overcome some sort of adversity.
In the end the Ruby slippers are given back to Lady Milford for the next recipient to wear, no oneever realizing the power of the Ruby slippers.

This novel tries to imitate Sleeping Beauty, although soon the references disseminate within a few chapters. The main character is Aurora Paxton, Rory for short. She pricks her finger on the spinning wheel and lives in the country away from society. After being exiled eight years ago following a scandal that near ruined her family, Rory is now tricked into returning to London after learning her stepmother is being blackmailed and her younger sister is engaged to an old codger of a duke. Rory receives ruby red slippers from Lady Milford, the bearer of the bad news. 

Upon her arrival in London, Rory discovers her stepmother hasn't changed a lick, despite the years that have passed and the death of Rory's father. Her stepmother is steadfast that Lucas Vale, the Marquess of Dashell, is the blackmailer, holding a packet of secret love letters between his father and Rory's stepmother. Rory strikes a deal - if she can return the stolen items that are the source of frantic scandal - Rory will receive a third of her dowry, money she desperately needs to sustain her and her aunt in their cottage in the country. 

Rory immediately sets out to become the companion to the Marchioness, reputed to be incorrigible and going through companions like fresh knickers due to her horrendous nature and behavior.  It will be easy to recover the scandalous letters if she's under the same roof where they are hidden. During her search for the mysterious letters and to stop the impending blackmail, Rory finds herself embroiled in a bitter battle with Lucas Vale. 

I found Rory fascinating. She was innocent and naive eight years ago, blindly believing the rushed and heated words. Now she is a renowned cynic despite her innocence. Her wild and sassy nature, though, hasn't disappeared. Her relationship with her aunt is very heartwarming and redeeming. Her sister and her aunt are the two most important people in her life and she wants nothing but their happiness, even at her own expense. 

Lucas was an enigma. From the beginning, he acts like the stone cold heartless jerk whenever Rory is around. He treats her like she is beneath him and throws her embarrassing past in her face. He does not present gentlemanly manners. Under his tough exterior, Lucas is drowning in family debts. His father's debts, to be precise. He needs to marry a rich heiress to keep his family properties. He will take up his marriage with faithful fidelity for his family's needs despite his own feelings for another. Another who is just trouble. 

Rory and Lucas wind up pairing up to discover the blackmailer. They share some great moments of camaraderie and Lucas treats her like an equal in those moments. They have witty banter and interaction beyond frivolities, for Rory isn't a frivolous woman. While there may have been inconsistencies with the time period, I enjoyed the book despite the misunderstandings that crop up. 

Lucas's mother and Rory's aunt, as well as Lucas's brother and Rory's sister, are all wonderful characters that add quite a bit of comedic relief.

There are two things I need to clarify: 

The cover is VERY misleading. The shoes are about the only accurate representation of the book. Rory has indeed learned her lesson from all those years ago. 
The cover is so misleading because there is only ONE sex scene in the entire book - within the last 10% of it. Honestly, I was expecting that there never would be one based on the relationship development.

Aurora Paxton was banished to the country to live with her aunt after she was caught up in a scandal that nearly ruined her family. Now she’s needed to return to London to find a blackmailer. Rory’s stepmother, who is being blackmailed believes the likely person is Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell. Her stepmother had an affair with the old Earl and just knows he’s the blackmailer and talks Rory into become an employee of the Lucas’s to snoop and find the letters she’s being blackmailed for. She becomes a companion to Lucas's mother to find out what he could possibly want from her family. Lucas has recently inherited his title and is looking for a rich heiress to save his estates. To Rory he’s always seemed the icy aristocrat, but he’s actually had a soft spot for her, he just can’t let his desires take over and control him as his rake of a father did. Rory comes face to face with her foe and learns things are not what they seem to be, a person from her past reappears and the Dash the Earl has a plan to help her and his mother and bring her back into society. A story with a mystery as the two of them search for the blackmailer all the while fighting their growing attraction. A great read 5 stars!!!

This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

I really loved the set up in The Scandalous Flirt by Janna MacGregor. First, we have a heroine that has been banished into the countryside by her family eight years ago for an indiscretion that compromised her. Second, the adaptation of the fairy tales was really unique since the fairy godmother in this case also had her own fairy tale moment a long time ago and wants to give back by giving deserving young ladies of the ton their own happy ending. She uses the magic of a pair of red shoes, so definitely lots of allusions to beloved fairy tales. Also, in this particular book, the heroine's name is Aurora, lives with her aunt in the countryside (so her banishment is like being asleep for years!) Definitely a lot of the fairytales adapted in some way. Aurora aka Rory is a big departure from her namesake since she kinds of rescues herself and doesn't let anything like a grumpy hero who doesn't behave like prince charming get in her way. Downside, big chunks of the book that Lucas the main hero simply pales in comparison to Rory's awesomeness. He appears totally opposite of Rory but he does redeem himself eventually so his fit to be a partner to Rory. The Scandalous Flirt will really make you keep the pages turning trying to find out how it all ends for our main characters. Lighthearted (with some deep topics), entertaining and engaging, this was really an enjoyable read.

The book is a quick read and good enough if you're looking for a quick romance fix, but it's not particularly memorable or intriguing. I wasn't particularly enthused by either the hero or heroine, overall it was an ok read.

As much I wanted to like this because I’m a sucker for an H that fall for a scandalous/unconventional h (or vice versa) I found myself strongly disliking both MCs and neither one ever really redeemed themselves for me. I did finish it but the the bad outweighed the good here.

If you love your romance with a twist on a fairy tale, this has all the feels: a "fairy godmother," a pair of shoes, a prick from a spinning wheel, a little bit of mystery, and a love meant to be.

Aurora was caught in a compromising position and sent to live with her aunt in the north of England. Content to live her life as a spinster until one day an elegant lady calls her home to help her sister, solve a blackmail within her family, and gives her a pair of shoes to help. In her search to find the blackmailer, she finds herself a lady's maid to a man from her past--a cold-hearted man who barely talked to her when she was in her Season. Thrown together in the search, there's an attraction, but to marry her, he would not be able pay all of the debts his father left after death. They uncover a lot of truths, and have to find a way to each other's hearts, and only a short time to do it. A slow-burn romance with a fabled love!

**received an ARC from Netgalley**

For the record, the blurb on the book is not really correct.
This one put a smile on my face a few times. Was it without flaws? No, but it was cute and had plenty of good moments. The characters are pretty well developed with many likeable and unlikeable. There isn't quite as much romance as in other books, but our leads are trying to solve a mystery!
Within the first few pages you get a fairy godmother, ruby slippers, an evil step-mother and a spinning wheel...whew!! Luckily, this all gets cleared up fairly quickly. I have not read the previous 5 books in this series, but I didn't feel like I missed anything - this can stand alone. I will certainly check out more.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**

The Scandalous Flirt is a fun, humourous historical romance set in England. Our main character, Aurora, is a young girl with a kind, bright and fun-loving heart. She was easily tricked by what she thought was true love. Instead of everyone punishing him, she carried all of the blame. While this happened so often during this time, your heart aches for her. She was a young, trusting girl who was taken advantage of and yet she carried all the punishment for something that was not even a crime.

Lucas is a young man who wants to portray the ideal image of an aristocrat. He wants the perfect house, perfect wife with no blemishes to his name - even if this means living a dull, boring life. He was initially attracted to Aurora but the scandal behind her name made him ignore his feelings.

When blackmail affects her family, Aurora returns to the city to help her Stepmother (a woman who treated her so cruelly). This brings her into the social scene and becoming the talk of society once again. Lucas can't help but feel attraction for her again, something he is not very good at showing! While Aurora initially feels negatively towards him, she quickly learns that she needs his help in order to save her family honour.

They work together to solve the mystery and you are left with a most surprising ending! This is a fun, lighthearted romance that is perfect for a rainy day or a day at the beach. It is well written and thought out and I enjoyed watching their romance unfold.

3.5 Stars

The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake is the sixth installment in the Cinderella Sisterhood series. If you are familiar with Olivia Drake and the series, you will know the basic premise of the book. Lady Milford is the mysteriously beautiful “fairy godmother” who swoops into the lives of unassuming and underserving spinsters and gifts them with a pair of ruby slippers that will help guide them to their true love. During their course of finding their true love there is usually some mystery and intrigue involved to keep the readers in suspense.

This latest book does not disappoint or stray far from this narrative. Aurora Paxton was once the star of her debut season until she was caught in a comprising situation which led to her banishment from society. She reenters society after learning that her stepmother is being blackmailed and her sister is to wed a man twice her age. Hiding in disguise Aurora take up a post as a companion to the Marquess of Dashell’s mother in order to confirm her suspicious of Lucas Dashell being the blackmailer. Lucas Dashell has known Aurora since her debut and harbors lingering feelings for her, however his inherited financial situation requires him to wed a wealthy debutant. So begins the story of Aurora and Lucas, they soon discover that things are not as they seem and team up to locate the blackmailer.

While this may seem like a typical storyline, Olivia Drake throws in surprising twists and turns during the uncovering of the blackmailer, leaving the reader guessing as to what could come next. Lucas and Aurora also shared some laugh out loud moments, as well as some very steamy moments, during their adventures. What I enjoyed most about this book was that Aurora was not a typical society lady and had very progressive feminist views. She had her own ambitions and resisted the trappings that the ton put on women of their age. I liked that she did not simply rely on Lucas to perform tasks and even challenged his beliefs about women. For a historical romance, this book really conveys the empowering feminist messages of modern day, that women are much more than just wives to be looked at for their beauty.

One of the minor annoyances that I notice with Olivia Drake’s writing, especially in the Cinderella Sisterhood series, is that she often repeats details about the past in later chapters. It almost seems as if she has forgotten that the reader had already known that. I found this to be the case again with this book, however it is very minor and can be overlooked. Another annoyance I have had in the past with this series is that sometimes the romance is very sudden and not believable. However, this was not the case in The Scandalous Flirt, because Lucas and Aurora had known each other for some time the developing attraction between them seemed very natural. Overall, I enjoyed this book, it was a fun and quick read. My favourite book of this series remains Stroke of Midnight, however The Scandalous Flirt is a very close second.

~ Harshita