Julia Bishop and Duke Jasper DeVere have alot of chemistry and enjoyed this book. But she has been sheltered to the point that it is not even believable.

After reading the first book, I had to find out what happens to Amalia's twin, Julia. Julia is a determined female who won't let a disability keep her down. She may not be able to have a respectable life as a married woman, but she is determine to experience a grand passion. The question is, where will she find a man who will overlook her scars and disfigured foot? Who will ignore her limp? Ignore that she follows a strict regimen to prevent her from collapsing down with a fever and illness?

Reading about Julia's required health accommodations makes me grateful for having a healthy and able body. I can't imagine the pain she has to go through, especially during the time period she is in, where there are no automatic doors, indoor plumbing or wheelchairs. Her spirit is admirable. Her desire to have a bit of taste of life is understandable.

Her chance meeting with Jasper starts off a whirlwind passionate affair. What I like about Julia is that she isn't a victim nor is she trying to be perfect. She is at times rude and disgruntled. This makes her human. It also gives her an understanding into Jasper and his flaws. Both of these characters are designed to be relatable and human. Neither are perfect - regardless of the money they have, they don't always get what they want. They still have to fight for what they really want and this makes the story more complex and enjoyable. The back and forth seduction between the two is a long tease. When they finally do the deed, it's sweetly vanilla.

This historical romance is recommended to readers who root for the underdog.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Julia Bishop was born with a spinal condition that should've killed her in her youth, and because of the danger to her health, has been cosseted in the countryside for her entire life. With everything being run to a schedule to ensure she doesn't contract infection or overly fatigues herself, she's long grown sick of her sheltered existence. She's always wanted more, and while staying her her sister's estate while Amelia and Nicholas are on honeymoon, she comes across a handsome gentlemen, Jasper DeVere, who is fleeing his responsibilities, and is perfect for Julia's hopes. Jasper has just lost his beloved grandfather, and the grief, alongside the added pressure of being the new Duke of Albemarle, and can't see it in himself to live up to all expectations, so he flees the House of Lords, leaving even Queen Victoria in his wake. He needs time to mourn and allow himself some freedom, and meeting Julia was just want he needed. As they both are hiding parts of themselves, they still find themselves falling, and falling fast, but Julia's reputation and ridicule in local society, and Jasper's familial connection to the queen mean it's unlikely they'll be allowed to be together, but they'd do anything to make it possible.

This book was one I just couldn't put down, and I loved the main characters. We have Julia, Jasper, Amelia, Nicholas, and Ruby, who all were wonderful, and I loved the camaraderie between them all. Jasper and Ruby's sibling love and arguments were hilarious to see, especially as Ruby wanted Jasper to grow up and stand up to his responsibilities, but ultimately cared about him and wanted the best for her brother. Julia's illness, which is never explicitly named, but the author says is Spina Bifida, has always impacted her life, and the locals have always ridiculed her for her limp and her extended sickness periods, but with Jasper, she feels different, and not just the girl with the illness. He doesn't know about it at first, but as soon as he finds out, he's by her side at every step, through bouts of illness and when facing difficult society. Their love for each other was wholesome and perfect, and I couldn't stop myself from grinning while reading, especially later on in the story. Definitely a book to lift your spirits and full of romance and family.

I wanted to like this book so much because the blurb had a great hook and I liked that it featured a main character with a disability, because we need more representation in books. That being said, this book didn't work for me. Jasper seemed to be immature and ill-prepared to become a duke. Instead of reaching out to someone for help to learn his new role as a duke, he runs away to the countryside and hides from doing his duty. Julie lies about who she is when they meet in a bid to escape her dull life.

I feel like both of these characters should have been more fully fleshed out, because I didn't root for them. It felt like a reading assignment I had in university that I needed to get done, but didn't enjoy or learn anything from the experience.

This book almost has it all! A kick-ass female main character, a lovely, sweet and interesting love interest, a house full of weirdos, a nice aesthetic, interesting family dynamics,

I am so pleased to have read this book. This is the second book in the series, but you did not need to read the first to understand this story. It is well plotted, the writing is excellent and it is filled with lighthearted humor and one-liners. The Bishop sisters defy convention and do their own thing – especially the older one who is featured in this book. The hero fits right in with the wit and charm of the sisters. What a perfect match.

I have to applaud this author for doing something I almost never see (have I ever seen it?). She featured a heroine with a serious, debilitating, life-threatening disability and she made her strong, intelligent, witty and very interesting. What a delightful change of pace.

This story is full of fun and whimsical entertainment – and heartbreaking angst – and love and a HEA. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and hope you will too!

The thing with Kimberly Bell, is that she is far too good a storyteller.
I'm writing this review late, but I read the book back in 2018 when it first became available. Better late than never, I guess.

Julia is a pragmatic woman forced by necessity into living life mainly as her sister's companion. Jasper, on the other hand, spends his time doing whatever he pleases in an attempt to run away from responsibility. When the two of them meet, they realize they have to face up to their wants and fears to have a life of their own together.

I'm always charmed by Kim's characters. They're gutsy, motivated, and almost always fun to spend time with. She doesn't just concentrate on the main characters, either! You have to watch the machinations in the background to get the full story. Secondary and even tertiary characters turn up with small arcs all their own.

As an aside, I love the fact that Kim has written Julia with Spina Bifida. It's rare that a female lead in a romance has any physical issues more serious than freckles or quirky, slightly less-than-symmetrical lips. That this lead character is not only motivated, but has some very real challenges to overcome, is awesome.

Sweet romantic story. I enjoyed the chemistry between Characters.
I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for this free copy.

Jasper DeVere was summoned to Parliament to confirm his new title as Duke of Albemarle but the problem is Jasper doesn’t want to be Duke. He would do anything to go back to pretending his grandfather was still alive. Jasper knew he could never fill those shoes and no one could expect him to either. So what does Jasper do? He runs away from his responsibility to his best friend’s house in the country. Unfortunately someone is also there, Julia Bishop. Of course Jasper doesn’t realize who she is because Julia can’t tell him who she is. Julia has been riddled with scandal and a health issue that has plagued her entire life. Of course when Julia admits who she is; will Jasper accept her and if he does can Julia avoid falling for him? Can Jasper avoid his feelings for Julia when his responsibilities come crashing back into his life and will he be able to step up to them too.
Okay this book was a bit unique. How can I say that when it is regency historical romance and I have read so many of them but Ms. Bell made it different because of how the heroine is portrayed also she has a health issue too. Sure the book is enjoyable and fun, I loved reading about the characters even with their flaws. Jasper the intrepid irresponsible hero who couldn’t face his title or who he is bothered me at times. I seriously wanted to shake him most of the time. Of course it was really nice to see love change him so I did start to slowly like him. Julia on the other hand was just a fantastic heroine. Sure her health issue isn’t really written very well so it is vaguely understood but even with that she still manages to overcome everything even a Queen denial. Julia never let her health get in the way even if it did anyway. I seriously was rooting for her and wanting everything to turn out okay for her. Even with all the trials the characters go through there is still a wonderful happily ever after making me glad for them both.

So last year there were posts going around about The Importance of Being Scandalous which was a historical romance with a character that has spina bifida. Turns out, the character with spina bifida was the sister and the romance did not include her one bit. I was disappointed especially because I thought she would have made an excellent pairing with Jasper, the best friend of the male love interest.

BUT Julia’s back with her own romance this time! And it was fully adorable (and sexy) and I really loved the character growth that happened and honestly soo much better than the first book. Definitely recommend for a fun, light read that features a character with a disability that is recognized and acknowledged but does not define.


What I liked:

-This book was about Julia! It was what I really wanted from the first book and she is just so much more interesting than her sister Amelia.

-Representation of a physical disability. I really liked that her disability was addressed in terms of physical limitations and societal limitations such as stigma during a time when her whole family had been shunned for her being born at all. I liked that all of the characters learned to acknowledge it and move on because Julia is so much more than a disability. Also, having read the author’s note at the end, it really seems like Kimberly Bell did her research to have an appropriate representation in her book.

-The character growth from Julia and Jasper. It was definitely cheesy and a tad unrealistic but their romance was more about getting to know and trust each other in a way they had never let anyone else in before. It was also about facing their truths without backing away and really accepting the consequences for taking risks.

-I also really love Julia’s sexual agency with Jasper despite her hesitancy and concerns about the way her disability has shaped her body. She is such a strong character and a driving force in their sex-capades which I don’t feel is very common in romances.



What I didn’t like:

-Some of Jasper’s choices were straight up frustrating but totally in character.
-We never got to see Julia and Jasper play chess against each other and I really think we missed out.
-I think Ruby was really underserved and would LOVE to see more about her.



*Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I fell in love with Jasper and Julia in the first Tale of Two Sisters. I adored Julia and her sister Amelia’s relationship. They were both so impish and naughty. The kind of girls I’d want to be friends with. Jasper was such fun in the first book. Such a schemer and a flirt! I knew immediately that he and Julia would be the perfect match. And I knew their story would be so much fun to read. I just never imagined it would be so romantic and moving.

Jasper DeVere, Viscount Bellamy was known to be outrageous, exuberant, wild, and fearless. He didn’t feel like much of that now. After the death of his grandfather, Jasper was to be the new Duke of Albemarle. And that scared him to death. Still grieving for his grandfather, Jasper knew he could never fill the man’s shoes. It would be an insult to his grandfather’s legacy. He had no expertise to offer. He wasn’t qualified. He wasn’t ready. He needed more time. And so he found himself running away. Like he always did. He’d hide out at his friend Nicholas’ house since Nicholas and Amelia were gone traveling. It would be the perfect place for him to come to terms with his life.
Julia Bishop was enjoying the freedom of her sister’s house. Away from society’s whispers and exile. Due to an exposed spine condition at birth, Julia’s family had been more or less a pariah in society. So Julia enjoyed her time in the country where she could do as she pleased and race across the countryside on her horse. Which is exactly what she was doing when she literally tumbled into Jasper’s life. After helping her to her feet, Jasper assumed her limp was due to their mishap, and Julia saw no reason to tell him otherwise. In fact, he didn’t know who she was. But she knew him. He had been the leading role in her fantasy love affairs ever since she’d peeked at him whenever he came to visit her sister. Why should he know she was That Bishop Girl? Jasper was said to be one of the most sought after lovers on the continent and he was here alone with her in the countryside. She could have a taste of the romance she’d always wanted. So, giving him an atrocious fake name, her charade began. It could come crashing down at any moment, but for now she was Miss Juniper Fairchild and she was ready to flirt with the outrageous Viscount Bellamy to her heart’s content. And for Jasper, the thought of flirting with Miss Fairchild added a sense of purpose to his escape that thrilled him.

What follows is nothing short of divine. Of course the ruse falls apart once Amelia and Nicholas return from their travels, but by then Jasper and Julia are captivated with one another. Jasper found Julia bewitching. There was a challenge to her that set his blood on fire. She was wicked and innocent at the same time. The perfect blend of saint and sinner. With her, he didn’t think of the things that were haunting him. He felt a rightness that had been missing for a long time. Julia found that there was more to Jasper than a famous name and perfect face. He made her feel beautiful. No one other than her sister had ever seen beyond her façade. Jasper did. And he didn’t run away. Her time with him felt magical. What had started as a flirtatious fling was so much more now. But Julia knew “the world would never let them keep each other, no matter how good it felt to be with him. He was a duke and she was the disabled daughter of a disgraced country lord”. But Jasper wouldn’t give up. Julia’s objections were based on what society would allow, and Jasper didn’t care what society thought. It was time for him to quit hiding and face his family and his title.
If possible, I fell even more in love with Jasper and Julia in this book. I loved Julia’s strength. She was aware of the stares and whispers from society but she held her head high. She didn’t cower. She was a ‘seize the moment’ kind of girl. So hopeful. Jasper had “devoted his life to fleeting pleasures that distracted him from memories he didn’t want to recall”, but with Julia he finally felt peace. She gave him a reason to face the world.
There were so many romantic, yet funny moments. I loved when Jasper faced his fear of water just to be near Julia. And her defense of him at ‘the dinner party from hell’ was delightful. The banter between Julia, Amelia, Jasper, and Nicholas was marvelous. The family and friend dynamics added so much to the story. The most romantic of all though had to be the Fairy Barrow. I thought my kindle might go up in flames!
I’m hoping there’s more to come in this series. I would love to see Amelia and Julia’s mother redeem herself. And I am dying to know more of Jasper’s sister Ruby’s story. Ruby is so dutiful. Never doing anything dangerous or crazy. I’m anxious to see her discover the chaos that love can bring.
This funny, believable, romantic, and heartwarming story will bring a smile to your lips and a delight to your heart. This series is worth every page turning moment and even the book hangover that will definitely follow. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book. This and other reviews can be read at facebook.com/loveat1stread.

I didn't really connect with this book. I felt the Hero, Jasper, was a spoiled little rich kid. He is spoiled, indulged by his grandfather. Instead of training to be a duke, he's allowed to go and sow his wild oats while his sister helps his grandfather run the estates. When his grandfather passes away, instead of handling his responsibility, he runs away. When the heroine, Julia, lies to him about who she really is, he has no real problem with it. This story was just not for me.

This was an interesting story. Julia has a disability, but it does not deter her from attempting to live her life to the absolute fullest. Jasper was escaping London to mourn his grandfather in private and came across Julia.

Sparks flew right away. You were pulled into their story right away. I loved watching them overcome their obstacles to find their way to each other.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and while this was a standalone, I will go back to read the first in the series. Worth picking up!

I enjoyed this book. I loved how sassy Julia was and did not let anyone deter her from what she wanted..especially the Queen. Jasper needed to grow up a bit and not let Ruby control his life so much. I cant wait to read more from this author

I was really excited when I was approved for this request of A Scandal by Any Other Name. I hadn't read the first book in the series but I wanted to read this one first because the heroine has spina bifida. We don't get modern day heroines who have that, let alone historical ones. I found it fairly well-researched in the book and I liked the details about Julia's routines and her tendency to be prone to urine infections because of her condition, as well as people's usual reactions to her. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read the first one in the series where we're introduced to Julia in the first place but this book stands fairly well on its own.

The first half of the book stands up well. Jasper and Julia's meeting is a meet cute and I love how blase they are about flirting, as well as how Julia doesn't worry too much about the scandal because she's already been 'ruined' in the eyes of the marriage market anyway. The variety of side characters, including Amelia's husband and Nora, were delightful and I liked how the plot didn't go how I expected it to.

Then we got to the second half and unfortunately, I felt very let down at this part. Jasper and Julia's relationship is more insta-love in this part (when it should be the other way surely) and they are both so ridiculous. Jasper is surprised when the relative he embarrassed at the very start of the story didn't want to do him any favours near the end and Julia immediately assumes Jasper has left because he hates her and doesn't want to see her anymore. She doesn't even try to justify his leaving to herself. There is absolutely no trust between the two of them and it's never addressed.

I would give the first half of the book 4 stars and the second half 2.5/3 stars so overall, I think I would give this book 3.5 stars.

I'm so glad Julia got her story told and a HEA. I was already rooting for her in the first book. Her and Jasper were maddening at times but the chemistry was so good. I thought this book was so different from what I normally read and that was refreshing!

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Julia Bishop knows that dreaming of exciting adventures and grand romances is as close as she will ever come to actually having them. Due to a spinal injury Julia’s life is on a strict schedule where deviation could mean something as small as a headache or as dangerous as life ending infection. But, when Jasper DeVere, an infamous rake and her brother-in-law’s friend unexpectedly arrives it seems the both adventure and romance have been delivered directly to her door.

I’ve been really excited to read this, I enjoyed the first book in this series The Importance of Being Scandalous and one of the things I loved most about it was Julia and Jasper. Although they never met, each of their characters were so vibrant and fun that they stole the show. So, having them couple up seems like a natural next step and was the reason for my aforementioned excitement.

They stole the show in The Importance of Being Scandalous, did they manage the same in A Scandal by any Other Name? I thought so. I loved Julia’s sense of adventure and that although she had some serious physical limitations it didn’t stop her from trying to live her life to the fullest and take opportunities when she found them. One of these opportunities being Jasper, with whom she had some instant chemistry. Jasper falls into the rake-with-a-heart-of-gold category and I was just as in love as Julia with his charm, humour and slight vulnerability.

The romance between them proceeds in a fairly predictable manner. But, although I knew what was happening and what was going to happen, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the ride. Not only because I liked the romance, but because I enjoyed the humour and relationships between not just the main hero and heroine, but between Julia and Amelia, her sister, and others she was close with. It all lent the book a warm cosy feeling, like you’re stepping into a circle of close friends.

A great romance, I am not sure if this is the last book, I assume it is as the series is named A Tale of Two Sisters and both of them are nice and settled. But, whatever Kimberly Bell brings out next I know I am going to be picking it up.

I will not restate the plot nor reveal any spoilers in this review.
A Scandal By Any Other Name is an excellent read. The author, Kimberly Bell, brings to her readers a story with strong characters, lots of romance and conflict. It is well-written and mostly well edited. (There are some errors but not enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of this book.) The h yearns for acceptance and the H wants a different life. Together they make you believe in HEA.

A beautiful love story!
Jasper a man who flitted from place to place enjoying his statues and wealth in a bid to forget the tragedy of his parents death, was totally overwhelmed when his grandfather passed away. In his mind Jasper wasn’t psychologically ready to be a Duke.
Julia a woman who grew up living her life with her disability was just what he needed. Witty, sensuous and every mans dream. She taught him how to not be afraid and live life to its potential instead of running away!

I loved every word on every single page of this story, it didn’t disappoint!
I recieved a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest unbiased opinion.

I have not so patiently waiting to read this book since I read The Importance of Being Scandalous. I just knew Julia and Jasper's story was going to be great. They really make the perfect pair what with Julia being a social outcast who isn't afraid to speak her mind and Jasper being a wild rogue who doesn't want to take over the Dukedom when his grandfather dies. Julia lies to Jasper about her identity when they first meet since she doesn't want him to look down on her for her disability. While I think she went about it all wrong and Jasper would have never thought less of her, it did allow them to get to know each other without the complications of her family being societal outcasts getting in the way.

I was really happy to see the amount of research Kimberly Bell did to write this book and the time she took to include pertinent information about spina bifida and how it was viewed during this time period. She even includes a note at the end explaining all of this.

I look forward to reading more from this author.