4.5 Stars
Finlay Swinton, Viscount Firthwell and only son of the Earl of Rockhaven, life has been a lark until his father’s dealings means he has to flee the country & Fin discovers a family secret that could ruin him. Determined to make a name for himself free of scandal’s shadow, he decides to run for Parliament but not in one of the pocket boroughs of the earldom. He goes to a friends party where he encounters Charlotte, they talk, they drink whisky & they spend the night together, she then disappears but he can't forget her, one year later they meet again
Widowed, penniless, and desperate, Charlotte Taylor secures a teaching position at a foundling home and relaxes into a predictable existence. That is, until Finlay, the man she shared one romantic night with, reappears, a ghost from her past. However when those from her past return to endanger her hard-earned security, she’ll have to reveal his secret or go to prison.
The second book in the series, it is easily read on its own but also continues the story begun in the first book. It’s hard to believe that this very accomplished novel is only the authors second. Very well written with characters that are well portrayed. The pace of the story is very good. I liked Finlay in Alethea’s story & he deserved his HEA. Charlotte had had a hard life & her strength of character to begin again & again was admirable. I did feel the villains were ‘let off' lightly & would have liked them to have been on a one way ticket to the Antipodes! Whilst the political machinations were intriguing they did leave me a little cold but I loved the developing relationship between Fin & Char & how they came to love each other. I also thought the epilogue was different as set twenty nine years in the future, it was so lovely & fitting, of course I now want to know who Flora's husband is?
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

There is so much to like about To Resist a Scandalous Rogue. Fans of historical romance are almost certain to enjoy this book. The hero, Finlay, has a secret looming over his head that could completely ruin his life. And the heroine of this story, Charlotte, is not only a strong, capable woman but she’s also Jewish. And so she faces all the unique forms of adversity that come with being a member of a marginalized minority.

The story begins with a one-night stand between Finlay and Charlotte and picks up again a year later…Is it possible that Finlay and Charlotte are meant for more that one night together? (Spoiler Alert: Yes. It’s very possible)

The best part of this book for me is the way the author managed to give these two characters their HEA without Charlotte having to sacrifice her heritage or her religious beliefs.

Very well done book! Great characters. Original, intriguing plot. And lots of those romance feels we all live for. I would definitely recommend this book to a fellow romance lover.

To Resist a Scandalous Rogue releases on June 24th. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This is a story about Fin (Viscount Firthwell) and Charlotte. Fin wanted to run for Parliament. Charlotte is a teacher but has a past which can cause trouble for Fin. This book was very interesting from beginning to the end. I think this is the first book which I have read which has a Jewish main character in this time period. Because of this it put an extra obstacle for Fin and Charlotte – they must overcome social class, religion, political ambitions, prison and evil in-laws. You will not be disappointed in reading this book.

This is the first book I read by this author Liana De la Rosa but it will not be the last. The writing was smooth and flowed well. She kept me interested in this story thru the whole book.

I received a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

A first-time author for me, I found this book to be very interesting. I enjoyed learning a bit about what it entailed to run for political office. I was also delightfully surprised by the Jewish heroine. While this book can be read as a standalone, I plan to go back and read the first book in the series To Love A Scandalous Duke. I have received an ARC for my honest review.

Sexy and romantic read with few twists and turns. Cute storyline and adorable leads. No annoying characters. I liked what I read and how the storyline flew.

I went back and forth with this one, while I can't say that I hated it I wont say I loved it, it was ok. I found it different the sense that it had a little too much politics and religion for my enjoyment, I like romance and I tend to stick with that. I did like that she stuck her guns and eventually we have a HEA, but would bly not look for reading this author again.

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction. When two people from opposite sides of the society meet and sparks fly. They will face many hurdles before they can even imagine to be together. But the hearts want what the hearts want and they don't much care for society's rules. It's a very well-written book and I think that all the characters are great. Oddly, I liked Lady Flora more than two main characters. I wonder if we will get to read her story or not. In any case, I loved this book and I think it's a must read for historical fiction fans.

This book was great. For me one of the most exciting parts of it was that there was a Jewish character who didn't have to turn away from their faith and found someone who was willing to be with them for who they were. I feel like a lot of times books portray an extremely homogeneous view of the past and this was one showcased a different segment of the population.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I found this book to be full of romance and intrigue. The author makes you feel like a part of the scene and does a beautiful job describing the surroundings and situations. She has brought up several important issues in the book as well such as religious acceptance and the necessity of helping the needy and less fortunate. I would definitely recommend this book.

Excellent and thoughtful read, perfect choice for a book club. There is much for readers to think about and discuss, both in historical context and modern. Highly recommend.

Book Title: To Resist a Scandalous Rogue (Once Upon a Scandal #2)
Author: Liana De La Rosa
Pub Date: June 24, 2019

***ARC was provided to me by Net Galley and the Publisher for a fair and honest review***

Overall rating: 4/5 A false heir and a widow share a wonderful night and then meet again a year latter.

Heroine (Charlotte Taylor): 3.5/5 She is a Jewish shop girl turned school teacher and had lost her husband to cholera along the way. She is stubborn and will do pretty much anything in order to not ask for help.

Hero (Finlay Swinton, Viscount Firthwell): 4/5 Fin harbors great secrets, from the truth of his birth to who he chooses to spend time with. While he doesn’t really care what people think of either, he is running for a position in the House of Commons. He is loyal and kind and would give help freely to those that asked.

Plot: 4/5 Finlay meets Charlotte at a house party where she had been led to believe there was work as a maid. She had lost everything when her husband died and was left penniless and is now searching for work. When both drink too much they end up in bed together, Charlotte leaves in the morning before Finlay can offer a position as his mistress. They meet again a year later when Charlotte becomes a school teacher at a charity school that Finlay donates to and his sister had worked at before becoming a duchess. Finlay is in the middle of a campaign for the House of Commons and can’t risk a scandal. Charlotte’s past comes to haunt her and in order to save her Finlay will have to risk everything he’s worked for.

Personal Review: Charlotte is the type of stubborn heroine that I dislike but is very in line with human nature. She is a ‘go it alone or not at all’ type of person when we meet her and stays that way right up until the end. Life has made her jaded towards trusting others due to the people she trusts dying and leaving her alone. Instead of asking for help or at least making her friends aware of her situation she keeps them purposely in the dark and ends up exactly where you would expect her to.

Finlay should be focused on his political career when he is reintroduced to Charlotte. He has the internal struggle of living a life of love or one of duty. I liked his overall arc and where he ends up in the story. He goes from a lost false heir to championing those less fortunate than him.

The writing was good, the story was compelling. Overall I had a good time reading it.

This is the first book I've read by Ms. DeLaRosa and I enjoyed it. The author tackles some controversial topics and does it pretty well. Finlay Swinton, Viscount Firthwell, is hiding a terrible secret that could destroy his life. He is determined to bring attention to social problems and decides to run for Parliament. When one night of passion with an unknown woman shakes him to his core, he's determined to find her again. A year later he runs across Mrs. Taylor, a widow, teaching in his sister's Foundling Home, and the passion he knew that night is ignited once again. Problem is Charlotte Taylor is a commoner and a Jew--certainly not bride material for the future earl.

Charlotte has her own problems dealing with vindictive former in-laws and meeting Finlay is a distraction she can't afford to indulge in. When events spiral out of control, Finlay may be the only man she can count on to save her life.

The pace of the book was a little slow in the beginning, but by the middle of the book, the pace had picked up. There were a couple of good twists in the book that kept me reading to the end. Readers of historical romances will enjoy this book.

Since discovering a family secret with the potential to utterly ruin him, Finlay Swinton, Viscount Firthwell, has decided he must make a respectable name for himself. After undoing his father the earl's mistakes with the estate, Finlay decides to run for Parliament. But soon he re-encounters Charlotte, the beautiful woman who shared a passionate night with him a year ago before disappearing. Now that he's found her again Finlay finds it impossible to stay away from Charlotte even though her Jewish faith and humble status threaten his chances of political success and any liaison with him could threaten the stability of her teaching position.

Left widowed and penniless by a flaw in her late husband's will, Charlotte Taylor has now secured a teaching position at a foundling home and relaxed into the peaceful routine. Then Finlay reappears at a party at her employer's home and threatens the tentative life she's just rebuilding. When her former in-laws begin stirring up trouble that could destroy both her and Finlay, Charlotte must make a hard decision that could further endanger them both.

There may be what some consider to be spoilers in this next bit:

This book was heavier on politics and religion than I expected. Charlotte is absolutely determined to rely on no one but herself, to the point that she's willing to betray everyone who cares about her. I got sick and tired of Charlotte's constant whinging that she's so far below everyone else and could never be better, etc. This did improve some towards the end but not enough to make me really like her either.

It took me quite awhile to really get into this one; it didn't really hold my attention until well past the halfway mark, but then I started enjoying it more. I appreciated the originality of the premise, I just didn't really ever connect with either of the main characters. That said, I would still recommend it as an original read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was hooked from the first page. That in itself was enough, but the odds against this couple being together in marriage was even more engaging. A surprising turn in the story is the heroine is Jewish. A romance is often about overcoming obstacles and Liana De La Rosa did an excellent job making it work, which is why I could barely put the book down. Kudos for an excellent read!
A free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Interesting story. Charlotte is such a strong heroine, who has faced such adversity. She is kind and loving too. Fin, the rogue with a great heart. The plot is good, love, evil in-laws, nationalities, religion, Newgate...enjoy

This is a sweet but rather forgettable romance with a rags to riches element. I liked that the heroine was Jewish, as I’ve never seen that in a mainstream historical romance before! I found that the middle part of the book dragged a bit as it got a little repetitive, but was pleased with the way the story resolved. It isn’t one that will go on my list of favourites, but it was enjoyable nonetheless!

This was not your typical historical novel. It has a lot of elements of politics and religion and although it was interesting I don’t prefer it in a historical. It was very well done, however, by the author. There is still a HEA. thank you to netgalley for the ARC!