Scandalous is the third novel in Minerva Spencer's The Outcasts series. This book can be read as a standalone. I did not read the previous books in the series but now look forward to reading them. This was an interesting story. It deals with a very heavy topic, the African slave trade. This was the part of the story that seemed to hold all of my attention. The romance part did not hold up as well for me. I felt it was rushed and the characters did not spend enough time together.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Oh my, I loved this book! Mart’in was just the kind of hero I needed, and Sarah was his perfect heroine. I have read the first two books of the series, and this one was, in my opinion, the best. There was quite a range of settings, several good secondary characters, and best of all, a happily ever after!

I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of this book. Well after reading it I m left with mixed feelings. Good things first. Sarah is an exceptional female protagonist. As always Ms Spenser excels in creating outstanding heroines for her books be it Mia (my favourite) from dangerous, Daphne from barbarous or Sarah .she had an unconventional upbringing. Her parents being missionaries in Africa. She had no suitors n she was a devoted christian who believed in equality n forgiveness. I can go on n on about her. She is extremely likeable. On the other hand I didn't like Martin. Agreed he was an enslave n had endured a lot but the way he treats n behaves with Sarah is unfair. The only person who understands him completely is Baron Ramsey, his former mentor. Hugh Denver is my favourite among Ms Spenser's heroes. Hugh tries to reason with Martin again and again. Martin is too stubborn for his own good. In between the plot starts to lose its grip n starts becoming repetitive. It picks up again after someone from Martin 's past comes up.i tries to understand martin's struggle but that doesn't gives him excuse to misbehave. I m eagerly awaiting now to read NOTORIOUS.

Scandalous by Minerva Spencer is book 3 in The Outcasts Series. This is the story of Sarah Fisher and Martin Bouchard. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Martin is a former slave who ran and now is a privateer. Martin comes off harsh but as we learn more about him we learn reason behind his attitude. Sarah is a missionary woman who is kidnapped along with the people from her village in Africa. Sarah tries to save herself and other but offering herself to Martin but of course this leads to more.
Different take on a historical romance but overall enjoyed their story.

Martin Etienne Bouchard was a privateer, a former slave, and Captain of his own ship. When he had escaped he met One-Eyed Standish who took him under his wing and taught him from the bottom up. Now he was a good Captain but still a lost person. He knew what he wanted but he didn't know himself. He could not read which made him embarrassed
Saah Fisher was on the slave ship, Blue Bird. He father had been a medical man and had taught her all he could. They had been Missionary's, the three of them had done it for years but somehow got forgotten by the Missionary Board. They didn't hear from the board anymore. Her parents had died of illness and she got picked up during a sweep which included the village she lived in. There was nothing left.
I really loved this story. The way they argued, but still felt a strong attachment. They cared about each but refused to admit it and they went round and round. It was well developed and enchanting. The characters were
warm, fun and stubborn. Slavery was one of the themes that went thru out the tale. He hated it and he fought slavers very hard and was not kind to them at all. If you like pirates, peers, bordello's, and sex. this well worth the time. It is exciting, humorous and quarrelsome people abound.
I received this from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

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Scandalous is the third book in Minerva Spencer’s series The Outcasts, and it takes as its hero Martín Etienne Bouchard, the beautiful , enigmatic and seductive privateer who was introduced in the previous book, Barbarous. Ms. Spencer’s sophisticated, precise prose continues to impress, as does her ability to tell a compelling story and create complex characters, but something about the principals and romance in Scandalous didn’t quite gel for me. The heroine is determined and independent of spirit in a way that feels perfectly right for the story and the period, but the hero, while he has a truly traumatising backstory, spends much of the novel behaving like an emotionally stunted adolescent. The author skilfully makes the reader aware that there are good reasons for Martín’s behaviour and actually manages (sometimes) to make him into a fairly sympathetic character – even before we find out the true extent of what he went through (which doesn’t happen until fairly near the end) – but there were still times I came perilously close to losing patience with him.

Martín Bouchard is a former slave who is now a wealthy privateer who has built himself a fearsome reputation as a cold, hard killer who was more concerned with his cravat than his life. Not surprisingly, Martín hates those who buy and sell slaves with a passion, so he has little sympathy for the crew of the Blue Bird, a Dutch Ship with a hold full of slaves, when he captures it off Africa’s Gold Coast.

The daughter of missionaries, Sarah Fisher was born in Africa – in the village of N’Goe – where she’s lived all her life. Her parents died after contracting a sickness that killed many in the village, and since their deaths some two years earlier, Sarah has acted as the village’s healer. When the slavers arrived in N’Goe and captured all its inhabitants, Sarah went with them, which is how she comes to be aboard the Blue Bird when it is attacked by the Golden Scythe, a British privateer, at the same time as the crew is on the verge of mutiny.

To try to avert the latter, Sarah and the ship’s captain Mies Graaf go aboard the Golden Scythe to parlay with its captain – who is the most beautiful man Sarah has ever seen. But Captain Bouchard is as intractable as he is handsome; he refuses to allow the Blue Bird to return to port to return its ‘cargo’ and has no patience with Graaf’s protests that the slaves were purchased without his consent or knowledge.

When the woman who accompanied Graaf enters the discussion, Martín finds himself liking her spirit as well as the way the snug breeches she’s wearing are clinging to her legs. He’s far more used to women throwing themselves at his feet than arguing with him and prefers it that way – although the way this particular woman refuses to back down certainly enlivens the discussion; she’s not especially attractive in the way Martín usually appreciates, but he’s nonetheless sufficiently interested to suggest he’ll show mercy to the crew of the Blue Bird if she’ll share his bed. But when what should have been a night of pleasure is interrupted and Martín finds himself looking down the barrel of his own pistol, he decides Sarah is more trouble than she’s worth and just wants to get her off his ship.

Roughly half the book is taken up with the journey to England, and the rest sees Sarah connecting with long-lost relatives and deciding what she wants to do with her life. Throughout the story, Sarah and Martín move towards each other and then away in a continual (and frustrating) dance, Martín clearly infatuated with Sarah and in deep denial about it, Sarah telling herself a man like Martín can’t possibly be interested in a woman like her. Martín hates the way Sarah seems able to see through his tough outer shell to the parts of himself he’s carefully hidden away and tries desperately to convince himself he wants nothing more than to be rid of her. He continually pushes Sarah away, treating her with disdain and wounding her with insults and rudeness. But Sarah keeps trying to reach him – certainly going beyond the point at which my patience would have snapped! – with kindness and compassion, until someone tells her that Martin doesn’t react well to either of those things and that she should instead treat him as badly as he has treated her if she really wants to get through his defences. After they arrive in England things between them don’t change much. Martín keeps trying to keep his distance, but gets all caveman when other men take an interest in Sarah; he keeps trying (and failing – little Martín refuses to perform with anyone except her) to assuage his lust elsewhere, and telling himself she’ll despise him if she finds out the truth about his past. He seems to prefer to wallow in his own fears of inadequacy than to see what’s under his nose and acknowledge the truth of Sarah’s feelings for him and his for her.

Minerva Spencer is a gifted storyteller and in Scandalous, has crafted a compelling and very readable tale featuring characters who, while not particularly likeable, are flawed and complex. But no matter how well characterised or how vibrantly written – and both those things are true here – a romance stands or falls upon how the hero and heroine interact, how strong the chemistry is between them and on readers being able to buy into their relationship – and I’m afraid that’s where the book falls down. The author does a good job of making it clear that Martín is a very damaged individual, but his poor behaviour towards Sarah goes on for too long, and by the time he finally does start to show a bit of maturity, it’s too little too late. (I actually felt as though he’d had an overnight personality transplant.) He spends most of the book denying his attraction to Sarah – an attraction I never quite understood – and actively avoiding her; and while Sarah is an admirable character to start with – strong, determined and courageous – as the story progressed, I couldn’t understand what she actually saw in Martín and what drove her to forgive him over and over again other than his looks and abilities between the sheets.

Scandalous is obviously going to be polarising as some readers will be completely turned off by Martín’s behaviour towards Sarah, while others will be prepared to cut him some slack given his traumatic background. It’s not a perfect novel by any means, but it stands out from the current – rather disappointing – crop of historical romances due to its superb prose, well-developed characters, and interesting and unusual plotline. I’d have rated it more highly had the romance been more convincing and the leads more appealing, but ultimately, it engaged me and held my attention for the duration, so I’m giving it a cautious recommendation.

B- / 3.5 stars

Prepare for another fabulous adventure from Minerva Spencer, who has become one of my go to authors. She always captures my imagination quickly and with this story or a privateer and a missionary, the banter is endless and emotions over the top.
Martin Couchard was Captain of the Golden Scythe. He was a privateer, but he also sought justice for those enslaved on ships and helped them become free. He had honed his "reputation of a cold, hard killer who was more concerned with his cravat than his life." But Martin had a hard past and had overcome a lot but knew he was still lacking.
Sara Fisher was a missionary who got caught up on a ship filled with human cargo and she only wanted to get them free. As Martin takes the ship with the same intent (although she does not know that) the journey begins!!
This was a fast paced engaging story as the handsome privateer and the strong, determined missionary come together as he ends up taking her back to England along with the weak Captain Mies.
If you have never read one of Minerva's stories, you don't know what you are missing!

This is an excellent story. Martin is a runaway slave and a privateer. He has demons that he is trying to overcome. Sarah is a preachers daughter who finds herself in the hold of a slave ship being taken over by Martin. From the moment they meet they are constantly in battle. Sarah believes in forgiveness and that everyone can have good in them. She finds it hard to read what Martin wants as he is constantly pushing her away. As they arrive in England they each have to make a decision about their future. This is a story about believing in the power of love and learning to trust people when they care for you. It is filled with witty and humorous conversations.

This was not a story that appealed to me and the entire reason lies with the protagonists, especially the hero's behavior towards the heroine.

I loved the setup of the story: He is an ex-slave who ran away from his oppressors in New Orleans and became a privateer on behalf of the British crown. He is independently wealth and commands his own ship along the African coastlines to rescue slaves and destroy slave ships. She's a white missionary who grew up in an Africa and was taken aboard a slave ship along with other villagers. He rescues her and that is how they meet. Marvelous premise, isn't it? And yet...the story falls on itself.

He is a promiscuous man, who is most comfortable in a brothel, despite his past as an ex-whore. He falls hard for the plain missionary and cannot explain to himself why he is so fascinated. He is constantly angry at her despite her taking on the task of teaching him to read. He is also a jealous alpha. The way the author shows the hero's fidelity is by having him repeatedly visit brothels and stay nights there, and despite being manually and otherwise manipulated, not be able to do the deed. This shows his devotion to the heroine. Naturally, she is devastated every time she finds out. But in the next breath, the author tells us the heroine is sexually and otherwise in thrall to the man and cannot "help herself."

While the author does a good job of showing that the hero is a very damaged individual, his poor behavior towards the heroine goes on for too long, and by the time he finally does start to show a bit of maturity and makes a dramatic change, it’s too little too late. I could not believe in their HEA or in its long-term stability.

Captain Martin Étienne Bouchard is a former slave who ran away from America and has became a privateer soon finds himself facing a straight-laced missionary Sarah Fisher. She was kidnapped among her neighbors as a slave for trade when her ship is captured and finds herself at the Captain’s mercy where she tries to make a deal with him to save her people. The feisty Sarah is quite a match for the captain in every way. I love their verbal sparring as the sexual tension builds to a fiery passion they can no longer deny. Sarah sees past his perfect exterior to the wounded man inside, can the Captain forgive himself and find love, a love he doesn’t think he deserves? I loved this adventurous story and I voluntarily wrote a review.

Scandalous by Minerva Spencer
The Outcasts #3

I have enjoyed this series and looked forward to reading this book. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed. Why? I felt disappointed in the portrayal of beautiful, vain, unfeeling Captain Martin Etienne Bouchard. He could have used his past to be more than his job and money and reputation as a rake. And Sarah Fisher, missionary, was a good-hearted woman secluded from much by living twenty-four years in a small village with only her parents and the tribe around her. She was taken in by a pretty face and mean talking man and fell head over heels for him...that I had trouble understanding. Also, I had trouble believing that Sarah could have or would have done some of the things she did. It is fiction and thus can happen in a book but...she was strong and weak in weird ways.

What I liked:
* Martin’s love for the man that saved him and his ability to become the man he did
* Sarah’s love of all human beings and her willingness to stand up for their rights while forgiving evil doers.
* Seeing some of the characters from previous books
* Beauville finding Mary
* Some of the interactions between Sarah and Martin
* Hearing the backstories of Martin and Sarah
* Sarah knowing where her heart really lay

What I did not like:
* Martin’s immature acting out and what just seemed mean at times
* The Slavers...all of them
* Armand and his father

I enjoy a swashbuckling tale and this provided that. I had parts I loved and parts I didn’t like as much in this book. I felt that the time in England could have been shortened a bit and more time spent on Martin and Sarah actually getting along rather than fighting and at cross purposes. I understood that with the history Martin had it would be hard to trust and love and believe in a future though in some ways he was a bit tooo much of a caricature...or something.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes and No
Would I read another book in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington – Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

This is my fair and honest review, in my own words, in return for this ARC. Scandalous indeed....if you care about that sort of thing. Fortunately for us, we don't. Well written story with lots of remarkable characters. You get pulled deep into these characters as they struggle through pasts, presents and hopes for futures.

This is the third book in this series and after I had read Barbarous which I loved I had to read this one, it was about the sexy Martin, come on I know you all wanted to know about him since we kept hearing how gorgeous he was.. Any who I liked Martin and I wanted to know more about him, yes at times he was a jerk and you wanted to reach out and smack him but then you also read about his background and everything he went thru and how he survived so I gave him a break, then there was Sara whom I wasn't crazy about at first she just was judgemental and wanted things her way however she grew on me and these two did not have it easy but they learned to build on the attraction and change their ways..I was happy to read about the previous characters.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Scandalous by Minerva Spencer is the 3rd book in her exciting Outcasts series. It could be read as a standalone but it’s an excellent series so I recommend reading them all. When Captain Martin Bouchard captures a slave ship that last thing he expects to find onboard is the daughter of missionaries who was taken into slavery when the village she taught school in was targeted by Slavers. The story is full of action and adventure and Sarah Fisher makes a most excellent heroine. Martin and Sarah are a case of opposites attracting with lots of sparks flying and some excellent banter. It is only when his past comes back to haunt him that Martin is ready to admit that Sarah holds his heart. I enjoyed reading this story and look forward to the next book in the series. Medium Steam. Publishing Date September 24, 2019 #NetGalley #Scandalous #MinervaSpencer #TheOutcastsSeries #KensingtonBooks #ZebraRomanceNovels #Bookstagram #HistoricalRomance

I love reading books by this author! I haven't read the first or second book in this series (now sure why) but I will be reading them now and this one over again! The author always develops her characters and the stories are full of emotions. I love the history and witty characters in her books.

How could anyone not be enticed to read a book called ‘Scandalous’ with such a delightful cover and following on from two amazing books by Minerva Spencer. I must say that having read ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Barbarous’, I was looking forward to reading about Captain Martin Bouchard. A former slave who became a privateer for the English government, he finds himself rescuing Sarah Fisher, from a boat carrying slaves. Sarah, the daughter of English missionaries, has lived her whole life in Africa, only to find her kidnapped with her fellow villagers. Upon meeting Martin, she finds herself captivated by his masculine beauty but confounded by his arrogance and disdain for everyone. Yet, his determination to see no-one else suffer slavery, is enough for Sarah to fall in love.
Theirs in an interesting romance, with Sarah a strong woman yet conflicted in her feelings for Martin. She struggles with her intense feelings for him, as he continues to resist her, only to his own detriment. I must admit that I found Martin such a fascinating character. At first, he is hard to warm to, yet it is so apparent, that he cares for Sarah but struggles to not only understand his feelings but to show her any kindness. I went from confusion over his actions, to feeling sorry for him, to admiring his strength to rise above his demons. In many ways, I felt like Sarah, utterly captivated by his character, so much so that I read back on his appearance in book 1.
This was a fascinating book and it was so good to read of characters from the previous two books. Whilst this is a standalone novel, it would a shame for anyone not to read back on all the adventures in the previous books. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and will just have to reread Books 1 – 3 in the meantime.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first read by Minerva Spencer and it wont be my last. Martin, a former slave was a very complex character with a lot of emotional scars that need to heal. His growth throughout the book was amazing to read. Sometimes you want to smack his head, and others you just want to give him a hug and tell him it will all be okay. Sarah, the missionary that has a spine of steel. Just like I like my heroines. This story gave me everything I hope for in a book, a strong story line, great characters, and beautiful romance. What more can you ask for? I know the book is the third in the series, but I had no issues reading it as a standalone. Do I recommend? Yeppers! I will be hitting Ms. Spencer's back catalog for sure and will look forward to her next book!

Scandalous indeed!

I actually struggled with the character of Sarah Fisher first up. This outspoken missionary's daughter who had been captured by slavers along with the rest of her African village is a force to be reckoned with.
When Captain Martín Bouchard, ex slave turned privateer fires on the slaver ship freedom is at hand. At that moment some of the slave ship's crew mutiny against their captain. When the vicious mutineers are overthrown, thanks to a combination of Martín's forces and the slaves, Sarah has her own thoughts about what should happen to them as governed by her Christian responsibilities. I for one felt the mutinous crewman should walk the plank. After all this is the man who'd arranged such a cargo unbeknownst to his Captain. However, against Bouchard's better judgement the mutineer leaders were imprisoned, and the story became more complicated from that point forward.
What all came to expect, those that Sarah came in touch with, including your reader, was that Sarah would have an unusual response to any given situation. She never takes the easy road or even the wiser course. She muddies even the calmest waters.
Bouchard, much to his chagrin becomes absolutely enamoured with Sarah. To the point where he finds his manhood threatened. He can't function normally, even though he does try to forget Sarah in brothels. This part is ridiculously amusing. I for one am glad to see the rakish captain get his comeuppance. Martín is truly puzzled by his attraction for this woman with a mind of her own. After all he's 'bedded hundreds of women' he reminds himself. Welcome to a look into Bouchard's surface thoughts! His questioning of himself is rather hilarious, "Martín knew the frustration that came from a lack of sexual release was detrimental to a man’s mental processes." Oh how the mighty make excuses! But given Martín's past, the idea of love is painfully chancy.
It seems these two might love each other, they are certainly in lust with each other as their bed-sports indicate. (Just how did this straight-laced missionary find herself in this tangle? I don't know whether to applaud or be horrified). To get them to admit their feelings takes a highly dramatic episode.
Of course there's so much more. A complex plot, interesting characters, fascinating responses, a healthy dose of humour and irony.
An excellent novel based around the slavery background of Bouchard, as he faces some of the darkness and horrors he's had inflicted upon his being. A darkness that sears his soul.
An endearing read that had unexpected depths along with a lightening levity.

A Zebra/ Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This is book 3 in the Outcast series. Martin has been a secondary character in the 1st 2 books and now has his own story. He has always been arrogant and that has not changed.
Sarah is a naive, green girl who was raised by her missionary parents in the wilds of Africa. She is captured and put on a slave ship, heading for Florida.
She is rescued when her ship is boarded and taken possession by Martin Bruchard.
Martin is amused by the Missionary girl who stands up to him and tries to tell him what to do.
You see the connection between them. Shes attracted to his badness and he to her goodness.
What I didn't like was everytime it looked like they were going to get together , something would happen to pull them apart. Usually their own stubbornness or ego or stupidity.
I felt it happened too many times.
What I liked was this wasn't the traditional historical romance, centering around the Ton. It was different and I enjoyed it. I love Minerva Spencer's books and look forward to the next one.

3.5 Stars
Straight-laced missionary Sarah Fisher has been kidnapped along with the people from her village in Africa, where she was born. Which is bad enough then the kidnappers vessel is captured by Captain Martin Bouchard. He is the most beautiful person—male or female—she’s ever seen. Sarah being desperate to save everyone offers to buy Bouchard’s mercy with the only thing she has to sell: her body.
I’d really been looking forward to this third book in the series & for Martin's story & whilst it was another very well written, well researched book it fell a bit flat for me as the more I read the more I disliked Martin & just couldn’t get my head round him loving Sarah. I wanted to like him I really did but the way he treat Sarah was despicable & I thought she was in lust with him for his looks as no way could she have loved him & I couldn’t see that their HEA would continue after the passion died. It's taken me a while to write a review as I needed to re read the book to see if I'd first read it on a bad day.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read