I was excited for the opportunity to preview the second installment in Megan Frampton's School for Scoundrels series. I thoroughly enjoyed the character interplay and plotting of the first novel. This story of Theo and Alexandra, however, fell flat for me. I generally enjoy this trope I've seen a few times recently, of a woman falling in love with a man meant for her daughter. The first bit of the novel, with Alex and Theo meeting at a pleasure garden for a one night stand, followed by her shock when she realized he was the man her stepson the duke had chosen for her daughter was quick-paced and entertaining.. Beyond that point, sadly, the character development ceased, the plot was lackluster, and even the twist that finally brought the lovers together was uninspired. I'm hoping for better as the series progresses, since this title failed to live up to its potential.

This started out strong with a H/h combo we don't see often. Alexandra is a 40 year old widowed duchess just coming out of 2 years of mourning her much older husband and getting ready to launch her daughter on society. Theo is a 28 year old successful business man who is ready to put his rakish ways behind him and settle down with the sister of a Duke (you see where this is going right...). The two meet at a pleasure garden, owned by Theo, when they both plan a last hurray before getting down to the business of the Season. They have a steamy one night stand and then go their separate ways. A week later they meet when Alex's step-son, the Duke, introduces Theo to the family as Harriet (the daughter's) potential husband. At this point in the story, I was hooked. There was an opportunity to develop some strong emotional connections and build a solid unique story. Unfortunately, that is not what we got. Instead we were given a ton of very repetitive internal dialogue and I mean repetitive. Theo was a very beta hero who fell into insta-love but never displayed that spine that should have accompanied being such a successful business man. Alex came across more like your typical debutante rather than a widow forged in a 20 year loveless marriage. I was exhausted by 2/3 in with Alex's demands to keep her independence despite the fact that her life and livelihood were still controlled by her step-son, the Duke. Honey, you have no independence. The Victorian setting was very wallpaper and many of the events of the last third just didn't make sense. This would have been a DNF if I hadn't received an ARC for an honest review.

This is a solid 5-star read and fits perfectly in the A School for Scoundrels Series.

Her Lessons in Persuasion was a 5 star, and His Study in Scandal does NOT disappoint. Without spoiling, Alexandra is the newly widowed Duchess of Chelmsworth. Her late husband was a horrible man, and good riddance. The only good thing in their marriage was their daughter Harriet (and his sister Edith, who is a bluestocking spinster and Alexandra's best friend). Alexandra's odious stepson is, unfortunately, a carbon copy of his late father, and wants to use Harriet to increase his own fortunes, but selling her, essentially, to businessman Theo Osborne (who we met in Lessons).

Well, Alexandra and Theo have already met, having a torrid and beautiful night of passion at the Garden of Hedon (which wins for very best name of a location in any book on the planet--hands down).

Theo falls hard for the mama, but Alexandra has had one horrible marriage and has zero intention of doing it again. So what is going to happen?

If you loved the first book (and. if you have a pulse, you did), you will adore this one. You also get to see more of two of the fivesome from the boys home, Fenton and Simeon. I am praying Fenton's book is next. He is such an intriguing character. But you have to love Simeon. I was so invested in both these men and they aren't even main characters! That's how Megan Frampton gets you. She makes you love ALL her characters and boom . . . you are hooked and happy.

Cannot give this book enough praises. I enjoyed it enough to read twice. I've preordered the Kindle version. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment. You will not be disappointed.

I love the concept of the story… Older woman with younger man.

I enjoyed the whole story until the end. I struggled with Alexandra’s character. She was supposed to be a Duchess with a grown adult child but at times she acted younger and more naïve than her daughter. I don’t truly feel she even loved Theo. They had great sexual chemistry.

I had such high praise until the end.

The second book in the The School for Scoundrels series features Theo and Alexandra, the widowed Duchess of Chelmsworth.

Alexandra is finally out of mourning. Not that she was all that heartbroken when her husband died, truth be told. She’s so thrilled she cuts off her black herself at the modiste’s. That evening Alexandra’s step daughter (and her closest friend) takes her to a pleasure garden for a bit of fun before Alexandra’s youngest daughter (with the new Duke, Alexandra’s step son) arrives for her debut.

Theo, our hero, is out for his last night of fun before he puts effort into a proposed marriage/business match.

At the garden she meets Theo (they do not exchanges names or titles) and they have a night together, quite a night together. They can’t stop thinking about each other.

Just days later Alexandra is at a ball and is introduced to the man her step son has arraigned a marriage for her youngest daughter with. You guessed it, it’s Theo. They are stunned.

The story kicks off at a sprint from there. There is more great sex, secret identities, runways, confrontations with the Duke, a chase to the continent. It’s quite an adventure!!

The two things that stuck out the most to me were (1) the age gap, she’s more than a decade older than he, and (2) Frampton’s dedication to consent. Both themes are excellently done here.

Alexandra is self conscious about the years, Theo is determined to prove her wrong.

Alexandra is inexperienced (in sex and life), Theo is determined to teach her, but only if she asks. Frampton is a very sex positive writer, one of the many things I appreciate about her stories.

Also, men with friends, friends with whom they discuss feelings, is such a great part of newer romance novels! This group of guy friends (they have a book club and read books by women, shocking! 🤣) is outstanding.

His Study in Scandal is a love story founded on mutual respect and it is absolutely swoon worthy. I really enjoyed book 1, book 2 is a slam dunk!

The book is out May 23rd and is available to preorder now!

Thank you to Frampton, Avon, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved everything about this book!!. It was fun to read and I loved the connection between the character.s I loved the romance and thought this was a well written story. I am looking forward to the next book from Megan Frampton.

Oooof this is as close to DNFing as I could get. Honestly, when you skim as much as I did in this book, IS it a DNF?

Here is the strange part, I actually liked the first book in this series. It has some great parts and funny moments. Looking back at that review, I did make a note that I couldn't tell the difference between Simeon and Theo-- that still held true.
Quick Summary:
Dowager Duchess Alexandra, decides to have one night of fun before returning to her prim and proper duties of chaperoning her daughter's first season. An anonymous encounter with a hot man (Theo)-- and multiple orgasms later leads to her sexual awakening. Meanwhile, Theo has the best one night stand of his life to only later realize that the special lady he cant stop thinking about is actually the mother of the debutant he was seeking to marry.

I'll say it right now, I'm not a fan of the 'she's older' trope. So this could 100% be me! I wasnt a fan of the extensive internal monologues form both Theo and Alex. However, the one thing that got under my skin was the fact that the obstacle they seem to face, was one they really made up in their heads. I just couldnt feel sympathetic for either characters.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my (obviously) honest opinion.

His Study in Scandal is the second book in Megan Frampton’s A School for Scoundrels series, and I liked it better than the first book in the series, which I struggled to finish.

For one thing, it’s really rare when a heroine is past the age of 30 in historical romances, and even rarer when she’s substantially older than the hero, so I appreciated that Alexandra is a decade or so older than Theo. Moreover, even though I found her efforts clunky at times, I liked that Frampton brought attention to how restrictive social rules were for women, and how much women chafed at them even when they seemed to entirely conform.

That said, I wish there was more interpersonal conflict in the novel between the main characters and I really wanted to see more communication on the page about the legitimate issues their union had, even aside from external factors keeping them apart like her stepson trying to browbeat Theo into marrying Alexandra’s daughter, Harriet. Moreover, and maybe this is a personal preference, I wanted more angst and emotional nuance from the main characters. They both were nice and well-intentioned but felt kind of flat and I wanted more flaws.

Also, while age difference is something that can definitely be gotten past with adequate communication and mutual understanding, I feel like the book kind of really glossed over the reality that Theo is closer to Alexandra’s daughter’s age than her own age. I believed that Theo and Alexandra loved each other, which I’m skeptical about in many romance novels, but I don’t think love itself is enough to sustain a long term relationship.

I think Frampton is really good at sex scenes generally but I found myself almost bored with the ones in this book despite the ostensible ~scandal of the title and the manner in which Theo and Alexandra initially meet and become intimate. I felt like I’d read the sex scenes a thousand times before and obviously, there are a finite amount of ways to write about sex, but I think my disappointment about the sex scenes in the novel is directly related to my desire for more articulated conflict in the novel. In a romance novel, the sex is a plot device, and if the plot is underwhelming and doesn’t address the genuine , no amount of sex can make up for it.

But, all in all, the book was fine, it was a good premise but I wanted more from the execution, and I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series.

I am seriously smitten by this friend group, but these to MCs just didn't captivate me.

I liked Alexandra and Theo. They're open and honest and have great conversation and even better chemistry. Edith was a delight and I'm really hoping Fenton and Harriet will happen.

Plot wise, it was a lot of repetitive inner monologue and that quickly became boring. I found myself skimming passages here and there and don't feel like I missed anything imperative. I will say the last couple of chapters were fantastic (and likely why it's 3 stars instead of 2) and I'm eager to see who gets the next book.

Overall, it's the promise of these five men that kept me reading this one. I liked it, but something was lacking.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

This series is so fun. I like that both protagonists don't want to get married at all. Can't wait to read the next ones.

After reading this one, I'm left feeling unfulfilled. It had some sweet moments, and I almost liked the characters, but something was missing.

I really think it all comes down to the characters. We needed more backstory on them. Take Alexandra for example. We know that her last marriage was a struggle, but we don't see enough of why. Because of this, her qualms about her relationship with Theo fall flat. While they were valid, I got tired of the same dilemma. After 200 pages of it, I was ready for her to confront her feelings.

Other than that, I didn't have any issues with this. I'm intrigued enough by the dynamic between Harriet and Fenton to read the next book.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book. I cannot wait to see the next books in the Bastard Five collection, especially what happens to Edith and Harriet!

In this book, Alexandra goes to a pleasure garden with her stepdaughter Edith (who is slightly older than she) to take advantage of her first freedom since her husband died, before she helps her daughter Harriet navigate her first Season. She has a tryst with a mysterious man, who ends up being the betrothed of her daughter.

Harriet's brother, the new duke, is attempting to force her to marry to improve his financial state, and he's chosen Theo, who was fine with marrying Harriet sight unseen, until he meets her mother. The controversy and plot of this story is how are Theo and Alexandra going to get together and not make trouble for Harriet and her future.

Throughout the book, Alexandra learns to speak for herself and has many experiences that she had never even dreamed of until she became a widow. Harriet, Edith and Theo's friend run off to Paris so Alexandra and Theo have an adventure finding them, then Alexandra is forced to confront her stepson about Harriet and her future.

Ultimately it all turns out, including a <spoiler> late in life baby, which didn't surprise me, but was also a nice touch. </spoiler> The fun is the relationship between Theo and Alexandra, their adventures, and Alexandra getting a taste of freedom and learning to love and be loved.

I received an advanced copy of this book and am giving an honest review. Thanks for a great series, Megan Frampton!

Dowager duchess Alexandra, coming out of mourning, a survivor of a loveless powerless marriage, decides to give herself one night at the Garden of Hedon. She enjoys a sizzling time there with Theo, never thinking to see him again. Unfortunately it turns out he is supposed to be the rich suitor unknown and all but promised to her beloved daughter. Oops! But Theo wants no one but Alexandra. Oh the tangled webs…

A well-crafted, decidedly proto-feminist tale with lots of little twists and turns and entertaining secondary characters. Alexandra is a woman coming out of her chrysalis after her husband dies. She is trying to discover her own agency, something she has never been allowed to explore or even recognize. She’s had only dismissive and totally sexist men in her life who couldn’t even imagine agency for women. We feminists know them well historically and presently.

Then there is Theo. He has fallen in love with Alexandra and is struggling to love her the best he can. He is flawed, also not exactly understanding what independence and agency is, but wanting to be a partner and support for her in her struggles. Yep, he’s intended for her daughter but knows immediately that he has to have the mother, Alexandra.

Lots of HOT love scenes for us. We’d all like to meet Theo in a Garden of Hedon!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Widowed Alexandra is eager to live life on her own terms after enduring a marriage to a man who could only find faults with her. She seizes her first opportunity for pleasure in the Gardens of Hedon with a handsome stranger, Theo, thinking that she will never see him again. However, she soon finds out that Theo is her stepdaughter's intended fiance. When Alexandra's stepdaughter makes it clear that she is uninterested in marrying Theo, it becomes more difficult for Alexandra to deny her feelings for him.

New readers of the series may struggle to keep track of the many characters and relationships that were established in the previous novel, and at times the obstacles the character's face seem overblown. The passion between Alexandra and Theo shines through, and Alexandra's relationships with her stepdaughters Edith and Harriet are enjoyable to read.