I adored Catherine and Dominic's story! It was so much fun watching these two find their way to their HEA!!

*inhale*
*exhale*

I do not have the words to adequately convey how much I LOVED this novel. It made me giggle, smile until my cheeks hurt & bawl my eyes out. It gave me all the feels. ALL of them. Lord Dominic Kirke is my newest book husband. (Go Directly to Book Husband Estate, Bypass the Book Boyfriend Territory. Collect my heart on your way!)

The Grand Palace on the Thames brings together another soon to be destined couple,(Honestly, Julie I need my own TGPOTT to stay at!) when country doctor's daughter Miss Catherine Keating finds herself with an opportunity to grace the Ton for her first season & finds herself an unlikely behind the scenes (can be also found in hidden alcoves & behind potted plants) chaperone in one Lord Dominic Kirke. Thrown together in the drawing room (for the requisite 4 nights a week) of the mythical boarding house we all know & love it is here where these two very different characters meet & discover not only themselves but a passion neither can deny.

This may be the most time we spend away from The Grand Palace on the Thames and yet we still get that it has a 'life of it's own' feeling the setting of this series provides. From the familial camaraderie of the drawing room stories (and debates on which book to read next) to the insightful conversations & glimpses of the characters as they not only discover themselves within the walls but discover a new found family. I may have giggled in pure joy that Kirke accompanied Delacorte to the donkey races! And how the political landscape around the epithet jar has shifted with a member of parliament in residence. A jar word is still a jar word...

I don't know where to start with my undeniable love for Dominic Kirke. This fiery man who stood up for the justice of others & who guarded his own shattered heart. It was everything about him that drew me in. His actions towards making sure Catherine got back before curfew to the undeniable chemistry laced banter between them. Oh and how he saw her, truly saw her in her moments of quiet distress or in the flicker of yearning for a new dress. Which then led to him action, albeit behind the scenes. What's the Austen quote? "If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more." It is exactly how I feel not only about Dominic's beautifully flawed character but about this entire novel.

Oh Catherine Keating! How I loved your joyful (initial) view of getting your first London season. Your strength of character in the midst of the crocodiles of the ballroom & how you did not always know what you were feeling, but did not back down from trying to discover it all. And how you viewed kindness as in no way a weakness. There were so many things about Katherine that made me wish to view the world in the way that she did.

I honestly mourn having finished reading and feel like I might need to go back and reread the entire series.

Well, since I've read all these wonderful books in the series, this one is a a hit. I love how Ms Long puts a twist to all her writing and gets to the heart of it all. The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. It's nice to catch up with previous books but can be read as a stand alone.
Miss Catherine Keating is in London to have a season and offered a chaperone of Lady Westerling. They are staying a the Grand Palace and she loves the atmosphere and company of other guests.
She meets Lord Dominic Kirke, a scandalous MP, who is older and than her 22 years. He's a MP who has a notorious reputation with the ladies. But Cat thinks he's the most interesting man and feels an attraction to him. He is living at the Palace since his house went up in smoke from a fire. They begin a relationship based on friendship which turns to a hot hot romance. Cat and Dominic are two people who were meant to be and their happy ever after is love.

My Season of Scandal is the seventh book in The Palace of Rogues series and can be read as a standalone.

I really enjoyed this book and was glad we got to experience the London Season for a bit change of scenery. I liked getting the interactions between the MC at both the boardinghouse and at ton events and that the witty banter showed off the intelligence of both MC. It’s a slow burn with a lot of angst and tension that is released in small but passionate bursts. The back and forth had me wondering at times though when one would finally give in.

I liked the FMC and while she was from the country, innocent in many ways and didn’t know how to navigate the ton she was also mature, intelligent, and perceptive that you couldn’t help but root for her. The MMC was also likable although greatly more complex. A self-made man that had earned his title and position as a MP who had closed himself emotionally after past hurt.

One of the things I loved is the little details that aren’t forgotten but tied in later when the reader has almost forgotten about them. From the big grand gesture (that I loved) to little things in the ending and epilogue that all put a smile on your face.

If you’ve read the others in this series, most of the epilogues are mainly setting up the next book. While that’s case here too, I felt there was more of the after the HEA that was icing on the cake to me.

There are two encounters and some grinding that leads to mutual satisfaction.

An advance ebook was provided by Avon via NetGalley. All options are my own.

My Season of Scandal is a novel in the Palace of Rogues (book 7) series by Julie Anne Long. The Palace of Rogues is a boarding house that is carefully curated by the owners. There are very specific rules and expectations for those who live there including family style dinners and nights in the parlor. The rules do include - or at least expect proper behavior.

Catherine Keating has come to London for a season. She hopes to find someone who meets her fancy. She has no allusions of grandeur knowing she has a small dowry and a wardrobe that is considered old by the high fashion tonne. Luckily, despite the fact that her chaperone seems to leave her every night to play games at the ball, Catherine finds a couple of people to dance with and eventually captures the attention of Lord Dominic Kirke. Not that he is interested in her, but he is willing to help her out here and there.

Lord Dominic Kirke is a firebrand orator in the House of Commons. He is also a boarder at the Palace of Rogues as his house sustained damage in a fire. He recognizes Catherine and wants to help her out, but not get into a relationship with her. Eventually he helps her (without her knowledge) and her season becomes more robust, except for those who are looking for victims.

The story does drag a bit in the middle, but overall it is a nice addition to the series. My Season of Scandal by Julie Anne Long is a good read.

Every time Julie Anne Long invites us back to The Grand Palace on the Themes it is an emotional delight!

Two new guests have come to the Palace on their own… but they won’t be that way for a long!

Catherine Keaton is excited to experience the glittering lights of London ballroom scenes compared to her small town existence as a Vicar’s daughter. her clothes may be a little outdated and her manners are not as polished, but her heart is as big as they come!

Lord Dominic Kirke is surprised to find himself at The Grand Palace on the Themes After our fire breaks out in his home… not needing the distraction of all the rules and communal activity while he works on his next big speech for the House of Commons. Also the surprising distraction of a young country miss is filling his thoughts.

Such a change from the rest of the Palace of Rogues series- where this May-December romance plays out not so much at the hotel, but in the ballrooms and other spaces the ton gathers for the season. I’m not saying we don’t get plenty of time at the Palace, along with the fun and high jinx of our favourite characters, but this book definitely brings a new and fresh feel well keeping the tradition and vibe of the series.

Catherine and Lord Kirke play out their romance in the dark corners of the ballroom and behind the ferns as a surprisingly witty, young miss and chance the disenchanted rake!

This is another successful match made at The Grand Palace on the Themes end I loved how Delilah and Angelique are actually discussing their matchmaking capabilities in the power of love and romance at The Palace! A little tongue in cheek notice to all the couples made at this one location.

Another couldn’t put it down, five star installment in the Palace of Rogues series! No one writes a slow burn like Julie Anne Long, and I always find myself completely wrapped up in the angst and depth of feelings that Julie writes so well.

All of her heroines are amazing, but there’s nothing particularly 'special’ about Catherine Keating, and that’s what makes her so compelling. She’s just a smart, witty country girl excited to dance at balls and maybe find a husband. So excited that she unintentionally attracts the notice of her upstairs neighbor while spinning in her room.

Enter Lord Dominic Kirke — a much older rake and a cynic who finds himself unexpectedly out of a house. He’s an MP in the House of Commons and worried about a big speech to garner support to help the less fortunate. The last thing he needs is a distracting sprite downstairs.

But where else would a country doctor’s daughter and a scandalous politician ever have the completely acceptable opportunity to meet? I truly love what Julie has created with the Grand Palace on the Thames. It’s a gift that keeps on giving!

I also enjoyed being back in the ballroom! Most of this books takes place during the Season, and our main couple always seem to be in the same quiet balconies or alcoves. It’s here where their relationship truly develops.

But I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the evenings at the boarding house. I saw someone call this the coziest steamy romance novel ever, and it’s true. Although My Season of Scandal can be read as a stand alone, you will be utterly charmed by the full ensemble cast of characters whom we’ve met in the past six books. I highly recommend them all!

What a great story! This is my first time with this author and while I have not read any of the prior series books, I fully intend to do so. Catherine is new to London, while Dominic is and older Lord very familiar with the area and the rules. I must say it took me a bit in the beginning to get into the story as I really enjoy conversations over lots of details. That said once I got into it, the banter, wit and connect between the two, even with the age difference, held me captive till the very end. Wonderfully crafted and fully entertaining!

When Catherine Keating arrives at the Grand Palace on the Thames for her first London season, she is immediately and veritably accosted by her fellow boarding house guest, the politically powerful, devastatingly handsome, and wickedly intelligent rake, Lord Dominic Kirke. Her quiet, genteel life in rural Northumberland hasn’t prepared the innocent Catherine to navigate the ton, or to realize how dangerous even the slightest association with Dominic can be to a gently bred debutante’s reputation.

For the longest time, my review was one word: SCREAMING!!! Because for the love of Delacorte’s donkey races, how can I possibly articulate how much I loved this one?

I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge fan of Julie's writing, and she continues to get better and better. There are only a few authors who have honed their craft in the historical romance space to the level of Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh, and Julie is one of them.

My Season of Scandal made me an emotional wreck in all the best ways, especially because of how soft and vulnerable Dominic really is beneath his mask of impeccably correct high society manners. Dominic is a good man, and his earnest, tender gentleness with Catherine from the outset made me feel that I was in on a sweet, precious secret.

This is a 5-star read in all matters of execution, to include ideal pacing, meaningful plot and character development, sensual romance, and rich, metaphorical prose. Julie's dialogue shines brighter than ever here, as does her witty sense of humor. One aspect of her books that I personally find to be one of the most satisfying is the MCs’ declarations of love to each other. True to form, Dominic’s heartrending admissions of his feelings for Catherine hit me so hard right in the feels, I got teary-eyed.

Additional highlights for me are the evenings spent in the cozy sitting room as chess is played, stories are read, and pence are lost to the epithet jar; and the ongoing battle between Dot and the solid, no nonsense footman Ben Pike about whose job it is to open the front door.

Tropes: age gap, slow burn, friends to lovers, mutual pining, rake and wallflower

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.

I completely adore the Palace of Rogues series. This one was delightful. I wasn't sure I was going to like these two (Lord Kirke and Catherine Keating) getting together, but they actually may be my favorite couple. I still very much adore the supporting characters, and truly hope that Dot, Ben Pike, Mr. Delacourte, and Mrs. Pariseau get their HEA, too. The Grand Palace on the Thames is certainly magical.

This egalley has quite a few typos and misspellings.

The jaded MP, Dominic Kirke, Baron Kirke takes a room at the Grand Palace on the Thames hotel when his house is nearly burned down by his now ex-mistress. Dominic just wants peace and quiet to do his work, but his first night is disturbed by his downstairs “neighbor”. He is surprised to find the neighbor is a lovely young woman, fresh from the country and set to spend her first season in London. Innocents are not his thing and he plans to steer clear of her, but thanks to the rules of the hotel and social engagements, their paths keep crossing and soon Dominic finds himself enchanted with Catherine Keating, but he still keeps her at an arm’s length by calling her Keating and but still feels protective of her and warns her of the dangers of the ton. Dominic knows he is wrong for her, he has loved before and has secrets, but the chemistry between them is strong. He knows letting her go is the right thing to do and tries to distance himself. But when a well-intentioned act goes horribly wrong, her season is ruined, he offers to make things right, only to be rejected. Can he make it right or is he doomed to living with a broken heart forever?

Catherine Keating comes to London with high hopes of finding a husband, but nothing is going right, first her aunt is injured, leaving her alone at the Grand Palace on the Thames, then her chaperone is more interested in gambling than making introductions, her wardrobe is outdated and makes her the subject of cruel jabs, and the only man that makes her heart beat faster is grumpy Lord Kirke, who has made it abundantly clear that there cannot and will not be anything beyond friendship between them. To make matters worse the more time she spends with him, the deeper she falls for him, but once he shares his past with her, she knows that she cannot be his future and tries to move on. But when viscous gossip ruins her season, she confronts Lord Kirke and is horrified by his martyr-like proposal. She had hoped for love and was crushed, leaving her no choice but to return home in disgrace. But separation only increases her heartache and Kirke makes no attempt to contact her. Will she find her HEA or is she too doomed to live with a broken heart?

This was another great, well-written installment of the Palace of Rogues series and might be the most emotional one yet! Catherine and Dominic are such wonderful characters and I was rooting for them right from the start, but their journey to happily ever after is not an easy one, but what a ride it is!!! The book has witty banter, lots of emotion, secrets, great secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, heartbreaking revelations, slow burn romance, uncertainty, heartache, tears, a healthy dose of angst and finally an amazing ending complete with an epilogue. I just loved this book so much and highly recommend it – it is the seventh book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title.

4.5 stars

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

I am DEVASTATED by this book. Utterly ruined. How can you simultaneously find joy and plucked heart strings at the same time? I am saying this now, My Season of Scandal will go down as one of the most romantic, most iconic romance novels in historical romance. And no, you cannot refute this. My endorphins are flying, my head is swimming with love for Catherine and Dominic and I just want to sit and rest in this book.
I am ashamed to say that I have not read any of the other Palace of Rogues books and did a little research so that I could have a bit of back history (a few of the characters in The Grand Palace on the Thames are from prior books). It’s safe to say that this can still be read as a standalone, of which I will quickly remedy. Never have I felt so much sympathy and sorrow and love for a rake like I have for Lord Kirke. Gah, back story is everything! Dominic’s encounters with Catherine take place most often behind potted ferns or oversized plants in ballrooms and their conversations were everything. The two of them are matched on intellect, wit, and their verbal sparring and inside jokes had me snickering constantly. SLEEVES! FACE-LICKING! PHALLIC BLOOMING PLANTS! (IYKYK) I loved that they got to know each other when they were both seeking refuge and they paid attention to what the other said. Listening as a love language, who knew?!
The way Kirke and Keating behave around one another exudes love, from simple words and acts to the most romantic of all romantic grand gestures. Julie Anne Long is the Mistress of Metaphors and writes her characters so lovingly and so beautifully that you can’t help but fall in love with each and every one of them (Mr, Delacourte, Mrs. Pariseau, Dot…). I felt all of the feels, swooned, sighed, laughed, and cried and I just beg of you to go pick up this book. Then immediately message me so we can DISCUSS! I graciously received an advanced copy from Avon. All opinions are my own.

Star rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟x10
Steam: 🪭🪭

It was nice to revisit the gang at The Grand Palace on the Thames once again. This made up for the fact that the age-gap romance between Miss Keating and Lord Kirke was a slow-burn. I could not help but be amazed at the skill of the author because this story was so emotionally complex. There was plenty of humor as well.
Lord Kirke, an outspoken member of parliament, had been guarding his heart for many years. He never imagined that a lady 10+ years his junior, could be his undoing. Or rather, his salvation. Catherine, a simple country girl, was very bold despite her naivety. She was incredibly perceptive when it came to seeing Kirke for who he really was.
When Kirke finally poured his heart out, I was in tears. I probably cried my way through the last third of the book. Luckily, my tears turned into happy ones as I reached the ending. I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper-Voyager/Avon, and Ms. Long for the opportunity to review an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Frankly the "Grand Palace on the Thames" (GPOTT, if you're using a hotel handkerchief) is a dumb name in my opinion. And that sums up my only complaint about this book. *Chef's kiss* perfection.
We have humor (Delacorte, full stop). We have chemistry for days. We have warmth, we have meaningful discussion, we have intrigue, we have joy. (Catherine) Keating and (Dominic) Kirke are a joy together, dancing around each other at arm's length but clearly two halves of a perfectly fitted whole. Kirke, the fiery, controversy-embracing orator who has grown a thicket of thorns to protect his heart, and Keating, the naive, kind country girl who wears hers on her sleeve. Every minute of this book was effervescent and incandescent and resonant. Julie Anne Long is a master. I recommend her books a lot to romance readers who haven't discovered her yet and this one will join its fellows on the list. You know a relationship is sublime when you skip past the spice to get back to the talking.

And. The CLOVER. The bench. That epilogue. *heart twinges*
GAH.

This is Julie Ann Long’s best work yet. Thank you for providing me with an advanced readers copy for this book.

The 7th installment in Julie Anne Long’s The Palace of Rogues series is a charming story about Catherine Keating, a country girl experiencing her first encounter with the London ton, and Lord Dominic Kirke, a notorious rake and avid speaker at the House of Commons. These two both happen to be staying at the Grand Palace on the Thames and end up running into each other frequently at various balls.

The banter and tension between Kirke and Keating were swoon worthy! I found myself giggling each time they verbally sparred.

I especially enjoyed all the nods to the other characters who are staying at the Grand Palace as well—lots of found family goodness!

The Grand Palace on the Thames series by Julie Anne Long gets better with each new addition, giving readers memorable characters to savor in an environment as supportive as a loving family. Even when, as happens in the best of families, the individuals sometimes need assistance in believing in love. The books contain delicious interplay between people who as strangers to one another gently feel their way through the minefield of relationships, hovering uncertainly between comprehension and misunderstandings as they struggle both to be heard and understood, and to listen and understand. It is a delicate tightrope to tread, and Ms. Long understands the balance better than most. Even when comprehension evades her protagonists, she lures them back to equilibrium in ways that are realistic and believable. This is a book which delivers characters to cheer for, fallible like all of us, lucky enough to have Ms. Long driving the plot to a satisfying HEA.

I’m really torn on how to rate this one because it’s definitely deserving of more than 3 stars but it was a little too slow paced for me to give it 4. I did really love the connection between Catherine and Kirke. They’re so different on the surface but their banter and conversations were the best part of the book. I could have done without quite so many mentions of their age difference, especially after it was obvious she could more than hold her own with him. And I do think that Kirke dragged his feet a bit too long about them being together, but when he changed his mind, he sure did it with style.

As always, it’s so much fun to catch with the crew at the grand palace on the Thames!

This is another solid, sweet romance to add to the collection at the Grand Palace. The FMC is Catherine, a 22 YO country doctor's daughter, who has the opportunity for a London season fall into her lap. Her father is dying and hopes to see her find the kind of love and companionship he had with her late mother so she sets off to London, full of hope, but grounded in country practicality, to fulfill his wishes. The Grand Palace will be her home away from home while she attends the various events of the Season and she is immediately welcomed in. The MMC is Dominic, Lord Kirke, a 35 YO Welshman from a common background who rose to become a prominent Whig politician, known both for his fiery speeches and his rakish ways, and was elevated to the peerage as a result of his efforts on behalf of the working class. He lands at the Grand Palace when his townhouse is damaged in a fire and is also welcomed, although with more trepidation, as his reputation precedes him.

As is the case with all of the previous romances in the series, these two very different people would never have met or had any meaningful social interaction if it wasn't for their accidental proximity at the Grand Palace, but once they do meet, there's no keeping them apart. There are elements of the typical Regency with the jaded hero and innocent country miss heroine, but the author is so skilled at showing their inner lives and thoughts that I never got the sense that they were mismatched or that this story was following a well-worn path. As the story builds, their yearning for each other was so visceral and strong, but also tempered with plenty of wit and banter as they encounter each other over and over both at the Grand Palace and behind hedges and on balconies at various ballrooms and parties. As for the clover......that ranks up there with the best grovels I've ever read.

At this point in this series, The Grand Palace on the Thames and its varied cast of characters is as much a feature as the main couple in the current romance and I wouldn't have it any other way. The proprietresses, Delilah and Angelique, might as well just acknowledge that accidental matchmaking appears to be yet another service that they provide free of charge to their guests. Although this book absolutely can be read as a standalone, it is a much richer reading experience If you've read at least one or two of the previous books as the supporting characters (the ongoing residents at the Grand Palace) truly are a family and make me smile every time they appear on the page. Plus, I'm holding my breath, waiting for Dot and Pike to get their HEA (together of course).

My Season of Scandal is another lovely addition to Julie Anne Long's Palace of Rogues series.

There are several things readers can count on from a JAL book:
1) A memorable meet cute (in this case a pointed, sardonic, blisteringly funny conversation through a mostly-closed door in a boarding house after one character's tipsy cavorting interferes with the sleep of another character who has just been burned out of house and home);
2) Main characters whose backgrounds have formed them like puzzle pieces who seem impossibly different but whose wounds make them a perfect fit (eventually);
3) A delicious period in which they grow more and more fascinated with each other;
4) An entirely lovable cast of secondary characters who interact in hilarious, delightful ways;
5) One or more painful and at times seemingly insurmountable obstacles keeping them apart;
6) Multiple emotional gut-punch moments in which they recognize the enormity of their feelings for each other;
7) A slow, delicious building of sexual and emotional tension and longing;
8) And finally, a beautiful ending that allows the reader to finally exhale (Yes, we knew all along there had to be an HEA, but the GETTING there nearly killed us.).

MSoS provides all of these. Catherine is the daughter of a country doctor, in London for her first and only Season. She is naive in some ways but kind, practical, intelligent, and honest--and therefore entirely unequipped for life in the ton. Dominic is a House of Common's firebrand, notorious both for his reform-oriented policy proposals and his affairs. While I found Cat likeable, it was Dominic who really grabbed my heart. Many historical romance heroes are compelling and noble in some way, Dominic is remarkable for his social conscience and sense of responsibility. He guards his heart not because he prefers short-term flings but because of a past mistake that haunts him. This has turned him into a man whose devastating wit and formidable skills are all the world sees... until Catherine comes along and effortlessly pierces his shell with her frank humor and lack of artifice.

His desire to protect her from the more vicious ways of society grows into something much, much more, until Dominic does something that turns out to be another mistake. This one nearly devastates them both. A not-your-ordinary grand gesture is needed, and that's just what Julie Anne Long delivers in this satisfying story of two characters who deserve each other's love. Along the way, we get to enjoy more hilarious and touching snippets of the lives of our favorite recurring Palace of Rogues characters (I am hoping that 2-3 books down the road, we'll get to see St. John's find his own love!).

I received an Advance Review Copy of the uncorrected galley proofs for this book-- a treat, as there were still author's notes-to-self in a few places. This review expresses my own honest thoughts about the book. My thanks to the author and publisher!