Lady Scandal by Wendy LaCapra is book two in the Furies series and although I have not read book one I was still able to fully enjoy this story.

The story takes place in London 1784 and the author does a great job at world building and taking the reader into historical London with the splendor and danger mixed together. The heroine is Sophia Baneham a woman who has been restricted most of her life who is now living a risqué life on the outside of polite society. Our hero is Hugh, the Earl of Randolph, he is charismatic, sexy, self-assured, and yields an icy control in all areas of his life, he ends up married to Sophia after she made a wager he couldn’t…wouldn’t refuse. ❤️‍🔥 From the beginning, Hugh doesn’t reveal all to Sophia, and when the truth comes out - the marriage begins to spiral out of control. Thus begins the chase as Hugh is determined to keep and protect his wife no matter the battle of wills he must endure…enjoy🔥 However when a foe becomes determined to end Sophia’s life, Hugh must take matters into his own hands once and for all, he only wonders if he will finally win or lose Sophia forever.

This story will keep you entertained from beginning to end as Hugh and Sophia come to terms and really get to know each other. The story is full of spur of the moment decisions and some hidden agendas do finally get revealed. The chemistry between the MCs is felt throughout the story and passions flame high when they come together.

Overall I enjoyed this story and will definitely look for more from author Wendy LaCapra in the future 😍

Disclosures: 📚I received a review copy of this book from Entangled Publishing all opinions and thoughts are freely given and unbiased. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review. 🦄

Sophie Baneham was indoctrinated by her father. She's lived by his rules all her life, until she starts to question the rules after his death. Lord Randolph worked with Lord Baneham and considered him his mentor. After Baneham's death, Randolph is focused on his murderer and the man who is after Sophia. A wager between Sophia and Randolph lays marriage on the table. What neither expected was love.
The second book in the series. A little bizarre on the plot.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

The Countess of Randolph, nee Lady Sophia Baneham is furious, mere hours after her wedding she has learned the truth of her new husband. She leaves him and joins her friends at the home of the dowager Duchess of Wynchester. Sophia aka Lady Scandal along with her friends Lavinia (Lady Vice) and Thea (Duchess Decadence) run an illegal gaming enterprise and are known far and wide as the Furies. Sophia believed Hugh, the Earl of Randolph was different and made a wager with him, which ended in her marriage to him – a fate she looked forward to at the time, thinking marriage to him would protect her from her father’s enemies, namely Kasai, but that was before she learned he worked for her late and very much unlamented father and now she wants nothing more than to be done with him.

Hugh did marry Sophia to protect her from Kasai, but he knows there is more to his desire to wed her than a promise to her father to keep her safe. He knew she would be angry when she learned the truth, but he didn’t expect her to disappear off the face of the earth for weeks and he definitely didn’t expect to find her working on a farm run by a Quaker! But to win her back, Hugh agrees to work alongside her and hopes to build something lasting with her. But when their enemies find them, will they work together to vanquish them or will Kasai win the day?

This was a very well-written, nicely paced book with wonderful characters and a very intricate plot. This book has a bit of everything, secrets, lies, steamy love scenes, intrigue, spies, great secondary characters, surprising twists and turns, and finally a lovely ending complete with an epilogue. This is the second book in the series and while I didn’t read the first book, I was able to follow the plot with no issues, but I will be reading the first book as soon as possible and I will definitely be reading the final book in the series too!

*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.*

It wasn't easy for me to keep reading this book. I find the first few chapters really boring and it felt like a sequel (maybe it is) and not a standalone novel. Usually, if it takes me this long to get invested in a book, I stop reading but since it was a complimentary copy and kept on going which is a good thing. The story picked up and I ended up enjoying it. Still, it was a so-so read for me. Sadly, not my cup of tea.

Sophia and Randolph are a very interesting couple in this love story. It’s very odd that the two came together, but as I continued with the story it s very wise that the two should work for the common good. The common good of their relationship or the people that they value around them. The writer did a wonderful job at making this story sound very intriguing. After reading the story I thought it was great.
The story has excitement with every turn or alley that Sophia traverse down. The entertainment comes as Randolph chases after Sophia. The book was easy to read. The narrative was wonderfully placed in the story. The writer didn’t over do to much with the narrative.
The dialogue I was able to understand. I thought that the dialogue and narrative was clear. The romance was very intriguing between Randolph and Sophia. In one way it was very hot and in another way Randolph made it very erotic. Oh Randolph, you bad boy you. I give this book two snaps and a twist. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

Sophia Baneham has lived in the poison of her dead father's shadow for longer than she cares to admit. Now she exists outside of polite society's influence, holding gambling parties for London's most dangerous men. When a man walks into one of her soirees, a compelling mix of charisma and icy control, he offers the lady of sin a wager she can't refuse...
Lord Randolph is a spy in the service of His Majesty, but he’s given an oath to protect the daughter of his mentor. Even as his gamble of marriage starts to spiral out of control and his passions ignite, Randolph is determined that he’ll handle things his way…
But when danger closes in, Randolph won't just have to protect Sophia from an intended killer. He'll have to protect her from himself...
It is a dangerous place to be. The last thing Sophia wants is to be tragically compromised. Randolph must protect her from a intended killer.
This is a good story.
I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley to read and review. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Lady Scandal finds herself wedded to Lord Randolph after losing a bet. An interesting start to the story, and if you've read the first book in Wendy LaCapra's Furies series (which I highly recommend), then this doesn't seem all that unusual for the group of women who run the gaming parties.

But that really isn't the truly scandalous start of the book. It started when Sophia (Lady Scandal) found out that Lord Randolph was more than she thought. He wasn't just someone to satisfy an inch and wrap around her finger. He was trained under her father - a father she hated - as a ruthless political spy. And now Sophia is convinced he's using her.

And maybe he is? I can totally see where Sophia is coming from, but Lord Randolph is far more than anything she really expects, and there are a few things she will end up teaching him and he will teach her.

This book isn't just a romp through historical romance. It has one heck of a suspense storyline that kept me on the edge of my seat. There were a few places that I feel like things were glossed over just to keep the veil around who the bad guy really is in place, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. It seemed unnecessarily convoluted because of it. Kasai - Kasai sounds like a horrible person - and the fact that he can cast such a shadow over our couple without actually making an appearance for a very long time, just shows how much his specter alone can influence and manipulate.

I really really enjoyed their time at the Quaker farm. Elizabeth was an odd breath of fresh air and honesty, and her way of life and way of putting things into perspective left an impression on both Sophia and Randolph that I think will last into their future.

In the end, we have just as many loose ties as we did at the beginning - just different ones. As one part of the Fury's lives seems to wrap up - something else blows wide open. Looks like I'll need to read the third book in the series to get the final scoop on everything.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

If you're looking for a historical romance that has a balance of suspense, secrets and a love that will win no matter the cost. One woman will attempt to escape from her father's rules to find her happy ever after. Will she succeed?