I forgot this series is later Victorian rather than Regency, which really threw me off when they introduced the whole "motorwagon" storyline. Anyway, the OTP were a lot of fun in this novel. I loved that it started with such uncharacteristic behaviour from the youngest sister. This family is very endearing and silly, which makes everyone rather charming. I would definitely call these books fluffy but delightful, like a tasty meringue. ( )

Victoria Alexander is one of my all time favorite authors and so far all of her books have been my Keeper Shelf worthy, this one included, however


As much as I loved the writing and three P’s (plot, prose & pace), clever dialogue and humor [which Ms. Alexander’s book’s are always filled with], I was a bit disappointed with the characterization of the heroine. Delilah wasn’t my ‘cup-a-tea’ and I just couldn’t warm up to her. I did like the hero very much and for me, he made this book worth reading.

This is book 3 in What Happens at Millworth Manor series and I think while they may stand alone, reading the previous two books [and in order, What Happens At Christmas (Millworth Manor, #1) , Lord Stillwell's Excellent Engagements (Millworth Manor, #1.5) & The Importance of Being Wicked (Millworth Manor, #2)] helped me greatly in following and enjoying this story.

Am I recommending it? Hell yes! It’s Victoria Alexander! However, be warned that you may loose patience with this heroine while enjoying everything else in the book.

For my reviews of the previous books in this series, go here and here.

Melanie for b2b ( )

Good story of opposites attracting. Delilah is a proper, though young, Victorian widow, who during a trip to New York indulges in one night of "adventure". She intends it to be a onetime thing, with no intention or expectation of seeing Sam again before she returns to England. Samuel is an American businessman who is quite taken with her, and rather miffed at the way she blows him off. However, he too doesn't expect to see her again.

Fast forward a few months and Delilah is at Millworth Manor, helping her sister Camille prepare for her wedding to Grayson Elliott (What Happens at Christmas). She is stunned to see her "adventure" walk into the room with Gray and dismayed to discover that he is one of Gray's best friends who has come for the wedding. Worried that he'll do or say something about their encounter, she waylays him and insists on secrecy. Sam, who hasn't been able to forget her, agrees, but only to keep the peace for now.

I have to say that, especially at the beginning, I didn't like Delilah at all. Except for that brief moment in New York, she came across as snobby, uptight, and occasionally just plain mean. As the book goes on, a little bit of why is revealed. Like her sisters, she was raised to do the proper and expected thing, so she married the man her mother chose for her and became the perfect wife. She even fell in love with her husband, only to find that he didn't feel the same about her, though the full details don't come out until later in the book. When Sam appears she is extremely rude to him, which made me like her even less. However, it quickly becomes obvious that she's reacting out of a sense of fear. That one night with him roused feelings in her that scared her, and now she's trying to protect her heart. She wants to marry again, but has definite ideas of what she wants, and a brash American isn't it.

On the other hand, I did like Sam. He's been burned in the past by a woman who was more interested in what he had than who he was. In spite of that, he still believes in love and marriage, and wants it for himself. He's not really happy with the way Delilah wants to hide what they had, but he's a gentleman and agrees.

I loved the development of their relationship. Delilah is determined to deny what is between them, and Sam is equally determined that she admit it. The sparks fly between them, as she continually tries to push him away and he refuses to be pushed. It was fun to see the tradition-loving Delilah and the progressive Sam butt heads over which one was right about such modern inventions as the "motorwagon" by Mr. Benz. I also liked seeing them move from adversaries to friends. Though she refuses to see it, they really do have a fair amount in common, which shows when they actually spend some time together. I loved the support that he gave her when she discovered some shocking news about her late husband. Sam wants to pursue the possibilities that he sees in front of them, but she insists that they are too different. Even after she admits to her sisters that she loves him, she still refuses to consider a life with him. I ached for Sam because he loved her so much and he couldn't get through to her. He's all set to give up on her when a blast from his past makes him realize that giving up is the wrong thing to do. The ending was pretty sweet with his "contract" and the way she had already come to her senses.

Throughout the book I also enjoyed the friendship that was there between Sam and Gray. They are good enough friends that Sam is able to ask for advice. There are some pretty amusing conversations between them, including one that takes place as the wedding gets closer and Camille is driving Gray nuts. I also liked seeing the advances in the relationship between Delilah and her sisters Camille and Beryl. There were still glimpses of the old issues, but their support for her was always there. ( )

Delilah, oh Delilah. You are a miserable bitch and I just can't like you. Had you either had some serious redeeming quality, or had you been a wicked bitch, like Cruella Deville, I might of liked you. Instead, I could not get past your judgemental nagging.
I loved the first book in this series, but in all fairness, it was because of the craziness that was thrown in. What Happens At Christmas (Millworth Manor #1) was so much more than a romance. There were interesting characters, an original story-line, and the plot was freaking hysterical. The bar was set pretty high, and I have been left disappointed in both book two and three thereafter.
The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride by Victoria Alexander was the same old "I don't like you", "come here, I want you", repeat..., hamster wheel. Without others elements, such as likable characters and/or interesting sub-plots, the predictable romance which is the usual in this genre, was nothing more than that. I want the journey to be a real ride, even if I can guess the outcome.
I did enjoy seeing the same characters as this series picks up where it left off in book two, but with different main characters; and I loved the writing style itself. Victoria Alexander's writing usually appeals to me. ( )

A Myrt's Review

The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride by Victoria Alexander

A Romance Starts With the Beginning of a New Era!

When Lady Delilah Hargate decides to have one adventure in her life she doesn't mess around. The book begins in America with the widowed Lady Delilah dressing quickly the morning after her first and lasr one night stand with Samuel Russell, the employee of a wealthy business associate of her future brother-in-law. Lady Delilah returns to England to enact her plan to search for a suitable Society husband who meets her exacting details. Love, however, is not one of them, after the businesslike attitude her late husband had treated her with.

Sam Russell, Lady Delilah's 'adventure' shows up in England. Not surprisingly to anyone except Lady D., Sam is not a lowly employee but the wealthy business associate and friend of her impending brother-in-law and he's in town to get additional support for the new horseless carriage he is investing in. It's a bonus when he runs into the lovely young lady he shared a passionate evening with several months ago and hasn't been able to stop thinking about ever since.

From there it's just a matter of time to see how and when these two acknowledge they belong together. Of course there's a lot of baggage to handle first. For starters, he's a free thinking American investing in a venture that could change the world and she is a rigid English society lady who believes in maintaining the status quo. The two develop a sexy fun banter and bickering style as Delilah tries to resist the sweet and seductive charm that attracted her to Sam in the first place and Sam works to get Delilah to open herself to trying a few more new adventures.

This is a Regency era romance that incorporates a glimpse at the beginning of a new age with the introduction of the automobile. Delilah and Sam make a delightfully delicious couple with strong individual points of view and an equally strong attraction to each other. They are an entertaining team who get involved in several exciting and arousing adventures together, in and out of bed, before the story's end.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )