Madeline de Lacy, the
Marchioness of Sheridan and the future duchess of Magnus, has been in the habit of taking
charge and managing everybody and everything from a very young age. This is mainly because
of her careless father, who constantly screws up everything and he’s a chronic
gambler besides. So it isn’t exactly a surprise to her when she returns home after a
trip to find that he’s lost everything in a game of chance. What nearly floors her is
that this time her feckless father has gone a step farther and lost even her
in the game!
Madeline changes places with her cousin
Eleanor, sending the girl to meet the stranger who awaits her in London, while she herself
manages to infiltrate a house where the Gambling Game of the Century is supposed to be
held, in the guise of a meek little lady’s companion in order to win her family
jewels back.
But to her misfortune, there she comes face to face with Gabriel Ansell, the earl of
Campion and the man whom she’d loved with all her heart and then broken off her
engagement with, almost four years ago. The passion that had once flared as hot as an
erupting volcano between them blazes as strong as ever. But Madeline’s determined to
resist this tug of attraction and continues to despise Gabriel for having betrayed her.
Gabriel is as aware of Madeline’s beauty and fiery nature as she is of him, but this
time he’s determined to have his vengeance on her for not only rejecting him
publicly, but also for making him lose something very precious. His vow to humiliate her
and her fiery resistance, and the resultant impassioned and arousing arguments create a
suspenseful atmosphere unsurpassed and a fervent erotic tension which is further spiced by
the deepening mystery in the plot.
Christina Dodd has written countless historical romances and her expertise is
particularly evident in this book. ‘Scandalous Again’ stands out from
amongst countless historicals, not because of the story which is an oft-told one, but
rather because of the mind-blowing character development of the main protagonists and
others, and as well as due to the deeply sensual eroticism which gives new meaning to the
word ‘hot’! In most romances, usually the hero and heroine are shown as complete
opposites and their falling in love is an obvious case of ‘opposites attract’.
But Ms. Dodd has gone against the norm and created Madeline and Gabriel who’re too
similar in temperament and passion. They’re both fiery individuals with hot tempers
to match, and a love for passionate arguments and encounters. Who’s the seducer and
who’s the seduced, is hard to say! On one hand in the story there is a gambling event
with high stakes as never before, and simultaneously, Madeline and Gabriel are playing a
private game of their own, where the stakes are equally high, in a very dangerous game
called love. The plot is expertly developed, the pace never falters and the result is a
book is a surefire hit! Ms. Dodd’s books are in general not to be missed, this book
in particular. Terrifically tempting!!
Reviewed By Rashmi Srinivas for The Road to Romance
April 11, 2003 |
