TEST
The Importance of Being Scandalous has such a sweet story at its core that it should have worked better than it did. The book has childhood friends discovering their deep love for each other as adults and showcases a sisterly bond that puts Disney’s Frozen to shame. Unfortunately a few plot holes and the weak characterization of the hero made it a difficult read.
Nicholas Wakefield and Amelia Bishop grew up together in the country and have always been the best of friends and, along with Amelia’s sister, Julia, they were constantly causing mischief at each of their neighboring estates. To Nick, Amelia and her sister are a breath of fresh air compared to the reserved manners of his parents, Lord and Lady Wakefield. Their disapproval of the Bishop family make Nick’s growing feelings for Amelia something he has to hide, but even when they are separated after he embarks on his Grand Tour, all he can think of is the woman he left behind. The letters he writes to Amelia are full of his true feelings; however without his parents’ support of the match and no means to support a wife, Nick never sends his letters and Amelia never learns the depth of his love.
When Nick left for the continent Amelia was upset she’d never told him how much she cared for him. The Bishop family has been ostracized in their community due to Julia’s having been born with a spinal defect and Amelia grew up defending her older sister from anyone who was cruel to her. Amelia saw Nick’s unwavering support for Julia as something special and his friendship with Amelia was so important that she hid her own growing feelings for Nick to save him from any awkwardness. For the two years Nick is gone Amelia achingly feels his absence but knows that she has to move forward with her life so that Julia will always be taken care of. A chance to redeem the Bishop family’s name comes in the form of the Earl of Montrose who arrives at their doorstep accidentally and seems to fall immediately in love with Amelia. He woos her with promises to provide for Julia and to use his name to open doors for Lord and Lady Bishop in London. Their courtship is a whirl for Amelia and when he proposes she accepts for the good of her family with hope that Montrose will become as important to her as Nick.
Nick’s journey through Europe is cut short by a summons from his mother. He rushes back to learn that his father is showing signs of dementia and severe memory loss that affect his ability to manage their estates. Unwilling to burden Nick’s older brother with problems to distract him from his duties and his own family, Lady Wakefield tells Nick he must put his own ambition to become a barrister on hold in order to assist his father. This is an unwelcome turn for Nick as he’s decided to tell Amelia how he feels with the hope that she will wait for him while he pursues his studies. When Nick tries to explain his hopes to his mother she breaks his heart by revealing that Amelia Bishop is engaged to another man. Running over to the Bishop’s house to confirm the news, he finds Julia in residence and with nothing but praise for her sister’s fiancé. It’s a blow for Nick and when he sees Amelia again he cannot bring himself to tell her how much he missed her and that he loves her. Deciding that she’s better off marrying an earl than an unnecessary spare with no immediate prospects, Nick tells Amelia that he’s happy for her and that they’ll always be friends.
Seeing Nick again is a wonderful surprise for Amelia but it also complicates her feelings for Lord Montrose. Already hesitant about marrying a man she barely knows, Amelia starts to question some of his motives about their courtship. She’s disgusted to realize that his main reason for marrying her is because she reminds him of another woman and that his kind words about Julia were empty platitudes. Her confrontation with Montrose over her discoveries doesn’t go as Amelia hopes, as he’s unwilling to break the engagement. He threatens to sue Lord Bishop for breach of promise if Amelia cries off, which would only cause further damage to her family’s reputation. Amelia therefore decides that Montrose must jilt her and with her sister’s help, she comes up with inventive ways to be scandalous without completely ruining her reputation. Through it all, Amelia finds that Nick is still there by her side to help her in her schemes and to save her when her plans go awry.
I have mixed feelings about The Importance of Being Scandalous. I like the idea of two best friends scheming together to get one of them out of an unwanted engagement but there are big problems with the choices Ms. Bell makes for her characters. My notes are full of nitpicks, questions about historical accuracy or jumps in logic that kept popping up. For example, Julia’s birth defect seems to change its severity depending on how it best serves the story. One moment she’s bedridden and close to death – and a day later she’s riding horses or walking around her house. The worst offense for me is in how Nick is portrayed throughout the book. He’s intended to be a good man caught between his family’s need and his own desires for Amelia but ultimately he’s so weak that I’d hesitate to even call him a Beta hero. Ultimately he’s powerless and easily cowed, never standing up for what he wants or having much of a backbone until Amelia forces the issue by taking the reins in their relationship.
More time and effort is spent fleshing out the strong relationship Amelia has with her sister. Julia’s disability has forced her to live vicariously through Amelia and so she initially endorses the match with Montrose, seeing it as Amelia’s only chance at independence. Amelia has a bit of a martyr complex in that she feels that her entire life must be dedicated to protecting Julia and she should make choices that won’t separate her from her sister. At several points in the story, Nick tells Amelia that he’ll always be there for her and Julia, even before they finally clear up their misunderstandings about their love for each other; and yet when he proposes as an alternate to Montrose, she balks. Apparently her love for Nick doesn’t include trusting that he won’t take her away from Julia. It’s a tough sell in a romance when the main character refuses to make choices for herself and instead bases them on someone else’s happiness.
Kimberly Bell is a new to me author who has some good story ideas that didn’t unfold as I hoped they would in The Importance of Being Scandalous. I am intrigued enough by Julia’s character and Nick’s best friend that I may give her a second chance to show me that those good ideas can become a great book.
Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K
Grade: C
Book Type: Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 15/08/17
Publication Date: 07/2017
I am a Fan-girl extraordinaire and romance addict. When I’m not obsessing over a fictional hero from a book I’m probably obsessing over a fictional Super-hero from the movies! I have long appreciated Romance stories and the escape they provide from all the dramas in real life. Historical Romances are my favorite (who wouldn’t want to be swept away by a handsome, rich English nobleman); however I love discovering new authors and stories in any romantic genre as long as the description sounds interesting. I’m living my own happy-ever-after in Phoenix, AZ (yes, it’s a dry heat!) with my two kids and my real-life hero.
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.