SIX DEGREES OF SCANDALby Caroline Linden
Series: Scandalous #4
Genres: Historical, Adult
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: March 29th 2016
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★
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Olivia Townsend is in trouble and out of options. Pursued by a desperate man in search of a lost treasure, which she doesn’t have, she’s got only two things in her favor: her late husband’s diary, which she was never meant to see … and the man who was her first-and-only-love. Losing him broke her heart, though she’s been careful to hide it for the last ten years. But when he comes to her aid and vows to stand by her this time, no matter what, she can’t help but hope things will be different this time.
James Weston has blamed himself for letting Olivia down when she needed him years ago, and he will not do it again. Fortunately, his unusual life has equipped him well to outsmart the villain chasing Olivia. Unfortunately, being so near her again threatens to expose every secret in his heart…even those that should stay hidden forever.
I read the first book in the Scandal series last year and enjoyed it so much, I knew I would continue on with the series. A few weeks ago, I decided to binge read the rest of the series. With each book, I fell more and more in love with Caroline Linden's writing and her characters. I was particularly eager to pick up Six Degrees of Scandal because it features a second chance romance and everyone knows I'm a huge sucker for those.
What I loved about Six Degrees of Scandal is that we get to see the development in Olivia and James' relationship since they were tiny boppers. Their relationship grew from neighbors to friendship to more and it was delightful. Of course, things end on a sour note the first time around, but readers can tell that their love is one that will only become more passionate and stronger with time. Along with watching their relationship bud, we get to truly see the kind of people both Olivia and James are. They were both fantastic characters that I loved from the very start. Olivia was a fierce, headstrong and very determined young woman. She was put in a terrible position after the death of her husband, Henry, who kept so many things hidden from her, but she didn't complain about anything. Instead, she dealt with her situation with her head held high and on her own. She was fiercely independent, and I loved that about her, but I was also glad when James came into the picture to give her hand. I think I loved James even more than I loved Olivia. He was so kind, a gentleman through and through and a complete sweetheart. You feel for him because for years he has been tormented by his poor decisions when it came to Olivia. You root for him and want him to bag the woman who is his perfect complement. I dare you not to fall for this man!
Their romance was as expected absolutely wonderful. I love a good second chance romance novel and this one was done so well. I swooned, I clutched my heart and I died of envy because these two were certainly able to evoke very strong emotions from me. I love that Olivia and James didn't jump into the relationship soon after reuniting. Instead, it's a slow progression and once they gave in to the chemistry and tension between them, it was sweet, steamy and satisfying for every one involved, including the reader. What I especially loved about these two together as a couple was how they worked as a team. And there was absolutely zero contrived drama between the two of them. Of course, they had to work through their disappointment of the past, but they had a conversation about it and opened up their hearts to each other. I swear this romance just gave me so many butterflies! I'm swooning just thinking about it. Another aspect I enjoyed about Six Degrees of Scandal was that it had a plot beyond the romance - James and Olivia were on a task to figure out what exactly her late husband, Henry, was up to and along the way they meet danger in the form of a villainous character who I wanted throw into a river. It was certainly a very entertaining read.
Six Degrees of Scandal or any book in the Scandal series is a must-read for fans of historical romance. It has the perfect balance between the plot, the characters and the romance. If you're a fan of the genre, you will adore it! I, for one, can't wait to read more from Caroline Linden!
Have you read any book by Caroline Linden? What is your favorite second chance romance?
Let me know in the comments below!
