Series Name: Scandal at the Savoy, # 2
“Kissing you would be like lighting a match in a room full of gunpowder. And explosions like that can annihilate a man.”
Lady Scandal is bursting with wit and romance, and I could not put this book down.
Delia Stratham is an unconventional woman. While other ladies learned proper decorum at finishing school, she composed naughty limericks and admired the gardener’s muscular legs. So naturally when she’s widowed for the third time, she does the unthinkable: she gets a job. Planning events for the Savoy Hotel is perfect for someone with her skills. But her dream career turns into a nightmare when she’s forced to work with the most annoying—and gorgeous—man she’s ever met.
Hotel magnate Simon Hayden knows something fishy is going on at the Savoy: the hotel is constantly busy, yet the books say it’s in the red. He’s determined to root out the fraud and its perpetrators, and that means spending time with one of the most likely suspects: the delectable, infuriating Lady Stratham. She’s definitely getting in his way and under his skin and he can’t decide whether to fire her or kiss her until she stops arguing. But when the sparks between them flare into flame, Simon must choose between his love for Delia and his duty to the hotel. Will his choice bring them together or tear them apart?
I simply adored Laura Lee’s previous book, Bookshop Cinderella, and one of the reasons why I loved it so much was because of Lady Stratham, aka Delia’s character. There are some characters that are in stories who have such larger-than-life personalities that you can’t help but be drawn to them. I adored Delia’s character from the first moment she appeared on the page. So, I was so glad that her story was the next to be told in the Scandal at the Savoy series. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed with her story; it was everything I had hoped it would be. At the story’s beginning, Delia returns from Paris to an unpleasant surprise. There is a new manager at the Savoy Hotel, and he is implementing changes that Delia doesn’t agree with. Simon has been tasked with turning the hotel around and also figuring out who is stealing from the hotel, and Delia is one of the suspects in Simon’s investigation.
This book is an addictive read, and I think it’s because both MCs have such strong personalities. This meant that sparks, words, and big emotions were flying everywhere every time they were on the page together. Delia is used to getting what she wants. She often can charm her way through life and has rarely had any restrictions placed upon her. She is this fun, delightful, and chaotic force of nature. Simon’s personality is quieter, but don’t think that means he is timid. Simon is used to giving out orders and people around him following them. He has a strict work and moral ethic and likes his world to be orderly. Delia and Simon are two opposing forces of nature, and it’s so glorious when they collide. Delia is stunned that she cannot bend Simon to her will, and Simon is constantly befuddled by Delia. Laura Lee did an amazing job at creating a grumpy/sunshine workplace romance. The banter is sharp and witty, and I loved watching these two characters trying to undermine each other.
The story itself was incredibly interesting. The main story obviously centers around the interactions between Delia and Simon. This workplace romance was so entertaining. It was fun watching all the chaos unfold as Simon tried to implement less-than-popular policies at the hotel. Laura Lee steps up the next installment by introducing Lady Kay and Devlin, who have a messy past that I am sure will come to light in the next book. There is also this lovely secondary story around Simon’s younger sister, Cass, as she tries to learn how to move among the upper class. There is also the mystery of what is really going on at the Savoy and who is stealing money from the hotel. There was always something happening in this book to keep your attention.
The romance between Delia and Simon is filled with lusty tension. Despite how much these two can’t stand being around each other, they cannot deny that this attraction seems to keep pulling them back together. There is this real enemies to lovers feel to their relationship for the first half of the book, which means you get plenty of sharp dialogue. I lost count of the number of times that either Delia or Simon left the other speechless or in a daze. The main hurdle that they have to overcome is the distrust they have for each other. Simon isn’t sure if Delia is a part of the thievery that is happening at the hotel, but he knows she is going to be investigated and realizes that when she finds out his part in the investigation, she will want nothing to do with him. Delia doesn’t necessarily distrust Simon but knows that her past marriages were less than ideal and has no intentions of ever marrying again. Amongst all those big chaotic emotions and moments are these quieter moments between these two, and I loved watching as they slowly started to open up to one another. It was also during those quieter moments that we got to see a side of Delia that had been hidden from the world. Her vulnerability and openness make her character more endearing and made me love her even more.
Lady Scandal is another delicious and swoony romance romp by Laura Lee Guhrke, and I can’t wait to see where she takes the series next.
Thank you, Forever Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
