A Widow’s Guide to Scandal (The Sons of Neptune #1) by Hallie Alexander
Pages: 269
Publish date: July 22nd 2020
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
ASIN: B08C95LHMK
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU
Henrietta Smith was fifteen when she stole a kiss from Marcus Hardwicke. Over a decade later, she’s still waiting to be kissed back…
Henrietta learned the hard way that when you get what you pay for you might end up with a British soldier quartering in your home threatening your friends, an enormous dog tracking mud through your house and stealing the chickens, and Marcus Hardwicke disrupting your uncomplicated life by trying to improve it. And to think she just wanted her roof fixed.
Marcus, wickedly handsome carpenter and rebel rogue, fell off Henrietta’s leaking roof. He can’t leave until his broken ankle heals, giving him plenty of time to consider his past mistakes, including Henrietta’s indelible kiss from a lifetime ago. But Henrietta could lose more than her home if she doesn’t encrypt British secrets, and the latest puts Marcus in the crosshairs.
A Widow’s Guide to Scandal:
I received an earc of A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about books.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading A Widow’s Guide to Scandal. there weren’t any reviews about it, and I hadn’t heard about the book or author before. However, the synopsis grabbed me from the start. I was intrigued and I can never say no to a historical romance. But let me tell you I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the characters, the romance and the story and I can’t wait to read more.
After the loss of her husband, Henrietta Smith is struggling in a world run by men. But she doesn’t want that to stop her. Life at the moment isn’t easy, but Henrietta will get through it. When she requires some help to fix a leaking roof, Marcus Hardwicke is too the rescue. But then he needs some assistance himself when he falls through her roof and breaks his leg. Now Henrietta must deal with a British soldier’s threats, new and old friends and Marcus Hardwicke.
Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash
Henrietta was such a delight of a protagonist in A Widow’s Guide to Scandal. From the start, she was easy to get along with. I loved how strong Henrietta was and that was presented throughout the whole book. But we also get to see the horrors that she also had to go through. I liked how Hallie Alexandra dealt with it in the book. It didn’t take over the plot. And it also made Henrietta who she was. And while Henrietta does have a more serious side, Marus, his friends and even her reading group, bring out a different side to her and I love that. She is funny and witty and that just makes the reading the book such a good experience.
Marcus was also such an interesting male protagonist. He was funny and was able to ease the tension throughout the novel. Like Henrietta, Marcus was easy to get along with. I liked that he had to depend on Henrietta after breaking his leg. It just made everything that much better. Marcus was also quite funny and that made for some fantastic conversations. Another thing that made me enjoy Marcus as a protagonist was that the reader can see from the start how much he cares for Henrietta and that was just fantastic to see.
Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash
The romance in A Widow’s Guide to Scandal was absolutely adorable and I can’t wait to see more of this from Hallie Alexander. It was slow-burning but very sweet and made me smile – a lot. Marcus and Henrietta both tried to stay away from each other, but they were both able to connect with one another in different ways. At times Henrietta struggled with her feelings with Marcus. She has a hard past and she didn’t want to let herself fall for me. But the connection between them was too strong. It was a second chance, friends to lovers and I adored that.
I have said this before but I haven’t read many historical romances set during, before or even after the American Revelation. I’ve only ever read a few historical romance books set in the states and this has to be one of my favourites. It was really interesting and I can’t wait to see more of it in the next books in the series.
The writing style of A Widow’s Guide to Scandal was something that I enjoyed a lot. I did struggle with the first few chapters, but as soon as I got into the story it was totally fine. I do find that sometimes it takes me a few chapters to get into historical romance, especially if I don’t know the world I’m jumping into. Hallie Alexander is great at creating emotions and character arcs.
Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash
Overall, I loved reading A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander. It includes not only a fantastic romance but also great characters. Henrietta was such a pleasure of a protagonist. I loved knowing about her life and I loved getting to know her more. Marcus was a character and he added another dimension to the novel that lifted it. This is a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to read more from Hallie Alexander.
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