This book was kind of a boring mess. The heroine doesn't want to get married because she doesn't want to leave her grandfather's estate that she runs. Grandfather is the hero's godfather and since the grand/godfather thinks he's dying, asks hero to marry heroine. Hero is all rake-y/dad issue-y and not wanting to marry but agrees to get heroine to his estate to try and hook her up with dudes and if he fails at the end of the month(? I can't remember time frame) he has to marry her.

There's some drama with the heroine's mom being gossiped about as a loose woman and the heroine has tried to live "good" to keep the stain from also falling on her. My eyes glazed over in the middle because it was a lot of back and forth with heroine and hero being attracted, liking each other but "I can't!". There was a very short messy secondary romance between the hero's sister and hero's bf, that actually seemed to have some fun and passion but too much to the side and wrapped up silly quick.

I came to towards the end because suddenly the who was thought to be the heroine's mother's lover was turned out to be the heroine's brother???? Yeah. I told you it was boring messy.

Anyway, heroine and hero decide that "I can!" and HEA. I only wrote up this little recap because I wanted to post this quote:
“Did you tell her, my dear?”
He could have asked the obvious question, but he knew what she meant. “No. I did not tell her I love her. She does not want my love. She is better off without it.” They stood together in the freshening breeze, as storm clouds rolled over the sun.
“How do you know?” she said.
“Pardon?”
“How do you know she is better off? Your love might make all the difference.”

This is why I very, very rarely DNF, there can be little hidden gems. Like, YES. "Your love might make all the difference." You might be using your fear to protect yourself but it could in turn hurt the person you love. I thought this was a gorgeous little passage. ( )

**Courtesy of CK2S Kwips & Kritiques**

Admitted rake Sebastian Laidley, the sixth Earl of Carleton, is not marriage material. No matter how he tries to convince his dying godfather of the fact, it doesn’t prevent him from agreeing to assist in finding the man’s granddaughter a husband before he passes. He has three months to marry lovely Gemma off, else he must marry the headstrong girl himself.

Sebastian devises a plan sure to find a match for his charge. But he never took into account the effect Gemma would have on him, the increasing irritation he would feel at the thought of her with any man but himself, nor the lady’s own reluctance to marry…

What a lovely read! Christine Wells’ book Scandal’s Daughter is a book sure to satisfy those who enjoy historical romances. My first read by this author, I was happy to find a well-written story, imaginative plot, and realistic characters I easily empathized with.

What I found most interesting was watching the evolution of both the hero and the heroine as the story progressed. Each of them begin the tale with certain beliefs concerning what is important to them, what they want in their individual futures. Before long, those beliefs are shaken, and by the book’s end, they realize that everything that is truly important can only be found together.

Scandal’s Daughter leaves the reader with some valuable truths – that no one is beyond forgiveness and redemption, and love really does conquer all.

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