A Game of Scandal

I found plenty of emotional depth to enjoy in this effort by Smith. The way Lilith and Gabriel were torn and kept apart resonated with me. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their struggles to compromise and find a way to be together (or to leave each other) are tense, emotional, and realistic. Their inner struggles to thrive despite the pain they have inadvertently caused each other pulls the reader into their lives. Their pain, resentment, and longing are palpable. I found this second chance at love story compelling.

After being discovered in a compromising situation, Lilith was hustled off to her aunt in Italy, where she eventually became accustomed to the fact that not only did her lover not intend to make her an honest woman, but that she would never be able to contract a respectable marriage with any honorable man.So after her aunt's death, Lilith decides to defy society's rules and use her inheritance to run a gambling establishment. This is where she is finally confronted with her former lover, Gabriel, now an earl who is attempting to persuade Parliament to outlaw gambling.As much as they are now on entirely opposite sides, both Gabriel and Lilith discover that the feelings they had for each other are as strong as ever, in spite of the passing of ten years and much bitterness on both sides. But Lilith's reputation--certainly not improved by her position as mistress of a gaming establishment--has gone too far for her ever to be accepted as an earl's wife, and Gabriel will have her no other way.As with Ms. Smith's other books, I found myself glued to the pages of this one. Nevertheless, I don't give it a five-star rating because I was NOT impressed with Gabriel's "excuses" for allowing Lilith to bear the blame and the scandal for their affair. In a time when young women had little or no control over their lives, he was a young man who could have made it right. The fact that he considered his father's tragedy to be more important than the woman he loved rather diminished his character, in my opinion. How HE could have nursed any bitterness at all toward HER was simply incredible to me. Nor did I care for the casual way it was suggested that Lilith had indulged in affairs with other men in the past, no matter how few.Overall, however, reading this book was a rare pleasure, and I heartily recommend it.

Once again, Ms. Smith has crafted a passionate, intriguing and exciting romance. Rather than focussing on the ton, her story ventures into the gambling houses of Regency England as her hero and heroine, separated years earlier by circumstance, battle each other and their rekindled love. Gabe has his reasons for wanting to end gambling in England, while Lilith is proud of her achievement in building a business all her own, the elite gaming club, Mallory's. Each is haunted by demons from the past, but must learn to put them aside and trust in the other.Well-paced, with lush detail, a tender and tantalising romance, and intriguing plot twists, A Game of Scandal proves Ms. Smith is definitely going places in the world of historical romance fiction.

The setting is 1818 London, and our hero, Earl Gabriel Warren, has been approached by his very good and older friend Viscount Blaine Underwood to assist him in a delicate matter. Blaine's son insists that he was cheated at a gambling establishment. Knowing Gabriel's stance on outlawing gambling Blaine feels that this is something that would benefit Gabriel's political career. The problem is the name of the club is Mallory's and the woman that Gabriel has loved since he was a young man and never been able to forget is none other than the owner, Lady Lilith Mallory. Ten years prior, they had been madly in love, and had been discovered in a compromising situation. Gabriel had every intention of marrying Lilith, but family circumstances prevented him from going to her immediately and making an offer before her name was bandied about and her reputation ruined. She disappeared and though Gabe made every effort to find her - he couldn't. Through a total lack of communication ten years later both blame each other for their plight of unrequited love and their being on total opposite sides of the gambling issue leads for even more controversy - including the fact that neither will admit to loving each other.This is turning into such a nice little trilogy - and it certainly does stand alone - but if you had read the first book (A Seductive Offer) you were introduced to our hero. The story is both an amusing Regency romance when the lead couple exchange scathingly double entendres that are quite sharp, as well as bring tears to your eyes at the betrayals and the misguided notion of letting pride stand in the way of undying love. As the author reintroduces friends from her first of this trilogy, she also sets you up for the third book in the series - Into Temptation - that I am quite looking forward too with the hope that it stays as fresh and sensually enticing as this one did.

This is my first K.S. book and if the others are just as good as this one, it wont be my last! I absolutely loved this storyline! Lord Angelwood and Lady Lillith were suppose to be married but instead she ran away. Now 10 years later she is the owner of a gaming club and he is in persuit of closing it down. But upon meeting each other once again, they cant help but falling back into old habits- they still love each other but their past tempts to keep them apart. They both feel betrayed by the other, like why had she ran away from him and as she sees it why didnt he come for her? A great book and i would higly recommend this as a must read!