Countess of Scandal

I picked up this book on a whim one day and I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the fact that I am a total sucker for the hero and heroine to be good friends before their romance, I was a little unsure at first. I'm not huge on political books and I was worried that I just wouldn't enjoy it if the political plot overshadowed the romantic one. That, however, was not the case. I was very interested int he political plot, as well as the romantic one. Characterization was excellent and I quickly became a huge fan of Will. I devoured this book in a matter of hours and I am definitely looking forward to future books written by Laurel McKee. Highly recommended.

COUNTESS OF SCANDAL by Laurel McKee is a wonderful, delightful historical romance set in Ireland. It is well written with depth and details. It is written during the conflict between Ireland and England. The characters are well engaged in the conflict with the hero being an English soldier and the heroine being passionate about the Irish uprising. There is romance, tradedy, sensuality, trumiph, family, friendship, a true love story, and love of country and family. This is a must read. If you enjoy romance, and love of country and family you will enjoy this love story.

I love historical romances. Countess of Scandal was no exception! The book starts out with an encounter between a young Eliza and William who have feelings for each other. Eliza's parents want her to marry Count Mont Clare and William has joined the army, which is completely against everything that Eliza believes in. Then we flash forwards to the present (the present for them, not the present for us). They meet again at a dance and though the now widowed Eliza doesn't want to admit it, she still has feelings for the Major. The odds are staked against this couple because Eliza is for the Irish uprising and William is there working for the King to stop it. Eliza is always in danger, writing illegal pamphlets, sneaking around to find information for the rebels, there are whispers about her involvement. If she is caught she could be hung. William is determined to keep her out of trouble but with his own duties, that isn't very easy. William is always torn between duty and what his heart is telling him. He's always done what he has felt was his duty, duty to his family and duty to the crown. While you are reading this tale of 2 lovers, you get a peak into what it was like for the Irish during this bloody time in their history. Laurel McKee is able to tell this story in a way that makes you not want to put the book down. You just want to keep turning pages. How can 2 people who are at such odds politically ever make it work? I can't tell you because then you wouldn't want to read it yourself and it is a wonderful read! I highly recommend this book!

In 1790 in County Kildare, Ireland, teenagers Lady Eliza Blacknall and William Denton are falling in love. However, besides the gap of social status, he joins the English army while she remains passionate in support of an independent Ireland. They go their separate ways with Will becoming a major and she the Countess Mount Clare. In 1797, Major William Denton is sent to County Kildare to spy for the English military which is planning to put down an Irish revolt. He especially is to observe the activities of the widow Countess Eliza Mount Clare, who's believed to be an active supporter of a free Ireland. He detests the order, but is a good soldier so he goes to carry it out, but when he is injured her family takes him in to help him heal. As he recuperates, Will knows he still loves Eliza and is grateful to her family; he also believes he must atone for what he has done willingly to his people before he can express to his beloved how he feels about her. Using the real rebellion of 1798 as a backdrop, Laurel McKee provides a deep historical romance. The star-crossed lovers come across as genuine as she has a passion for her cause and he struggles between doing his duty as a dedicated soldier spying on family, friends, and especially his Eliza. In spite of a strong lead couple and a deep support cast especially her family, the tumultuous setting owns the tale as fans will want more romances in this time and place perhaps starring Eliza's sisters starting with Anna who gets the last word in: finding true love is rarer than marrying a prince. Harriet Klausner

With rebellion and war raging all around them can two lives that have been separated by time and upbringing be brought together again to find the true meaning of love and life? This is absolutely the case with Lady Elizabeth "Eliza" Mount Clare nee Blacknall and Major William Denton. These two people grew up together, explored the innocence of young love and survived being torn away from each other as teenagers when Will went to fulfill his commission as a soldier in the English Army. Yet once they are reunited with the backdrop of chaos and confusion surrounding the Irish Rebellion against England the love between them is still there and longing to be tapped into. But when they are reunited conflict comes between them as Will is defending England against the Irish rebels that Eliza is fighting to protect and shelter. But it seems that with a quiet whisper and a stolen kiss they can only remember the past and their feelings for one another regardless of the present or who it will affect the future. While they may have been physically apart that was never the case with them emotionally and that their love was forged with such a strong and deep bond that even though they are on different sides their bodies are as one and their heart beats with the same rhythm. But when Will is ordered to return to his childhood home to "spy" on the activities and keep an eye on Eliza it is then he starts to question the decisions he has made and whether everything that seemed so right can now be so clouded with distrust. When Will is seriously injured and it is Eliza's family that cares for him the truth of what has to be done becomes clear and the steps he takes to correct the past misdeeds is forged with danger and despair. But Will knows that with Eliza by his side nothing will be wrong and all he need to is convince her of what has to be done to make them safe and able to forge a life together. How is it possible to take such a devastating time in history and turn it into a heart-warming, tender love story - good question! The answer it appears is the writing ability of Laurel McKee and the talent to turn what could be seen as only sadness and despair into love and romance. This book gives you a history lesson that makes you understand how personal this fight was and help the reader understand how tragic the circumstance was but yet how two people that really love one another can make the best of the worst times. You have to learn to trust even when the person you love may be the one who is spying on you. Excellent Read! Mary Gramlich ~ ("The Reading Reviewer") ~ www.marygramlich.com