Scandal's Bride

Rating:
Summary: Lauren's Knows How to Please
Review: As the other books in this series, Scandal's Bride was excellent. However, it is my least favorite book in the series. I have actually read both the previous two and the two after it and like them all better. While this book is extremely excellent it is not superb like the rest of the series, even though it is way up there. I think the main reason is that it is a little slow, especially at the end. Since there is no great mystery to be solved, the reader is left waiting for some sort of closure in Richard and Catriona's relationship which did occur, just not in a way that pleased me. That's just me though and someone else might find the ending of this book completely satisfying so don't let my criticism on that count prevent anyone from reading the book. There were also many things I liked about this book that put it right up there with the rest of the series. For example it was nice to see the relationship between Richard and Catriona grow as they began to trust each other and understand each other little by little. Richard has the same Cynster attitude that we all know and love, but he is somehow less sure of himself than the rest of the Bar Cynster which endeared him to me. I also enjoyed a peek back at Devil and Honoria and Vane and Patience. All together, Scandal's Bride is very enjoyable and a great read.

Rating:
Summary: This book is boring
Review: The Bar Cynster series is fun, but Scandal's Bride is dull. The story drags and the female protagonist is unappealing. Frankly, I found this particular title derivative. Just because an author has a great book contract doesn't mean she should get lazy. I'm going to read the end (!) and move on to the next title in the series with my fingers crossed.

Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL!
Review: I loved Richard's character. Catriona was a wonderful character as well. If you are looking for a romance novel with a touch of magic, then you would enjoy this novel. This was a funny and romantic story.

Rating:
Summary: A strong link in the Bar Cynster series
Review: Love the characters and the development; plot a bit farfetched; I prefer a plot that doesn't depend on the mystical. I very much enjoy this series and how all the various members of the family keep appearing - it is one of the elements that makes this series so appealing. I do have one caveat about this in "Scandal's Bride" however. There is NO WAY that a message could get from Catriona to Devil and get Devil and Honaria to Scotland in the time frame the plot demands - even express couriers and fast carriages didn't travel THAT fast - in winter, too! Regardless, a good read.

Rating:
Summary: A good book but not up to the first one of the series.
Review: The third Cynster book turned out better than the second. I think the conversation is better and the characters are stronger. Not up to the level of Devil's Bride though. It is wonderful to meet the family again and to experience the loyalty and familial ties that strongly hold them together. This would have been a great book for me if I had not read Devil's story beforehand.

Rating:
Summary: The Bar Cynsters work for me!
Review: I lIked the Bar Cynsters when I first met them in DEVIL'S BRIDE, with their love of family and their belief in marital fidelity. And the author gives them and the family heroines to match them. The only drawback I find, especially in A RAKE'S VOW, is that the hero and heroine get together too soon. I like the suspense and sexual tension generated before the consummation. I'm sure many readers enjoy long and frequent love scenes, but, for me, they get in the way of the story, no matter how well done. Still, I plan to buy, read and keep the whole series.

Rating:
Summary: A Big Disappointment
Review: This book has great sex scenes, but that's about it, unfortunately. The characters were only mildly interesting at best, and amoral at worst. (yes amoral-jumping into bed after what, 2 days?!)Completely implausible plot,and way, way too much incredibly annoying New Age theology-babble. If I wanted crystal and goddess-talk, I would read Marianne Williamson, not a romance novel. I gave it two stars only because the actual writing style is decent, and the incredibly hot sex scenes are done well.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent plot, strong character development
Review: I found "Devil's Bride" in a grocery store purely my accident when it was first released. I had never heard of Laurens. But I have become hooked! I found "Captain Jack's Woman" in a used book store later and I wait (impatiently) now for every book in her series. "Scandal's Bride" certainly did not disappoint, although I had some trouble with the heroine drugging the hero and sleeping with him to get pregnant. She was a bit too coldhearted for my taste. But the flavor of Laurens strong characterizations, plot and sensual content( are almost breathtaking)more than make up for it. I also liked how Laurens lets us glimpse characters from the previous two books in the series. I really hope Catriona has a boy. That should take her down a notch or two. Laurens has definitely become one of my top authors. I can't wait for the next installment. Demon's lady might prove to be the one heroine in the series who does not do needlepoint and who wears breechs. Great!

Rating:
Summary: TRUELY CAPTIVATING
Review: WHEN I PURCAHSED THIS BOOK I HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS PART OF A SERIES. THIS STORY HAD ME ENTRANCED. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN FOR ANYTHING. CATRIONA IS DEFFINETLY NO PUSH OVER. HER COURAGE TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO COMPLETE THE LADY'S BIDDING HAD ME ROUTING FOR HER AND AT THE SAME TIME BETTING ON RICHARD. THIS BOOK IS GREAT. I CAN'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THIS SAGA CONTINUES. YOU'LL COMPLETELY ENJOY THIS BOOK.

Rating:
Summary: The female heroine was too cold-blooded and unlikable.
Review: I felt that Catriona was too cold-blooded. She only seemed to want to be with Richard because the Lady commanded it. I had no connection to Catriona and if the author fails to get the reader to like her characters, the book just plods along, at best. I didn't find Catriona very likable. I skipped pages of the book and only finished it(after 3 previous attempts) to see what happened to Richard and to see if any of his brothers were mentioned. I have read the other books and this one seemed to continue the downhill slide of the first book.