The start of Scandalous Ever After was very strong and drew me in, the writing rich and the banter was great between the estranged friends. I loved it. And I also loved that she reached out to sleep with him -- get it girl! I appreciated that we got a look at Evan's depression (though he never called it that on the page), though I do wish there had been a bit more of it in the book, especially after he finally opened up about it to Kate.

I will say that as much as I loved the first 1/3 or so of the book, after that it slowly started to bog down a bit in the pacing, especially in the last 1/3.

I also wasn't quite as sold on their individual character growth, or their couple growth, by the end as I had hoped to be. It wasn't bad! But I was left wanting a bit and it's hard for me to pinpoint why exactly that is.


Overall, this book was a delight to read, for the most part, and usually skewed more towards a solid 4 stars. However, at times it slid a bit more towards a still-respectable 3 star. In the end, I'm going with 3 1/2 STARS. Oh, and unrelated: but this cover is gorgeous!

A likable book. This was the first book I have ever read by this author and I found it entertaining.

Scandalous Ever After by Theresa Romain
Review by Georgianna Simpson
Scandalous Ever After is a historical romance love story with a bit of mystery included. It’s set in Cambridge, England in 1818.
Evan Rhys is lecturing on fake Roman antiquities being circulated for the purpose of smuggling, using slides from a magic lantern and painted shots of artifacts he’d collected. It’s at this lecture that Catherine Abigail Durham (Kate), Countess of Whelan speaks up and asks him why he doesn’t go to Ireland, when he claims the artifacts are from there.
Meticulously, the author, Theresa Romain, builds the back narrative of Evan’s friendship with the late Earl of Whelan, Conall Richie Durham. Friends from childhood in school, they were close and inseparable. Thirteen years prior, Con had brought home some brood mares and a wife. Evan’s world changed. She was bright, beautiful and everything he loved in life, but he was completely faithful in his friendship with her husband.
They spent much time together, the three of them. Evan’s own family being very judgmental and not at all happy. Evan was the second son. His family’s opinions of what he should be and do with his life ever critical. So, Evan spent most of his life living at Whelan with Con and Kate. Con became increasingly free spending and risking their estate, as well as many infidelities. He and Evan had argued over his lack of care for his family and Evan had left angry. Con was killed in a steeple race shortly after the argument. Instead of helping Kate, he never came back…hence her wondering what was keeping him from Ireland, at the lecture.
That’s the setup, I don’t do spoilers, or at least I try not to. This love story is built with frustrating slowness. The dialogue is quick and often witty, with a bit of spice. Kate and Evan are each healing from a bit of guilt and sorrow, but wanting to be together. A few obstacles are in the way, but none insurmountable except their own ideas and feelings. There are several secondary characters that are also well written and interesting.
Twists with the smuggling angle and the horse races are woven into this story, adding some interesting and dangerous scenes. The love scenes and near love scenes are sizzling but also frustrating as the characters come to terms with their lives.

I think this is one of those books which I did not like still i finished it.

Stevie‘s review of Scandalous Ever After (Romance of the Turf, Book 2) by Theresa Romain
Historical Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 04 Jul 17

Although I’m no fan of modern-day horse racing, I’ve found myself delighted by this series of historical romances about the Chandler family of Newmarket and their world of racehorse breeding and training. For this second full-length instalment, we get to spend some time away from the Chandler’s hometown in the company of older daughter, Kate, who has been living in Ireland with her, now deceased, husband, along with their children and his mother. Kate married after a whirlwind romance, only to find that the man she had fallen for was an unrepentant philanderer who ran up debts to the point where his creditors are threatening to seize everything of his, and Kate’s, that they can, and now he is no longer around.

In desperation, Kate returns to Newmarket, in the hope that her father can help her financially; however, on the way, she can’t resist attending a lecture in Cambridge by her husband’s former best friend, the historian Evan Rhys, whom she hasn’t seen since her husband’s death in a fall during a steeplechase.

Evan has secretly harboured feelings for Kate ever since his former friend first introduced them, but blames himself for the accident since he had quarrelled with Kate’s husband over his bad behaviour immediately before the race. Now they have been reunited, he accepts Kate’s invitation to visit her family, and then offers to escort her back to Ireland, once their stay in Newmarket is completed. On the journey, he takes Kate to meet his own family, and she discovers that they are completely different again from either the Chandlers or the family that she married into.

Although her father was unable to help Kate evade her husband’s creditors, she is still determined to clear his debts, while Evan is keen to solve a mystery he has been investigating, with clues pointing toward the answer having links to both Kate’s late husband and to the overarching mystery of the series – and the main villain who’s been lurking in the background all along. Evan finds himself entranced by Kate’s children, and easily able to sympathise with the problems Kate is having with her mother-in-law. As the pair search for solutions to their various problems, Evan is finally able to reveal his feelings for Kate, while she begins to explore her feelings toward him.

While this story cleared up some of the mysteries of the series and gave the main plots of the book itself a set of satisfactory endings, other threads were left hanging to be dealt with in subsequent instalments, which I hope we will be able to read very soon.

Grade: B

Evan Rhys has been in love with his best friend's wife since the moment he met her. He feared for her life through the births of her children, he cared for her when her husband was unfaithful, and yet he never crossed the line of impropriety. Two years have passed since his friend died tragically following an argument with Rhys which means two years have passed since he's seen Lady Kate Whelan. When she suddenly shows up at one of his lectures on antiquities, Rhys's entire world is turned upside down.

Scandalous Ever After is part mystery, part love story, and a second chance love story I'm glad I didn't miss.

Lady Kate Whelan married at a young age to a carefree charmer. Her marriage included meeting Evan Rhys, her husband's best friend. Over the years Kate enjoyed having Rhys to laugh with and talk to. Evan felt the same although he also loved Kate from the moment they met. He hated that his best friend was a gambler and cheat when he should have realized he had a jewel.
Two years after her husband's death and being separated from Evan, Kate initiates contact with him and he can't help but fall in love all over again. He decides to accompany her on her way home to solve a mystery of his own. Along the way friends see if they can also be lovers.
I really liked Evan. I wish more time would have been spent on his grey moods. It was so interesting to see him as so adored by others but still suffer from emptiness. I also liked Kate but I wish I learned more about her as a mother rather than the focus of horse racing.
A good book but could have been so much more with a few more details.

This one took a while to get into--I couldn't quite grasp what was up with Kate's 'tude, and since I was a member of Team Evan pretty much since page 1, her back-and-forth where he was considered was aggravating. I kept shaking my head--what was her deal? The story gradually drew me in, though, and somewhere around the 50% mark I found myself pretty much unable to put the book down until I got to the end. And Kate? Totally redeemed herself in the end :)

I really need to read more of Ms. Romain's books, because each time I do they're rife with highlighted bits by the time I'm done--romantic bits, funny bits, ways with words that I wish I had--so many highlights. This time they're almost all Evan's, and they run the gamut from LOL:
For God's sake. Sometimes a man just wanted to dig up an ancient cock sculpture and show it about. Was that too much to ask from life?
(For the record, no, I don't think it is.)

to OMG, yes:
What was there to want in life for than someone who said I miss you when you're across a room?
to HOW? HOW CAN SHE RESIST HIM?
"I want more than a half measure of you. And I deserve someone who wants more than a half measure of me."
Sigh. Seriously, how???

Fortunately, she manages to see the light before the final pages. And the path they take to get there? Makes this book one heck of a read.

(Second in the Romance of the Turf series, but worked just fine as a standalone. Though you'd better believe book 1 and book .5 were on my TBR pile by the time I was about 51% of the way into this one.)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Getting a chance at being with the woman he loves was never something Evan thought would be possible. Kate was married to his best friend, and the three had formed a tight circle, one that although Evan loved Kate, he never stepped outside of his role as friend. Now a widow, Kate is attempting to put her life back together and clear up the mountain of debt that her husband left behind. She never suspected Evan’s true feelings, so when a chance encounter once again brings them together again Kate is expecting her friend… and soon discovers that there is far more than friendship between them, even if she is afraid to act on any of their feelings.

Scandalous Ever After is a fun, intriguing story full of bantering, sexual tensions, confused emotions and one overshadowing mystery. It’s one of the best friends to lovers romances that I’ve read in quite a while. Kate is afraid of her feelings for Evan. Theirs has been a relationship of years as friends and she is terrified of losing that connection. What she won’t accept is that they could still have the friendship on another level plus so much more, she’s not willing to take that risk. Evan has spent far too many years loving this stubborn, amazing woman from afar and he isn’t about to back down now. There has to be a way to break through her barriers, and he’s determined to find that way. They are so right for each other and he will not walk away again.

Add into the romantic mix an accidental death that was no accident, a trail of fake antiquities that leads right to Kate’s estate plus the mystery thread that flows throughout this series and you have one heck of an intriguing romance. I enjoyed Scandalous Ever After very much. If you’re a reader who enjoys romance, mystery and a couple who will grab your heart from the first pages, then this is a book I’d highly recommend for you.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I really enjoyed this book! This is the first book by Theresa Romain that I have had the chance to read and it ended up being a great one. This book is listed as the second book in the Romance on the Turf series but it can be read fine as a stand alone novel. Once I really got hooked by the story, I didn't want to put this book down. I kept sneaking peeks throughout the day and before you knew it, I had reached the end of the story.

Kate and Evan are the focus of this story. Kate became a widow two years ago when her husband died in an accident. She is working to take care of the debts left by her husband. Evan was Kate's husband's best friends. They consider each other friends as well but Evan fought with Con just prior to his death and has stayed away since his passing. Kate and Evan cross paths at one of his lectures and they decide to travel together.

I liked Kate and Evan together. They have been friends for a very long time and know a lot about each other but quickly learn that not everything is as they had thought. I really liked the fact that they were a bit older and seemed more mature than a lot of couples featured in romantic novels. Kate has been married and is the mother of two children. They both had a lot of respect for each other and were willing to stand up for themselves when needed. I thought the chemistry between them was wonderfully done and their banter was a lot of fun.

I really liked the way the story flowed. Since Kate and Evan spend a lot of the book traveling, we get to see them in several different environments. Kate's family were so much fun and I loved how Evan seemed to fit in perfectly. Evan's family were in dramatic contrast and it was fun to see them interact. Once the pair arrived at Kate's estate, I enjoyed the way they were with the children and Con's mother. The secondary characters really added to the overall story.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This was a heartwarming romance that was a lot of fun to read. I can't wait to read more of Theresa Romain's works in the future.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley.

Scandalous Ever After is the second book in the Romance of the Turf series. The series has a continuous plot that gets slowly revealed with each book. But each of them can actually stand alone.

Scandalous Ever After is a friends-to-lovers/unrequited love/best-friends girl type of romance although set in the Regency period. It follows Evan and Kate who hasn't seen each other in two years, following the death of Kate's husband and Evan's closest friend. The plot may sound cliched but in the very talented hands of Ms. Romain, we get a very honest and emotional romance but with touches of humor here and there. Both Evan and Kate's viewpoints in their evolving relationship add really well to the story. I really like the way the romance is tackled here and fans of the series will be deeply satisfied with this character driven romance. On to the next book!

Not my thing. Thank you to the Publisher for the review copy though!

This second full-length novel in Theresa Romain’s <strong><em>Romance of the Turf</em></strong> series takes up the story of Kate Durham née Chandler, the elder Chandler daughter, widow of the Earl of Whelan and mother of two young children.  <strong>Scandalous Ever After</strong> is the sort of strongly written, character-driven and emotionally satisfying romance at which this author excels, and there’s a dash of mystery, too, which eventually turns out to be linked to one of the secondary plotlines featured in book one, <a href="https://bookish29.wordpress.com/2016/02/04/a-gentlemans-game-romance-of-the-turf-1-by-theresa-romain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>A Gentleman’s Game</strong>.</a>

When Kate was just seventeen, she was swept off her feet by the handsome Conall Durham, and after a whirlwind courtship, married him and left England to live at his estate in Ireland.  Con’s best friend, Evan Rhys, a Welsh historian and archaeologist, was a frequent visitor, and the three of them spent many an evening together chatting, laughing and sampling the excellent local whiskey.  Evan and Kate developed a strong and – they’d thought – lasting friendship, even though unbeknownst to Kate, Evan had fallen in love with her the moment they met.  Over the years, Kate watched Con running up debts he couldn’t pay and put up with his infidelities – and while Evan remonstrated with his friend, Con continued on his own merry way until he was killed as the result of a fall from his horse.  Shortly before this, the two men argued violently, after which Evan left and has never returned; he and Kate haven’t seen each other in the two years since Con’s death.

Kate hasn’t been home to Newmarket since she married, but she is back in England now, hoping to ask her father for help in settling the massive debt Connor left behind.  While she’s there, she attends a lecture on antiquities – and specifically, the way in which the collectors’ market is currently being inundated with fakes – given by her old friend Evan Rhys.  She has been hurt by his continued absence from her life and hopes they can regain something of their former friendship, unaware of the true nature of his feelings for her and that he harbours some guilt about the argument he and Con had on the day he died.  Evan is surprised to see Kate, but can’t deny that he’s missed her – and decides to woo her now that she is free and out of mourning.  But he knows it won’t be easy; over the years Kate has placed him in the role of “dependable friend” and he’ll have to take things slowly if he is to get her to see him as a lover.

Unfortunately for Kate, Sir William is unable to help her with her financial woes, so she decides to return to Ireland and Evan offers to escort her, telling her that he wants to look into the sudden flood of fake antiquities that appear to have been made from stone that comes from close to the Whelan estate.  Once there, it becomes apparent that not only does Evan have cause for his suspicions but also that Con’s death was no accident - and that the machinations of the mysterious villain who cast a long shadow in the previous book continue to pursue the Chandler family, although to what end is not yet apparent.

<strong>Scandalous Ever After</strong> is a skilfully blended story of romance and mystery, with the focus very firmly on the fragile new relationship that Kate and Evan are building together.  They have terrific chemistry and their many verbal exchanges are witty, funny and utterly delightful; such naturalistic dialogue is one of this author’s strengths, and it’s much in evidence here as Kate and Evan flirt, argue and tease their way towards a new understanding of themselves and each other.  That’s not to say it’s an easy journey for either of them, especially after Kate takes a leap of faith and invites Evan to her bed - and almost immediately regrets her decision, because she is scared that by changing the nature of their relationship she will lose his friendship, and she couldn’t bear that.  Over the years, she has become so many different women – wife, mother, countess, manager - that she has lost sight of herself and her own wants and needs.  Spending time with her family - and with Evan’s on the way to Ireland (no matter that both families are very, very different) - has brought into sharp focus the fact that she doesn’t really fit in anywhere, not in Ireland and not at home; and if she loses Evan’s friendship she will be truly alone.  She tells him she wants them to forget their one night together and go back to the way things were – and can’t understand why Evan doesn’t agree it’s for the best, and why he eventually begins to pull back from her.

Evan is a gorgeous beta hero; an intellectual who can crack a dirty joke along with the best of them and whose concern and love for Kate shines through in his words and actions.  He’s kind, charming and perceptive, but his upbringing by a mother who constantly belittled him has left him a little emotionally bruised and he’s suffered bouts of depression throughout his life – something Kate tackles superbly, offering understanding, compassion and acceptance.

The love story is beautifully nuanced and the love scenes are sensual as we see Evan and Kate tentatively exploring the possibilities for more than friendship at the same time as they fear to take the steps that will irretrievably change things between them.  It’s true that Evan is now more willing to put his heart on the line while Kate struggles with the fear that she could lose him and allows that fear to push her to retreat from him and from what she really wants; and there were times this reader found Kate’s reticence just a teeny bit frustrating.  Yet in the two years since Con’s death, Evan allowed his fear of rejection to keep him far away from the temptation Kate presented, so he, too, has been guilty of running from his deepest desires.

My one complaint about the story overall is that Kate’s inability to realise why Evan is so hurt when she wants to ‘go back to how things were’ goes on a little too long - and it’s hard to believe she can really be so obtuse about it when he has been her closest friend for so many years.  That point knocked my final grade down a little, but didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book and isn’t going to prevent my recommending <strong>Scandalous Ever After</strong> to others.

4.5 stars/B+

This was a DNF for me. I normally like to read this type of romance but I just couldn't get through the first couple of chapters. I get that the heroine was a widow but I just can't get past the husband who was really not a good person. And the slight love triangle.

Evan Rhys and Con Durham (the Irish Earl of Whelan) have been best friends forever. Con is a charming, outgoing, mischief loving rogue, while the quieter Evan joins him in his escapades. Their opposite personality types seem to mesh perfectly, cementing their bond of friendship. Evan is shocked when Con returns from a trip to England with a beautiful young bride. Almost immediately, Evan finds himself falling in love with seventeen year old Kate, something he’s determined to hide.

As the years pass, Kate has joined the circle of friendship, and the trio spends many evenings sharing meals, laughs, conversation, and whisky. Evan is considered a family member, and is godfather to Con and Kate’s two children. Con, however, is a true rogue, and has never given up other women, almost from the start of their marriage. Kate is aware of this, but pretends not to be, and she grows a little more disillusioned every day. When Con’s attentions to one particular woman grown marked, and he plans to support her financially, depriving his wife and children, Evan can’t be silent any longer. He and Con have a violent row, and say things that destroy their lifelong friendship. Evan leaves, vowing not to return, and Con angrily rides out, having a tragic accident that ends his life.

Two years later, Evan is in England, giving a lecture on antiquities and forgeries. During the question and answer session, he hears a voice that he would recognize anywhere. Kate is here. It’s been thirteen years since Evan first saw her, and his love has never died. He could never face her after Con’s death. His guilt caused him to simply disappear from their lives. Now, Kate extends an invitation for Evan to travel with her as she goes to visit her father, and he accepts. Kate displays all the warmth and affection that she feels for Evan, but she’s not shy about taking him to task for abandoning her and his godchildren, who have all missed him terribly.

Their journey gives them plenty of time together and the opportunity to become reacquainted. Kate has become stronger, having to manage the earldom until her young son is old enough to take over. Her late husband’s extravagant spending has left them in a precarious financial situation, which Kate is trying to solve. The relationship she has with Evan is beautiful, and is a genuine liking and friendship. Finally, Kate sees him as a lover, much to Evan’s joy. That happiness is short-lived, however, as Kate is too blind to recognize Evan’s love, and only sees the possibility of an affair.

I fell in love with Evan. He’s such an honorable man, never stepping out of line or making any overtures to Kate when she was married. He hid his unrequited love and was a good friend to both Kate and Con, and a wonderful “uncle” to their children. No one knows that he suffers bouts of depression, because he hides that too. He and Kate are perfect together – their conversations are a delight and often wonderfully funny. Their chemistry is deliciously steamy.

It seems that there may be more to Con’s death than a simple accident, and an injury to Evan while investigating seems to be the catalyst needed to shake Kate out of the self imposed box she walled herself in. I found SCANDALOUS EVER AFTER to be the best book that Theresa Romain has written. It touched my heart and my emotions, and I loved Evan and Kate. Every scene with them together was pure joy to read, and I was so thrilled when Kate finally came to realize that her love for Evan was more than for a friend. Evan was so deserving of Kate’s love, and though his happy ever after was over a decade in coming, it was especially sweet. SCANDALOUS EVER AFTER goes on my favorites list for 2017 and I recommend it most highly.

Old hurts and new mysteries exposed!

Certainly this Romance of the Turf story took a different direction. Old yearnings, death and mysteries play out between Wales and Ireland.
Lady Kate Whelan was widowed when her husband was killed in a steeplechase race. She's the daughter of a Welsh racing baronet, Sir William Chandler. Kate had been married to an Irish Lord, Conall Ritchie Durham, the late fifth Earl of Whelan. Con's best friend was a Welshman, the laconic, humorous Evan Rhys, a noted antiquities expert. I loved Romain's turn of phrase, such as when she described how Evan and Con first met and the pranks they got up to. As Con states, it was from a 'trellis of such events ... did their friendship cling and grow.'
Evan has been in love with Kate since he first met her. They had been the best of friends. Evan however has not seen Kate since Conall died, two years ago. He blames himself for Con's death.
I enjoyed Evan's wry, self separating burst of humour and the way Kate responded in kind. I enjoyed his conversations with himself with regard to Kate.
The hurt of Evan's retreat and of Kate's puzzlement to that action lies between them. 'Con's death had [indeed] changed many things.'
Returning to Ireland with Kate prior to leaving for Greece, errant thoughts and emotions previously tamped down rise to the surface.
Horses do play a part in this story, although the plot line takes off into unexpected places. They are more a back drop to the action. Action that unfolds into old grievances and revenge.
The tension and connections between these Kate and Evan are well played and all results in an excellent read.

A NetGalley ARC
(July 2017)

I actually bought this book as well as read it here. I love this series so much! And I know very little about horses so it's fun to read because I never feel like I don't know what she's writing about, it's always well explained but in a way that doesn't make it boring.

A lovely story from Theresa Romain. Once again, she does what she does best -- character development involving self-realization. The heroine, Kate, is a widow that reunites with her husband's best friend after a two-year separation. Evan has always loved her, but both are struggling with guilt and confused emotions. The book is their journey, literally and figuratively, toward each other while working out their conflicting feelings.

I loved that Evan was such a great beta hero. He was sweet and loving, and a little tortured. I became a little tired of Kate's ambivalence. Kate and Evan both did a lot of thinking and wondering. Still, it was a very good book, especially for those that like an introspective romance.