Though I’m very late to reviewing this one, I really enjoyed it! It kept me interested, and I would recommend it to anyone who dabbles in this genre.

This was a little more on the PWP side than I usually like, but the chemistry sold it for me anyway. I've only read two Stacy Reid books so far and I'm definitely going to read more!

As far as I can tell this is the first book I’ve read by Stacy Reid. Overall, I liked it, but the issues I had were enough for me to knock it down to a solid two stars.

First the good – this book was hot, hot, hot. Lily Layton has a lot of unfulfilled desires that she’s only comfortable writing in her diary, not discussing with anyone. She tried to bring them up to her late husband, but not only was he not interested, he took them as personal affronts, punishing her and shaming her for her sexual needs. So they remained unfulfilled and she wrote them down. But then she lost her diary, and it was found by Oliver Carlyle, the subject of most of her fantasies. He’s intrigued and sets out to discover which of the ladies currently in residence at his mother’s house party could have written what amounts to his own personal fantasies down in this diary. He’s determined to find her, and he does. In the secret tunnels of the house where he and Lily encounter each other in the dark, acting out her most erotic fantasies. Once they do discover each other’s identities, it becomes clear that they’ll never be able to end up together; the class differences are too great.

Then not-so-good – There’s a lot of emphasis on Lily’s infertility. She’s still young, only in her twenties, but she’s been married twice and has never been pregnant. True, neither of those marriages involved sex more than occasionally, but Lily has spoken to doctors about the issue, and it’s been made clear that she will not bear children. One of Oliver’s main reasons for wanting to get married is to have a family, and he’s clear on that, but Lily hides her infertility from him until after they’re married. He’s understandably upset by this news, but that’s ok, because apparently all it takes to “cure” infertility is time and lots and lots of sex. If Lily hadn’t been classified as actually being infertile, if she had just not become pregnant because her previous 2 husbands hadn’t sexed her up enough, that would be one thing. But that’s not the story we’re given, and I didn’t love that Stacy Reid went this way with it. I don’t like at all that Lily hid it from Oliver to start with, and I really don’t like that all it took was Oliver’s magic sperm, and she’s magically pregnant, with twins no less.

The other issue I had with it is a smaller issue, but no less disturbing. It’s established very early on that Oliver’s father is a large steaming pile of shit. Cheated on his wife, forced his staff to have sex with him, etc. Just a really terrible human. Fine. That’s pretty standard in a lot of the historicals I’ve read. Sort of like Hallmark movies and the dead parents of our main characters. What sets Oliver’s father apart for me is that it’s revealed at one point that he raped a fourteen-year-old maid. Well, it’s not classified as rape, which is problem number one. It’s just presented as “I found my dad ‘tupping’ a fourteen-year-old maid”, and while Lily is stunned by it, she’s more upset about the fact that none of his father’s servants could have turned him down without losing their jobs than she is by the fact of the rape of a young girl. Even in that same conversation, Oliver refers to it as his father’s “proclivity” and declares that he still loves him, and Lily says that it’s the best kind of love, knowing someone’s faults and loving them still. This is not a fault. Talking constantly during movies is a fault. Chewing ice is a fault. Thinking milk chocolate is better than dark chocolate is a fault. Repeatedly raping your staff, including fourteen-year-old girls, is not a fault. You’re a rapist. Oliver’s father is a rapist, and deciding to toss it off as an unfortunate quirk and claim that it’s not enough for you to not love him anymore isn’t ok. None of this is ok. And it could have been left out. Oliver’s dad is a rapist and a pile of shit for what he does to his staff alone. Throwing in the fourteen-year-old was unnecessary.

This was the first Stacy Reid book I read and I immediately went and read the rest of her books! The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton was sweet and sexy and everything I wanted!

I have read paranormal romance by Stacy reid that I enjoyed very much so I wanted to read her new book.
The scandalous Diary was a pleasant reading,both heroes were enjoyable and the chemistry was good.But I was lacking a profound emotional connection and some angst furthermore I love my hero a little bit more alpha and demanding.

Stacy Reid has written a solid and exceptional historical romance. I loved the premise and the storyline. Good.

Erotic historical romance isn't exactly rare, but in my reading experience, it's harder to execute well than contemporary erotic romance. Writers have to consider things like the social and physical repercussions of sex for women, for example, and make all of it sexy. In all historical romance, I like to put on my rosy book goggles and pretend that sexually transmitted diseases don't exist in sex clubs in a time without antibiotics. And that a pregnancy wouldn't spell the end of a woman's career, marital, and social prospects. Y'know, all the things that no one wants to think about while reading a story in which sex drives the romantic plot.

The point of this is that I think Stacy Reid managed all of this quite well in The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton. The writing was a bit stilted at times, but the sex scenes were excellent and inventive.

The premise is that Oliver, a marquess, is looking for a wife. Because he wants one. This is rare enough in historical romances, but better still is that he specifically wants a wife who will want to have sex with him. He's trying to find that elusive balance of mistress (the one you have sex with) and wife (the one you take out in public).

Meanwhile, his mother is trying to foist her lady's companion, Lily, upon a horrible man who wants a quiet, obedient wife. Lily wants nothing to do with Mr. Crauford. She does, however, entertain inappropriate thoughts about her employer's grown son.

One day, Oliver finds Lily's diary, and sets out to discover to whom it belongs. This leads to a few scandalous encounters in the dark, with neither of them revealing their identity. Then other things happen and spoilers happen and THEN a happily-ever-after. Their sexual relationship is *flame emojis.* Instead of BDSM, Reid's characters are into everything from voyeurism to exhibitionism to anal sex.

It's not all secrets and boning, however, as Lily has been widowed twice and has some hangups due to her second marriage to a sexually repressive vicar who made her pray and repent after sex. She's become convinced that she's unable to bear children, but her brother-in-law, a doctor, tells her that a handful of "encounters" isn't enough to confirm one way or the other.

In the author's note at the beginning, Stacy Reid talks about her own experience with trying to conceive, and why she chose to give her heroine a different outcome than her own. It's very touching, but if this is something that you think you'll find upsetting, be aware that the heroine believes herself to be barren, is supported and loved by the hero regardless, and has given birth to healthy twins by the end of the epilogue.

Despite a somewhat slow and stilted beginning, I'm glad I stuck with this book. If Reid follows this up with the much-hinted story of two secondary characters, I'll gladly keep reading her books.


Content Warnings: difficulty conceiving, emotionally abusive (dead) spouse, internalized slut-shaming, some possibly non-consensual voyeurism

Suzanne received a copy of this book from the publisher for review via NetGalley.

This book was a little out there. In a roundabout way it is a love story. We have Mrs. Layton a widow who decided to keep a diary of all of her wanted thoughts. Her last husband was a vicar and constantly told her how she was wicked so Lily thought that her thoughts were wrong but she couldn't help her desires. She is working for Lady Ambrose and her son is gorgeous and she does have some scandalous thoughts about him. Lord Ambrose find this diary and sets out to find this woman, they have some secret liasons threw some secret passages in his home not knowing who the other was since it was dark. When he does find out who it is, he can't help but pursue her knowing that he could never marry her, she is not in his social circles but atlast love will conquer all and he wont care that he turns his mistress into his wife..There is some voyeurism involved..

HOT HOT HOT. Oliver's discovery of Lily's diary sends them on a path of fiery passion and eventually love. Story had depth and characters that made you invested in their HEA. And that diary *fans self*.

Oh how I loved this sizzling and sexy story of Lily and Oliver. The diary was definitely scandalous and sensational but it was the characters that burned the pages with their passion. I loved Lily’s character although didn’t quite understand her married history. She was brave, sexy and a temptress under her widow weeds. I had really liked Oliver’s character until he saw Lily only as a mistress but not a wife only due to her past history. It wasn’t like she had a very sordid history. But the fact that he didn’t respect her enough to make her his wife right from the get go just made my appreciation for him dim a little. I do like how he groveled later and made up to her. Those lines where he talks about how important she is to him more than any future heirs made me absolutely tear up. I would recommend this book and only gave it 4 stars due to Oliver’s initial attitude towards Lily.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton is a stand-alone book by Stacy Reid (The book is connected to two of Naima Simone's works). I had some trouble finishing the book, but since I managed it and it had some kind of a plot, so I am giving it 3 stars.

For a book that's labeled as Historical romance, there was a lot of freedom and rule-bending, to a point where I forgot that I was reading a novel that was set in the 1800s. For the first quarter, there was only sex or the mention of it and it made me wonder what kind of book I had picked to read. After that point, we got a little plot and the book felt almost normal. The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton is certainly not your average HR novel. The characters were likable and even some secondary characters were interesting. I really wish the author hadn't kept hinting that Lily is barren and that she and Oliver wouldn't have children since that wasn't the case. This is one of the cases where I would have been ok with the main couple not having kids.

Lily Layton has been widowed twice. Her last husband was a vicar who told her that her carnal desires were wrong. Lily pours out her feelings into her diary. When she loses it, she panics and attempts to find it.

Oliver Carlyle, Marquess of Ambrose, has told his mother that he is ready to find a wife. When he finds a diary where the writer confides her forbidden fantasies, he knows he has met the woman he needs and is determined to find her.

While I really enjoyed this book and thought it was well written, there were things I had issues with.

Lily's husband was the local vicar who was so prudish he wouldn't touch Lily and punished her for her desires with hours of prayer. Lily was afraid there was something wrong with her because she didn't get pregnant. That is not infertility. That is lack of consummation. I also didn't like how it felt like the last two chapters were an addition. They just did not flow.

That being said, I loved how independent Lily was. She wanted to own her own dress shop so she could sell her designs. She was a strong heroine. I liked Oliver's honor. He was attempting to balance his own desires while hating his father's actions. I liked how he felt anger towards Lily's husband over what she wrote in her diary. I also liked how the Marchioness was carving out her own happiness after her bitter marriage.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you very much!

STEAMY, SEXY, RAUNCHY, FUUNY, WILD. Lawd do I love Stacy Reid. She’s an auto buy for me and this book is no exception. 5/5 stars!

This was a very hot, steamy read! I really liked both the main characters, who were just looking for someone to love and accept them for themselves. The story starts when Lily accidentally loses her diary filled with her scandalous sexual thoughts and fantasies, and it is found by Oliver, who can't identify its author, but is intrigued enough to want to find her. I liked the passion, romance and pace of the story, as well as the fact that neither of the characters overreacted or went into hysterics in places where in other romances the author might have exaggerated the drama. Another great spicy read from Stacy Reid!

I received a complementary copy from NetGalley and the publishers for my honest review.

Get your fans out people, this is one seriously hot read!! The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton is a fun, engaging and slightly kinky historical romance.

Lily, an intelligent, charming and innately sensuous widow has been taught to deny and hide her carnal desires as it’s shameful and unladylike to crave such things. The only place she can let that part of herself free is while writing in her diary, and when she loses it all hell breaks loose.

Oliver, the Marquess of Ambrose, is ready to settle down. Only he wants to find a woman who not only meets the social requirements, but who shares his most shocking desires. He wants a companion in every way possible and when he finds a most intriguing diary, he sets to find out who it belongs to as the lady seems to share his cravings for… naughty shenanigans.

A mysterious encounter in a secret passage, leaves both Oliver and Lily enthralled with one another, but ignorant of the other’s identity. At the same time, Oliver asks Lily, as his mother’s companion, to help him chose a wife from his mother’s “selection”. Interacting as themselves they realize their mutual attraction translates into incredible chemistry but their difference in station is only one of the many obstacles in even considering a courtship.

I absolutely loved this story. Oliver was one kinky lord and he really knew how to… do stuff. He was charismatic, bossy, sexy AF and the sweetest man at the same time. Lily had to fight some conditioning from her previous marriage, but Oliver was eager to help her out with that, and their encounters were off the charts hot. I absolutely loved them together, mysteriously rendezvousing or not. They were always hot but once deeper feelings begin to show it was even hotter.

The Scandalous Diary of Lily Layton is an easy to read historical with great characters, a delightful romance and lots of kinky, scorching hot sex. You definitely want to give this one a try.

Lily, twice-widowed and only in her mid-twenties, longs to understand her desires and why she yearns for carnal pleasure. It is sinful and not becoming a lady, as her last husband informed her before freezing her out of the marriage bed. She records her fantasies in a diary, pondering her passions as she serves as a Lady's companion.

Her desires become reality after encountering a mysterious stranger in a hidden passageway during a ball and what she thinks will only be one night of passion, turns into so much more.

With delightfully naughty scenes including voyeurism, this is a fantastically smutty historical that also explores what it means to love someone not of your class.

My only quibble is about the pregnancy issue. Lily is convinced she's barren as she's had two husbands and no children. Of course she and her Marquis end up pregnant with twins. I understand the importance of having the aristocracy having heirs, but I thought it would make for a bit more interesting of a twist if these two could have just lived HEA without children. But, still a great, fun story!

Oliver Simon Carlyle, the ninth Marquess of Ambrose has decided it is time he marries. He does not want a marriage where he has a mistress to satisfy his needs. He just doesn’t think it is possible to find a lady that will satisfy his deepest cravings. Then he finds the steamy diary of a woman whose cravings are similar to his but he doesn’t know who the diary belongs to. Lily Layton is the widow of the local vicar and has become the paid companion to Oliver’s Mother. It is her diary that Oliver has found. They are from different worlds but is shared passion enough to bring them together? You should read and find out. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This delicious historical romance was scorching hot!! I really liked Lily and Oliver's story. I thought both characters were likable and I thought they made a good couple. It was very easy to feel for Lily. She has certainly been unlucky in love and I found my heart aching for her and quickly hoping that this time she would get lucky and get that HEA this time. As for Oliver, I liked him. I thought he was charming, honorable and simply a great guy. He knew what he wanted and was willing to go for it. Added to all this heat is some very heavy emotional drama. All together it creates a extremely fun and enjoyable romance.

The Sweetest Taboo, all stand alone books only connected by the taboo trope. So it's been a while since I've read erotica like this. I enjoyed it, the story was nice the characters were pleasant and it was really hot. Now I know if I need good erotica I can count on Stacy Reid. My only issue is I didn't like the ending, it was way to easy, I personally would have been happier without the epilogue. Third person POV that switches focus between Oliver and Lily. I loved the voyeurism and meeting in complete anonymity and being oblivious to that fact that they already know each other.

Oliver Carlyle, Marquess of Ambrose, is ready to find himself a wife but he has certain requirements that aren't usual things to look for in a wife. For one he has no plans ever to take a mistress so his wife must be able to handle the dark erotic things he likes. He knows it's going to difficult but not impossible. During a house party, thrown by his mother in hopes he finds his future wife there, he finds a diary, in this diary are the most scandalous and erotic thoughts of a young widow. Determined to find out the owner of the diary and hopefully make her his wife especially since in the diary she mentions her attraction to him.

Lily Layton is a widow twice over and just at the age of 25, she went to work as a companion to the Marquess Ambrose's mother. She never expected to be noticed never expected her sexual fantasies to come true she only wished that one day her dreams of designing dresses would come true. But her life took a different turn when her diary went missing. Dealing with social standings and expectations and blowing those out of the water by following your heart. This book is emotional at times when it comes to a secret Lily is hiding from Oliver that just may end the romance.

Overall, it was an enjoyable erotic romance. I almost wish it was a tad bit more lighthearted, the beginning and the middle were really erotic; nice and hot really good but toward the end it got serious and just kind of killed the mood. The whole epilogue it was so typical with as serious as the topic of infertility got I wish she stayed true to that path.

Prepare to get a cold compresses and put the fan on because the pages of the story will almost burn your fingers! Stacy Reid has created another sizzling romance that takes two people who are not of the same class and brings them together unexpectedly, in a most unconventional way. Lily was a a companion of the Marchioness of Ambrose after the death of her second husband. Her married life had not been happy and she longed for more. Writing her wanton thoughts in a diary were her outlet, but when she looses it, she is frantic to get it back. Oliver Carlyle, Marquess of Ambrose had decided he needed to marry. He just felt emptiness in his soul and nothing seemed to make him happy. Until he found a diary that fascinated him! Now to find the writer. But it was a hard task because a house party was going on with a lot of ladies his mother had invited to help him find a wife. Who could it be? I will leave it at that and let you read the fast paged story that will take you high and low, only to bring you around to a surprising ending!!