A lovely book featuring Sera an orphanage treated shabbily by her family and Max a wounded war veteran. A chance meeting and a discussion about a marriage of convinience later, sees Sera and Max slowly discovering each other and developing mutual respect and admiration. When Max's family scandal needs resolved, he along with Sera work to together to solve the mystery.

Overall a good read


#AHintofScandal #NetGalley

Fil Reid does it again in the Mismatched Lovers series, the overall feel worked with this universe and had that concept that I was wanting and enjoyed from the previous book. It was written well and enjoyed the characters that were in this storyline. It left me wanting to read more in this series and from Fil Reid.

The second story in the Mismatched Lovers and the first book by this Author that I have read. I want to read the first book. I love the cover. Major Max Aubrey, invalided out of the army, has to marry before he turns thirty, so he goes to London for the Season. He meets Serafina Gilbert, the orphaned half-sister of Sir Ogden Gilbert. The story is well written with a very good storyline and great characters with a happy ending.

Two semi-wallflowers...

I really enjoyed this book. Max is almost thirty, has to wed to inherit an estate and invalided out of the military. He is not looking for love, but for someone he can rub along well with. He's pragmatic and very sweet and family oriented.

Serafina is the downtrodden, Cinderella-esque, poor relation. She is the unpaid companion who is treated like a servant. She does, however, once she meets Maxim, rub along well with him. They really are sweet together, both a little lacking in confidence but they gain trust and confidence as they work to solve a potentially huge scandal of Max's much older brother.

The story is at its best when its just Max and Serafina getting to know each other.
Recommend.

This may be my favorite book by Fil Reid so far. Both main characters suffer from self confidence issues. Serafina, an orphan, has been brought up in her horrible brother's family and just been treated most shabbily. Max suffers from a war wound in his arm. Both of them are wallflowers in the eyes of the vain, spoiled ton.

I'm so happy they met each other and found happiness. Their slow burn romance was just precious. They are two beautiful people inside and out. Honestly, if they ever cross paths again with Serafina's family, it will be too soon.

Thank you to Dragonblade for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

This is a sweet read about two people that both think they are unlovable. Serafina because she’s been told it so many times she believes it and Max because he’s damaged from a war injury. It’s takes a little while for them to realize the other doesn’t believe the same thing and is definitely feeling an attraction. About mid book it really starts moving with an investigation that gives them a great opportunity to spend time together and figure out their attraction and then it ends. I will say I enjoyed the story but felt there should have been just a little more.

Max and Serafina decide on a marriage of convenience. Neither believes they are worthy to marry yet are drawn to each other. Overall, the story moves along as a fairly even pace using a generally acceptable format. About 3/4 through there is a sudden potential scandal about to take place. Max goes to Serafina to help him save his dying brother. A well paced story with a bit of a twist added in.

A Wounded Hero and a Shy Wallflower—Can They Be What the Other Is Looking For?
Much like Cinderella, Serafina has spent her life overlooked and treated more like a servant than family. Orphaned and living under the control of her cold brother and cruel sister-in-law, she’s come to believe she’s unlovable.
Major Max Aubrey returned from the war with an injured arm and little hope that any woman could look past his scars—especially now that he’s under pressure to marry before he turns thirty, or lose his inheritance.
Their chance meeting at a ball leads to a quiet connection, and Max’s practical proposal seems like the solution to both their problems. He needs a wife; she needs freedom. What begins as a convenient arrangement, however, takes a deeper turn when they travel together to uncover a brewing scandal involving Max’s family.
As secrets unravel, so do the walls around their hearts. Neither Max nor Serafina is willing to admit what they truly want: a marriage based not on necessity, but on love.
I enjoyed this Regency romance and would recommend it to fans of slow-burn love stories, wounded heroes, and heroines who grow stronger as they discover their worth. At its heart, it’s a tender story of second chances—at freedom, at self-worth, and at the kind of love neither Max nor Serafina believed they could have.

I wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

The characters felt kind of flat, like they were missing that extra something to make them stand out. Not a ton actually happens, and while I get that the romance was supposed to be a slow burn, it honestly felt more like a light simmer that never really built up to anything.

Their chemistry didn’t fully land for me, so by the time they finally got together, it didn’t feel as rewarding as it should have.

Taken advantage of by her family, Serafina Gilbert doesn't visualize any other life. Captain Max Aubrey has returned home from serving in the Calvary with a useless right arm. To obtain his fortune, he must marry soon before he turns thirty. Drawn to Serafina, he invites her to the museum and a ride in the park. He feels they would rub along together and he proposes. Serafina sees this as freedom from her family and says yes.
One final request from his dying brother takes them on a journey to solve a mystery and discover they love each other.
Mild descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

This is a heartwarming Cinderella romance; however, instead of Prince Charming, Serafina Gilbert is rescued by a wounded warrior. Both feel out of place in society, Serafina because of her dowdy appearance and impoverished state brought on by her relatives' parsimony, and Max because of his war wound resulting in a lame arm. A chance meeting in a summerhouse reveals Serafina's passion for Egyptology, artifacts, and history, and for once, Max is not bored out of his mind whilst talking with a woman who is well-read and educated. Facing down her family when he proposes to her is his first hurdle in winning Serafina's heart, but when his brother reveals that his youthful sins have caught up with him, Max discovers just how resourceful his betrothed is, winning his admiration and the realization of his deeper feelings. I received a copy of this lovely romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

A Hint of Scandal by Fil Reid is a perfect example of what a terrific author she is. This book is a perfect example of her best work, filled with the musings of a man, Max Aubrey, who has lost the use of one arm and Serafina Gilbert who is a twenty-two year old orphan who lives on the “largesse” of her half brother and his wife. In reality, the servants had it better, but she was grateful. If she could get her brother to let loose of the two thousand pounds her father had left her, she would leave and pursue a life of her own, but that was unlikely, so she hung in. She did love her nieces and nephews, especially Letty, who was to make her come out this year. The only thing the couple like more than pinching pennies was moving up in society and they had high hopes for Letty. Max’s mother and sister-in-law also wished for him to marry and according to his father’s will, he must do it soon, before his 30th birthday, in order to quality for his inheritance. All the earmarks of a disaster. He vowed to marry the first woman he cam across who didn’t bore him silly.

There is more than romance here: when his dying brother receives a letter recalling a youthful indiscretion which could topple his family, Julian asks Max to help and Max involves Serafina, to whom he has become betrothed. Although there have been no words of love spoken he has complete respect for her intellect and common sense. With that problem firmly taken care of, both of them have recognized their feelings for the other and are excited to proceed. This is a novel full of personality, detail, and believable plot lines. These characters make my day, proving that people that don’t have the best of everything can succeed. Delightful!

I was invited to read A Hint of Scandal by Dragonblade. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Dragonblade #AHintOfScandal #FilReid

I would like to thank Dragonblade Publishing and Fil Reid for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.7 Stars rounded to 3

"Major Max Aubrey has been injured, his arm hangs useless by his side, his military career and social life over in an instant. Now on top of it all he has to marry before he turns thirty in a few months’ time—or he’ll forfeit the property left to him by his late father

Serafina Gilbert, the orphaned half-sister of Sir Ogden Gilbert, is very considered the poor plain relation in the Gilbert family, when her family takes a small house in London for the season to debut their oldest daughter.

When the two meet a small undeniable flame ignites that will set the two on a path they leads them to secrets that could shatter not just their reputations but the very heir to the Earldom."

Short, Easy read.
The characters are a little one dimensional and not a whole lot of interesting things happen.
The romance feels more like a simmer than slow burn. I'm not sure I was as invested in them or their chemistry enough to really have that satisfying ending when they finally sleep together.

The whole romance feels a bit lackluster. I get that we were going for more of a slow burn with two characters who don't know anything-experience wise-about being in love but, it still seemed a bit too blasé. I think we might have relied on too much of the plot for momentum in this story but seeing as the romance is the main focus their lack of passion for one another made the whole story seem kind of bland and lacking in emotional depth.

Yey
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. Well so I wanted to read a book like Bridgerton and then I found this one. Okay so being honest at the beginning I thought I wouldn't like the book or that the characters were normal. Yeah so I was so wrong in the best way, because in the second part I was able to see the wit and charm of them all. I love that the book is fast to read and that is a HEA.

The story touches on how one can internalize the cruel statements of others. Max endured an injury in war that makes his arm not work. He feels "half a man." Serafina has been belittled and made to feel inferior by her sister-in-law for most of her life. Neither believe they are lovable or appealing to the opposite sex. However, they have a conversation which sets them on a different course. A heartfelt story that many can relate to.

If ever there was a leading lady who deserved a happy ending it is Serafina. She is so poorly treated by her extended family and made to feel as though she has no right to a husband and family of her own. Even Letty, who Serafina is constantly making excuses for, treats her terribly and is just another spoiled young debutante. I am glad that Julian's family was pushing him toward finding a wife or else he would have missed his chance at meeting Serafina and they would have both lost out on what turned into a pretty great relationship. I could not help feeling that you could probably skip a chunk of the middle of the story without losing much of the plot, but the beginning and end are very strong. The mystery to be solved also helped Julian and Serafina see how well they worked together and gave them some time away from society's eyes to admit and/or understand how they really felt for each other. It was a little sad when Julian realized how selfish and terrible his brother had been when younger, it was clear that his vision of his big brother was forever changed and not for the better.

4,5 stars

I enjoyed this book and for me, I think this is a new author.
Our hero has lost the feeling in his right arm after being shot. He's been invalided out of the army. He has an older brother who is the earl. His brother has a heart condition. Max will loose his inheritance unless he marries. His sister in law, Maria and his mother don't want that to happen. They persuade Max to accompany his neice, Arabella to the season.
Meanwhile Serafina is the step sister to Sir Ogden who treats her more like an unpaid slave. His wife is a piece of work. Fina is sorry for her her neice as she believes she hasn't had any good examples.
Max and Fina meet and Max is almost persuaded to offer her a marriage of convenience but then falters. He dislikes how she is treated. Eventually there is a bit puzzle that needs solving that could disinherit Max's SIL and nephew so her gets Fina to help.

I'll look for more work from this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

If it is one thing this author does well, it is developing her characters VERY well. Serafina is a poor relation and her sister in law would rival Cinderlla’s stepmother for. Hellacious woman of the year. Her brother wouldn’t win brother of the year either. Max is a wounded soldier and his inability to come to terms with his problem was well written..I could feel his torment and sense of worthlessness. Two people who don’t believe they can be loved finding each other was so sweet and adorable. Their meet-cute was well designed, especially in the summerhouse. There is a ‘realness’ to this author’s writing , that makes reading a true pleasure. Would have loved to have seen Ogden and family eating a little more ‘crow’ after the way they treated Serafina and perhaps the wedding as well, but a very enthralling story and hard to put down.

I received this story for free and these are my own views.

I loved Fil Reid's Arthur and Gwen series, so I really wanted to give this book a try as well.

I really enjoy how her stories are easy to read, with just very comfortable language - great descriptions without getting too lyrical, much showing without telling, realistic dialogue that doesn't sound stilted.

In this book, we've got two main characters who have self-esteem issues, a marriage of convenience for an inheritance, and some Cinderella vibes. I found the characters to be surprisingly well-rounded in a "I really don't like you, but also, you're not all bad" kind of way. It's surprising because so often, we see protagonists being perfect, and villains being perfectly evil. Seeing characters who are so double-sided definitely made me feels some ways while reading.

The pacing was a bit choppy. Some parts were great with Serafina and Max interactions, but their inner monologues got repetitive and "will she/won't she" very quickly.

I think overall, it's a pretty basic trope story that didn't fill out as I had hoped from reading the author's Gwen series.

Max accompanies his sister-in-law law and mother to London.
He needs to find a wife before his birthday in order to get his inheritance.
He meets Serafina and a marriage proposal is offered.
Serafina goes to the family estate to get to know his family when they encounter a secret and possible scandal.
Together they work to solve the mystery.
Enjoyable read. Believable characters and dialogue.