Scandalous by Candace Camp

Scandalous by Candace Camp
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Historical / Regency
Pages: 327
Goodreads

If you like Bridgerton, you'll love Scandalous! A sweeping historical romance from New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp. When an injured stranger appears on her doorstep, fleeing danger, Priscilla Hamilton is moved to help him. And she’s intrigued by this man without a past. Why would someone want to kill him? And why can’t he remember anything?
Priscilla has always been a model of propriety, the dutiful daughter and loving sister who puts her family above all else. No one has ever guessed at the shocking secret she keeps hidden…or the desire that burns inside her at this stranger’s touch. One thing is their love could be nothing less than scandalous.

I thought that Scandalous started strong. I loved the first few chapters. A naked, beaten man shows up on the doorstep with amnesia…it’s a perfect romantic mystery. But somewhere along the way, “Scandalous” slowed way down and became “Sluggish”. I struggled with liking the heroine Priscilla Hamilton. As the story progresses, Priscilla changes from intelligent to irrational at times. And the amnesiac man – called John Wolfe because they don’t know who he is – struggles to discover his identity by chasing after first this person and then that person. Ms. Camp has been one of my favorite writers in recent years. But, “Scandalous” falls short. Ms.Camp is a master of writing romantic scenes, and even though a few of these seemed oddly placed in this story, I did enjoy the following one: ‘“Priscilla.” Her name was a sigh of relief this time. His arms went around her, and he pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. For a long moment, he luxuriated in the sheer sensation of holding her, murmuring soft endearments into the silken mass of her hair. Priscilla turned her face up to look at him, caressing his cheek with her fingertips. “I was so scared. I told myself you would find me, that you would know that they had taken me here. But I was so afraid that you wouldn’t be able to find it in the dark.” “I would find you anywhere,” he murmured, gazing hungrily into her face, and then he bent to kiss her lips.” It is a great scene just so out of place. Overall, I have to give this story a 3 flower rating.