Reviews

Scandal Takes the Stage by Eva Leigh

acaticha's review against another edition

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1.0

Could barely finish it.

Really was excited about the plot and liked Cam in the previous book. However it just landed so flat - no final climax (no pun intended). Spoiler ahead: why did she suddenly change her mind about marrying him in the end? It makes no sense - wouldn't it still "ruin" her career? This plot was completely implausible - even for a romance novel.

balletbookworm's review against another edition

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4.0

Enjoyed all the fun theatre-backstage sections of the book (am also enjoying how Leigh can pull off HEAs without putting her couples in mortal danger to make them say ILY). Not quite as solidly plotted as [b:Forever Your Earl|24515550|Forever Your Earl (The Wicked Quills of London, #1)|Eva Leigh|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426976692s/24515550.jpg|42869350] but still excellent writing.

Have a small question about Marwood's lineage: if his father is a marquess and he's a viscount (presumably one of his father's minor titles) and will inherit the marquessate how is his father's younger brother also an Earl (with at least three sons, since we meet Jeremy, Marwood's cousin and said third son, also a vicar)? They don't go into it but I am curious as to how that works

madwomanreadingromance's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

taylormendoza19's review against another edition

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3.0

2.5/5 Stars

labyrinth_witch's review against another edition

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3.0

I love Eva Leigh’s novels for their strong female character, great feminist dialogue, and the way the male characters have to come to a greater awareness to be worthy of the heroine (very Austen in that regard). To some extent I feel this series is autobiographical, where Leigh is exploring what it means for a woman to live independently by her own skill doing something people consume in large amounts but then offer little regard. She’s also exploring female playwrights and the experience of the first female directors, which is not something I had thought of before.

Overall, excellent read.

solaana's review against another edition

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3.0

This was fine.

isotope_s's review against another edition

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I swear everything is over explained. Sometimes to the point of saying virtually the same sentence twice in less than two chapters. It’s kind of insulting to the reader. The final straw was
when the plot shifted dramatically from her writer’s block to her looking for other financiers for the theater so she wouldn’t have to leave
. It was so abrupt it gave me whiplash. In the end it just wasn’t for me. 

screaming_into_the_void's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

a_verthandi's review against another edition

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DNF

I had a bad feeling about this book, and then I started reading someone else's comments. This is really repetitive, neither Our Hero nor Our Heroine are really doing it for me, and the little excerpts from the plays are bad in the actually bad way.

I'll try it again sometime, maybe.

lassarina's review against another edition

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5.0

Maggie Delamere is a playwright with writer's block (her great secret), who was ruined by a nobleman and loathes the entire population of them as a result. Cameron, Viscount Marwood, is a nobleman who knows he can never pursue his love of the theatre directly, so instead goes to all of the plays and burlettas and etc. and particularly loves Maggie's work.

I loved all of the tension between the characters--Maggie's distrust, Cam's fascination (and more importantly his willingness to step back and hold himself back to give her what she needs without getting all up in her business all the time aaaaaah). There's a lot of boundary-setting and negotiation, and the everpresent class tension that is so much a part of Regency writing done well. Also, hot. *fans self* I really like Cam's generous attitude--he enjoys giving so much, both to Maggie and to the rest of the Imperial's crew. I like that as much as he wants, he works to keep himself under control, to provide what he can without strings or manipulation. YES PLEASE. More of this!

Like the previous book in the series, this one is very meta--both about the writing process, and about the weight of expectation when an author is producing a sequel. It is not entirely kind about skewering really intensely devoted fans and their expectations of "their" characters being treated well, which is honestly something I appreciate. (In case it wasn't obvious I am so here for the meta in this series, perhaps even more than the romance.)