One Touch of Scandal

Written by Liz Carlyle

Narrated by Nicola Barber

“Liz Carlyle weaves passion and intrigue with a master’s touch.”

—Karen Robards

 

With One Touch of Scandal, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Liz Carlyle arrives at Avon Books and launches a breathtaking new historical romance series centered around the Zeno Society, a  mysterious fraternity of dangerous—and dangerously attractive—men. Fans of Amanda Quick and Gaelen Foley’s Inferno Club novels will be swept away by One Touch of Scandal, a sensuous tale with a distinct gothic flavor—the story of an imperiled beauty accused of a heinous crime…and the dark lord who risks his most carefully protected secrets to come to her rescue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Oct 5, 2010
• ISBN: 9780062061829

Liz Carlyle

A lifelong Anglophile, Liz Carlyle cut her teeth reading gothic novels under the bedcovers by flashlight. She is the author of over twenty historical romances, including several New York Times bestsellers. Liz travels incessantly, ever in search of the perfect setting for her next book. Along with her genuine romance-hero husband and four very fine felines, she makes her home in North Carolina.

Reviews for One Touch of Scandal

[judycroome_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Oftentimes, he well knew, the worst sort of pain was the silent kind, the kind inflicted not by a slash of an assailant’s knife but by a thousand little cuts made up of thoughtless comments, cold restraint, and condescending eyes."This quote from Liz Carlyle's "One Touch of Scandal" (2010) is why I love reading romances. From the Fraternitas Aureae Crucis series, book #1, this book has an alpha, tormented hero, a strong (not aggressive) heroine, an excellent plot and paranormal elements. I've only recently discovered Liz Carlyle as an author and am mowing my way through her back list. What a pleasure! This book has everything that makes my heart flutter & I read it as fast as I could. Great entertainment and a great example of the best of the romance genre.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this one, a character who is half-Indian and also keeps himself at a bit of a distance from society because he is psychic and what he can see disturbs him because it's usually death or disaster and he's not comfortable with the knowledge. When Grace Gauthier shows up, suspected of murdering her finance, he's intrigued by her because she's a blank to him, but he's sure she's innocent and he's determined to help her.I liked the story, enjoyable and entertaining.

[gincam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was quite intrigued by Adrian, Lord Ruthveyn, the hero of Liz Carlyle's "One Touch of Scandal". He is very much a tortured hero, weighted down with the curse of the gift of "Sight". He cannot touch most people or look into their eyes without seeing a flash of the future and the fate which awaits to claim its victim. When he meets the lovely Grace Gauthier, she is reeling from the murder of her fiance, for whom she had worked as a governess. Grace is one of the few people whom Adrian cannot read, and hope begins to grow in him that she may his soulmate and his salvation. Someone is determined to brand Grace a murderess, and Adrian uses all of his power to protect the woman he loves more than his own life. He is a member of the mysterious and shadowy St. James Society, an organization whose members all possess abilities beyond the norm. Adrian is the most fully-realized character. His deep love for Grace and his struggle to accept the possibility that her love for him may heal his troubled soul are both very poignant. I would have loved to gotten to know Grace better as a character, but she was a wonderful match for the heart-needy Adrian. I really enjoyed Grace and Adrian together as a couple, and it was easy to envision them happily sending sparks off each other for many years to come. Theirs will never be an easy relationship, but it will always be very, very interesting!

[dkthain · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Now, getting away from the monstrosity that is the cover and onto the book itself. I hadn't gotten very far into this book before I realized why I had loved Ms. Carlyle's earlier books. In fact in one of my trips to Chapters, I picked up a book I didn't already have.The book starts with murder; the murder of Grace Gauthier's employer and secret fiance. It doesn't take her long to realize that she needs help as she seems to be top on the suspect list. She looks for an old friend and army officer that served under her Army father. But it seems her friend is out of town and instead she tells her worries to Adrian, Lord Ruthveyan. He's a rather mysterious guy, he and the other members of his club. Still, Grace who has always been a very good judge of men, does trust him and puts her faith and trust in his hands.And Adrian is mysterious. He's one of those tortured soul kind of heroes that are so very delicious. He has an odd talent that leads him to keep his distance from just about everyone. If he touches them or looks into their eyes, he can 'sense' things about them, such as how they will die. This keeps him apart from everyone but those in his club who all have similar kinds of 'gifts'. But for some reason he is unable to 'read' Grace and this is very calming to him. In addition, he is very attracted to her though he fights it, thinking in time, he will get glimpses into what her future holds in store for her and he will once again suffer. He tries his best to resist falling for her. He spent much of his life in India and his mother in fact was an Indian Princess and his father English which makes him a half caste hero. This doesn't really play into the story though except as another way he is separate.Grace also has had an unusual upbringing. Her mother died early and she has spent most of her life following her French Legionnaire officer father. She had come back to England after his death and was just finding a new life when it was torn apart by the death of her employer/fiance. She is also strongly attracted to Adrian, but like him, is determined to resist as she sees no future with him. But as they work together to try and clear her name, they finally are unable to resist each other.I do believe with this book, that Liz Carlyle is back on my list. I enjoyed it. Adrian was a very good tortured and mysterious hero. Grace was a heroine I really appreciated. She was quite practical and pragmatic. Despite being terrified at being a suspect, she is realizes that Adrian is her best hope for clearing her name and she trusts him to do exactly that.

[readinggeek451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Grace Gauthier's betrothed has just been murdered--and she was found standing over his body with blood on her hands. Despite that, she has not been arrested, by Assistant Commissioner Napier is determined to convict her. She seeks assistance from Lord Ruthveyn, a half-Indian diplomat with mysterious abilities. Their instant attraction complicates matters.A sensual romance with psychic overtones.

[dianaleez · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's not Carlyle at her best, but it's far better than most of the romances on the market.