Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    How to Start a Scandal: USA Today Bestselling Author
    How to Start a Scandal: USA Today Bestselling Author
    How to Start a Scandal: USA Today Bestselling Author
    Ebook321 pages5 hours

    How to Start a Scandal: USA Today Bestselling Author

    By Madeline Martin

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    From Waterloo…
    …to the spotlight of the ton!

    Days after returning from the battlefields, Seth Sinclair finds himself in a glittering ballroom with one tedious task: finding a wife. He must put aside the military and prove his worth as the new Earl of Dalton. The only problem? Lady Violet Lavell, the one woman he can’t keep his eyes off, who knew him before he went to war. How can he be worthy of her now he’s become so changed by the horrors of battle…?

    The London School for Ladies
    Book 1 — How to Tempt a Duke
    Book 2 — How to Start a Scandal

    “Add danger and mystery to a wonderful romance and you have…the perfect book! The writing, as always, is superb and the characters are complex and robust.” - Flippin’ Pages, Book Blog on How to Tempt a Duke

    “5 stars! [Madeline Martin] is a master at plots and complex characters, while I had my assumptions, she surprised me with many twists and turns I never saw coming, and her heroes have so many layers, they are just perfect with their flaws and strength.” — Elodie is Reading, Book Blog on How to Tempt a Duke
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin Historical
    Release dateAug 1, 2020
    ISBN9781488065866
    How to Start a Scandal: USA Today Bestselling Author
    Author

    Madeline Martin

    Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages. 

    Read more from Madeline Martin

    Related to How to Start a Scandal

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Royalty Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      POISON ON Pink Paper

      Dec 23, 2019

      POISON ON Pink Paper
      8 min read

    • Article

      STEPPING Out

      Mar 4, 2020

      STEPPING Out
      9 min read

    • Article

      Where The Walls Have Ears

      May 22, 2020

      Where The Walls Have Ears
      8 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Lauren Francis-Sharma

      Dec 16, 2021

      These are stories and essay collections written by and about people who are interested in examining the world. This is what I needed in books this year, so I offer them to you, as a healing balm for all our 2021 wounds. The post A Year in Reading: La

      5 min read

    • Article

      Two Poems

      May 1, 2023

      One day the Internet will be gone.The lights will blink off.Buildings will be only the outline of their foundations,then those too will turn to dust.The gods give you fire:you put it in your heartand walk forward.Heat and pain. Dim light, long shadow

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Courage To Be Happy

      Feb 1, 2023

      MARRIAGE and columns have this in common: you tend to repeat yourself. More than once in these pages, I have quoted the New Yorker’s legendary film critic Pauline Kael. After President Nixon’s landslide victory in 1972 she wrote: ‘I live in a rather

      3 min read

    • Article

      Reading CORNER

      Jan 15, 2023

      It’s time to kick back and lose yourself in romance Light and frothy reading is often called for at this time of year, as we relax as much as possible. Modelled on Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series, this book definitely fits the bill. It’s the fir

      3 min read

    • Article

      Reading Corner

      Aug 20, 2023

      Reading Corner
      3 min read

    • Article

      LOVE, LOSS & LEONARD NIMOY

      Jun 25, 2021

      LOVE, LOSS & LEONARD NIMOY
      7 min read

    • Article

      'You Think It, I’ll Say It' Shows Curtis Sittenfeld At Her Best, Where Gender Meets Class

      Apr 24, 2018

      Sittenfeld trafficks in the minor humiliations of fictional women who often self-sabotage, or at least overthink.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 16, 2020

      Book Club
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Chicken Line

      Mar 4, 2024

      The Chicken Line
      14 min read

    • Article

      ‘On Stage, I Could Escape’: Sir Patrick Stewart On Childhood Trauma And Acting Success

      Oct 1, 2023

      Patrick Stewart grew up in a small terraced home in a town called Mirfield, on the edge of the Pennines. There was no running hot water, no indoor toilet, no central heating. For a long time he shared a bed with his brother, Trevor, who was five year

      13 min read

    • Article

      Helen

      Jun 5, 2023

      She was a friend of my family—the Carlins, as I have chosen to call them. She and my father met in the fifties through the editor of the architecture magazine where she began her career. My father had taken her out a few times. They were never lovers

      30 min read

    • Article

      Australia Reads At Home

      May 18, 2020

      Australia Reads At Home
      7 min read

    • Article

      Left To Lose

      Jul 10, 2022

      Around the time she gives up her name, it starts to feel like this entire revolution isn’t worth it anymore. The world is probably lucky that Kelian—she still remembers Kelian, in spite of everything—is there to pick up the pieces, the way he always

      11 min read

    • Article

      A Vibrant Sense of Hope: The Millions Interviews J. Ryan Stradal

      Jul 24, 2019

      Stradal's sophomore novel is the kind of book you read and immediately want to share. It’s a story about family, hard work, and goodness. The post A Vibrant Sense of Hope: The Millions Interviews J. Ryan Stradal appeared first on The Millions.

      6 min read

    • Article

      My Queer Southern Lit

      Nov 28, 2018

      My Queer Southern Lit
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Sophia Shalmiyev

      Dec 20, 2019

      Let us begin at the natural home of all the white-men-are-garbage controversies and go right to the crotch area. The post A Year in Reading: Sophia Shalmiyev appeared first on The Millions.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Peter Mountford

      Dec 15, 2017

      Vivian spends most of the afternoon naked and strapped to the giant ottoman in the interior decorator’s office in Bethesda. When he finally unties her, the sun is low and she’s shaky and exhausted. He paddled her hard at some point, and that hot stin

      28 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for How to Start a Scandal

    4/5

    7 ratings3 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      Readers of this book,entitled "How to Start a Scandal," will meet Violet, a beauty who remains "on the shelf" after her debut, and Seth, a soldier returned from Waterloo to claim his place as an Earl. Violet and Seth are longtime friends and neighbors, and their love for each other has simmered below the surface for years. A series of misunderstandings keep them apart, until circumstances finally force their attraction out into the open.Several subplots add to the intrigue of this novel. Seth's younger sister Caroline dotes on a gentleman whose shyness keeps him at arm's length. Violet harbors a secret career as a gossip column writer! Seth's family jewelry is missing, and he hires a private detective to track down the prized possessions. Violet's annoying niece visits with her patient kitty, and seems wise beyond her years in affairs of the heart.The characters are likeable and well-drawn, and the novel includes enough intrigue to keep readers turning the pages. My main complaint is that the story went on too long, and the final chapters and epilogue seemed like an afterthought. Changing the order of the chapters would have made the book more intuitive. Caution to readers: This novel contains highly detailed, steamy scenes of sexual intimacy. For me, this was unfortunate, as the scenes spoiled an otherwise delightful novel.I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
    • 4/5
      Good story about two people who believe they are not worthy of being loved. It was a hard-fought battle for each of them to learn to see the good in themselves.Violet is a young woman who has a couple of huge secrets that would do her reputation no good if revealed. Her plans for the future do not include a husband because she would have to tell him those secrets. However, after six unsuccessful Seasons, her father gives her an ultimatum: find a husband before the end of this Season, or be sent to her older sister and become a governess to Sophie's unruly children.Seth became the earl after the death of his older brother. It meant giving up his commission in the army, which he put off as long as possible. He finally returned home after Waterloo to face the same disapproving attitude from his mother that he had suffered through as a child. Seth is determined to do his best to take care of his responsibilities, including looking for a wife.Seth and Violet lived next door to each other in London. They were friends as children, with both developing crushes on each other when they were older. Seth promised the first dance of her debut ball to her, but then never showed up, breaking her heart. He left for the war the next day without even saying goodbye.I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Seth and Violet. Seth came back from the war a changed man. The thoughtless rebelliousness of his youth was burned away by his experiences during the war. He admits to the mistakes of his past and is determined to make up for them. His first meeting with Violet reveals one of those mistakes. His sincere regret for those actions goes a long way toward mending fences with her. He did not expect his old feelings for her to come rushing back. But Seth is haunted by the events of the war and his feelings of having let his men down. He feels he is broken beyond repair because of the nightmares and flashbacks he experiences.Violet is wary of her feelings for Seth. She does not fit the current trend of thin women, a fact pointed out to her often by her mother. Violet doesn't believe him when he calls her beautiful. It takes advice from an unexpected source for her to overcome her mother's influence and see herself as others see her. She also gets a shock when, in a moment of self-examination, Violet realizes that some of the things she did with the best of intentions were not as helpful as she thought they were.I liked seeing Seth and Violet spend time together. Neither one expected the sparks that flared between them. At first, he was simply trying to make amends, but he couldn't ignore the way she made him feel. I loved how he saw her as a beautiful woman and tried to make her see it too. It didn't take long for Violet to see that Seth had outgrown his rebellious youth and become an honorable man. I loved how their growing feelings helped them trust each other enough to share their painful pasts. I ached for Seth when he experienced flashbacks and loved how Violet was able to break through them. I also hurt for Violet, who made a mistake in her first Season that still haunts her. Seth didn't react so well to that secret, though he did quickly see his error and fix it. I laughed a little at the accelerating of their relationship, as the sparks between them flared at an awkward time. However, it took an unexpected and dangerous occurrence for them to admit their love to each other. I liked the epilogue, too.There was a bit of mystery running through the book. Before Seth's return, the family solicitor absconded with his mother's jewels. One of Seth's priorities is to find the thief and reclaim the jewels. There is more to the story than he knows. Unexpected revelations regarding Seth's brother put a new spin on the theft and precipitate some changes in perceptions. The resolution of the theft provided a few moments of unexpected danger.The secondary characters added some terrific moments of humor. First and foremost were Violet's niece Felicity and her cat Hedgehog. The cat was hilarious in its bonnets. Felicity tore at the heartstrings once the reasons behind her misbehavior were revealed. She was sweet and funny and frequently very observant. I liked Seth's sister Caroline. She obviously loves her brother and wants to help him with whatever is bothering him. She also has a mind of her own and surprises him with a somewhat shocking request. Seth's friend Lord Rawley was not what I expected, and I both ached and laughed over his problems with a certain lady.
    • 5/5
      Series: The London School for Ladies #2Publication Date: 7/21/20Number of Pages: 288This story was a beautiful example of love and acceptance – with an equally lovely epilogue. Both the hero and heroine had self-esteem issues and I love how each learned to accept themselves and each other for who they are. This was, as always with this author, a wonderfully written, perfectly paced story with compelling characters and situations. You just can’t help but love Violet and Seth. Of course, when you throw in a precocious seven-year-old along with a bonnet wearing cat, you just absolutely cannot go wrong.Lady Violet Lavelle has a secret – a big secret – well, honestly, she has more than one secret and any of them could and would cause a scandal and ruin her reputation. She definitely can not/will not marry because the man would then become privy to those secrets. Besides, according to her mother and sisters, no man would ever want her because she has a larger Rubenesque body rather than the thin waiflike body currently in mode. But then, the unthinkable happens – her father gives her an ultimatum – marry before the end of the season – just weeks away – or be sent to her older sister to act as governess to her four very unruly children. Oh! My!Seth Sinclair, newly minted Earl of Dalton, didn’t want to leave the battlefield to return home and take up his family duties. As the second son, he wasn’t supposed to be the earl. His parents never appreciated him at home. No matter how hard he tried, he was ignored and his brother got all the praise even though his performances were only mediocre. Why would any man want to live with that at home? But here he is and he’ll do his best to care for his mother and sister – he’ll even find a bride.Seth and Violet were childhood friends who lived next door to each other in London. When Seth broke her heart at her come-out ball, it seemed her fate was sealed. Seth didn’t mean to break her heart – didn’t even know he’d done it – but broke it, and her, he surely did. When they renewed their acquaintance, she was skittish of him, but a stolen kiss or two later – well …When Seth left for war the day after Violet’s come-out ball, he never expected to return home nor did he ever expect to see her again. He even dragged his feet about coming home after he learned of his brother’s death, but finally knew he had to return.I loved Seth and Violet finding each other again and each learning what that last parting meant to each of them. When you throw a villain into the mix – one determined to cause harm to Seth’s family, you end up with a romantic and suspenseful tale. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I definitely recommend it and a fun, romantic, and exciting read.I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

    Book preview

    How to Start a Scandal - Madeline Martin

    B:cbook_preview_excerpt.html|KFU0{(iYP,YUIR*s:怹e0pzx.f0瘛$S5Ew11SU_5c_| >V_ O?AWu?~?o]{hnƹ{xm[]BSciǦs5_b]*mSi^ۡ^R}sxܡ+ynauS^V-CX]pol8Ք&~&W:VrVMyix?7Mni:u^ 8b}JD}<]}Yx U2]D$qL;07_{}[cx[3`&tܡ;=*4Mw?JBx(w` Zb;g~6XKvd|>P ip݁Rzn۷Kbg>fdѦ8Ne2_b@D)K~hZSꟃS*N^Ηj̸ۖbAC cNmNc"@"l}R~b3cToXW$NtS鲔< 6?M.dFw'6]c#A 4_yP.X蛗nT,,?JSj^Q_N#/XSϩ116n3nO;S1Ҟ>bgZ cOP'gN4D>^&3@XsF#}K ۜM8ՅGnΡ^7F4hwSs{`Qm*4.ˑڄAds ]R3 D1Aޙ [AT+(7 # RπjO[glnK)>=TmܘSCk_!B9S0LӦsq $ppQlKT C`z nJ:n TS977g(?^bWRaC[|.LT7^ʰk}4LwqkF zb|%Abwc}9@4o~J -K%`^ʛb͸(ZѶx?#_!M5sX=&])IBF ;\O l. t}tg`={U P2}"җcjPc I.7X vm>?Kr fx Kk;.q<DgJxrWn(n)"}Ё_}yT08h<~'&ʞ~#ANԀK-B'b+,*к75inoX(B)cr)W[+ "?w#& ]K@jTV7'!o_ t9_VvhK|$Bp]ǖNpL=D'/ĨȔq^=r'> hTPe|OyCyb}VK, ֭P2v֡{`pwRh|3-t/F8]`ICe𷘟Оy0~|)OڏB}'k |Ṛ¢WHbcq?Y;%`)M ,걙?7R P60%1oًh'Ds$S%Srb.;x#}Q;&cݹ[w\Bk\2\LB JЙQח{΢H Ն+L=M0لncb=dNk3b!֋mhhԦ@Q/"D*9AXRf*[;`9,|dPp ;}'G(㹯iJHDq^Y6$B/g9|?iH$~i˷Vq縌)?I(ӽzD~%&с)BA(q!eteTToN^IaiF*ޣzC asndYFf|1+~'զ#+ݳDLy ǖ۫`/Bf`ۅګb+ɿdcG/ }Ms܉Z Q)#q{ /h2cI= di\ {ᡞ"n/<&~ehဦ5|ɂoH)IAE;TkޑO|6N}Ee=-c t5GF8y+d[`zö`j*v+7n&$BKNN7Ke׌ ϊ^ǑR7'zmeN D=X=t(D6l$e2w&=d:`MjeOT]O-[,H.M^]C hVi0 )XqkRL Ea.VR@35"L=toC;3;!)1δ 2y摢(I)1@A`"Iڐ|a>"ۄEAac4ĺAK]gGnFm>u t"ǟ5I*C/1s'/8Mu|'͙(]dƟf ^vr\G BpmT7gq^֠ȞKaBgA^H RS`}|k}tW' JAR8gvKʨcy 4@: $ p%xDX16n Q&dӬX08&…ļ 9%.ēڭtڀ@;fV,8 ɳ 4y UR6HG}!sƠS:4(¾X6p_u!HSȚ4yqٟH(ׇ nGh,fLlyG5m>3K{R=hnfr^'k6RY(*F,~2b,h {78һo2{ZAd}Vj;^;[󶰎N~㐊F.]uON|M  JI{=S&FL]n8nw5Rr3!5'k 5^J_ɍjp,JAdO% 7MYS)~mowUEl,-؂URULOHjY#bn{ϊˎMV{uBa.vA X% OHFWOHk9(1k<`N˳/S87T3bA#]{A` }7kZC2Y_ BQpvo fhe+P)OTيvJPh(ʹr)SZVUyTDb nܬG8,_H)B|^#|!)yeIY{^+jX_Jw=e+%eyڋ_sKsш+Ě\ x}lfuXcb]߮`_LUkX-y->Ne8΢5M#O}sܿ,iX[1pF۪ OuE>=/KBZAש58,FeT9vCV8ufx$dOԖZ&4 Df%jvpStd[MYkWڗu~zzk2-lyeɐ{z@6W%-_8KD{hDwcIicά311ϐ%<4b" 7XHU]!=)R03? LKF {76r6e̍ ="G2`-;_z;(j 0kQA <`5oL+gq:mWFAہ %GsF0ȭP S\}ZeriiQ qO06Z=RJ^zs. ?SP+)=q5% T]6e܃> yT,UcE̻pyzfѹLd":S|ً{u3 |߶֑qi"XXy5A~QS^v(P vpZ7f]gYcݨJHxwW.uN)۷ 8k [ C6!8ubݧK]I9&7쥨k+?17tݒOM-|Z٩srSSQm͂8ݧei,\t94rBÜ_jV,UR/8sdp%/M-1zC}WRi0 `Dl0nܷ8|F:5~^bWwpISijAw~|n+xBh1[tgܐS~Vozv}q9kx.Zռyz[cH|H`I+u3.Ū.ރb VwdKh~kv>yY<=#ċOYaIe"="GDG30T{iQJ\SVKPc̺ G$/tW۝+߁ӨƝ&N^Z![C*Rm;\E\׎(9hLw9gZZGN"D>GNQZ:cTHSN6 >%cʽn/&$Lm `1ؼMQc 6jM6lcf~y]m+|?-/]M3˭䅭EJvDݠ{ H:(:BEٖnګ<Ο T_r#/,yO3/͚E5~QD&h 'c罵dûO[Qi6?x0. TRVӣoIJ bkcNaDn@Xm}:ݢ/=ezĖvlWH'|<* Eh SYBenD\+gI[ hHbOGk&Ɖpl8Aдz0Vo+i};1%4Vfъ6-,R0$ sz}*0RU퀻kkaɎsq9=RP&'䣈OM!Ԧ3D1y6 ߯b7#cx;~N@Nf"a54nv:6%*WFRli~>[PMMwދ쎩95Cwe;2U$RS]MIW($Z/b2"$%tr_ |Je?oG2!?/J5N#wRun[s$>1u1o*,*HӲbI'o€wT^]'DEm/zw->[瑼vƕoPEg"L!m(vlҋ7&c9UfPVѮmO˶ۿ@{~Z/F!-*~S4I`ZVkouҡ>+B2dk$jQͣ{d%Ca7խ͗|` +e 39]zFoa R|"vLgX?yG2v[Y8Ϛ<탔:2ƴhHL%[庭S3؃+iCJjkkGv%ơtD -aTtJʍ|Ἦu&ulDlpm`ZDVJSo$mv k] @KIIWfmbӋ}BP2cw=-DOmr/6S=P$ΨPa!MIxwrgENVDܵg^Dc\qP_Y,p,Jg9xo;|ZsfL*F8go=O8R=ŠI 4&֖6Ncc@%Ҽaif;D2HZKBC-U,@m=+u(VVGXDYzmzR)C~eI6{~:ّ֎h|W++^W | 93kX#uf5>x~,|݊ K\Tܯ刴LKA\.40do~}&˷3m|7#5Kqfi-8(K8-wUOf= ;@L&dP`jW)rAXd ET]N#\aqWǜ\uSjXW8xHvdPi5a^Yp&8ӹ\)EXxϯ>p2_^t}mP(Wv6OU)y}G[vM:[*? tlt7Ue/l7H,8`׺V+]t rt~0KؕWtY_b.PgA4zf'YvjK[R!d*r:<5sR(´o,5S:~"v'zl`||J ;vIlO9мIdf Q3R]?m$džԽ? =T/-Uq)pe~(چ:h3XO&/5"xU)1*٣iT+m,A:K2@4k'xI} kX#}_̜߯d[2\-e6fG-sԷ]qEN׷!&:AkE&xYy|G"eu:=jw̾UsGuߏp+*8q7xw=KKl !Rһ(yfڳz)oBkIŕK>kvDM@.l (-`I_(}xشRM 'amǴʻtvTO>.Uy9:'4ns|~VPǶaXyeGt֏킭6x"گmg&u쌳Mѥ :F΢uObzvǤìs5nvtLϫ⧬ -_;/r#q4hG<qMNOx2o:#k>=.jR /iȖcn0G4Vq|Zj×,Pu9AOBYaUWhLz ?fk~1Y~2h0ώIYqs6XUfK#,uhޝPJ Sw(l8!/;c}N'WUܠU ͢z ;@SZ"DBVe.{eKҹOWXפ4z?Z\k\.nLFE@Iϒl .NF`
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1