Autenberry's (Step)Mom Has Got It Goin' On - Review of "The Scandal of It All" by Sophie Jordan

Title: The Scandal of It All 
Author: Sophie Jordan
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Series and Number: The Rogue Files, #2

I swear, Sophie Jordan must have had "Stacy's Mom" playing on repeat when she was writing this book. I mean, I had it looping over and over in my head while I was reading it. Which actually made the experience even more entertaining.

Okay, let's get one thing out of the way: If the heroine in this book hadn't been married to the hero's best friend's (now deceased) father, there would be zero problem. Graciela, the Dowager Duchess of Autenberry is only six years older than Lord Strickland (the hero) and the late Duke of Autenberry was an old man when they got married (and a gross one, it turns out). But if Graciela and Colin had met before Graciela got married, it wouldn't be so awkward.

Then again, that's what makes everything so funny.

Graciela is a widow who is tired of just killing time until her daughter is grown and married and then she'll be left all alone. She lets another friend, also a widow, convince her to go to this club called Sodom (three guesses what kind of club that is). While she goes and is in disguise, she encounters her stepson and his best friend. The friend, Lord Strickland, recognizes her and does everything he can to hide her presence from her stepson.

And I do mean EVERYTHING.

The scene where Strickland is hiding Graciela from Marcus is absolutely hilarious. It has the tone of a Three Stooges sketch, but everything is R-rated. Because Marcus just Won't Go Away. I do feel bad for Graciela, but at the same time she said she wanted adventure and to take risks and not just have a sedate life as a respectable widow. Well, my dear, you got EXACTLY what you wanted.

And that's one issue with this book - Graciela will make a decision (like going to Sodom or to seek out a gentleman to have an affair with), but when it comes time to put that decision into action, she wimps out completely. Which would be okay, if she ever overcame that fear. It happens CONSTANTLY in the book. Even up to the end when circumstances make it so she and Strickland must marry and she still waffles back and forth about her choices.

As far as Strickland goes - he's the kid in "Stacy's Mom." He even says that he's been in love with Graciela since Autenberry's father married her. Obviously he never acted on that while the old duke was still alive, and he's even weirded out by this situation now. But that the difference in the two characters - he gets over it. He changes and develops as events unfold, where Graciela does not. Not, at least, until the very last page when it's supposed to be Happy Ever After!

So the first 3/4 of the book is almost a comedy of errors (and a very entertaining one, at that), but the last quarter of the book feels too repetitive because Graciela just cannot get over her hangups. Which is disappointing. I really hoped that she'd become this confident and adventurous lady after all her escapades.

Still, for the scenes at Sodom and the scene at the musicale (not quite as funny as the Sodom scene, but still humorous), I do recommend this book. Just don't get too excited for the ending.