[Historical Romance] Lady Scandal by Laura Lee Guhrke

Backlog #14

I was on the roll with LLG and my eyes were on the latest of her. This is "Scandal at the Savoy" series that she is working on these years. Weird to say years but it is true, LLG releases book per year I think.

The first one was Bookshop Cinderella where FMC was taken to have a chance to have fun among the ton and spend her season with MMC and his sister.

The second book is about this sister.

Delia Stratham is a sophisticated, thoroughly modern woman who often flouts convention. Despite being well-born with plenty of money, she loves working at London's luxurious Savoy Hotel, coming up with ideas for the venue's lavish entertainments and then procuring whatever is needed to transform them into reality. Earning her own living planning the lavish banquets, balls, and parties for which the Savoy is famous gives her a satisfaction that none of her three marriages could—and she has no intention of giving it up.

But when fraud is uncovered at the Savoy, ruthless hotel magnate Simon Hayden becomes a major investor and vows to clean up the corruption and fire anyone responsible for the thefts. But is the beautiful, beguiling Delia stealing from the hotel, or is it just Simon’s heart she's running off with?

Scandal at the Savoy. Book 2

The premise of this book is pretty simple, Simon was appointed as a manager, because Savoy despite all the exterior glitz was losing in revenue for quite some time. He needed to investigate what is the cuase of it all and found out a big chain of corruption. But he couldn't make up his mind of Delia was a participant or oblivious lady.

It didn't help that Delia expressed some of her opinions on free stuff, ton paying in advance (because most of the nobles did not pay and only lived on credit as if it was an obvious thing to do, just because they had a title) etc. This is why it was hard for him to judge, only knowing her later when the sparks stopped flying around each time they met he realized that she is not that type of person, but one thing is to know and another is to find proof, so afterwards she will keep her position at the Savoy, since this place was important for her after the death of her last husband.

Actually proved to be a pretty nice book.

Although some may say that Simon took it too far with his suspicion, but I think he acted quite rational despite being completely charmed by Delia every time he saw her. He did not want the sudden passion to cloud his better judgement.

Delia actually had her own reasons to believe in things, partially she acted in accordance how other corrupt employees did, but she was oblivious to the entire situation overall. And she refused to believe that the person who took her away from misery could be so corrupt.

She is called a black widow behind her back, because she was married three times and all three husbands died, but they had their own causes of death. Delia herself says she has a worst taste in men. The first one had a d* addiction. Second was more of a romantic spirit, but she had no idea that he had mistresses and he died in a car crash with one of them. The last one was stable and older than her, now she wanted to have kids and live a life, but her husband died (I think smth like heart attack, forgot).

Now she was attracted to Simon at least as a lover, since she is a big girl and knows what she wants.

But has no idea that Simon's partially suspected her.

Note: The background of several characters is fictional, but LLG uses real people, like Ritz who opened his own hotel and was let go for unknown reason (so this is part of author's speculation). Savoy is still standing strong. I looked it up and it looked lovely.

Actually, she was innocent in all of those schemes that existed at Savoy, but it was decided to fire her regardless. Then she finds out and is furious, she wants to leave with Ritz to Paris and build a new hotel there. Bt she is not fully happy. Only when she talked to Ritz about her apartment she realized that Ritz used so much of hotel's funds inappropriately and wanted to fund her living in Paris and write it off as hotel's expenses. While she always paid for her bills she was shocked to finally see the truth.

But because Simon is righteous, he who was bound by obligation to never share the purpose of his investigation did not reveal to Delia anything, even if he wanted to. This is why by the last minute she did not hear the truth from him but waited for the note that she's fired from her position.

She was furious, he tried to make things better. No really he fell in love with her, was ready to propose and marry her. But the incident dropped a shadow on their relationship and she was still not informed.

I actually liked what he said at the end - would she find him as good if he actually betrayed the promise he made and shared the confidential things with her. But eventually he ssent her the letter with investigation results so she could see his sincerity and return to him. Yet she had the conversation with Ritz before she opened that letter.

And a happy ending when she returns.

Simon leaves Savoy and other hotel that was connected to a couple who hired him in the first place, but the husband was constantly sick and the wife was too hostile to Delia all the time and was responsible for her being fired.

Now he found investors to revitalize Mayfer in the face of Delia's brother and his friend, who actually have a feud.

The main characters of the next book actually have an extensive appearance in this one. It's a couple that wanted to elope but was stopped on the way. The man (Simon's friend) was deemed as dowry hunter, while the man thought his chosen one (Delia's friend) betrayed him because he was poor at that time. Now the man is rich and the girl is not so much, but she finally found herself a husband and he also is getting ready to marry. Exciting settings.

RATE: 4,25/5.