The Weddings and Scandals collection by Joyce Alec is
a series of four books set in 19th century. Regency England. Advertised
as heartwarming romances filled with mystery, suspense, and surprising twists
and described as “clean and wholesome” with “rakish lords, strong heroines,
mystery, and love,” I was intrigued by the series and was set to be taken on a
journey of romance and shocking societal scandals. Did the series live up to
it’s advertisements?
The Viscount’s Promise opens as Thomas, Viscount
Sharpe is at the trial of a friend, Francis Newton. Newton is found guilty of
murder but spared the gallows. As he proclaims his innocence, he pleads with
Thomas to watch over his younger sister, Julianna. As Thomas agrees, Francis
takes a vital of poison and kills himself. Fast forward, one year later, Julianna
is preparing for another season in London after being in the country estate of
her older brother, Baron Hollard, for mourning. She is terrified of the gossip
and fears society will turn their backs on her. Soon her fears are put aside as
Julianna and Thomas are put on the trail to discover Francis’s innocence after
a strange, bearded man hands them a note. A warning that Julianna and her
oldest brother are in danger. Can they find out the truth before its too late?
The Viscount’s Wife is book 2 and opens as Henrietta
Reapson marries the Viscount Chaucer. It is a marriage of duty rather than
love. She longed to be free from her father’s strict control and hoped her
marriage was that breath of freedom. Soon after the wedding, she finds that she
has exchanged a strict father for an even stricter husband. But she is
determined to make the most of it and hopes her new husband will soften in
time. Unfortunately, she finds herself in the middle of a mystery as her
husband is missing and she was drugged. With the help of Lord Wickton and his
sister, Charlotte, Henrietta finds the strength and courage to stand up for
herself and fight for the freedom she desperate craves. Was there more to her
marriage than just societal duty? Was there a deeper plot afoot? Can she solve
the mystery in time?
The Viscount’s Mystery is book 3 as the Viscount
Arthur Wickton is eager for his sister Charlotte to marry and when she is
safely married, he would possibly consider his own marriage. Charlotte is
having none of that, they make a wager that would satisfy them both. One day,
Charlotte and her close friend, Emily Hornsby, come to the rescue of a man
being beating in the park. She takes him home to nurse him back to health. The
man refuses to give her his name for fear it would put her in danger. Soon the
mystery man and Charlotte find themselves in a race against time as he has
something in his possession, a journal, that another man desperately wants and
would stop at nothing to get it back. What is in that journal that must be kept
secret? Can the web be untangled before it is too late?
The Viscount’s Heart is the final book as Wickton begins
to enjoy peace and quiet as his sister is now safety married and on her
honeymoon. Her friend, Emily, is a now a sought after lady as Wickton helped
her gain the attention of various eligible bachelors. Her father, Lord Hornsby,
tells Emily she must marry before the end of the season or be shipped off to
Scotland to live her life as a spinster. Wickton defends her honor when a
possible suitor slights Emily at a ball. Emily puts her concerns for her future
are put aside when Wickton goes missing and Emily is determined to discover his
whereabouts. She reaches out to Wickton’s friend, Viscount Matthews, for help
and together they track down his movements. Can she find Wickton before it’s
too late? Who is behind his disappearance?
The Weddings and Scandals series was an easy read. I
was able to read all four books in two days. The mysteries were easy to solve.
There was not a lot of “scandals” at least I didn’t see the characters really
suffering from the events. For instance, the scandal of Francis’s trial and
suicide in barely mentioned by characters other than Thomas and Julianna. If
these events were so shocking that Julianna would fear returning to London for
the season, why is no one else talking about it? And, while each couple is
engaged by the end of each story, there are very few weddings too. The only
wedding seen in each book is the wedding of Henrietta in the second books. The
series is not bad but its not great. If you enjoy Regency romance and want
quick and easy reads, I recommend The Wedding and Scandals series.
The Wedding and
Scandals series
is available in
paperback and eBook
