A Match Made in Scandal by Melody Thomas

An obsession that blooms into scandal

Since childhood, Ryan Donally adored Rachel Bailey, though the brilliant, beautiful lass saw him as just another rowdy boy. The years pulled them apart, carrying Rachel to a place of responsibility and respect few women of her time enjoyed ... while Ryan ascended to undreamed-of heights of wealth and success, and bound his heart to another.

Now fate has brought them together once again -- and Rachel sees not the boy she once spurned, but a breathtaking man she desires. Yet Ryan has moved on and is unwilling to forgive, and Rachel hides a secret shame that could destroy everything she has worked for. Then, in one moment of unrestrained passion, the walls between them tumble, and the price they must pay is a marriage neither can afford. But will a sensuous fire too-long resisted bring tragedy ... or will it forge a glorious and undying love?

This is the third book in Melody Thomas' Donally Family series, following on from In My Heart and Must Have Been the Moonlight, and it was once again a good read.

Ryan has always been sweet on Rachel, but it seemed that she was more interested in his older brother. They have been partners for many years, without really having much to do with each other, but when they become rivals instead of partners because of some business decisions that Ryan has made, they begin to see each other in a different light.

With the novel being set in Victorian times, Rachel is a woman struggling to win respect in her chosen field of engineering on her own merits despite the restrictions of the time - and it is a struggle. Many of the plaudits for her schemes have gone to others because her name cannot be the headline name, but she is determined that she will be a success. Unfortunately Ryan's plans have put her own into jeopardy.

Once the two characters get together, the sparks fly, but neither side forgets the end aim even whilst falling in love. When they are forced to become even closer to each other by Ryan's priest brother, they then must decide what really is the most important thing to them.

I really liked Ryan. He was a ruthless business man, and could be quite aloof from most of his family at time, but he did seem to be quite a good father to his young daughter from his first marriage. His first wife had been Rachel's close friend, and that is another difficulty in the growing relationship because Rachel felt somewhat disloyal to her dead friend.

Overall this book was another enjoyable outing from this author. The setting could have almost been contemporary really, with all the mergers and takeovers and things - except for the fact that Rachel couldn't be the open leader of a job.

I now have the fourth and final book in the series on my bookshelf now, and I look forward to reading it, along with the new series that Melody Thomas is writing!

Must Have Been the Moonlight by Melody Thomas

To want him was madness ...

Far from home was the last place Brianna Donally ever imagined she'd find the one man she'd desire above all others. When Major Michael Fallon, the dangerously seductive British officer, rescues the bold beauty from certain doom, Brianna discovers a reckless passion she is unable to resist. But a fiercely independent female photographer could never make a proper bride for the grandson of a duke. And a bitter betrayal has locked love away from Michael's heart forever.

... to deny her was impossible.

And yet ... Michael cannot disregard these sensuous stirrings. Could it be the moonlight that has bewitched him ... or the intoxicating scent and touch of this remarkable, infuriatingly "modern" woman? Scandal would be the least consequence of their consummated passion—there would be perils as well. For Michael will never settle for anything less than a true, intense, and all-consuming love.

When I read In My Heart not too long ago, my initial thoughts were as follows:

When Melody Thomas was chosen as Author of the Month for a group that I am in a while ago (maybe November...yes, late again), I had to confess that I had never heard of her before. After finishing her book I am wondering....why not?

Having now read this book, I ask the same question.

This novel features Brianna Donally, sister of Christopher Donally, the hero of the first book, and the first part of the book at at least is set in Egypt. The book opens with Brianna and Alex (heroine from the first novel) being chased through Egypt. After an unfortunate encounter with Major Michael Fallon, where she nearly kills him, he leads the two ladies out of the desert, but not before they have to face a sandstorm together.

On return to Cairo, Brianna and Michael constantly find themselves searching each other out. Michael is fascinated by her independence and she is irresistibly attracted to him.

I really liked Brianna. She is portrayed as a modern woman of her day and somewhat shockingly she has a real job as a photographer. Having been sent to Egypt in disgrace after publishing a shocking book showing the conditions for some of the poorer people in England, she has decided to use her skills as a photographer to assist her sister in law, who is a historian, in publishing her own book.

I have to say that up until about two thirds of the way through the novel I was completely infatuated with Major Michael Fallon myself. He was macho, and tough and all different kinds of abrupt and anti-authoritarian, but gee he was a lot of fun to read.

Then, there was a fundamental change in circumstances. I understand that it was necessary in order to get the characters back to England and into a different situation but the book lost a little momentum when that change happened, although it was interesting to see Brianna locking horns with Michael's mother and his niece!

Overall this was an excellent read, and I managed to read it in a day - something I haven't managed to do with any other books all this year I believe! I have already picked up the next book in the series, and I hope I enjoy that one just as much.

Rating 4.5/5

In My Heart by Melody Thomas

A Breathless Passion

After a whirlwind courtship and elopement, Lady Alexandra Marshall watched helplessly as her husband was shipped off by her irate father. An annulment followed, and though Alexandra waited with packed bags, Christopher never returned for her. She has tried desperately to forget the only love she's ever known and now devotes herself to the British Museum…until she discovers that someone has pilfered a fortune in jewels.

His scandalous marriage to Alex had hardened Sir Christopher Donally against the aristocracy that labeled a man's worth by the titles he carried rather than by his deeds. Now with a new bride in his future and a sister who is about to enter Society, Christopher is determined to put the past behind him. But when Alex asks for his help in finding a thief, he agrees, in exchange for her support in launching his sister. Though running into Alex was not planned, nor his emotional reaction welcomed, he can't help but be undone by one single, soul-stirring kiss…

When Melody Thomas was chosen as Author of the Month for a group that I am in a while ago (maybe November...yes, late again), I had to confess that I had never heard of her before. After finishing her book I am wondering....why not?

I must confess that it did take me quite a while to get into the story. The heroine, Alex, works at the British Museum, and discovers that many priceless exhibits appear to be missing, having been replaced with paste copies. As soon as she brings it to management's attention it becomes clear that she has either been involved in the swindle, or at the very least is about to be framed for it. After trying unsuccessfully to get assistance from the other members of the Museum board, there is only one person left to ask - Sir Christopher Donally - the man to whom she was married many years previously, only to have had her marriage annulled.

At first I found Alex quite difficult to get to know and like, but gradually the author built the relationship between Alex and Christopher, as well as with his family, to the point where it rang true. At the same time the disintegrating relationship with many of the people around her forced her to become something more than just a high born lady with a job. As the secrets of the past are revealed, the chemistry between Alex and Christopher builds nicely and leads to a satisfying conclusion, after a heart wrenching confession.

I normally focus a lot on the heroes of the romance novels I read, and Christopher was certainly a good hero, but quite unusually for me, it was the heroine of this novel that made it for me, once I got past the brisk, academic exterior.

I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Rating: 4.5/5