Jennifer’s review of Almost A Scandal by Elizabeth Essex

TITLE: Almost a Scandal
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Essex
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/31/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: A LADY IN DISGUISE…. For generations, the Kents have served proudly with the British Royal Navy. So when her younger brother refuses to report for duty, Sally Kent slips into a uniform and takes his place–at least until he comes to his senses. Boldly climbing aboard the Audacious, Sally is as able-bodied as any sailor there. But one man is making her feel tantalizing aware of the full-bodied woman beneath her navy blues…

A MAN OVERBOARD….Dedicated to his ship, sworn to his duty–and distractingly gorgeous–Lieutenant David Colyear sees through Sally’s charade, and he’s furious. But he must admit she’s the best midshipman on board–and a woman who tempts him like no other. With his own secrets to hide and his career at stake, Col agrees to keep her on. But can the passion they hide survive the perils of a battle at sea? Soon, their love and devotion will be put to the test….

REVIEW:
I usually love reading historical romance and I was excited to read this novel about a woman that assumes the identity of her brother on a Naval ship. The problem that I had with this novel was that the love story was minimized for me by the endless technical descriptions in regards to running a ship. This made it difficult for me to get deeply invested in the characters because I was trying to figure out what these terms meant and how it related to the storyline. I thought that Sally was a very brave woman for taking her brother’s place and placing herself in harm’s way to prove that the Kent family didn’t turn away from their responsibilities. Other than that, I had a hard time relating to her character and the romance between her and Lieutenant David Colyear felt rushed at times. I couldn’t see the chemistry between these two characters and I was left feeling disappointed at the end of this book.

Even though I didn’t like “Almost a Scandal,” I still would like to read more from this author and read her next book called “A Breath of Scandal.” This book may not have been enjoyable for me but I don’t like giving up on historical romance authors without reading at least a few of their books first.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.