The Scandal in Kissing an Heir audiobook

This was such a great story. I loved that it was not full of angst the whole way through. Fantastic relief. More authors should write books with less angst like this one.I absolutely loved the heroine in this story. She was funny, charming, very witty, beautiful and so happy, especially considering how she was treated by her aunt and uncle.Loved Daniel, he was handsome, smart, and such a hero!The chemistry between the two is fantastic. I really loved the way they got to know each other, I mean really and truly got to know each other. Yes there was attraction at first sight but it was so much more than that. The sex scenes were very very well written. They really liked each other in and out of bed. LOL The honesty between them is so great and not the norm for historical romance novels. The story line and plot are great. The story flowed so well and just when you thought oh noo there is going to be a misunderstanding here... there wasn't! I listened/read this in one day it so much fun to listen too, A genuine treat!I totally recommend this book for all you historical romance fans that want to read a book with less angst and a hero and heroine you can really believe are made for each other.As for the narration, it was fantastic. Susan Duerden did a fantastic job as usual. The men sound like men the women sound like women, all the characters get their own distinct voice. She reads with all the emotion the story calls for. Perfect narrator for this book! Just a great very well written story! I want to see more of this author on audible!

Daniel Neville is a rake and spends most of his time gambling, carousing and spending his money and family heirlooms on his mistress. His uncle gives him a ultimatum, that he has one month to find a wife or he will cut him off completely financially. So he attends a masquerade ball, looking for a woman who he can marry. Then he sees a woman that captures his attention, a woman with black hair, tan skins, and a scarlet red dress that makes his blood boil. After finding her alone in a corner, he finds that she is everything he could have dreamed of for a future wife. She is passionate, sweet and in need of a hero. Rebecca, is under the guardianship of her aunt and uncle who are practically trying to sell her to the highest bidder. But when she meets Daniel, she knows she wants him to be her husband but she is being placed in a situation that keep her from going to him. However Daniel plans on rescuing the damsel in distress that needs to be rescued. But he will have to make a decision that could change his life.The Scandal in Kissing An Heir is a fun and charming love story set in Regency England. I was able to receive a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. This is the first that I have read Sophia Barnes, and I read this book under a few hours, surprisingly and I enjoyed it quite a bit. This book actually turned out to be much better than I even expected. I found this story to be intriguing and fun and very sensual at times. The descriptions that are placed into the story were vividly real and I enjoyed seeing the style of the way this author creates a story. This book starts out with this couple first meeting at a ball, and they have a instant connection. Even though there is a bit of a rival for Rebecca that Daniel is faced with, it soon becomes clear that Rebecca only wants Daniel. Then he learns about who she truly is and then Daniel and Rebecca are thrown together in a scandal, and soon they will have to learn to trust in each other.I couldn't help but enjoy this entertaining ride this story has taken me on. I found the writing to be unique and with a sense of freshness to it. There was so much going for this book that I enjoyed. From the first page, I was completely drawn in, and even though it didn't rate a high 5 rating, I found it to be a enjoyable story that you can relax into. It had many elements that made it a brilliantly well written love story that makes you root for this couple from the beginning. Overall I couldn't help but love The Scandal In Kissing An Heir and with a sweet mixture of romance, sensual setting, and characters to make you feel alive.....this story will charm and delight you till the very last page. REMARKABLE!!! I can't wait to try more of this author, definitely going to be bumped up my list!!

Lady Rebecca has created a a scandal about herself to prevent her greedy aunt and uncle from marrying her off to a much older duke. However, her desire to choose her own husband leads her to the Kingsborough ball in hopes of finding a much more suitable husband and this all seems to be working as she is instantly drawn to the rakish Daniel Neville...until she gets shot! Her secret is out and her aunt and uncle are furious and Daniel sees a need to save her so he offers for her. A fresh scandal happens and it changes the life of Daniel and Rebecca forever. Daniel tries to protect Rebecca from the truth but in the process, he may lose her due to his secrets as Rebecca is unsure if she can trust that Daniel has turned away from his rakish lifestyle for her... Questions arise, questions are answered and true love grows as this couple strives to find their path of happiness.This was yet another charming, fast paced, enjoyable read from the delights of Sophie Barnes! I very much enjoyed how open our couple was with each other (about most things) and how the accepted consequences of their actions and moved forward without wallowing in the past. Daniel has put up quite a rakish front with his confident and easy manner but he is really hurting from the pain his parents caused by their deaths. Rebecca is like a breath of fresh air with her openness to talk, charm, smarts, humor, adventurous nature and exotic beauty. Together, they fit and they just need to convince society, and themselves, of that fact. Warmth, wit and a quick, enjoyable pace with lovely moments of passion make this a winner for many historical romance fans. 4 stars eARC provided by Avon Books via edelweiss

Originally published at Rookie Romance.After reading the first book in this series, The Trouble With Being a Duke, I was very eager to read The Scandal in Kissing an Heir. The rather unique way in which Daniel and Rebecca meet, promised to deliver a story filled with intrigue and scandal, and it definitely delivered.Daniel is the sort of hero I really enjoy reading about in a lighter sort of romance. He's got the outward appearance of a carefree rake, but lurking beneath he has pain buried from his childhood. He's very sweet towards Rebecca, and not nearly as bad as his reputation makes him out to be.I really enjoyed Rebecca's character, she was very refreshing. She maintains an optimistic and remarkably cheerful outlook, despite the awful treatment by her aunt and uncle. Namely, their desire to marry her off to the highest bidder- who happens to be a disturbingly lecherous Duke, 50 years her senior.Daniel and Rebecca meet at the Kingsborough ball and are instantly drawn to each other. It helps that they're both rather desperately seeking to marry, his Uncle has given him an ultimatum to wed or be cut off, and she wishes to marry a man of her choosing. After that meeting, Daniel pursues Rebecca despite the obstacles between them, and you'll find yourself cheering for them every step of the way.I loved the relationship between Daniel and Rebecca, it's very honest and open, which is definitely a breath of fresh air. They also have a fiery sexual chemistry, which makes for some very steamy love scenes together!You'll be rooting for the hero and heroine as they surmount every obstacle thrown in their way. It's very easy to be drawn into the story, and lose yourself in this engaging and sweet romance. I'm already looking forward to the next in the series.*I received a review copy from the publisher, for my honest review. Thank you!

I gave this a B- at AAR so 3.5 stars Often when I read historical romance, I'm looking for something with a strong sense of place and time, and at least a little bit of realism. However, every now and again, some fun wallpapery fluff hits the spot as well. And if you're in the mood for a fluffier historical, The Scandal in Kissing an Heir is a fun read.So, why is kissing an heir scandalous? Well, the heir in question is Daniel Neville, heir to the Marquess of Wolvington. Mr. Neville has frittered away his time with gambling, causing scandals and generally proving an embarrassment to his uncle, the Marquess. The Marquess warns Daniel to knock off the frat boy antics (in Regency-ish speak, of course) and to settle down with a nice, respectable lady. Soon after, Daniel finds himself at the Duke of Kingsborough's ball.At the ball, most respectable folk avoid Daniel but he does find himself intrigued by a mysterious young lady in a moderately scandalous scarlet dress. And so he meets Lady Rebecca. We learn pretty quickly that Lady Rebecca has been declared mad by her aunt and uncle and that she has spent the past two years imprisoned in their home. The reasons for all of this aren't quite clear, but at this point, the story flows along well enough that I suspect many readers will be willing to just roll with it.This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...

THE SCANDAL IN KISSING AN HEIR by Sophie Barnes is an delightful Historical Romance set in 1817 England. #2 in "At the Kingsborough Ball, but can be read as a stand alone. This story seems to me to be based a bit on the story of Rapunzel for Lady Rebecca is determined to find her own husband on her own terms,therefore, she has been pretending to be "mad" so her aunt and uncle wouldn't force her into marriage. Enter, Daniel Neville, notorious rake and heir to the Marquis of Wolvington. Just one kiss as the story goes.....things get a little interesting, you see Rebecca sneaks out of the house with the help of her maid, to attend the famous Kingsborough Ball, and so it happens Daniel is there. A scandal is involved, he must get her to see reason and marry him even with his tainted past. Passion and love is a powerful thing. Beauty and wits, meets notorious rake with a past, one forbidden kiss and WOW a scandal erupts. A sensual, fun, quick read with wit and engaging characters makes "The Scandal In Kissing An Heir" an enjoyable read. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Above the Treeline.RATING: 4HEAT RATING: HOTREVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More

I liked the relationship between the two characters, from the moment they met they formed a bond that was really strong. Their attraction was believable and I loved how they made their marriage work. Rebecca and Daniel had plenty of ups and downs early on in their marriage and I liked how they dealt with it together. There was a scene in which Rebecca caught him sneaking around yet once she asked for honesty Daniel really gave it to her. He also was honest from that moment on about whatever was going on. It was really normal and that was the best part :)

A modern day fairy tale reminiscent of Rapunzel! Actually rated 4.5! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:When he was a young child, Daniel Neville’s mother left him and his father for her lover. Afterwards, Daniel’s father went off to war and died. Left alone in the world, he starts acting up scandalously. Tired of his nephew’s behavior, Daniel’s uncle, the Marquisate of Wolvington, has given him an ultimatum. Daniel, the heir to the marquisate, has thirty days to become engaged and a year to marry or his pension will be cut off. However, most of society, knowing of his scandalous behavior and his outrageous parties, will not even let him near their daughters. But at the Knightsborough Ball, he makes the acquaintance of a beautiful woman in a scarlet dress.After the death of her parents, Lady Rebecca was raised by her aunt and uncle, who are trying to force her to marry one of the old suitors they have found for her. She is being told to make a choice and the time is growing short. Unbeknownst to Rebecca, her devious aunt and uncle are actually trying to auction her off to the highest bidder. However, she wants to find a younger husband on her own terms, but this is proving difficult since she spent two years confined to the tower, faking madness to keep from being forced to marry. Donning a mask, she sneaks out to the Knightsborough Masquerade Ball, where she meets a few potential suitors, including Mr. Neville. Although she is very attracted to him, she hears about his rakish behavior and does not believe he will suit her purposes.But Daniel is intrigued by Rebecca and sets his sights on her. Although he believes she is his one chance to meet his uncle’s demands, she also makes him feels things that no one else has. Meanwhile, believing that Daniel will never settle down and be faithful, Rebecca is contemplating a couple other candidates to fulfill her need. Still, Daniel is determined to win Rebecca, but can he overcome her objections? Can he prove to her that he will be the faithful husband she longs for?A fun-filled fairy tale, THE SCANDAL IN KISSING AN HEIR, the second book in author Sophie Barnes’ AT THE KINGSBOROUGH BALL series, is a witty, sexy historical romance that will keep you glued to the pages. The attraction between Daniel and Rebecca is strong, but she does not want to end up married to an unfaithful rake. But even though he gives this appearance to the ton, he is suffering from the pain caused by his parents’ actions and beguiled by Rebecca’s open nature and adventurous spirit. As impulsive actions and desire soon lead to more scandal than they already face, will they be able to weather the storm?Humor, scandal, blackmail, unscrupulous relatives, betrayal, deceit, healing, romance and love all play a part in this interesting story that emulates the well-known fairytale Rapunzel. Readers who enjoy this story may also be delighted by the first story of this series, THE TROUBLE WITH BEING A DUKE, which is loosely based on the story of Cinderella. I look forward to the third installment of this series, THE DANGERS IN ATTEMPTING AN EARL, due out at the end of July 2014. If you are looking for an intriguing tale with plenty of humor and heat within a historical setting, you are sure to enjoy THE SCANDAL IN KISSING AN HEIR!Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com

Daniel Neville is only a Mr. but also heir to the Marquess of Wolvington. When he is warned by the Marquess to stop his roguish ways and settle down, Daniel finds it to be quite difficult as his past escapades have made him persona non grata in most social circles! By chance Daniel found himself at the Kingsborough Ball because of his connection to the Marquess, and lo and behold he spotted a lovely young woman, who obviously didn’t know him and actually spoke to him. Later Daniel would discover that Lady Rebecca was the ward of greedy and ambitious relations who were willing to sell her to the highest bidder; a foul and perverted duke who was 50 years her senior and would keep her in another type of prison. When scandal emerged around them, Daniel would have his hands full with trying to convince Rebecca that she could count on him to be faithful and would change his ways. *** This was both sensual and a fun read. Lady Rebecca had been pretending to be be “mad” for the last few years in an effort to stop her relations from arranging a marriage of Rebecca that would be advantageous to them - in other words they were planning to sell Rebecca to the highest bidder. The prospective grooms were both old enough to be her great-grandfather’s age. Planning to find a husband on her terms Lady Rebecca with the help of her willing maid were able to sneak her out of her tower and disguised at a masquerade ball in order to search for a good prospect. What Rebecca found was the extremely handsome Daniel Neville whom she found fascinating until it was later revealed, after Lady Rebecca was shot by an unnamed assailant, that he was not considered good ton. In fact he was considered to be a complete and utter rake.As most regency historicals go, this was par for the course, with the exception that the plot line was quite good, and the author did some great characterizations of the leads coupled with great motivation. In fact I was really quite taken with the ooziness and repulsiveness, of the old Duke who was the top money contender to want to marry Rebecca. One could easily picture in their minds eye just how repulsive he would have been to a young innocent like Rebecca. It was also totally enjoyable to see how Daniel would tackle all the problems he had in both trying to win Rebecca’s trust and later to be able to care for her when he had been totally cut off by his uncle the Marquess. Bottom line: THE SCANDAL IN KISSING AN HEIR was a most enjoyable read, both from the perspective of having a wonderful plot line, great characterization, and brisk action that kept the story from dragging. Good job Ms. Barnes - looking forward to more from you and to see what happens next as a result of the Kingsborough Ball. Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

Sophie Barnes has a winner in my opinion! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and was entertained throughout. I love all the characters, well except for the three evil ones. Daniel the rake, of course was a rascal, but as most rakes tend to be, they too have feelings of chivalry. Lady Rebecca for me is the true hero in the story, for once you've read nearly to the end I think you'll agree that it was she that rescued Daniel, and not the other way around. Sophie Barnes has written their story so well, what I mean by that is, when I'm reading I'm not stumbling through sentences. Sophie tells a story that makes me laugh, want to cry, want to add my "2 cents worth"! She also provides the hot romance where it is called for. Very Well done Sophie Barnes, The Scandal in Kissing an Heir, a MUST READ. I will enjoy reading this one again, and recommending to all my friends. (Oh, and I love the fairies by the way!)

I really enjoyed this 2nd book in the series! Daniel has been living a debauched life & his uncle has cut him off from funds unless he gets married & stops gambling, etc. Rebecca has been pretending to be crazy for 2 years because her evil aunt & uncle want to marry her off to an old duke. When Daniel & Rebecca meet at the ball, they are both desperately looking for someone to marry. Daniel starts climbing a ladder to Rebecca's window to get to know her & the plan is that they will elope. I loved seeing them getting to know each other & learning to love each other, in what was essentially a marriage of convenience, with a couple of attempted murders & some social navigating thrown in.

I really enjoy books that involve married couples and their developing relationships. This is exactly that. Rebecca and Daniel both must marry.. and decide that they might as well marry each other. From there on it's adventure,romance, intrigue, drama.. all on the path to falling love. There are interesting side characters.. some you will love and some you will hate. The story is fast paced and captivating.Epilogue whore alert: Yes! It has a very satisfying "one year later" epilogue! Wooohoo!

I liked this better than I thought I would based on other reviews. I did start to skim over the tedious self-thought that Rebecca seemed to go through because of her worries about being married to a rake. Luckily she stopped. Daniel was a diamond in the rough. All it had taken was the right woman and the right circumstances and he was reformed. I loved his character throughout.I still am unsure who shot Rebecca. I must have missed that explanation somehow.