A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Title: The Return of Lady Jane (The Scandal Sheet #1)
Author: Jess Michaels
Format: Epub
Rating: 4.8/5
Status: Finished
Reading Date: January 16, 2019
Book Summary: After a surprisingly passionate wedding day, Viscount Colin Wharton begins to believe he could overcome a painful betrayal in his past and truly make a future with his new wife, Jane. But a shocking betrayal crushes his heart. He sends her away, determined to forget her.

Viscountess Jane Wharton has no idea what hardened her husband's heart to her, but she is trying to make the best of her banishment. When she returns to London, she hopes to simply avoid Colin. But that is not to be. As the couple reunites in a clash of harsh words and heated passions, both begin to wonder if they could overcome the past.

Only a secret lurks that is darker than anything either could have imagined. And they will have to fight to survive, as well as fight for the love they both deserve.
Book Review: Wow.

Just wow.

I don't believe I have read anything by Jess Michaels and for some odd reason this book seemed to call to me. Having been disappointed by recent reads, I thought I would try to return to a genre that I loved to read as a teen in high school. I am serious I read these cheesy romance novels in high school and loved them. It was because of them that I always had a book or two in my purse for leisure reading during class.

In this book, we meet Colin and Jane. They have just recently wed and unfortunately for Colin, he has been badly burned by his former lover, Cassandra. For the moment, he believes Jane might be the one. That is until his cousin spots something during the wedding party and Colin is heartbroken to the point that he sends Jane away to live at one of his estates. Now it has been some months and Jane has returned but only because her sister has given birth. Colin has gotten wind of Jane's return and he brings her back to his home to live.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Jane was the kinda of girl I enjoyed. She was not spoiled. Not a one-dimensional character and you really felt sorry for her because she had no idea what she had done to earn the punishment her husband had doled out to her. But even her banishment did not keep her down, it actually made her a bit stronger and she learned to live with it. She went about running her husband's estate and earned the love of the tenants and servants that presided there.

As for Colin, there were moments I wanted to smack him upside of his head. I understand that being betrayed by one person you can be a bit wary of it happening again. Yet inside of listening to his cousin and seeing if what he had said was true, he simply banished Jane as if she were nothing more than a common criminal. I do, however, like that he would eventually redeem himself to her as well as to the audience.

This book was a fun read. I really could not put it down. The storyline was attention grabbing and the characters drew you in to the point that you actually felt compassion for both leads regardless. I cannot believe I am going to say this but I am honestly looking forward to rest of the books in this series and I have every plan to read them.

If you are looking for something really quick to read and filled with historical romance, then this novella would definitely be for you.