Limecello’s review of Scandalized by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin 1 Oct 97, rerel’d 1 Mar 09
The story begins “She was the perfect woman to have his baby.” Tell me that doesn’t get your attention. I really enjoy Lori Foster’s older stories, and this was no exception. You’ll notice that the book title is actually Scandalous because it’s a reissue that has both Scandalized and Sex Appeal. (Actually, these stories have all been re-released 3-4 times, so if you’re a big Ms. Foster fan, it’s likely you’ve already read one or both of these stories.) I, however, missed the Harlequin Temptation line, so I was glad I got the opportunity to read Scandalized. I really enjoyed this story, and found it had a storyline similar to a number of romances I’ve read that were published recently. However, I felt that Ms. Foster dealt with the “infertile heroine” issue in a more realistic manner, which I appreciated.
Olivia Anderson is a career driven woman. She’s something of a loner, but she’s filled her life with purpose through developing her lingerie stores. Olivia is nice and sweet, but aside from having a somewhat sad personal life, there isn’t much substance to her. I liked her, but she doesn’t really stand out from the sea of romance heroines. I do like, however, her rationality, and the fact that she isn’t all mushy and useless. She also takes the somewhat unexpected step of telling Tony she wants to have a physical relationship, and demanding sexual satisfaction. She’s a self actualized woman. (So maybe that does make her stand out.) Of course, she’s only twenty-six, which makes me hate her a little bit.
Tony Austin wants a baby. He’s thirty-five, and realizes he has everything he wants in life, except for a child. He wants someone to love, that belongs completely to him. Accordingly, he’s decided to have a child – not a wife and family, because that’s not something he can control, and he hasn’t found a woman he would like to marry either. I like Tony’s character because he’s fun, and determined, and the way he goes about getting what he wants is entertaining. He’s also extremely sexy, and caring, and pretty much the perfect man. I really liked how gentle and sweet Tony was with Olivia. He’s a tiny bit clueless at times, but is a good guy.
While the plot isn’t so believable, I didn’t really mind. It was plausible in romance land, and what gets my attention and what I read romances for are the relationship, so I’m much more willing to suspend belief for plot. I really liked the secondary characters, and how Olivia and Tony’s relationship develops. Did I believe they really and truly fell in love as a result based solely on their interaction in the book? No – but I can believe they were in love considering a totality of the circumstances, and their history.
I like the “switch” – with the hero having the ticking biological clock. It was also nice to have the hero be the one who wants the relationship and is pushing for more. I LOVE that. There’s a slight reversal of roles here, but it’s not excessive or comedic, and Tony never becomes maudlin. Tony and Olivia have a lot of similarities, and their personalities match well. They both understand and run successful businesses, but also both have been looking for (though afraid of) personal connections. I think that’s why they’re so perfectly matched.
I didn’t actually know what to expect- when Olivia was so sure she couldn’t have a baby – when she was “magically pregnant” I wasn’t as annoyed, because Ms. Foster covered her tracks here. Olivia’s doctors never told her she couldn’t have a baby, Olivia simply only has one ovary, and she herself decided she could never get pregnant. In fact, this misconception is addressed in the book, which I appreciated. I would’ve been a lot more annoyed if Olivia had gotten magically pregnant when doctors had previously told her it would be impossible. (There’s a bit of a question/sticky situation near the end, but that was after all the conflict resolution so I didn’t really think about it.)
This is a really cute story, with a lot of great sexy scenes between Tony and Olivia. It also draws in a lot of Tony’s family, and it’s nice to see the characters interact with each other, and others. I thought that developed their personalities nicely, and made the much morel likable and personable. As I said, I really like a number of Ms. Foster’s earlier books, so I’m glad this was republished to everyone can now read it. I recommend it to her fans, and also anyone looking for a nice, sweet contemporary. (I also read Sex Appeal a few years ago – I liked it, but liked Scandalous better.)
Grade: B-
Summary:
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To fulfill his desire to father a child, Tony looks for a woman who’ll have his baby and then disappear from his life. Olivia doesn’t want a husband or a child—but she would cherish a special night with Tony. But sometimes passion gets out of control, and love upsets even the best-laid plans.
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Read an excerpt here.
