Abandoned to the Prodigal
Series: Season of Scandal #2
Author: Mary Lancaster
Published August 11th 2020 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Who knew that love could be fun?

Ruined and abandoned by her betrothed, Lady Juliet has no choice but to take the stagecoach home to her family in Yorkshire. Fortunately, she is protected on the journey by a handsome and amusing self-styled “wastrel”.

Daniel Stewart—together with his enormous, unruly mongrel dog—is reluctantly answering a summons to his grandfather’s deathbed. But instead of the prodigal’s traditional fatted calf, he is presented with the miserly baron’s temper and a parcel of resentful relatives. Juliet faces recrimination and isolation in her own home.

It isn’t surprising that Dan and Juliet seek solace in secret meetings to cheer each other up. Neither expects to fall in love.

But is the unconventional Dan the solution to Juliet’s problems? Or just an added complication? For her powerful father seeks to rehabilitate her reputation through marriage, either to her faithless ex-betrothed or to the man who caused her ruin in the first place.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Running alongside the previous book in the series, Abandoned to the Prodigal sees Lady Juliet Lilbourne having to flee Connaught House after the infamous orgy, hoping her betrothed, Jeremy Catesby, and his family will provide her with an alibi for where she was. When she turns up at the Alford's, however, they've already received the gossip rag that is the key to her ruin, and refuse to let her in the house. All alone, Juliet knows that with the little money she has left, she needs to get home to her family's estate in Kidfield, Yorkshire. While buying a ticket for the stagecoach, she is nearly ripped off, if not for the intervention of a handsome stranger and his dog, Gun. Dan Stewart is heading to Kidfield, too, as his grandfather has called for the whole family to travel to the Myerly estate before he dies. Dan has never seen eye to eye with his grandfather, not since he kicked out his mother for marrying his father and refuses to see or help her. However, while at the estate, he and his grandfather make a tentative agreement, and Dan starts to become involved in improving the estate that has been left to rot somewhat. Juliet is hidden at home, to counteract the scandal, but meets up regularly with Dan and Gun and sparks begin to fly. Her father is adamant she marry soon, hopefully to Jeremy, or even Lord Barden who unexpectedly arrives, but she knows it's Dan she wants - but will the families overcome their past grievances to let them marry?

I honestly think I enjoyed this one more that I had Pursued by the Rake. Juliet was a lovely character, and I really felt for her throughout the entire story. Being the daughter of an earl, she had no real need to work with the Princess of Wales, but the prestige of the position, especially as she was preparing to marry, but she really enjoyed her position. Finding herself shunned by her betrothed's family, and even by her own family when she made it back to Yorkshire. The way she was treated by her parents was awful, I thought, but I did sort of understand why they did it. Her only saving grace were her siblings, especially Kitty's excitement about her own engagement, and meeting with Dan every morning. Her family and Dan's have been at odds since before either of them were born, because Juliet's dad had been betrothed to Dan's mam, but she ran off with an army officer. Now, it seems that Juliet will be the person being forced to marry, and when Lord Barden, who is still as evil and slimy as he was in book 1 appears, he neigh on blackmail's the Earl of Cosland for Juliet's hand, it gets too much for her. I loved how she and Dan were so in tune with each other and their every interaction was perfect. They are one of the best regency era couples I've read, and I was so happy with how their story turned out - even with the angst that was inevitably thrown their way. I can't wait for the third instalment!

Dates Read:
July 22, 2020

Rating
4 Stars