A Scandalous Vow

Scandalous Series, Book 7

By: Ava Stone

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

A spy never really retires...

Long ago, Marcus Gray, the Marquess of Haversham, left the home office with a blackened reputation and a determination to never look back. He skirted the edges of London society, caring for little other than himself, until he crossed paths with Caroline Staveley. When Marc discovers the recently widowed Caroline has returned to London and her late husband's actions have placed her in danger, he is quickly lured into the once familiar game of cat and mouse he thought he'd escaped.

...not when the lady he loves is in danger.

Caroline, Viscountess Staveley, is struggling to raise her children and find her place in the world now that her steady and reliable husband is gone. The last thing she needs is another complication, and that is exactly what the notorious skirt-chasing Haversham is - a complicated, unapologetic rake that tempts her like no one ever has. As she starts to unravel his secrets, however, she begins to wonder who he really is and exactly how many secrets he's keeping.

©2017 Ava Stone Inc (P)2017 Ava Stone Inc

Loved it..

Since I had taken a liking to Marc before his own book I really liked him this time. It was so much fun watching him fall deeper in love with Caroline while she hated him, at least for a little while, along with almost everyone else. And all the while they were looking for some papers that Caroline’s dead husband was deciphering for Whitehall. While keeping it all from Caroline when she was the only one who knew where the papers were all along. It was a very entertaining book.

There was sex and a little bit of swearing.

As to the narration: Stevie Zimmerman is one of the best female narrators. Her voices, both male and female, were spot on when she read the book.

Rake With A Heart Of Gold

Caroline, Viscountess Stavely, has been recently widowed and she blames her husband's death on Marcus Gray, the Marquess of Haversham. After all, if Marcus had done as she asked, he would have taken the trip in her husband's place and David would still be alive. Returning to London after her mourning period, Caroline knows that she'll need to face Marcus at some point.

Marcus thought he'd retired from the spy business, but he's recruited to track down a cipher at the Stavely house by the Home Office. When he refuses, he learns that another man has been installed in Caroline's home, and he fears for her safety. In order to track down the cipher and protect Caroline, he needs to get back in her good graces.

This is the rare romance where the heroine's first marriage was a happy one, and she was genuinely mourning the loss of her first husband. Rather than making me feel as if Caroline moved on too quickly from his death, the author presented it as if Caroline had been gifted with two wonderful men. David as a strong steady presence, and Marcus as the passionate love of her life. She needed both men at different times, and was blessed with both. It was really well written.

This is the 7th book in the series, but can be read as a standalone with no trouble. This was the first book in the series I've read. There are appearances by other characters in the series, but it was never too confusing. I loved all the characters in the book. Emma was an adorably sweet little girl, and she shone on every page. Rachel was spunky and feisty and her conversations had me laughing out loud. I loved watching Caroline slowly discover all the wonderful things about Marc that we knew all along. And Marcus, well he was just the perfect rakish hero with a heart of gold.

Stevie Zimmerman narrated this book, and it was a wonderful performance as usual. She's able to perform male and female speaking voices, and children's as well. She emotes perfectly without being overly dramatic. She really makes the story come alive. I received a copy of the audiobook, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.