Title: The Year of Living Scandalously (The Secrets of Hadley Green #1)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Books 2010

Genre: Fiction - Romance

Pages: 423

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Monthly Theme - February

When Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to meet with Lily Boudine, the new countess of Ashwood, he knows instantly that the lovely woman who welcomes him is not who she pretends to be. In an attempt to avoid an unwanted marriage, Keira Hannigan has assumed her cousin’s identity and is staying at the estate while Lily is abroad. When Declan threatens to expose her, Keira convinces him to guard her secret, then enlists him in her investigation of the missing jewels, for she now believes an innocent man was hanged.

Unable to deny the beautiful, exasperating Keira—or their simmering passion—Declan reluctantly agrees. But neither is prepared for the dangerous stranger who threatens to reveal Keira’s lies . . . and Declan knows he must protect Keira at all costs, for she is the woman who now owns his heart.

I started another Regency romance series from my shelves. I definitely enjoyed the overall story and characters. Keira and Declan are a great couple. I love the Pride and Prejudice vibes I got from this book. Great dislike to love story. I was less enamored with the overall deception Keira engages in throughout the book. Things were not going to end well, and Keira’s insistence that they would got a bit annoying. Beyond that bit, I did enjoy the overall mystery set up in this volume. And the side characters were interesting. Most definitely I’ll be reading the rest of the series.

The Secrets of Hadley Green

• #1 The Year of Living Scandalously

• #1.5 The Christmas Secret

• #2 The Revenge of Lord Eberlin

• #3 The Seduction of Lady X

• #4 The Last Debutante

Next up on the TBR pile: