A Lady's Guide to Scandal is book 2 in Sophie Irwin's A Lady's Guide series but it is definitely readable as a standalone if you didn't happen to pick that book up.

Eliza is our fmc and we find out that she was forced to marry a man not of her choosing and twenty years her senior. While not out of the ordinary for ladies of her station, it wasn't truly what she wanted as she had already fallen in love. When the story begins, we find our her husband is dead and Eliza has become a very wealthy lady but there is one caveat. Her inheritance comes with a morality clause and those who were expecting to get the inheritance originally are those that are determined to see how they can make her lose it. And just to add some complication, the new Earl of Somerset is the man she was formerly in love with.

After living under the strict guidelines of society and her husband, Eliza is determined to make her own decisions (within reason) and do what SHE wants to do so she decides to head to Bath with her cousin and it's there that things get interesting.

I admit, I didn't love the love triangle that occurs with Eliza, Somerset, and Melville. I wasn't truly expecting it either based on Eliza's past but in the end, I think it helped to tell the story more so I get it. I'm not going to say much here but I enjoyed the end so I won't hold it against the book or the author.

I definitely look forward to more books from Irwin. I loved her first book in this series and hope to see more along similar lines. Her stories are well-written, have solid characters, and a story that keeps me turning the pages. Pick this one up if you can.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.