In A Lady’s Guide to Scandal, we meet our heroine waiting for her late husband’s will to be read. Eliza is also waiting for his nephew and heir, with whom she has been in love for the past ten years. After finding out she has inherited much more than what was promised, Eliza now finds herself a wealthy widow with the freedom to do what she pleases. Heading to Bath with her cousin Margaret, Eliza finds herself, rediscovers her passions, and meets a host of interesting new friends, including the dashing Lord Melville.

Going into reading this book, I found myself struggling to get invested in the characters until I was around 30% of my way through the book. I thought Eliza was lacking in strength and had a difficult time trying to root for her. However, by the end of the book, I was fully invested in the story that Sophie Irwin was telling and was cheering Eliza on as she fought for what she wanted. There was a point in time that I thought I’d actually get whiplash from the quick changes in emotion that I was experiencing as the reader. There is romance in the book, but it’s much more of a story of self-discovery and standing up for what you want rather than complying with what others believe you should do. The story ended exactly how I wanted it to and I couldn’t be happier than to have read this book.