A Most Unsuitable Match

Julia Justiss

Oct 2018 · Sisters of Scandal Book 1 · Harlequin

About this ebook

In this Regency romance, a woman escapes family scandal, only to fall for a man she cannot marry if she hopes to return to society’s good graces.

After her mother’s latest outrageous affair, innocent Prudence Lattimar has fled to Bath, knowing the family’s scandal will once again keep her from having a season. With her dubious background, she must marry a man of impeccable reputation. She definitely must steer clear of Lieutenant Johnnie Trethwell. Not only is the wounded soldier an adventurer at heart, but his family is as notorious as hers. So no matter how funny, charming and unfailingly honorable he is, Prudence is trying hard not to surrender to her most unsuitable suitor.

Ratings and reviews

When two men fight a duel over their mother, twin sisters Temperance and Prudence Lattimar know that all hope is lost for a Season, again, for the Scandal Sisters. Temperance is uninterested in finding a husband, but Prudence is an idealist and a romantic: she wants a husband and children, and it’s in this frame of mind that she departs for Bath with her Aunt Gussie. Away from the gossip, Pru might have the ghost of a chance of finding a clergyman in need of her considerable dowry, and with whom she could retire to the country, away from the gossip. The first man she meets is the dashing adventurer Lieutenant John Trethwell, fresh off India and recuperating from an injury. Everyone knows Johnnie is a rake in search of a wealthy bride; precisely the sort of man Pru must avoid. Yet, they soon form a comfortable friendship while he helps her pursue her quest for her ideal husband. It took only the prologue to convince me that A MOST UNSUITABLE MATCH would be enchanting! I got the feel of the Lattimar family in a nutshell, I embraced both Pru and Temperance, and the writing nearly gave me the vapours within a few pages! Julia Justiss confirms her incomparable talent as a wordsmith in spectacular fashion: her prose has never been so luminous and precise; the dialogues are works of art; and her descriptions of Bath and India are so vivid, I saw everything she described. Pru is so very brave that she goes as far as to suppress her true nature in public so that her reputation remains as pristine as possible; she has no margin for errors of any kind. Johnnie is an absolute charmer who knows what he wants and how to get it, and he does the same for Pru. When Pru and Johnnie are together, their chemistry is such that I could almost see the glow surrounding them. They make each other happy, they know they cannot be together, and they are able to live with that for a while, and grow immensely. A MOST UNSUITABLE MATCH shows clearly how gossip affects people, and the wretched double-standard society inflicts on women, and that made me appreciate even more Ms. Justiss’ view on Pru’s “scandalous” mother. The secondary characters are exceptionally well drawn: they frame the main characters and add depth and emotion to the overall story. Pru’s Aunt Gussie is absolutely marvellous, and I hope she will be part of Temperance’s story. I could have done with fewer reminders of Pru’s virginity and Johnnie’s roguishness, but I think both characters’ enthralling backstories made up for it. On a more superficial note, if you are going to judge a book by its cover, do so by any means for A MOST UNSUITABLE MATCH: this is what Pru and Johnnie look like, and the splendour of the picture does justice to the tone of the book, the splendid romance, and the glorious writing.

I enjoyed this story. Pru tried so hard to be what people expected in order to move beyond her family issues. I loved her determination to have a "normal" family but enjoyed when her wilder side came out, the need for freedom from censure. Johnnie chose a road unacceptable to most people, but Pru enjoyed his stories and adventures. The two played well to the true person inside, and I was glad to watch them move beyond expectations. I recommend this story. I received an ARC of this story as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.

A Most Unsuitable Match by Julia Justiss is the first book in her Sisters of Scandal series and definitely worth reading. Prudence Lattimar has fled to Bath to get away from her mother's latest scandal, but finding a suitable match is extremely difficult since she must find someone with an impeccable reputation in spite of her family's reputation. Lieutenant Johnnie Trethwell has caught her eye, but he won't do as a suitable match because his family's reputations is as notorious as hers. They decide that their friendship will have to do while Johnnie begins to help her in her husband finding endeavors. I'm looking forward to reading more books in this wonderful new series. I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

About the author

Long before embarking on romantic adventures of her own, Julia Justiss read about them, transporting herself to such favourite venues as ancient Egypt, World War II submarine patrols, the Old South and, of course, Regency England. Soon she was keeping notebooks for jotting down story ideas. When not writing or traveling, she enjoys watching movies, reading and puttering about in the garden trying to kill off more weeds than flowers.

Shunned by the ton. How would she find a husband? Part of Sisters of Scandal: After her mother’s latest outrageous affair, innocent Prudence Lattimar has fled to Bath. With her dubious background, she must marry a man of impeccable reputation. A clergyman with a title and a considerable income would be perfect. She must steer clear of Lieutenant Johnnie Trethwell—his family is as notorious as hers, no matter how funny, charming and unfailingly honorable he is!

Sisters of Scandal duet:
Book 1 — A Most Unsuitable Match
Book 2 — The Earl’s Inconvenient Bride

 “Justiss provides her fans with heart-stealing characters” — RT Book Reviews on Secret Lessons with the Rake

“Secret Lessons with the Rake is a deeply romantic and satisfying end to these tales of Hadley’s Hellions and it’s a book I’m happy to recommend” — RT Book Reviews on Secret Lessons with the Rake