Hello Sunshines! I am super excited to be sharing my review of the beautiful; Scandalously Wed To The Captain by Joanna Johnson. So grab that cuppa and a snack – you will need it and enjoy!

Bound to a stranger

…in a secret ceremony!

With her finances, reputation and heart all broken by a family scandal, Grace Linwood seeks employment. But the lady she’s a companion to isn’t long for this world. She’s intent on seeing Grace protected and quickly wed to her son, curt and closed-off Captain Spencer Dauntsey. With little choice, all Grace can say is “I do”…but who is the man she has just married?

Review

I have been so looking forward to this book ever since reading Joann’s debut; The Marriage Rescue last year, I knew that there were more great things to come from her and I wasn’t wrong, this book is a sensation; deeply moving, fabulously original plot with two of the most engaging characters who I can guarantee you will love from the onset. …plus one’s a Captain; you all know me and men in uniforms, I love them, the more fragile and broken the better and does this guy need loving are what? I could easily weep for his tortured soul.

I love that opening scene, it really grasps the reader’s attention, it’s so dramatic you can really sense the emotion and how lost in their own broken world Grace and Spencer are, it’s a brilliant piece of writing and sets up the story perfectly. I love how the unique ending fits Grace and Spencer perfectly with the opening scenes, it’s so clever how Joanna has used turbulent weather to really build upon the emotion, yet again proof of what a brilliant writer she is.

Grace Linwood is a woman on the edge; her family are centre stage to a huge scandal since her father has been wrongfully imprisoned in debtors prison of all places, framed by his colleagues the family are now bankrupt, their so-called friends have fled like a rats on a sinking ship and the family are just about destitute. To make matters wore – if they could get any worse; Grace’s beau has done a runner not wanting his name to be tied with known debtors and such scandal – the rake! But never mind Grace, your knight in not so shining armour will be along soon to growl and brood at you….sigh!! Which is when in her most desperate hour of need while contemplating her life in the pouring rain she bumps into an old family friend.

Captain Spencer Dauntsey….be still my over rapidly beating heart! I need a gif, honestly, words are failing me!…..is back in Lyne Regis, after leaving the town eight years previously after the death of his father he, his mother and twin brother left but now with his mother dying he has brought her back home.

Spencer has a lot of darkness that is engulfing his every day, he is wracked with guilt and shame over his actions, over what happened he is so wrapped up in his own grief and his own hell he is becoming oblivious to everything else around him…honestly the bottle he drinks daily doesn’t help matters either. He is locked in the gloom of his darkened mind, that is until the ray of saddened sunshine appears out of nowhere to set his world off kilter…or maybe that is one too many bottles?

When Grace is reunited with a family friend and Spencer’s mother; Dorothea, who is unfortunately seriously ill, she and her family are saved when Dorothea offers Grace the position of companion, which pushes Grace and Spencer together forcing them to spend time with each other. Something our spencer isn’t too happy about he doesn’t want Grace to know the full extent of just how much he has changed from the carefree and charismatic man he once was. Dorothea who even though we see her in the final throes of life because of this illness, I sense that she is a really cunning and savvy woman, she sees things and it is her dying wish that Spencer and Grace marry. Which sees them complying to her final wishes, and then they must tread the uncertain path they have found themselves on which is compelling reading and an absolute delight to see them slowly getting to know each other.

Even though this is only the second book by Joanna Johnson it is as clear as a bell that this lady has huge amounts of talent, her writing is flawless, I know that she is going to from strength to strength – honestly, this fine lady will soon rule the historical roost and I cannot wait to see what she pulls out of her intelligent mind next.

Overall, this is a magnificent, charming and intriguing romance, with a perfect and highly original plot and two of the most heartbreakingly wonderful characters, it really is just perfect!

This was a complimentary copy via the author, which I voluntarily reviewed, thank you Joanna and huge apologies for how ridiculously late this review is. xx