Genre: Historical Romance
My Review - 5 Stars
For as much as I love discussing beauty and skincare, I know very little about the history of cosmetics. Some Like It Scandalous provides a crash course on the history of complexion balm and makeup, thanks to budding entrepeneur and scientist Daisy.
Daisy has no interest in marriage and is solely focused on figuring out how to bring her complexion balm, based on an old family recipe and tweaked thanks to her background in chemistry, to market. Her plans are foiled when her mother joins forces with the father of her childhood bully and demands she wed Theo before disaster falls on her father’s business. Theo, on the other hand, is embroiled in the latest scandal and his father has decided he will marry or be cut off.
I love enemies-to-lovers plots and Daisy has valid reasons for hating Theo, even if he’s befuddled by her reaction to him. They decide to join forces and fake an engagement in order to buy time. And in the meantime, Daisy gets to start selling her complexion balm while Theo puts his marketing genius to good use, which also gives him purpose for the first time. In the process, they get to know one another and truly see and understand the other person, versus the image they’ve both presented to the world.
This series just plain works for me. The women go hard after their dreams and they don’t have to compromise their career for the sake of love. I’ve read some criticisms that Theo’s character is under drawn but I didn’t feel that way or if I did notice it, it didn’t bother me. I really liked Theo and Daisy together and how perfectly they complemented one another.
Plus, the Gilded Age continues to fascinate me. I look forward to where this series goes next!
CW: bullying, financial fraud, abortion for side character
Synopsis
They are sworn enemies…
Theodore Prescott the Third, one of Manhattan’s Rogues of Millionaire Row, has really done it this time. The only way to survive his most recent, unspeakably outrageous scandal is marry someone respectable. Someone sensible. Someone like Daisy Swan. Of all the girls in Gilded Age Manhattan, it had to be her.
Pretending to be lovers...
Daisy Swan has plans and they do not involve a loveless marriage with anyone. But when a devastating family secret threatens to destroy her standing in society, suddenly a fake engagement with Theo is just the thing to make all her dreams come true.
And now it’s time to kiss and make up…
Daisy Swan aspires to sell cosmetics that she has created, but this brainy scientist needs a smooth talking charmer’s flair for words and eye for beauty to make it a success. Before long, Daisy and Theo are trading kisses. And secrets. And discovering that despite appearances, they might be the perfect couple after all.
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