REVIEW: Whisper of Scandal by Nicola Cornick
Dear Nicola Cornick:
Jane’s resolution to read one historical romance a month resonated with me, because I’ve been reading fewer and fewer but I know I miss out on good ones as a result. A chance conversation with a friend reminded me that I had a couple of your historicals in my TBR and I chose Whisper of Scandal for my first month, partly because it was the beginning of a series but even more because of its unusual setting: it’s in part a road romance which is set above the Arctic circle. I couldn’t resist, and I’m so glad I didn’t. Reading this novel reminded me not just how much I like “unusual” historicals, but also how familiar tropes can be refreshed in the hands of the right author.
Whisper of Scandal starts in a relatively conventional way. Arctic explorer Alex Grant comes back to London deliver a letter to Lady Joanna Ware, the widow of his fallen comrade and friend, David Ware. Alex doesn’t want anything to do with her, so when Joanna pretends they are lovers in order to stave off the advances of her cousin and kisses him warmly, he recoils inside rather than choosing to enjoy the opportunity.
This first scene reminded me of what I don’t much enjoy in Historical Romance of the standard, UK-set, Regency-era variety. The description of Joanna is right out of the HR toolkit: her hair is chestnut, her face is oval, her eyes are violet, and yet she is not “conventionally beautiful in any way.”
That normally would send me running for the hills, but I was determined to keep reading, and I discovered that Joanna was a lot more interesting than that initial impression led me to believe. And the way she was interesting was even better. Joanna is not a bluestocking, or a campaigner for women’s rights, or a selfless provider of charitable works. She’s a pretty conventional person of average intelligence who wants a comfortable life and openly admits it.
So what makes her interesting? For me, what made her work and what made me keep reading was that she was strong and focused, and she and Alex actually talked to each other. At first they argue a lot, but they are definitely attracted to each other (another unsurprising development). But instead of bicker-kiss-bicker-kiss, they communicate, and they learn from their conversations.
“You see—we always disagree.” She tilted her face up to meet the intensity of his gaze. “I don’t deny that I want you,” she said honestly. “I do not like it, nor do I understand it, but—” She broke off. His hand was on her wrist again, his touch warm, compulsive, drawing her closer. She stepped away, swept by fragile, turbulent emotion. She did not for a moment believe that this man was like her late husband. Alex might be direct and even harsh, but he was never untrustworthy or dishonest. She felt it. She knew it instinctively. He would never physically hurt her. Yet indulging in an affaire with him would be madness. Once their desire burned out there would be nothing left but reproach and dislike.
“I will not do it,” she said. “You think me shallow, and as light with my reputation as many other ladies of the ton, but I am not, and even if I were, you are the very last man I would take as a lover. I would never give myself to a man who has no respect for me.”
Alex’s dark gaze was hooded. “You damn near did.”
“Which is why I do not intend to see you ever again,” Joanna said.
The temperature in the room fell as swiftly as though a door had opened to allow in the coldest winter night.
“You will see plenty of me,” Alex said. “I fully intend to be on that ship.”
“I don’t want you there,” Joanna said, holding fast to her temper.
“Your wishes count for nothing in this,” Alex said. “I cannot in all conscience as Nina’s guardian allow you to wander into danger through your own stupidity.”
Joanna gritted her teeth. “How arrogant you are! I do not need a hero to protect me. I can think of nothing worse.”
Alex realizes (and the reader does too) that Joanna may be conventional but she’s not boring, and that she undervalues herself. His recognition of these qualities makes his inevitable realization (that his friend David was a cad) less of a total transformation and more of a logical outcome of paying attention to what Joanna is saying. For her part, Joanna realizes that Alex’s dislike of her is tied to his need to remember David as a decent person, and although she is understandably angry that he misjudges her, she doesn’t hold it against him when he finally comes around to the truth. By the time the plot contrives to force them into a hasty wedding, both are halfway reconciled to spending their futures together, so it’s not just a marriage of convenience.
The road-romance part of the story takes off after their marriage when they travel to the Arctic village island of Spitsbergen to collect David’s legacy to Joanna, which happens to be his illegitimate child. The cast of characters has become quite large by this point; apparently a lot of them show up in the books that follow Whisper of Scandal, but they seemed to fit in pretty well here. I don’t expect an 1811 voyage to the Arctic to consist of two people, and Cornick does a good job of placing Alex and Joanna within a larger social context.
The journey on the ship and the scenes set in the Arctic are very well done. While there are some liberties taken with the events and locations of the time, most of the storyline and context is well within what we know from the historical record, and it is really fun to see polar exploration depicted in a historical romance novel. Alex’s character is part of this depiction, and he is quite believable as a committed explorer. The journey emphasizes the opposites-attract aspect of their relationship, since Joanna is completely a city girl and Alex loves the outdoors, but it’s not done by demeaning or denigrating either, and Joanna’s appreciation of the beauty around her helps bridge the divide.
I didn’t like the Big Secret that provides the final conflict of the book. I had a feeling something was going to happen, since Alex and Joanna were getting along fairly well by the last third of the book. And as Big Secrets go, it’s one we’ve seen before and it’s handled in a way that didn’t drive me around the bend (I can’t say more without totally spoiling the last part of the book). I think it stood out to me in part because the rest of the book felt so intelligent and un-stereotypical.
In the end, what stuck with me about this novel is that it treated me as an intelligent reader and gave me a smart, thoughtful story. And it did so in a way I really appreciated: rather than writing brilliant characters and making the story smart through them, it took an unusual hero and gave him ordinary flaws, and it paired him with a “normal” heroine who had depths to her character. I was impressed enough that I immediately downloaded the first book in the author’s current series, which is set in Scotland. For me to unhesitatingly download a book with “Laird” in the title is about the highest compliment I can offer as a reader. Grade: B+
~ Sunita
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I’ve read and enjoyed other books by Cornick but not this one. Adding it to my list now. Love the idea of the Polar exploration setting!
“For me to unhesitatingly download a book with “Laird” in the title is about the highest compliment I can offer as a reader. ”
This made me laugh a lot. I have a similar aversion, especially if the book has tartan on the cover.
Yep, there’s tartan. I bought it anyway.
@Sunita: Amazingly, no tartan on the UK version. She’s had some really lovely covers here.
Polar exploration? Fantastic! I think I’ll read it next week when the polar vortex temperatures return to Chicago, just for the verisimilitude.
I read this one awhile ago and meant to pick up some of the others in the series but never got around to it. I hope that you will post a review of the one you just got. I haven’t read it, but it sounded interesting and I would love to hear what you think of it. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to read historicals as so many of the are the same old same old and I have so little reading time right now that I’m being very picky.
@Sunita:
Nicola’s got a great voice, a lot of originality, and backs it all up with impeccable research (she’s an historian by training and when she’s not writing novels she works as a volunteer guide for the National Trust at the 17th century Ashdown House. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashdown-house/) She’s long been a favourite of mine.
The first book of hers that I read was “Kidnapped” (reviewed here by Jennie: https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/review-kidnapped-his-innocent-mistress-by-nicola-cornick/) It’s done in first person. You’d probably really enjoy it.
I’m thrilled to read this review because, although I love historical romance generally, I’ve become a little bored with many of them recently. This sounds very promising. Like you, I appreciate “normal” characters with layers and realistic obstacles. I’m accepting of some of the contrived stuff because I expect it…but this will be a great change of pace. Thanks for the detailed review. I’m excited for my reading time tonight!
@Eliza Evans: I read it on holiday in Alaska, surrounded by books on polar exploration, so I definitely recommend your strategy! It makes the polar vortex seem almost worthwhile.
@Lynnd: I will definitely report back on the next one. I’ve had the same problem with historicals but I realized that it was stupid to give up entirely, I just had to dig a little more.
@Susanna Kearsley: The research on Norway and exploration was really well woven into the storyline. Thanks for the recommendation on Kidnapped, too. I’ve read a few books by Cornick and sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but even when they don’t I’m not sorry I gave them a shot.
@Jamie Beck: I hope you enjoy it! And yes, “layers” is exactly the right word.
I went to download this after your review and lo and behold it seems that I read it! Having recently been on an expedition to the Arctic and Norway it is a must reread. I am a fan of Nicola Cornick. Getting older has its benefits……it will be like new :).
I so wish I had the ability to “like” Connie’s comment! I would add that I’ve forgotten so many great movies — and Mr. Richland has never seen them — that it’s perfect when we decide to watch something.
I’m a huge fan of Nicola Cornick – I’ve probably read all her books and have enjoyed every single one. I remember reading this book and loving it.
Other Cornick books worth checking out that are absolutely fabulous are the Fortune’s Folly series and her HH Civil War title, Lord Greville’s Captive. She also wrote a fantastic Edwardian title, The Last Rake in London – can you tell I am a fan? LOL
@Sunita:
I finished it…and I did enjoy much of it. I do have to admit, however, that I lost a lot of empathy for Joanna because of her “omission.” It made it hard for me to watch them grow closer. Granted, she was in a tough spot and some of her motivation had to do with the safety of another…but mostly it was selfishly motivated (self-preservation, etc.). I wish there had been more she could have done to redeem herself before the end of the story so that I could’ve been 100% satisfied with the ending.
But, I agree with you completely about the character development and the storytelling/voice. I will keep this author in mind in the future. Thanks again.
@Julie B.: Thanks for the recommendations! I read The Last Rake in London and it didn’t work for me, but by and large I’ve enjoyed her books so I’ll definitely make a note of these titles.
@Jamie Beck: I agree, and I think without that plot point I would have graded the book higher. I felt as if there should have been a better way for conflict to be sustained to the end. At least the solution wasn’t a miraculous one, though. I’m glad you enjoyed it otherwise!