Early Review of The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel (Seduction Diaries #3) by Jennifer McQuiston

Title: The Perks of Loving a Scoundrel: The Seduction Diaries
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Seduction Diaries
Format: Paperback; 400 pages
Publisher: Avon (September 27, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0062335146
ISBN-13: 978-0062335142
Author's Website: http://www.jenmcquiston.com/
Notes:  I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.

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Miss Mary Channing loves books and would rather get lost in one than join those in the real world, or so her family believes. Forced at six-and-twenty to have her first season in London, she can't help but compare Geoffrey Westmore, the future Viscount Cardewell, with the villains in her romance novels. Especially after her attempt at escaping notice within the confines of a library leads to her being compromised by the dastardly young scoundrel. While things look bleak, the overheard details of an assassination plot while the two attempted to avoid discovery will pull them together as they attempt to thwart the fiendish plan...

Recipe for a Scandalously Good Story

1 bookish young lady seeking shelter in a library

1 handsome young scoundrel seeking out whom he believes to be a young widow

1 unplanned ruination 

1 assassination plot 

Place all together in one novel. Stir and let sit. In no time at all you'll have all the trappings of one deliciously good read with all the perks from falling in love with a scoundrel .

This was such a fun story. Mary was definitely someone I could relate to with her love of books. She has led a rather sheltered life and starts out being rather shy and timid. Slowly, she starts to gain confidence and the adventurous spirit of her youth starts to reemerge. I loved seeing her come out of her shell and how West helped to coax her out of it. West, ironically, starts out looking to be Mary's polar opposite, touting a devil-may-care attitude. I adored how these two balanced each other out, and how we slowly find out what has driven each of these two characters to such extreme behaviors--one retreating into herself while the other acts rather reckless.

I enjoyed how the mystery regarding the details of the assassination plot which brings these two together. I liked how they worked as a team and gained respect for one another. I must confess, however, I wasn't entirely sure if what they overheard would end up being a true assassination plot or just a giant misunderstanding. I thought it entirely possible that  Mary and West's imaginations had gotten the better of them as they attempted to fill in the missing details of the conversation they accidentally eavesdropped upon. It was fun seeing how everything played out and there were quite a few twists added in that I didn't see coming.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was a sweet, touching, and amusing story that pulled a little at my heartstrings. The characters were more complex then they first appeared. I liked how each acted differently to situations that were somewhat similar, and how they understood one another. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the Seduction Diaries Series: