Diantha Fraser receives a long-awaited missive from her ailing father, requesting that she return home as soon as possible.  As the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Devonwych, the last thing she expects is to receive an inheritance, further inciting the acrimony of her half-brother, Basil.   When Sebastian, Marquess of Ravistock intercedes to defend her, everyone learns the stipulations of the Earl’s will.  Diantha must marry her father’s protégé in order to receive the full amount.  Due to his rank and lineage, Sebastian is expected to marry an heiress of high and impeccable standing, not a young woman born on the wrong side of the sheet.

Through hardships and malicious gossip, Diantha’s and Sebastian’s feelings become engaged. Will they overcome the obstacles and declare their love?

Scandal’s Daughter embodies the elegance and spirit of early authors like Georgette Heyer.  Phylis Warady has lovingly crafted a wonderful novella that’s bolstered with the language, morals and politics of the era.  I got a kick out of the fun turns of phrase used in the dialogue.  It enhanced the setting’s authenticity and made the characters come alive.  The creation of Diantha’s bio is inspired by a woman who was the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Sandwich and singer Martha Ray.  Sebastian is everything a Regency romance hero should be without coming off as a cliché.  You also get a glimpse of how hard many noblemen who cared about their responsibilities worked.  I especially liked Sebastian’s mother, the dowager Marchioness, who was larger-than-life.

This superb work is refreshing, fun and lively. Diantha and Sebastian are ripe for love, smart, honorable and strong-willed, a perfect match.  For anyone that’s a fan of this genre, or anyone in the mood to shift their reading gears over to something different, Scandal’s Daughter is the perfect answer.