And she is trying to get pregnant and have his baby and then planning on never telling him? And this is after she spends the day with him and learns how much family means to him. Yes, I know that Richard is very willing and would be without the drug, but that really isn’t the point, is it? Had Richard used drugs to sleep with the Lady, I don’t think we would have been at all accepting of it.

My second major issue with the book is the ease and acceptance of using a date rape drug. As written, simply put, it is not, and it becomes like fingernails on a chalkboard every time the pompous 'Cynster Way' is repeated. Devil would still be the Duke as he is legitimate and it would also make Helene’s EASY acceptance of the babe believable. She could have made Richard older than Devil and a by blow of Sebastian’s philandering ways PRIOR to his marriage to Helene. I think Stephanie Lauren was distracted the day she came up with this storyline and did a disservice to the entire series with this. I find getting the story of Sebastian, especially after reading 'A Promise in a Kiss' really detracts from Richard’s story.

I realize this is not about Richard, but repeatedly throughout the book we hear about the 'Cynster Way', 'to have and to hold', love, fidelity, fate. Twice Richard's father's infidelity is brought up and rationalized away as feeling sorry for her and it 'accidentally' happens. Overall I enjoyed the book, but I have two major issues with it.

Scandal's Bride by Stephanie Laurens