A Lascivious Lady by Jillian Eaton

**This review has some plot spoilers**

First, this story features a cheating heroine but that ugliness is balanced by the fact we have a virgin hero so while it does not forgive the cheating, it adds a new wrinkle to the story.  We have the stunning Josephine, married to the Earl of Traverson-a man devoted to studying bugs.  He is so far different from the bold, fiery Josephine when her father accepts his offer of marriage she is beyond furious.  It does not help matters that she was to be engaged to a duke soon, who wants a lowly, shy, nerdy earl instead?  Especially one that compares her eyes to dragonfly wings and gives her beetle pins as a gift?  Her heart hardened beyond measure, she strikes out at Traverson in the most hurtful of ways--having affairs and not making any secrets about it among the ton.  When confronted face to face with one of Josephines lovers, it goes off with a bang and the couple eventually find themselves thrown together by well meaning friends.  When they share a passionate kiss, the truth about Traverson's lack of experience comes to light and it helps Josephine finally see the light about her actions.  As Josephine is attempting to start fresh, it seems Traverson has finally had enough of her actions and he shoves her away.  But with the help of their friends, can this couple attempt to find happiness and move on from the past?  Or has Josephine damaged her relationship beyond repair?

For a novella featuring a storyline I dislike-cheating, and blatant cheating at that-I was surprised how much I ended up enjoying this romance.  Josephine is a tough woman to warm up too.  She is stubborn, dramatic, bold and bossy and how the sweet, shy Traverson fell for her was a bit of a stretch but opposites do attract, as is the case here.  I do feel like I needed a bit more of their backstory, though.  Parts are just alluded too and I would have liked to have seen something about how Traverson decided that Josephine was the woman of his dreams beyond just her looks.  They barely spoke before their marriage and I felt like it just needed...something more there I guess.  I enjoyed how Traverson stood up to Josephine in the end and didn't just welcome her back into his life when she realized the truth of her heart.  Overall, another wonderful novella from Jillian Eaton and I feel she did a good job tackling a sticky storyline.  It is a story of flaws and forgiveness, heartbreak and hope and most of all, a opposites attract love story.  We get just a teaser for the final novella in this quartet and it looks to be just as good as well!  Grab your ereader and settle in for a treat!  4 stars

Review copy provided by author, thank you!

The Wedded Women Quartet
Best enjoyed in order but can be read as stand alones
 
A Gentle Grace--exp pub in December