I read the first two chapters of Too Scandalous to Wed and shut the book because I hated the heroine. Two days later, I picked it back up, took a deep breath, decided to continue, and found myself pleasantly surprised.

Henrietta Ashby is the “son” her father never had. As the youngest of five daughters, she is the apple of his eye and treated as a favored son, to the point never being told no – or so it seems. Henry, as Henrietta is known to most, has one goal: To find a way to make Sebastian, Viscount Ravenswood, marry her.

Viscount Ravenswood also has one goal: To escape marriage to Henry. For the last eight years, Sebastian has avoided Henry at all costs because of her obvious infatuation and, now that she is twenty, he is sure she is going to bring scandal to the Ashby household, to which he is connected by marriage. To avoid scandal, Sebastian leaves for the Continent for an extended stay in hopes that Henry will find a husband in his absence.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and Henry is certainly desperate. While Sebastian is away, Henry secretly visits a famous retired courtesan to learn the art of seduction. When Sebastian returns to spend Christmas with the Ashby family, he realizes that the infatuated girl he once knew has disappeared and in her place is a very seductive woman. Despite his attraction to Henry, Sebastian can’t get close because he’s hiding a dark secret of his own. Once Henry learns Sebastian’s secret, she wants nothing more to do with him – yet she no longer has a choice in the matter. Sebastian then becomes the determined one and sets out to make the best of a bad situation.

Now, to be honest, Henry walks a fine line between spoiled brat and determined woman and Sebastian is your typical rake. Yet once his secret is out, he does his best to make amends. Henry knows what she wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Both characters realize their own flaws, the flaws that the other possesses, and they are able to get past that. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Henry’s father, who constantly refers to Henry as his “boy”. Benedict’s book is definitely character-driven and that, along with some great dialogue, is what I enjoyed most.

While I enjoyed the character development of this book, there were times when I felt a little more detail was warranted in other areas. For example, other than the scandal and its consequences, this is wallpaper history. Also, I’m not a fan of big age differences between the hero and the heroine and, if I did my math correctly (fingers crossed), there is a sixteen year age difference between the two. And, finally, in several instances the heroine acts without much regard as to how her actions will affect others, and that always annoys me. Yet, I couldn’t wait to see what she would do next.

While it’s not a meaty read, I certainly enjoyed Too Scandalous to Wed and would recommend it if you’re looking for a light read. I enjoy stories where the hero or heroine must work to make things right and I certainly found it in this one.