Once a Scoundrel

Harper Collins

Once a Scoundrel
Candice Hern
2003

The Summary
"When Anthony Morehouse wins The Ladies' Fashionable in a card game, he thinks it's a piece of furniture.  But he soon learns that it is actually a women's magazine.  He plans to sell it to the editor, but when he see the beautiful Edwina Parrish behind the desk, he changes his mind.  Edwina was his childhood Nemesis, besting him in many competitions and winning from him a family heirloom.  He's never forgotten it and so proposes another wager:  if she wins, he'll give her the magazine; if he wins, he keeps the magazine and gets his heirloom back."

The Good
After reading Once a Gentleman, I decided to look into the rest of the Ladies Fashionable Cabinet series by Candice Hern and, honestly, I can't say I was disappointed.  While I didn't feel the same connection to Edwina and Anthony as I did with Prudence and Nick, I enjoyed reading their story.

I love the way Candice Hern writes.  I like the realism and the attention to detail she affords all of her novels, and I fall in love with the story every time.  I always get that warm, fuzzy feeling when hero and heroine meet, realize they can't live without the other, and make the inevitable plunge into a real, lasting relationship.

Don't get me wrong, it has the predictability of most romance novels.  (I've mentioned this argument in the past, so I won't go into detail.)  However, I was always pleasantly surprised by how real the falling out between Anthony and Edwina felt.  Their argument is heart-wrenching, full of all the ugly and hateful things we are wont to say when our pride is stinging, when we want to lash out and bruise someone else's heart.

They react as anyone might when they're hurt by the person they love, which gives them a level of realism and depth that I find appealing.  Moreover, they're just enjoyable characters:  Edwina is a thoughtful, brave and outspoken woman with a mind of her own; Anthony is, at his core, an intelligent and kind fellow with a heart of gold.

They're good people, and I liked getting to know them.

The Bad
I enjoyed reading Once a Scoundrel.  I liked the characters, I liked the plot, I liked the historical details; however, I didn't like the unending competitions between Edwina and Anthony.  I mean, I understand they're competitive by nature.  They are, of course, going to clash over the various challenges they attempt to set for one another.

But I was quickly wearied by how Anthony made everything a competition.  He makes bets on everything:  racing horses, card games, boxing matches, and anything else that can bring a thrill to his gambler's heart.  He's especially intent on winning matches with Edwina, which, at first, is cute; however, as time goes on, I found myself annoyed by his inexhaustible betting.

The Ugly
Heartbreak.