A Beautiful story narrated by a gifted Narrator

In the Making of a Scandal Victoria Vale has given us a beautiful story about two people, a woman who is afraid of what others think of her because of her mixed race and a man whose father has pretty much told him for years since he is a third son he is useless.

Both suffering from what society thinks of them. Nick (Benedict) Burke, our hero thumbs his nose at his father who hasn't a good word to say about Nick. Our heroine Calliope Barrington, daughter of an Viscount, who is of mixed race. Her father had married an woman of Bengali royalty. Both playing games while under the watch of 1819 society in England.

This is a truly emotional story and narrator Darcy Stark, who is a truly gifted narrator gives us the voices of all the characters and brings home to the listener, that maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side. That maybe people of status don't have a life better than others. Life consists of more than money but of love, respect, caring and compassion.

Victoria Vale as always has through her skill with words a story that hits your heart and takes you on a journey with Nick and Calliope that is both erotic, emotional and heartwarming in the end.

Truly, worth every hour of your time while listening.

3 people found this helpful

A Tale of a Match Lighting a Dynamite Fuse...*

+++Some spoilers included+++

Dominic (Nic, H)
He is a man-whore of the best damn kind.
Gambler, hard-drinker, crack-shot...
Self-loather, lonely, & lost...
Sexier than sin...

Calliope (Ahni, h)
She is an innocent ice-queen, too damned reserved but understandably so.
Beautiful, Bengali, brilliant...
Self-doubter, lonely, & lost...
In desperate need of some sin in her life...

This story has it all: sexual tension, set-up co-conspirators (the h and her sis included), man-to-man competition, a father and son that never was (but should've been), a nosey ass, dangerous gossip hell bent on taking the whole operation to its knees... oh, and dare I add, sex scenes so hot even my Amazon Echo was warm to the touch by the end of the reading (revenge sex in a closet 👀🤯 oooohhhhweeee - burning up)!

I will say, the h pissed me off at different times during the story. There were opportunities for her to stand up for the H and herself but she allowed an inherently racist and judgemental society to almost cost her the one thing she needed more than any respectability would've ever provided. One last thing I'll add is about the epilogue... I REFUSE to believe Benedict and the London Gossip aren't going to burn up some pages in the near future. HE has to know HER! They had to have been lovers and when they meet again - they are going to set fire to the rain...I can FEEL it!! It's going DOWN (and not in some DMs and that's a FACT).

VV💋 is a master storyteller. Her characters are never one dimensional - always multifaceted. It's difficult not to relate to them, be pissed off at them, cry with them...this story draws you and makes you feel like you're watching a movie, I loved it! Darcy, my goodness, his voice makes St. Peter want to open the gate even though you know what Darcy's reading likely will damn you to the pit (but I'll follow this pied-piper wherever he leads). Bon Appetit!

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Finally, and just because I can, I have a whole playlist (soundtrack) for this book and the movie I could see it becoming (hey, if Julie Garwood could do it, so can VV)! If you have Amazon Music - give this list a go:

Adele - Rumor has it
Rag-n-Bone Man - Skin (BBC Live Version)
India Arie - Steady Love
Sam Hunt - House Party
Bonnie Rait - Something to Talk About
Tracy Chapman - Give Me One Reason
Janelle Monae - Make Me Feel
Taps - What Have I Done
Celine Dion - Lying Down
Sam Hunt - Body Like a Back Road
Ke$ha - Raising Hell
Marshmello + Kane Brown - One Thing Right
Kelly Clarkson - I Dare You

*The reviewer has received a ARC in exchange for fair, honest feedback.

3 people found this helpful

Erotic, enticing, romantic

Victoria Vale creates exciting characters whose stories capture you completely. Calliope and Nick are complex characters in a very romantic tale. I was enthralled from beginning to end. Be aware that there are many erotic and explicit scenes which make the tale better and in my opinion more real. As usual Darcy Starks delivery is flawless!

3 people found this helpful

Making of a Scandal

I sometimes get bored with series because they all too often have such similar story lines that they could be copies, not true with the Gentlemen Courtesans. Every story has unique characters and stories that I am still not bored and this is #4 if you include the prequel which I also read and loved. I love that the characters are unique and the way MS Vale tells the story makes me want to get to know them better. I can connect with them and sometimes even understand them. Tissues were necessary while reading this book but there were also times when I laughed too.

I absolutely loved Dominick he was flawed yes. Gambling is a huge problem even today and even though the author didn't go into it she didn't gloss over it either. Dominick is a Gentleman Courtesan because he lost everything and was cut off by his father. He however was enjoying the life of a courtesan and really had no desire to quit until Calliope and when he falls my god does he fall hard.

I liked Calliope but not as much as Dominick. I kinda understand her point but towards the end I also thought she brought it on herself.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something different in their historical romance beware this book is a little spicy so if thats not your thing, I'm sorry it's your loss.

Narrator is not my favorite but he did a wonderful job telling the story. I will definitely be listening to more in this series.

1 person found this helpful

Such an enjoyable and captivating storyline

I read this book and now listening to it with Darcy Stark was just a pleasure.
Miss. Calliope Barringer, daughter of a Viscount needs help attracting the attention of a certain gentleman. In comes The Honorable Dominick Burke a Gentleman Courtesan.
The storyline was a slow seduction from the very handsome Dominick with the beautiful Calliope! The attention to details are amazing. The narrative perfect and the characters were interesting.
In true Victoria Vale fashion the love scenes are sooo hot, and deliciously detailed!

More please

Another great work by my new favorite combo of Victoria Vale and Darcy Stark. Excellent writing and look forward to anything she does next. Especially with superb narration who is in a class on his own.

a lovely story

As the third son of an earl, the Honourable Mr. Dominick Burke has lived a life of luxury, up until his father, frustrated with his lavish spending habits, cut him off. Now to rebuild funds lost to his penchant for gambling, Nick earns his money as a courtesan, work he thoroughly enjoys. His desire for his latest keeper is immediate. Unfortunately for him, Miss Calliope Barrington only wishes for him to publicly court her in an attempt to catalyze her preferred suitor into proposing.

Dominick is more than up to the task, but the more time he spends with Calliope, the more he begins to develop real feelings for her. At the same time, Calliope's true intended groom begins to take notice of her as a marriage prospect and Dominick must gird himself for real competition. But Dominick's scandalous past threatens his present and future happiness and to win Calliope for good, he'll have to create an even greater scandal.

[I previously read this book and this narration from Darcy Stark just made it that much better; he's a fabulous narrator!] I really enjoyed this book and loved Dominick as a hero. His past does make him a hard sell, but he did so much growing and maturing over the course of this book and that was lovely to see. I really enjoyed the fact that Calliope was not the typical English rose and had to cope with issues most don't face. However, her behavior is the reason this is only 4 and not 5 stars for me. [This could get a bit spoilerish]. Her unwillingness to just listen to her heart and fight for what she wanted and knew would make her happy, all for the sake of pleasing others who she obviously knows care nothing for her, was problematic for me. She created many of the obstacles standing between her and Dominick in her own mind and would've been happy to condemn them both to misery if he hadn't stepped up, yet again. I would've liked to see more commitment and risk taking from Calliope rather than even more hurt for Dominick who has always had to struggle with feeling like an unwanted afterthought. Nonetheless, I still did very much enjoy this book and look forward to David's and Benedict's stories.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.