Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase

[meganbmoore]

Note:  Despite the length, all plot details are either on the back, or in the first few chapters, so I don't consider this spoilery beyond the one hidden bit.  Which is also in the first few chapters.

James Cordier is a spy for England in 1820, using his looks to seduce women suspected of being enemies of the crown. He knows that he’s expendable and can be easily replaced by another good looking guy willing to do all for king and country, and so he does his best to both get the job done without annoying his superiors, and to not get killed by his enemies. His latest mission is to go to Italy and seduce Francesca Bonnard, a woman who supposedly has letters that could prove her ex-husband a traitor, and reveal his entire network. Francesca, of course, isn’t about to give up the leverage she has on him, and has proved to be more than a bit recalcitrant when asked for the letters in the past. So James is sent to seduce them out of her. Insert romance novel game of cat-and-mouse. And since it’s Loretta Chase, you know it’ll be pretty good. Ignore that book with the blond haired, blue eyed Arab spy masquerading as a Frenchman. Every author is allowed a dud. Possibly, it was the result of a Gundam Wing induced fever dream.

Except, did you catch that one word? The “ex-husband” one? In 1820? There weren’t exactly that many reasons to end up divorced then, and not that many options open for divorcees. You see, five years ago Francesca had an affair to get revenge on her husband for his own affairs. In response, he saw to it that her father was driven out of England as a con-artist, and dragged her through the courts as an adulteress, destroying her reputation, before throwing her penniless into the streets. Normally in a romance novel, some kind friend or relation will come and pack the heroine off to the country, or she will change her name and become a companion to some elderly lady in the country. She will live in guilt and shame, fearful of her secret being discovered, until the hero comes along and his healing love brings her out of her shell, and she timidly goes out into the world, fearful of rejection.

Francesca? Moves to the continent and becomes a courtesan. A high class courtesan sought after by princes and dignitaries. She never feels shame for what he did to her, and never apologizes for who and what she is.

Cue the romance novel community going insane. A promiscuous heroine? Who feels no shame? Who actually likes sex? Who doesn’t need the hero’s approval? The most awful thing they’d ever heard of! The wank was amazing. People swear to never read Loretta Chase again. They say this is the most revolting plot they’ve ever heard of. They are appalled that she actually likes sex before meeting James, and that she isn’t ashamed of it. My favorite but, I think, was when they talked about how no well bred woman would become a courtesan if she had a choice, that being a divorcee was a bad thing that cut off options, etc. Basically, they didn’t even bother to read the book. Otherwise, they would have noted that that was rather the whole point: that her life was destroyed, and that the only option she had was that or starving. I’m sure they especially went ballistic when she had sex with another man after meeting, and even making out with James. Even worse, the other guy wasn’t revealed to be OMG EVIL BECAUSE ANYONE SHE LIKES AFTER MEETING THE HERO HAS TO BE!!! And that Francesca and James even helped matchmake him and her friend.

But Chase doesn’t stop there. She goes even a step farther. You see, the whole “spy who sleeps around a lot as part of his duties” bit is pretty popular with romance novels. He’s always angsty. Oh so very angsty. And noble and heroic and ohnononono…he isn’t a prostitute with the government as his pimp! Really! James? Is pragmatic, angst-lite, and well aware that a prostitute is exactly what we is, and nothing else. He wants out because he’s tired of it. In fact, he wants to go to England and dance at Almacks with dim little virgins hunting for a husband. He wants the life most romance novel heroes avoid like the plague.

Loretta Chase, as a general rule, is quietly subversive. She twists and bends romance novel tropes all over the place while working squarely within them. Here, she kicks them in the face. The “virgin or shame” rule? Torn into shreds. The “noble manslut for king and country” trope? Exposed as the shallow excuse (and pretty much lie) that it is.

The result? A book worlds better than most of its target audience will ever appreciate, because it exposes the problems with so many of its comfort zones, while presenting a hero and heroine who would mop the floor with all their “acceptable” and “proper” heroes and heroines. 
 

Comments

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Will definitely skip this one.

They both sound well-adjusted (unbelievably so, in fact, considering their professions) which is great for them, but for angst junkie like me? Means instant pass :)

[swanjun.livejournal.com]

... You've actually made me kind of want to read a romance novel. A rare feat, I assure you.

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

Your posts are bringing back so many memories for me. I used to love Loretta Chase's regencies. I'm glad she's still writing.

[danyellalot.livejournal.com]

This sounds really interesting, actually...

I hate when people are so quick to call a character a slut just because she's had sex before.

SPOILERS!!!

[estara.livejournal.com]

You know, if your description had been all I read in the book, I'd have kept it as a keeper, but I got annoyed in the long run, when Francesca shows occasional traces of being ashamed of her job, after all.
And one commenter somewhere said she couldn't see them as husband and wife in deep love for the rest of her life, but thought they'd make a great amour fou and eventually good friends after their desire had burned out (and I have to agree, I didn't get love vibes, I got major lust vibes from both of them).
I also thought the idea of enobling James at the end and having a pardon for Francesca and welcoming them back into London society was an unrealistic cop-out by Chase, it just wouldn't have happened with such a notorious courtesan as Francesca was purported to be.
In other words, if she had stuck to her guns completely, I WOULD have adored the book, this way I feel cheated and will pass it on to a friend of mine, maybe she'll like it better.

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

I loved this book and the reactions to it just showed how I don't understand the general romance reader community sometimes.

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I have been wanting to give Loretta Chase a second chance after the secret baby novel.

[keelieinblack.livejournal.com]

I liked this book an awful lot, with a few quibbles, and when I'd finished I kept thinking, "this is what's got so many people in a tizzy?" It's so weird to come at all that discussion about this book with the mindset of fandom, where pretty much anything goes--I keep forgetting how restrictive the moralities of some romance readers are.

Their loss, I guess. I really hope the furor over this book has been enough to draw in enough new readers to offset those who were so scandalized that they'll never touch another of Chase's books.

[artillie.livejournal.com]

I was tl;dring this post really hard until I saw the phrase "noble manslut for king and country." And then I looked it up on Amazon--none of the reviewers can bring themselves to type out the word "whore." That's hilarious.

I don't read romance novels--okay, yes I do, but only every once in a while--but I'll give this one a shot. Someday. You know, when the library actually has it. All right, I have it set to put it on hold for me as soon as it comes in. But I don't read romance novels. >_>

[irysangel.livejournal.com]

I really liked this book...except I felt it was watered down at certain points. Frex, she....

SPOILER
.
.
.
.
.
didn't really sleep with the other guy. It was just set up to look like she was. And then there's the whole "Oh my benefactor is secretly my dad."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
End Spoiler. I swear to Christ, I'm going to write a book with an unabashed courtesan at some point.

Overall, it was good. Francesca was a little too reluctant for my tastes, but the manwhore was awesome.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Because of your review, I just ordered this book.

Sexually active women in a historical who isn't ashamed? Hell yeah!

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I read this one and really, really liked it, for most of the reasons that you mentioned.

My favorite bit was at the end when Francesca and her corteasan friend where talking about the crazy lady and shaking their heads over how impractical she was, and also the bit when Our Hero is trying to get Francesca to marry him, and saying he'll put a lover in the marriage contract and then be such a good husband she wouldn't need one.

That said, I was kinda disappointed that her father turned out to be innocent - he came across as an ass to me, and I thought him being guilty really fit his personality.

So, which other books of hers would I enjoy?