Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress by

Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel

Welcome also to Series Sunday!

This is the day that we get to talk about a book that was written in series. If you have been following along, you will know that we are wandering our way through Elizabeth Boyle’s Bachelor Chronicles. I’m not sure if I have a favorite book, but I certainly loved this one! As I’ve mentioned before, once I’ve finished the series, I’ll be giving away a bunch of books! Keep your eyes open for the giveaway in a few weeks.

Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress by Elizabeth Boyle
ISBN: 978-0-06-137324-4
Release: April 29, 2009
Publisher: Avon Historicals
Source: I purchased this book to read and review

What if all you have are the memories of a pirate…
…and the scandalous red dress that nearly brought you to ruin? Remembrances of the kisses he stole? Or his seductive, rakish smile as he charmed his way into your bed, stole your innocence and your heart? To proper and respectable Philippa, Lady Gossett such memories are best locked away. At least so she thought until a stranger arrives on her doorstep and offers her a chance to tempt fate once again… to tempt Dash back into her life and quite possibly into her bed…
But the man Pippin loved all those years ago, and the man she discovers are hardly the same. Captain Thomas Dashwell has a score to settle with the now widowed Lady Gossett, the vision in red who has haunted his life for so long—ever since that fateful night when she betrayed him and married another. She’s the one woman he’s vowed to hate until the end of his days… and the one woman he can never forget…

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Just thought I’d get this off my chest right up front!

Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress is another book in the Bachelor Chronicles series that Elizabeth Boyle has written, and I’m just catching up with now! This book tells Philippa’s story. We have had bits and pieces of Philippa’s story in various other books, but this one is dedicated to her and her soul mate, Captain Thomas Dashwell.

Back in her youth, Philippa fell in love with Captain Thomas Dashwell. She actually met him for the first time when she was a young girl. Tim moves on, and her beloved Dash is in prison for and sentenced to hang. Philippa, Thalia, her cousin and several other friends, hatch a plot to bust Dash out of prison. It works, and it allows Philippa to spend some “quality” time with him while they are waiting for the other part of the plan.

To avoid giving away any details, I’ll just say that this book starts 20+ years later and Philippa is now a widow with two grown children and she who she thinks is Dash again. A few hours later, Dash’s son convinces her to come with him as Dash is really sick and needs her help. She packs a bag and goes immediately only to find out that Dash is an alcoholic and in a bad way. What she doesn’t know, is that Dash’s son has meanwhile left a ransom note, making it look like she has been kidnapped – and Philippa’s son is the youngest captain to get his own ship in the Royal Navy. And he’s heading to get his mother!

I think that main thing that I loved about this book was the theme of true love lasting for a lifetime. Although something always got in the way of Dash and Philippa being together, they always loved one another. When they finally were at the point in their lives where they could be together, their love just glowed between them. The other thing that I loved about this story is that it is basically about a woman who has done her duty, raised her children, lost a husband, but is still sexy, still has the ability to carry off “The Scandalous Red Dress”. A nice change from most Regency romances that are about 20 somethings or younger finding the love of their life. Full of youthful enthusiasm for the future and looking forward to starting a young family.

I’ve now read quite a few books by Ms. Boyle, and I was certainly looking forward to reading this one. By the way, I’m reading them out of order! I have been looking forward to the end of Philippa and Dash’s story. Although I know I keep saying this, I think this one is my favorite so far!

The characters of Philipa and Dash are absolutely outstanding! They are separated constantly by circumstance, but two halves of a whole. Dash does what he does, always aware that he might run into Philipa, or creates opportunities to run into her. When they are parted just before she marries, something in Dash breaks. She saved his life, and the result of that was they were parted.

The younger generation were very well written also. Imagine walking into a room and meeting your father for the first time – and you know this, because you are the spitting image of him!! Funny, funny, funny!

I don’t want to chatter on anymore and give away any more details! Pick up a copy of this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Buy a copy of Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress (Bachelor Chronicles)