Scandal of the Summer Review | Pirates, Puppies, and Pining

“She was the ocean and the tides, the moon and all the comets.” – Scandal of the Summer byAlexandra Vasti

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Pirates, puppies, a princess, and some seriously swoon-worthy pining? Scandal of the Summer byAlexandra Vasti was every bit romantic as it was playful. Truly a perfect summer read!

Alexandra Vasti delivers a witty and fun Regency romance that will have you hooked from the very first line: “On the day Ruby Ballimore ruined her own life, she had ink stains on her gloves and was dressed like a sugared pineapple.” Yeah, I just HAD to know everything there was about Ruby after reading that opening line.

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What is Scandal of The Summer About?

Lady Ruby Ballimore has accidentally made herself the scandal of the summer season after exposing a collection of counterfeit statues in front of her elite. With her reputation (and her fathers) in ill whispers, her plan to escape to a vacant Princess estate feels like the perfect plan for her and her two best friends.

Of course, there’s just one tiny problem.

The estate has already been claimed by Captain Malcolm Archer and his crew of sailors, who are pretending to be servants. Both the men and women have their secrets, and neither group is willing to admit who they really are. What begins as battle of who-can-be-more-stubborn slowly and deliciously (to use Malcolms choice of words) turns into something so much more meaningful.

Scandal of The Summer by Alexandra Vasti Review

Like I said before, Ruby had me hooked instantly. With her endless knowledge and curiosity to her absolute zero interest in making herself smaller for the comfort of others, she was able to quickly see through lies and appearances. Most importantly, it’s what helps her discover where she truly belongs.

Because home is absolutely not the place she was raised in. When Ruby ever so casually exposes the fake statues and Gravesmuir says “And now we see why a little learning is a dangerous thing, don’t we my dear?” It was in that moment I was more than LOCKED in and knew exactly the kind of story I was about to read.

Alexandra Vasti didn’t spend the novel punishing Ruby for her intelligence, she celebrated it. Watching a Regency heroine embrace her love of learning instead of apologizing for it was deliciously refreshing.

Ruby is also very stubborn. When the men attepmt to run Ruby and her friends out of the house by basically starving them by only offering the worst of the worst meals and tea, Ruby refuses to break. Thus, the battle of stubbornness begins.

Why Scandal of The Summer is Better With Multiple POV’s

Just like Ruby, Captain Malcolm Archer is just as stubborn to keep up his facade. This gave the novel such a playful and comical atmosphere.

But then, there’s the romance…

What I love about this romance is that Alexandra Vasti gave us both POV’s. I think that was such a smart choice because Malcolm is literally a pirate, he survives through lies and deception.

With his POV, we the readers know what’s true and what’s a lie. Rather than questioning whether Malcolm is sincere, we know for certain he is absolutely and hopelessly gone for Ruby.

There was, in the end, one star that bound him fast-that held him steady at the wheel. His Ruby. His true north.

Scandal of the Summer byAlexandra Vasti

His love language is also one of my favorite parts of the novel.

As a pirate, Malcolm naturally sees the world through the sea, and the way he describes Ruby’s eyes becomes one of the book’s loveliest recurring images. By the end, those metaphors come full circle as Ruby becomes his true north, transforming the thing that once guided his life into the person who now does.

I don’t think Malcolm is just a great book boyfriend because he’s romantic. He’s a great book boyfriend because he never asks Ruby to become less herself. And we wouldn’t want Ruby any other way, as well.

Is Scandal of the Summer Worth Reading?

Scandal of the Summer was truly such a fun surprise. It’s funny and beautifully romantic. It’s filled with characters (both main and side characters) I genuinely loved.

Malcolm Archer is one intense yearner while Ruby is exactly the kind of clever, unapologetically herself heroine and together they make this story incredibly easy to fall into.

But, what I loved most about this book is that their love story isn’t just about falling in love, but rather it’s about discovering that the right people won’t ask you to be anyone but your authentic self.

If you’re looking for a historical romance filled with witty banter, puppies, a princess and a pirate who spends the entire novel hopelessly pining, I highly recommend adding Scandal of the Summer to your summer reading list!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and the publish for this ARC!