Cameron Chalton, Viscount Marwood is enjoying his privileged life, indulging his passions for fun, beautiful women, and the theatre.  His ego takes a slight beating when he finally meets noted playwright, Margaret “Maggie” Delamere, and she can’t get away from him quickly enough.  Used to women who long to be in his company, Cameron is all the more determined to win Maggie over.  Not only is she very attractive, but she’s penned some marvelous plays, and Cam is a serious fan of her work.  What Cam doesn’t know is that Maggie had a very painful experience with another aristocrat when she was younger, and is determined to avoid them at all costs.

Maggie has another issue – for the first time, she has writer’s block.  The pressure is on, as the theatre’s sponsors need to have her new work in a matter of weeks.  If she can’t produce, the theatre will have to close, putting herself and her actor friends out of work.  In a weak moment, Maggie confesses her problem to Cam.  To her surprise, Cam decides to support the theatre financially, and also offers Maggie access to his country estate, where she can write without all the distractions happening in the city.

Initially, Maggie came off as prickly and not very likeable.  Instead of confessing that she was having trouble writing, she let everyone believe that things were fine.  Her treatment of Cam, without even knowing him, was rude and abrupt.  For his part, Cam originally acted the part of the frivolous, shallow rake.  As we learn later, the injury Maggie suffered at the hands of another aristocratic lord when she was still in her teens was great indeed, and sheds light on her behavior.  Once Cam allows his real self to emerge, he’s quite a different person.  He has a serious love for the theatre, and respects Maggie and her work.  When he comes to visit the country estate, his company actually feeds Maggie’s muse, and she begins writing ferociously.

Away from the city and other distractions, Maggie and Cam begin to see each other in a new light.  They begin an affair, knowing that it’s doomed to be of short duration.  Once they’re back in the city, each must return to his own world.  This was a very original story, with an atypical heroine.  For their love to survive past this idyllic interlude, they will both have to be willing to spend part of their lives in the other’s world, and face the prejudice of those who scorn an aristocrat and a working class woman.  Eva Leigh’s Scandal Takes the Stage is an entertaining and compelling read.  I recommend it, and look forward to future books from her.