Review: The Treble with Men by Piper Sheldon (Scorned Women's Society #2)


Note: An advanced reader copy (ARC) was provided by the Smartypants Romance.

Piper Sheldon is back with the second novel in her highly entertaining and quite endearing Scorned Women's Society series! This author was new to me when I read the series starter, My Bare Lady, and I was thoroughly impressed with both Sheldon's writing and the introduction of this band of scorned women who were all once involved with Jethro Winston (Grin and Beard It, book two in the Winston Brothers series penned by Smartypants Romance owner and bestselling author Penny Reid). I've yet to have the pleasure of meeting this fictional group of siblings (not-so-fun-kinda-sorta-maybe-embarrassing fact: I have yet to read anything by Penny Reid), so I may have been a wee bit lost as to this group of the eldest Winston brother's exes, but I had a tad more clarity in this second book and was able to fully appreciate the romance of cellist Christine Day and conductor Devlin Jones, who may or may not be who they say they are. Got you curious, didn't I? I hope so because this book was a joy to read!

The Treble with Men is romance inspired by the literary, film, and stage musical classic that is The Phantom of the Opera, with Piper Sheldon stamping her own brand of creative genius on it. When Christine Day overhears the offer from the new conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of Knoxville--aka SOOK--she isn't quite sure what to make it. Why would the maestro want to work with her specifically on the newest composition for his showcase? After all, she was just the fourth chair in the orchestra, and he was, well, Devlin, nicknamed the Devil of the Symphony. With his masked appearance and barely speaking during rehearsals, calling Devlin "mysterious" would be an understatement, but the man piques Christine's curiosity in ways that both tempt and scare her. Her hometown of Green Valley may always remember her as Kim Dae and her history with one Winston brother, but she's learned her lesson and has left her past behind. She's about to learn that the past has a way of coming back.

I've read quite a few modern-day takes on the story originally penned by Gaston Leroux over a hundred and ten years ago, and majority of them have made the phantom--or whoever the character with something to hide, whether it be a physical thing or otherwise--the main love interest of the ingenue, aka the heroine. The same goes with Piper Sheldon's story, but her originality is what makes it a standout compared to the rest. I don't want to give what this author's creative touches were, but they enable this novel to stand on its own merits. Yes, it took its inspiration from an already well-known and well-loved tale, but Sheldon, by no means, made a replica. Her story of Christine and Devlin--or, alternatively, Kim and Erik--had me fascinated from the get-go, and at some point while reading it, I'd completely forgotten that this was the author's take on The Phantom of the Opera. I'm also happy to say that The Treble with Men can be read independently of any book in the Green Valley book universe. Five stars. ♥

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Read my reviews for the Scorned Women's Society series:


My Bare Lady (book one) - 4.5 stars - My Review

The Treble with Men (book two) - five stars - My Review (posted above)

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Date Read: 21 April 2020

Learn more about Piper Sheldon.

Purchase The Treble with Men on Amazon.

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