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Knaves' Wager
"I need no further proof that you are despicable!" Lilith Davenant's sensibilities were appropriately offended. How dare the brazen Lord Julian Brandon kiss her when he knew full well the man she was to marry was in the next room! It mattered not that the cad was handsome, charming and witty...unlike the staid, auburn-haired young widow's fiance. Lilith's repute meant all. Never did she imagine the blackguard's amorous pursuit was the result of a wager to sully her flawless reputation. Nor did she dream that one day she would yearn for Julian's irresistible embrace-and that a reckless gamble would cause the notorious rake to lose his heart...just as Lilith discovered her own!
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
About the author
Loretta Chase
53 books3,534 followersLoretta Lynda Chekani was born in 1949, of Albanian ancestry. For her, the trouble started when she learned to write in first grade. Before then, she had been making up her own stories but now she knew how to write them down to share. In her teenage years, she continue to write letters, keep a journal, write poetry and even attempt the Great American Novel (still unfinished). She attended New England public schools, before she went off to college and earned an English degree from Clark University.
After graduation, she worked a variety of jobs at Clark including a part-time teaching post. She was also moonlighting as a video scriptwriter. It was there that she met a video producer who inspired her to write novels and marry him. Under her married name, Loretta Chase, has been publishing historical romance novels since 1987. Her books have won many awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA.
After graduation, she worked a variety of jobs at Clark including a part-time teaching post. She was also moonlighting as a video scriptwriter. It was there that she met a video producer who inspired her to write novels and marry him. Under her married name, Loretta Chase, has been publishing historical romance novels since 1987. Her books have won many awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
September 23, 2017
I love this book. It is probably more old-school HR- there is no sex scene as such. But the sexual tension, the passion and desire, these are all here in spades. There is also seduction, betrayal, remorse and forgiveness! And LC's writing is a treat, as always. This is a book where words and their meaning are important, and how they are used, even more so. I had tears in my eyes again (third time through for me, this time as an audiobook) and my heart ached for both hero and heroine, albeit for different reasons.
It is the story of Julian, the Marquess of Brandon, an initially unlikeable hero who lives only for pleasure. He spends his time in relentless hedonism in an effort to stave off boredom, knowing in his heart how desperately lonely and pointless his life is, but refusing steadfastly to acknowledge its emptiness. It is also the story of Lilith, a young widow of 28, who has suffered through a short but soul-destroying , self-esteem crushing marriage. She has renounced any hope of a love match and enters into an engagement that will give her financial security and thus the means to "bring out" her nieces, who are her ersatz children.
The eponymous wager is made when the Marquess makes a bet with a courtesan that he can seduce Lilith in 8 weeks. In return, the courtesan will relinquish her claim on Brandon's young (and rather dim) cousin, Robert. For most of the book, only he and the courtesan know of the wager.
From the first, Brandon is attracted to Lilith, recognising in her the challenge that has heretofore been missing in his numerous liaisons. But in planning her seduction, he brings about his own downfall, a downfall that includes some brutal self-realisation and, ultimately, deep shame. His calculated pursuit of Lilith is horrible. He knows every trick and manoeuvre, rattling her and making her excruciatingly aware of him.It is like watching a train crash in slow motion- you want to scream: Lilith, look out!
Lilith is a very strong, moral woman, and she furiously resists his advances. How sweet it was for me when his victory turns to ash! He realises he has not won, but lost- his heart, his peace of mind, but most of all, his self-respect. The endless jokes he makes about not having a conscience are supremely ironic. He discovers he does have a conscience and it is remorselessly flogging him. I never feel we know Brandon really well (we read nothing about his childhood or youth, or much about what he did in France for several years before returning to London. He is a bit of an enigma). Consequently, it took time for me to start to sympathise with him, and I wished I had more insight into his character. However, I truly felt his despair when he saw himself hoist in his own petard: His manipulative dishonesty comes back to bite him on the arse, big time!
A fortunate by-product of all the emotional torture he puts Lilith through is that it does shake her out of her frozen self-denial, encouraging her to want more from life than she initially thought she deserved. I loved that she went to him in the end, when he had given up (and I could see the road to self-destruction that lay ahead of him), and gave him another chance. And how humble and remorseful he was. He had tried to apologise and explain more than once before and she had (quite rightly) told him to shut up. I felt he had well and truly learned his lesson for his bad behaviour. This was a couple I could see being extraordinarily happy together- intellectual equals, mutually respectful and with a deep, mature love.
Oh, and the sub-plot with her niece was cute, too- Cecily was just as machiavellian as Brandon, and they recognised each other as kindred spirits. It was hilarious:)
Knave's Wager is firmly on my Favourites shelf.
It is the story of Julian, the Marquess of Brandon, an initially unlikeable hero who lives only for pleasure. He spends his time in relentless hedonism in an effort to stave off boredom, knowing in his heart how desperately lonely and pointless his life is, but refusing steadfastly to acknowledge its emptiness. It is also the story of Lilith, a young widow of 28, who has suffered through a short but soul-destroying , self-esteem crushing marriage. She has renounced any hope of a love match and enters into an engagement that will give her financial security and thus the means to "bring out" her nieces, who are her ersatz children.
The eponymous wager is made when the Marquess makes a bet with a courtesan that he can seduce Lilith in 8 weeks. In return, the courtesan will relinquish her claim on Brandon's young (and rather dim) cousin, Robert. For most of the book, only he and the courtesan know of the wager.
From the first, Brandon is attracted to Lilith, recognising in her the challenge that has heretofore been missing in his numerous liaisons. But in planning her seduction, he brings about his own downfall, a downfall that includes some brutal self-realisation and, ultimately, deep shame. His calculated pursuit of Lilith is horrible. He knows every trick and manoeuvre, rattling her and making her excruciatingly aware of him.It is like watching a train crash in slow motion- you want to scream: Lilith, look out!
Lilith is a very strong, moral woman, and she furiously resists his advances. How sweet it was for me when his victory turns to ash! He realises he has not won, but lost- his heart, his peace of mind, but most of all, his self-respect. The endless jokes he makes about not having a conscience are supremely ironic. He discovers he does have a conscience and it is remorselessly flogging him. I never feel we know Brandon really well (we read nothing about his childhood or youth, or much about what he did in France for several years before returning to London. He is a bit of an enigma). Consequently, it took time for me to start to sympathise with him, and I wished I had more insight into his character. However, I truly felt his despair when he saw himself hoist in his own petard: His manipulative dishonesty comes back to bite him on the arse, big time!
A fortunate by-product of all the emotional torture he puts Lilith through is that it does shake her out of her frozen self-denial, encouraging her to want more from life than she initially thought she deserved. I loved that she went to him in the end, when he had given up (and I could see the road to self-destruction that lay ahead of him), and gave him another chance. And how humble and remorseful he was. He had tried to apologise and explain more than once before and she had (quite rightly) told him to shut up. I felt he had well and truly learned his lesson for his bad behaviour. This was a couple I could see being extraordinarily happy together- intellectual equals, mutually respectful and with a deep, mature love.
Oh, and the sub-plot with her niece was cute, too- Cecily was just as machiavellian as Brandon, and they recognised each other as kindred spirits. It was hilarious:)
Knave's Wager is firmly on my Favourites shelf.
February 4, 2015
Okay so this is the 2nd best reform-the-rake/seduce-the-prude story EVER. This is an utterly fabulous, wonderful read full of what I think are L. Chase's great strengths: brilliant, hilarious dialogue; great, vivid characters you come to love and understand; truthful points of view; plausible conflict; crackling chemistry; and a story that develops organically without any lurching lapses in logic. Just effing brilliant.
I read this last night in one go. Could not put it down. This is Chase at the top of her game.
Full disclosure: I adore the wit, writing and characters in Lord of Scoundrels (IMO the BEST RtR/StP story EVER) and though I've enjoyed most of L. Chase's other books, I had stopped hoping anything would ever rival LOS for sheer brilliance and wonderful characters until I read this. Seriously. This was a stupendously fun read. Others have summarized the plot no doubt so I won't. Suffice it to say, the evolving chemistry was terrific, the emotions complicated, honest and non-angsty and the outcome hard won and satisfying. Every single sentence (perhaps I exaggerate, but not by much) is a delight, wry, whimsical and laugh out loud perfect. Now I have two love-to-death-reread-to-stupidity books. Happy, happy, joy, joy.
If you enjoyed LOS, you will, I promise you, have a wonderful time with this marquess and widow. He is as mad, bad and dangerous to know as they come and she is his equal, and in some ways, his better without ever being a finger-pointy twit. Loved her, loved him, loved the secondary couple, too.
It's chaste, no sex scenes but I did not miss it. The emotional intensity was all there without it.
2.20.13: Okay, so, I'm re-reading it already. I know. Pathetic but it's soooooo good. 'Nuf said.
BTW, the AUDIOBOOK of this is delightful!
I read this last night in one go. Could not put it down. This is Chase at the top of her game.
Full disclosure: I adore the wit, writing and characters in Lord of Scoundrels (IMO the BEST RtR/StP story EVER) and though I've enjoyed most of L. Chase's other books, I had stopped hoping anything would ever rival LOS for sheer brilliance and wonderful characters until I read this. Seriously. This was a stupendously fun read. Others have summarized the plot no doubt so I won't. Suffice it to say, the evolving chemistry was terrific, the emotions complicated, honest and non-angsty and the outcome hard won and satisfying. Every single sentence (perhaps I exaggerate, but not by much) is a delight, wry, whimsical and laugh out loud perfect. Now I have two love-to-death-reread-to-stupidity books. Happy, happy, joy, joy.
If you enjoyed LOS, you will, I promise you, have a wonderful time with this marquess and widow. He is as mad, bad and dangerous to know as they come and she is his equal, and in some ways, his better without ever being a finger-pointy twit. Loved her, loved him, loved the secondary couple, too.
It's chaste, no sex scenes but I did not miss it. The emotional intensity was all there without it.
2.20.13: Okay, so, I'm re-reading it already. I know. Pathetic but it's soooooo good. 'Nuf said.
BTW, the AUDIOBOOK of this is delightful!
September 20, 2017
He was spineless and dumb, and she had no pride. The OW won over all these dummies. It was a book of her triumph. There is but one Choderlos de Laclos and one Liaisons Dangereuses. These kinds of pale imitation are contemptible. What a waste of time :(
June 22, 2015
Happy to see older novels by Loretta Chase hitting the stands again. She is one of my favorite HR writers. Knave's Wager -- first published in 1990 -- is available in e-book format as well as audio. I decided to read the kindle book, rather than listening to an Audible download. The cost for the kindle book was only $2.99, versus about $13.99 for the Audible version. I had never listened to Stevie Zimmerman, and -- while her sample clip sounded fine -- I didn't want to spend a credit on an unknown narrator.
Good story. A rake reforms. An ice-berg melts. Engrossing. Heart-wrenching. Historically credible, with bits of trivia concerning Bonaparte (did he really try to commit suicide??).
Superb dialogue and delightful plot lines -- especially the scenes involving the debutant, Cecily. This minx stole the show -- perhaps too much, sometimes eclipsing even her Aunt Lilith, the lead heroine.
Kudos to the author for her ability to create vivid sexual and emotional tension without ever mentioning taboo feminine slurs or reproductive anatomy -- this is a clean romance, with only kisses and some caresses. Just a few mild swear words. No violence.
Up until about 75%, it was a solid hit. Even though Chase lost some minor points at the end, I still count this among the better HRs out there.
Quibbles:
Not sure about the portrayal of Julian. His characterization wobbled some, from dedicated spy to debauched rakehell to brotherly uncle, etc. I couldn't believe he made that wager in the first place, since he certainly didn't need to resort to it, and since Lilith had only recently played Good Samaritan to his wounded traveler. Also, while he didn't realize he was in love with Lilith, he slept around with actresses, I guess?? Unclear. His eventual remorse and heartache was not as thoroughly rich as I would have liked. (But it was almost rich enough!)
Towards the end, it fizzled for me a bit. About the time that Lilith set out on THE SEARCH with Julian, I was ready for some muck-deep groveling and major making up. Instead, it went wonky. Then, at the very end, too much wandering back and forth from the main couple (Julian and Lilith) to the secondary couple (Cecily and Robert). Also, too much talk at the end, not enough joyous loving (and I don't mean sexy times).
Still, a solid four-star regency! I really REALLY liked Lilith. Some reviewers felt she was cold. Na-ah. Very warm-hearted, but guarded. Courageous enough to take the plunge. Between Cecily and Lilith, the ladies outclassed the gents.
Got any more, Chase? Bring 'em on!
Similar older books I highly recommend: The Fortune Hunter by Diane Farr, These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer, and Lord of Scoundrels by Chase herself. Oh, and also The Rake by Putney.
Good story. A rake reforms. An ice-berg melts. Engrossing. Heart-wrenching. Historically credible, with bits of trivia concerning Bonaparte (did he really try to commit suicide??).
Superb dialogue and delightful plot lines -- especially the scenes involving the debutant, Cecily. This minx stole the show -- perhaps too much, sometimes eclipsing even her Aunt Lilith, the lead heroine.
Kudos to the author for her ability to create vivid sexual and emotional tension without ever mentioning taboo feminine slurs or reproductive anatomy -- this is a clean romance, with only kisses and some caresses. Just a few mild swear words. No violence.
Up until about 75%, it was a solid hit. Even though Chase lost some minor points at the end, I still count this among the better HRs out there.
Quibbles:
Not sure about the portrayal of Julian. His characterization wobbled some, from dedicated spy to debauched rakehell to brotherly uncle, etc. I couldn't believe he made that wager in the first place, since he certainly didn't need to resort to it, and since Lilith had only recently played Good Samaritan to his wounded traveler. Also, while he didn't realize he was in love with Lilith, he slept around with actresses, I guess?? Unclear. His eventual remorse and heartache was not as thoroughly rich as I would have liked. (But it was almost rich enough!)
Towards the end, it fizzled for me a bit. About the time that Lilith set out on THE SEARCH with Julian, I was ready for some muck-deep groveling and major making up. Instead, it went wonky. Then, at the very end, too much wandering back and forth from the main couple (Julian and Lilith) to the secondary couple (Cecily and Robert). Also, too much talk at the end, not enough joyous loving (and I don't mean sexy times).
Still, a solid four-star regency! I really REALLY liked Lilith. Some reviewers felt she was cold. Na-ah. Very warm-hearted, but guarded. Courageous enough to take the plunge. Between Cecily and Lilith, the ladies outclassed the gents.
Got any more, Chase? Bring 'em on!
Similar older books I highly recommend: The Fortune Hunter by Diane Farr, These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer, and Lord of Scoundrels by Chase herself. Oh, and also The Rake by Putney.
August 18, 2024
Review from 2014
B for narration / B+ for content.
Knaves’ Wager is one of Loretta Chase’s earlier titles, having originally been published in 1990. The author’s trademark wit and humour are much in evidence, the principal and secondary characters are strongly drawn, and the story features a sweet secondary romance as well as the very well-developed central one. The book also boasts one of her wittiest, sexiest heroes and lots of wonderful, battle-of-the-sexes banter.
Julian Wyndhurst, Marquess of Brandon has recently returned to London from the war-torn continent, having been summoned home to deal with a family emergency – which it turns out is his cousin Robert’s intention to marry his mistress of two years’ standing. Julian is not pleased at having been called back for such a paltry reason, but Robert has not only expressed his desire to marry his chère amie, he has committed his intentions to paper, which puts a completely different complexion on things.
Reluctantly, Julian confronts the young woman fully intending to buy her off, but she is made of sterner stuff and instead proposes a wager. If Julian can seduce the thoroughly proper and upstanding Mrs Davenant within the next eight weeks, she will bow out gracefully, return Robert’s letters and agree never to see him again.
Having already formed the intention of laying siege to the widow’s virtue, and fully cognisant of the effect upon women of his exceptional good looks and confident in his ability to charm the birds from the trees, Julian accepts.
Lilith Davenant is cool, composed and has the reputation of being an ice-queen. She is reserved, but is kind, thoughtful and generous to those who know her best, as well as possessing has a dry sense of humour that she rarely has the opportunity to exercise. Her late husband did not treat her well, and left her in straightened circumstances. Having no children of her own, Lilith has made it her mission to bring out her numerous nieces, but now her finances are dwindling to such an extent that she is forced to consider the idea of marrying again.
Julian, however, will have greater obstacles to overcome than his bad-boy reputation and Lilith’s sense of propriety, for she blames him for her husband’s demise. Even though Davenant was ill, Lilith believes his end was hastened by his association with Julian’s set, and the final indignity was that her husband died owing Julian a very large sum of money, which has caused the depletion of her finances.
Of course, Lilith can’t help but find herself reluctantly drawn to the gorgeous marquess, and of course, he can’t help falling for her and then being too stupid to recognise his feelings for what they really are. But even such a clichéd plotline can’t detract from the sheer joy to be found in this story. The chemistry between the leads is potent, and the author builds the sexual tension between them by slow degrees so that nothing feels rushed or forced. Julian and Lilith eventually manage to put their preconceptions aside and develop a genuine friendship in which they discover that they enjoy each other’s company and like each other as people as much as they are also attracted to each other.
Julian is one of the most delightful heroes I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in an historical romance. His studied irreverence is one of the highlights of the book; his humour is often too sophisticated to be understood by most of the ton , whose members are never quite sure whether to take him seriously or not. And when he meets someone who can not only understand him, but can give as good as she gets, it’s time to sit back and let the verbal jousting commence.
Stevie Zimmerman has a number of audiobook narrations to her credit, but this is the first time I have listened to her. She does a very good job with her characterisations and differentiation between them, and her narration is well-paced, expressive and very naturalistic in manner. There were a few moments where I felt that perhaps she had not quite caught the emotional thrust of a particular scene or speech, but they were very few and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. Ms Zimmerman sounds very youthful and her voice has a lightness about it which led to concern on my part as to whether she would be able to bring sufficient depth to her interpretation of the hero – but her portrayal of Julian proved to be more than satisfactory. She catches his insouciance very well and is especially good in the few serious moments in the latter part of the story when he finally admits the truth of his feelings for Lilith.
My big bug-bear with this audiobook, however, is the overall quality of the sound. I started listening to it just after I’d finished a review audio provided by one of the major audio publishers and my first reaction was one of shock at the background hum and tinny sound. I thought that perhaps it was just the abruptness of the contrast, but as I continued to listen, I realised the fault was not with my ears, and that the recording sounds treble-heavy. The background hum seems to be present only during the beginning and end credits, and once I’d got used to the fact that the sound quality in this is of a lower order than I’m used to, I was able to get past it and to enjoy the story and the narration. But this does seem to be an issue with some self-published audiobooks as this isn’t the only one I’ve listened to in which I have encountered similar problems.
I’m going to recommend Knave’s Wager on the strength of the story and the narration, which are both strong enough to enable the listener to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned with the sound quality. Once one becomes engaged in the warmth and wit of the story, it’s possible to set those Julian is one of the most delightful heroes I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in an historical romance. His studied irreverence is one of the highlights of the book; his humour is often too sophisticated to be understood by most of the ton , whose members are never quite sure whether to take him seriously or not. And when he meets someone who can not only understand him, but can give as good as she gets, it’s time to sit back and let the verbal jousting commence.
Stevie Zimmerman has a number of audiobook narrations to her credit, but this is the first time I have listened to her. She does a very good job with her characterisations and differentiation between them, and her narration is well-paced, expressive and very naturalistic in manner. There were a few moments where I felt that perhaps she had not quite caught the emotional thrust of a particular scene or speech, but they were very few and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. Ms Zimmerman sounds very youthful and her voice has a lightness about it which led to concern on my part as to whether she would be able to bring sufficient depth to her interpretation of the hero – but her portrayal of Julian proved to be more than satisfactory. She catches his insouciance very well and is especially good in the few serious moments in the latter part of the story when he finally admits the truth of his feelings for Lilith.
My big bug-bear with this audiobook, however, is the overall quality of the sound. I started listening to it just after I’d finished a review audio provided by one of the major audio publishers and my first reaction was one of shock at the background hum and tinny sound. I thought that perhaps it was just the abruptness of the contrast, but as I continued to listen, I realised the fault was not with my ears, and that the recording sounds treble-heavy. The background hum seems to be present only during the beginning and end credits, and once I’d got used to the fact that the sound quality in this is of a lower order than I’m used to, I was able to get past it and to enjoy the story and the narration. But this does seem to be an issue with some self-published audiobooks as this isn’t the only one I’ve listened to in which I have encountered similar problems.
I’m going to recommend Knave’s Wager on the strength of the story and the narration, which are both strong enough to enable the listener to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned with the sound quality. Once one becomes engaged in the warmth and wit of the story, it’s possible to set those Julian is one of the most delightful heroes I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in an historical romance. His studied irreverence is one of the highlights of the book; his humour is often too sophisticated to be understood by most of the ton , whose members are never quite sure whether to take him seriously or not. And when he meets someone who can not only understand him, but can give as good as she gets, it’s time to sit back and let the verbal jousting commence.
Stevie Zimmerman has a number of audiobook narrations to her credit, but this is the first time I have listened to her. She does a very good job with her characterisations and differentiation between them, and her narration is well-paced, expressive and very naturalistic in manner. There were a few moments where I felt that perhaps she had not quite caught the emotional thrust of a particular scene or speech, but they were very few and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. Ms Zimmerman sounds very youthful and her voice has a lightness about it which led to concern on my part as to whether she would be able to bring sufficient depth to her interpretation of the hero – but her portrayal of Julian proved to be more than satisfactory. She catches his insouciance very well and is especially good in the few serious moments in the latter part of the story when he finally admits the truth of his feelings for Lilith.
My big bug-bear with this audiobook, however, is the overall quality of the sound. I started listening to it just after I’d finished a review audio provided by one of the major audio publishers and my first reaction was one of shock at the background hum and tinny sound. I thought that perhaps it was just the abruptness of the contrast, but as I continued to listen, I realised the fault was not with my ears, and that the recording sounds treble-heavy. The background hum seems to be present only during the beginning and end credits, and once I’d got used to the fact that the sound quality in this is of a lower order than I’m used to, I was able to get past it and to enjoy the story and the narration. But this does seem to be an issue with some self-published audiobooks as this isn’t the only one I’ve listened to in which I have encountered similar problems.
I’m going to recommend Knave’s Wager on the strength of the story and the narration, which are both strong enough to enable the listener to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned with the sound quality. Once one becomes engaged in the warmth and wit of the story, it’s possible to set those concerns aside and enjoy listening to this truly wonderful romance by a master of the genre.
B for narration / B+ for content.
Knaves’ Wager is one of Loretta Chase’s earlier titles, having originally been published in 1990. The author’s trademark wit and humour are much in evidence, the principal and secondary characters are strongly drawn, and the story features a sweet secondary romance as well as the very well-developed central one. The book also boasts one of her wittiest, sexiest heroes and lots of wonderful, battle-of-the-sexes banter.
Julian Wyndhurst, Marquess of Brandon has recently returned to London from the war-torn continent, having been summoned home to deal with a family emergency – which it turns out is his cousin Robert’s intention to marry his mistress of two years’ standing. Julian is not pleased at having been called back for such a paltry reason, but Robert has not only expressed his desire to marry his chère amie, he has committed his intentions to paper, which puts a completely different complexion on things.
Reluctantly, Julian confronts the young woman fully intending to buy her off, but she is made of sterner stuff and instead proposes a wager. If Julian can seduce the thoroughly proper and upstanding Mrs Davenant within the next eight weeks, she will bow out gracefully, return Robert’s letters and agree never to see him again.
Having already formed the intention of laying siege to the widow’s virtue, and fully cognisant of the effect upon women of his exceptional good looks and confident in his ability to charm the birds from the trees, Julian accepts.
Lilith Davenant is cool, composed and has the reputation of being an ice-queen. She is reserved, but is kind, thoughtful and generous to those who know her best, as well as possessing has a dry sense of humour that she rarely has the opportunity to exercise. Her late husband did not treat her well, and left her in straightened circumstances. Having no children of her own, Lilith has made it her mission to bring out her numerous nieces, but now her finances are dwindling to such an extent that she is forced to consider the idea of marrying again.
Julian, however, will have greater obstacles to overcome than his bad-boy reputation and Lilith’s sense of propriety, for she blames him for her husband’s demise. Even though Davenant was ill, Lilith believes his end was hastened by his association with Julian’s set, and the final indignity was that her husband died owing Julian a very large sum of money, which has caused the depletion of her finances.
Of course, Lilith can’t help but find herself reluctantly drawn to the gorgeous marquess, and of course, he can’t help falling for her and then being too stupid to recognise his feelings for what they really are. But even such a clichéd plotline can’t detract from the sheer joy to be found in this story. The chemistry between the leads is potent, and the author builds the sexual tension between them by slow degrees so that nothing feels rushed or forced. Julian and Lilith eventually manage to put their preconceptions aside and develop a genuine friendship in which they discover that they enjoy each other’s company and like each other as people as much as they are also attracted to each other.
Julian is one of the most delightful heroes I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in an historical romance. His studied irreverence is one of the highlights of the book; his humour is often too sophisticated to be understood by most of the ton , whose members are never quite sure whether to take him seriously or not. And when he meets someone who can not only understand him, but can give as good as she gets, it’s time to sit back and let the verbal jousting commence.
“I do not understand,” she said, “how you can chatter incessantly while you waltz. Your lungs must be prodigious strong.”
“When I am flirting, I have the strength of ten men. You will not flirt back, but that cannot stop me. The habit is too deeply ingrained. I find a stunning woman in my arms, and I must flirt with her.”
“You have obviously confused me with some Incomparable. It is your lamentable eyesight, I daresay.”
“I hope not. You have no idea the inconvenience I was put to in order to get you in my arms so that I should be compelled to flirt with you.”
He saw the shadow of uneasiness flit across otherwise immobile features.
“You must not be alarmed for my health, Mrs. Davenant,” he said comfortingly. “I promise to make up for the exertion by lying abed very late tomorrow.”
Stevie Zimmerman has a number of audiobook narrations to her credit, but this is the first time I have listened to her. She does a very good job with her characterisations and differentiation between them, and her narration is well-paced, expressive and very naturalistic in manner. There were a few moments where I felt that perhaps she had not quite caught the emotional thrust of a particular scene or speech, but they were very few and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. Ms Zimmerman sounds very youthful and her voice has a lightness about it which led to concern on my part as to whether she would be able to bring sufficient depth to her interpretation of the hero – but her portrayal of Julian proved to be more than satisfactory. She catches his insouciance very well and is especially good in the few serious moments in the latter part of the story when he finally admits the truth of his feelings for Lilith.
My big bug-bear with this audiobook, however, is the overall quality of the sound. I started listening to it just after I’d finished a review audio provided by one of the major audio publishers and my first reaction was one of shock at the background hum and tinny sound. I thought that perhaps it was just the abruptness of the contrast, but as I continued to listen, I realised the fault was not with my ears, and that the recording sounds treble-heavy. The background hum seems to be present only during the beginning and end credits, and once I’d got used to the fact that the sound quality in this is of a lower order than I’m used to, I was able to get past it and to enjoy the story and the narration. But this does seem to be an issue with some self-published audiobooks as this isn’t the only one I’ve listened to in which I have encountered similar problems.
I’m going to recommend Knave’s Wager on the strength of the story and the narration, which are both strong enough to enable the listener to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned with the sound quality. Once one becomes engaged in the warmth and wit of the story, it’s possible to set those Julian is one of the most delightful heroes I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in an historical romance. His studied irreverence is one of the highlights of the book; his humour is often too sophisticated to be understood by most of the ton , whose members are never quite sure whether to take him seriously or not. And when he meets someone who can not only understand him, but can give as good as she gets, it’s time to sit back and let the verbal jousting commence.
“I do not understand,” she said, “how you can chatter incessantly while you waltz. Your lungs must be prodigious strong.”
“When I am flirting, I have the strength of ten men. You will not flirt back, but that cannot stop me. The habit is too deeply ingrained. I find a stunning woman in my arms, and I must flirt with her.”
“You have obviously confused me with some Incomparable. It is your lamentable eyesight, I daresay.”
“I hope not. You have no idea the inconvenience I was put to in order to get you in my arms so that I should be compelled to flirt with you.”
He saw the shadow of uneasiness flit across otherwise immobile features.
“You must not be alarmed for my health, Mrs. Davenant,” he said comfortingly. “I promise to make up for the exertion by lying abed very late tomorrow.”
Stevie Zimmerman has a number of audiobook narrations to her credit, but this is the first time I have listened to her. She does a very good job with her characterisations and differentiation between them, and her narration is well-paced, expressive and very naturalistic in manner. There were a few moments where I felt that perhaps she had not quite caught the emotional thrust of a particular scene or speech, but they were very few and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. Ms Zimmerman sounds very youthful and her voice has a lightness about it which led to concern on my part as to whether she would be able to bring sufficient depth to her interpretation of the hero – but her portrayal of Julian proved to be more than satisfactory. She catches his insouciance very well and is especially good in the few serious moments in the latter part of the story when he finally admits the truth of his feelings for Lilith.
My big bug-bear with this audiobook, however, is the overall quality of the sound. I started listening to it just after I’d finished a review audio provided by one of the major audio publishers and my first reaction was one of shock at the background hum and tinny sound. I thought that perhaps it was just the abruptness of the contrast, but as I continued to listen, I realised the fault was not with my ears, and that the recording sounds treble-heavy. The background hum seems to be present only during the beginning and end credits, and once I’d got used to the fact that the sound quality in this is of a lower order than I’m used to, I was able to get past it and to enjoy the story and the narration. But this does seem to be an issue with some self-published audiobooks as this isn’t the only one I’ve listened to in which I have encountered similar problems.
I’m going to recommend Knave’s Wager on the strength of the story and the narration, which are both strong enough to enable the listener to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned with the sound quality. Once one becomes engaged in the warmth and wit of the story, it’s possible to set those Julian is one of the most delightful heroes I’ve had the pleasure to encounter in an historical romance. His studied irreverence is one of the highlights of the book; his humour is often too sophisticated to be understood by most of the ton , whose members are never quite sure whether to take him seriously or not. And when he meets someone who can not only understand him, but can give as good as she gets, it’s time to sit back and let the verbal jousting commence.
“I do not understand,” she said, “how you can chatter incessantly while you waltz. Your lungs must be prodigious strong.”
“When I am flirting, I have the strength of ten men. You will not flirt back, but that cannot stop me. The habit is too deeply ingrained. I find a stunning woman in my arms, and I must flirt with her.”
“You have obviously confused me with some Incomparable. It is your lamentable eyesight, I daresay.”
“I hope not. You have no idea the inconvenience I was put to in order to get you in my arms so that I should be compelled to flirt with you.”
He saw the shadow of uneasiness flit across otherwise immobile features.
“You must not be alarmed for my health, Mrs. Davenant,” he said comfortingly. “I promise to make up for the exertion by lying abed very late tomorrow.”
Stevie Zimmerman has a number of audiobook narrations to her credit, but this is the first time I have listened to her. She does a very good job with her characterisations and differentiation between them, and her narration is well-paced, expressive and very naturalistic in manner. There were a few moments where I felt that perhaps she had not quite caught the emotional thrust of a particular scene or speech, but they were very few and did not detract from my enjoyment in any way. Ms Zimmerman sounds very youthful and her voice has a lightness about it which led to concern on my part as to whether she would be able to bring sufficient depth to her interpretation of the hero – but her portrayal of Julian proved to be more than satisfactory. She catches his insouciance very well and is especially good in the few serious moments in the latter part of the story when he finally admits the truth of his feelings for Lilith.
My big bug-bear with this audiobook, however, is the overall quality of the sound. I started listening to it just after I’d finished a review audio provided by one of the major audio publishers and my first reaction was one of shock at the background hum and tinny sound. I thought that perhaps it was just the abruptness of the contrast, but as I continued to listen, I realised the fault was not with my ears, and that the recording sounds treble-heavy. The background hum seems to be present only during the beginning and end credits, and once I’d got used to the fact that the sound quality in this is of a lower order than I’m used to, I was able to get past it and to enjoy the story and the narration. But this does seem to be an issue with some self-published audiobooks as this isn’t the only one I’ve listened to in which I have encountered similar problems.
I’m going to recommend Knave’s Wager on the strength of the story and the narration, which are both strong enough to enable the listener to overcome the issues I’ve mentioned with the sound quality. Once one becomes engaged in the warmth and wit of the story, it’s possible to set those concerns aside and enjoy listening to this truly wonderful romance by a master of the genre.
February 6, 2018
An older Loretta Chase – a mixed bag of sorts – but still it’s a winner for me. Actually I liked it better than the reviews suggested.
The h, a cool collected widow, is a forbidding figure who seems to terrify half of London with her ‘queenly reserve’ and demeanor. One look from her sends society matrons and grown up men scuttling for cover. Not so the H – a jaded indolent rake with no scruples that one can discern.
So while the h’s cold persona hides a lonely but warm loving person who goes beyond duty to help others and family alike, it’s what-you-see-is-what-you-get with the H! Even when helping out in a family circumstance, he agrees to do so as it only goes with his own plans.
*With Spoilers*
The h/H first meet when she rescues an unconscious H from a curricle accident and its only later she realizes that the thankless flirt is actually one of her dead husband’s group of dissipated friends who led him on to the path of depravity from which he never recovered. The H is intrigued by the ice queen and when he learns she’s gotten engaged to a staid gentleman- politician, he reasons she’s ripe for seduction.
The younger couple and their romance clashes/meshes with the main one and is actually the raison d'être for much of the deception on the H’s part. The H’s young cousin has thrown the whole family in a tizzy by stating his intention of marrying his French mistress. The H is called in as reinforcement and when he confronts the demimonde, she in a strange twist suggests that as she’s too weak an adversary for a lord, she’ll state her champion whom the H will have to ‘vanquish’ in order for her to comply – to give up the younger man and some incriminating love letters. So they set up a wager and she picks up the legendary ice queen (who’s quite unaware of how her virtue and reputation are being staked) who will have to be seduced by the H for a win. He agrees, as that was what he’d come to London for anyways. So two birds and all!
The chase begins and the h, initially disdainful and unyielding, melts slowly beneath his slow and sweet strategy.
Now to the standouts and the nitpicking …
The h’s niece – part of the younger couple – is perhaps the best part of the book. Sure to evoke a smile or chuckle with her forthright wit and smartness. Her bucolic wholesomeness hides a canny scheming mind and a lovely loving nature. I like her, as she’s the only one who truly understands and cares for her human island of an aunt. And the way she manages everyone, especially her beau, the oh-so-sophisticated but actually witless nephew of the H, is something to watch and learn.
Some reviewers have a big misgiving about the ‘ow’. I didn’t see her as the problem, but rather it’s her interactions with the H that is. For one, she’s not the ow in the strictest sense – rather she’s an angle in the secondary romance. She’s a woman looking out for her interests and I actually felt some admiration for her. Yes, the author did give her a lot of rein over the progress of the story – even in the hea, which I can see could have been done differently.
My one problem with the last meeting between the lady and the H (broken hearted and going away to Paris by now) was not how she manipulates him but
The H was a louse till the end. The kind who throws in the ‘love’ word as bribe or just a callous seduction routine.
He’s alluded to be having assignations with actresses so he’s definitely not celibate through the story. Even at the end, when the h goes to meet him late at night, he’s getting ready for a night out? So one does wonder at his chances of marital fidelity.
So what about his redemption? Some point out an absent grovel but I could see a transformation which even he himself was unaware of. He fell in love without realizing it. His increasing loss of nonchalance and good humor was one sign. He was changing but couldn’t quite fathom why or how. So he’s forgiven for that. But that Paris comment made me real mad!
And as for the h – the ice queen ruled for me. Even her remarkable niece couldn’t overshadow her. I just melted when I realized that all her quiet (and thankless) love and devotion to her nieces and nephews (by marriage) was actually a projection for her need for her own children. But what I felt was lacking was a little more foresight into her feelings and thoughts. There was a distance that existed between the reader and her as well.
The h, a cool collected widow, is a forbidding figure who seems to terrify half of London with her ‘queenly reserve’ and demeanor. One look from her sends society matrons and grown up men scuttling for cover. Not so the H – a jaded indolent rake with no scruples that one can discern.
So while the h’s cold persona hides a lonely but warm loving person who goes beyond duty to help others and family alike, it’s what-you-see-is-what-you-get with the H! Even when helping out in a family circumstance, he agrees to do so as it only goes with his own plans.
*With Spoilers*
The h/H first meet when she rescues an unconscious H from a curricle accident and its only later she realizes that the thankless flirt is actually one of her dead husband’s group of dissipated friends who led him on to the path of depravity from which he never recovered. The H is intrigued by the ice queen and when he learns she’s gotten engaged to a staid gentleman- politician, he reasons she’s ripe for seduction.
The younger couple and their romance clashes/meshes with the main one and is actually the raison d'être for much of the deception on the H’s part. The H’s young cousin has thrown the whole family in a tizzy by stating his intention of marrying his French mistress. The H is called in as reinforcement and when he confronts the demimonde, she in a strange twist suggests that as she’s too weak an adversary for a lord, she’ll state her champion whom the H will have to ‘vanquish’ in order for her to comply – to give up the younger man and some incriminating love letters. So they set up a wager and she picks up the legendary ice queen (who’s quite unaware of how her virtue and reputation are being staked) who will have to be seduced by the H for a win. He agrees, as that was what he’d come to London for anyways. So two birds and all!
The chase begins and the h, initially disdainful and unyielding, melts slowly beneath his slow and sweet strategy.
Now to the standouts and the nitpicking …
The h’s niece – part of the younger couple – is perhaps the best part of the book. Sure to evoke a smile or chuckle with her forthright wit and smartness. Her bucolic wholesomeness hides a canny scheming mind and a lovely loving nature. I like her, as she’s the only one who truly understands and cares for her human island of an aunt. And the way she manages everyone, especially her beau, the oh-so-sophisticated but actually witless nephew of the H, is something to watch and learn.
Some reviewers have a big misgiving about the ‘ow’. I didn’t see her as the problem, but rather it’s her interactions with the H that is. For one, she’s not the ow in the strictest sense – rather she’s an angle in the secondary romance. She’s a woman looking out for her interests and I actually felt some admiration for her. Yes, the author did give her a lot of rein over the progress of the story – even in the hea, which I can see could have been done differently.
My one problem with the last meeting between the lady and the H (broken hearted and going away to Paris by now) was not how she manipulates him but
The H was a louse till the end. The kind who throws in the ‘love’ word as bribe or just a callous seduction routine.
He’s alluded to be having assignations with actresses so he’s definitely not celibate through the story. Even at the end, when the h goes to meet him late at night, he’s getting ready for a night out? So one does wonder at his chances of marital fidelity.
So what about his redemption? Some point out an absent grovel but I could see a transformation which even he himself was unaware of. He fell in love without realizing it. His increasing loss of nonchalance and good humor was one sign. He was changing but couldn’t quite fathom why or how. So he’s forgiven for that. But that Paris comment made me real mad!
And as for the h – the ice queen ruled for me. Even her remarkable niece couldn’t overshadow her. I just melted when I realized that all her quiet (and thankless) love and devotion to her nieces and nephews (by marriage) was actually a projection for her need for her own children. But what I felt was lacking was a little more foresight into her feelings and thoughts. There was a distance that existed between the reader and her as well.
January 3, 2021
I was so pleasantly surprised by the freshness and relevance of this very early Chase novel. It's not as polished as her current books, but it's utterly entertaining. A part of me wishes that she would return to some of the ideas here in upcoming books, especially the hero as a cad -- and not the lovable screw-up rakes of her more recent novels -- but the true scoundrel that she captures so well in Brandon, her hero in Knave's Wager.
This novel has lots of trademark humor and requisite banter between the main couple but it also has some edge to it that I'm not accustomed to reading in more recent Chase fare, and I'm not complaining. Chase does tension and ambiguity quite well here. The dissolute cynic, Lord Brandon, has spent years wasting his privileged life away and to such an extent that he is physically ill from his misspent youth. Lilith Davenant too has wasted her life away, though as a complete opposite to Brandon in every way, she has devoted herself to being dutiful to authority. She was the exemplar of the dutiful daughter, the dutiful wife, and the dutiful aunt to a bevy of nieces in need of a chaperone as they come out in society. Now a widow after a brief but unhappy marriage, Lilith is so dutiful she is choking on the embers of a lifeless existence. And yet, for a good portion of the novel, she continues to be stuck in her role and cannot imagine a different kind of life. Enter Brandon, though we can't cheer for his arrival too much, however, because he's a cad and as such, he's up to no good. He finds the lovely but frozen and unreachable Lilith intriguing but it's not until he accepts a wager to seduce her that he discovers a purpose in life. Of course this is going to be a novel, a la Dangerous Liaisons, where Brandon falls in love much to his great surprise but is ultimately hindered by his deceit.
As much as I enjoyed Lilith's reluctant growing love for the charming rake who strangely seems to appear everywhere she goes, it's Brandon's fall that is so captivating in this book. His stratagems to entice Lilith into bed might win him the woman for a night but they are clearly going to be the cause of his downfall once Lilith discovers his deception. I won't give more away because the second half of the novel is worth reading to witness the fallout of all of Brandon's games. Contemporary Chase might wave many of these problems away, but early Chase did not. I do wish this book had been longer. It's also a "clean romance" and I think some sexy times would have made it better. By the end of the story, I completely believed in this couple and I really enjoyed how the book resolves the thorny obstacles.
As a side note, it features a wonderfully funny and scheming young niece who can play Brandon's games as well as he can. Her love affair with Brandon's young nephew plays as a bit of a mirror to Brandon's with the pure and innocent Lilith. I love when Brandon keeps realizing he's being played by a young girl as cunning as he is. I wish there was a book devoted to Cecily!
This novel has lots of trademark humor and requisite banter between the main couple but it also has some edge to it that I'm not accustomed to reading in more recent Chase fare, and I'm not complaining. Chase does tension and ambiguity quite well here. The dissolute cynic, Lord Brandon, has spent years wasting his privileged life away and to such an extent that he is physically ill from his misspent youth. Lilith Davenant too has wasted her life away, though as a complete opposite to Brandon in every way, she has devoted herself to being dutiful to authority. She was the exemplar of the dutiful daughter, the dutiful wife, and the dutiful aunt to a bevy of nieces in need of a chaperone as they come out in society. Now a widow after a brief but unhappy marriage, Lilith is so dutiful she is choking on the embers of a lifeless existence. And yet, for a good portion of the novel, she continues to be stuck in her role and cannot imagine a different kind of life. Enter Brandon, though we can't cheer for his arrival too much, however, because he's a cad and as such, he's up to no good. He finds the lovely but frozen and unreachable Lilith intriguing but it's not until he accepts a wager to seduce her that he discovers a purpose in life. Of course this is going to be a novel, a la Dangerous Liaisons, where Brandon falls in love much to his great surprise but is ultimately hindered by his deceit.
As much as I enjoyed Lilith's reluctant growing love for the charming rake who strangely seems to appear everywhere she goes, it's Brandon's fall that is so captivating in this book. His stratagems to entice Lilith into bed might win him the woman for a night but they are clearly going to be the cause of his downfall once Lilith discovers his deception. I won't give more away because the second half of the novel is worth reading to witness the fallout of all of Brandon's games. Contemporary Chase might wave many of these problems away, but early Chase did not. I do wish this book had been longer. It's also a "clean romance" and I think some sexy times would have made it better. By the end of the story, I completely believed in this couple and I really enjoyed how the book resolves the thorny obstacles.
As a side note, it features a wonderfully funny and scheming young niece who can play Brandon's games as well as he can. Her love affair with Brandon's young nephew plays as a bit of a mirror to Brandon's with the pure and innocent Lilith. I love when Brandon keeps realizing he's being played by a young girl as cunning as he is. I wish there was a book devoted to Cecily!
March 9, 2016
review found at: www.awesomebooknut.com
So this isn’t something I would normally read let alone review here on my blog since I mainly read young adult. However I enjoy a good break from my usual genre in order to read something else. This book was recommended to me by my mother-in-law who usually reads nothing but Newbury Award Winning books…so like middle grade or younger. Which says something about THIS book.
Originally written in 1990, this is your typical reform-the-rake/seduce-the-prude story. However shockingly this is clean! What I mean by that is there are no graphic sex scenes! *gasps* which is another reason why I’m reviewing it! Hey if I can find a good fun, relatively clean book outside my norm then hey! I might as well spread the word! Now, that being said I would still say this more for older audiences due to just the idea itself.
Lilith, a widow known for her complete and utter “coldness” of nature. Which in reality was pure discipline. She is regal, poise, and always in control of her thoughts, words, and emotions. Nothing escapes her without her consent. She is know as “the ice queen” for her rather cool and composed character. Yet she is kind, thoughtful and very generous. Due to her financial situation that her dead husband left her in she accepts the hand in marriage to a man who seeks nothing but a life in politics. And what better wife is there than someone as composed as Lilith.
Julian Wyndhurst, Marquess of Brandon bored, spoiled and a known scoundrel who is rich and who knows he’s good-looking. Julian lives to enjoy himself no matter how it affected others. A real rouge. In order to save his cousin from entering into matrimony with his mistress, he enters into a wager to see if he can seduce the impenetrable Lilith. If he succeeds this mistress will leave his cousin and life alone, but if he fails then Julian must not stand in the way of her happiness.
The wit and story telling was wonderfully paced. I enjoyed the slow moving and the slow thawing of this “ice-queen.” I loved Julian’s humor and way of doing things.
I really enjoyed the story and thought it was well written and completely. This is a romance novel with an actual storyline that does a great job without graphic sex! Now this is still a romance novel and will say there are plenty of sexual understanding.
Overall if you’re an adult and looking for a witty romance, check this out!
Sexual Content: moderate
Language: mild
Violence: mild
Drugs/Alcohol: mild
So this isn’t something I would normally read let alone review here on my blog since I mainly read young adult. However I enjoy a good break from my usual genre in order to read something else. This book was recommended to me by my mother-in-law who usually reads nothing but Newbury Award Winning books…so like middle grade or younger. Which says something about THIS book.
Originally written in 1990, this is your typical reform-the-rake/seduce-the-prude story. However shockingly this is clean! What I mean by that is there are no graphic sex scenes! *gasps* which is another reason why I’m reviewing it! Hey if I can find a good fun, relatively clean book outside my norm then hey! I might as well spread the word! Now, that being said I would still say this more for older audiences due to just the idea itself.
Lilith, a widow known for her complete and utter “coldness” of nature. Which in reality was pure discipline. She is regal, poise, and always in control of her thoughts, words, and emotions. Nothing escapes her without her consent. She is know as “the ice queen” for her rather cool and composed character. Yet she is kind, thoughtful and very generous. Due to her financial situation that her dead husband left her in she accepts the hand in marriage to a man who seeks nothing but a life in politics. And what better wife is there than someone as composed as Lilith.
Julian Wyndhurst, Marquess of Brandon bored, spoiled and a known scoundrel who is rich and who knows he’s good-looking. Julian lives to enjoy himself no matter how it affected others. A real rouge. In order to save his cousin from entering into matrimony with his mistress, he enters into a wager to see if he can seduce the impenetrable Lilith. If he succeeds this mistress will leave his cousin and life alone, but if he fails then Julian must not stand in the way of her happiness.
The wit and story telling was wonderfully paced. I enjoyed the slow moving and the slow thawing of this “ice-queen.” I loved Julian’s humor and way of doing things.
I really enjoyed the story and thought it was well written and completely. This is a romance novel with an actual storyline that does a great job without graphic sex! Now this is still a romance novel and will say there are plenty of sexual understanding.
Overall if you’re an adult and looking for a witty romance, check this out!
Sexual Content: moderate
Language: mild
Violence: mild
Drugs/Alcohol: mild
July 25, 2015
The hero's an asshole and totally beyond redemption. The heroine has feather for brains. Put them together and you have an illicit affair (the heroine is engaged to another). Oh God. Why did I ever read this book?
January 4, 2021
A rare reread from me, because I needed something proven. This was one of my first LC's and although it is still highly enjoyable, I've reduced the rating from the initial 5 stars down to 4. The dialogue is still superb and very funny, especially the hero's utterances are quite outrageously hilarious at times, and I can understand how this rakish man can be quite hard to resist.
The heroine is a dignified and highly respected widowed lady chaperoning her latest charge in her first Season - another of a line of nieces that she has sponsored. Her husband was a debauched unkind man, who treated his young infatuated bride with disdain and inconsideration. Consequentially, Lilith does her best to try to save her young female relatives from loveless marriages. However, her funds are running out thanks to ongoing repayments of debts incurred by her irresponsible wastrel of a husband and so she has agreed to marry her long-term suitor - a benign man whose passion is only raised by politics. He is a comfortable and safe choice, a financially secure man who is not inclined to intrude too much on her life. She didn't count on her plans being derailed by Julian, the Marquess of Brandon.
Julian has recently returned back to London following several years abroad. He has been requested to sort out his young cousin, who fancies himself in love with his mistress to the utter horror of the family. In order to prevent the scheming demi-mondaine from trapping the naive Robert in marriage, Julian enters a wager with the observant and blackmailing woman - seduce Lilith within 8 weeks and she will relinquish her grasp on the young man. Julian's prurient interest in Lilith was already raised after she saved his undeserving hide from near death. Lilith, however, has no intention to further his acquaintance, because Julian was part of her husband's unsavoury crowd and a painful reminder of her unhappy marriage. He cajoles and charms. She coolly deflects. Meanwhile her niece and his cousin make friendly.
The book was adorable up to the 75 % mark. A couple of things started to bother me at this stage. That said, LC's writing is undeniably stupendous and highly enjoyable.
Lilith was too painfully conscious of a dove-grey wool-encased knee three inches from her own to formulate any opinions, let alone give voice to them. The knee was giving her a headache.
It was a curious circumstance that the loss of two passengers rendered the vehicle more confined than it had been, as though the masculine presence opposite Lilith possessed the power to expand to fill all available space.
“I hate you! I hate you!” she cried. “How could you say those things to me? How could you be so unfair, so unkind, Julian? What had I ever done to be used so? How could you talk of love to me, and then laugh with that woman — at me, at the fool I was? How could you?”
He caught her in his arms and pressed her tense, stiff body close, “Not a fool, my love,” he said. “Never that. Ah, if you only knew how that woman has laughed at me. But never you, my beautiful girl. She knew you’d break my heart.”
“You haven’t got a heart,” she returned in a watery voice. “Or a conscience... or morals —”
“Then it was only indigestion,” he said gently. “That’s why I can’t sleep or eat. That’s why I can’t bear to speak to anyone. That’s why my staff is half terrified to death.”
“It was only your pride that was hurt. Because you lost your wager.”
“That was all? My pride?”
“Yes.” She stirred a bit. “And indigestion.”
The heroine is a dignified and highly respected widowed lady chaperoning her latest charge in her first Season - another of a line of nieces that she has sponsored. Her husband was a debauched unkind man, who treated his young infatuated bride with disdain and inconsideration. Consequentially, Lilith does her best to try to save her young female relatives from loveless marriages. However, her funds are running out thanks to ongoing repayments of debts incurred by her irresponsible wastrel of a husband and so she has agreed to marry her long-term suitor - a benign man whose passion is only raised by politics. He is a comfortable and safe choice, a financially secure man who is not inclined to intrude too much on her life. She didn't count on her plans being derailed by Julian, the Marquess of Brandon.
Julian has recently returned back to London following several years abroad. He has been requested to sort out his young cousin, who fancies himself in love with his mistress to the utter horror of the family. In order to prevent the scheming demi-mondaine from trapping the naive Robert in marriage, Julian enters a wager with the observant and blackmailing woman - seduce Lilith within 8 weeks and she will relinquish her grasp on the young man. Julian's prurient interest in Lilith was already raised after she saved his undeserving hide from near death. Lilith, however, has no intention to further his acquaintance, because Julian was part of her husband's unsavoury crowd and a painful reminder of her unhappy marriage. He cajoles and charms. She coolly deflects. Meanwhile her niece and his cousin make friendly.
The book was adorable up to the 75 % mark. A couple of things started to bother me at this stage. That said, LC's writing is undeniably stupendous and highly enjoyable.
Lilith was too painfully conscious of a dove-grey wool-encased knee three inches from her own to formulate any opinions, let alone give voice to them. The knee was giving her a headache.
It was a curious circumstance that the loss of two passengers rendered the vehicle more confined than it had been, as though the masculine presence opposite Lilith possessed the power to expand to fill all available space.
“I hate you! I hate you!” she cried. “How could you say those things to me? How could you be so unfair, so unkind, Julian? What had I ever done to be used so? How could you talk of love to me, and then laugh with that woman — at me, at the fool I was? How could you?”
He caught her in his arms and pressed her tense, stiff body close, “Not a fool, my love,” he said. “Never that. Ah, if you only knew how that woman has laughed at me. But never you, my beautiful girl. She knew you’d break my heart.”
“You haven’t got a heart,” she returned in a watery voice. “Or a conscience... or morals —”
“Then it was only indigestion,” he said gently. “That’s why I can’t sleep or eat. That’s why I can’t bear to speak to anyone. That’s why my staff is half terrified to death.”
“It was only your pride that was hurt. Because you lost your wager.”
“That was all? My pride?”
“Yes.” She stirred a bit. “And indigestion.”
January 7, 2022
The "elders": Lilith/ Julian and the "children" Cecily/Robert's love stories. This is so well written that even things that normally I can not stand in a book I found myself overlooking and reading on to find out what was going to happen next. (Examples: Robert having and going to his mistress even as he was falling in love with Cecily, Julian wanting Lilith to be his mistress and Lilith being engaged far too long to another man in the story.) I really enjoyed the dialogue in this one.
Reread January 2020. This one is different. Its more about the layers than a hea. Though the hea is there for both of the couples.
Julian wants the widow Lilith as his mistress for most of the story, but clearly is in love with her. Lilith is engaged to another guy for most of the story, but clearly is not in love with Thomas. She falls in love with Julian. Lilith's self esteem is also low due to a stinker of a first husband and self imposed self doubt about her worth due to her mom and step dad leaving her as a child and not coming back. Julian helps her gain a better self esteem throughout the story. Therefore, Lilith starts dressing better, decides not to settle for Thomas, and finds out that her mom did care for her.
Cecily is a master manipulator, but in a good way. I thought it amusing that only Julian could see right through her (usually) and other would just look into her innocent blue eyes. Ha! Poor Robert did not have a chance. Also, the wager was between Julian and Robert's mistress.
Reread January 2020. This one is different. Its more about the layers than a hea. Though the hea is there for both of the couples.
Julian wants the widow Lilith as his mistress for most of the story, but clearly is in love with her. Lilith is engaged to another guy for most of the story, but clearly is not in love with Thomas. She falls in love with Julian. Lilith's self esteem is also low due to a stinker of a first husband and self imposed self doubt about her worth due to her mom and step dad leaving her as a child and not coming back. Julian helps her gain a better self esteem throughout the story. Therefore, Lilith starts dressing better, decides not to settle for Thomas, and finds out that her mom did care for her.
Cecily is a master manipulator, but in a good way. I thought it amusing that only Julian could see right through her (usually) and other would just look into her innocent blue eyes. Ha! Poor Robert did not have a chance. Also, the wager was between Julian and Robert's mistress.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2017
3.25 stars
May 20, 2022
England 1814. Gave this 2 stars.
This story had 2 romances----
1) Julian & Lilith
2) Cecily & a young man.
We discovered Julian was very handsome & liked the
thrill of the hunt for a woman. Lilith, a widow, acted
lifeless until about 2/3 into the story. She got engaged
to Sir Thomas, to gain financial security. He had
political aspirations and mostly abandoned the h on
social outings, in order to wheel & deal. It seemed
against Lili's righteous nature to allow Julian to kiss
her, while having Thomas as her intended.
Lili had niece Cecily as a house guest, hosted her
coming out party and introduced her to appropriate
men. The hero helped his younger male cousin
resolve a thorny problem? In the process, the hero
made an ill-advised choice.
Julian effortlessly flirted, charmed and told lies. One
character explained Julian could make love to one
woman at 10 & another at 12. Spot on. Julian used
the old stand-by: he offered to make gently bred
Lili his mistress. Please!
I did not like either of the MCs. Ms.Chase has written
superior books to this one.
This story had 2 romances----
1) Julian & Lilith
2) Cecily & a young man.
We discovered Julian was very handsome & liked the
thrill of the hunt for a woman. Lilith, a widow, acted
lifeless until about 2/3 into the story. She got engaged
to Sir Thomas, to gain financial security. He had
political aspirations and mostly abandoned the h on
social outings, in order to wheel & deal. It seemed
against Lili's righteous nature to allow Julian to kiss
her, while having Thomas as her intended.
Lili had niece Cecily as a house guest, hosted her
coming out party and introduced her to appropriate
men. The hero helped his younger male cousin
resolve a thorny problem? In the process, the hero
made an ill-advised choice.
Julian effortlessly flirted, charmed and told lies. One
character explained Julian could make love to one
woman at 10 & another at 12. Spot on. Julian used
the old stand-by: he offered to make gently bred
Lili his mistress. Please!
I did not like either of the MCs. Ms.Chase has written
superior books to this one.
July 10, 2016
Another guilty pleasure trope - the bet. Usually made by a conceded, rakish type. I love that moment of discovery, the betrayal! I'll admit that's cheesy of me, but this one was so very well done - I should be forgiven. My most favorite character was the MC's niece, she was delightfully clever.
5 fluffy feel-good stars.
5 fluffy feel-good stars.
January 31, 2013
This is an older Chase. A chaste Chase, you might say. But it's full of her delightful repartee and compelling characters. Thoroughly enjoyable.
March 12, 2015
Huge 5 stars...
One of the best historical romance books that I've read. I loved it!
One of the best historical romance books that I've read. I loved it!
August 7, 2013
3.5
Loretta Chase only has a handful of clean regencies and this is one of the few. I wish all her books were clean because the couple I have read have been well written and fun. I thought Knave’s Wager had a lot of charming moments, the chemistry and banter between Lilith and Julian was great. Lilith does comes across pretty cold throughout the book, but when we get things from her perspective and when she is with Julian we get to see a softer side. She has learned how to control her emotions well and puts on a calm face no matter what is going on around her. I liked that she has high standards and wants to have a good reputation. I like that she doesn’t give in to peer pressure and stays true to who she is.
Julian sees through her cold exterior and sees the caring women inside. There is an instant attraction between them, but Julian being the rake that he is does not recognize his true feelings until it is almost too late. There are times were I really like Julian, but there is just a bit too much worldliness about him that was a turn off for me. He is your typical regency rake. He is blackmailed into a wager where he has eight weeks to seduce Lilith. He loves the challenge and does everything he can to win Lilith over. I could probably give a few examples, but I’ll stick with this one, since it probably annoyed me the most.
Overall, I liked this one. I thought it was well written and the characters were fun. Especially Cecily (I think that he is her name), Lilith’s niece. She was a clever little minx, and while I think she could have done much better in a suitor, she was a fun character.
Content: Clean. Talk of mistresses and worldly views on intimacies.
Loretta Chase only has a handful of clean regencies and this is one of the few. I wish all her books were clean because the couple I have read have been well written and fun. I thought Knave’s Wager had a lot of charming moments, the chemistry and banter between Lilith and Julian was great. Lilith does comes across pretty cold throughout the book, but when we get things from her perspective and when she is with Julian we get to see a softer side. She has learned how to control her emotions well and puts on a calm face no matter what is going on around her. I liked that she has high standards and wants to have a good reputation. I like that she doesn’t give in to peer pressure and stays true to who she is.
Julian sees through her cold exterior and sees the caring women inside. There is an instant attraction between them, but Julian being the rake that he is does not recognize his true feelings until it is almost too late. There are times were I really like Julian, but there is just a bit too much worldliness about him that was a turn off for me. He is your typical regency rake. He is blackmailed into a wager where he has eight weeks to seduce Lilith. He loves the challenge and does everything he can to win Lilith over. I could probably give a few examples, but I’ll stick with this one, since it probably annoyed me the most.
Overall, I liked this one. I thought it was well written and the characters were fun. Especially Cecily (I think that he is her name), Lilith’s niece. She was a clever little minx, and while I think she could have done much better in a suitor, she was a fun character.
Content: Clean. Talk of mistresses and worldly views on intimacies.
January 29, 2013
The knave in question is Julian, Marquess of Brandon. He got the rep by accidentally killing a wronged husband in a duel. He’s lived mostly on the Continent since, but he’s back in England now.
The wager is between him and his idiot cousin Robert’s French mistress Elise. Rob was stupid enough to write love letters, promising marriage to this woman, and Elise intends to hold him to it. Julian threatens Elise, so she challenges him. If he can seduce the famously icy widow, Lillith Davenport, within eight weeks, Elise will give him the letters and leave Rob alone. If he can’t then he’ll back off and let Rob and Elise marry as planned.
Lillith, meanwhile, has reluctantly accepted a proposal of marriage to Lord Bexley. Her first marriage was miserable—her hubby was a dissolute gambler and whoremongerer, and when he did do his duty by her he made clear that he much preferred his floozies, making Lillith feel ugly and undesirable. She hadn’t planned to marry again, but one of her husband’s old cronies, a Marquess of Brandon, called in a debt she didn’t know her late husband had left, and she’s strapped for cash. So she’ll grit her teeth and bear marriage—she's done it before.
Shortly after she’s betrothed, Brandon cancels the debt, but Lillith won’t have it. She blames him for her hubby’s demise—well, not really for his death, since nobody can be blamed for consumption—but for the fact that he encouraged her hubby’s debauchery when he was ill, probably hastening his death, and assuring that he would not come home to her before he did. Then the plonker didn’t even bother to come to the funeral. She has no need of this creep’s kindness.
Yup, Julian has his work cut out for him. And to his surprise, it turns out that under all the starch and hauteur, the ice queen has a whole other side…
Chase does a nice job of building a “seduction wager” story where the knave is enough of a putz to make the bet, but you still actually want him to get the girl. And Lillith, despite being carefully emotionless and oh-so-proper for a good bit of the story, has a heart under all that permafrost.
Also—and I know this will be a minus for some, but not for me—there are no gratuitous sex scenes. I gag a little on self-consciously “sweet” romance; I like these books to include some passionate moments. But I can’t tell you how much I hate it when the flow of a story is interrupted for a scene that does nothing to further the plot—or worse, when the author wedges a sex scene in a spot where it really doesn't make sense, just to spice up an otherwise monotonous segment. If it’s a good story it doesn’t need that. This one’s a good story. So four stars.
The wager is between him and his idiot cousin Robert’s French mistress Elise. Rob was stupid enough to write love letters, promising marriage to this woman, and Elise intends to hold him to it. Julian threatens Elise, so she challenges him. If he can seduce the famously icy widow, Lillith Davenport, within eight weeks, Elise will give him the letters and leave Rob alone. If he can’t then he’ll back off and let Rob and Elise marry as planned.
Lillith, meanwhile, has reluctantly accepted a proposal of marriage to Lord Bexley. Her first marriage was miserable—her hubby was a dissolute gambler and whoremongerer, and when he did do his duty by her he made clear that he much preferred his floozies, making Lillith feel ugly and undesirable. She hadn’t planned to marry again, but one of her husband’s old cronies, a Marquess of Brandon, called in a debt she didn’t know her late husband had left, and she’s strapped for cash. So she’ll grit her teeth and bear marriage—she's done it before.
Shortly after she’s betrothed, Brandon cancels the debt, but Lillith won’t have it. She blames him for her hubby’s demise—well, not really for his death, since nobody can be blamed for consumption—but for the fact that he encouraged her hubby’s debauchery when he was ill, probably hastening his death, and assuring that he would not come home to her before he did. Then the plonker didn’t even bother to come to the funeral. She has no need of this creep’s kindness.
Yup, Julian has his work cut out for him. And to his surprise, it turns out that under all the starch and hauteur, the ice queen has a whole other side…
Chase does a nice job of building a “seduction wager” story where the knave is enough of a putz to make the bet, but you still actually want him to get the girl. And Lillith, despite being carefully emotionless and oh-so-proper for a good bit of the story, has a heart under all that permafrost.
Also—and I know this will be a minus for some, but not for me—there are no gratuitous sex scenes. I gag a little on self-consciously “sweet” romance; I like these books to include some passionate moments. But I can’t tell you how much I hate it when the flow of a story is interrupted for a scene that does nothing to further the plot—or worse, when the author wedges a sex scene in a spot where it really doesn't make sense, just to spice up an otherwise monotonous segment. If it’s a good story it doesn’t need that. This one’s a good story. So four stars.
November 18, 2013
4.5 stars
Lilith Davenant, a widow at 28 years of age, is thought to be an ice queen. Appearing emotionless, no one is aware of her unhappy past. "According to some wags, Mrs. Davenant bore such a stunning resemblance to a marble statue that it was a wonder she had a pulse."
At the opening of KNAVES' WAGER, Lilith is slowly running out of monies to live on. Her deceased husband left her in debt and she had been using what she had to fund her nieces' seasons. Lilith first met Julian, the Marquess of Brandon, when she tended to him after an accident. Unaware of who he is, they part soon afterward.
Julian was a bored, spoiled scoundrel. Rich and good-looking, he lived to enjoy himself no matter how it affected others. His saving grace is that he had a kind heart toward his cousin, Lord Robert. Julian wagered with his cousin's mistress that he could seduce Lilith and he had his reasons for doing this.
Lilith learned that the man she saved is none other than the person who led her husband on days and nights of 'debauchery'. And he is the person she is in debt to. She despised him.
The story was both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. There are several plots with secondary characters that helped to drive this romance. Julian's and Lilith's relationship starts out slow but it continued to grow. Julian recognized in Lilith the woman she hid: a lady who was interesting, funny and sensuous.
KNAVES' WAGER contained some delicious word-play. And Julian finally earned his 'just reward': he fell in love. Not quite five stars, the hardback edition I read had numerous grammatical mistakes. I borrowed it from the public library and I thought it was just me until I saw that some previous readers performed a no-no: they corrected errors in the book. At least it wasn't just me! Still, this was a lovely romance and if I could find a copy I would keep it.
Lilith Davenant, a widow at 28 years of age, is thought to be an ice queen. Appearing emotionless, no one is aware of her unhappy past. "According to some wags, Mrs. Davenant bore such a stunning resemblance to a marble statue that it was a wonder she had a pulse."
At the opening of KNAVES' WAGER, Lilith is slowly running out of monies to live on. Her deceased husband left her in debt and she had been using what she had to fund her nieces' seasons. Lilith first met Julian, the Marquess of Brandon, when she tended to him after an accident. Unaware of who he is, they part soon afterward.
Julian was a bored, spoiled scoundrel. Rich and good-looking, he lived to enjoy himself no matter how it affected others. His saving grace is that he had a kind heart toward his cousin, Lord Robert. Julian wagered with his cousin's mistress that he could seduce Lilith and he had his reasons for doing this.
Lilith learned that the man she saved is none other than the person who led her husband on days and nights of 'debauchery'. And he is the person she is in debt to. She despised him.
The story was both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. There are several plots with secondary characters that helped to drive this romance. Julian's and Lilith's relationship starts out slow but it continued to grow. Julian recognized in Lilith the woman she hid: a lady who was interesting, funny and sensuous.
KNAVES' WAGER contained some delicious word-play. And Julian finally earned his 'just reward': he fell in love. Not quite five stars, the hardback edition I read had numerous grammatical mistakes. I borrowed it from the public library and I thought it was just me until I saw that some previous readers performed a no-no: they corrected errors in the book. At least it wasn't just me! Still, this was a lovely romance and if I could find a copy I would keep it.
July 25, 2009
I simply loved this book - I would give it ten stars, if I could. The hero, Julian, rates up there with the best of LC's heroes, just one step below Dain. Although this is one of LC's more traditional regencies, she doesn't soft-pedal the sexual tension or Julian's questionable morals. And Lilith's emotional growth and her own struggles to resist temptation are very moving. In fact, this book just drips with heart-felt, realistic emotion. If you've been looking for an LC fix and haven't read this one, you're in for a real treat.
November 16, 2012
The thing with Loretta Chase that makes her sort of interesting is that reading her books is like the lottery. Some of her books are horrid (Captives of the Night), and some are just like spun candy. This book luckily falls in the latter category. It belongs in the category of her books where it's not too sensational of a book, and the characters just fit right. (Maybe she should stick to level-headed female characters? I feel that some authors do better sticking to a certain type of characters rather than attempt to describe different personas.)
Really touching and an incredibly well-written romance.
Really touching and an incredibly well-written romance.
November 11, 2015
3.5 ☆
May 3, 2023
I’ll get my two irritations out of the way first.
1. I had the worst time keeping Lord Brandon, Lord Robert and Sir Thomas straight. All those names just sound the same to me.
2. I had to keep reminding myself that our heroine, Lilith Davenant, was only 28 years old. Chase wrote her so much older - I think this story would have worked even better if both she and Brandon were in their 40s.
It’s been so interesting reading Chase’s books from the very beginning and seeing how her style develops. So far, this is by far the one with the most depth, the most elegant writing and the most complexity (in a good way). For example, if this had been her second book, Cecily and Robert would have been the hero and heroine (and I would have EATEN IT UP). It would have been light and fun and clever.
With Knaves’ Wager, we get both that AND the darker, more grown-up story of Lilith and Julian. It’s a really effective evolution.
There were some early 90s consent issues - he is a bit of a sexy bully at the start, basically stalking her. I just chalked it up to the time in which it was written and put it to one side.
I will say that unlike Cecily and Lord Thomas, I didn’t find our hero and heroine lovable or even that likeable. So that’s probably why this is 4⭐️. But it wasn’t a fatal flaw, and it probably just shows they’re perfect for each other.
1. I had the worst time keeping Lord Brandon, Lord Robert and Sir Thomas straight. All those names just sound the same to me.
2. I had to keep reminding myself that our heroine, Lilith Davenant, was only 28 years old. Chase wrote her so much older - I think this story would have worked even better if both she and Brandon were in their 40s.
It’s been so interesting reading Chase’s books from the very beginning and seeing how her style develops. So far, this is by far the one with the most depth, the most elegant writing and the most complexity (in a good way). For example, if this had been her second book, Cecily and Robert would have been the hero and heroine (and I would have EATEN IT UP). It would have been light and fun and clever.
With Knaves’ Wager, we get both that AND the darker, more grown-up story of Lilith and Julian. It’s a really effective evolution.
There were some early 90s consent issues - he is a bit of a sexy bully at the start, basically stalking her. I just chalked it up to the time in which it was written and put it to one side.
I will say that unlike Cecily and Lord Thomas, I didn’t find our hero and heroine lovable or even that likeable. So that’s probably why this is 4⭐️. But it wasn’t a fatal flaw, and it probably just shows they’re perfect for each other.
October 27, 2022
I enjoyed the concept of this book way more than the actual execution. The writing style isn’t my favorite and I wasn’t very attached to any particular character. A mediocre read that I’ll probably forget in a month.
August 19, 2017
Rocky start with some less than savory setups (that wager was an irritant) but I liked everyone by the end and it was all sufficiently impassioned.
November 27, 2015
Should have known better than too pick a romance by this author .never liked Lord of scoundrels.the H is with plenty other actresses even after meeting the H.even after knowing he is in love with the H he was with others .where I ask you is the guarantee if a HEA.never like such books with infidelity... On one side he was seducing H and on the other sleeping with others....it does not speak well of the H..unfaithful ,dishonorable liar deciever is what he is....
I read the book for the secondary romance .and as I like the authors writing style.
I liked the h too....
In the end he offers Elise carte Blanche....after all this how can one ever believe in his HEA I can never understand....
So goes my rating ..... I can't rate such a book more ....
Though I loved her The Last HellionMr. ImpossibleLord Perfect
I adore
though...
I read the book for the secondary romance .and as I like the authors writing style.
I liked the h too....
In the end he offers Elise carte Blanche....after all this how can one ever believe in his HEA I can never understand....
So goes my rating ..... I can't rate such a book more ....
Though I loved her The Last HellionMr. ImpossibleLord Perfect
I adore
though...July 19, 2014
Oh, what a delightful book! Writing in 1990, the young Loretta Chase was not yet at the top of her game, but there are flashes of the brilliance to come. And as is so often the case, Chase creates a hero who is appalling and seductive at the same time and a heroine who is not the least bit cowed by him.
This is getting to be a bad habit, but once again, I would refer any potential reader to my friend Caz's excellent review of the audio book.
The narrator is very good, but I have to mention that the production quality of this book is simply not up to the standards expected of a first-class author like Loretta Chase. Unlike her more recent titles, this one, along with Isabella, is self-published and not produced by Tantor or Blackstone. I certainly hope that Ms. Chase or her agent sees the reviews and takes action on future audio books.
Loretta Chase is HR royalty and she deserves better. Don't let this complaint prevent you from listening, however. You'll have lots of fun!
This is getting to be a bad habit, but once again, I would refer any potential reader to my friend Caz's excellent review of the audio book.
The narrator is very good, but I have to mention that the production quality of this book is simply not up to the standards expected of a first-class author like Loretta Chase. Unlike her more recent titles, this one, along with Isabella, is self-published and not produced by Tantor or Blackstone. I certainly hope that Ms. Chase or her agent sees the reviews and takes action on future audio books.
Loretta Chase is HR royalty and she deserves better. Don't let this complaint prevent you from listening, however. You'll have lots of fun!
August 26, 2013
The parts of this book where Julian and Lilith bantered back and forth, were so good. I loved it. I loved the build up between them and I loved how at the end Julian was pouring his heart out as well as Lilith putting herself on the line. All of those things make for a perfect book for me. But then there are the parts that are not so perfect:
The Mistress talk. ENOUGH already! We get it, these yucky guys get around.
The fact that Julian was not such an amazing guy and even towards the end I was still not that impressed. I just couldn't fall for him.
Lilith, was just okay for me. I thought in some aspects she was this amazing women and in others I thought she was just annoying.
TOO WORDY! I did start to skim pages.
I did not love the story of Robert and Cecily. She could of done SO MUCH BETTER.
I will say I did enjoy this book, the banter between them was so good. But I think the author could of cut out a lot of the book and I still would of enjoyed it.
The Mistress talk. ENOUGH already! We get it, these yucky guys get around.
The fact that Julian was not such an amazing guy and even towards the end I was still not that impressed. I just couldn't fall for him.
Lilith, was just okay for me. I thought in some aspects she was this amazing women and in others I thought she was just annoying.
TOO WORDY! I did start to skim pages.
I did not love the story of Robert and Cecily. She could of done SO MUCH BETTER.
I will say I did enjoy this book, the banter between them was so good. But I think the author could of cut out a lot of the book and I still would of enjoyed it.
February 4, 2016
Went back and forth a lot on the rating. For the first few chapters after the plot starts (i.e. the titular knaves' wager) the hero reaches a level of smarmy douchebag that was off-putting, but then the book recovers and I really enjoy it the rest of the way through, with him serving up some excellent pining (I am a sucker for a good pine) for the heroine whom I liked very much, and the secondary characters being particularly great.
So...!??!?!? 3.5???/
Numerical scales man. ART IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
So...!??!?!? 3.5???/
Numerical scales man. ART IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
September 3, 2010
The first half of the book wasn't engaging at all and I would have put it into the DNF pile if it wasn't a Loretta Chase book - the hero was a cold, blase, arrogant SOB and the heroine was the Ice Queen who despised him, with good reason. But after the heroine was goaded into tearing a strip off the hero about half-way into the book, things completely turned around and the book turned into a wonderful "unputdownable" romance.
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