I am excited. Hollee Mands is a new author writing in the Fantasy romance genre, and she has produced an excellent first book. Let me tell you why I thI am excited. Hollee Mands is a new author writing in the Fantasy romance genre, and she has produced an excellent first book. Let me tell you why I think this is so!
Firstly, there was terrific world-building. No gigantic info-dump, but a subtle description and exploration of this fantasy world, namely the Five Realms.
We have vivid characterisation. The heroine, Evangeline, is a complex, intelligent young woman. She manages to be both sensitive and strong, with a surprising backbone that develops over the course of the book. The hero, Declan, is an archmage of immense power. His is a callous arrogance that initially manifests as cruelty and indifference, for example, to the plight of the people being taken as slaves. He is softened and ultimately transformed by Evangeline. It takes time and their relationship is a difficult one, but I found myself invested almost from the outset in their story. The secondary characters are also fascinating and I am eagerly anticipating their stories in future books.
Of course, I loved the imaginative and unpredictable plot. Never a dull moment in this book, although I admit the sheer brutality and descriptive violence in some parts were hard for me to read. Shades of GoT were evident, a series I never rally warmed to. This was especially the case when the despicable treatment of females by the villains turned my stomach, but then, I have a weak stomach where this is concerned! And the sad fact is: females are easy targets in any kind of conflict. (We don't need to look further than the use of rape as a weapon of war, something that is even now being perpetrated in the Ukraine. Still, it always makes me furious.) If you like action and a bit of gore, you will find lots of that here.
The writing is really good- grammar, syntax, vocabulary and the fluid, graceful style made for very pleasurable reading. I cannot say this for many books that I have read recently, unfortunately. The author is Australian (yay!) and thus avoids poor grammar and Americanisms, especially the annoying misuse of prepositions. (These bump me jarringly out of the world the author is creating.) Conversations were realistic and rang true to the characters who were speaking.
Ultimately, in this book we have a hero who is alpha, but tender, possessive but respectful, and who is willing to learn about the needs of his partner and try to modify his more aggressive tendencies when it is needed. And a heroine who is shy and sensitive, but bravely stands up for what she believes in, willing to go head to head with the hero to get her way. As she becomes tougher and more confident, the hero has to work hard to win her regard. I love that.
The writing puts me a little in mind of Milla Vane's Gathering of Dragons barbarian fantasy romance series.
One small caveat- for some reason, the audiobook for this novel uses an American narrator. For me, this genre always works better with a British narrator- it seems to add a certain gravity to the tone that lends credibility and realism to what is essentially an imagined world. The American accent in the sample I heard just didn't work for me here, and I will not be listening to the audiobook, which makes me sad ...more
This was my introduction to one of my favourite CR series, by an author I generally love.
Initially, I was reluctant to start these books- I mean, knitThis was my introduction to one of my favourite CR series, by an author I generally love.
Initially, I was reluctant to start these books- I mean, knitting? I can do crafts (I've even made a quilt or two and have knitted, embroidered etc), but I am not someone who is going to wax lyrical about a type of yarn, or fight someone for that discontinued alpaca wool. If that is also you, don't be put off. These are really just amusing peripheral aspects of a series about the deep friendship between different kinds of women, and how they meet their one-and-onlys.
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I adored the MCs in this story. Janie is brilliant but definitely on the spectrum. Weird in a cute way. Does that put Quinn off? Nope- Sir McHotpants is all in from the start. He is fascinated by her. I loved the push/pull nature of their relationship. I laughed out loud, I chuckled and I got a little hot under the collar. In many ways, they are the complete opposite of each other, and so complement each other perfectly.
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Just a delightful and even insightful romantic comedy about two engaging and unusual people that I will no doubt re-read again and again.
RE-READ April 2020: and I'm re-reading the edition that has a little extra raunch and the wedding book included. OMG I love this book. Why 4 stars- I'm adjusting it to 5 stars now! Especially after some of the god-awful schlock I've read lately- or dnf-ed. The intense, single-minded way Quinn is into Janie is to die for. And I still have to giggle at some of the trivial facts she spews. What struck me this time as how Quinn totally dedicated himself to winning her. Single-minded devotion to the cause. No hesitation, no playing coy or hiding his feelings. He said ILY first and meant it. Sublime. Add the gorgeous ladies from the knitting group and I am complete. Time for another one of these: [image]...more
Another brilliant 5 stars for me. What a cracking series! This instalment was a very emotional and tense ride. We have Griffin finally learning who CatAnother brilliant 5 stars for me. What a cracking series! This instalment was a very emotional and tense ride. We have Griffin finally learning who Cat really is (way to kill the mood, I thought at first, but he is so much more than a copy-book hero) and we see Cat starting to accept that she can't run away from her destiny but needs to step up and become the leader she was born to be.
There is a shit-ton of brutality and gore at the Agon Games, a bloody, gladiatorial perversion of the Olympic Games, and yes, people, die in this book. This aspect was pretty gross for me, as I do have a weak stomach, but I guess those were different times and certainly, less civilised.
There are more revelations about the influence and interference of the gods, and the identity of two people who have been central to Cat's youth comes as a shocking, yet somehow logical, surprise. I was as frustrated as Cat when she rails at the gods for not helping her whenever she begs them to, but only turning up when she, or the people she has come to love, are just about dead. They rant on about free will, and that she needs to go through the fire to forge herself into the right kind of person, but it still pissed me off :) Yet it was so in character with capricious and cruel nature of Greek Gods. The author has stayed with that theme, even though it just about breaks Cat's heart, and I applaud her for it! (Despite my frustration, I need consistency in a trilogy for it to be believable, and we have it here.)
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There is betrayal of the most fundamental and soul-destroying sort, and again, my heart ached for Griffin, who is really Cat's rock. He is the epitome of the true hero for me. His unconditional love for Cat, and his regular declaration of it, especially when she, having always believed herself to be unloveable and less, clearly needs to hear it, is inspiring. The man is a legend. And a sex god (not sure about the spanking- yes, there is a bit of it, but it's super mild, done with humour and is totally consensual, and kind of makes sense given that Cat needs to be so domineering and aggressive outside of the bedroom. But I have never been sure if I like that idea or not. I think I do...) And he's a man who doesn't insist on being the boss and the driver of everything, but sees himself as a true partner to his wife.
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" Griffin lifts my chin gently but firmly, forcing me to look at him...... "I was wrong when I talked about you being the shield and me being the sword." I swallow. That's when he said we'd forge a new world. Plan in motion. Apparently. Griffin's eyes capture mine and don't let go. His steadiness grounds me when it feels like all of Thalyria is tipping sideways, and I'm sliding off. "You're the shield and the sword." I stop breathing.... My lungs fill again, and my voice comes out surprisingly steady. "So what does that make you?" He smiles, his expression sure. Unflappable. "Whatever you need, agapi mou."
I would also add that the author knows how to write about passion. The passionate love scenes, the sometimes lengthy sex scenes are wonderfully written and what really strikes me is the underlying total devotion they have to each other. They truly would die for each other. Oh, and the Ipotane Alpha, Lycheron, is so hawt, despite being half horse, I was wriggling in my seat. MB knows how to write mouth-drying, heart-racing sexual attraction!
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There is less humour and banter in this instalment, because we are getting to the pointy end- where Cat has to confront and, I guess, kill, her mother. Who Cat still somehow hopes has a tiny spark of humanity and perhaps love for her. It's really sad, because we already feel that her mother is beyond any human feelings and this hope of Cat's is not only doomed to fail, but ultimately makes her weaker, when she needs to be stronger than that evil, sadistic bitch of a queen. Oh well. Makes for dramatic tension, that's for sure!
A snippet from a scene at the start of their Agon Games campaign, when one of their team is murdered.
Cat: "I just started, and I've already failed in every way possible." My hands ball into fists. I want to hit something, break things, tear something apart. Mostly myself. "This isn't me. I can't do this!" Griffin pins me with his hard stare. "Don't make this about you." I gape at him. "You're always saying its about me. Now suddenly its not? Make up your mind!"........ Griffin slams the door shut and then turns on me with a frown so fierce his eyebrows turn into one furious slash across his face. "This happens. You think I haven't lost people? You think I haven't seen dead men and women and known that parents no longer have their children? That children just became orphans? That husbands and wives and lovers and friends will never see each other again because they believed in me? Because they followed me?" My jaw clicks shut. "It's time to be the person you were meant to be, Cat. You don't just have to make decisions and stand by them now. You have to live with them." My anger erupts like a volcano. "You live with them! I don't want this! I never wanted this!" "The fates don't care what you want! You were born for a reason. Most people have to figure out their role in life by themselves. Some never do. You had yours handed to you when you were fifteen.....You've had more than eight years to think about it. Now stop hiding and do something!"....... I shake my head. Scoffing, I look down. "It's over." Griffin pinches my chin and forces my head back up. "You're the leader. You don't get to look down. You look straight ahead and acknowledge the damage you cause." My eyes widen. Blur. "And the good you do," he adds more gently, easing his grip.
On to book 3, (with a serious sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach: that things will get worse before they get better.....)...more
You often have to wade through a lot of dross, always hoping for that really good one, before you find it. This is one of the good ones for me.
BouchetYou often have to wade through a lot of dross, always hoping for that really good one, before you find it. This is one of the good ones for me.
Bouchet is a new author for me and she seems to have hit all the right notes with me. She has built a complex, intriguing and believable world, with many elements of Greek mythology (my crack), but adding her own twist. Add to that great writing, interesting characters who are layered and two main protagonists who really resonate, and I am hooked.
The story began somewhat problematically for me. The hero, Griffin, kidnaps the heroine, Cat and ties her to him with a magic rope. She cannot get free. Cat is meant to have a lot of magic power, so that seems a little improbable- until we find out that Griffin is actually impervious to magic, something Cat has never come up against before. She is very frustrated! The banter, the verbal wrestling and also the close physical proximity of these two are amusing, and in some ways create a relationship very quickly, even though at this stage it is an antagonistic and aggressive one. My brain started screaming Stockholm syndrome and I was waiting for it all to go to hell (or the Underworld) in a handcart. But no- somehow the author managed to climb out of that hole - for me, anyway- when Griffin finally had to take the risk and start giving Cat choices, hoping against all odds that she would choose him and his family.
Cat's struggle to understand people who love and defend each other instead of torturing and trying murder each other is, by turns, hilarious " These people actually like each other? What kind of family is this?" or " You're hopeless! All of you" " Why are we hopeless?" Egeria asks, reaching for more potatoes. "Because you are all so nice. ....You're going to get annihilated." I glare at a Griffin "Except for you."
and sad. She struggles to comprehend siblings who are not trying to slaughter each other to move up the hereditary throne chain. It doesn't seem normal to her. She despises their naïveté and envies them their connection. Trust is a commodity she has never been able to afford.
Cat fights her growing feelings for Griffin, because she knows anyone she cares about will be brutally destroyed by her psychotically homicidal mother, Andromeda. She has spent years keeping people away, firstly so that she won't come to care for them. After all, as her mother said, friends and lovers make you weak. They can be used to manipulate, and Cat is over aiding and abetting her mother's evil actions. And secondly, because if she cares about them, the pain of their suffering will be unbearable.
Griffin is marvellously single-minded in his pursuit of Cat. Initially, it seems he just wants her for her power, which he would use to further his own political ambitions. In the course of the book, it becomes clear that he has actually fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with Cat, and had been watching her for weeks before he finally kidnapped her. He is very alpha. After all, he is a warlord who overthrew a despotic and cruel ruler in his realm of Sintan. But he is capable of deep emotion and heart-stopping tenderness. So when I say alpha, I am not talking about those alpha-by-numbers characters that populate so much romantic/NA fiction these days. (No morally corrupt Russian Mafia boss masquerading as an anti-hero , when he is really violent pond-scum. Why do women read this shit?) I am talking about a real hero, one who loves and protects his family and his people, who is devoted to his partner and would do the right thing, or die trying. It becomes a bit of a mantra for them both.
Live together. Forever. Or die trying.
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I am impressed with the thoughtful nature of much of the story, where values and philosophies are explored, indirectly prompting us to consider our own, while at the same time Cat is being challenged by Griffin to question her decisions and her fatalistic acceptance of a prophesy that seems to foresee her future as endlessly dark and hopeless.
There's lots of violence, and fairly horrific torture and death all over the shop, but that serves to throw the love and tenderness between the good guys in the story into sharp relief. It's well done. And let's face it, Greek mythology is full of over-sexed, capricious and cruel gods and demi-gods. goes with the territory! And Cat does come from a family of homicidal maniacs. But Griffin is the one who can heal her.
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I'll finish with my favourite quotation from the book, when Cat has just thrown Griffin's gift of necklace (torque) and ring to the floor when she realises they are betrothal gifts, and she refuses to marry Griffin (for his own safety). She sees his face. And her often impulsive, irrational and aggressive behaviour hits her. She realises he is the only good thing that's ever happened to her.
For once, I get over myself and bend down to pick up the jewels. I slide the ring back on my finger and then hold out the torque as a peace offering. Griffin helps me....without a word of reproach.
I take an unsteady breath, "My notion of right and wrong is mostly self-taught".
His eyes remain shadowed, his expression even.
I swallow. "It's clearly a work in progress."
And that is Cat- a work in progress. I love it. On to the next book!...more
Well this was a nice surprise. Didn't know of this author and boy, was I missing out. If fantasy/PNR is your crack, get onto this book! The heroine, PiaWell this was a nice surprise. Didn't know of this author and boy, was I missing out. If fantasy/PNR is your crack, get onto this book! The heroine, Pia, is wonderful: brave, independent, kick-arse and vulnerable. I loved her.
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Here is what she is thinking when being hunted by the big Bad, the Dark Fae King:
The lunatic inhabiting her body said to the Fae King, I can beat any pace you set, asshole. Catch me if you can. Okay. Let's face it. It wasn't the smartest thing she'd ever done. But she had had it up to here with mean people today. Pia is injured, exhausted and has a bloody army bearing down on her, so what does Pia do next?
She had passed the in-for-a-penny-in-for-a-pound road sign a long time ago. Hell, she was cruising the neighbourhood streets of tonnage by now. Limping backward, she raised her middle finger to the Fae King
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Our hero, Dragos, is just a delight. A shape-shifting dragon who struggles valiantly with his innate need to dominate and own, some times more successfully than at other times. The push/pull, the need for Pia to maintain her independence and autonomy in the face of an overwhelming, ancient, gorgeous dude who only understands: I want it, so take it makes for some hilarious banter and some brilliant in your face back-chat by Pia that had me laughing out loud. Best of all, she never backs down. She is always her own person and, unlike many romance novels these days, she refuses to subsume her personality and her life under his. She also understands how he is trying to be more like what she wants, even as it goes against his nature, and is understanding and compassionate when she needs to be. And her Wyr animal (she is half-Wyr, so has the potential to shift) is a beautiful choice- but I'm not telling! The sex is steamy and passionate (there is a fair bit of it) but it never descends to cheap porn or dirtiness. Just the right balance of "smut" and real emotions and respect. The writing is good, too, the story and world-building fascinating (great characters) and I just loved the whole thing.
So many people didn't like this one as much as I did. I read it some time ago (no review) so I revisited the audio version, and I thoroughly enjoyed iSo many people didn't like this one as much as I did. I read it some time ago (no review) so I revisited the audio version, and I thoroughly enjoyed it- again! Yes, the hero was a difficult man to like. Devon was arrogant, self-indulgent and, at times, cruel. Which is probably why I enjoyed watching his gradual transformation so much. Initially baulking at the responsibility that came with a title and an estate, and determined to sell it all off ASAP so he could get on with his rakish, hedonistic life-style, he grew into a man who shouldered the responsibility with determination, trying really hard to make the best of what was initially a very difficult situation. The petulant, selfish male became a protective, caring head of his new family. And yes, Devon was hot, in a fantasy masterful, domineering kind of way (that I would never put up with in real life!)
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The heroine Kathleen was a delight: feisty, moral and totally committed to caring for her siblings-in-law. She stood up to the hero and led him a fine chase, challenging his selfish behaviour and demanding he grow up. Basically, she wouldn't take any shit from him, and that is my fundamental requirement in a heroine!
Mary Jane Wells is one of my go-to narrators, and I particularly like her male voices- many women cannot do them convincingly, but she hit just the right note of masculine arrogance and sense of entitlement for the hero here. (Although I love Rosalyn Landor's diction and style, her men always sound old and pompous- I'm not sure why!) For me, this is a much more interesting and authentic story than the much-lauded Devil in Spring, which I actively disliked. Horses for courses! Now, how long do I have to wait for West's story???????...more
My God I love this series. Have re-read this one at least 5 times and always enjoy it- my go-to comfort read! Cam is an ideal hero for me, especially aMy God I love this series. Have re-read this one at least 5 times and always enjoy it- my go-to comfort read! Cam is an ideal hero for me, especially as he is so calm and gentle in an inexorable sort of way, which is a nice change from the many tortured, borderline psychotic man-hoes that pepper so much HR. Besides, I have always had a fantasy for a gypsy! Amelia is a darling- her care for her siblings is commendable and she tries so hard to make everything work. Wonderful beginning to a wonderful series. Just don't listen to the audiobook- it is not unabridged at all: the villain of the piece is actually removed from the plot and only appears at the end, his villainy not really explained or set up because of this missing plot element. Felt totally cheated. UGH!
I so wasn't expecting this- the sweetest, most charming love story set in the jock world of American baseball. Sure, the high school A sweet 4.5 stars.
I so wasn't expecting this- the sweetest, most charming love story set in the jock world of American baseball. Sure, the high school dirty language was there, but not nearly so much as I have encountered in other college romances. The heroine, Scarlett, was a nice girl. By that, I mean discriminating and comfortable in her own skin- good self-esteem and didn't buy into all that groupie shit, but didn't go all judgemental, either. Our hero, Rowdy (Sterling) was just so damned gorgeous. He was the hot athlete with a heart and a soul.
I loved them both. There was refreshingly little angst, they each had lovely families and there was no cheating or major misunderstandings or any of that messy stuff. Just two young people becoming really good friends and falling in love. *Sigh*.
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Witty banter, some funny texting and a lot of verbal foreplay before we got down to the deed itself. Which was as hot and sweaty and sexy as this author usually delivers. I loved the slow burn, the consideration they showed each other and the way they supported each other.
This was a sports romance with a difference. If you are looking for a story to leave you with a happy smile on your face, this is the one. I don't usually do Disney (ok, back off people. Cute is not usually my thing.) But what the hell.....
Just wonderful- review to follow. Hero- took my breath away. The things he said, how he treated the heroine. Just wonderful. Heroine- respect and admiJust wonderful- review to follow. Hero- took my breath away. The things he said, how he treated the heroine. Just wonderful. Heroine- respect and admiration. She was a phenomenal woman.
Merged review:
Just wonderful- review to follow. Hero- took my breath away. The things he said, how he treated the heroine. Just wonderful. Heroine- respect and admiration. She was a phenomenal woman.
Merged review:
Where to begin, with one of the most interesting and absorbing books I have read in a while?
This is a long and complex book- you can buy and read it in 8 separate parts- but it rewards the reader who perseveres. There is so much detail in the story, so much complexity in the the historical, political and military aspects of the book, that you need to take your time to do it justice.
The characterisation is brilliant, and with a longer book I guess an author has the time to layer the characters. Our heroine, Zenobia, is just wonderful. Her initial fears and the protective walls she has erected around herself are justified once we are made aware of her situation. And Ariq, one of the most wonderful heroes I have come across, is a complex and conflicted man. Complex because of the circumstances surrounding his birth and family, and conflicted because of his strong sense of duty to his people, which has him having to choose between them and Zenobia at times.
Their adventures, the dramas, the battles, the torture (it was actually awful and I struggle with torture at the best of times, but it's doubly hard when I am so invested in the characters) and their incredibly passionate love is heartbreaking. The military aspect was fascinating, too, and I could see so many parallels to today. (I have to say, this author really impressed me with her research.)
I could quote so many things that Ariq says to Zenobia, where he declares his love again and again in the most poetic and emotional ways as he tries to break down her walls, to earn her trust, but I would run out of space. There is a depth to their feelings that is usually missing from much of the Romance I read today.
What a glorious surprise to discover this book!...more
I re-read this one, needing a book where I could really LOVE the hero after plowing through a surfeit of tortured, arse-hole heroes.
And I certainly doI re-read this one, needing a book where I could really LOVE the hero after plowing through a surfeit of tortured, arse-hole heroes.
And I certainly do love the hero, Alex. Fabulous book- Kleypas at her best. We have a strong yet vulnerable heroine, Lily. And we have a passionate, caring hero who does his utmost to win Lily's trust and support her through everything. An interesting (and emotional) sub-plot as well. Just a really wonderful romance with a capital "R".
If you are looking for a bastard meets doormat kind of romance, this is not it. If you are looking for a hero who has depth, integrity and honour, however, then read this book!
I blinked and sighed and thought: I need to marry that man!...more
Story 5 stars. Audio 3 stars. I read this a couple of years ago and have re-read it several times. It's one I go back to when I need a fix of a really eStory 5 stars. Audio 3 stars. I read this a couple of years ago and have re-read it several times. It's one I go back to when I need a fix of a really enjoyable, emotional and witty HR. This was the first time I listened to the audio, narrated by Rosalyn Landor. I know she is a fave with many, and has a great voice for traditional HR. But I have just gone through all the Loretta Chase books narrated by Kate Reading, and I much prefer her voice for the lighter books. (Her men's voices are fabulous. I never think it is a woman being a man. Her accents are great and I just love listening to her.) Rosalyn Landor's Leo just did not work well for me. He sounded way too pompous and stuffy- the antithesis of his character. Her women's voices are good, just don't like her men.
The story is fabulous but DO read the previous books in the series to get a fuller picture of Leo and Cat's relationship. Leo is wonderful- irreverent, intelligent, creative, sensitive, sensual, hilarious, emotional and HAWT. The fact that he says he "loves like a madman" (totally devoted) means he also never gives up on Cat- I want me one of those! These sort of heroes are done so well by LK, when she is on fire.
Dark-Haired, blue-eyed- I reckon Henry could be Leo......
A lovely 4.5 stars. Fabulous narration by Kate Reading and a terrific story, as only Loretta Chase can write when she is on fire. This book finally dealA lovely 4.5 stars. Fabulous narration by Kate Reading and a terrific story, as only Loretta Chase can write when she is on fire. This book finally deals with Vere, now the Duke of Ainswood, the best mate of that awful man Dane in Lord of Scoundrels (who I never liked. I felt the same about this man Vere- don't get me started) (view spoiler)[ on how they laugh about sharing a woman at the same time! well, one of them had tried her out and recommended her as a good f*** to the other. No, really. She falls pregnant and they don't know whose child it is. Luckily, he looks totes like Dane, so that makes ascertaining paternity a little easier (hide spoiler)]
Somehow, Chase manages to turn Vere into a truly wonderful person. But the heroine, Lydia, truly shines in this story. She is magnificent : independent, intelligent and fearless. She will not allow Vere to bully or belittle her and it is a joy to see what she puts him through to help him grow. At the same time, he, a man who apparently completely disrespects women- and Chase rather alarmingly repeats this fact, so that I was struggling to find anything likeable about him at all- falls hard for this Amazon and is forced to question all his assumptions. He is also pushed to examine his own actions after some deaths in his family, and accept that they were cowardly, egotistical and self-indulgent.
I am not really sure why he treated women so contemptuously. The sad things that befell his friends and family were not caused by women, nor did they have anything in particular to do with them. I get the wallowing in drink and gambling etc to forget. I get that sex can be used to forget for a while. But if he was going to treat women like "whores", he was the biggest of them all. Mr One-Night-Stand, in fact. So half a star off because I don't feel Chase really explained the cause of this misogyny. And his sudden turn-around was a little hard to take. but this is Romancelandia....
Lydia does not pull any punches. She demands he examine his heart and he becomes a truly wonderful man in the end, while at the same time giving Lydia the love and respect she had been denied by the unfortunate set of circumstances she encountered in her life.
Oh, I love this story. And Kate Reading just brought the characters to life.
Esmond/Ismael- what a guy. Complex, difficult, flawed, manipulative and dOh, I love this story. And Kate Reading just brought the characters to life.
Esmond/Ismael- what a guy. Complex, difficult, flawed, manipulative and desperately lonely. An exile from his beloved homeland and a man still paying for the sins of an impetuous youth. Brainwashed by an ambitious mother to believe he could be another Alexander the Great, he overreaches himself, causing havoc in the lives of many people, most importantly in the life of Leila. Leila is also a fascinating character, a passionate artist struggling with self-loathing after she finds out her father was a criminal and a traitor. Married to a debauched and ultimately evil man, she manages to rise above this and becomes a strong, principled young woman.
And boy, do those two clash!
Their story is an interesting and angst-filled roller coaster, so that their HEA feels completely deserved. Chase writes some beautiful, emotionally charged scenes and Kate Reading makes them just perfect. The accents, the passion, the fury and despair, all of it had me captivated, if you'll pardon the pun :) Unusually, I will probably listen to this again some time, just so I can close my eyes and imagine Ismael standing there talking to me! Sigh!...more
What a terrific HR this is. Our heroine, Clara, is a familiar character from Chase's Dressmakers series, where she quickly became their favourite clienWhat a terrific HR this is. Our heroine, Clara, is a familiar character from Chase's Dressmakers series, where she quickly became their favourite client (she was very beautiful and well-connected, as well as being a thoroughly lovely person). (view spoiler)[ Her brother ends up marrying one of the modistes (hide spoiler)] But she is an intelligent woman who, because of her beauty and the fact that she is an aristocratic lady, is never taken seriously. Potential suitors only see her looks, her title and her money. Her father, a politician, is not very involved with her and her mother is an ambitious lady given to histrionics. So Clara lives a life of quiet desperation, feeling the gilded bars closing in as she gets older, frustrated, lonely and increasingly bitter that she will never be able to do anything that really makes a difference to anybody. Then she meets the tall, dark and brilliant Raven (Oliver Radford), barrister and acerbic wit. He IS trying to make a difference and is famous in London for the often hopeless cases he takes up on behalf of the more powerless segment of the populace. The two go at it hammer and tongs verbally, which they enjoy immensely. He struggles to deal with his emotions but, unlike many other HR heroes who spend the whole book denying them, he is intelligent enough to realise he loves Clara and wants to be with her, even if initially it might be considered a mesalliance on her part.
The dialogue is just brilliant, some of the wittiest and cleverest I have come across in HR, (although this might also have something to do with the legal argument-style of the conversation, familiar to me from my own law studies.) She has to prove herself to him, and when she does, he totally accepts her intellect as well as her beauty. Most importantly, he actually understands how she feels about her life and sympathises. A rare male, indeed! Radford also has a wonderful relationship with his parents, particularly his father. He is just perfect :)
It is just the sweetest love story. I really felt that they were going to be a partnership. It is so difficult to balance the alpha male with the truly respectful life-partner. HR authors rarely manage it, IMO. I think Chase managed it here beautifully, here. I think my ideal must be the gorgeous, passionate and intellectual male. I have found him in this book!
Ok- gratuitous. But hey- hero is tall, dark and attractive. Henry fits the bill.
An easy 4.5 stars. What a fun book! The banter between Longmore (hero) and Sophie (heroine) was hilarious.
This was the classic tale of the whip-smartAn easy 4.5 stars. What a fun book! The banter between Longmore (hero) and Sophie (heroine) was hilarious.
This was the classic tale of the whip-smart girl and the gorgeous hunk who seems incredibly thick but is actually not that thick at all. Yes, there was a ton of clothes-talk, but I loved the whole concept of Maison Noirot and the dressmakers. (I am not particularly into fashion per se, but I actually enjoyed the detailed research and wonderful descriptions. Don't let that part put you off.)
Both MCs were charming in their own way, and I liked how Sophie resisted their attraction because she thought Longmore just another ,b>idiot aristocrat. He ended up having such a great sense of responsibility and his regard for her was total. Sigh! Sophie, fiercely independent and very intelligent, is forced to accept Longmore's help when the most important client of their dressmaking shop, who happens to be his sister, does a runner to avoid marriage. Their travels together are very amusing. She usually feels the urgent need to thump Longmore, if not to kill him, and he gradually realises he has fallen in love with her, even though he is not one for deep introspection or, he believed, deep feelings. He doesn't fight it. Hooray! Finally, a hero who doesn't overthink every bloody thing. (I get a bit tired of authors trying to make heroes overly-complicated. IMHO, most blokes are pretty simple, and they are not going to analyse everything all the time. Or run away from their feelings. Angst for the sake of it is just annoying). As I said, he is a man who goes on instinct. He realises he loves her and he will let NOTHING stand in the way of his getting her. And marrying her. And he will work on her until she says "yes". Longmore is such a cutie- all masculine gorgeousness and instincts (There's a fight? Yes, please- let me at him, says Longmore- I need to let off some steam!) Yet with a really noble heart. And, weirdly enough, a remarkable gift for languages! Yes, he started out quite sexist and domineering. The rigid role division of the time, the sexist and class-based assumptions everyone made, were only going to feed those prejudices. But he learnt very quickly that Sophie was not the usual sort and he changed his tune, thank God. Just as well- he did piss me off a bit at the start :) The difficulties of being a romantic feminist. Probably an oxymoron.
Sophie is all biting wit, articulate prose and hidden vulnerability. It takes her a while to acknowledge that sometimes it is nice to share a burden, or to let someone rescue her. They are perfect for each other. After encountering so many non-romantic HR's lately, where there is just sex or history, but no real emotional or spiritual elements, it was so good to feel the ROMANCE.
As always, Kate Reading' narration was excellent. Scandal Wears Satin only improved on the re-read/listen: highly recommended.
I kind of think this is a bit like Longmore trying to think And a gratuitous pic of my fave tall dark hunk....
**spoiler alert** This was probably my favourite of the Carsington Brothers series, I think because it moved me the most. Indeed, I was in tears towar**spoiler alert** This was probably my favourite of the Carsington Brothers series, I think because it moved me the most. Indeed, I was in tears towards the end. Initially, the hero comes across as a bit of an arse. He is described as a rake, and here that means a man who pursues sexual liaisons purely for pleasure and never has any emotional connection with the women he sleeps with. He is not cruel or nasty, he keeps away from innocents, but as a man of science he regards copulation as a natural urge for the continuation of the species and just goes with the urge when it hits him- which is often. So I was, like, YUK! It was just delicious, then, when this detached man, who satisfies his sexual urges with never a thought, finds himself having- God forbid- FEELINGS for a woman. The woman is the lovely, 27 year-old, unwed Charlotte, who has spent the last 10 years avoiding prospective husbands with clever strategies she adapts to the character of the suitor. She also has a dark secret in her past. It is particularly lovely to see inside the tortured mind of our hero, Darius, as he watches all his theories that disparage the concept of romantic love gradually crumble. The lust he initially felt for Charlotte- it could only be lust- is of course a deep and passionate love. It just about kills him to admit it, too! But he is so funny with it, and their snappy exchanges, where she gives as good as she gets, are very amusing.
Charlotte struggles with her demons. The grief she has buried as deeply as she is able is gradually revealed, both to the listener and also to Darius, who is an acute observer of both animals and humans. The social issue raised (view spoiler)[of unwed mothers during early eighteenth century England (hide spoiler)] is quite heart-breaking.
The emotion is beautifully conveyed by our narrator Kate Reading- when her voice breaks, you really feel it. She does a wonderful job of the boy Pip's voice, as well. I could almost see him standing in front of me when he was talking.
There are a couple of very sensual sex scenes, with a surprising amount of tenderness and mutual respect as well as passion. Most importantly, the love is so clearly there, even when they have not yet reached the point of declaring this love, even to themselves.
Darius is a very "modern" Regency hero who roundly condemns double standards regarding "rake" behaviour and illegitimate children. His objective, analytical thought processes are a positive in this regard. (His views as to why marriage is a useful and practical social institution, although he does not wish to embrace it for himself, are hilarious and absolutely spot-on.)
A beautiful, emotional story, deftly lightened by many moments of wit and humour....more
I am working my way through the Loretta Chase series narrated by the wonderful (!) Kate reading. This is the first of the Carsington Brothers series, I am working my way through the Loretta Chase series narrated by the wonderful (!) Kate reading. This is the first of the Carsington Brothers series, and it is terrific. The story is fascinating, describing as it does the early days of industrialisation in England, with the advent of canals and the railways. The battle that our heroine wages to protect and conserve her beloved part of Derbyshire must surely have been a common one, and still is today. The tension between "progress" and the need to keep things the same is one we live through all the time. I really identified with this aspect of the story, and it was well-researched and surprisingly relevant.
The characterisation was terrific, too, with a fiercely intelligent heroine in Mirabel and a charming, complex hero in Alistair. What I enjoyed so much was the serious personal growth these two experienced in the course of the book. And I have always loved the way Ms Chase writes a sex scene- sensual and emotional. (Too often, the mechanics overpower everything else.) While Mirabel started out bitterly unwilling- even unable, to compromise, she mellowed, opening up to new possibilities. She did not sell out for love or any such rubbish. She realised the other side had valid arguments and was prepared, in the end, to acknowledge them. She also learnt from the difficult decision she had made many years ago (view spoiler)[ when she jilted the man she deeply loved because she felt she had to stay behind and care for her father and his estate (hide spoiler)].
Alistair initially comes across as a fashion-obsessed, dandified (reluctant) Waterloo hero but we gradually see through the layers he uses to protect himself and find the deeply passionate, courageous and intelligent man he actually is. He is a darling! The dialogue is witty and sparkling, with Kate Reading doing a marvellous job with the different voices and accents.
**spoiler alert** A thrilling 4.5 stars. I was not sure how I would go with this one. Just a heads-up: there was a scene that might be termed dub-con, **spoiler alert** A thrilling 4.5 stars. I was not sure how I would go with this one. Just a heads-up: there was a scene that might be termed dub-con, (view spoiler)[(not the full act, but a sexual act) (hide spoiler)] and I normally run screaming from these scenes, but it somehow worked for me. It may not work for everyone. Some terrific world-building by the author and I was completely riveted so that I could not put the book down, especially the last quarter or so. Kick-arse action all the way! It all takes place in a steam punk world where a nation simply called the Horde conquered England but has now been defeated and kicked out. Complex ideas of nanotech and mech tech (combined with airships and some zombies, even) make for some intense focus in order to understand it all, but it was worth it.
The two MCs are great- Mina is the police inspector and of mixed race, Rhys is an adventurer and pirate/merchant turned duke (Hereditary titles were reclaimed after the enemy was vanquished.) She is intelligent, tough and fiercely independent. He is commanding and forceful, but truly wishes only to make her happy. He is incredibly selfless in this regard. Both are damaged and traumatised in their own way. The failure to communicate their feelings became a tad annoying towards the end (view spoiler)[ neither believes the other loves them because they will not confess his/her own feelings to the other. Mutual stoopidness! (hide spoiler)] but it was a lovely, emotional finish. [image] Not sure if I will read on, as the next books don't sound so great to me - not my type of heroes/heroines (I am a bit traditional, I admit!)- but so glad I read this one!
Just heard the audio (March 2018): fabulous! This book is such a great story, the world-building wonderful. The MCs are difficult characters, so they had to work hard for their HEA. Loved the audio book, really brought it to life. I now understand why you might want to become a sailor on a tall ship. The scenes involving the navy totally gripped me when listening, and I saw everything in my mind's eye. I really do love this book. And I love the duke- what a guy. And Mina- her family, everything. I probably should make it 5 stars!...more
**spoiler alert** This. Book. What a surprise. I have read a few EJ books, and liked them, but somehow never got to this one. 5 gut-wrenching, passion**spoiler alert** This. Book. What a surprise. I have read a few EJ books, and liked them, but somehow never got to this one. 5 gut-wrenching, passionate stars. Firstly, both protagonists, Edie and Gowan, are very young. That makes a nice change, having the young hero. (That he behaved like a man much older was hardly surprising, given his parents’ behaviour and his early assumption of the Duke's title.) What impressed me was the problem around which the story revolved. There was no OW or unrequited love. No villain. They married quickly. The problem was the sex. And I would not have thought it could be done so well. Poor Gowan. He had tried to be honourable at all times. He found himself betrothed from the cradle, so had kept himself nice- shock, horror, a hero who is NOT promiscuous!- because he felt it would be betraying her if he slept with anyone else. Then she dies some months before the wedding, he goes on the hunt for another wife, because that is on his to-do list. He was not expecting to fall like a ton of bricks when he saw Edie across a ballroom floor.
Here was a man who was the ultimate micro-manager. He lived by facts and reports, and never did anything without doing something else at the same time- he would have estate and business reports read to him while he dressed, he would read them in a carriage on the way to somewhere, he would have reports sent to him every day from every estate (and he had a bunch of estates), he was on the board for banks. I could go on. The man was a complete workaholic. It was fascinating how EJ described him. A man who took his responsibilities so seriously he was in danger of withering away emotionally. So when he falls hard for Edie the first time he sees her, he is so appalled, even disgusted, by his passionate reaction to her, he frantically makes a multi-step plan to marry her (no wooing required, just a generous contract with papa. Yes, technically he bought her) and to fit her neatly into his very well-regulated and planned out life. Basically, she would need an appointment to see him outside of the scheduled times he had allotted her. One of the scheduled times was at night in bed. Where he also had a plan: he would make it awesome for her and he absolutely WOULD NOT FAIL. Sound like a prat? Yes, but there was this deeply emotional, passionate man inside him that he had suppressed, and the story is about how he comes to terms with that aspect of his character, learning to embrace it.
Our heroine, Edie, is a musician. Not just someone who likes to play. No, she is a world-class cellist who could have been a hugely successful professional player if not for the fact of her gender. Women just did not have music careers, unless they were opera singers, who were regarded as little better than whores. Her father, an Earl, was also a cellist and their music formed the basis for their relationship. This aspect was absolutely beautiful. No domineering, ambitious father here, but one who understood his daughter's passion and was prepared to support her in everything. (His marriage to a much younger woman, Layla, is almost on the rocks, and this sub-plot adds another heart-wrenching element to this story.) Well, we know how a cellist holds their instrument. You can imagine, it is not considered a very "lady-like" instrument to play! And initially, poor Gowan does not cope well when he realises how important her music is to her (and how gripped by lust and jealousy he is when he sees her playing.)
So this book put me through the emotional wringer. At first, I was really angry with Gowan. He was over-scheduled and OCD. But gradually, the layers were peeled away and once I saw the man beneath the businessman, my heart ached for him. Their sexual encounters, two virgins, were a disaster. She does the unforgivable (she fakes it because it is so painful- he is huge, of course, - never talks to him about it because she thinks it is her fault, and he finds out) and things rapidly go downhill.
I was so invested in their HEA. It was not funny. There is a speech that her step-mama, with whom she has a wonderful relationship, makes, where she lays it on the line for Gowan. I had the tears rolling down my face. He is devastated at the harsh truth of her accusations and when dad comes in (view spoiler)[ and punches him in the face, saying he is taking his daughter way and having the marriage annulled no matter what it takes (hide spoiler)] his humiliation and remorse are complete.
When I rant about how heroes/heroines need to grovel if they do almost unforgivable things, I am talking about them doing more than acknowledging their mistakes in their own minds and feeling true remorse. I am talking about articulating this to their partner and asking for forgiveness, knowing they might actually not deserve it. A relationship needs to have this as a basis- admitting mistakes and forgiving them - for it to be truly, deeply strong. Most importantly, partners need to communicate. And Edie should have talked to him. But the constant interruptions by employees giving reports meant very little time alone with her husband (she also spent hours a day practising). Her virginal embarrassment regarding the topic did not help.
I know this is only HR, but EJ has added a depth and emotional intensity to this story that really knocked me over. I just loved it. Onto my favourites shelf, and one of my very few 5 star reads....more
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