Customer Reviews:
The courage to be honest in a difficult time.......2007-09-02
I, unlike others, did not have to wait for this book to be released, as I only became aware of Robin Schone recently (via an on-line interview with Emma Holly). I intended to read Lady's Tutor first as it has received rave reviews, but this book was available in the library so I decided to give it a try. Victorian England is a setting that has little interest to me, but the characters are so compelling that this was easily overlooked. As it turns out, the setting is central to the theme, as aparently this was a time and a place where there was an amazing degree of sexual repression and women's rights were practically non-existant.
I felt the pacing of the story to be very slow, particularly the pacing of the seduction of the main characters, but on the other hand I was impressed with the way they were able to slowly savor their sensual discoveries with each other. It was refreshing compared to today's attitude of instant gratification. It was also refreshing that the characters were of rather mature age.
The last third of the book took an unexpected and appalling turn, given how I've taken for granted women's rights during my life as a modern American woman. It was jolting to become aware how a woman's freedom in that day and age was so tenuous. The resolution of this crisis was nice, but it felt rushed and therefore not really that convincing.
The honesty of the characters (with themselves and each other) was probably the most inspiring aspect of this story. The support and love James gave to Frances was very endearing, as was the openness and honesty she gave him.
I also enjoyed the brief stories of the secondary characters, as they change as a result of Frances' influence. I would have liked to pursue those stories further...perhaps in sequels?
Steamy........2007-08-16
For those of you who appreciate a good, mature read, this book is a must. The characters were lively and strong. I was sorry to see it end.
I Waited for This Book With Such High Hopes..........2007-04-20
I had been eagerly awaiting the newest tome by Robin Schone with an anticipation reserved for only the authors who can truly move me with their characters. I loved ' The Lady's Tutor' and then immediately read 'The Lover' and then 'Gabriel's Woman' and each book increased my admiration for the kind of erotic fiction Ms. Schone was capable of producing.
I read her other book, 'Awaken, My Love' and wasn't as thrilled with the story even though the premise was inventive, I really wasn't impressed with the heroine the way I had been in the previous novels.
I waited through the publishing issues Ms. Schone had and knew that this new book would be well worth the wait.
When I found it used for a great price I jumped on it and tapped my toe waiting for the mailman to get here with my book. I sat down and dug into it the afternoon it arrived and I was so horribly disappointed.
I kept telling myself 'It's going to get better... This slow pace is necessary to remind me of the repressive Victorian times...' and yet the pace continued to plod. The 'hero'was less than romantic and the 'heroine' while pleasant, showed moments of complete idiocy at those pivotal moments when we needed a new threat to the ultimate happiness of our lovestruck duo while their conversations were stilted.
The other members of the Mens and Ladies Club are more interesting for their angst but they are so crowded into the side you would rather hear their stories ( 6 men and 6 women in the club, do you think there's going to be at least one spin off from this tale?) than the plodding tale of James and Frances.
The part that I did like about the story was that the central characters weren't fresh faces, they were people in their late forties who had lived lives, had children and grandchildren. That was a new angle which was really quite interesting.
The fact that the hero and heroine considered being with each other was like coming home was the epitome of the romantic concept and I liked it, but, and I don't want to give anything away or be too indelicate here, but the scenes where Frances visits with James in his offices and sits on his lap so that he can put his hand under her skirt and insert his fingers into her, referred to as 'coming home' and then they just sit there like that.
I'm used to the sizzle of her previous work, especially ' The Lady's Tutor' and 'Gabriel's Woman' so this was a horrible let down.
Even as I read the last few chapters, I still kept telling myself that it would get better somewhere but, this book left me cold and with a definite bad taste in my mouth. Quite frankly, if this is what Ms. Schone is going to be producing from now on, I think I'll have to remove her from my must have list.
Worth the Wait!.......2007-04-16
Robin Schone does not seem to be a prolific writer - but when she does write - it's incomparable! I hesitated reading Scandalous Lovers because I heard and read the audio and book trailers and I didn't like them! I still don't like the first chapter. But after the first chapter I got caught up in the lives of James and Frances. (two people in loveless marriages) Now Frances,in her 40's and James in his 50's desire love..from each other. AND THEY GET IT!
Once again the literary style of Ms. Schone's conversations between her characters enthralls me with her use of minimal words. One sentence spoken, one question asked, one question answered. It builds the anticipation, the feelings, the arousal and finally the culmination of a scene. The story and characters become sensual, they become erotic before they even know themselves they are sensual or erotic! Herein lies the strength of Ms. Schone's novels! You feel the new and raw emotions of Frances and James before they do!
The secondary characters, (the men & women of the club) as seen through Frances' eyes enhanced the story. I loved James. The characters, the conversations, the people, the family of Frances, the court cases, EVERYTHING lead to the last few chapters that summed up everyone's life! I would not pick this book for the longest time - then I could not put it down! Bravo Ms. Schone! Please write soon!
Almost worth the wait.......2007-03-23
Robin Schone always wrote extremely mannered prose that teetered right on the edge of over-the-top, while managing to stay on the right side until now. The writing in this novel seems almost a characature of itself. It is sooooooo mannered that on several occasions I had to work to get past it to keep reading. In the past Ms. Schones stories have been dark and fun and hot. This time, while I appreciated that the characters are my age, I found this book silly, not because of the plot, which did indeed work, but because of the over-stylized prose. This author writes great sex, her plots are fine, the character's compelling. I'm hoping Ms. Schone has been writing something new while she awaited the publication of this novel and I sure hope she stretches herself a bit next time. Her pared down yet over-the-top style may seem interestingly arty to some; with this novel it seemed like laziness to me. As a fan of her other books, in particular, "The Lover," and "Gabriel's Woman," I'm not ready to give up on the author yet, but I'd buy this one used if you insist on reading it.
Amazon.com
Like its subject, The Smartest Guys in the Room is ambitious, grand in scope, and ruthless in its dealings. Unlike Enron, the Texas-based energy giant that has come to represent the post-millennium collapse of 1990s go-go corporate culture, it's also ultimately successful. Penned by Fortune scribes Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, the 400-page-plus chronicle of the scandal digs deep inside the numbers while, wisely, maintaining focus on the "smart guys" deep-frying the books. The likes of paternal but disengaged CEO Ken Lay (dubbed "Kenny Boy" by George W. Bush, one of many prominent public figures with whom he rubbed shoulders), cutthroat man-behind-the-curtain Jeff Skilling, and ethically blind numbers whiz Andy Fastow vividly come to life as they make a mockery of conventional accounting practices and grow increasingly arrogant and bind to their collective hubris. They're not a likable lot, and the writers find it difficult to suppress their astonishment and revulsion with the crew who rapidly went from golden boys and girls of the financial world to pariahs when the bill finally came due. The authors' unrepressed sarcasms are more than often unnecessarily given the scope of the outrage. Enron's leading lights were or a time celebrated for their ability to concoct nearly unfathomable business schemes to hide mounting shortfalls and keeping track on their machinations can be a chore, but, by sticking hard to the story behind the fall, McLean and Elkind have reported and written the definitive account of the Enron debacle. --Steven Stolder
Book Description
Just as Watergate was the defining political story of its time, so Enron is the biggest business story of our time. And just as All the President's Men was the one Watergate book that gave readers the full story, with all the drama and nuance, The Smartest Guys in the Room is the one book you have to read to understand this amazing business saga. And the critics agree:
“This book is right up there with Den of Thieves and Barbarians at the Gate. . . . Those who want to learn what happened here, you don't have to read anything but this.” —James Cramer, CNBC
“The best book about the Enron debacle to date. . . . Based on hundreds of interviews and fresh details, McLean and Elkind masterfully weave together the many strands of the Enron story. They shine in their characterizations of Enron's often incompetent executives.” —Wendy Zellner, BusinessWeek
“News junkies and mystery lovers who enjoy financial scandals will devour this multilayered book. . . . The Smartest Guys in the Room will rival other models of the genre, including James Stewart's Den of Thieves. . . . The authors write with power and finesse. Their prose is effortless, like a sprinter floating down the track. . . . The character sketches of former chairman Kenneth Lay, former CEO Jeff Skilling and ex-chief financial officer Andrew Fastow are masterful.” — Edward Iwata, USA Today
“Powerful and shocking. . . . succeed[s] in opening a disturbing window into both the company and the era . . . filled with fascinating characters and anecdotes.” —Jonathan A. Knee, The New York Times Book Review
“The Smartest Guys in the Room is utterly professional, readable and—even though you know what's coming—highly entertaining.” —Daniel Gross, The Washington Post
“Meticulously reported and compelling . . . a cautionary tale about highfliers who weren't as clever as they thought.” —David Koeppel, Entertainment Weekly
Customer Reviews:
Blunt, intriguing analysis of Enron.......2007-10-05
This book goes through Enron's rise and fall while analyzing each main character. McLean and Elkind have researched well.
This is quite entertaining and a fun read. The only downside is the large number of characters, but the authors have provided a character description list in the beginning of the book. I frequently referred to the characters' descriptions.
Overall, a good book on Enron's choices over the years.
The smartest guys in the room.......2007-09-10
A very well-written account of the rise & fall of Enron. I couldn't put it down
Wanted to read the book after seeing the documentary........2007-08-23
I purchased the book after seeing the documentary in an Ethics class taken during an MBA program at Oklahoma City University. I wanted a little more detail on how things got so blatently out of hand at Enron. I've also read the Conspiracy of Fools. I'm very intrigued by the human nature aspect of this story. We are not being realistic, if we don't think this very same situation could happen anywhere at anytime. More people didn't come forward because their personal livlihood was in jeopardy, even though they had concerns about the ethics of the operation. These were very smart people who let their arrogance get in the way. In the end, everyone was to blame, but no one was to blame. Based on what I understand of the personalities of the Enron Leaders - this was their destiny. It was bound to happen - it only took some time. The biggest question of all - who is next.
Great book on bad management.......2007-08-02
Bad management and the amazing power of human beings to self-delude is on full display in the Enron debacle. This book does a good job of telling a complex story with a large cast of characters. I think it will help supervisors and business owners more that the latest fad book on business and leadership. These guys make excellent bad examples.
Case Study of Corruption on Steroids.......2007-06-05
I purchased this book after having watched the movie of the same name. The book is a very detailed and meticulous recounting of the rampant greed and corruption that was Enron. What you come to discover is that through highly-technical accounting schemes and tricks Enron turned itself into a seeming juggernaut of a business from just a staid old pipeline company. Enron really thought that the free market enabled it to do anything and trade any kind of commodity from weather derivatives to paper pulp, oil, and broadband. What you come to find out in this book though is that they never really had a way to deliver what they kept promising Wall Street.
Enron was a big house of cards all propped up by their stock price. Once that dropped, all hell broke loose. The company was obsessed with the stock price, posting it in elevators and encouraging employees to invest as much of their 401K monies into it as possible. They even created elaborate hedge funds that were based on the stock staying above certain levels. In order to keep the stock at lofty levels they lied and used "creative" accounting to fool Wall Street.
The real reveal in reading this book however is that Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay really have a vast number of compatriots to join them as teh villians here. Andy Fastow, now the government stoolie, was arguably worse than both Lay and Skilling. And yet, thanks to his cooperation, he gets far less jail time.
This book is a slow read, and not for the half-hearted. For the vast majority you are really better off watching the film.
Average customer rating:
- Balogh has series issues with originality
- Good read...
- The excellent third book in the Bedwyn Series
- The Best of the Bedwyns
- Loved the banter!
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Slightly Scandalous (Get Connected Romances)
Mary Balogh
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
 Balogh, Mary | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Baker, Madeline | Beverley, Jo | Brown, Sandra
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ASIN: 0440241111
Release Date: 2003-06-03 |
Book Description
Meet the Bedwyns…six brothers and sisters-- men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality.
Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal…and where Freyja Bedwyn, the wild-hearted daughter, meets her match in a man as passionate, reckless, and scandalous as she.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom.
Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty. So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fiancée and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan…until passion blindsides them both. For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart…
Download Description
Meet the Bedwyns... six brothers and sisters -- men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality. Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction... where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal... and where Freyja Bedwyn, the wild-hearted daughter, meets her match in a man as passionate, reckless, and scandalous as she.
Growing up with four unruly brothers has made Freyja Bedwyn far bolder than most society ladies. From feisty manner to long, tumbling hair, Lady Freyja is pure fire, a woman who seeks both adventure and freedom.
Adventure soon finds her on a visit to Bath, when a handsome stranger bursts into Freyja's room and entreats her to hide him. His name is Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, a man with a hell-raising reputation of his own who is quickly intrigued by the independent beauty.
So intrigued, in fact, that he makes her a surprising request: to pose as his fiancée and help thwart his family's matchmaking schemes. For two people determined to be free, it's the perfect plan... until passion blindsides them both.
For as Joshua sets out to achieve his complete seduction of Freyja, a woman who has sworn off love is in danger of losing the one thing she never expected to give again: her heart...
Customer Reviews:
Balogh has series issues with originality.......2007-06-16
Again, I have to play both sides of the coin, as I have done with the other Balogh books that I have read. I've got some good things, and some bad things that I can say.
Overall, the book wasn't too bad. I ended up not disliking Freyja as much as I did in the previous books, but I still didn't quite like her. She was a bit too much of a snob. I really enjoyed Josh, though. The romance was fairly nice between Josh and Freyja, and the overall storyarc made sense and all that. I liked the parts surrounding Josh's family. It added some nice depth to the story. So yeah, overall, I didn't mind the book so much.
On the flip side of the coin, I became increasingly aware during reading the book, that Balogh really likes to recycle her own ideas. It got annoying. Part of the main hook in the book was a fake betrothal between Freyja and Josh. That was by far not original for Balogh, and especially this series. In the prequel, A Summer to Remember, Lauren and Kit do the exact same thing for pretty much the exact same reasons. And in Slightly Married, Aidan and Eve enter into an almost fake marriage - one of convenience. So having that same hook used for Slightly Scandalous was tedious and repetitive.
And even aside from that Balogh, has a tendency to recycle even simple things. The characters tend to have almost the exact same thoughts or phrasing on something that should be original to them. And she's ended the books almost all the same. I think it was in A Summer to Remember where Lauren speaks about the sea, calling it wild and uncontrollable..and all these other more poetic descriptions. Then in Slightly Scandalous, Freyja says almost the exact same thing. It struck me as ridiculously unoriginal. She also likes to have her characters say something like "no, I do not want happily-ever-after; I just want happiness" or something to that effect. It's a nice line, but having too many characters in too many books repeat it takes away it's effectiveness. Then there's the endings of the books. They all seem to end with a wedding scene followed by the bride and the groom standing outside the church before all the revelers, wondering if they should just mosey on along to their carriage, or whether they should make a spirited run for it. It was cute the first 1 or 2 times...but as an ending to every book? Not so much. It's unrealistic and silly. And one of the biggest annoyances? The use of the word "haughty". I'd hate to see a word count of it. It'd be astronomical. I think the word comes up in every sentence Wulf is mentioned, and if not haughty, then cold. By the end of Slightly Scandalous, I wanted to bang my head into a wall.
I think if a person read the books in the series over a longer course in time, instead of one after another like I'm doing, these things could probably be overlooked. But when read quickly together, the faults really stand out. Even so, it wasn't really a bad story. I didn't mind it so much.
Good read..........2007-05-01
This book is great. I love Freyja she is such a spit fire. And Joshua needed to get his keester hit a couple times by Freyja. This book is funny and cleaver. I would recommend it to anyone.
The excellent third book in the Bedwyn Series.......2007-02-04
Although very much a fan of Mary Balogh's Regency romances I have been a little disappointed in some of her more recent books, mainly in the "Slightly" series. Chronologically "Slightly Married" (the story of Aidan) and "Slightly Wicked" (Rannulf) come before this book, although "A Summer To Remember" introduced this family. In many of these books Lady Freyja appears and she was always a character I found difficult to like - she was positively nasty to the heroine in "A Summer To Remember" and seems to go around punching people; not very endearing.
Slightly Scandalous is Freyja's story and it's actually very good. It starts off as she is on her way to Bath to stay with a friend, ostensibly to be social but really to get away from her home and her neighbours as Viscount Ravensberg, the man she loved, is expecting a child with his wife (the characters from "A Summer To Remember"). Despite these events having happened almost a year ago Freyja is most certainly not over them - Bedwyns love only once, of course, and she loved Kit Ravensberg. What hope is there for her future?
But in Bath, and in fact before, she bumps into Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere, who seems to be about the only man who can match her in fun, humour and derring do. They have great fun together (despite Freyja's lamentable tendencies to punch him in the nose) and it ends up that they will both help each other out by a fake betrothal. But fake betrothals are rather difficult to handle when people get more and more involved, especially when one of the two is accused of murder.
This book was excellent in terms of plot and character. Joshua, Marquess of Hallmere, slowly reveals to Freyja that he's not just a wastrel laughing lad but also has hidden depths. Freyja is revealed as someone who can have her heart broken and who has her own secrets - some of which are very honourable (she is the benefactress of a school, which is the school featured in the most recent "Simply" series). The rest of the Bedwyns make quite a showing in this book - it's evident that Mary Balogh loves these, her creations, but I find them a little trying at times. Still they worked well in this book, even Wulfric, who sometimes seems too cardboard a villainous character.
My reservations about this book were its similarities to "A Summer To Remember" - fake betrothal etc. Also I couldn't separate out the characters of Kit Ravensberg and Joshua Hallmere - they seemed almost identical; if I were Josh I'd worry his wife was trying to find the man most like her lost love. But these are minor niggles in what is otherwise an excellent story and something for the keeper shelf.
The Best of the Bedwyns.......2006-09-27
We meet Lady Freyja Bedwyn in "A Summer to Remember" and she is haughty, stuck-up and insufferable. Throughout the first two Bedwyn books she remains so, although she does eventually grow on the reader. In "Slightly Scandalous" we finally get a glimpse into Freyja's mind, and what a mind it is. FINALLY, a heroine who does not simper or whine or play coy. Even though all of Balogh's heroines are wonderful in their own way, Freyja is simply the best. And, oh my, the hero of the novel, Joshua Moore, Marquess of Hallmere! What a catch. FINALLY, a man who laughs at the woman, instead of getting into a snit because she doesn't fawn over him. Both leads are remarkable. There are no frustrating misunderstandings in this novel. When Freyja gets uppity, Josh laughs at her, forcing her to laugh at herself. The characters are multi-dimensional and just so wonderfully human. The comraderie and loyalty of the Bedwyns has never been stronger than in this book. It was nice to see them all interact and play with each other. I appreciated their bond, even Wulfric seemed human.
I have read five of Mary Balogh's novels and not one of her heroines has been like the other. Nor her heroes either. Often romance authors stick with stock characters and they are all interchangeable (Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught for instance...but hey, they found a formula that worked for them.) It is refreshing though to pick up a romance novel and read it and know that I am going to be reading a NEW story, one that hasn't been retold a thousand times over.
I did not want to finish "Slightly Scandalous" because I didn't want to be finished with Freyja and Josh. Hopefully I will see them at least three more times as I read the rest of the novels in the series.
Thank you, Ms. Balogh, for giving your readers a heroine and a hero to cheer for.
Loved the banter!.......2006-07-19
I love it when a book has great dialoge and this one has it in spades! The back-and-forth between the main characters is great.
I love how MB takes a very familiar story and manages to make it fresh.
Average customer rating:
- THIS is why I read Robards!
- excellent heroine; excellent plot; well written
- If it was 500 pages, I'd have read it in one night
- ~~~Luved the Book~~~
- Charming, entertaining, and intrigue! What more can I ask!
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Scandalous (Banning Sisters Trilogy)
Karen Robards
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0743410599
Release Date: 2001-02-27 |
Book Description
England, 1810: When Lady Gabriella Banning receives word that her half-brother, the Earl of Wickham, has died on his tea plantation in Ceylon, she faces the reality that she and her younger sisters, Claire and Elizabeth, are suddenly penniless. The family's riches will pass to the next male heir -- a distant cousin -- and the Banning sisters are doomed unless Gabby thinks fast.
Which she does. Pretending that Marcus is still alive, Gabby arranges beautiful Claire's London season. She'll keep up the pretense just long enough for Claire to marry a fabulously wealthy nobleman. But when a handsome gentleman arrives at the door and claims to be Marcus, Gabby's plan backfires. For if she exposes this mysterious stranger's deceit, she exposes her own. Bound by secrets and lies, Gabby and the roguish adventurer strike sparks off each other -- and soon London society is abuzz over the scandalous pair of "siblings" who appear to be falling in love....
With this beautifully rendered romance, bestselling author Karen Robards begins a sweeping series about three unforgettable sisters poised to
take the ton by storm.
Download Description
When Lady Gabriella Banning receives word that her half-brother, Marcus, died on his tea plantation, she realizes she and her younger sisters will be penniless, because Marcus's estate will pass to the next male relative. Gabby devises a scheme to replenish the family's wealth, but in the process, she becomes entwined in a web of secrets and lies that soil her reputation.
Customer Reviews:
THIS is why I read Robards!.......2006-02-01
This book started off slow, but then suddenly I was sucked into the story and could not put it down!
The story is about two people who need each other to keep their own scandal from being found out. Mostly, it is a romance ~ a very enjoyable one that blossoms very sweetly. I hate when characters are stubborn and won't admit to themselves or each other how they feel. This wasn't the case in SCANDALOUS. I liked how our heroine wasn't a perfect woman and I liked how our hero thought she was.
My only complaint, to echo other reviewers, was the last few chapters. I felt Robards could have ended the story a lot smoother without some unnecassary scenes. Regardless, this is worth reading. :)
excellent heroine; excellent plot; well written.......2005-04-22
One of the better-organized romances I've read in a while. Robards does an excellent job finding valid reasons for the hero, Marcus, and the heroine, Gabriella, to be often (1) in communication with one another (2) keeping secrets from one another (3) frequently hostile with one another. I find that a lot of romance novels flounder from an inability to do one of those things without really stretching the reader's credulity, or just ruining the characters.
Gabriella is a particularly well-done heroine, with a distinct and appealing personality - very level-headed, very mature, very much in control of herself. It was really, really a pleasure to read a romance through the eyes of a woman who I respected. Marcus isn't quite as good; he remains a little bit mysterious throughout, but he's certainly a good enough Prince Charming.
My only complaint is that I'm starting to get tired of the sickroom ploy. I don't know why more than half of all the romances on the market resort to sudden illness to bring the protagonists together or create a feeling of trust between them. There must be a better way.
And, also, I agree with the reviewer who mentioned the 350 page rule as a detractor. I have a feeling that's an all-too-accurate analysis.
If it was 500 pages, I'd have read it in one night.......2005-03-05
This book was so good and fast paced, I just wanted to know what was happening page after page. I thought Wickham to be sexy, funny, and the banter between the two fun and romantic. Like the other reviewers above me, I think that it was cut too short. An awesome read that deserved the time to come to a complete conclusion. Wouldn't it have been neat to see Gabby go to Ceylon, or see Nick reintroduced as Gabby's spouse to the gaping jaws of the London Ton? I laugh just thinking of what he would say to those bitter baggages!
Really wish it could have been longer... publishers, take note!
~~~Luved the Book~~~.......2005-02-14
I luved the book, it was really good. I just love the suspence and the whole plot. I recomend this book to anyone who wants romance and suspence.I have read a couple of her other books which were good,but I thought this was a really good one.
Charming, entertaining, and intrigue! What more can I ask!.......2004-03-11
This is certainly not your regular regency plot, so I can understand some of the less positive reviews. Brother and sister love would be pretty off-putting; however, the main characters did not think for a minute that they were really brother and sister. The unfortunate catch is that the general public did think they were siblings, and the author doesn't really tie up the public confusion at the end of the novel.
That said, the heroine is a warm and decent woman (not girl!) that you'll find yourself rooting for from the beginning. Her cleverness may save her family from disaster, but it may create even greater troubles down the line. I do so like characters who are willing to take risks after reading too many romances where the main pair are in love for most of the novel, but too frightened to admit it. Hurray for brave, strong-willed heroines! Our hero, on the other hand, is both sumptious and fun. I would certainly like to find him bedded down next to my room.
Book Description
Christians do not trust freedom. As author Steve Brown explains in this brave new book, they prefer the security of rules and self-imposed boundaries, which they tend to inflict on other Christians. Brown asserts that real freedom means the freedom to be wrong as well as right. Christianity often calls us to live beyond the boundaries, bolstered by the assurance that we cannot fall beyond God's love. Freedom is dangerous, but the alternative is worse -- boxing ourselves up where we cannot celebrate our unique gifts and express our joy in Christ. Each of the book's eleven chapters explores a common pharisaic, freedom-stifling tendency, then opens the door to the fresh air of a remedial liberty. A reader's delight, A Scandalous Freedom sometimes shocks with challenges to prevailing wisdom, but it follows up with compelling validations of our need to celebrate real, unstinted freedom in Christ.
Customer Reviews:
A Scandalous Freemdom.......2007-09-07
I enjoyed the book vey much, I learned alot about the Gospel.
I now look at life and peopole in a better way.
You will love this book!.......2007-08-21
Steve Brown is quite an amazing author of a great deal of publications. He is also a pastor who teaches on radio broadcasts (which I listen to found at his website) and a Bible teacher at a reformed seminary.
What makes this book so unique and such a worthwhile read for every Christian is really the depth of Brown's understanding of what the Bible actually teaches. I believe the main point of this book is that if you are a Christian, God is no longer angry with you. It's a fundamental truth of Christianity that is too good to be true for many Christians. But it is true, and Steve will help you to see this truth as it is presented in the Bible.
What else is really great about this pastor is the sharp wit and a complete honesty that is oftentimes surprising that's used to convey each and every message given whether on a broadcast, in an article, or in a book, etc.
Steve Brown has helped many people break free from the chains of legalistic religion, which instead of honoring God, honors man's attempts to please God. Legalism is often in the form of a blind religion and is a breeding ground for false teaching and false teachers who slip in unnoticed, etc. Steve will help you to see clearly that Christianity is all about Jesus, who was resurrected from this earth so that our heart and minds would be on "things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2).
"A Scandalous Freedom" is just such an amazing read, chock full of wisdom and insight from a masterful teacher of the Bible! Here is just one example of the many of Steve's insights and his style of presentation (which is often very humorous): "The only people who get better are people who know that, if they never get better, God will love them anyway. The corollary to that principle is this: God will not only love you if you don't get better; he will teach you that getting better isn't the issue. His love is the issue. Out of the love, kindness, and presence of God, you will find yourself getting better" (p. 69). So if you want the honest truth from a teacher who has been gifted by God, then you ought to read this book and can also visit his website for the radio broadcast series.
Scandalous alright.......2007-08-04
The beginning of the book goes in the right direction - towards freedom (Christians really aren't free), and I was smiling as I read it. Then my smile turned to concern, and a definite frown by the time I got to the end. He sets you free, then very deftly wraps the chains back around you - tighter than before - it becomes the same old fundamentalist rhetoric. Once a fundamentalist, always a fundamentalist. A very disappointing read. Book went in the trash - didn't have it in me to give it away.
A Must-Read!.......2007-05-13
I was handed a copy of Steve Brown's A Scandalous Freedom by a colleague during a conference. I already had a couple books I planned on reading that week. My colleague mentioned that I could skim it if I preferred. I read one page, and realized that this was far more important than anything I was reading at the time. The whole book was finished in three days.
What made this such fascinating reading? A hint can be found in the subtitle of the book: "The Radical Nature of the Gospel".
You see, Brown's basic premise is that the Grace of God sets us free. Of course all orthodox Christians would agree with that. Where many will find Brown's book hard to swallow (if not downright disturbing) is that he defines freedom as...well...freedom. Not freedom from, nor freedom to...simply freedom.
Now before we get into calls of heresy, Brown is no antinomian. Perhaps one of his most vivid illustrations in a book full of vivid illustrations is his description of the Law of God as a map to guide us through a minefield. He is just tired (as am I) of God's people being burdened by man-made laws. The following quote from the book puts it quite succinctly:
"I fear too often the church has become an organization of guilty people with a guilty preacher standing in the pulpit, telling guilty people that they should feel guiltier"
I'm afraid that this small review is not doing Brown (a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary) justice. I just know that, upon reading this book, I came away with a much greater desire to really know Jesus. Perhaps people in ministry are expected to have that base covered, but I confess readily that I do not.
Those of you who have followed these reviews know that when I believe a book is less than quality, I say so. Take that into account, then, when I say YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. I am not saying I agree with the author on everything (after all, nobody has achieved the level of spirituality it takes to totally agree with me!). I am saying your walk with God will be greatly benefited by it.
NOT GUILTY!!!!!.......2007-04-28
Because of Christ, we are declared "not guilty!" The freedom that is in Christ is so amazing and actually quite hard to believe. This book allowed me to release years of guilt and begin a fresh, new and exciting relationship with God. I couldn't put the book down. It is a "must read!"
Book Description
Lovely, high born Willa Trent was an orphan, raised by a local, somewhat odd family in the country, who want nothing but the best for their girl. So when she drags the unconscious man she accidentally hit with a slingshot home, they arrange a hasty marriage and pack the couple off with best wishes. Armed with a groggy husband and a new future, Willa's pie-eyed optimism has no limits....until she discovers the secret, dangerous world of Nathaniel Stonewell, Earl of Reardon, a.k.a. "Lord Treason."Though Nathaniel is reviled by most of England for his devious plot against the Crown, he is, in reality, a member of an elite cadre of secret royal defenders on a daring undercover mission. He must keep his secrets at all cost, especially from Willa. And yet, he is enchanted....though he stubbornly refuses to surrender to his passion. Far better, he tells himself, to turn his back on love than risk everything for it. Luckily, his bride has other plans....
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Characters.......2007-04-11
This is the first book of the Royal Four a spinoff from the author's series the Liar's Club. Lord Nathanial Reardon, "Lord Treason", is the member of the Royal Four known as the Cobra. He let the ton believe he is a traitor to the crown to protect his mission to uncover a plot against his country. While in a small village chasing one of the real traitors, Nathanial is thrown from his horse after a hornets nest hit by Willa Trent's slingshot hits his horse. When he wakes up it is to find the young Miss has spent the entire night by his side and there is nothing to do but marry her. Of course, it isn't binding as a member of the ton must go through the reading of the banns or special license to marry. However, Nathanial is willing to do that. He can never have a real marriage and children anyway because they would be labeled as the family of a traitor. On their trip back to London, Nathanial finds he really likes Willa, she is intelligent and quite humorous and he is amused at her belief that she is a jinx to all her suitors. When Willa's attempts to bed her "husband" are refused, he reveals to her how the ton sees him as a traitor and that he will never allow the marriage to be real. Willa is outraged, she knows there is no way her husband is a traitor. Even after encountering the abuse the ton throws his way, she just becomes more and more in love with him every day. Before long, they are indeed romantically involved and when it becomes apparent that her husband is involved in something far more important than society's to-do's she is determined to reverse the ton's views on her husband.
I really enjoyed this story. It was never boring, always interesting and the characters are fun and believable. I also liked the way the author allowed Nathanial to show his emotions and his feelings for his family and how Willa grows to love him watching the emotional charades he goes through for the sake of country. Excellent start and I look forward to the rest of the series.
Nathaniel & Willa -most 'in love' couple ever.......2006-08-14
If I had to choose 1 heroine as the best out of all the romance novel heroines, it would be Willa Trent. She was an all-around perfect person. She was so open and unpretentious. I think Nathaniel and Willa were so much in love and so in tune to one another, more so than most romance couples.
Now, as wonderful as Nathaniel was, he would have to be my 2nd choice if I had to pick the best hero ever. (Sorry, but 1st place has to go to that hot hero Ian Hunter from A TOUCH OF VELVET, by KATHRYN BENDER.) He beats even Nathaniel hands down as far as bravery, great looks, wealth, fabulously hot love story, etc.
Back to this book. CELESTE BRADLEY is such a gifted writer! She never fails to write an interesting story that stays with you.
Bradley fans will love this one! Read the Liar's Club first though...........2006-04-10
(NOTE: I would recommend reading Celeste Bradley's Liar's Club books before this one b/c some of the supporting characters play an important role in this one, and the hero in this one plays important supporting roles in those as well.)
Ok, so Celeste Bradley novels aren't for everyone (I realized this when I notice only one or 2 of her books are stocked in B&N or not at all.) but I would recommend her at least ONCE (book 2 of the Liar's Club The Impostor is my favorite so far and on my DIK list). Her books are NOT easy breezy reads to just skim through - the plot and action is very rich and a very integral part of the novel - not just a setting for a romance.
Plot: Layered so well that it's easy to get sucked into it. The first 120 pages are about how the hero and heroine meet and they ride to his home while he's trying to spy on a villain. There are also two major plot twists near the 2nd half of the book that are related to the Liar's Club books, and I'd imagine that a reader couldn't fully appreciate them if they haven't read the Liar's books first....I was VERY excited when those twists happened, but I don't want to spoil it. I love spy romances like this for all the dangerous elements that add to the story - not just a heroine wondering, "oh, does he love me?" And I'll always declare that Celeste Bradley writes the BEST flashback scenes I've ever read in romances - I feel like I get transported back in time whereas with other novels reading a flashback scene can feel like the plot is stumbling blindly through the pages....
Characters: One thing I LOVE about Bradley's romances is that no two characters are the same - I distinctly remember the differences and personalities of EVERY character I've read in her books so far....Another thing - they don't ALWAYS get a long and live as one happy family - the way they intertwine reminds me of Kleypas' books only more clever - not all of the heroines are trusting friends right away when they first meet - and sure some of the heroes from previous books might be a bit jealous of the other heroes for certain reasons but not one of her characters is completely perfect and paragon w/ out a fault - they are VERY human and full of life and when I read about them I get totally drawn into her books. The heroine in this one seems a little scatter-brained but she's VERY smart with animals and biology. The hero (who has the spy alias "cobra") is told by the heroine that he is "just like a cobra" and at first he panics thinking that she's figured out his secret - but she explains to him that he's just sensitive and he'll puff-up if he's cornered but normally he just prefers a cool distance and he's rather harmless and reserved. I love the Great Aunt and the dress maid Lily that helps Willa prepare for Kitty's party - (I wish I had a "Lily" to help me with wardrobe!) Oh yeah - and all the villain's get their due punishment! :)
Final Grade: A very high B+ to a low A-
This one isn't on my Desert Island Keeper list but I keep all of Celeste Bradley's books anyway b/c of the smart writing and the rich plots and character development. If you enjoy Celeste Bradley's books or if you want a good regency spy romance - this one can't be missed!
an excellent couple.......2006-03-02
I love Celeste Bradley because of books like this - funny, spunky, lighthearted. It's also one of those rare books where the hero and heroine treat one another like equals. By the end of the book the mutual respect and trust that Willa and Nathaniel have for one another is...well, perfect. It's a dream relationship.
Also, I give her major props for using Linneaus as erotica here. Not only is it clever and fun, it's pretty sexy.
Willa is a wonderful heroine. She has *such* a personality - and she is so easy to love. Stubborn, brilliant, prolix, spontaneous, forthright, funny...so clearly drawn. And I was really fond of her looks: she's beautiful, definitely, but not drop dead gorgeous.
Nathaniel rather pales by comparison, although he's not half bad either.
The plot has a few holes in it, but I forgive them all. The only thing that snagged my experience of the read is that the book is so comedic that the sex felt kind of wrong. A sort of dramatic change of pace, as it were. And then it ends up on the cheesy side of things.
Love In the Face of Treachery........2005-10-19
In 1812, an innocent country girl used her slingshot to haul home a prospective bridegroom. Lo and behold, she finds herself hastily married to Lord Treason. Willa (not Kim) Trent has hooked one of the Royal Four: elite spies hwo answer only to King William the Conqueror. He needed secret defenders for an undercover mission and chose his own boyhood friends.
Nathaniel Stonewell didn't know what hit him, but he grew to like this bit of fate. Will's optimism rubs off on his cynicism and he finds himself enchanged after his initial grogginess, and thinks perhaps there can be a bright future after all. He can't be his own man, as the four glorified spies must keep their identities separate from their true roles for the sake of anonymity for this dangerous assignment. He must keep his absolute commitment full of secrets at all costs. Their intimate life is merely pretense.
Family, friends, even love could not interfere with the oath and their brotherhood with the King as they took on the names of ruthless predators:
Courageous as the Lion
Deadly as the Cobra
Vigilant as the Falcon
Clever as the Fox.
You must read this book to discover which Nathaniel stand for, and how love changed his plans. Deceit was his specialty, but nothing beats true love.
Celeste Bradley lives in Tennessee, after trying out seven other states, and is the author of the Liar's Club series, THE ROGUE, and FALLEN. A new one has just been released, SURRENDER TO A WICKED SPY. Her miter is romance in the Golden Age in England.
Book Description
The acclaimed author of Aristocrats returns with a major new book that reveals the story of a regal family plagued by scandal and notoriety and trapped by duty, desire, and the protocols of royalty.
History remembers King George III of England as the mad monarch who lost America. But as a young man, this poignant figure set aside his own passions in favor of a temperate life as guardian to both his siblings and his country. He would soon learn that his prudently cultivated harmony would be challenged by the impetuous natures of his sisters and brothers, and by a changing world in which the very instituation of monarchy was under fire.
At the heart of Stella Tillyard’s intimate and vivid account is King George’s sister Caroline Mathilde. Married against her will at fifteen to the ailing king of Denmark, she broke all the rules by embarking on an affair with a radical young court doctor. Their rash experiment in free living ended in imprisonment, death, and exile and almost led their two countries to war. Around this tragedy are woven the stories of King George’s scandalous brothers, who squandered their time and titles partying and indulging in disastrous relationships that the gossip-hungry press was all too delighted to report.
Historians have always been puzzled by George’s refusal to give up on America, which forced his government to drag out the Revolutionary War long after it was effectively lost. Tillyard suggests that the king, seeing the colonists as part of his family, sought to control them in the same way he had attempted to rule his younger siblings.
In this brilliantly interpretive biography, Stella Tillyard conjures up a Georgian world of dynastic marriages, headstrong royals, and radical new ideas. A compelling story of private passions and public disgrace, rebellion and exile, A Royal Affair brings to life the dramatic events that served as a curtain-raiser to the revolutions that convulsed two continents.
Customer Reviews:
Thoroughly Enjoyable.......2007-07-31
This is the first book I've read by Ms. Tillyard, but it won't be the last. She is an outstanding writer, and the tale she tells here is both novel and worthwhile. Despite having read a good deal about George III and his reign, including Christopher Hibbert's terrific biography, I nonetheless was relatively clueless about his troublesome siblings, especially the precocious and infinitely ambitious Caroline Matilda. Good story very well told.
Scandalous Sibs and Revolutionary Colonies... enough to drive a king crazy!.......2007-04-01
The book is at it's best when it develops the characters, be they the pricipals, their spouses, tutors, ambassadors, in-laws. Tillyard's description of the parental situation and upbringing of George III is an excellent prelude to his responses to his family's challenges.
George III was true believer in the monarchial system. For him, it was an unchallenged law of nature: his brothers and sisters were his diplomatic pawns. Other generations of siblings had been more compliant. Other monarchs didn't face such a free press or such a powerful parliament. George, by his temperment and training, would and could never understand that the world had fundamentally changed.
The story of Caroline Mathilde is both sad and exciting. Tucked away in Denmark at age 16, what was she to do? George's condescending letter and attitude provide no preparation for a normal monarchial role, let alone the one she's thrust into. It would only be human for her to seek companionship, mentorship and comfort.
The princes, according to George, must also scarifice their lives for dynastic marriages. Having more say in their future, they respond in quite predictable ways. Their choices are complicated by not only their brother the King, but a society that has largely bought into the monrachial system.
I held back a star, because many times details interferred with the flow
(I think biographers who work with original material, are often disposed to include something in order to document/preserve it whether or not it is interesting to the reader or germain to the larger story) and that the US Revolution is treated separately and briefly at the end.
Love, Scandal, and Tragedy, Eighteenth Century Style.......2007-02-21
Stella Tillyard's latest effort brings to mind her magnificent earlier work Aristocrats. In A Royal Affair she moves from the nobility to the Royal Family itself, and has produced another fine, scholarly work which has more drama and interest than any novel.
George III and his siblings were the children of Frederick, Prince of Wales and his wife Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. Frederick was despised by his parents King George II and Queen Caroline for no very good reason except that he was the next generation in line to the throne. Despite a lonely upbringing devoid of love and affection he appears here to have been a caring and fairly decent husband and father until his untimely death in 1751.
Losing their father at an early age had an enormous impact on Fred's children. Raised in somewhat straitened and isolated circumstances by a mother who had few maternal feelings, they grew up with various quirks and personality problems which made their lives painful but fascinating to read about. George III, as the oldest son, tried to take on a paternal role even before he became King. His siblings not unnaturally rebelled at this and showed it in a variety of ways. His three brothers Edward Duke of York, Henry Duke of Cumberland, and William Duke of Gloucester caroused and whored their way around London, shocking society and the literate public and infuriating their older brother, who had become oppressively staid and inflexible in dealing with sins of the flesh. The two daughters who lived to adulthood made unhappy political marriages, especially the youngest Caroline Mathilda, who was married off at the age of 15 to the King of Denmark, a 16 year old who was already displaying signs of what today would be diagnosed as schizophrenia.
Tillyard tells the stories of these royal siblings compassionately and well. As she does so she also provides some fascinating discussions of such varied subjects as Enlightenment philosophy and how it led to the development of a literate English public and a national press inclined to investigate and criticize the conduct of royalty, nobility, and politicians alike; the well-developed espionage networks in northern Europe and the Baltic; power politics between and within Britain, Denmark, Germany, and France; and, most importantly, the similarities between George III's troubles with his family and his problems with the American colonists.
If after reading A Royal Affair you are eager for more about the House of Hanover, I recommend Tillyard's earlier work Aristocrats; Christopher Hibbert's George III: A Personal History; and Flora Fraser's Princesses and The Unruly Queen.
Illicit loves, marriages and madness.......2006-12-18
After reading Stella Tillyard's previous work, Aristocrats about the four Lennox sisters and their romances, I was hooked on this author's wit and style. Most of all it was her ability to look down deep into the hearts of her subjects and help the reader understand why someone would do what they did. Now Tillyard takes on another British family in A Royal Affair.
This time, it's none other than the Hannoverian kings, who first took the British throne in 1714 after the death of Queen Anne. Having a tenuous descent from the Stuarts, they took to the English in a way, happy to have control of a growing empire, and a well-established military and navy, but perhaps not quite comfortable yet with a government that shared power with Parliment and where the monarch was an example and figurehead, and expected to defer as needed to the actual government. Compared to other monarchies in Europe, where the King's word was absolute, it was a very new system to adjust to. Sons who did not become the monarch would be expected to take on leadership roles in the army and navy, and daughters would become bargaining points in arranging treaties and making marriages with other royalties, leaving the homes they had known and doing as best they could in foreign lands.
Unfortunately for King George II, he loathed his eldest son, Frederick, Prince of Wales, and the relationship was anything but good. Harried, and accused of trying to commit treason, Frederick turned to his wife, a German born princess for love and comfort, and their growing brood of children. There would eventually be eight children, the eldest son, George, would become George III, most famous for losing the American colonies and his madness. Two of the daughters, Augusta and Caroline Matilda, would survive childhood and marry into European dynasties. The other sons grew up without the seriousness of their elder brother, and all of the siblings would cause anguish for their brother and king, who after the deaths of their father and grandfather, viewed himself as both a brother and parent.
While Tillyard touches a bit on the other siblings, it is on the youngest child, Caroline Mathilde that she focuses most of her attention. Only four months old after the early death of her father Frederick, Caroline grew up knowing that she would be married off to some prince or king, and watching her own mother's unhappiness and that of her elder sister, was no doubt a sobering influence on her own prospects. She was pretty and blonde, with the pale blue eyes and full mouth that ran her family, and figure that promised to be plump later on in life. At the age of fifteen she was married by proxy to the young king of Denmark, Christian VII. He was also a cousin, with Great Britain and Denmark having regularly suppling princesses to serve as queen consort in each others countries for a while. An etching survives of Caroline at the time, dressed in ermine and pearls, her eyes brimming and a look of misery on her face; she knew that it was unlikely that she would ever return to England, or see anyone in her family again.
Unfortunately for Caroline, her husband was young and immature, and subject to fits of mania, and a strong sadomasochistic streak. Caroline managed to bear her husband a son and heir, and tried to make the best of a bad situation; she hated formality and ceremonial, and yearned for simplicity and more pastorial life. When a doctor came to consult for the king, Caroline found herself involved in intrigue, and a scandal erupted that rocked Europe.
Struensee was ambitionous, much older than Caroline, and a man that Christian VII trusted. It became a sort of three-sided relationship, with Caroline acting more for the king when he was lost in his fits of violence, and turning ever more to Struensee for advice, which the good doctor was more than happy to give to her. Eventually, the relationship became much more intimate and personal, and when the scandal broke, Caroline had not only given birth to a child who was not the king's, but faced the very real possibility of exile, imprisonment or even execution.
What happens next was a shocker. I was fascinated by this story of royalty gone wrong and especially one that I had never heard of before. It also shed light on George III's relationships with his own children, from the sons who gambled, were spendthrifts and married all sorts of the wrong women, and to his six daughters that he adored, but didn't want to marry. Could it be that his own observations on his sisters' and mother's fates influenced his decisions for his daughters' futures?
Tillyard's writing is excellent, and the stories of these unfortunate royals makes for compelling reading. While the story does get a bit dry in the telling of it, the emotional pitch is high, and I found myself caring if anyone in these stories was going to have a happy ending. It's also a very personal tale of love and politics.
Included in the text are two inserts of colour and black and white depictions of the main characters, and there is a map of Denmark, as well as two genelogical charts showing the links between the English and Danish royal families. Extensive notes, bibliography and index provide an opportunity for future research.
fine gossip with a scholarly twist.......2006-12-17
Stella Tillyard continues in her singular mode of enlightened gossip from the age of enlightenment that she has employed in previous histories. I was delighted a few years ago by her "Citizen Lord: The Life of Edward Fitzgerald, Irish Revolutionary," which gave a spirited biography of a real-life romantic figure. In "A Royal Affair," the era is a little earlier and the environs a bit more easterly. Once again, Tillyard has done her homework and cites heavily from original sources. Yes, it is gossip on a grand scale. But if it were just that, it would simply be People Magazine transposed by two-hundred and thirty-odd years. Instead, Tillyard brings the zeitgeist of London and Denmark to this readable book; moreover, she links the personal actions of the principals to the intellectual eddies brought forth by the French philosophes Rousseau, Voltaire, etc. Most interesting to me was her consideration of how budding aristocrats were educated. This linkage between grand ideas and real actions of large players on the European stage which welded both childcraft and statecraft renders this a winning book. The final chapter gives an interpretation of how George III's behavior in his family affairs may be mirrored in his actions to his rebelling colonies. I must re-read this section before I am convinced that it is not a tidy, but stretched, bow to wrap around an otherwise fine book.
Average customer rating:
- 2 and a half stars
- Everybody called her "your Grace" but she wasn't a duchess yet
- Two very unlikable lead characters made for an unpleasant read.
- The Parent Trap...Regency edition!
- Scandalously dull
|
Scandalous Again
Christina Dodd
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0060092653
Release Date: 2003-02-25 |
Book Description
Two exquisite cousins must exchange identities in a scandalous deception.
Madeline de Lacy, the duchess of Magnus, prides herself on being one of the most sensible young women in England, which is why she can't believe that, in a turn of the cards, her noble father has lost his entire estate -- and her! -- to a stranger.
On a mission to salvage her family fortune, she changes places with her cousin and companion, sending the meeker Eleanor to confront the man who had won Madeline's hand. Now, Madeline is free to enter the home of a notorious gambler, and pretends to be meek, humble, and competent with an iron. She is, of course, none of those things; she simply is resolved to win her family's fortune back. Just when she thinks matters can't get worse, she meets Gabriel Ansell, the earl of Campion, and they do. Horribly worse.
Four years ago, Madeline was engaged to Gabriel, and worshipped his arrogant kisses. Now, being forced to marry a man she doesn't know pales in comparison to the ordeal of facing Gabriel again, the man who betrayed her -- Gabriel, the only man she ever loved.
Download Description
In a turn of the cards, Madeline's freedom and fortune are lost to mysterious blackguard Remington Knight. Now only her hated ex-fiance Gabriel can help salvage the family pride. But he has a mission of his own: to win back the only woman he could ever love.
Customer Reviews:
2 and a half stars.......2007-08-03
This was my first ever Christian Dodd book and it was kind of a disappointment. I love the regency period and try to read as many books from this period as I can (Mary Balogh, Stephanie Laurens, Julia Quinn, Liz Carlyle, Gaelen Foley, Jo Beverley etc etc). And I'll admit a few of the books are riddled with certain historical, anachronistic or plot failings, but I'm able to look over them... In this book however, calling the heroine: "Your Grace" was just annoyingly jarring... First of all, she wasn't even a Duchess yet...like what? Were they anticipating her father's death, seeking it even? Secondly, I was distracted by the fact that the heroine was a marchioness and a future duchess not by marriage, but by birth as in: in her family the title passes to the eldest child, male or female (which one might say is a giant leap for feminism in the regency era, not that I buy that- as far as I know this has only happened with the Countess of Mountbatten). It WAS sooooo jarring how they kept referring to this single girl as Your Grace the marchioness of... or the future duchess of as if she's going to marry her father, next thing you know, they'll stop calling her Madeline and start calling her by her title name, Sheridan or when she gets her dukedom, Magnus. And then she's in love with a (lowly) Earl so that when they get married she'd be what? A countess? and lose her dukedom? or her earl will be a duke? or she'll be a duchess, a marchioness AND a countess? or she'll no longer be a duchess/marchioness but her first child will be? or what???? I was sooooooo distracted by all this and it was really hard for me to get through the book which sucked because Christina Dodd does know how to tell a story, it moved quickly and was sexy and well-written... it's just all those jarring plot points...
Everybody called her "your Grace" but she wasn't a duchess yet.......2006-08-27
The heroine is the future duchess of Magnus, supposedly because Queen Elizabeth I decreed the firstborn child would inherit the title regardless of gender. Seems unlikely to me. Also she was always introduced to people as "the Marchioness of Sheridan and the future duchess of Magnus" - which doesn't seem proper, for the future title to be announced like that.
It looked to me like the author was so enamoured of the idea for her heroine to be a duchess that she made up this ridiculous story of Elizabeth I and also says that everybody called her "your Grace" even though she hadn't inherited the title yet (her father was still alive) - but there isn't any explanation of why they would do that.
Other than that, I enjoyed the story and the main characters. The constant mention of the heroine being a duchess (when she wasn't) was quite irritating and spoiled it for me though.
Two very unlikable lead characters made for an unpleasant read........2006-06-19
I was ambivalent about Madeline and actually found myself despising Gabriel.
Some major issues:
1. Very little is explained about how Gabriel and Madeline fell in love. It is described in very vague terms - Madeline saw him, danced with him, and fell in love. We don't even get that much information about how/why Gabriel fell in love with Madeline.
2. The break-up was based on, I thought, a decent premise. Madeline hated gambling, Gabriel knew that, and he gambled anyway. However, when Madeline confronted him at Almack's, why didn't Gabriel explain his actions? Why didn't he ever realize his mistake in gambling when he knew how Madeline felt about it? I think he owed her an apology - not the other way around.
3. Madeline leaves Gabriel, but he never goes after her. Yeah, he's busy with war-related stuff, but in 4 years I think he could have tracked her down and won her back. Especially considering he took her virginity before she left him. I absoluted HATED when he casually asked Maddie if she had had his baby. What a total jerk! If he cared at all for her or a possible baby, he would have stopped at nothing to get her back (or at least make sure she was all right).
4. We never know why these two people should be together. Aside from their amazing sexual chemistry, I never felt like Gabriel and Madeline really knew or loved each other. In fact, I don't remember if Gabriel even said "I love you" before the very end. It just seemed like these two had a love/hate relationship that had no chance of lasting. They were both too immature and selfish.
The sex scenes were explicit and very passionate (the only reason for 2 stars instead of 1). Unfortunately, they couldn't make up for the unlikable characters and rather insipid plot.
The Parent Trap...Regency edition!.......2005-09-02
Madeline de Lacy, the Marchioness of Sheridan and future Duchess of Magnus, has barely set foot back in England after four years when she is blithely told by her disaster-prone papa that he has wagered her in a game of piquet...and lost. Composed and practical -- she's had to be to deal with her father's fiascos for the last seventeen years since her mama's death -- Madeline sets out for London with her companion and cousin, Eleanor, to deal with this would-be fiancé.
However, the two cousins' plans change course when they find out that "the Game of the Century" is about to commence at a country estate. Knowing this is just the sort of rig her father would love to participate in, Madeline is convinced he will show up with a prized family heirloom in tow. Unable to be in two places at the same time, Madeline convinces her cousin Eleanor to switch places with her. Eleanor will go on to London and keep the fiancé at bay, while Madeline will head for the country estate where the Game is being held. Hiring on as a companion to a family heading to the event, Madeline prepares herself for her father's arrival. Unfortunately, all the preparation in the world does not prepare her when she encounters Gabriel Ansell, the Earl of Campion. The man she jilted very publicly four years ago.
Gabriel Ansell has waited four long years for Madeline de Lacy to return to England. Instantly recognizing his former fiancée in her "disguise," Gabriel is determined to find out her reasons for the charade and get her back in his arms where she belongs. Unfortunately, his beloved is as headstrong and stubborn as ever so the Earl decides the best way to keep an eye on her is to help her. Soon the two are up to their ears in intrigue, villains and kisses.
The first in Christina Dodd's Changing Places duet, SCANDALOUS AGAIN is an exhilarating romantic battle of wills. Imagine the best of the classic Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn movies with a dash of The Parent Trap and a dose of Jane Austen (for the historical setting, of course), and you'll get a sense of what a delicious romp this story is. Shaped by her family history, pragmatic Madeline is a woman afraid to let her guard down even to the man she loves. Gabriel is a special hero. Patient and stubborn in his own way, he is a perfect match for Madeline and their unforgettable encounters run the gamut from amusing to poignant.
Note: Eleanor's story is told in ONE KISS FROM YOU.
TheSchemer
Scandalously dull.......2005-05-27
REAL Synopsis.
Madeline de Lacy, Marchioness and future duchess disguises herself as a companion of a wealthy family in order to go to a gambling weekend party, to stop her dad from betting a family heirloom. There she meets with her past in the form of the Lord Campion, the only man she has loved. The entire story takes place in this big gambling event, the romance between the main characters happened during the past, so we are just introduced to it by memories. There is a villain also and some non-memorable characters too.
What is wrong with it: The entire story is insipid; the main characters have no charm. The heroine is one of those "very independent" women that tend to be stubborn and stupid and the lead male is mostly annoying with no quality. It is very difficult to care for them because it feels like the nice love story happened in a part of the book that is missing and now the characters just have contempt for each other.
The dialogues have no wit or wisdom, which makes this novel a very boring and uninteresting reading.
Book Description
With these words to Boswell, Samuel Johnson dismissed Lady Di Beauclerk, the wife of one of his closest friends, a woman of the highest rank, the daughter of a duke, who had forsaken her reputation, her place in society, her children, and her role as lady-in-waiting to the Queen for love.
Born Lady Diana Spencer in 1735, the eldest child of the third Duke of Marlborough, she was expected rigidly to follow a traditional path through life: educated in the fashion considered suitable for a girl, and married to a man of the appropriate rank for a duke's daughter. But finding herself in a desperately unhappy marriage to Viscount Bolingbroke, Lady Di overturned convention. She left her husband, maintained a secret relationship with her lover, Topham Beauclerk, hid the birth of an illegitimate child, and eventually helped to support herself by painting.
Lady Di Beauclerk was a highly gifted artist who was able to use her scandalous reputation as an adulteress, aristocratic woman to further her career as a painter and designer. She painted portraits, illustrated plays and books, provided designs for Wedgwood's innovative pottery, and decorated rooms with murals. Championed by her close friend Horace Walpole, whose letters illuminate all aspects of her life, she was able to establish herself as an admired artist at a time when women struggled to forge careers.
Carola Hicks provides an enthralling account of eighteenth-century society, in which Lady Di encountered many of the most eminent artistic, literary, and political figures of the day. Improper Pursuits is an absorbing study of a singular life.
Customer Reviews:
Not quite a biography..........2004-01-28
This interesting but uneven book is purportedly about Lady Diana Spencer, an 18th Century English aristocrat who suffered through two unhappy marriages (the first ended through the scandal of divorce). She made a minor reputation for herself as an artist at a time when society ladies did not work. As a biography, the book is not a success since we learn very little about the character of Lady Di, her likes and dislikes, her goals and accomplishments. But as a portrait of British nobility, "Improper Pursuits" is often fascinating. Society was filled with venal, brainless and irresponsible young men, obsessed with gambling and exemplified by Lady Di's first husband, Lord Bolingbroke, nicknamed "Bully" on the one hand. On the other hand are the creative and intellectual giants, including Dr. Johnson and the ever-present James Boswell, Garrick and Sheridan, who were friends with Lady Di's second husband, Topham Beauclerk. The highly eccentric Horace Walpole flutters through the book, charming and likeable and maddening in equal parts.
As the author describes this society, it was clearly male-dominated and little space was left where women could flourish equally. Carola Hicks makes a mighty effort to bring women into the story, describing the household and social skills they were required to learn (and nothing further) but they are so overshadowed by the men that there is a feeling of desperation as the author tries to flesh out the story and throws in everything but the kitchen sink. For example: where did upper class ladies buy their paintbrushes in London? Nonetheless, many of the characters she describes are fascinating and a particular London in the time of George II and George III is nicely delineated. Lady Di remains as two-dimensional as her own drawings of cherubs, though. After reading "Improper Pursuits,"the reader realizes that the subject of the book will be more remembered for her friends than for herself.
Book Description
It's a steamy June afternoon in Louisiana, circa 1956, and Sissy LeBlanc is sitting on her front porch, wondering -- half seriously -- if she could kill herself with aspirins and Coca-Cola. She's been living in stifling old Gentry since the day she was born and trapped in a sham of a marriage to PeeWee LeBlanc since she was only seventeen. In short, she's fed up, restless, and ready for an adventure.
Sissy just never imagined temptation would come into her life that breathless summer day as she sat smoking on her porch swing. For although she may have been fixated on the taut muscles of the lineman shimmying down the telephone pole across the street, she hadn't allowed herself to imagine that he'd be none other than her high school sweetheart, Parker Davidson, who left town fourteen years before without so much as a wave good-bye. But suddenly, here he is, leaning in for a kiss that will stir up more excitement than Sissy could ever have imagined...
Customer Reviews:
A Good Summer Read!.......2007-08-07
This book is a fabulous vacation read! It's sassy and fun, but it also makes you appreciate the good life you have. Sissy should have been the model for her generation! Too bad more women back then didn't follow their hearts.....a great book all around, I would reccomend it to anyone!
Not a usual 5 star reviewer but this one deserved it!.......2007-06-07
I happened to be just looking for a light, summer read and was scanning the shelves in the library and came across this book. It sounded entertaining from the breif summary in the inside of the book so I thought "Why Not?'.
It starts out in the summer of '56 following the story of Sissy, a confident and fearless mother/woman/ wife who doesn't let anyone intimidate her. This attitude helps her realize from the start that perhaps she should start using this attitude towards her love life once she spots her old high school fling from way back. Immediatley, I expected the usual trite plot of woman having some sultry affair with her old ex-highschool lover but realized I was proven wrong. This whole book is unpredicatable and the best part was the fact it didn't just focus on Sissy but also interwove other lovable characters who remind you of people you know and their own subplots which somehow all tangle with each other. What the author does a magnificent job of is creating a story in a setting of a small town and not letting the reader in on which end of the web is going to come loose first.
The book and even the ending prove that this author is unconventional and a true master of literature. Her ability to constantly deliver different twists and angles throughout the book without resorting to conventional tactics while still managing to keep the story interesting and sensible is amazing. Most books I have read that have tried to not stick to the "usual" overused endings and devices end up losing the reader in the process by creating outcomes so unique that they seem out of character or don't go along with the rest of the plot.
Overall, I REALLY reccomend this book and feel that if you are looking for something with a little romance as well as humor, this is the book for you. It doesn't just focus on the romance at hand but shows the contextual setting as well as the reactions is creates and plots it effects as well. The whole effect of the story will leave you turning each page and showing your emotion in the end!!!! I LOVED IT!!!!!!
A Roller Coaster of Twists and Turns.......2007-06-01
When I bought this book, I thought the entire book would be based on this torrid affair that an unhappily married woman was going to embark upon, but it really wasn't quite like that at all. There are so many surprises in this book, that I found myself reading it every chance I got....
This book is about dysfunctional families and relationships, and lost dreams, but it is enjoyable along the way. This is a great read. Oh if there really were men out there like Parker Davidson......
Great Quick Read!.......2007-05-08
This book was a hit for me because I was looking for a quick pick-me-up and this was it!! Fast, funny, dysfunctional - it shows us that we can make mistakes and still land on top. Also, a key theme in this book is to keep trying. Sissy never gives up, although she has every right to. I found this book very entertaining, loved the "Southern Belle's Handbook" and I will DEFINATELY check out the author's other books, if only for the humerous escape and a light read.
Summer all heated up.......2006-10-27
Sissy LeBlanc is a good hometown girl, mother of three, and faithful but terribly bored wife. She was raised to be a proper southern lady, but has always found that she was better suited to a lifestyle with a little bit of wild thrown in. And when her high school sweetheart returns to town after being away for 14 years Sissy finds a whole lot more wild that she bargained for. Her scandalous summer finds her searching for a balance between honoring her obligations, successfully raising her children, and still doing a little bit to satisfy herself. But no action in a small town goes unnoticed and before long her sinful secrets are known to all but her jealous husband. Sissy must decide whether she should follow society's expectations or her heart.
This book would definately fall into the "chick lit" category, but is light and fun. It does grapple with some weightier issues such as race and class, but for the most part is an entertaining romantic read. The end is a bit predictable and trite. It is the perfect book for a hot summer day and a glass of lemonade - particularly if Sissy has added a little bit of wild to the lemonade!
Books:
- Setting Limits with Your Strong-Willed Child : Eliminating Conflict by Establishing Clear, Firm, and Respectful Boundaries
- Skylark (Sarah, Plain and Tall)
- Slightly Sinful
- Stolen Magic
- Storm Runners: A Novel
- Strangers in the Night
- Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)
- Sunlight and Shadow (Once Upon a Time)
- Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56
- Temperatures Rising
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Life Skills 101: A Practical Guide to Leaving Home and Living on Your Own
- Beyond the Pale
- Sensory Mechanisms of the Spinal Cord: Volume 1: Primary Afferent Neurons and the Spinal Dorsal Horn
- The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare
- Wall and Piece
- Barnyard in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Rabbits, Goats, She
- Anchor Hocking's Fire-King & More: Identification & Value Guide, Including Early American Pr
- The Optical Unconscious
- The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: A Facsimile in Full Color
- Trees of Vancouver/a Guide to the Common and Unusual Trees of the City
The Stranger I Married
The Raven Prince (Warner Forever)
A Lady's Pleasure
The Leopard Prince (Warner Forever)
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