A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long

Evie Duggan and Adam Sylvaine's book





A Notorious Countess Confesses (Pennyroyal Green book 7)

By Julie Anne Long

Book Blurb:She rose to spectacular heights…

From Covent Garden to courtesan to countess, beautiful, fearless, shamelessly ambitious Evie Duggan has riveted London in every role she plays. But the ton never could forgive her scandalous—if shockingly short—marriage, and when her star plummets amid gleefully vicious gossip, the countess escapes to the only legacy left to her: a manor house in Pennyroyal Green.

He never expected to fall so hard…

He has the face of a fallen angel and a smolder the devil would envy, but Vicar Adam Sylvaine walks a precarious line: resisting temptation…and the wild Eversea blood in his veins. Adam’s strength is tested when scandal, aka the countess, moves to Sussex. But when a woman who fiercely guards her heart and a man entrusted with the souls of an entire town surrender to a forbidden desire, will the sweetest sin lead them to Heaven...or make outcasts of them forever?

I confess I was not really looking forward to reading A Notorious Countess Confesses. I'm not a fan of romances with vicars and when I do read one, it's always the same plot where a vicar needs to tame a wild woman. Okay truth is, religious men don't do it for me. The difference with this book was the added benefit of the fabulous writing of Julie Anne Long who's style never disappoints. I couldn't walk away and not read it after reading all the previous books. 

I admit to hoping that A Notorious Countess Confesses had more humour to offer and my fingers were crossed that the story would be more than a vicar taming the "notorious" woman. I would say that Evie really didn't need all that much taming as it was more her reputation that needed harnessed. 

The story was just okay. Adam did nothing for me and Evie was predictable. I missed the witty banter that the other Pennyroyal Green stories provided. Adam just seemed lust driven and it was a bit lost on me why Adam didn't feel any remorse at all for having pre-marital sex. Is that okay for vicars? I would have thought his morals and values would have been a bit higher than a common rake. 

I was also glad that Julie Anne Long introduced the fact that Adam has a slight healing ability before A Notorious Countess Confesses because if she had just wrote that Adam simply healed Evie's maid by holding her hand and praying, this book would have been a DNF. 

I admired Evie as she was trying to keep her head a float and support the family that seemed to rely on her for everything. She provided some great tidbits of sage advice. 

I am a fan of the happily ever after but the ending was way over the top. It was too perfect. 

In June, book 8 comes out and I can say without a doubt I am very much looking forward to reading It Happened One Midnight. This book will be Jonathan Redmond's and I have liked him for a long time. I eagerly await the release. 

Teasers: "A vicar's job is where he belonged to everyone and yet to no one."