Lady Philippa Marbury and Cross (Jasper)'s book
One Good Earl Deserves a Lover ( The Rules of Scoundrels book 2)
by Sarah MacLean
Book Blurb:Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.
Like any good scientist, Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion—the experience of ruination without the repercussions of ruination. And who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? But when this odd, unexpected female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting . . . and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts—and giving the lady precisely what she wants.
If you loved Lisa Kleypas' "Devil in Winter" you are going to adore One Good Earl Deserves a Lover. Now that is not to say that this story is a copy of Ms Kleypas' book. No not at all. I just kept being reminded about the gaming hell story-line and the secret passageways. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover can certainly stand on it's own and I am awarding a perfect 5 hearts. I adored this story and the characters. Bravo once again for Sarah MacLean's exceptional story telling and witty characters.
My friend met Sarah MacLean at a book signing and got a copy of this paperback signed for me. What a treasure! I wish I was there in person to tell Sarah MacLean how much I adore her writing.
Pippa is book smart. She has a scientist's mind and rarely believes in things on a leap of faith. She needs proof. Additionally, she is awkward and is a complete oddball in social settings. Pippa understands why she must marry, she gets what will happen on her wedding night but of course she wants to dissect each detail and anthropologically speaking, she needs to understand the details from a factual perspective. Since her betroth and her are not a love match, she hasn't the natural passion, giddiness or lust that has happened to her sisters. She's confused by the whole thing and decides the best thing to do is seek out a legendary rake to lecture her on all the aspects of sex. I loved this angle. Pippa was so believable in her quest. She doesn't follow the norms so for her to just get up and walk into a gaming hell to seek out the rake, she doesn't understand that it is not something a lady would do.
The rake that Pippa is seeking out is Cross. Cross has an entire backstory that is slowly revealed as the story moves forward. Pippa is unlike any Lady that he has ever met. She puzzles him. She says things to him where he doesn't know whether to smile or scoff at her. She has big eyes peering out of her spectacles and Cross becomes more and more attracted to her.
It was so nice to read a book about a couple of oddballs. Pippa with her glasses and scientific mind and Cross with his ginger hair and uncertain background. I loved it. I could not put the book down. I sat in my car after work in the garage and read because I couldn't wait to get home to read more.
There was a type of villain that readers love to hate and I despised him with the heat of a thousand suns. Blackmail from the blackguard delivers so much angst in a story and Sarah MacLean hit is perfectly. I couldn't wait to see the villain get what was coming to him. It was worth the wait.
Teasers: dog loving fiance, Chapter 11, fixed dice, blackmail
Michael, Marquess of Bourne and Lady Penelope Marbury's book
A Rogue By Any Other Name
By Sarah MacLean
Book Blurb:
What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets . . .
A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.
A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.
Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them . . . even her heart
Hmm, I wonder if Sarah MacLean will ever write a book that I don't love? Probably not. I quite simply enjoy her gift for story telling. A Rogue By Any Other Name was outstanding.
When I purchased A Rogue By Any Other Name, I had no idea that Lady Penelope was the jilted fiance of the Duke of Leighton from Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart. I was so happy when I discovered that she was the main heroine. While reading that previous book, I had wondered about that poor innocent fiance and what was to ever become of her. I only feel bad that it took nine years, after the Eleven Scandals' story ended, for Lady Penelope to get her deserved story. Thankfully Sarah MacLean did not make her fans wait nine years for the book to come out!
First let me comment on the stunning book cover. Is that not a picture of true beauty? I just love historical romance covers and A Rogue By Any Other Name just became one of the top spots on my all time favourite cover list. The art department was very good to Sarah MacLean.
I am a big fan of the historical romance formula where the protagonists get married near the beginning of the book. What a treat to have A Rogue By Any Other Name go this route. Sure Lady Penelope and Michael were not in love and the marriage was rather a means to an end but regardless, I love the journey of how they fell in love with each other.
Another romance formula that I am a fan of is when the protagonists have a childhood history. Well once again I was loving the history and memories that Lady Penelope conjured up.
While devouring reading A Rogue, I loved that I really didn't know what Michael's every thought was. This style is another writing kudos to Sarah MacLean. I don't want to know everything that the hero is thinking during or after a scene. His thoughts were included in every now and then but after he did some heinous act, I totally enjoyed reading what Penelope's reaction was. She surprised me often and I loved her not being predicable.
Nothing makes me happier than to read about a rake, rogue or blackguard change his ways and fall head over heels in love. Except for maybe an awesome heroine who had the unwitting power to make them trust their feelings.
Teasers: ice skating with roasted chestnuts, fur blanket, mosaic glass, secret back entrance to the club (that I really want to know more about!!!)
Juliana Fiori and The Duke of Leighton, Simon Pearson's book
Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart
(Love by Numbers book 3)
By Sarah MacLean
Book Blurb:
She lives for passion
Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society’s rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London’s most practiced gossips…and precisely the kind of woman the Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.
He swears by reputation.
Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening–risking everything he holds dear–he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety.
She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.
The Love by Numbers series by Sarah MacLean is fabulous. Eleven Scandals is the final book regarding the St. John siblings. I have to admit to loving Nine Rules and Ten Ways a bit more than Eleven Scandals but I highly recommend them all as historical must reads.
Eleven Scandals is full of scandal and Juliana is just the perfect character to pull off all these highly inappropriate actions. I think a lot of us modern women will relate to Juliana on one level or another. She kept me highly entertained throughout Eleven Scandals.
The Duke of Leighton is a man in need of an exciting woman like Juliana. He is stiff and proper but he is not a prude. He just knows what is expected of him and he lives up to his respectable role as a Duke. He takes his role within the ton very seriously and has earned a nickname as the Duke of Disdain. It was quite enjoyable reading about how Juliana manages to slowly chip away all that built up hardness. Juliana is the only person who can see past all that ice. If you enjoy a story where opposites attract, then you are going to LOVE Eleven Scandals.
I really liked the passion game that Juliana had dared Simon to partake in. I also enjoyed their little word play game as well. They are both extremely good manipulators.
During Eleven Scandals the Duke does become engaged to another woman and I found myself a little uncomfortable for the betrothed woman. Simon did have good intentions to live up to his duty but I still wasn't pleased he went through with his engagement. It felt wrong. He was using the poor Lady and all the while he had strong feelings towards Juliana. I did feel and understand his confusion and his pain. It was clear he really did feel like he was wedged into a corner with no way out. It was if he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. I was pleased that Sarah MacLean did include as part of a chapter a brief conversation between the Lady and Juliana to demonstrate that the Lady was just as prepared to go through with her marriage duty as Simon was. And she really did just see it as a duty. There was no love match there. It was creative and talented writing to show her not as a villain or victim. I rather admired her.
There are some beautiful kissing scenes. They were highly charged and quite memorable. The Duke was sure showing some great restraint. When Simon and Juliana finally give in to their mutual passion, I have to admit it was a very moving and loving scene. I will also claim that as far as historicals romances go, I felt it was one of the best virginal first times I have read in a long time. I just love Sarah MacLean's writing.
Teasers: carriage hideout, the grape, return of the long lost mother, "one night"
Lady Calpurnia Hartwell and Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston's book
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
(Love by Numbers book 1)
By Sarah Maclean
Book Blurb:
A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club. Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.
But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.
If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . .
Delightfully marvelous!!!
I don't know where to begin decribing this wonderful novel. It was witty, entertaining, an excellent story line, memorable characters and one of those novels that I couldn't put down. I will re-read this one many times. What a inspiring happy feel good sexy historical romance. I loved that I had never read a book with a similar plot. It was so refreshing to read something new. For a debut author, Sarah MacLean was outstanding!!
Nine Rules 
is on my list of Best Books of 2010! If you love historical romance, then you must read it!
I would give "Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake" even a higher rating if I could go past the 5 hearts. I simply loved it!!
I don't want to give away too much about the book because I would never want to take away the warm and fuzzy feeling you'll get while reading but I think I should at least explain the super long title. Lady Calpurnia Hartwell is a proper lady, maybe not the most attractive compared to her peers but she is a warm and lovely lady. She has been "put on the shelf" and is considered a wallflower. However her younger sister is beautiful and in her first season, was immediately sought after and engaged. Her younger sister is not a villian thankfully. Lady Calpurnia decides to become a bit adventurous and she makes herself a scandalous list of things she wants to do. Each of those 9 things on her list is a rule that a lady of the time would never break.
There! That's all I'm giving you. Enjoy!!
