What do you think?
Rate this book
Pennyroyal Green #1
The Perils of Pleasure
A rescued rogue . . .
Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.
A captivating captor. . .
Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeline dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.
Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.
A captivating captor. . .
Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeline dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.
384 pages, ebook
First published January 29, 2008
396 people are currently reading
9956 people want to read
About the author
Julie Anne Long
38 books2,957 followersWell, where should I start? I've lived in San Francisco for more than a decade, usually with at least one cat. I won the school spelling bee when I was in 7th grade; the word that clinched it was 'ukulele.' I originally set out to be a rock star when I grew up (I had a Bono fixation, but who didn't?), and I have the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of my closet to prove it.
But writing was always my first love.
I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).
Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.
But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?
But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.
So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.
Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)
And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.
But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl
But writing was always my first love.
I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).
Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.
But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?
But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.
So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.
Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)
And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.
But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 895 reviews
July 22, 2020
DNF @ 20%
Soooo yeah.
I used to be one of those readers who would feel so freaking guilty over not finishing a book. Not anymore! Life is too short and I need my kicks where I can get them. My first Julie Anne Long book and not really what I was expecting. Unfortunately this was one of those ‘everybody and their mother loves this but I just don’t get it’ books for me. And I really didn’t get it. Literally. Like at all. Never mind the *meh* storyline and blah characters but the writing just...didn’t work. Good Gawt the writing. I thought maybe it was just me having an off week, hormones, PMSing, allergies? But the more I tried to get into it the more I kept running into weird grammar choices, a lot of typos and odd dialogue that I couldn’t make heads or tail out of. And I'm not so sure this is a case of bad editing considering the problems are everywhere and read more like the author's styling choice? This seems to be quite a popular series by the author. So I kept sitting here all by my lonesome thinking AM I READING THIS RIGHT?
Help me out. Maybe my brain is too tired but does any of this make sense? Yes if you wanna get technical that last quote--if you focus real hard--you get the gist of it, but damn if I have to read a passage 5 times before I can process what the author is trying to convey then you've lost me already. I don't need my readings to be like a complicated algebra problem. Not the writing at least. The words need to flow in a rhythm that doesn't feel like a rubik cube. It's supposed to be brain food. If you wanna pour out run-onlong winded sentences, fine, just have it make sense. I'm not looking for perfect.
And another thing that I found odd and annoying was her strange habit of italicizing words that didn’t need emphasis. Especially in the context used. It just made some of the dialogue come off strangely obnoxious and (even more) tedious.
Example 1:
Example 2:
It's. everywhere. on. every. page. Because people always talk this way. Oy. Just...stop.
I guess a part of why I'm so hung up over this or I should say surprised is all the rave reviews and unanimous gushing I've seen over this author's writing capability. I can see she likes to get fancy with her turn of phrase but for me the writing needs to be tighter and clearer. Even with mistakes, the way she words things just doesn’t mesh well for me. The writing just felt too laborious for me. Everything is a mouthful when it doesn't need to be. And what also worked against it here was just the simple fact that I had no interest in the story nor the hero or heroine. Two major strikes. If the story was interesting or the characters then maybe I wouldn’t keep counting the mistakes and clunky prose. It’s a bad sign when you start to make it a game and continue reading just to see if you find more weird trip ups. Like OOOh! Ha. Another one. Go Fish! Yeah no. I honestly gave this book a shot because I wanted to read Book 11 but thought I may get too lost. LOL. Oh the irony.
I'm giving Book 11 a try for the hell of it. Cause a. I'm a sucker for the star crossed Romeo & Juliet theme and b. I'm a masochist. Miss Julie Anne Long, I'm giving you one more shot.
Soooo yeah.
I used to be one of those readers who would feel so freaking guilty over not finishing a book. Not anymore! Life is too short and I need my kicks where I can get them. My first Julie Anne Long book and not really what I was expecting. Unfortunately this was one of those ‘everybody and their mother loves this but I just don’t get it’ books for me. And I really didn’t get it. Literally. Like at all. Never mind the *meh* storyline and blah characters but the writing just...didn’t work. Good Gawt the writing. I thought maybe it was just me having an off week, hormones, PMSing, allergies? But the more I tried to get into it the more I kept running into weird grammar choices, a lot of typos and odd dialogue that I couldn’t make heads or tail out of. And I'm not so sure this is a case of bad editing considering the problems are everywhere and read more like the author's styling choice? This seems to be quite a popular series by the author. So I kept sitting here all by my lonesome thinking AM I READING THIS RIGHT?
He kept the pistol trained on the door and on her, but because he was Colin Eversea and he did it like breathing--the admiring of women--he couldn’t help but admire the line of her spine as she made her way up the stairs.
Without thinking, Colin handed over his corded bundle, and he watched, half bemused and half with a sort of pleasure, as her quick hands worked it open, unfolded the coat, and pulled--and pulled and pulled, as the tailors at Weston were rigorous and thorough and the threads unwilling to give way--a brass button free.
He tried a deep breath, but that was a mistake: inhaling merely sucked the sack into his nostrils. Colin managed to snort it back out again just as he was unceremoniously dumped into a chair, righted by two large hands planted on his shoulders when he began to trip, and abandoned.
Help me out. Maybe my brain is too tired but does any of this make sense? Yes if you wanna get technical that last quote--if you focus real hard--you get the gist of it, but damn if I have to read a passage 5 times before I can process what the author is trying to convey then you've lost me already. I don't need my readings to be like a complicated algebra problem. Not the writing at least. The words need to flow in a rhythm that doesn't feel like a rubik cube. It's supposed to be brain food. If you wanna pour out run-on
And another thing that I found odd and annoying was her strange habit of italicizing words that didn’t need emphasis. Especially in the context used. It just made some of the dialogue come off strangely obnoxious and (even more) tedious.
Example 1:
His smile was rueful, but this time it reached his eyes. “I’m not. At least, I’m not certain they all will be happy. But I am certain you will be paid to return me to them. For we’ve honor, you see. We Everseas do.”
“Mr. Eversea, more specifically, it’s urgent that I am paid very quickly. I haven’t time to waste on-.”
Example 2:
“Well, I’m humbled,” Colin Eversea finally said.
“I doubt that,” she retorted dourly.
He laughed at that, and she shushed him.
Well, it was your objective , wasn’t it? Do you think my ego is so very impenetrable, Miss Greenway? That it’s impossible to wound me? He still sounded amused.
“Stop it,” Madeline said through teeth all but clenched.
“Stop what?”
“Stop trying to win me over, Mr. Eversea. It’s...unnecessary.”
It's. everywhere. on. every. page. Because people always talk this way. Oy. Just...stop.
I guess a part of why I'm so hung up over this or I should say surprised is all the rave reviews and unanimous gushing I've seen over this author's writing capability. I can see she likes to get fancy with her turn of phrase but for me the writing needs to be tighter and clearer. Even with mistakes, the way she words things just doesn’t mesh well for me. The writing just felt too laborious for me. Everything is a mouthful when it doesn't need to be. And what also worked against it here was just the simple fact that I had no interest in the story nor the hero or heroine. Two major strikes. If the story was interesting or the characters then maybe I wouldn’t keep counting the mistakes and clunky prose. It’s a bad sign when you start to make it a game and continue reading just to see if you find more weird trip ups. Like OOOh! Ha. Another one. Go Fish! Yeah no. I honestly gave this book a shot because I wanted to read Book 11 but thought I may get too lost. LOL. Oh the irony.
I'm giving Book 11 a try for the hell of it. Cause a. I'm a sucker for the star crossed Romeo & Juliet theme and b. I'm a masochist. Miss Julie Anne Long, I'm giving you one more shot.
June 25, 2023
Not quite three stars for this non-romance.
Mostly because the hero of the book was pining after another woman until up to the second last chapter.
This book really isn’t a romance, it’s a caper. It’s a story of a wastrel, skirt chasing gadabout, who ends up in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He gets sprung from the gallows by the FMC (a mercenary) and they proceed to go on an adventure to try to figure out who framed him and who hired her, all while under the gun to stop the wedding between his brother and his true love. It’s a cross country adventure with conspiracies and interesting characters and twists and turns but it is NOT a romance. It’s not the least bit romantic. Yes they have sex, but minutes afterwards he is lamenting that his home is where ‘Louisa’ is: the FMC’s name is Madeleine btw.
I read to the second last chapter to find out the mystery plot and then skimmed the rest. I couldn’t have been less invested in whether Colin ended up with Madeleine or married his one true love, Louisa.
If this had been just a caper, I would have had no problem with this MMC who sleeps with every woman in London while proclaiming he’s been in love since he was 11 to a village girl. I can forgive that in a mystery, but not in romance. Come on! This hero is a zero by the rules of romance. He’s disloyal and dishonourable and I didn’t like him.
So for the fun caper plot this was cute, but I was very distracted the entire time hating on the MMC because this claimed to be a romance and WAS NOT.
Mostly because the hero of the book was pining after another woman until up to the second last chapter.
This book really isn’t a romance, it’s a caper. It’s a story of a wastrel, skirt chasing gadabout, who ends up in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He gets sprung from the gallows by the FMC (a mercenary) and they proceed to go on an adventure to try to figure out who framed him and who hired her, all while under the gun to stop the wedding between his brother and his true love. It’s a cross country adventure with conspiracies and interesting characters and twists and turns but it is NOT a romance. It’s not the least bit romantic. Yes they have sex, but minutes afterwards he is lamenting that his home is where ‘Louisa’ is: the FMC’s name is Madeleine btw.
I read to the second last chapter to find out the mystery plot and then skimmed the rest. I couldn’t have been less invested in whether Colin ended up with Madeleine or married his one true love, Louisa.
If this had been just a caper, I would have had no problem with this MMC who sleeps with every woman in London while proclaiming he’s been in love since he was 11 to a village girl. I can forgive that in a mystery, but not in romance. Come on! This hero is a zero by the rules of romance. He’s disloyal and dishonourable and I didn’t like him.
So for the fun caper plot this was cute, but I was very distracted the entire time hating on the MMC because this claimed to be a romance and WAS NOT.
October 5, 2015
This is a wonderful story! There's action, adventure, mystery, humor, and a beautiful, passionate, happily ever after. Stories like this are what made me fall in love with historical romance!
February 6, 2017
E.T.A. - After looking at some other reviews, I remembered that it took me about 30 pages to get into this book. It started off a little choppy and strange. However, it gets good after that and I forgot that I wasn't too sure about it at first.
Colin, our hero, narrowly escapes being hanged for a murder he didn't commit in a daring rescue by Madeline - a woman he has never met. And, then someone turns around and tries to murder her for some reason. This begins our journey where these two are trying to figure out who framed him and tried to kill her.
And, it was hilarious and epic.
See, Colin is a notorious, but lovable scoundrel. There is even a song going around that praises his many escapades and he has become somewhat of a legend. Even though the army and most of the city is looking to recapture him, he finds that most of the people they run across become a little starstruck by him and would rather join his fan club than turn him in.
Madeline is a pragmatic mercenary. She is determined NOT to let Colin charm her. She just wants the money she was promised for rescuing him. And, maybe to find out who is trying to kill her.
They take a crazy journey from one clue to another to try and figure things out. And, the people they meet up with are usually pretty colorful. One lady that Colin knew, Lady Malmsey, is trying to help them, while having an affair with her footman, when one of her maids tries to enter the room. The answer? Three people hiding in a closet and the Lady ordering a lunch large enough to feed a small village. The whole exchange was super funny.
Colin: "Did you go to my hanging?"
Lady Malmsey: "Yes, and I'll attend again if they catch you."
Colin: "I'm deeply honored, Lady Malmsey."
Colin was a great character, very witty and charming. Madeline took a little more time to grow on me, but I really liked her in the end. She had enough dry humor and sarcasm to win me over. Her dealing with an apothecary who assumed they came in for some ye old viagra was awesome.
Madeline: "But what if his - it's - just a wee tiny tadpole to begin with?" She held her thumb and forefinger about 2 inches apart.
Aww, poor Colin! That's gotta hurt!
The whole book was a fun adventure with a lot of laughs. And, the good news is that Colin's family is huge, so we get to look forward to all of their love stories to come.
Colin, our hero, narrowly escapes being hanged for a murder he didn't commit in a daring rescue by Madeline - a woman he has never met. And, then someone turns around and tries to murder her for some reason. This begins our journey where these two are trying to figure out who framed him and tried to kill her.
And, it was hilarious and epic.
See, Colin is a notorious, but lovable scoundrel. There is even a song going around that praises his many escapades and he has become somewhat of a legend. Even though the army and most of the city is looking to recapture him, he finds that most of the people they run across become a little starstruck by him and would rather join his fan club than turn him in.
Madeline is a pragmatic mercenary. She is determined NOT to let Colin charm her. She just wants the money she was promised for rescuing him. And, maybe to find out who is trying to kill her.
They take a crazy journey from one clue to another to try and figure things out. And, the people they meet up with are usually pretty colorful. One lady that Colin knew, Lady Malmsey, is trying to help them, while having an affair with her footman, when one of her maids tries to enter the room. The answer? Three people hiding in a closet and the Lady ordering a lunch large enough to feed a small village. The whole exchange was super funny.
Colin: "Did you go to my hanging?"
Lady Malmsey: "Yes, and I'll attend again if they catch you."
Colin: "I'm deeply honored, Lady Malmsey."
Colin was a great character, very witty and charming. Madeline took a little more time to grow on me, but I really liked her in the end. She had enough dry humor and sarcasm to win me over. Her dealing with an apothecary who assumed they came in for some ye old viagra was awesome.
Madeline: "But what if his - it's - just a wee tiny tadpole to begin with?" She held her thumb and forefinger about 2 inches apart.
Aww, poor Colin! That's gotta hurt!
The whole book was a fun adventure with a lot of laughs. And, the good news is that Colin's family is huge, so we get to look forward to all of their love stories to come.
August 21, 2020
This book was AWESOME.
A historical mystery/adventure with a couple of really steamy love scenes and a deftly handled romance (that actually took a backseat to the story and I DIDN'T. EVEN. NOTICE.) The writing is crisp, the story is fast-paced, the romance is subtle, the tension palpable, the whodunnit surprising, the ending satisfying...what more can I say?
Read it, read it, READ IT. We should all read it.
I think I'm gonna read this again. Right now.
5 enthusiastic stars.
A historical mystery/adventure with a couple of really steamy love scenes and a deftly handled romance (that actually took a backseat to the story and I DIDN'T. EVEN. NOTICE.) The writing is crisp, the story is fast-paced, the romance is subtle, the tension palpable, the whodunnit surprising, the ending satisfying...what more can I say?
Read it, read it, READ IT. We should all read it.
I think I'm gonna read this again. Right now.
5 enthusiastic stars.
August 19, 2020
When I reread this last year, I intended to write a review and never did, so I am determined to write something more this time, though it may not be much.
This is a repeated reread for me because:
*JAL’s descriptive writing really shines here. You feel in the moment, like you are taking this journey and romp with them.
*the story gives glimpses of many different parts of London society, among different classes and occupations. It’s fascinating. I get bored with HR that pretends Regency was a fairy land and the only thing that existed was high society.
*It’s exciting. I get swept away every time.
*the hero is observant, astute and funny — great character study.
*the heroine is very capable and skilled. She is an enigma and a bit of a mystery. It’s fun to reread to pick up on what you missed/what insight JAL gives us in what defined her. They’re small tidbits throughout but they do describe a wonderful heroine who is very worthy.
*there’s foreshadowing for the series that is fun to review.
And there’s more, but there are reasons to not like this too, so I get when people don’t enjoy it. It works for me, though.
I have now buddy read this twice — two very different takes on it which again is what makes it interesting.
This is a repeated reread for me because:
*JAL’s descriptive writing really shines here. You feel in the moment, like you are taking this journey and romp with them.
*the story gives glimpses of many different parts of London society, among different classes and occupations. It’s fascinating. I get bored with HR that pretends Regency was a fairy land and the only thing that existed was high society.
*It’s exciting. I get swept away every time.
*the hero is observant, astute and funny — great character study.
*the heroine is very capable and skilled. She is an enigma and a bit of a mystery. It’s fun to reread to pick up on what you missed/what insight JAL gives us in what defined her. They’re small tidbits throughout but they do describe a wonderful heroine who is very worthy.
*there’s foreshadowing for the series that is fun to review.
And there’s more, but there are reasons to not like this too, so I get when people don’t enjoy it. It works for me, though.
I have now buddy read this twice — two very different takes on it which again is what makes it interesting.
August 15, 2020
Really enjoyed my buddy read with T, Gaufre, and Joanna on this and a revisit resulted in observing much more richness & intimacy in these characters. I'm bumping this up, and can see revisiting it again.
Original Review:
I enjoyed both the humor and the adventure in this book. I thought the chemistry between Colin and Madeline was clear from the beginning and really well done. I was worried, though, that it would never feel like intimacy. By the 50% mark though, it definitely did.
I really loved Madeline, with her prickly no nonsense yet challenging manner. Colin's charm and humor were fun, and made it easy to see where he'd weasel his way in through her defenses. And even though I'm not giving this some spectacular rating-I can see reading this again. There's lovely dialogue and writing as is usual for JAL, and some hotter than sin sex scenes and sexual tension.
The thing that holds me back from a 4 here is that it definitely drags at points, and the plotting results in a lot at once at the end. I guess I'm not sure I hated that, but I might have liked it better if that hasn't felt so rushed. 3.5 for now.
Original Review:
I enjoyed both the humor and the adventure in this book. I thought the chemistry between Colin and Madeline was clear from the beginning and really well done. I was worried, though, that it would never feel like intimacy. By the 50% mark though, it definitely did.
I really loved Madeline, with her prickly no nonsense yet challenging manner. Colin's charm and humor were fun, and made it easy to see where he'd weasel his way in through her defenses. And even though I'm not giving this some spectacular rating-I can see reading this again. There's lovely dialogue and writing as is usual for JAL, and some hotter than sin sex scenes and sexual tension.
The thing that holds me back from a 4 here is that it definitely drags at points, and the plotting results in a lot at once at the end. I guess I'm not sure I hated that, but I might have liked it better if that hasn't felt so rushed. 3.5 for now.
July 23, 2025
Reread & completed on June 29, 2025.
One cannot go into this book thinking it’s a romance or one will be sorely disappointed. It’s a mystery. Colin Eversea and Madeline Greenway are investigating who hired her to save Colin from the hangman’s noose and tried to kill her immediately after his rescue. The “romance” doesn’t begin until the last third of the book.
I actually listened to the entire audiobook this time and the book earned an extra star. Having read the entire series, I paid extra attention to the family members.
First read & completed on January 17, 2022.
There was barely any romance. Therefore, I had no patience for the mystery the H/h were trying to solve and started skimming the book but what a twist! Although the twist raised more questions. The mystery was a little convoluted, bringing in more characters than I care to read about, but props to the author for coming up with such a plot.
As for the lack of romance, sure, there was forced proximity while they try to solve the mystery but the hero, Colin, was in love with his childhood friend, Louisa, (who is engaged to his older brother, Marcus) for most of the book. I was quite confused as to how they (Colin and Madeline) could have fallen in love with each other. The first sex scene began at 70% and the first kiss occurred the next day (75%). The first sex scene lacked steam (like 1 out of 5) and very little foreplay for her. I think they needed to comfort each other via sex? The second sex scene was a little better, I think, but the steam was probably a 2 out of 5.
One cannot go into this book thinking it’s a romance or one will be sorely disappointed. It’s a mystery. Colin Eversea and Madeline Greenway are investigating who hired her to save Colin from the hangman’s noose and tried to kill her immediately after his rescue. The “romance” doesn’t begin until the last third of the book.
I actually listened to the entire audiobook this time and the book earned an extra star. Having read the entire series, I paid extra attention to the family members.
First read & completed on January 17, 2022.
There was barely any romance. Therefore, I had no patience for the mystery the H/h were trying to solve and started skimming the book but what a twist! Although the twist raised more questions. The mystery was a little convoluted, bringing in more characters than I care to read about, but props to the author for coming up with such a plot.
As for the lack of romance, sure, there was forced proximity while they try to solve the mystery but the hero, Colin, was in love with his childhood friend, Louisa, (who is engaged to his older brother, Marcus) for most of the book. I was quite confused as to how they (Colin and Madeline) could have fallen in love with each other. The first sex scene began at 70% and the first kiss occurred the next day (75%). The first sex scene lacked steam (like 1 out of 5) and very little foreplay for her. I think they needed to comfort each other via sex? The second sex scene was a little better, I think, but the steam was probably a 2 out of 5.
April 2, 2010
A slightly different historical romance, I found Perils of Pleasure piqued my interest, but not enough to keep me fully engaged.
The hero of the book, Colin Eversea, is sentenced to death after being accused of murder. But thanks to our clever, eccentric heroine, Madeleine Greenway, he narrowly escapes his punishment. But it's out of the frying pan into the fire for Colin Eversea as the person who hired Madeleine to rescue Colin decides to tie up loose ends by having her killed.
Now on the run, Colin and Mad attempt to solve the mystery of who framed the happy-go-lucky Eversea and stay alive to tell the tale.
The plotting of this novel is convoluted- and the revelation of the actual framer to Colin's framee even more so- but I did like the mystery of it.
Unfortunately, Madeleine was a little too stand-offish for me to get a grip on and Colin a little too jovial for my tastes. (I'm sorry, I'm one of those weirdos who still enjoys the brooding, intense hero with a more self effacing sense of humor than a merry one.)
Another thing that sorta bugged me- through most of the book the author did as I did above. The hero was not Colin through much of this tale- he was Colin Eversea. Like some sorta of 19th century diddy, his name is repeated over and over like a savant who cannot follow one up without the other. Kind of cute ... but mostly annoying.
What I did enjoy about these two? Mad is no shrinking violet nor is she an innocent virgin and Colin exhibits some growth by the end of the novel by giving up a childish dream in a decidedly grown up manner.
For those of you who dig historical romance I highly recommend this one- simply because it's a so different from the rest of the pack.
But for me? 3 out of 5. (Where have all the alphas gone, dagnabit?!)
The hero of the book, Colin Eversea, is sentenced to death after being accused of murder. But thanks to our clever, eccentric heroine, Madeleine Greenway, he narrowly escapes his punishment. But it's out of the frying pan into the fire for Colin Eversea as the person who hired Madeleine to rescue Colin decides to tie up loose ends by having her killed.
Now on the run, Colin and Mad attempt to solve the mystery of who framed the happy-go-lucky Eversea and stay alive to tell the tale.
The plotting of this novel is convoluted- and the revelation of the actual framer to Colin's framee even more so- but I did like the mystery of it.
Unfortunately, Madeleine was a little too stand-offish for me to get a grip on and Colin a little too jovial for my tastes. (I'm sorry, I'm one of those weirdos who still enjoys the brooding, intense hero with a more self effacing sense of humor than a merry one.)
Another thing that sorta bugged me- through most of the book the author did as I did above. The hero was not Colin through much of this tale- he was Colin Eversea. Like some sorta of 19th century diddy, his name is repeated over and over like a savant who cannot follow one up without the other. Kind of cute ... but mostly annoying.
What I did enjoy about these two? Mad is no shrinking violet nor is she an innocent virgin and Colin exhibits some growth by the end of the novel by giving up a childish dream in a decidedly grown up manner.
For those of you who dig historical romance I highly recommend this one- simply because it's a so different from the rest of the pack.
But for me? 3 out of 5. (Where have all the alphas gone, dagnabit?!)
October 22, 2017
I'm not saying this is a bad book, I just personally didn't care for the story. That said, I am definitely going to read more of this series, as it was really well written and interesting, but I am really disappointed with the couple in this book.
The only problem I had with them was that I felt their relationship was just not well developed. I mean, she rescues him from being executed and they spend the rest of the novel trying to find out who really committed the murder Colin was accused of. But throughout the entire book Colin keeps telling Madeline how he is going to marry Louisa, a woman he says he's always loved. Not that there's anything wrong with him having been in love before, but he keeps bringing her up and even tells her how amazing she is right after he slept with Madeline for the first time. Up until the 90% mark you have no idea who he is going to end up with, because he keeps insisting that in the end he's going to marry Louisa. I was just really disappointed that they didn't get enough time to develop a real relationship, and that kinda ruined everything else for me...
The only problem I had with them was that I felt their relationship was just not well developed. I mean, she rescues him from being executed and they spend the rest of the novel trying to find out who really committed the murder Colin was accused of. But throughout the entire book Colin keeps telling Madeline how he is going to marry Louisa, a woman he says he's always loved. Not that there's anything wrong with him having been in love before, but he keeps bringing her up and even tells her how amazing she is right after he slept with Madeline for the first time. Up until the 90% mark you have no idea who he is going to end up with, because he keeps insisting that in the end he's going to marry Louisa. I was just really disappointed that they didn't get enough time to develop a real relationship, and that kinda ruined everything else for me...
January 25, 2012
I wont review the plot as so many have already, but I will add that I too thought this was a wonderful historical romance - one of the best in this great series. The hero and heroine make this story come alive, as both are filled with humor and passion that compliment each other so well. The writing is wonderful and it kept me enthralled while never taking unnecessary or unbelievable turns in the story. You can feel these two slowly fall in love, and when they finally come together it is a smoking hot moment. One thing JAL is great at is building a believable and beautiful relationship with her hero and heroine before the 'consummation', and then delivering a very emotional and powerful (and heated!) coming together. JAL writing is top notch in this novel. Loved it just as much the second time through. Sigh.
March 23, 2021
3.5⭐
This is a difficult book to rate in my opinion. I loved the hero, he's very smart, interesting, full of humor and very optimistic. The heroine lost everything she's ever had to smallpox and is a very sad person due to it. So it was nice seeing the hero bringing the colors of life back to her.
The mystery side of the book was not so interesting... maybe I am reading too many books with a mystery to solve and I am tired of it, but it was meh.
Also there was the part where the hero kept saying he loves the girl his brother is about to marry. But it was clear from the beginning that he loved the idea of her and not her per se. Who loves someone as much as he said she does and simply go on being a big rake?
Just a note: it was very disgusting in my opinion "seeing" her touching him after weeks without washing in a prison. I don't think I would be that okay with that 🤢
This is a difficult book to rate in my opinion. I loved the hero, he's very smart, interesting, full of humor and very optimistic. The heroine lost everything she's ever had to smallpox and is a very sad person due to it. So it was nice seeing the hero bringing the colors of life back to her.
The mystery side of the book was not so interesting... maybe I am reading too many books with a mystery to solve and I am tired of it, but it was meh.
Also there was the part where the hero kept saying he loves the girl his brother is about to marry. But it was clear from the beginning that he loved the idea of her and not her per se. Who loves someone as much as he said she does and simply go on being a big rake?
Just a note: it was very disgusting in my opinion "seeing" her touching him after weeks without washing in a prison. I don't think I would be that okay with that 🤢
March 15, 2015
This was not my cup of tea. I'm glad I read it since it's the first in a very popular series, but wow, I did not enjoy the journey. Some may consider this story an adventure, but I just looked at it as a grimy, convoluted mystery I couldn't wait to be done with.
I know this is harsh, and it's really a shame because I have loved some of JAL's books in the past, but this one just wasn't it. Colin (and like some tic was referred to as Colin Eversea through the entire novel) and Madeleine had a unique alliance brought on by dire circumstances and as they endure danger, lack of hygiene, unsavory characters, and hardship, they are pulled together. Because there were so many threads, I felt like I did not know the characters well at all. I still don't understand Madeleine's past life and I still don't understand how Colin got past his previous love. It was odd...I just felt disconnected from it all.
I could feel their attraction and need for each other, but I couldn't understand their love. I didn't know Madeleine at all or understand what motivated her. I didn't understand Colin or why he suddenly moved on from Louisa. The mystery was odd. This book was not romantic. Ugh.
I don't know. I just didn't get the story. But hey, now I've read the first of the series so I can enjoy some of the goodies in here. I've got to get ahead so I can read Lyon and Olivia's story when it comes out later this year!
I know this is harsh, and it's really a shame because I have loved some of JAL's books in the past, but this one just wasn't it. Colin (and like some tic was referred to as Colin Eversea through the entire novel) and Madeleine had a unique alliance brought on by dire circumstances and as they endure danger, lack of hygiene, unsavory characters, and hardship, they are pulled together. Because there were so many threads, I felt like I did not know the characters well at all. I still don't understand Madeleine's past life and I still don't understand how Colin got past his previous love. It was odd...I just felt disconnected from it all.
I could feel their attraction and need for each other, but I couldn't understand their love. I didn't know Madeleine at all or understand what motivated her. I didn't understand Colin or why he suddenly moved on from Louisa. The mystery was odd. This book was not romantic. Ugh.
I don't know. I just didn't get the story. But hey, now I've read the first of the series so I can enjoy some of the goodies in here. I've got to get ahead so I can read Lyon and Olivia's story when it comes out later this year!
January 24, 2021
I totally enjoyed the book. Smart and witty hero and heroine. I don't have much to add that other reviewers have not already discussed. Just to say I am ready to start the next book in the series now.
January 11, 2012
This book is difficult to review because it is so, so good and yet sooooo hard to love. First of all, I adore JAL's writing style and look forward to reading anything she writes- even something considered to be kind of a stinker (Since the Surrender?)- or the phone book for that matter. Seriously. I love her voice, her turns of phrase, her wry humor and her intelligence.
In this story, we come to know the lead characters, Colin and Madelaine, as they are thrust together in a mystery/adventure. They don't trust each other and are thus revealed only bit by bit as they also unravel the mystery of Colin's wrongful conviction. Of course, they ultimately redeem one another and its all very nice, but the story is not gripping or fast paced. It's like having front row seats to a really, really good chess match(?!). It's often internal (from a few different pov's), mental, psychological and nuanced. I may have to re-read it in light of knowing the characters a little better and to re-experience the wonderful writing. I may even find the adventure and mystery more compelling the second time around.
Ms. Long currently holds the record in my kindle.amazon.com account for the most highlights of any book I have read at a whopping 34! I re-read them a few moments ago to make sure none were throwaways, but nary of one could be tossed. Each made me say, "gosh", "wow" or made me *grin* or *sigh*.
From the simplest,
"Good God. She was Wellington with eyelashes."
to
"Colin sat all the way up and touched Madeleine’s shoulder to gain her attention, pointed at her, then pillowed his hands beneath his tipped head. Sign language for: You. Sleep. Tonight. He rolled the blanket to make a pillow long enough for the two of them to share without sleeping right on top of each other, and then gave it a little pat and made an exaggerated For you, my lady flourish with his hands.".
Something I loved about this heroine: She didn't care if the hero liked her or not. If you think about it, that never happens and I admired it. One passage of many in which I enjoyed Madelaine's wryness *might be spoilerish*:
“What was he like, your husband?” Colin asked suddenly.
The man would —he would— Colin Eversea was going to drive her mad with these his questions.
“My husband…” She allowed her voice to drift in a romantic reverie. “Oh, he was a saint. And his pole was…oh…about twice the size of yours.”
“Why, Mrs. Greenway! Making a joke at my expense! How very unlike you.”
He turned to walk backward to admire her, as if he’d just discovered her. His face brilliant with delight.
It was impossible not to smile. His cheeriness hadn’t been dented in the least. He turned back around again and walked steadily onward a little ahead of her. But apparently pole comparisons worked to quiet Colin for a little while. For a very little while."
In this story, we come to know the lead characters, Colin and Madelaine, as they are thrust together in a mystery/adventure. They don't trust each other and are thus revealed only bit by bit as they also unravel the mystery of Colin's wrongful conviction. Of course, they ultimately redeem one another and its all very nice, but the story is not gripping or fast paced. It's like having front row seats to a really, really good chess match(?!). It's often internal (from a few different pov's), mental, psychological and nuanced. I may have to re-read it in light of knowing the characters a little better and to re-experience the wonderful writing. I may even find the adventure and mystery more compelling the second time around.
Ms. Long currently holds the record in my kindle.amazon.com account for the most highlights of any book I have read at a whopping 34! I re-read them a few moments ago to make sure none were throwaways, but nary of one could be tossed. Each made me say, "gosh", "wow" or made me *grin* or *sigh*.
From the simplest,
"Good God. She was Wellington with eyelashes."
to
"Colin sat all the way up and touched Madeleine’s shoulder to gain her attention, pointed at her, then pillowed his hands beneath his tipped head. Sign language for: You. Sleep. Tonight. He rolled the blanket to make a pillow long enough for the two of them to share without sleeping right on top of each other, and then gave it a little pat and made an exaggerated For you, my lady flourish with his hands.".
Something I loved about this heroine: She didn't care if the hero liked her or not. If you think about it, that never happens and I admired it. One passage of many in which I enjoyed Madelaine's wryness *might be spoilerish*:
“What was he like, your husband?” Colin asked suddenly.
The man would —he would— Colin Eversea was going to drive her mad with these his questions.
“My husband…” She allowed her voice to drift in a romantic reverie. “Oh, he was a saint. And his pole was…oh…about twice the size of yours.”
“Why, Mrs. Greenway! Making a joke at my expense! How very unlike you.”
He turned to walk backward to admire her, as if he’d just discovered her. His face brilliant with delight.
It was impossible not to smile. His cheeriness hadn’t been dented in the least. He turned back around again and walked steadily onward a little ahead of her. But apparently pole comparisons worked to quiet Colin for a little while. For a very little while."
April 28, 2021
This was somewhat of a disappointment for me. I started with book 5 in this series - What I Did For A Duke - and was blown away by it that I decided to come back and read the whole series in order. I do that most times because authors begin building characters bit by bit throughout a series and I want to understand background and context. Yes, I am that person who watches everything with subtitles and hits the rewind button in case I miss something.
Perils of Pleasure gets 2.5 stars because I still like Julie Anne Long’s writing style. It was pleasant enough to finish but definitely not her finest work. The story starts off very exciting (an escape from the gallows!), but then the plot is just dissolves very, very, VERY slowly into complete absurdity. It was too much mystery solving and not at all enough romance. I will say though, that the ending is not at all predictable. Still, I wanted MORE from it.
I try not to let reviews sway my decisions too much when deciding what book to read next, but there seems to be a consensus amongst readers that Pennyroyal Green really starts to improve from book 4 onwards. Perhaps I will break my pattern and skip the next two books in the series.
Perils of Pleasure gets 2.5 stars because I still like Julie Anne Long’s writing style. It was pleasant enough to finish but definitely not her finest work. The story starts off very exciting (an escape from the gallows!), but then the plot is just dissolves very, very, VERY slowly into complete absurdity. It was too much mystery solving and not at all enough romance. I will say though, that the ending is not at all predictable. Still, I wanted MORE from it.
I try not to let reviews sway my decisions too much when deciding what book to read next, but there seems to be a consensus amongst readers that Pennyroyal Green really starts to improve from book 4 onwards. Perhaps I will break my pattern and skip the next two books in the series.
January 19, 2023
This will be a shorter review as I took too long in writing this however, I wanted to share my thoughts on this one here.
I found this one to be so intriguing and interesting. I will be honest in that even though it wasn't my favorite of the series, I still enjoyed this installment quite a bit. It was truly fascinating though. I did love that this book was so different than anything that I expected. The only thing that was truly lacking about this one was the lack of the romance. I just didn't quite get the feels between these two here. Maybe I had high expectations from it considering how much I loved all the other books in the series. But I still enjoyed it as a whole of a story. The plot itself was so well done though and I really enjoyed the elements of it that just seemed to work so well together. I really enjoyed the way in which the couple worked their way through the mystery to see who was behind everything.
There was such a rich atmosphere to the London underground in this story and I really adored that. I just adore any books set in this type of setting for Regency. If you love that type of setting, then you definitely will get a kick out of that.
Overall, I had a blast with this one and eager to finish up the last of the series that I have yet to read! Although I will probably keep away from the audiobook as I think that affected my enjoyment.
I found this one to be so intriguing and interesting. I will be honest in that even though it wasn't my favorite of the series, I still enjoyed this installment quite a bit. It was truly fascinating though. I did love that this book was so different than anything that I expected. The only thing that was truly lacking about this one was the lack of the romance. I just didn't quite get the feels between these two here. Maybe I had high expectations from it considering how much I loved all the other books in the series. But I still enjoyed it as a whole of a story. The plot itself was so well done though and I really enjoyed the elements of it that just seemed to work so well together. I really enjoyed the way in which the couple worked their way through the mystery to see who was behind everything.
There was such a rich atmosphere to the London underground in this story and I really adored that. I just adore any books set in this type of setting for Regency. If you love that type of setting, then you definitely will get a kick out of that.
Overall, I had a blast with this one and eager to finish up the last of the series that I have yet to read! Although I will probably keep away from the audiobook as I think that affected my enjoyment.
December 11, 2021
I was excited to finally start this series, but this book was just okay to me. This one starts with the heroine helping the hero escape being hanged. But things change when someone tries killing her when she was hired to rescue the hero. This book takes place over a couple of days, which isn't my favorite, and it focused mostly on the mystery of who was trying to kill her and how wanted him dead as well. The romance felt very overshadowed and I didn't believe their falling for each other in such a short amount of time. While I wanted to love this one, I ended up thinking it was just okay.
April 5, 2025
*3.5
Really interesting premise, with a badass, takes no shit heroine, and the man she kidnaps. It kind of had an almost pirate feel to it (but without the pirate ship obviously), and was more of an adventure/heist story than a society one. However, I think the execution fell a little flat. There were parts of the story that were good and intriguing, but everytime the book got interesting, it got boring for 30 pages again.
It was a decent time, but nothing to write home about. I’m still excited to try more from Julie Anne Long though; I have a lot of her stuff on my tbr and I liked her storytelling and writing quite a bit.
Really interesting premise, with a badass, takes no shit heroine, and the man she kidnaps. It kind of had an almost pirate feel to it (but without the pirate ship obviously), and was more of an adventure/heist story than a society one. However, I think the execution fell a little flat. There were parts of the story that were good and intriguing, but everytime the book got interesting, it got boring for 30 pages again.
It was a decent time, but nothing to write home about. I’m still excited to try more from Julie Anne Long though; I have a lot of her stuff on my tbr and I liked her storytelling and writing quite a bit.
January 21, 2019
3.5/5. A few years after reading the rest of the series out of order, I finally get to read the first book of this very worthy quintessential HR series. I left it this long, because I was worried it would be a disappointment compared to the other books. Well, I'm glad to say, it's no disappointment at all. The writing is great, the humour frequent, the quirky and richly drawn secondary characters - they're all there, all the usual trademarks of a JAL book. It definitely is not the worst book in the series, but not as brilliant and emotionally involving as the later books either.
The living legend of the larger-than-life Colin Eversea features often in the broadsheets usually under scandalous circumstances - climbing down from the balcony of Lady So -And-So, engaging in duels, betting and gambling outrageously. His good looks and quick witted charms always managed to get him out of trouble and if they didn't his powerful family name would. That is until he's accused of killing a man, a member of the Redmond family who has been feuding his own for centuries. Shackled in Newgate and facing his execution, he gets kidnapped mere seconds from his own hanging - once again thrilling the people of England albeit involuntarily and adding a another verse or two to his popular ballad.
The enigmatic Mrs Madeleine Greenway has made a name for herself since the death of her husband and baby as the go-to person to get seemingly impossible things done. Her latest task, saving Colin Eversea's neck, is hopefully her final mission and promises enough money for her departure to a new future in America. Little does she know that whisking Colin away from the noose did not signal the end of her challenges but the start, as she and Colin evades an attempt on her life, a multitude of soldiers, body snatchers, enthusiastic citizens motivated by the generous reward money for Colin's recapture and enamoured male and female groupies keen to acquaint themselves with the infamous Colin Eversea. All this while trying to solve the mystery of who set him up for murder and dealing with the growing attraction between them.
My main criticisms of the book is that Madeleine is too enigmatic. I didn't really get where she got to be so skillful and efficient in carrying out her missions, and in fact, there was not much expansion on her background, how she managed to sound and carry herself like a refined lady. Considering, JAL's general attention to detail to the main running plot of the series, this deficiency was a bit of a disappointment. Madeleine remained too cool and too detached and I just didn't feel the supposed love between them. Colin, although a charming and witty larrikin, was just too irreverent. It was also annoying that he kept reminding himself and Madeleine of his attachment to Louisa, the declared love of his life and his intended wife, although his devotion to Louisa didn't stop him from sharing the love around with various ladies over the years. I also didn't get how his family can turn their attention from his execution to his brother's planned wedding the very next week, not too perturbed by whether he lives or dies. Noone in his supposedly loving and close family really went looking for him except Marcus, the man who wasted no time getting engaged to Louisa as soon as Colin was out of the picture. And he never had a proper bath the whole book after spending a few months in Newgate! Eeeeek!
The living legend of the larger-than-life Colin Eversea features often in the broadsheets usually under scandalous circumstances - climbing down from the balcony of Lady So -And-So, engaging in duels, betting and gambling outrageously. His good looks and quick witted charms always managed to get him out of trouble and if they didn't his powerful family name would. That is until he's accused of killing a man, a member of the Redmond family who has been feuding his own for centuries. Shackled in Newgate and facing his execution, he gets kidnapped mere seconds from his own hanging - once again thrilling the people of England albeit involuntarily and adding a another verse or two to his popular ballad.
The enigmatic Mrs Madeleine Greenway has made a name for herself since the death of her husband and baby as the go-to person to get seemingly impossible things done. Her latest task, saving Colin Eversea's neck, is hopefully her final mission and promises enough money for her departure to a new future in America. Little does she know that whisking Colin away from the noose did not signal the end of her challenges but the start, as she and Colin evades an attempt on her life, a multitude of soldiers, body snatchers, enthusiastic citizens motivated by the generous reward money for Colin's recapture and enamoured male and female groupies keen to acquaint themselves with the infamous Colin Eversea. All this while trying to solve the mystery of who set him up for murder and dealing with the growing attraction between them.
My main criticisms of the book is that Madeleine is too enigmatic. I didn't really get where she got to be so skillful and efficient in carrying out her missions, and in fact, there was not much expansion on her background, how she managed to sound and carry herself like a refined lady. Considering, JAL's general attention to detail to the main running plot of the series, this deficiency was a bit of a disappointment. Madeleine remained too cool and too detached and I just didn't feel the supposed love between them. Colin, although a charming and witty larrikin, was just too irreverent. It was also annoying that he kept reminding himself and Madeleine of his attachment to Louisa, the declared love of his life and his intended wife, although his devotion to Louisa didn't stop him from sharing the love around with various ladies over the years. I also didn't get how his family can turn their attention from his execution to his brother's planned wedding the very next week, not too perturbed by whether he lives or dies. Noone in his supposedly loving and close family really went looking for him except Marcus, the man who wasted no time getting engaged to Louisa as soon as Colin was out of the picture. And he never had a proper bath the whole book after spending a few months in Newgate! Eeeeek!
July 17, 2014
4.25 stars
The Prisoner
Colin Eversea is a rogue and a charmer. A veritable daredevil. A complex, brilliant, unique man. At this moment though his to-do list is pretty basic:
1) Don't get hanged.
2) Find a way to prove his innocence (He wasn't a murderer. For Chrissake the man fell on his own knife!) as to secure 1)
3)Find enough patience not to kill the author of the lovely ballad:
Failing to this would, again, jeopardize 1)
4) Stop the wedding of his brother and the sainted Louisa, the woman he was meant to marry
5) Get under Madeleine the Mercenary and Rescuer's skin. Maddening, fascinating, determined, gun-carrying woman!
The Mercenary
Madeleine Greenway is far from naive. She's a widow and extremely smart woman. She always keeps a cool head and does her job. But, now... there is only one thing she has to do:
1) Survive Colin Eversea, get her money and get far away. Fast. The man is too damn charming and volatile to breathe. And that's AFTER a stint in prison.
And Yours Truly
This book is just so fun! The problem with a lot of historicals is that they are too similar, they just blend in the crowd. There's only so many ways a duke can fall for a spinster. This one is different and memorable. You have a feud that started because of a stolen sheep, a dashing hero in jeopardy because he was in the presence of a man who fell on his own knife, an extremely capable and different heroine who rescued the hero, and LOTS and lots of humor, romance and passion! All in all, a great read! All I need to do now is:
1) Find and read the other books in the series!
Quotes
"That did it. He was incorrigible, a beast, a man who obviously excelled at tormenting women. She laughed. Helplessly."
"So he did sing, a lilting Irish tune he’d learned in the army. It was about tragedy and death. Then again, all Irish songs were about tragedy and death, in his experience."
The Prisoner
Colin Eversea is a rogue and a charmer. A veritable daredevil. A complex, brilliant, unique man. At this moment though his to-do list is pretty basic:
1) Don't get hanged.
2) Find a way to prove his innocence (He wasn't a murderer. For Chrissake the man fell on his own knife!) as to secure 1)
3)Find enough patience not to kill the author of the lovely ballad:
Oh, if you thought ye’d never see
The death of Colin Eversea
Come along with me, lads, come along with me
For on a summer day he’ll swing
The pretty lad was mighty bad
So everybody sing!
Failing to this would, again, jeopardize 1)
4) Stop the wedding of his brother and the sainted Louisa, the woman he was meant to marry
5) Get under Madeleine the Mercenary and Rescuer's skin. Maddening, fascinating, determined, gun-carrying woman!
The Mercenary
Madeleine Greenway is far from naive. She's a widow and extremely smart woman. She always keeps a cool head and does her job. But, now... there is only one thing she has to do:
1) Survive Colin Eversea, get her money and get far away. Fast. The man is too damn charming and volatile to breathe. And that's AFTER a stint in prison.
And Yours Truly
This book is just so fun! The problem with a lot of historicals is that they are too similar, they just blend in the crowd. There's only so many ways a duke can fall for a spinster. This one is different and memorable. You have a feud that started because of a stolen sheep, a dashing hero in jeopardy because he was in the presence of a man who fell on his own knife, an extremely capable and different heroine who rescued the hero, and LOTS and lots of humor, romance and passion! All in all, a great read! All I need to do now is:
1) Find and read the other books in the series!
Quotes
"That did it. He was incorrigible, a beast, a man who obviously excelled at tormenting women. She laughed. Helplessly."
"So he did sing, a lilting Irish tune he’d learned in the army. It was about tragedy and death. Then again, all Irish songs were about tragedy and death, in his experience."
June 26, 2025
Well ... I liked the characters, but I found the story pretty boring. The heroes rush from place A to place B, question someone, rush on to place C, question someone, rush on to place D, question someone, and so on and so forth. Unfortunately, despite all the "action", you don't get the feeling that anything meaningful is happening or that the interrogations are helping in any way. They do, of course, and in the end it is revealed (more or less) what or who is behind Colin's conviction and rescue. However, it's was real struggle to get there.
Original review in German (2016):
Na ja … Die Figuren haben mir gut gefallen, aber die Story fand ich ganz schön langweilig. Die Protagonisten hetzen von A nach B, befragen jemanden, hetzen weiter nach C, befragen jemanden, hetzen weiter nach D, befragen jemanden usw. usf. Leider hat man trotz all der "Action" nicht das Gefühl, als würde was passieren und als würden die Befragungen irgendwie weiterhelfen. Tun sie natürlich doch, am Ende wird einigermaßen aufgeklärt, was bzw. wer hinter Colins Verurteilung und seiner Rettung steckt, aber es ist wirklich mühsam, dahin zu gelangen. Ach so, und natürlich verlieben sich die Protagonisten während ihrer Aufklärungsmission ineinander, aber es ist wohl überflüssig, das zu erwähnen, wir haben es immerhin mit einem Liebesroman zu tun! ;)
Original review in German (2016):
Na ja … Die Figuren haben mir gut gefallen, aber die Story fand ich ganz schön langweilig. Die Protagonisten hetzen von A nach B, befragen jemanden, hetzen weiter nach C, befragen jemanden, hetzen weiter nach D, befragen jemanden usw. usf. Leider hat man trotz all der "Action" nicht das Gefühl, als würde was passieren und als würden die Befragungen irgendwie weiterhelfen. Tun sie natürlich doch, am Ende wird einigermaßen aufgeklärt, was bzw. wer hinter Colins Verurteilung und seiner Rettung steckt, aber es ist wirklich mühsam, dahin zu gelangen. Ach so, und natürlich verlieben sich die Protagonisten während ihrer Aufklärungsmission ineinander, aber es ist wohl überflüssig, das zu erwähnen, wir haben es immerhin mit einem Liebesroman zu tun! ;)
March 3, 2019
2.5 stars. I did not really enjoy this first book in the Pennyroyal Green series, and I kind of had to make myself finish it. I've read some of the other books in the series, and liked some of them better, actually.
When I read HR, I'm usually more intrigued by stories of the upper classes (although the 'duke' thing is getting pretty tired LOL). In this case, I wasn't terribly interested in the adventures in the back streets of London. The Resurrectionists. *shudders* A live person in a coffin. *shudders* Just no.
I did not really like the plot much at all, actually. It was clever and neat in some ways, and certainly original compared with the usual HR fare. But it just wasn't really my cup of tea. I was also uncomfortable with the fact that while Colin was falling in love with (and getting hot-and-heavy with) Madeleine, he was still supposedly in love with and fully intending to marry the sweet Louise. To readers, it was clear who he would end up with, but the writer deliberately didn't resolve this triangle (or rectangle, as Colin's brother was also supposed to marry Louise!) until the very end. Which I just found annoying.
So, not my fav book in this series. But, others have loved it, so maybe it's just me. And I will continue to work through the series, because I have enjoyed some of them. Just not really this one.
When I read HR, I'm usually more intrigued by stories of the upper classes (although the 'duke' thing is getting pretty tired LOL). In this case, I wasn't terribly interested in the adventures in the back streets of London. The Resurrectionists. *shudders* A live person in a coffin. *shudders* Just no.
I did not really like the plot much at all, actually. It was clever and neat in some ways, and certainly original compared with the usual HR fare. But it just wasn't really my cup of tea. I was also uncomfortable with the fact that while Colin was falling in love with (and getting hot-and-heavy with) Madeleine, he was still supposedly in love with and fully intending to marry the sweet Louise. To readers, it was clear who he would end up with, but the writer deliberately didn't resolve this triangle (or rectangle, as Colin's brother was also supposed to marry Louise!) until the very end. Which I just found annoying.
So, not my fav book in this series. But, others have loved it, so maybe it's just me. And I will continue to work through the series, because I have enjoyed some of them. Just not really this one.
April 14, 2025
Colin EverSea—swoon!! It took me a little bit to get into this story, but once I found my bearings it was all good!! Colin barely escapes a hanging for a crime he didn’t commit only to be rescued by Mad aka Madeline. Colin has never met Madeline before, but off they go to solve a mystery. Kind of like a who done it type trying to figure out who framed him. Colin is so smooth, sweet and funny. He has a charm that breaks through all of Madeleine’s defenses.
“He tasted sweet and dark, and as she kissed him everything in her was melting, dissolving, until she knew that terrifying, exhilarating sense of having no other existence outside the heady, penetrating bliss of this kiss.”
So many sexy swoony moments. I loved Colin and Mad!!
“He tasted sweet and dark, and as she kissed him everything in her was melting, dissolving, until she knew that terrifying, exhilarating sense of having no other existence outside the heady, penetrating bliss of this kiss.”
So many sexy swoony moments. I loved Colin and Mad!!
April 9, 2022
"The Perils of Pleasure" is the story of Madeline and Colin.
Our hero is a rake, who is wrongfully going to be hanged for a murder he did not commit.. until a mysterious figure rescues him. Turns out, the widowed heroine is our mercenary, who has been tasked to deliver him safe and sound. Things take a turn when she is attacked, and both embark on a cat and mouse game where passions ignite.
I loved how he made her laugh. The heroine was a kickass, strong woman who gave as good as she got. Instead of a simpering wallflower, the hero found someone who intrigued and fascinated him. The lovemaking scenes were very well done and the ending sweet.
Good one time read.
Safe
3/5
Our hero is a rake, who is wrongfully going to be hanged for a murder he did not commit.. until a mysterious figure rescues him. Turns out, the widowed heroine is our mercenary, who has been tasked to deliver him safe and sound. Things take a turn when she is attacked, and both embark on a cat and mouse game where passions ignite.
I loved how he made her laugh. The heroine was a kickass, strong woman who gave as good as she got. Instead of a simpering wallflower, the hero found someone who intrigued and fascinated him. The lovemaking scenes were very well done and the ending sweet.
Good one time read.
Safe
3/5
June 29, 2025
It started off with a bang, and then sorta drags on? I don't think this book is for me after reading the first 100 pages... I wanted to be invested in Colin and Madeline but I couldn't quite get there. I would like to revisit again in the future. That being said, I have already read "What I Did for a Duke" and absolutely loved it. What went wrong?
October 12, 2021
3.5 stars. This book would have been much better if the hero hadn’t spent nearly the entire novel hung up on an OW. This OW (who supposedly loves him) gets engaged to marry his brother, while he is left to hang for a crime he didn’t commit. He didn’t even see anything wrong with her actions and continued to pine away for her throughout the book. I also couldn’t decide wtf was wrong with him that he planned to marry this OW for his entire life, but somehow still found time to sow all the wild oats with ALL THE WOMEN. What devotion on both of their parts. He even sleeps with the heroine while fully intending to go back to the supposed “love of his life”. 😩🙄😩🤪
If I ignore all of the very non-romantic romance in this book, it was otherwise actually very enjoyable. I liked the storyline and the mystery and everything that didn’t have to do with the romance. The writing is very good, JAL is clearly very talented, and I’m going to continue on with the series.
Safe with exceptions, hero is “in love” with OW for most of the book and pines for her at times. OW becomes engaged to hero’s brother once it looks like H will hang for murder. He still sleeps with the heroine even though he plans to go back to this OW and marry her. He ends up coming to his senses near the very end. Heroine is widowed and lost her husband and young son to illness. She doesn’t make the hero seem second best, even though she loved her husband. No scenes besides hero/heroine.
If I ignore all of the very non-romantic romance in this book, it was otherwise actually very enjoyable. I liked the storyline and the mystery and everything that didn’t have to do with the romance. The writing is very good, JAL is clearly very talented, and I’m going to continue on with the series.
Safe with exceptions, hero is “in love” with OW for most of the book and pines for her at times. OW becomes engaged to hero’s brother once it looks like H will hang for murder. He still sleeps with the heroine even though he plans to go back to this OW and marry her. He ends up coming to his senses near the very end. Heroine is widowed and lost her husband and young son to illness. She doesn’t make the hero seem second best, even though she loved her husband. No scenes besides hero/heroine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2025
Way pickier in my dotage - the reread was not up to snuff. The 'mystery' was strangely convoluted, and never really made sense to me. The romance swung between angst/unrequited/iloveanother/iwillneverloveagain and madcap witty romance, which kept the characters at arms length, especially the heroine. Also, I really wish Long had contrived a bath for Colin - I just pictured him lice ridden and reeking after you know, being in prison for more than a month.
May 13, 2024
Lol so boring
September 27, 2023
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Mostly third person from hero and heroine but there are a number of scenes from side characters
Cliffhanger: No, it ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Can't recall for sure but I don't believe so.
Format: checked out audiobook version from hoopla
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series.
Basic plot:
Madeleine has been hired to rescue Colin from the gallows. When someone tries to assassinate her, they bond together to solve the mystery surrounding Colin’s imprisonment.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- soldier hero
- light heroine nurses hero back to health
- on the run
- widow heroine
- lower steam – 2 full scenes towards the end of the story
My thoughts:
I ended up not getting into this one. There were quite a few perspectives in the beginning that was pulling me all over. There were a lot of characters I was introduced to and I felt overwhelmed.
But, as the story really started and we met Colin and Madeleine, I liked it more. I loved the on the run vibes where they were together most of the book. But, honestly I didn’t care much about the mystery. I wanted more tension between them. There were a few scenes where it could have developed for me but it was cut short or something happened.
I also struggle when there’s other love interests in the story sometimes. The hero thinking about Louisa for much of this story really made me think he was using Madeleine as a back up relationship.
I loved the ending revelations between the two feuding families. But the actual ending of the love story I wasn’t a fan of – the way they separated and came back together...meh.
I just found this couple forgettable and I wanted to start something new well before it was over. I definitely will read this whole series though! I really like Long’s writing style – I think she will have some books I love. She’s great with poetic descriptions and adding in an emotional aspect I crave.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Mostly third person from hero and heroine but there are a number of scenes from side characters
Cliffhanger: No, it ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Can't recall for sure but I don't believe so.
Format: checked out audiobook version from hoopla
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series.
Basic plot:
Madeleine has been hired to rescue Colin from the gallows. When someone tries to assassinate her, they bond together to solve the mystery surrounding Colin’s imprisonment.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- soldier hero
- light heroine nurses hero back to health
- on the run
- widow heroine
- lower steam – 2 full scenes towards the end of the story
My thoughts:
I ended up not getting into this one. There were quite a few perspectives in the beginning that was pulling me all over. There were a lot of characters I was introduced to and I felt overwhelmed.
But, as the story really started and we met Colin and Madeleine, I liked it more. I loved the on the run vibes where they were together most of the book. But, honestly I didn’t care much about the mystery. I wanted more tension between them. There were a few scenes where it could have developed for me but it was cut short or something happened.
I also struggle when there’s other love interests in the story sometimes. The hero thinking about Louisa for much of this story really made me think he was using Madeleine as a back up relationship.
I loved the ending revelations between the two feuding families. But the actual ending of the love story I wasn’t a fan of – the way they separated and came back together...meh.
I just found this couple forgettable and I wanted to start something new well before it was over. I definitely will read this whole series though! I really like Long’s writing style – I think she will have some books I love. She’s great with poetic descriptions and adding in an emotional aspect I crave.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Displaying 1 - 30 of 895 reviews