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Jaded Gentleman #3
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds
Like all the Jaded Gentlemen, Dr. Rowan West may have his secrets, but he's done his best to forgive the ghosts of his past and move on with his life. Until the beautiful Miss Gayle Renshaw appears on his doorstep, jeopardizing his medical practice, his reputation, and, worst of all, his heart.
In her desperation to become a doctor, Gayle uses what she knows of Rowan's fiancée's mysterious death to blackmail him into taking her on as an apprentice. With his back against the wall, Rowan agrees, but quickly discovers that Gayle isn't as heartless as she seems. Captivated by his tenacious and brilliant new student, Rowan finds himself surrendering to temptation, just as the enemies of the Jaded start to encroach. Now, with both their lives threatened, Rowan may be forced to give up the woman he loves to save her life...
In her desperation to become a doctor, Gayle uses what she knows of Rowan's fiancée's mysterious death to blackmail him into taking her on as an apprentice. With his back against the wall, Rowan agrees, but quickly discovers that Gayle isn't as heartless as she seems. Captivated by his tenacious and brilliant new student, Rowan finds himself surrendering to temptation, just as the enemies of the Jaded start to encroach. Now, with both their lives threatened, Rowan may be forced to give up the woman he loves to save her life...
275 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 6, 2011
88 people are currently reading
528 people want to read
About the author
Renee Bernard
34 books256 followersWhat in the world is a retired Navy chaplain’s daughter doing writing scorching hot historical romances and paranormal graphic novels? Renee Bernard is applying a great education from traveling all over the world to story telling and doing her best to keep her father proud. Truthfully, her father is her number one fan, even though he has sworn never to read a single word of her books (a vow he has kept to this day!) Nothing stops him from telling everyone he knows that his daughter is now a USA Today Bestselling author or from handing out bookmarks on the golf course. Love can make even a minister do strange things!
Renee Bernard is a freelance writer and host of “Canned Laughter and Coffee” on Readers Entertainment, as well as a contributor to Romantic Times BookReviews magazine. Renee currently lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California. (Note an interesting proximity to great wineries!)
Renee Bernard is a freelance writer and host of “Canned Laughter and Coffee” on Readers Entertainment, as well as a contributor to Romantic Times BookReviews magazine. Renee currently lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California. (Note an interesting proximity to great wineries!)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 26, 2014
This is the third book in the brilliant Jaded Gentlemen series. Once again, Ms Bernard pens an enthralling, original and passionate love story and the world of Victorian medicine forms a fascinating and refreshingly different setting.
Rowan, with his inherent kindness and compassion, makes a great hero. He has an enquiring mind and, is willing to embrace new ideas in medicine whilst others are firmly entrenched in traditional thinking. He truly cares about his patients and treats them all with respect regardless of their social status. He even treats his staff more like family than employees.
“I strive for balance in my profession. And while some may see the populace as fodder for their laboratories, I refuse to ignore a person’s humanity so that I can feel secure and important.”
Gayle is an unconventional heroine. Although her desire to become a doctor flies in the face of Victorian convention, she is fiercely determined to succeed. Even when Rowan attempts to work her so hard that she would ‘quit after a fortnight of training and limp from the house with her baggage’, although exhausted, she refuses to be beaten and I couldn’t help but admire her resilience.
He’d pushed her harder than any apprentice had ever been pressed, and she’d simply borne it with a grace that often left him speechless.
I love how their romance grows through their love of medicine. It allows each of them to recognise their misconceptions about each other. At first, Rowan sees Gayle as nothing more than ‘a vicious little thing’ willing to destroy his reputation to achieve her aims but, as he comes to understand her, everything changes.
And there he was- inspired by her intense hope and wishing he could shield her from the worst to come and give her whatever she needed to make her dreams come true.
Gayle believes Rowan to be the ‘vile man’ who was responsible for her cousin Charlotte’s death and has no qualms about using a little blackmail to persuade him to take her on as his apprentice. As she watches him with his patients and his staff, she comes to see a very different man.
But the more I know of him, the more I wish to be near him. The way he respects his household staff and the way he spoke to his patients today – my father always said it was how a gentleman treats the common man that betrays the most about his character.
Some of the other Jaded Gentlemen make a welcome appearance and I loved the witty banter between Ashe and Michael. No wonder Gayle is charmed by them! The suspense sub-plot adds substance without overshadowing the romance and, although I didn’t find it difficult to guess the identity of the villain in this particular story, there is still the continuing mystery of who is ultimately threatening the Jaded.
Ms Bernard’s has such a beautiful writing style. It is romantic, sensual and emotional with lovely touches of humour. Here are some of my favourite moments.
He watched her ascend the stairs, as graceful as a duchess despite the awkward load she carried, and marvelled that anyone could be that beautiful and still make a man dedicated to healing consider poisoning her poached eggs in the morning.
♥♥♥♥♥♥
And there it was – that bright, fierce light in her eyes that made him want to kiss her senseless or just laugh and waltz her around the room. Her dreams were spinning out in her head, and he could almost see them, they were vibrant and powerful.
♥♥♥♥♥♥
She was pure innocence and pure passion – the duality of perception and reality collided and a new lesson was initiated, but Rowan knew that he was likely the student.
♥♥♥♥♥♥
“Just one last check for any glass slivers that may have strayed to your stockings.”
“Oh!” His touch was efficient and feather soft, but the miasma of fire and delight that spread up her limbs to form a molten pool between her hips was intoxicating. Her knees turned to rubber, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stare at the ceiling as a thousand wicked thoughts nearly overcame her. The slay of warm fingers were telegraphing electric sweet storms all over her body, and she wasn’t sure she could survive another pass of his hands without betraying herself with a moan or a sigh.
ECSTASY WEARS EMERALDS is another wonderful addition to what is becoming a highly addictive series.
REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS
This review has also been posted on my blog:
http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...
Rowan, with his inherent kindness and compassion, makes a great hero. He has an enquiring mind and, is willing to embrace new ideas in medicine whilst others are firmly entrenched in traditional thinking. He truly cares about his patients and treats them all with respect regardless of their social status. He even treats his staff more like family than employees.
“I strive for balance in my profession. And while some may see the populace as fodder for their laboratories, I refuse to ignore a person’s humanity so that I can feel secure and important.”
Gayle is an unconventional heroine. Although her desire to become a doctor flies in the face of Victorian convention, she is fiercely determined to succeed. Even when Rowan attempts to work her so hard that she would ‘quit after a fortnight of training and limp from the house with her baggage’, although exhausted, she refuses to be beaten and I couldn’t help but admire her resilience.
He’d pushed her harder than any apprentice had ever been pressed, and she’d simply borne it with a grace that often left him speechless.
I love how their romance grows through their love of medicine. It allows each of them to recognise their misconceptions about each other. At first, Rowan sees Gayle as nothing more than ‘a vicious little thing’ willing to destroy his reputation to achieve her aims but, as he comes to understand her, everything changes.
And there he was- inspired by her intense hope and wishing he could shield her from the worst to come and give her whatever she needed to make her dreams come true.
Gayle believes Rowan to be the ‘vile man’ who was responsible for her cousin Charlotte’s death and has no qualms about using a little blackmail to persuade him to take her on as his apprentice. As she watches him with his patients and his staff, she comes to see a very different man.
But the more I know of him, the more I wish to be near him. The way he respects his household staff and the way he spoke to his patients today – my father always said it was how a gentleman treats the common man that betrays the most about his character.
Some of the other Jaded Gentlemen make a welcome appearance and I loved the witty banter between Ashe and Michael. No wonder Gayle is charmed by them! The suspense sub-plot adds substance without overshadowing the romance and, although I didn’t find it difficult to guess the identity of the villain in this particular story, there is still the continuing mystery of who is ultimately threatening the Jaded.
Ms Bernard’s has such a beautiful writing style. It is romantic, sensual and emotional with lovely touches of humour. Here are some of my favourite moments.
He watched her ascend the stairs, as graceful as a duchess despite the awkward load she carried, and marvelled that anyone could be that beautiful and still make a man dedicated to healing consider poisoning her poached eggs in the morning.
♥♥♥♥♥♥
And there it was – that bright, fierce light in her eyes that made him want to kiss her senseless or just laugh and waltz her around the room. Her dreams were spinning out in her head, and he could almost see them, they were vibrant and powerful.
♥♥♥♥♥♥
She was pure innocence and pure passion – the duality of perception and reality collided and a new lesson was initiated, but Rowan knew that he was likely the student.
♥♥♥♥♥♥
“Just one last check for any glass slivers that may have strayed to your stockings.”
“Oh!” His touch was efficient and feather soft, but the miasma of fire and delight that spread up her limbs to form a molten pool between her hips was intoxicating. Her knees turned to rubber, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stare at the ceiling as a thousand wicked thoughts nearly overcame her. The slay of warm fingers were telegraphing electric sweet storms all over her body, and she wasn’t sure she could survive another pass of his hands without betraying herself with a moan or a sigh.
ECSTASY WEARS EMERALDS is another wonderful addition to what is becoming a highly addictive series.
REVIEW RATING: 4.5/5 STARS
This review has also been posted on my blog:
http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...
March 20, 2014
This book started out good, with Gayle wanting to be a doctor…I found her trying to blackmail Rowan intriguing, but then by the middle of the book, it fizzled and started to frustrate me to no end. Gayle became a wishy washy, annoying, borderline mistress really. The communication between these two was lacking big time. The storyline was slow moving and at times boring. The author made the heroine (Gayle) strong and the beginning but once she has sex with the good doctor…OMG…she turned into some blubbering simpleton. It all went downhill once she became intimate with Rowan…the storyline fizzled and even the little Jaded mystery couldn’t save it. I was truly on the verge of just tossing the book to floor and finding a more interesting book to read. I wish the author made Gayle a lot more knowledgeable in medicine so that Rowan could have been shocked and intensely impressed by her. But I didn’t find any reason at all for Rowan to be smitten/in love with Gayle…the connection just didn’t fit right. There wasn’t too much teaching going on, unless you include the sex scenes…which actually it seemed kind of like a corny, low budget porn movie…(not that I would know anything about those)lol. I’m not sure if I want to read another one of this author’s book, as this was my first book by her and I was deeply disappointed. Oh by the way...they mention the word "emeralds" like twice...so not sure about the title here...
October 4, 2011
It is a well-established historical fact that women have seldom been allowed to be the pioneers in any scientific field. Madame Curie, of course, is one notable exception, but even her life was overshadowed by the disapproval and professional blocking of her scientific education or carrying out any scientific project. Certainly we all know that women had to wait decades before being given the vote here in the United States, but it was even longer for women to have to wait before being allowed to enter the medical profession as doctors. Even Florence Nightingale, famous for her own "war horse" kinds of efforts to improve the nursing of wounded soldiers, didn't approve of women as doctors. Only after the Civil War were women allowed to pursue a medical education and even then, many individuals would rather be dead than searching out the services of a doctor who happened to be a woman.
This novel takes up the issue of women as doctors. Dr. Rowan West, one of the "Jaded Gentlemen" who survived imprisonment in India, has come home to London and become one of that city's most reknown physicians, mainly because he insists on treating the poor, no matter how poor or how sick, and a doctor who thinks it is OK to inquire of the patient about his/her condition, how they are feeling, what are their symptoms, etc. Strange as it may seem, such empathizing with patients was thought to be silly by the medical establishment.
Now into Dr. West's life comes a woman, previously unknown to him, and one who is not prepared to accept any response to her request in the negative. She wants to be a doctor. As a physician known for his open mind and rather radical way of treating the sick, she plans for him to take her on as an apprentice--the accept method of introducing a person to the practice of medicine. Rowan is understandably reluctant as he knows the response she will encounter when trying to enter the university as a medical student. Gayle Renshaw is one beautiful lady but all that social polish hides a very determined woman, with financial resources, a plan, and some rather distressing personal facts about Rowan's life she is more than willing to use to blackmail him into taking her on as an apprentice. Suffice it to say, Rowan caved as Gayle expected, but what she didn't expect was his efforts to load her down with books and assignments and learning projects designed to get her to become discouraged and drop her whole plan. She didn't. Rowan's anger at being forced into this relationship gradually turns to respect and admiration. It doesn't hurt that she is gorgeous and sexy. What does give him pause is that she is planning never to marry even though their love affair lights up the London sky.
As in the two previous novels in this series, each of the Jaded Gentlemen has to deal with the efforts of an enemy seeking to hurt and destroy this small circle of friends by any means. Those efforts continue and not knowing who will be the next target of the anonymous enemy keeps ramping up the tension, the sense of danger and mystery, and not only keeps the story's characters on edge, but the reader as well. And as I have found to be true throughout this series, Ms Bernard's writing, her crafting of the story, the action and interaction of the characters continues to be consistent, free of those irritating dead spots or seemingly useless pages and pages of introspection, with effective use of descriptive language. Even when the wife of one of the Gentlemen is poisoned and her life hanging by a thread, the expression of the characters' emotions were kept in control so that there was a sense of the tension that most certainly would exist in any such situation.
Part of my reading enjoyment is a story that is well-told, one that is expressed in excellent English, with good use of verbs, adverbs, adjectives, a balanced presence of phrases, sentences that are neither too long or two short. In other words, I appreciate a writer who truly commands the language. Such a writer is Ms Bernard and her novels have been a joy to read from that linguistic standpoint. Yet she also has demonstrated the knack for allowing the language to serve the story, letting the plot and story line to shine through. I am sorry to say that there are good stories which suffer because the writer does not use good writing skills, command of the language, or a sense of good rhetorical expression to make the story come alive.
This story is also about the old wounds that some people carry around, moving on with their lives, but still bearing that hurting at the center of their hearts. Certainly that was the case with Rowan and, I think to some extent, Gayle. For Rowan it was the mysterious death of his fiance while he was in India, a death her mother continued to believe was Rowan's doing. For Gayle, her growing hurt was rooted in her dream of being a doctor. The attitude toward gifted women that was prevalent in Victorian England was like wearing a hair shirt for those who knew they had been given talents and abilities that could benefit people positively. But it was considered improper for gently bred women. Living with those kinds of prohibitions couldn't help but be wounding. And in the case of those wishing to enter the medical profession, the hardcore resistance was generations long. I remember my hubby's response when we were considering going to a woman as our family doctor. I had to remind him that all during my pregnancies it was considered perfectly alright for me to be examined, rather intimately, by a man who wasn't my husband. Why was it any more improper for a man to be examined by a woman?
I found the relationship between Rowan and Gayle to be a bit of challenge for me--I understood her as a hell-raiser and one having the guts to challenge the status quo, but I found her to be just a bit immature in her responses sometimes. Rowan was patient, giving, kind, caring, willing to run himself ragged to help just about anyone, including Gayle. He had put his reputation on the line to do as she asked in taking her on as an apprentice. Yet from time to time she attributed less than noble attitudes and actions to him, mostly because she was prone to "run" with half the story. Not the mindset of a mature person. That being said, I had the sense that throughout the course of the book she "grew up" in many ways, backed away from her impulse thinking, and became far more adept at thinking before she spoke.
While this is a stand alone novel, it is a continuation of the saga of the Jaded Gentlemen and their on-going quest to be finally free of the evil that has followed them from India. It is truly Rowan and Gayle's story even though the other Gentlemen waft in and out of the story from time to time. It is a very good look at the "temper" of the times regarding women and medicine, and it is, as always, a well-researched historical romance that, while it is fiction, could easily be real life. For my money, those are the best kinds of historical novels!
I give this book a 4.25 out of 5
This review was originally posted by Judith on Book Binge.
This novel takes up the issue of women as doctors. Dr. Rowan West, one of the "Jaded Gentlemen" who survived imprisonment in India, has come home to London and become one of that city's most reknown physicians, mainly because he insists on treating the poor, no matter how poor or how sick, and a doctor who thinks it is OK to inquire of the patient about his/her condition, how they are feeling, what are their symptoms, etc. Strange as it may seem, such empathizing with patients was thought to be silly by the medical establishment.
Now into Dr. West's life comes a woman, previously unknown to him, and one who is not prepared to accept any response to her request in the negative. She wants to be a doctor. As a physician known for his open mind and rather radical way of treating the sick, she plans for him to take her on as an apprentice--the accept method of introducing a person to the practice of medicine. Rowan is understandably reluctant as he knows the response she will encounter when trying to enter the university as a medical student. Gayle Renshaw is one beautiful lady but all that social polish hides a very determined woman, with financial resources, a plan, and some rather distressing personal facts about Rowan's life she is more than willing to use to blackmail him into taking her on as an apprentice. Suffice it to say, Rowan caved as Gayle expected, but what she didn't expect was his efforts to load her down with books and assignments and learning projects designed to get her to become discouraged and drop her whole plan. She didn't. Rowan's anger at being forced into this relationship gradually turns to respect and admiration. It doesn't hurt that she is gorgeous and sexy. What does give him pause is that she is planning never to marry even though their love affair lights up the London sky.
As in the two previous novels in this series, each of the Jaded Gentlemen has to deal with the efforts of an enemy seeking to hurt and destroy this small circle of friends by any means. Those efforts continue and not knowing who will be the next target of the anonymous enemy keeps ramping up the tension, the sense of danger and mystery, and not only keeps the story's characters on edge, but the reader as well. And as I have found to be true throughout this series, Ms Bernard's writing, her crafting of the story, the action and interaction of the characters continues to be consistent, free of those irritating dead spots or seemingly useless pages and pages of introspection, with effective use of descriptive language. Even when the wife of one of the Gentlemen is poisoned and her life hanging by a thread, the expression of the characters' emotions were kept in control so that there was a sense of the tension that most certainly would exist in any such situation.
Part of my reading enjoyment is a story that is well-told, one that is expressed in excellent English, with good use of verbs, adverbs, adjectives, a balanced presence of phrases, sentences that are neither too long or two short. In other words, I appreciate a writer who truly commands the language. Such a writer is Ms Bernard and her novels have been a joy to read from that linguistic standpoint. Yet she also has demonstrated the knack for allowing the language to serve the story, letting the plot and story line to shine through. I am sorry to say that there are good stories which suffer because the writer does not use good writing skills, command of the language, or a sense of good rhetorical expression to make the story come alive.
This story is also about the old wounds that some people carry around, moving on with their lives, but still bearing that hurting at the center of their hearts. Certainly that was the case with Rowan and, I think to some extent, Gayle. For Rowan it was the mysterious death of his fiance while he was in India, a death her mother continued to believe was Rowan's doing. For Gayle, her growing hurt was rooted in her dream of being a doctor. The attitude toward gifted women that was prevalent in Victorian England was like wearing a hair shirt for those who knew they had been given talents and abilities that could benefit people positively. But it was considered improper for gently bred women. Living with those kinds of prohibitions couldn't help but be wounding. And in the case of those wishing to enter the medical profession, the hardcore resistance was generations long. I remember my hubby's response when we were considering going to a woman as our family doctor. I had to remind him that all during my pregnancies it was considered perfectly alright for me to be examined, rather intimately, by a man who wasn't my husband. Why was it any more improper for a man to be examined by a woman?
I found the relationship between Rowan and Gayle to be a bit of challenge for me--I understood her as a hell-raiser and one having the guts to challenge the status quo, but I found her to be just a bit immature in her responses sometimes. Rowan was patient, giving, kind, caring, willing to run himself ragged to help just about anyone, including Gayle. He had put his reputation on the line to do as she asked in taking her on as an apprentice. Yet from time to time she attributed less than noble attitudes and actions to him, mostly because she was prone to "run" with half the story. Not the mindset of a mature person. That being said, I had the sense that throughout the course of the book she "grew up" in many ways, backed away from her impulse thinking, and became far more adept at thinking before she spoke.
While this is a stand alone novel, it is a continuation of the saga of the Jaded Gentlemen and their on-going quest to be finally free of the evil that has followed them from India. It is truly Rowan and Gayle's story even though the other Gentlemen waft in and out of the story from time to time. It is a very good look at the "temper" of the times regarding women and medicine, and it is, as always, a well-researched historical romance that, while it is fiction, could easily be real life. For my money, those are the best kinds of historical novels!
I give this book a 4.25 out of 5
This review was originally posted by Judith on Book Binge.
September 4, 2011
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds by Renee Bernard
Historical Romance -Sept. 6th, 2011
4 1/2 stars
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is the third book in the Jaded Gentlemen series, which features six young men who escaped from the dungeons in India with jewels that bring harm to them. However, this story can be easily read by itself.
Dr. Rowan West is exhausted after a call to his patient’s home. With his head pounding, he just wants to go home and rest. But instead he is confronted by the beautiful Miss Gayle Renshaw who threatens to expose his past unless he takes her as an apprentice. When Gayle continue to badger him (even though it’s unheard of for a woman to become a doctor in 1859), Rowan decides to show her the error of her ways and accepts her as his apprentice. He plans to work her so hard that she will quit on her own. But, the willful and highly intelligent Gayle keeps exceeding every one of his expectations. Will Rowan finally help Gayle achieve her lifelong goal and win over Gayle’s heart? When a series of murder attempts on the ‘Jaded Gentlemen’ occurs, can Rowan keep Gayle safe?
I was genuinely surprised by how easy to read and enjoyable this book is. I really liked the medical background in this novel and all the rich historical details about Rowan and Gayle’s work. It’s amazing to think how far the medical field has come since those days! Rowan is also the perfect male hero, sweet, considerate and yet tough when he needs to be. I like the fact that although he disagrees with the male thinking of that time, he is realistic about Gayle’s prospect in the medical field and tells her very honestly. Unfortunately, Gayle is so brash and headstrong that sometimes I feel like she didn’t deserve Rowan. She gets angry at every single perceived slight and even though Rowan works hard to woo her, she keeps rejecting him. I felt frustrated on Rowan’s behalf and wondered if Gayle was really worth it.
Fascinating premise and a wonderful hero makes this an enjoyable read. Too bad the heroine isn’t as likeable.
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Club
Historical Romance -Sept. 6th, 2011
4 1/2 stars
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is the third book in the Jaded Gentlemen series, which features six young men who escaped from the dungeons in India with jewels that bring harm to them. However, this story can be easily read by itself.
Dr. Rowan West is exhausted after a call to his patient’s home. With his head pounding, he just wants to go home and rest. But instead he is confronted by the beautiful Miss Gayle Renshaw who threatens to expose his past unless he takes her as an apprentice. When Gayle continue to badger him (even though it’s unheard of for a woman to become a doctor in 1859), Rowan decides to show her the error of her ways and accepts her as his apprentice. He plans to work her so hard that she will quit on her own. But, the willful and highly intelligent Gayle keeps exceeding every one of his expectations. Will Rowan finally help Gayle achieve her lifelong goal and win over Gayle’s heart? When a series of murder attempts on the ‘Jaded Gentlemen’ occurs, can Rowan keep Gayle safe?
I was genuinely surprised by how easy to read and enjoyable this book is. I really liked the medical background in this novel and all the rich historical details about Rowan and Gayle’s work. It’s amazing to think how far the medical field has come since those days! Rowan is also the perfect male hero, sweet, considerate and yet tough when he needs to be. I like the fact that although he disagrees with the male thinking of that time, he is realistic about Gayle’s prospect in the medical field and tells her very honestly. Unfortunately, Gayle is so brash and headstrong that sometimes I feel like she didn’t deserve Rowan. She gets angry at every single perceived slight and even though Rowan works hard to woo her, she keeps rejecting him. I felt frustrated on Rowan’s behalf and wondered if Gayle was really worth it.
Fascinating premise and a wonderful hero makes this an enjoyable read. Too bad the heroine isn’t as likeable.
Reviewed by Pauline from the Bookaholics Romance Club
April 26, 2012
This was okay. I wanted to like it more. I actually didn't mind the main character, I rather appreciated her geeky bookishness. And I believed the romance in the two people who complimented eachother well. And yet... the romantic tension was so flat! I don't know why. I also didn't care for the way her story arc to be a doctor was dropped or never resolved once the romantic plotline wrapped up. It rather undercut the nice stuff the book had done to point out the inequity between men and women in the medical field. I wish that had been resolved better instead of just being left to some nebulous future. Just because they declared their love for eachother does not mean that all the obstacles he named for her being a doctor have magically melted away.
September 21, 2013
It's a nice coincidence that while I started reading this book, a new Showtime series "Masters of sex" premiered.
I could easily cast my characters in the book.
Dr Rowan West and Miss Renshaw
Dr Whitfield
Peter James
The writing wasn't subtle. I got really annoyed about inner thoughts of characters generously dropped in italics here and there. Authors, leave some room for readers' imagination!
Just when I was appreciating that there wasn't immediate meeting of H/h's genitalia (they don't have sex until 50% marker), author started writing sex scenes to make up for lack of it in the first half of the book. The amount of sex was ridiculous.
I don't even remeber the end. Overall, meh.
I could easily cast my characters in the book.
Dr Rowan West and Miss Renshaw
Dr Whitfield
Peter James
The writing wasn't subtle. I got really annoyed about inner thoughts of characters generously dropped in italics here and there. Authors, leave some room for readers' imagination!
Just when I was appreciating that there wasn't immediate meeting of H/h's genitalia (they don't have sex until 50% marker), author started writing sex scenes to make up for lack of it in the first half of the book. The amount of sex was ridiculous.
I don't even remeber the end. Overall, meh.
April 11, 2012
Pretty damn good! Enjoyed the chemistry between the characters, the comraderie between the jaded, and the extremely satisfying plot. One of my favorites books of 2011 and I am officially a Renee Bernard super fan! Can't wait to explore this series and other/future works by this author. A more detailed review coming to Not Another Romance Blog soon!
Read
August 30, 2011DNF by end of chapter one. Too boring to continue within the first 20 pages.
August 14, 2017
This is a story of a woman trying to become a physician in the days when that was totally unheard of and of the doctor, Dr. West, whom she finds to help her with her apprenticeship. The story evolves from there with many trials and tribulations, wins and losses and of course the building of a love between the two of them. It wouldn't be a 'Historical Romance' otherwise.
It is a very touching tale and written with passion and compassion for these two characters.
Woven into this story is the mystery and close ties of the 'Jaded club' of men who were brought together when imprisoned in India.
A beautiful story that I am very happy to recommend.
It is a very touching tale and written with passion and compassion for these two characters.
Woven into this story is the mystery and close ties of the 'Jaded club' of men who were brought together when imprisoned in India.
A beautiful story that I am very happy to recommend.
February 2, 2018
Another passion filled Jaded story. Dr. West thought he was gong to get an apprentice but what he got was a blackmailing women Gayle Renshaw who wants to become a Doctor. Gayle had 2 reasons she came to Rowan West, first she wants to be a Doctor and secondly she wants to know what really happened to her cousin who was engaged to Dr. West before he left for India. A great story that is passion filled between Rowan and Gayle. They are one step closer to the people hunting the Jaded. When tragedy strikes the Blackwell’s it will take all of Dr. West’s skill to save one of them. Can’t wait till this fiend is caught.
August 3, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! I’m sorry that I’m not able to start the series @ book one (it doesn’t seem to be at our local library & I’m too cheap to purchase a copy), but this installment was fresh for me.
I’m not accustomed to the heroine pursuing a medical career ... and I did not see that villain (well, henchman/accomplice) coming!
I look forward to other installments available from the library. 👏🏽
I’m not accustomed to the heroine pursuing a medical career ... and I did not see that villain (well, henchman/accomplice) coming!
I look forward to other installments available from the library. 👏🏽
March 10, 2021
Loving the series.
I figured out early on in the story that Peter was going to be the fiend in this storyline.
I find it interesting reading about the struggles of women trying to get into men's only fields in the early days of our history and the men who tried to work with them to get them admitted.
This storyline kept me on tenterhooks, as well as enjoying the continuing interaction of all of the Jaded Gentlemen.
I figured out early on in the story that Peter was going to be the fiend in this storyline.
I find it interesting reading about the struggles of women trying to get into men's only fields in the early days of our history and the men who tried to work with them to get them admitted.
This storyline kept me on tenterhooks, as well as enjoying the continuing interaction of all of the Jaded Gentlemen.
October 17, 2019
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds (The Jaded Gentlemen, Book 3)
The story of Rowan and Gayle. Gayle want to be a doctor, so she come to London and blackmail Dr. Rowan West into taking her as his apprentice. Rowan thought to.make the job so hard that she will quit. Will it work or will love won out? Great story.
The story of Rowan and Gayle. Gayle want to be a doctor, so she come to London and blackmail Dr. Rowan West into taking her as his apprentice. Rowan thought to.make the job so hard that she will quit. Will it work or will love won out? Great story.
May 4, 2017
This is a great series of romance books. Best read in order as there is a continuing story line with all the heroes.
November 29, 2018
Yet another success!
This was well researched and written. A romanticized version true, but a glimpse into another age. The sexy times were great too!
This was well researched and written. A romanticized version true, but a glimpse into another age. The sexy times were great too!
September 12, 2011
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds by Renee Bernard
Book #3 in Jaded Gentleman Series
Grade: B-
“How am I to prove that a woman has the disciplined mind necessary to become a doctor if I turn into a giggling pool of idiocy the first time I see my teacher’s rugged good looks? Who cares if the man has broad shoulders or if he’s tall? He’s a skilled physician and possesses what I need to move forward. Who’s to say the devil wasn’t the most attractive angel of all before he revealed his wicked heart and fell from heaven?’
After losing her sister and father to cancer, Gayle Renshaw is determined to become a physician and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. She decides to runaway to London where she knows of the only physician who might take her on as an apprentice, Dr. Rowan West. Dr. West used to be engaged to her cousin Charlotte and all of their family believes that he is at fault for Charlotte’s death. Armed with this information Gayle sets out to blackmail Rowan into taking her on as an apprentice but they more time they spend together she realizes Dr. West is not at all what her family has made him out to be.
Dr. Rowan West has been meaning to take on an apprentice for quite some time but he never expected Gayle Renshaw to try and fill the position. Gayle’s work ethic and determination soon surpass Rowan’s expectations of her and he soon finds himself caring about her way more then he should. As he past comes back to haunt him, Rowan must band together with The Jade, his group of friends that survived The Trouble in India. Together they must stop whoever is coming after them and Rowan must find a way to convince Gayle to fall in love with him as much as he has fallen in love with her.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds was a great big breath of fresh air in a big stack of so-so historical romance novels. Lately I seem to only be reading historical romances and the majority have been quite bad and not very fun to read. This novel was the exact opposite. It was a very quick, fun and very enjoyable book. I felt that there was a lot going on but not so much that I got lost or confused.
I found myself liking Gayle and Rowan both very much as individuals and as a couple. I loved Gayle’s independent streak and how she was so determined to become a physician even though everyone told her it was impossible. I did get a little annoyed with her towards the end when she was dealing with her relationship with Rowan but she straightened herself out quickly. I really enjoyed hearing Gayle and Rowan talk about how men and women were treated so differently back in the 1850’s by doctors and how most illnesses were thought to be women’s fault. I felt like I actually got a little history lesson with some romance and I loved it.
The one thing that I really struggled with while reading was the Jaded Gentlemen. I would have never known this was a series until the Jaded was brought up and my main issue was that when it was brought up you were just expected to know about them and what had happened in previous books. I was very confused about what happened in India years before and why someone was after the group of six and trying to kill them. Everything finally does get explained but not until the last fifty pages or so. I feel that this could have easily been explained early in the story and I wouldn’t have been so confused and kind of annoyed. This is the main reason that I didn’t give the book a higher grade.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is a very good historical romance but if you are going to read it i would recommend reading books one and two in the series before reading this one. I don’t think this book can be read as a stand alone but from the plot and writing style I think the series could be a very good one. If you enjoy a good historical romance, a strong female character and some steamly love scenes this is the book for you.
Book #3 in Jaded Gentleman Series
Grade: B-
“How am I to prove that a woman has the disciplined mind necessary to become a doctor if I turn into a giggling pool of idiocy the first time I see my teacher’s rugged good looks? Who cares if the man has broad shoulders or if he’s tall? He’s a skilled physician and possesses what I need to move forward. Who’s to say the devil wasn’t the most attractive angel of all before he revealed his wicked heart and fell from heaven?’
After losing her sister and father to cancer, Gayle Renshaw is determined to become a physician and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. She decides to runaway to London where she knows of the only physician who might take her on as an apprentice, Dr. Rowan West. Dr. West used to be engaged to her cousin Charlotte and all of their family believes that he is at fault for Charlotte’s death. Armed with this information Gayle sets out to blackmail Rowan into taking her on as an apprentice but they more time they spend together she realizes Dr. West is not at all what her family has made him out to be.
Dr. Rowan West has been meaning to take on an apprentice for quite some time but he never expected Gayle Renshaw to try and fill the position. Gayle’s work ethic and determination soon surpass Rowan’s expectations of her and he soon finds himself caring about her way more then he should. As he past comes back to haunt him, Rowan must band together with The Jade, his group of friends that survived The Trouble in India. Together they must stop whoever is coming after them and Rowan must find a way to convince Gayle to fall in love with him as much as he has fallen in love with her.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds was a great big breath of fresh air in a big stack of so-so historical romance novels. Lately I seem to only be reading historical romances and the majority have been quite bad and not very fun to read. This novel was the exact opposite. It was a very quick, fun and very enjoyable book. I felt that there was a lot going on but not so much that I got lost or confused.
I found myself liking Gayle and Rowan both very much as individuals and as a couple. I loved Gayle’s independent streak and how she was so determined to become a physician even though everyone told her it was impossible. I did get a little annoyed with her towards the end when she was dealing with her relationship with Rowan but she straightened herself out quickly. I really enjoyed hearing Gayle and Rowan talk about how men and women were treated so differently back in the 1850’s by doctors and how most illnesses were thought to be women’s fault. I felt like I actually got a little history lesson with some romance and I loved it.
The one thing that I really struggled with while reading was the Jaded Gentlemen. I would have never known this was a series until the Jaded was brought up and my main issue was that when it was brought up you were just expected to know about them and what had happened in previous books. I was very confused about what happened in India years before and why someone was after the group of six and trying to kill them. Everything finally does get explained but not until the last fifty pages or so. I feel that this could have easily been explained early in the story and I wouldn’t have been so confused and kind of annoyed. This is the main reason that I didn’t give the book a higher grade.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is a very good historical romance but if you are going to read it i would recommend reading books one and two in the series before reading this one. I don’t think this book can be read as a stand alone but from the plot and writing style I think the series could be a very good one. If you enjoy a good historical romance, a strong female character and some steamly love scenes this is the book for you.
September 6, 2011
Miss Gayle Renshaw is a desperate woman. Her lifelong dream is to become a physician and while highly unconventional for a woman, she is ambitious and motivated to complete a successful apprenticeship with the hopes of being accepted to a university. Arriving on Dr. Rowan West’s doorstep and forcing her way in, Gayle is determined to become said apprentice to the good doctor and is not opposed to using blackmail, if needed, to see that it happens. Rowan agrees for her to stay, begins teaching her as he would a male apprentice, all the while hoping that he will break her mentally and physically in order to give up this unattainable dream. Devoted to proving she has the disciplined mind necessary to be a doctor, she dismisses any attraction that she maybe developing for Rowan believing that there is no chance for any relationship between the two, beyond business. Rowan soon discovers that Gayle is not the heartless, cold woman she initially presented and in fact may be stealing his heart. But as their feelings develop into something beyond student-teacher, Rowan’s past returns to threaten not only their relationship, but also the lives of his dearest friends.
Sadly, Ecstasy in Emeralds lacked the luster, humor and emotional draw that Seduction Wears Sapphires delivered. In truth the story didn’t pull me in and was difficult to finish. Rowan presents himself as a very aloof and somber man. His profession as a doctor consumes his life and he is really indifferent to anything else other than the occasional social visit with his closest male companions. Gayle is an independent, shrewd woman determined to learn how to be a physician despite society’s view of women in the medical field and this is her sole purpose in forcing her way into Rowan’s life.
First, this couple just never clicked. They presented drab personalities with little emotion. I will go so far to say that Rowan was a true “wuss” when it came to standing up for himself or confronting his emotions which totally turned me off. Both Rowan and Gayle initially tolerated each other in a business arrangement so when the feelings of attraction entered the story, it was forced and unbelievable. Second, when they did establish a romantic involvement, it was less than satisfying do to their lack of chemistry as a couple. (I found myself wanting more of the secondary characters than the actual main couple.) There were no memorable steamy encounters or heart fluttering moments that left a lasting impression as were in the prior book. Finally, one of the most frustrating moments for me as a reader is when the author declares the “I love you” moment entirely too early in the book. At page 113, after only one kiss prior, Gayle discovers she is falling in love with Rowan. I was ready to throw the book against the wall at that point given what lack of action or emotion the two had shared. I contemplated DNF at that state but like a trooper I carried on only to be irritated that I spent too much time finishing a book that never fully grabbed my interest.
Originally posted at http://www.fictionvixen.com/2011/09/r...
July 15, 2016
Rowan West has established himself as a well liked and respected doctor in London. All that he has worked for is threatened when the lovely Gayle Renshaw appears. Gayle is determined to become a physician. She's dreamed of it all her life. But she needs a teacher and no man would dare take on a woman as a pupil. It's simply unheard of. So Gayle uses the only means she has. She blackmails Rowan into taking her as his apprentice using the knowledge she has of his past. A past he'd rather forget. Rowan has no choice but to accept. Besides, he's sure she'll quickly give up her endeavor when she sees the work load he's about to give her. But Gayle surprises him with her dogged attitude and brilliance. Just when he's starting to dream of the possibility of them living and working together side by side, an old enemy of the Jaded returns. Will Rowan have to abandon his dreams with Gayle and set her free in order to keep her safe?
Rowan and Gayle were enchanting characters and their romance was a delight to read. Rowan was a kind, compassionate, and innovative physician. When he accepts Gayle as his apprentice, he is amazed by her aptitude and diligence. But Rowan is already criticized by his peers because of his rapport with his patients. What will they say when he introduces a woman as his pupil? His reputation could be destroyed and what's more, so could Gayle's. His associates in the medical field would tear her down and vilify her, keeping her from ever achieving her dreams.
All her life, Gayle had been treated as less because she was a woman. Told she couldn't do what she wanted. But once she started working with Rowan, he never made her feel like less. When he looked at her, she felt like more. When she developed feelings for Rowan, she was torn. What if society saw her as his mistress? If she gave in to her feelings, what of her freedom? Would she have to forfeit her dreams? And what's more, what of Rowan? She'd bullied him into this position. Now he was the one taking the risks when his reputation could be destroyed.
Just when Rowan and Gayle are trying to make sense of their relationship and possibility of a future together, an old threat to the men of the Jaded returns. This enemy has followed them since their imprisonment in India and is intent on destroying the Jaded Gentlemen. Not only is this band of friends in danger, but also those close to them.
What an amazing story! While #3 in the Jaded Gentleman series, I had no problem jumping into this new-to-me series, but I can assure you I'll be reading the first 2 books soon. And I'm especially hoping to see more of the two Drs. West in future books. A Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team Selection
Rowan and Gayle were enchanting characters and their romance was a delight to read. Rowan was a kind, compassionate, and innovative physician. When he accepts Gayle as his apprentice, he is amazed by her aptitude and diligence. But Rowan is already criticized by his peers because of his rapport with his patients. What will they say when he introduces a woman as his pupil? His reputation could be destroyed and what's more, so could Gayle's. His associates in the medical field would tear her down and vilify her, keeping her from ever achieving her dreams.
All her life, Gayle had been treated as less because she was a woman. Told she couldn't do what she wanted. But once she started working with Rowan, he never made her feel like less. When he looked at her, she felt like more. When she developed feelings for Rowan, she was torn. What if society saw her as his mistress? If she gave in to her feelings, what of her freedom? Would she have to forfeit her dreams? And what's more, what of Rowan? She'd bullied him into this position. Now he was the one taking the risks when his reputation could be destroyed.
Just when Rowan and Gayle are trying to make sense of their relationship and possibility of a future together, an old threat to the men of the Jaded returns. This enemy has followed them since their imprisonment in India and is intent on destroying the Jaded Gentlemen. Not only is this band of friends in danger, but also those close to them.
What an amazing story! While #3 in the Jaded Gentleman series, I had no problem jumping into this new-to-me series, but I can assure you I'll be reading the first 2 books soon. And I'm especially hoping to see more of the two Drs. West in future books. A Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team Selection
August 18, 2016
okay... buku ke 3 nya, Rowan West.. die dokter gt si, bkn lord ehehehee...
Gayle Renshaw, sepupu dari mantan tunangan Rowan sebelum pergi ke India, tiba2 dateng ke rumahnya Rowan dan demand buat dijadiin apprentice gt. Gayle ortunya ude meninggal, dan dia pengen jadi dokter bkn karena sebab si.. ada ntar dibagian belakang. Gayle dapet warisan dr bapaknya, jd dari segi independent die ga merit pun ttp punya duit dan ga harus bergantung sama suami. Masalahnya, pada masa HR ini dokter wanita kan masih tabu sekali, adanya nurse dan nurse jg sering disamakan tingkatannya ama whore. Gayle tau, Rowan kaga bakalan nganggep die jadi murid, apalagi kasih rekomendasi sekolah kedokteran biar die dpt license, makanya die dateng dgn meras Rowan "gw tau sejarah lo ama sepupu gw, gw jg tau apa yg terjadi, dan kl ton sampai tau, Rowan bakalan malu" dan teng teng.. Rowan pun nerima Gayle jd mudid die.
As a broken man (hallah bahasa gw), Rowan 2th dikurung di sumur bawah tanah di India, pas die balik ke Inggris die tau kalau tunangannya (sepupu Gayle) mati karena kegguguran. Keluarga bersar calon istrinya ga terima, nyalahin Rowan karena ttp pergi ke India sampai tungannya hamil dan malu kr hamil diluar nikah maka memutuskan buat ngegugurin dan mati kr pendarahan, itu ssemua salah Rowan! dan Rowan teriama.. die kaga kasih tau kalau die di India lama karena die ditahan dan karena dia cinta sama tunangannya, meskiii.. (baca sendiri). Makanya pas Gayle tiba2 dateng dan ancam2 mo sebarin ke ton, Rowan yg emang merasa bersalah yo wes lah.. Gayle die perlakukan ke apprentice cowo laennya.. ga akan dipandang sbg lady, ntar jg kaga tahan dan ga semua orang bisa jadi dokter, sayangnya Rowan tdk bisa mengantisipasi betapa cantiknya si Gayle.
Lambat laun, Rowan liat kegigihan Gayle yg bener2 pengen jadi dokter, bahkan bener2 bisa ttp tenang dlm keadaan darurat, maka Rowan pun ngeliat dgn pov baru (hallah). Sayangnya, asosiasi kedokteran pada saat itu yg mendengar Rowan py murid cewe ga terima gitu.. blm lagi salah paham Gayle yg cuma ngerti cerita sepupunya separo2 ini ude ambil keputusan kl Rowan itu antagonis meski dokter yg handal, dann.. mari jgn lupakan pemburu Jaded yg masih berkeliaran.. kali ini korbannya Caroline istrinya Ash.. ih sedih gw.. dan saat itu Rowan sadar kl die suka Gayle dan tau serta pahal kl Gayle kaga mau merit, dan Gayle ude liat dia sbg sosok antagonis..
Kemudian, dalam hiruk pikuk pemburu Jaded yg mengancam nyawa termasuk Gayle, dan kebenaran ttg kematian sepupu Gayle atau lebih tepatnya bibinya Gayle yg dateng ke London dan tau kl Gayle boong ga lg ke Italy seperti ijin sebelumnya.. haaahhh.. untungnya Gayle kaga keras kepala2 banget.. dan cinta mengalahkan segalanya XD
Gayle Renshaw, sepupu dari mantan tunangan Rowan sebelum pergi ke India, tiba2 dateng ke rumahnya Rowan dan demand buat dijadiin apprentice gt. Gayle ortunya ude meninggal, dan dia pengen jadi dokter bkn karena sebab si.. ada ntar dibagian belakang. Gayle dapet warisan dr bapaknya, jd dari segi independent die ga merit pun ttp punya duit dan ga harus bergantung sama suami. Masalahnya, pada masa HR ini dokter wanita kan masih tabu sekali, adanya nurse dan nurse jg sering disamakan tingkatannya ama whore. Gayle tau, Rowan kaga bakalan nganggep die jadi murid, apalagi kasih rekomendasi sekolah kedokteran biar die dpt license, makanya die dateng dgn meras Rowan "gw tau sejarah lo ama sepupu gw, gw jg tau apa yg terjadi, dan kl ton sampai tau, Rowan bakalan malu" dan teng teng.. Rowan pun nerima Gayle jd mudid die.
As a broken man (hallah bahasa gw), Rowan 2th dikurung di sumur bawah tanah di India, pas die balik ke Inggris die tau kalau tunangannya (sepupu Gayle) mati karena kegguguran. Keluarga bersar calon istrinya ga terima, nyalahin Rowan karena ttp pergi ke India sampai tungannya hamil dan malu kr hamil diluar nikah maka memutuskan buat ngegugurin dan mati kr pendarahan, itu ssemua salah Rowan! dan Rowan teriama.. die kaga kasih tau kalau die di India lama karena die ditahan dan karena dia cinta sama tunangannya, meskiii.. (baca sendiri). Makanya pas Gayle tiba2 dateng dan ancam2 mo sebarin ke ton, Rowan yg emang merasa bersalah yo wes lah.. Gayle die perlakukan ke apprentice cowo laennya.. ga akan dipandang sbg lady, ntar jg kaga tahan dan ga semua orang bisa jadi dokter, sayangnya Rowan tdk bisa mengantisipasi betapa cantiknya si Gayle.
Lambat laun, Rowan liat kegigihan Gayle yg bener2 pengen jadi dokter, bahkan bener2 bisa ttp tenang dlm keadaan darurat, maka Rowan pun ngeliat dgn pov baru (hallah). Sayangnya, asosiasi kedokteran pada saat itu yg mendengar Rowan py murid cewe ga terima gitu.. blm lagi salah paham Gayle yg cuma ngerti cerita sepupunya separo2 ini ude ambil keputusan kl Rowan itu antagonis meski dokter yg handal, dann.. mari jgn lupakan pemburu Jaded yg masih berkeliaran.. kali ini korbannya Caroline istrinya Ash.. ih sedih gw.. dan saat itu Rowan sadar kl die suka Gayle dan tau serta pahal kl Gayle kaga mau merit, dan Gayle ude liat dia sbg sosok antagonis..
Kemudian, dalam hiruk pikuk pemburu Jaded yg mengancam nyawa termasuk Gayle, dan kebenaran ttg kematian sepupu Gayle atau lebih tepatnya bibinya Gayle yg dateng ke London dan tau kl Gayle boong ga lg ke Italy seperti ijin sebelumnya.. haaahhh.. untungnya Gayle kaga keras kepala2 banget.. dan cinta mengalahkan segalanya XD
September 8, 2011
From the author of Revenge Wears Rubies and Seduction Wears Sapphires...
...Dr. Rowan West, one of the Jaded Gentlemen, is determined to leave the ghosts of his past behind and move forward in life. Unfortunately for him, a woman has other plans. When Miss Gayle Renshaw shows up at the doctor's door and demands an apprenticeship, she has one secret advantage: her knowledge of Rowan's fiancee and her mysterious disappearance. It seems that Rowan is cornered and Gayle will not even stop at the use of blackmail to get her way. Rowan recognizes that such a scene as this will likely have a devastating impact upon his career as a doctor and his professional reputation. But, as it turns out, the greatest risk of all involves his heart. Maybe Gayle, though intelligent and aggressive, is not as heartless as she seems...
Now that temptation has struck, both their lives are threatened by enemies of the Jaded Gentlemen. And Rowan must fight to save the life of the woman he loves, even if it means that he must give up the chance to be with her. Find out where the seduction leads in Ecstasy Wears Emeralds, the newest novel in the Jaded Gentlemen series from author Renee Bernard.
Bernard is best known for her historical romance stories, such as this latest installment of the Jaded Gentlemen novels. Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is set in mid-nineteenth century London and gives you a vivid picture of Rowan's life in that particular time period and location. Bernard incorporates a unique voice into the body of her works, as well as a depth deemed somewhat uncharacteristic for the sub-genre. This is especially evident in her use of strong female characters to drive much of the plot's action. Also, it takes a while to get to one of Bernard's infamously steamy “encounters,” but they are considered well worth the wait.
For any fan of sensual romance and, in particular, historical romances with an English flavor, Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is now in bookstores everywhere. If you are unfamiliar with Bernard's work but find that you generally enjoy romance, then you have found your next worthy investment. Bernard's fiction will not disappoint.
...Dr. Rowan West, one of the Jaded Gentlemen, is determined to leave the ghosts of his past behind and move forward in life. Unfortunately for him, a woman has other plans. When Miss Gayle Renshaw shows up at the doctor's door and demands an apprenticeship, she has one secret advantage: her knowledge of Rowan's fiancee and her mysterious disappearance. It seems that Rowan is cornered and Gayle will not even stop at the use of blackmail to get her way. Rowan recognizes that such a scene as this will likely have a devastating impact upon his career as a doctor and his professional reputation. But, as it turns out, the greatest risk of all involves his heart. Maybe Gayle, though intelligent and aggressive, is not as heartless as she seems...
Now that temptation has struck, both their lives are threatened by enemies of the Jaded Gentlemen. And Rowan must fight to save the life of the woman he loves, even if it means that he must give up the chance to be with her. Find out where the seduction leads in Ecstasy Wears Emeralds, the newest novel in the Jaded Gentlemen series from author Renee Bernard.
Bernard is best known for her historical romance stories, such as this latest installment of the Jaded Gentlemen novels. Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is set in mid-nineteenth century London and gives you a vivid picture of Rowan's life in that particular time period and location. Bernard incorporates a unique voice into the body of her works, as well as a depth deemed somewhat uncharacteristic for the sub-genre. This is especially evident in her use of strong female characters to drive much of the plot's action. Also, it takes a while to get to one of Bernard's infamously steamy “encounters,” but they are considered well worth the wait.
For any fan of sensual romance and, in particular, historical romances with an English flavor, Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is now in bookstores everywhere. If you are unfamiliar with Bernard's work but find that you generally enjoy romance, then you have found your next worthy investment. Bernard's fiction will not disappoint.
October 10, 2011
Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews
4 Kisses, 1 Pepper (oral sex, explicit sex)
Gayle Renshaw corresponded with Dr. Rowan West about an apprenticeship because she wished to become a physician. But she gave the false impression that she was a man, and when she shows up at his home one evening unannounced, it befuddles him. He’s had a long, hard day and this is the last thing he expected to have to deal with. When he tries to refuse to help her, she blackmails him with information from his past. He tries to persuade her to change her mind, but she’s stubborn and he finally agrees, thinking she’ll give up when faced with the hard realities of the profession. In fact, he pushes her extra hard to prompt her to give up. But she’s tenacious and he realizes he enjoys working with her, and even more surprising, he likes her.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds by Renee Bernard was a good read. I’ll admit it isn’t my favorite in the series because the romance wasn’t quite as engaging as the others (which I loved), but it’s still very interesting because of Gayle’s unorthodox interest in medicine, and the obstacles she faces. It’s always a pleasure to read about a strong and independent heroine, especially when she remains friendly and kind. She ends up being much more likeable than I expected her to be. But I didn’t really feel much chemistry between her and Rowan, which was a little disappointing. This is part of a series, but it can probably be read as a standalone as long as you understand the basic background of the series. The ‘Jaded Gentlemen’ are a group of men who escaped imprisonment in India, and managed to grab some jewels on their way out. Now someone is trying to find the treasure, and will stop at nothing to get them, including hurting loved ones of the ‘Jaded.’
It’s always nice to revisit characters from past books, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
4 Kisses, 1 Pepper (oral sex, explicit sex)
Gayle Renshaw corresponded with Dr. Rowan West about an apprenticeship because she wished to become a physician. But she gave the false impression that she was a man, and when she shows up at his home one evening unannounced, it befuddles him. He’s had a long, hard day and this is the last thing he expected to have to deal with. When he tries to refuse to help her, she blackmails him with information from his past. He tries to persuade her to change her mind, but she’s stubborn and he finally agrees, thinking she’ll give up when faced with the hard realities of the profession. In fact, he pushes her extra hard to prompt her to give up. But she’s tenacious and he realizes he enjoys working with her, and even more surprising, he likes her.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds by Renee Bernard was a good read. I’ll admit it isn’t my favorite in the series because the romance wasn’t quite as engaging as the others (which I loved), but it’s still very interesting because of Gayle’s unorthodox interest in medicine, and the obstacles she faces. It’s always a pleasure to read about a strong and independent heroine, especially when she remains friendly and kind. She ends up being much more likeable than I expected her to be. But I didn’t really feel much chemistry between her and Rowan, which was a little disappointing. This is part of a series, but it can probably be read as a standalone as long as you understand the basic background of the series. The ‘Jaded Gentlemen’ are a group of men who escaped imprisonment in India, and managed to grab some jewels on their way out. Now someone is trying to find the treasure, and will stop at nothing to get them, including hurting loved ones of the ‘Jaded.’
It’s always nice to revisit characters from past books, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 6, 2011
4.25 out of 5. A worthy sequel to the first two novels in this "Jaded Gentlemen" series and a series I continue to enjoy with this new addition to the line-up. Once again this author has captured a time period in Victorian England with all its oppression and prohibition of people and their lifestyles, highlighting the absolute rejection of women as medical professionals. Only nurses were allowed, providing that they didn't know too much about medicine that would allow them to challenge doctors. Talk about the male ego!! It is the story of a man who barely escaped being broken in body and spirit, whose friendship with the other survivors made it possible for him to return to society as a physician with a radical awareness of needy people and one willing to treat people in a way that we consider "normal" today but which was considered silly and a waste of time. Gayle Renshaw was a woman who confronted Rowan West with information he had hidden deep in his heart, facts that could easily hurt him personally and professionally, all in the name of getting him to agree to be her mentor. His anger at being forced into this master/apprentice relationship slowly turns to appreciation, respect and love, only to find out that she never intends to marry. No way was she going to allow a husband to command her future. It is an emotional roller coaster ride, fraught with tension and mystery as the anonymous enemy of the Jaded Gentlemen continues to bedevil them and threaten them and their loved ones with death. It is a beautifully written work, well-researched, gutsy in writing about a social ill that continues to plague women in parts of the world, and a joy to read by those who appreciate novels that demonstrate the author's command of the language. This is just simply one truly terrific read!!
February 14, 2012
After reading the first book in this series, Revenge Wears Rubies, I couldn't believe I had to wait so long for the next book to come out. The background starts in India, wear 6 men are held captive in a dungeon, escape, taking with them a fortune in jewels (hence the reference to a specific gem in each book title, one for each man - Rubies, Sapphires, Emeralds, Diamonds, Pearls and Opals). Each man has to adjust to returning to society and towards the end of each book faces a nameless villain who wants something they supposedly brought back from India. The villain plays a minor role in each book and appears in the very last part of the book, right as the hero realizes he's fallen in love and has to decide whether to push away the heroine or keep her close, to protect her. This twist is the driving force to bring about what the couple has fought all along, they are completely enamored with each other. And oh how they have fought in each book. The couples are their own antagonists, which really allows the reader to become emotionally involved with the characters. In this book, the fight is over the heroine wanting to study medicine under Dr. West, which of course he knows isn't possible, despite how talented she is, and his attempts to burn her out. Throw in some past secrets, assumptions, and one infatuated bribable young man and Renee Bernard has another successful book in this series. Again I am left waiting for months for the next installment and which of the remaining three will be next.
September 23, 2011
Dr.Rowan West has had a rough night. He's just come back from the bedside of a very sick young man to find a strange woman in his salon. Miss Gayle Renshaw has lied to her aunt and come to London from Standish Crossing to pursue her dream of becoming a female doctor, which is just not done. She has been communicating with Rowan about an apprenticeship with him, but had not told him "he" was really a she. Gayle threatens to blackmail Rowan with something from his past, and against his best wishes, he decides he'll give her a chance, but won't make things easy. Eventually Rowan and Gayle get to know each other, when something ugly rears its head and threatens them both.
I have read and enjoyed the previous two books in the Jaded series and Rowan's story is a welcome addition. I liked reading about how a woman fought to achieve her dreams in Victorian England. It was also great to get back to the intrigue of who or whom was trying to expose the Jaded and harm them. The book flowed quickly and rapidly. The chemistry between Rowan and Gayle was hot and steamy and captured my interest from the moment they met. I have two gripes. One is the cover. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful cover. The problem is the models both have dark brown hair, while in the book Gayle's hair is described as being midnight black and Rowan's as auburn/russet. The other gripe is that I'm going to have to wait until May to read about another member of the Jaded!
I have read and enjoyed the previous two books in the Jaded series and Rowan's story is a welcome addition. I liked reading about how a woman fought to achieve her dreams in Victorian England. It was also great to get back to the intrigue of who or whom was trying to expose the Jaded and harm them. The book flowed quickly and rapidly. The chemistry between Rowan and Gayle was hot and steamy and captured my interest from the moment they met. I have two gripes. One is the cover. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful cover. The problem is the models both have dark brown hair, while in the book Gayle's hair is described as being midnight black and Rowan's as auburn/russet. The other gripe is that I'm going to have to wait until May to read about another member of the Jaded!
February 5, 2023
This is the third book in the Jaded Gentlemen series. Six men meet in a dungeon in India during the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857 and come from all walks of life. They shared a horrible experience in India, and now that danger followed them back to England. In the two previous novels in this series, each of the Jaded Gentlemen has to deal with the efforts of an enemy seeking to hurt and destroy this small circle of friends.
This book focuses on Rowan West, who is a wonderful doctor. His kindness, compassion, and the way he cares about his patients is apparent. He even treats his staff more like family than employees. One day a beautiful woman named Gayle Renshaw arrives on his doorstep demanding an apprenticeship so she can become a doctor. He reluctantly agrees and you know they will soon fall in love. After all, this is a historical romance. I thought their romance was sweet and they connect through their love of medicine.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is a decent historical romance. Each can be read as a standalone novel but it's better if you read them in order. The mystery thread of what happened in India continues throughout the series. If you enjoy a good historical romance, a strong female character and some steamy love scenes this is the definitely recommended.
This book focuses on Rowan West, who is a wonderful doctor. His kindness, compassion, and the way he cares about his patients is apparent. He even treats his staff more like family than employees. One day a beautiful woman named Gayle Renshaw arrives on his doorstep demanding an apprenticeship so she can become a doctor. He reluctantly agrees and you know they will soon fall in love. After all, this is a historical romance. I thought their romance was sweet and they connect through their love of medicine.
Ecstasy Wears Emeralds is a decent historical romance. Each can be read as a standalone novel but it's better if you read them in order. The mystery thread of what happened in India continues throughout the series. If you enjoy a good historical romance, a strong female character and some steamy love scenes this is the definitely recommended.
June 26, 2016
Its always a gamble when you read a free book from Amazon, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The heroine was strong and intelligent, and her slow change from suspicious and cynical was engaging. The hero was the strong silent type with his own demons, although it was easy to ferret out some of them early on. I only realized half way though the novel that it was the third one in a series, it was nice that it being out of sequence was not confusing or distracting to the story line but did inspire me to book-list the remaining books in the series to get more details on the linking story line.
October 2, 2011
My very first of Renee Bernard's. But I didn't really get the emotion. There were only two things that entertained me. First was Gayle's will to learn and achieve her dream to become a doctor, somehow it inspired me to do the same, work and study very very hard, always curious to learn more and more.
Second was the Jaded, consisted of six men and I just can't wait to read about the others.
And oh, I forgot to mention why I decided to read this, merely because it had Paul on the cover. Err .. it IS Paul, right?
Second was the Jaded, consisted of six men and I just can't wait to read about the others.
And oh, I forgot to mention why I decided to read this, merely because it had Paul on the cover. Err .. it IS Paul, right?
May 13, 2016
This was one of my favorite of this a favorite series of mine because of the women in health theme. It was well handled even if not historically accurate. A delightful read nevertheless.
I adore this series. Passionate and enthralling. The mystery is dragged throughout the series but not in a tedious or boring way. I enjoyed every single installment.
Book 1 was so amazing that book 2 disappointed me. However the subsequent books built up enough steam to have this series among my all time favorites!!!! Each story was unique and enthralling. I cannot say I loved it enough!!!!!
I adore this series. Passionate and enthralling. The mystery is dragged throughout the series but not in a tedious or boring way. I enjoyed every single installment.
Book 1 was so amazing that book 2 disappointed me. However the subsequent books built up enough steam to have this series among my all time favorites!!!! Each story was unique and enthralling. I cannot say I loved it enough!!!!!
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July 27, 2016I really liked that the heroine wants to be a doctor (and acknowledges that someone has to be first), and while the hero is very frank with her regarding the likelihood of the current establishment allowing her to do that, he does give in and teaches her and comes to enjoy it and appreciate her skill. I also appreciated that the heroine was not instantly fabulous and talented at medicine. She had to work at it, and learn from watching him.
September 12, 2016
Another good story (not great but good) about the Jaded. A heroine who is smart--really smart and Rowan is just the kind of physician you would want. The story of the Jaded was throughout the book, but as usual the focus was on the story and characters. Villian was too easy to identifify but story was good.
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