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Private Collection #1
Engraved
When Adam Blackwood first lays eyes on the woman of his lusty fantasies, he’s a young man with too much arrogance and not enough self-control. She rejects his clumsy advances and deeply wounds his pride. Six years later the wound remains, but other things have changed. He’s grown up. She’s widowed and alone. And this time, she wants something from him.Evangeline always knew Adam was dangerous. He aroused emotions and desires she’d learned to suppress. But now he’s back with a proposition and a secret from her past. A little blackmail is hardly a gentlemanly method of getting her into bed, but what else can she expect from a Blackwood?Perhaps, for just one night, she’ll give him what he wants and indulge her own secret passion. Providing they never see one another again, what harm can it do?A PRIVATE 1Entangled, 2Enraptured, 3
103 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 16, 2025
Kobo+ Mad About Series HRBC Challenge 2025. Tropes: Novella,Paranormal Romance, Victorian Romance, Widow, Age Difference, First Love Second Time Around, Erotica, Small Town Romance.
h. Elizabeth Phillips, widow, 35, married twice. Lives in a small town East ? nearest town Middleton. She is a seer or clairvoyant and reads palms and uses tarot cards. She is very beautiful with several suitors.
H. Adam Blackwood, 29, an architect in London, just engaged to Miranda Hawkwood (for her generous dowry), came home for the reading of the will and to bury his father. He had two older brothers, Harry and Luke. Adam was spurned by Lina (Mrs. Phillips, 5 years before after making a fool of himself over her.
Basic Plot: Lina (Elizabeth Phillips) a widow for two years, (married to the local doctor) is a seer and she "sees that her old employer and friend Randolph Blackwood has died and knows his son's will come home to bury him and for the reading of the will. She sees his son Adam making love to her in her kitchen bent over it. " Shudders. Makes a decision to avoid him at all costs. Nothing good can come of it. Oh no!
Adam arrives home at the Grange. It's falling into disrepair. His brothers arrive along with the solicitor. In the will his father had three paintings (His Private Collection) of three naked woman. He asked that his sons each return the paintings to the three woman. Once that is accomplished they will receive their inheritance. Each brother takes a painting. Adam recognizes Lina and takes hers.
He arrives on her doorstep. She doesn't really want him there but he tells her he has something to give her from his father. The Painting. He assumed she was his mistress. He was angry that she rejected him when he was 23 and again at 25. He was jealous of his dead father. He was wrong. She posed for money which she badly needed after her first husband died leaving her destitute. She worked as his housekeeper, later marrying the village doctor.
He blackmailed her with the lure of the painting. He wanted to sleep with her in exchange for her nude portrait. She agreed.
The sex was fire on a stick. They both lit up and became alive relishing each other, treasuring this time. They made love all over the house in every room reanacting her vision on the kitchen table. ( I have to stay whew! fanning my face.)
Adam's fiance showed up with her Aunt. Adam was restoring the Grange and was going to have a ball in two weeks. He hired men from the village to clean up the outside of the house, plus the grounds and his housekeeper hired maids to clean up the inside of the house.
Miranda (fiance) and her Aunt went to visit Elizabeth asking her to stay away from Adam and not to come to the ball. Calling her his mistress.
The night of the ball Lina was going to stay home and read by the fireplace but her maid Molly handed her a package apparently delivered by Mr. Blackwood. It was the old 400 day clock on Randolph's fireplace mantle at the Grange. She was enraged that Adam would give her a clock she detested. She decided to attend the ball and asked her almost fiance to take her. She wore her hair down and a provocative red dress.
Adam saw her and couldn't take his eyes off her. He was angry she was with another man and dressed like sin on a stick. Jealousy took over. He danced with his affianced but knew he was head over heels for Lina. He danced with Lina and led her out onto the veranda and kissed her telling her he loved her. She ran away losing a slipper. He chased her on his horse. He proposed and she said yes.
Opinion: This was a well written novella. It had me enticed from the start, older woman, younger man. She is a seer (seeing herself with him sexually), he fantasized about her for years. She had his pocket watch engraved." I love you Adam Blackwood." I really enjoyed it even though it was short. A little bit of a Cinderella story. I gave this 4 stars.
h. Elizabeth Phillips, widow, 35, married twice. Lives in a small town East ? nearest town Middleton. She is a seer or clairvoyant and reads palms and uses tarot cards. She is very beautiful with several suitors.
H. Adam Blackwood, 29, an architect in London, just engaged to Miranda Hawkwood (for her generous dowry), came home for the reading of the will and to bury his father. He had two older brothers, Harry and Luke. Adam was spurned by Lina (Mrs. Phillips, 5 years before after making a fool of himself over her.
Basic Plot: Lina (Elizabeth Phillips) a widow for two years, (married to the local doctor) is a seer and she "sees that her old employer and friend Randolph Blackwood has died and knows his son's will come home to bury him and for the reading of the will. She sees his son Adam making love to her in her kitchen bent over it. " Shudders. Makes a decision to avoid him at all costs. Nothing good can come of it. Oh no!
Adam arrives home at the Grange. It's falling into disrepair. His brothers arrive along with the solicitor. In the will his father had three paintings (His Private Collection) of three naked woman. He asked that his sons each return the paintings to the three woman. Once that is accomplished they will receive their inheritance. Each brother takes a painting. Adam recognizes Lina and takes hers.
He arrives on her doorstep. She doesn't really want him there but he tells her he has something to give her from his father. The Painting. He assumed she was his mistress. He was angry that she rejected him when he was 23 and again at 25. He was jealous of his dead father. He was wrong. She posed for money which she badly needed after her first husband died leaving her destitute. She worked as his housekeeper, later marrying the village doctor.
He blackmailed her with the lure of the painting. He wanted to sleep with her in exchange for her nude portrait. She agreed.
The sex was fire on a stick. They both lit up and became alive relishing each other, treasuring this time. They made love all over the house in every room reanacting her vision on the kitchen table. ( I have to stay whew! fanning my face.)
Adam's fiance showed up with her Aunt. Adam was restoring the Grange and was going to have a ball in two weeks. He hired men from the village to clean up the outside of the house, plus the grounds and his housekeeper hired maids to clean up the inside of the house.
Miranda (fiance) and her Aunt went to visit Elizabeth asking her to stay away from Adam and not to come to the ball. Calling her his mistress.
The night of the ball Lina was going to stay home and read by the fireplace but her maid Molly handed her a package apparently delivered by Mr. Blackwood. It was the old 400 day clock on Randolph's fireplace mantle at the Grange. She was enraged that Adam would give her a clock she detested. She decided to attend the ball and asked her almost fiance to take her. She wore her hair down and a provocative red dress.
Adam saw her and couldn't take his eyes off her. He was angry she was with another man and dressed like sin on a stick. Jealousy took over. He danced with his affianced but knew he was head over heels for Lina. He danced with Lina and led her out onto the veranda and kissed her telling her he loved her. She ran away losing a slipper. He chased her on his horse. He proposed and she said yes.
Opinion: This was a well written novella. It had me enticed from the start, older woman, younger man. She is a seer (seeing herself with him sexually), he fantasized about her for years. She had his pocket watch engraved." I love you Adam Blackwood." I really enjoyed it even though it was short. A little bit of a Cinderella story. I gave this 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
4 stars! Can’t remember the details well but I remember enjoying this one. Never procrastinating reviewing books ever again😕
February 23, 2012
Adam Blackwood knew Evangelina is the woman for him the moment he lays his sexy eyes on her. But she is an older woman married to the local doctor. That doesn’t stop him from propositioning her. But above all Evangelina is a virtuous woman, or so she wants everyone to think.
Evangelina hasn’t had a wonderfully easy life. Married by a Lord and moved to England, her husband uses all her money and up and dies. Her stepson kicks her out and she must find a job and another husband to help support her. In the mean time she becomes the housekeeper of Adam’s father and agrees to pose nude so he can paint her. He assures her it is for his private collection. Shortly thereafter, Lina remarried the local doctor and leads a very lack, luster love life until he passes away.
Now Mr. Blackwood (the eldest) has passed away and Lina has a vision of it. She immediately thinks of the painting he has of her and wonders how she will get it back. Oh, yeah, she doesn’t wonder too long, because she has psychic abilities to see future events, although not on command.
So when Adam comes knocking, Lina knows exactly what he wants. An evening of pleasure in exchange for the painting. It is pointless to resist because she knows it will happen. Together they embark on a passionate night neither can forget. In the morning Adam leaves, but he also leaves his treasured timepiece.
What happens when Adam’s fiancé comes to town, leaving Lina with a broken heart and Adam with the burden of figuring out what he really wants?
This is a short story, a little over 100 pages, in a series of books by Jayne Fresina called the A Private Collection. A Private Collection is a group of books about three women who pose nude for the elder Blackwood for his private collection. Now that he has passed away, each of his sons are tasked with returning the paintings to the women. Love and passion ensue as each man finds the woman of his dreams.
I like this opening books in the series, but I had issues following it at times as Lina seemed to jump around. She wants to be virtuous living in this town, but follows the passion with Adam and everyone in town knows it. Adam doesn’t seem to bad of a guy. He does proposition a married woman. Not good. Then he blackmails that woman while he is engaged. Not good. But he was a likable guy otherwise. He loves Lina and tries to put it away because she won’t return his love.
While this is a series book, you don’t see the brothers or other women in this story. I don’t know yet if that is the case for the other books, but right off I don’t think you have to read them in order.
A delightfully light and fun book without too much drama.
Evangelina hasn’t had a wonderfully easy life. Married by a Lord and moved to England, her husband uses all her money and up and dies. Her stepson kicks her out and she must find a job and another husband to help support her. In the mean time she becomes the housekeeper of Adam’s father and agrees to pose nude so he can paint her. He assures her it is for his private collection. Shortly thereafter, Lina remarried the local doctor and leads a very lack, luster love life until he passes away.
Now Mr. Blackwood (the eldest) has passed away and Lina has a vision of it. She immediately thinks of the painting he has of her and wonders how she will get it back. Oh, yeah, she doesn’t wonder too long, because she has psychic abilities to see future events, although not on command.
So when Adam comes knocking, Lina knows exactly what he wants. An evening of pleasure in exchange for the painting. It is pointless to resist because she knows it will happen. Together they embark on a passionate night neither can forget. In the morning Adam leaves, but he also leaves his treasured timepiece.
What happens when Adam’s fiancé comes to town, leaving Lina with a broken heart and Adam with the burden of figuring out what he really wants?
This is a short story, a little over 100 pages, in a series of books by Jayne Fresina called the A Private Collection. A Private Collection is a group of books about three women who pose nude for the elder Blackwood for his private collection. Now that he has passed away, each of his sons are tasked with returning the paintings to the women. Love and passion ensue as each man finds the woman of his dreams.
I like this opening books in the series, but I had issues following it at times as Lina seemed to jump around. She wants to be virtuous living in this town, but follows the passion with Adam and everyone in town knows it. Adam doesn’t seem to bad of a guy. He does proposition a married woman. Not good. Then he blackmails that woman while he is engaged. Not good. But he was a likable guy otherwise. He loves Lina and tries to put it away because she won’t return his love.
While this is a series book, you don’t see the brothers or other women in this story. I don’t know yet if that is the case for the other books, but right off I don’t think you have to read them in order.
A delightfully light and fun book without too much drama.
April 11, 2016
The young brat sees her for the first time and thinks "why had he never seen her before"? He wanted something of his own, that belonged only to him. But what about her? She says "it'll be a cold day in Hell, Adam Blackwood, when I let you in my bed." He was the last thing Evangeline wanted to see in front of her. It was well known that the Blackwoods were bad news when it came to women. Five years passed after his humiliation and that's when a painting appears as an opportunity to join the couple again.
Memory and fantasy are mixed with reality as the story develops in a very detailed world. It's a sexy, seductive and dreamy world with unexpected declarations involving clocks, dresses, hands and art. Oh, and that's not all! She also has visions. And as much as she sees, she can also feel them.
Engraved is the first Victorian novella in a series entitled "A Private Collection", a story about time with a delightful ending. The setting and writing are good, but it could be a little less detailed to make the reading flow faster. The pacing had a few problems, mainly between chapters, but the characters were interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. It's overall creative, beautiful, and has its own originality for adding some kind of "magic" to it and making it spicy. Fresina, you made me eager to read the next books of this series!
Originally published at theromancestudio.com
Memory and fantasy are mixed with reality as the story develops in a very detailed world. It's a sexy, seductive and dreamy world with unexpected declarations involving clocks, dresses, hands and art. Oh, and that's not all! She also has visions. And as much as she sees, she can also feel them.
Engraved is the first Victorian novella in a series entitled "A Private Collection", a story about time with a delightful ending. The setting and writing are good, but it could be a little less detailed to make the reading flow faster. The pacing had a few problems, mainly between chapters, but the characters were interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. It's overall creative, beautiful, and has its own originality for adding some kind of "magic" to it and making it spicy. Fresina, you made me eager to read the next books of this series!
Originally published at theromancestudio.com
July 10, 2011
This book was very interesting. I loved the prologue, when time is marked as Adam first sees Lina all those years before. And I love how the story is intertwined with clocks. But I felt this book was a little all over the place. Or I should say Lina was. She seemed extremely worried about appearances and her position in society, then spends hours upon hours in bed with a man while living in a small village.
Then she's back to normal and wants things to be as they were, but she then does something that I have to say is one of the tackiest things I have ever read in a historical novel. I understand completely the point of it happening, that lust and blooming love is can't be controlled at times but this was really bad. She decides against going to the ball at Adam's home while making a decision to keep her in societies good graces but then pulls a Scarlett O'Hara and shows up in red, going on the FAR opposite direction. I thought Adam's character was great as he just fell into whatever it was Lina wanted to do. Always hoping and waiting to be with her. Of course he was also the instigator in the tactless event, but well he's a man!
Overall I thought it was a sweet story, and loved the ending. I'm assuming that with the three paintings found there will be two additional books.
--Brandi, The One Hundred Romances Project
Then she's back to normal and wants things to be as they were, but she then does something that I have to say is one of the tackiest things I have ever read in a historical novel. I understand completely the point of it happening, that lust and blooming love is can't be controlled at times but this was really bad. She decides against going to the ball at Adam's home while making a decision to keep her in societies good graces but then pulls a Scarlett O'Hara and shows up in red, going on the FAR opposite direction. I thought Adam's character was great as he just fell into whatever it was Lina wanted to do. Always hoping and waiting to be with her. Of course he was also the instigator in the tactless event, but well he's a man!
Overall I thought it was a sweet story, and loved the ending. I'm assuming that with the three paintings found there will be two additional books.
--Brandi, The One Hundred Romances Project
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2011
**Ebook Giveaway**
TBR Reviewer: B.H (Brutally Honest)
Adam Blackwood is essential a rake but the moment he spots Lina he falls for her. She happens to be married and a few years older. They don’t meet again until Adam’s father dies. She also happens to be widowed at the time. This is where a naked painting of Lina painted by his father is discovered. He purposes one night of passion in exchange for this scandalous item. This leads to a steamy love affair that certainly heats up the pages. Lina can also read palms and is rumored to be a witch. We also find out Adam has a fiancée. This all plays out in 100 pages of this beautifully written historical romance.
Ms. Fresina’s writing style reminds me very much of Christina Dodd. There’s no choppy motion, just an easy flow that grabs your attention and refuses to let go. Several of her descriptions are absolutely breathtaking and inventive. I really found myself totally engaged with her characters.
The story flows, the passion ignites and the romance rekindles my love of historical novels. This is a must read. I hope to read more from this talented author in the future.
ENTER THE CONTEST HERE: http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/1/post/2...
TBR Reviewer: B.H (Brutally Honest)
Adam Blackwood is essential a rake but the moment he spots Lina he falls for her. She happens to be married and a few years older. They don’t meet again until Adam’s father dies. She also happens to be widowed at the time. This is where a naked painting of Lina painted by his father is discovered. He purposes one night of passion in exchange for this scandalous item. This leads to a steamy love affair that certainly heats up the pages. Lina can also read palms and is rumored to be a witch. We also find out Adam has a fiancée. This all plays out in 100 pages of this beautifully written historical romance.
Ms. Fresina’s writing style reminds me very much of Christina Dodd. There’s no choppy motion, just an easy flow that grabs your attention and refuses to let go. Several of her descriptions are absolutely breathtaking and inventive. I really found myself totally engaged with her characters.
The story flows, the passion ignites and the romance rekindles my love of historical novels. This is a must read. I hope to read more from this talented author in the future.
ENTER THE CONTEST HERE: http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/1/post/2...
January 4, 2016
I know, me rating an m/f five stars. And it was a novella. What was I thinking?
A strong heroine, a hero who was a good man in spite of everything...
Yep, I loved it. :-)
ETA: The second and third books of this series, (which apparently I'm too technically challenged to figure out how to access here on GoodReads) were equally as good. I'm not sure a young woman living in the late 19th century would have this much attitude, but it was fun.
One other thing, though: why all of a sudden (or so it seems to me) are epilogues appearing that deal with events that happen before the start of the book? Is a puzzlement.
A strong heroine, a hero who was a good man in spite of everything...
Yep, I loved it. :-)
ETA: The second and third books of this series, (which apparently I'm too technically challenged to figure out how to access here on GoodReads) were equally as good. I'm not sure a young woman living in the late 19th century would have this much attitude, but it was fun.
One other thing, though: why all of a sudden (or so it seems to me) are epilogues appearing that deal with events that happen before the start of the book? Is a puzzlement.
October 22, 2011
I loved this one. I accidently read it last, when it was the first in the series. Oops. But I'm sort of glad I read it last, because I think I would have been disappointed with the next 2 after reading this one.
I didn't get the whole magical aspect, with Randolph being from another place, not belonging on earth. I didn't think it fit in the story. It could have been left out.
My favorite part was when Adam finally looked at his pocket watch and saw that Lina had engraved it. I loved that he was carrying that little message around with him for most of the book and had no idea.
I didn't get the whole magical aspect, with Randolph being from another place, not belonging on earth. I didn't think it fit in the story. It could have been left out.
My favorite part was when Adam finally looked at his pocket watch and saw that Lina had engraved it. I loved that he was carrying that little message around with him for most of the book and had no idea.
October 5, 2012
These books are like chocolate candies: if you read one, you have to read the others!
I like very much how Ms. Fresina uses the words. For example:
quote
"It was as if she was engraved on him somehow,
and when he was dead and rotting, her name would be found
scratched into his bones."
unquote
Isn't it beautiful?
I like very much how Ms. Fresina uses the words. For example:
quote
"It was as if she was engraved on him somehow,
and when he was dead and rotting, her name would be found
scratched into his bones."
unquote
Isn't it beautiful?
September 13, 2012
Older woman and younger man, I kinda like that.
It's a good thing I picked up this book before the other since it turned out to be the first.
I liked the story, the emotion and their connection. For a short story, I think this one was quiet great.
3.5 stars.
It's a good thing I picked up this book before the other since it turned out to be the first.
I liked the story, the emotion and their connection. For a short story, I think this one was quiet great.
3.5 stars.
January 15, 2012
Please stop by and read my review at Coffee Beans & Love Scenes Reviews.
November 11, 2014
Quite sweet.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews