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Naked Nobility #7
The Naked King
Indiscretion Is Just The Beginning. . .
One night of slight overindulgence--oh, all right, he was drunk--and Stephen Parker-Roth finds he must betroth himself to prevent yet another scandal. But his "intended" is lovely, a redheaded beauty under her horrendous, unfashionable bonnet, and before long, he's congratulating himself on compromising such an excellent candidate--and anticipating what other naughtiness they'll get caught at before the wedding. . .
Lady Anne Marston has long since given up any thought of marriage. That is the price she pays for the mistakes of her past. But one little conversation with a handsome rogue should never have led to a sham engagement. Even if it did end in a rather shocking kiss. . .in broad daylight. . .on the front step of London's premier gossip. Now, trapped between a secret and a lie, Anne must somehow disentangle herself from this charming, maddening man before the truth comes out--or her heart gives in. . .
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2011
103 people are currently reading
740 people want to read
About the author
Sally MacKenzie
42 books639 followersSally MacKenzie decided to become a writer in grade school when she read one of her stories to the class. Her classmates laughed and she was hooked. She sat down immediately to pen her first novel.
Well, not exactly.
The hooked part is right--cursed might be a better description--but the sitting down and writing part came later. Much later.
Sally eventually went on to college, majoring in English, and, upon graduation, did what many English majors do--she went to law school. But she still couldn’t shake her dream of writing fiction. Midway through law school, she faced the fact that she really did not want to be a lawyer. She took a permanent leave of absence, came home to the Washington, D.C. area, and sat down to type her first novel.
Well, not exactly.
She did come home and write, but mostly she wrote regulations for the United States government’s school nutrition programs. (Ketchup as a vegetable, anyone?) When her law school sweetheart graduated, he moved to D.C. and they got married. A couple years later, the first of their four sons was born, and Sally “retired” to manage their family. She wrote a story or two and some picture book texts, all now stored away in a filing cabinet, but she spent most of her energies on baby tending which rapidly evolved into carpool driving. She became an extremely skilled scheduler, getting all four boys to soccer, basketball, baseball, track, swimming, piano, scouts, and birthday parties without ever losing one. (Okay, she did lose the youngest for a few minutes, but she found him before he’d toddled into the parking lot.) And she did more writing--school newsletters, auction programs, class plays, swim league guidance, and the acclaimed annual MacKenzie family newsletter--but no fiction.
Finally, the boys started driving (Eek!) and leaving for college. The nest was emptying and she wasn't getting any younger. The time had come to chase the dream or let it go for good, so she sat down at the computer and wrote. And rewrote. And rewrote again until she had a polished manuscript. She joined the Romance Writers of America, and when the plea went out for Regency manuscripts for the 2004 Golden Heart contest, she sent in The Naked Duke. The stars aligned. She made the final round, and one of the judging editors liked the manuscript and offered to buy it.
Yee haw!!
When not writing or obsessing over the various mysteries of book promotion, Sally can be found at the gym working hard to age gracefully, at the pool on the SLOW side of the Masters swim practice, or at one meeting or another volunteering at the helm of the summer swim league.
Here's Sally with her family--she's 5 ft. 8 in. tall, but she's short in this crowd.
Well, not exactly.
The hooked part is right--cursed might be a better description--but the sitting down and writing part came later. Much later.
Sally eventually went on to college, majoring in English, and, upon graduation, did what many English majors do--she went to law school. But she still couldn’t shake her dream of writing fiction. Midway through law school, she faced the fact that she really did not want to be a lawyer. She took a permanent leave of absence, came home to the Washington, D.C. area, and sat down to type her first novel.
Well, not exactly.
She did come home and write, but mostly she wrote regulations for the United States government’s school nutrition programs. (Ketchup as a vegetable, anyone?) When her law school sweetheart graduated, he moved to D.C. and they got married. A couple years later, the first of their four sons was born, and Sally “retired” to manage their family. She wrote a story or two and some picture book texts, all now stored away in a filing cabinet, but she spent most of her energies on baby tending which rapidly evolved into carpool driving. She became an extremely skilled scheduler, getting all four boys to soccer, basketball, baseball, track, swimming, piano, scouts, and birthday parties without ever losing one. (Okay, she did lose the youngest for a few minutes, but she found him before he’d toddled into the parking lot.) And she did more writing--school newsletters, auction programs, class plays, swim league guidance, and the acclaimed annual MacKenzie family newsletter--but no fiction.
Finally, the boys started driving (Eek!) and leaving for college. The nest was emptying and she wasn't getting any younger. The time had come to chase the dream or let it go for good, so she sat down at the computer and wrote. And rewrote. And rewrote again until she had a polished manuscript. She joined the Romance Writers of America, and when the plea went out for Regency manuscripts for the 2004 Golden Heart contest, she sent in The Naked Duke. The stars aligned. She made the final round, and one of the judging editors liked the manuscript and offered to buy it.
Yee haw!!
When not writing or obsessing over the various mysteries of book promotion, Sally can be found at the gym working hard to age gracefully, at the pool on the SLOW side of the Masters swim practice, or at one meeting or another volunteering at the helm of the summer swim league.
Here's Sally with her family--she's 5 ft. 8 in. tall, but she's short in this crowd.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
June 27, 2019
Lady Anne Marston, having just arrived in London with her siblings, finds herself in what appears to be a compromising position with Stephen Parker-Roth, all would be well if not for the fact the Ton’s biggest gossip spots the, leading Stephen to do the honourable thing and assert he is engaged to Anna, that theirs is a longstanding love match (never mind they’ve never met each other before).
Lady Anne has always been seen as the smart one/a bluestocking, and her younger sister the beauty in the family, and so whilst she reluctantly agrees to the pretend engagement, to prevent any scandal from ruining her sister’s first season, she refuses to believe Stephen (known by the Ton/gossip rags as the King of Hearts) truly wants her, thus she never takes his declarations of attraction and that the engagement will lead to marriage seriously.
The first 20% or so of this I wasn’t overly fond of, and I was thinking of quitting the book, but overall, I’m glad I persevered, there were some very amusing/humorous components to this book. Some of the byplay between the two main characters was very entertaining and had me engaged, particularly in the later half of the book.
I very much liked the fact Stephan didn’t turn into a despot of a HR hero, when he realised
I would have liked if the ending had been teased out a bit more, and things wrapped up more than they were, but still this turned out o be a better read than I thought it would be.
Triggers:
99p on Amazon 12th June 2019.
Lady Anne has always been seen as the smart one/a bluestocking, and her younger sister the beauty in the family, and so whilst she reluctantly agrees to the pretend engagement, to prevent any scandal from ruining her sister’s first season, she refuses to believe Stephen (known by the Ton/gossip rags as the King of Hearts) truly wants her, thus she never takes his declarations of attraction and that the engagement will lead to marriage seriously.
The first 20% or so of this I wasn’t overly fond of, and I was thinking of quitting the book, but overall, I’m glad I persevered, there were some very amusing/humorous components to this book. Some of the byplay between the two main characters was very entertaining and had me engaged, particularly in the later half of the book.
I very much liked the fact Stephan didn’t turn into a despot of a HR hero, when he realised
I would have liked if the ending had been teased out a bit more, and things wrapped up more than they were, but still this turned out o be a better read than I thought it would be.
Triggers:
99p on Amazon 12th June 2019.
January 20, 2022
4 Estrellitas. Para ser final de serie, y de una serie muy regulera, me ha gustado bastante. La verdad que merecía un pequeño broche de oro, después de haber tenido algunos libros que ni fu ni fa.
"The Naked King" o "El Rey Desnudo. Es el 7° y último libro de la serie Nobleza al Desnudo. Los últimos libros de la serie se centraron en los hermanos Parker-Roth, y éste es el libro del hermano segundón, Stephen, apodado el Rey de Corazones por sus conquistas en el juego y en las camas de las damas.
Una mañana, a inicios de la Temporada, Stephen está borracho cruzando Hyde Park para volver a casa, cuando un chucho enorme lo tira a un charco de barro. El chucho viene con una dama estrafalaria, toda una solterona, pero que a Stephen le resulta adorable.
Anne está en Londres acompañando a su hermana menor en su presentación en sociedad. Ella se quedó para vestir santos y así piensa estar. Pero una mañana conoce a Stephen Parker-Roth en el parque, quien la acompaña hasta casa, borracho cómo está. El problema es que un malentendido provoca que acaben cayendo uno encima del otro y besándose, delante de la cotilla más grande de todo Londres.
Sin conocerse de nada, Anne y Stephen deben simular un compromiso para salvaguardar la reputación de Anne. Pero Anne guarda un secreto, y es la falta de su virtud, que perdió cuando era demasiado joven e inocente como para saber cómo funcionaba el mundo, y los hombres.
Muy en el fondo, Anne tiene algo que intriga a Stephen. No es el tipo de mujer que le gusta o de la cual se enamoraría. Y no sabe por qué, pero se siente muy atraído por ella, y aunque ha huido durante años para evitar el matrimonio, de repente se da cuenta de que con Anne no se sentiría atrapado.
Anne no quiere enamorarse de ése hombre apuesto, piensa que es demasiado guapo para ella, y sabe lo que es perder la cabeza por un hombre al que no le importas nada. Anne tuvo suficiente con lord Brentwood. El problema es que éste se encuentra en la capital, y si se cruza con él, su encuentro significará el fin de cualquier respetabilidad que tenga Anne.
En el fondo, esto es lo que nos encontramos, y aunque me he acostumbrado al ritmo medio cómico, medio sórdido, de ésta autora, admito que en éste libro lo ha llevado muy bien. Las situaciones, aunque algo inverosímiles, no han resultado tan chocantes como sí lo han sido otros libros.
La pareja entre Anne y Stephen me ha gustado mucho. Él es todo un caballero y un amor de hombre, y Anne es una mujer herida que no se cree digna del amor de un hombre y menos de uno tan bueno y guapo.
Lo único que le achaco es la falta de sorpresa, en todo momento sabía lo que iba a pasar, y el libro ha tenido bastantes similitudes con el primero de la serie.
De lo que más me han gustado han sido los personajes secundarios, los hermanos gemelos de 10 años de Anne, su hermana Evie y su floreciente pasión por Nick, el menor de los Parker-Roth, y por supuesto los estrafalarios padres Parker-Roth.
Como digo, la serie ha tenido muchos altibajos, libros que están bien, y otros que no valen nada; por mi experiencia, los que más me han gustado han sido los impares, y en éste caso, "The Naked King", ha merecido la pena.
"The Naked King" o "El Rey Desnudo. Es el 7° y último libro de la serie Nobleza al Desnudo. Los últimos libros de la serie se centraron en los hermanos Parker-Roth, y éste es el libro del hermano segundón, Stephen, apodado el Rey de Corazones por sus conquistas en el juego y en las camas de las damas.
Una mañana, a inicios de la Temporada, Stephen está borracho cruzando Hyde Park para volver a casa, cuando un chucho enorme lo tira a un charco de barro. El chucho viene con una dama estrafalaria, toda una solterona, pero que a Stephen le resulta adorable.
Anne está en Londres acompañando a su hermana menor en su presentación en sociedad. Ella se quedó para vestir santos y así piensa estar. Pero una mañana conoce a Stephen Parker-Roth en el parque, quien la acompaña hasta casa, borracho cómo está. El problema es que un malentendido provoca que acaben cayendo uno encima del otro y besándose, delante de la cotilla más grande de todo Londres.
Sin conocerse de nada, Anne y Stephen deben simular un compromiso para salvaguardar la reputación de Anne. Pero Anne guarda un secreto, y es la falta de su virtud, que perdió cuando era demasiado joven e inocente como para saber cómo funcionaba el mundo, y los hombres.
Muy en el fondo, Anne tiene algo que intriga a Stephen. No es el tipo de mujer que le gusta o de la cual se enamoraría. Y no sabe por qué, pero se siente muy atraído por ella, y aunque ha huido durante años para evitar el matrimonio, de repente se da cuenta de que con Anne no se sentiría atrapado.
Anne no quiere enamorarse de ése hombre apuesto, piensa que es demasiado guapo para ella, y sabe lo que es perder la cabeza por un hombre al que no le importas nada. Anne tuvo suficiente con lord Brentwood. El problema es que éste se encuentra en la capital, y si se cruza con él, su encuentro significará el fin de cualquier respetabilidad que tenga Anne.
En el fondo, esto es lo que nos encontramos, y aunque me he acostumbrado al ritmo medio cómico, medio sórdido, de ésta autora, admito que en éste libro lo ha llevado muy bien. Las situaciones, aunque algo inverosímiles, no han resultado tan chocantes como sí lo han sido otros libros.
La pareja entre Anne y Stephen me ha gustado mucho. Él es todo un caballero y un amor de hombre, y Anne es una mujer herida que no se cree digna del amor de un hombre y menos de uno tan bueno y guapo.
Lo único que le achaco es la falta de sorpresa, en todo momento sabía lo que iba a pasar, y el libro ha tenido bastantes similitudes con el primero de la serie.
De lo que más me han gustado han sido los personajes secundarios, los hermanos gemelos de 10 años de Anne, su hermana Evie y su floreciente pasión por Nick, el menor de los Parker-Roth, y por supuesto los estrafalarios padres Parker-Roth.
Como digo, la serie ha tenido muchos altibajos, libros que están bien, y otros que no valen nada; por mi experiencia, los que más me han gustado han sido los impares, y en éste caso, "The Naked King", ha merecido la pena.
July 11, 2011
I’ve been reading Sally MacKenzie’s Naked Nobility series since the very beginning. I’m sad to say that The Naked King will be the seventh and final book in this adorable, sweet and laugh out loud series. Sally is one of the few authors who can make me laugh to the point where my stomach aches. I alternately laugh and smile as I read, and when I finish one of her books, I want to go back and read it all over again.
The Naked King tells of an ugly duckling who’s transformed into a beautiful swan because of the hero’s love. Lady Anne Marston is an understated, badly dressed spinster who knows she’ll never marry. She downplays her looks and tries to not bring attention to herself because at seventeen she was raped during a ball in the gardens by a callous gentleman. From that incident, Anne has been left scarred and believes she is unworthy of marriage. London society has been unkind and knows Anne as “Crazy Crane’s daughter”. But even with the snide teasing and Anne’s past, she keeps her chin up does her best by her younger siblings.
Anne’s life is about to become topsy-turvy because one morning as she’s walking her dog, she finds a hung over Stephen Parker-Roth lying in a puddle. Stephen’s so-called rakish reputation has given him the nickname, King of Hearts. It’s assumed this nickname mean his prowess in the bedroom and breaking young ladies’ hearts. Stephen swears it’s because of his skill at winning at cards. He’s adamant about this and is not this loose Lothario the public believes him to be. When he and Anne meet, he’s embarrassed, but puts on some airs because of the way she turns her nose down at him. Then they’re bantering back and forth, with a few subtle insults, mainly from Anne. Far too soon Stephen has become smitten with the prickly Anne. He takes it upon himself to become her protector (as in more of a bodyguard type role and not a sexual one at first) and a friend. Anne is less than pleased about this since she’s attracted to Stephen. But then Stephen proudly admits that Anne is his fiancée and she’s put in even more of a bind. She’ll go along with this fake engagement, as she thinks it to be, not realizing that Stephen wants their engagement to be one in truth.
Stephen wants Anne to shine and has no qualms about buying her flattering dresses to show off her body and beauty she hides, as well as standing by her and her family as they attend balls and parties. Stephen can barely keep his hands to himself where Anne is concerned and ever so slowly, Stephen breaks through Anne’s defenses where she allows him certain liberties. But then Anne’s past comes back to haunt her and she may have no choice but to hand herself over to another man who begins blackmailing her to get what he wants. Stephen just has to figure out what Anne is hiding so he can be her knight in shining armor.
The Naked King gave me the warm fuzzies. I had a crush on Stephen from the very first page and I loved how he can see Anne for all her worth and sticks to her like glue because he’s fallen hard for her. Anne is a stoic heroine, but very much a martyr because she’s ruled by remaining proper and can’t misstep because she feels if she does one wrong move, everyone will look at her with disdain. Stephen wants her to loosen up and ignore her critics. These two have great chemistry and share awesome dialogue. Stephen’s thoughts for Anne the majority of the time are very naughty.
There is a lot of head hopping between Stephen and Anne and many of the characters are cartoonish in nature, including the blackmailing villain. But none of these things ruined my enjoyment while I read. Sally is the queen at writing cute and adorable, and The Naked King is the perfect example of this.
If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh yourself silly, do read The Naked King, as well as the past 6 books in this series that have given me hours of enjoyment.
The Naked King tells of an ugly duckling who’s transformed into a beautiful swan because of the hero’s love. Lady Anne Marston is an understated, badly dressed spinster who knows she’ll never marry. She downplays her looks and tries to not bring attention to herself because at seventeen she was raped during a ball in the gardens by a callous gentleman. From that incident, Anne has been left scarred and believes she is unworthy of marriage. London society has been unkind and knows Anne as “Crazy Crane’s daughter”. But even with the snide teasing and Anne’s past, she keeps her chin up does her best by her younger siblings.
Anne’s life is about to become topsy-turvy because one morning as she’s walking her dog, she finds a hung over Stephen Parker-Roth lying in a puddle. Stephen’s so-called rakish reputation has given him the nickname, King of Hearts. It’s assumed this nickname mean his prowess in the bedroom and breaking young ladies’ hearts. Stephen swears it’s because of his skill at winning at cards. He’s adamant about this and is not this loose Lothario the public believes him to be. When he and Anne meet, he’s embarrassed, but puts on some airs because of the way she turns her nose down at him. Then they’re bantering back and forth, with a few subtle insults, mainly from Anne. Far too soon Stephen has become smitten with the prickly Anne. He takes it upon himself to become her protector (as in more of a bodyguard type role and not a sexual one at first) and a friend. Anne is less than pleased about this since she’s attracted to Stephen. But then Stephen proudly admits that Anne is his fiancée and she’s put in even more of a bind. She’ll go along with this fake engagement, as she thinks it to be, not realizing that Stephen wants their engagement to be one in truth.
Stephen wants Anne to shine and has no qualms about buying her flattering dresses to show off her body and beauty she hides, as well as standing by her and her family as they attend balls and parties. Stephen can barely keep his hands to himself where Anne is concerned and ever so slowly, Stephen breaks through Anne’s defenses where she allows him certain liberties. But then Anne’s past comes back to haunt her and she may have no choice but to hand herself over to another man who begins blackmailing her to get what he wants. Stephen just has to figure out what Anne is hiding so he can be her knight in shining armor.
The Naked King gave me the warm fuzzies. I had a crush on Stephen from the very first page and I loved how he can see Anne for all her worth and sticks to her like glue because he’s fallen hard for her. Anne is a stoic heroine, but very much a martyr because she’s ruled by remaining proper and can’t misstep because she feels if she does one wrong move, everyone will look at her with disdain. Stephen wants her to loosen up and ignore her critics. These two have great chemistry and share awesome dialogue. Stephen’s thoughts for Anne the majority of the time are very naughty.
There is a lot of head hopping between Stephen and Anne and many of the characters are cartoonish in nature, including the blackmailing villain. But none of these things ruined my enjoyment while I read. Sally is the queen at writing cute and adorable, and The Naked King is the perfect example of this.
If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh yourself silly, do read The Naked King, as well as the past 6 books in this series that have given me hours of enjoyment.
March 12, 2020
I was really kind of liking this until . Super Disappointing. o.O
August 4, 2024
I only read one other book by this author, The Naked Baron, and its brand of silly did not work for me.
But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was less sloppy circus like first book and more traditional sweet fluffy so I had a chance to get to know this author’s style.
And I’m glad I gave this book a chance because what’s not to love? A meet-cute turned compromised situation turned damsel in distress turned fake engagement. There were some memorable laugh out loud moments with a hero that fawns, protects and moons over the heroine with a great cast of side characters.
CW: past mention of SA
But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was less sloppy circus like first book and more traditional sweet fluffy so I had a chance to get to know this author’s style.
And I’m glad I gave this book a chance because what’s not to love? A meet-cute turned compromised situation turned damsel in distress turned fake engagement. There were some memorable laugh out loud moments with a hero that fawns, protects and moons over the heroine with a great cast of side characters.
CW: past mention of SA
January 18, 2012
You gotta love a romp in which, at one point, the (mature) hero is quizzing his ex-mistress -- who at that very moment is in bed with her new (boy toy) lover -- for information concerning the whereabouts of the damsel-in-distress, his One True Love. When it's the boy toy who finally offers the critical piece of information, in spite of the fact that he is hiding under the bed-covers because -- Egad! -- the hero has recognized him, well, like I said, you just gotta love it! Thanks to Sally MacKenzie and all the naked men who have added smiles to my life!
P.S. I will leave it to you, Goodreads friends, to decide if -- with that last comment -- I am talking strictly about books.
P.P.S. I can't believe I just said that. I mean, my DAUGHTER is one of my Goodreads friends! Close your eyes, Andrea. (-:
P.S. I will leave it to you, Goodreads friends, to decide if -- with that last comment -- I am talking strictly about books.
P.P.S. I can't believe I just said that. I mean, my DAUGHTER is one of my Goodreads friends! Close your eyes, Andrea. (-:
September 17, 2017
Quick, easy read. Fun little romp with an exciting ending.
June 6, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/06/rev...
Favorite Quote: “I wouldn’t have accosted your bonnet if it hadn’t so vilely accosted my eyes and my male sensibilities. “
Stephen Parker-Roth is a playboy, hence his nickname-the King Of Hearts. He is no hurry to marry (his older brother has an heir) so he spends his time drinking, playing cards, and generally having fun. After a normal night of debauchery, he stumbles home through the park only to be accosted by a furry little man. Oh wait-that’s a dog. As Stephen is flailing in the mud, along comes the owner of the dog-Lady Anne Marston. Lady Anne has no need for marriage or men. Raising her younger siblings while her parents gallivant around the world, all she wants is for her younger sister to have a proper season, then go back to the country.
When she and Stephen are caught in up in a comedy of errors that results in the biggest gossip in London seeing them kiss, Stephen announces to everyone that Lady Anne is his fiancée. Soon, Stephen takes the entire Marston family in hand and leads them on a merry chase through London as he tries to make his engagement to Lady Anne a real one.
This is my first time reading Sally MacKenzie but I guarantee it won’t be my last. The Naked King is an absurd, funny, romantic, historical romp composed of eccentric characters, outlandish behavior, and over the top circumstances that had me giggling from page one. This was a “fun” read-not to be taken seriously book. Sweet romance blends perfectly with a bit of mystery. Watching Stephen and Anne fall in love is wonderfully romantic and humorous. Stephen is outrageous in his antics and once he makes up his mind that he’s keeping Anne he steps it up to hysterical. Stephen is sweet, funny, handsome, and VERY “touchy feely”. He doesn’t dictate to Lady Anne but rather herds her gently into what he wants her to do. Lady Anne feels lost around Stephen and it’s very funny watching her try to figure out how he gets manipulated by her.
Lady Anne has always been referred to as the smart one while everyone exclaims the beauty of her sister. She cannot not believe Stephen actually wants her so she never takes his declarations seriously. Her secret from the past severely limits her marriageable state and causes a great deal of misconception. She agrees reluctantly to Stephen’s plan to stay “engaged” until the end of the season so that her sister won’t be touched by scandal. But Stephen is everything she would have wanted in a husband and she finds herself falling slowly in love with him. Parts of me felt sorry for Anne because of what happened to her but a part of me just wanted her to tell him already. I found it hard to believe that she never told a single soul.
The dialogue running rapid through the book will have you in stitches as everyone has an opinion and advice. POVs switch frequently so you can get a little lost but that just makes it better. Wonderful nosey secondary characters keeps the story going at a steady pace and provides plenty of silly scenes. Ms. MacKenzie does take a while for Anne and Stephen to get to the main conflict and it shows as the story stalls here and there. We spend a bit too much time with them conversing seriously and not getting anywhere as Anne tries to work up the nerve to tell Stephan her secret. Our villain is a pathetic little man. I pictured him twirling his mustache as he cackles evilly. His comeuppance surprised me a little. I didn’t expect it to end quite as dark as it did.
All in all The Naked King is a delightfully silly historical romance that will provoke much laughter and eye rolling as you follow Stephan and Anne down the path of love.
Rating: C+
Favorite Quote: “I wouldn’t have accosted your bonnet if it hadn’t so vilely accosted my eyes and my male sensibilities. “
Stephen Parker-Roth is a playboy, hence his nickname-the King Of Hearts. He is no hurry to marry (his older brother has an heir) so he spends his time drinking, playing cards, and generally having fun. After a normal night of debauchery, he stumbles home through the park only to be accosted by a furry little man. Oh wait-that’s a dog. As Stephen is flailing in the mud, along comes the owner of the dog-Lady Anne Marston. Lady Anne has no need for marriage or men. Raising her younger siblings while her parents gallivant around the world, all she wants is for her younger sister to have a proper season, then go back to the country.
When she and Stephen are caught in up in a comedy of errors that results in the biggest gossip in London seeing them kiss, Stephen announces to everyone that Lady Anne is his fiancée. Soon, Stephen takes the entire Marston family in hand and leads them on a merry chase through London as he tries to make his engagement to Lady Anne a real one.
This is my first time reading Sally MacKenzie but I guarantee it won’t be my last. The Naked King is an absurd, funny, romantic, historical romp composed of eccentric characters, outlandish behavior, and over the top circumstances that had me giggling from page one. This was a “fun” read-not to be taken seriously book. Sweet romance blends perfectly with a bit of mystery. Watching Stephen and Anne fall in love is wonderfully romantic and humorous. Stephen is outrageous in his antics and once he makes up his mind that he’s keeping Anne he steps it up to hysterical. Stephen is sweet, funny, handsome, and VERY “touchy feely”. He doesn’t dictate to Lady Anne but rather herds her gently into what he wants her to do. Lady Anne feels lost around Stephen and it’s very funny watching her try to figure out how he gets manipulated by her.
Lady Anne has always been referred to as the smart one while everyone exclaims the beauty of her sister. She cannot not believe Stephen actually wants her so she never takes his declarations seriously. Her secret from the past severely limits her marriageable state and causes a great deal of misconception. She agrees reluctantly to Stephen’s plan to stay “engaged” until the end of the season so that her sister won’t be touched by scandal. But Stephen is everything she would have wanted in a husband and she finds herself falling slowly in love with him. Parts of me felt sorry for Anne because of what happened to her but a part of me just wanted her to tell him already. I found it hard to believe that she never told a single soul.
The dialogue running rapid through the book will have you in stitches as everyone has an opinion and advice. POVs switch frequently so you can get a little lost but that just makes it better. Wonderful nosey secondary characters keeps the story going at a steady pace and provides plenty of silly scenes. Ms. MacKenzie does take a while for Anne and Stephen to get to the main conflict and it shows as the story stalls here and there. We spend a bit too much time with them conversing seriously and not getting anywhere as Anne tries to work up the nerve to tell Stephan her secret. Our villain is a pathetic little man. I pictured him twirling his mustache as he cackles evilly. His comeuppance surprised me a little. I didn’t expect it to end quite as dark as it did.
All in all The Naked King is a delightfully silly historical romance that will provoke much laughter and eye rolling as you follow Stephan and Anne down the path of love.
Rating: C+
January 22, 2012
I did it again I read this book out of order LOL I don't think it took away from the story too much though. There were references to things and people from the previous books, but I caught up quickly. I found out thatAmazon has a deal on the bundle for the whole series so I'll be getting that and starting from the beginning.
I liked this story. Lady Anne and Stephen were caught in a compromising situation so he announced their betrothal. It was extra unexpected because they had just met ;) Stephen fell to Anne quickly because she was much more than just pretty. She was smart and fiesty.
A easy, put a smile in your face read :)
I liked this story. Lady Anne and Stephen were caught in a compromising situation so he announced their betrothal. It was extra unexpected because they had just met ;) Stephen fell to Anne quickly because she was much more than just pretty. She was smart and fiesty.
A easy, put a smile in your face read :)
August 7, 2011
Entertaining, but it felt like modern Americans were trying to play at being Regency English and forgetting how. It's very jarring (IMO) to have a British nobleman of the time period say, "Hey", for example.
June 17, 2019
Some parts of this were really fun, I loved the humor, as always. There are some things I'm just tired of reading about in romance, though.
January 25, 2020
Another Naked book, another threat of rape against the heroine. There ARE other plot devices out there. The hero and heroine had good chemistry, even if they did fall in love rather quickly.
February 3, 2013
Mon avis en Français
My English review
Avant de commencer mon avis je remercie chaleureusement Alison Trebes et Lupanita qui m’avaient conseillé la série parce que j’ai vraiment eu un gros coup de cœur pour ce tome. Bon d’accord, ceux qui me connaissent ne seront pas étonnés de voir que j’ai commencé avec le dernier roman de la série. Mais il faut dire que cela ne m’a pas posé de soucis bien que je me demande si le couple de Damian a été mis en scène dans un des romans précédents.
Lady Anne est une jeune femme qui vit dans la honte d’un événement passé que personne ne connait. Elle est donc devenue une « vieille fille » et n’est jamais vraiment rentrée dans la société, préférant vivre à la campagne et élever ses frères et sœurs. Mais voilà qu’elle se rend à Londres pour sa sœur qui est en âge de se trouver un mari et il faut dire qu’elle ne s’attendait pas à ce que son voyage tourne de cette manière. Alors qu’elle promène son chien toute seule dans le parc à côté de chez elle, elle rencontre Stephen Parker-Roth, un homme réputé pour faire tomber toute les femmes, quelque peu éméché après une soirée bien arrosée. Mais voilà, après quelques péripéties, il la ramène chez elle, l’embrasse pour que finalement le chien de la jeune femme les fasse tomber tous les deux en pleine rue, les mettant dans une situation assez compromettante. L’histoire aurait pu en rester là si la plus grande commère de la ville ne les avait pas vus. Stephen a la solution parfaite, et annonce à la curieuse qu’il est fiancé avec Anne. Vous vous doutez que c’est une grande nouvelle pour tous. Malgré leur attrait, la jeune femme sait qu’elle ne peut rien espérer de cette proposition, surtout quand son passé la rattrape plus vite que prévu.
J’ai vraiment adoré ce tome, je suis tombée sous le charme de nos deux personnages. Ils ont une grande attirance l’un pour l’autre mais font tout pour se découvrir afin de comprendre qui ils sont vraiment. Malgré les apparences et les avis de chacun, Stephen n’est pas le grand coureur de jupon que tout le monde croit et il a plus de respect que ce qu’il présente. Il va tout faire pour protéger et aider Anne, bien qu’au début il n’apprécie que sa compagnie. Mais ce n’est pas tout, il est très curieux de connaître sa fiancée et est déterminé à apprendre d’elle tout ce qu’il y a à savoir, bien que ce ne soit pas vraiment de son avis. Notre lady porte un lourd secret depuis sa jeunesse et s’est exilée de la bonne société londonienne, elle ne croit pas un seul instant que Stephen ait quelques sentiments pour elle, mais commencera petit à petit à vraiment s’imaginer en tant que future femme. Malheureusement rien n’est simple et son secret remonte de plus en plus à la surface.
Leurs deux personnalités sont fascinantes à découvrir et on comprend leur agissement tout au long de l’histoire. L’intrigue et l’histoire sont aussi très intéressante et j’ai eu du mal à décrocher, voulant en apprendre plus et toujours plus. Sally Mackenzie a écrit un joli petit bijou et je vous conseille ce roman. Maintenant je me demande si les autres sont tous aussi bons parce que c’est définitivement le cas pour celui-ci !
My English review
Avant de commencer mon avis je remercie chaleureusement Alison Trebes et Lupanita qui m’avaient conseillé la série parce que j’ai vraiment eu un gros coup de cœur pour ce tome. Bon d’accord, ceux qui me connaissent ne seront pas étonnés de voir que j’ai commencé avec le dernier roman de la série. Mais il faut dire que cela ne m’a pas posé de soucis bien que je me demande si le couple de Damian a été mis en scène dans un des romans précédents.
Lady Anne est une jeune femme qui vit dans la honte d’un événement passé que personne ne connait. Elle est donc devenue une « vieille fille » et n’est jamais vraiment rentrée dans la société, préférant vivre à la campagne et élever ses frères et sœurs. Mais voilà qu’elle se rend à Londres pour sa sœur qui est en âge de se trouver un mari et il faut dire qu’elle ne s’attendait pas à ce que son voyage tourne de cette manière. Alors qu’elle promène son chien toute seule dans le parc à côté de chez elle, elle rencontre Stephen Parker-Roth, un homme réputé pour faire tomber toute les femmes, quelque peu éméché après une soirée bien arrosée. Mais voilà, après quelques péripéties, il la ramène chez elle, l’embrasse pour que finalement le chien de la jeune femme les fasse tomber tous les deux en pleine rue, les mettant dans une situation assez compromettante. L’histoire aurait pu en rester là si la plus grande commère de la ville ne les avait pas vus. Stephen a la solution parfaite, et annonce à la curieuse qu’il est fiancé avec Anne. Vous vous doutez que c’est une grande nouvelle pour tous. Malgré leur attrait, la jeune femme sait qu’elle ne peut rien espérer de cette proposition, surtout quand son passé la rattrape plus vite que prévu.
J’ai vraiment adoré ce tome, je suis tombée sous le charme de nos deux personnages. Ils ont une grande attirance l’un pour l’autre mais font tout pour se découvrir afin de comprendre qui ils sont vraiment. Malgré les apparences et les avis de chacun, Stephen n’est pas le grand coureur de jupon que tout le monde croit et il a plus de respect que ce qu’il présente. Il va tout faire pour protéger et aider Anne, bien qu’au début il n’apprécie que sa compagnie. Mais ce n’est pas tout, il est très curieux de connaître sa fiancée et est déterminé à apprendre d’elle tout ce qu’il y a à savoir, bien que ce ne soit pas vraiment de son avis. Notre lady porte un lourd secret depuis sa jeunesse et s’est exilée de la bonne société londonienne, elle ne croit pas un seul instant que Stephen ait quelques sentiments pour elle, mais commencera petit à petit à vraiment s’imaginer en tant que future femme. Malheureusement rien n’est simple et son secret remonte de plus en plus à la surface.
Leurs deux personnalités sont fascinantes à découvrir et on comprend leur agissement tout au long de l’histoire. L’intrigue et l’histoire sont aussi très intéressante et j’ai eu du mal à décrocher, voulant en apprendre plus et toujours plus. Sally Mackenzie a écrit un joli petit bijou et je vous conseille ce roman. Maintenant je me demande si les autres sont tous aussi bons parce que c’est définitivement le cas pour celui-ci !
October 1, 2011
In her next and final installment of her regency romance “Naked Nobility” series, author Sally MacKenzie brings us The Naked King.
The Naked King is a triumphant, funny love story about second chances. Lady Anne Marston, a spinster, who because of an indiscretion at the age of seventeen, steals herself away from society and the hopes of ever finding love. She is content living her life quietly with her family, until she learns that it will be up to her to prepare her sister’s introduction into society. Anne has been responsible for taking care of her sister and 10-year old twin brothers, during her father and his wife’s constant absence in search of antiquities. Her quiet life is further disrupted when one day while walking the family dog she is literally thrown into the arms of the town’s most talked about lover, Mr. Stephen Parker-Roth, nicknamed the “King of Hearts.”
MacKenzie is clever in her creation of the quintessential hero. Stephen Parker-Roth is the purest essence of bravery, honor, and while considered a Casanova, he is morally bound to his beliefs, especially those of regency society. Though his reputation as a lady’s man is widely known, it is a persona he gladly gives up the moment he meets Lady Anne. Unlike Lady Anne, Roth comes from a functional home with two loving parents and siblings. Because of his sense of propriety it is no surprise when he declares himself as her fiance in order to save her from ruin after accidentally compromising her.
MacKenzie’s use of a more modern diction in The Naked King, does not impede the story’s success as she is able to keep true to the period in which the novel is set. Impressively, because of her choice of language, like Monet’s choice of colors on a blank canvas, MacKenzie paints for her readers a world full of colorful imagery through dialogue, characterization and plot. Her use of sex, in the novel, is more about making a statement that rape by any other name is wrong and unacceptable.
Like most romantic stories, The Naked King is not without its bad guy, shady characters, and great friends whom come to Roth and Lady Anne’s aid when they are in trouble.
In the end, The Naked King is a wonderful and humorous story that takes you away from life’s imperfection and leaves you longing for your own quintessential hero. Get your copy at Amazon.com.
Sincerely,
…Miguelina Perez
The Naked King is a triumphant, funny love story about second chances. Lady Anne Marston, a spinster, who because of an indiscretion at the age of seventeen, steals herself away from society and the hopes of ever finding love. She is content living her life quietly with her family, until she learns that it will be up to her to prepare her sister’s introduction into society. Anne has been responsible for taking care of her sister and 10-year old twin brothers, during her father and his wife’s constant absence in search of antiquities. Her quiet life is further disrupted when one day while walking the family dog she is literally thrown into the arms of the town’s most talked about lover, Mr. Stephen Parker-Roth, nicknamed the “King of Hearts.”
MacKenzie is clever in her creation of the quintessential hero. Stephen Parker-Roth is the purest essence of bravery, honor, and while considered a Casanova, he is morally bound to his beliefs, especially those of regency society. Though his reputation as a lady’s man is widely known, it is a persona he gladly gives up the moment he meets Lady Anne. Unlike Lady Anne, Roth comes from a functional home with two loving parents and siblings. Because of his sense of propriety it is no surprise when he declares himself as her fiance in order to save her from ruin after accidentally compromising her.
MacKenzie’s use of a more modern diction in The Naked King, does not impede the story’s success as she is able to keep true to the period in which the novel is set. Impressively, because of her choice of language, like Monet’s choice of colors on a blank canvas, MacKenzie paints for her readers a world full of colorful imagery through dialogue, characterization and plot. Her use of sex, in the novel, is more about making a statement that rape by any other name is wrong and unacceptable.
Like most romantic stories, The Naked King is not without its bad guy, shady characters, and great friends whom come to Roth and Lady Anne’s aid when they are in trouble.
In the end, The Naked King is a wonderful and humorous story that takes you away from life’s imperfection and leaves you longing for your own quintessential hero. Get your copy at Amazon.com.
Sincerely,
…Miguelina Perez
June 14, 2011
The Naked King by Sally Mackenzie
Historical Romance - June 7th, 2011
4 ½ Stars
The Naked King is the story of Stephen Parker-Roth known to the ton as the King of Hearts. After an evening of drinking he finds himself in a difficult position when he meets Lady Anne Marston and is forced to create a 'pretend' engagement to the lady after he is seen kissing her by one of London's most well known gossips. But as he spends more time with the lovely and tempting Lady Anne he is forced to admit there are far worse fates than spending his life with the tempting and alluring red-headed beauty.
As for Lady Anne, she is still in shock. She never imaged a simple bit of conversation with the charming rogue would turn into an engagement! Lady Anne has given up all hopes of marriage after an unfortunate mistake in her past but as she spend more time in this fake engagement she doesn't know how she will be able to keep from losing her own heart to the man. Especially when her past comes back to haunt her and stop her from finding any kind of future happiness.
Sally MacKenzie does a fantastic job of creating a fun story that is both appealing and exciting to read. The two main characters have great chemistry and are very charming. I liked learning more about them as their story develops and became more compelling. These are great characters that you can completely fall for. I really wanted them to find their own happy ending.
The Naked King is a wonderful book with an enjoyable cast that are both loveable and interesting to read.
Reviewed by Mary from Bookaholics Book Club
Historical Romance - June 7th, 2011
4 ½ Stars
The Naked King is the story of Stephen Parker-Roth known to the ton as the King of Hearts. After an evening of drinking he finds himself in a difficult position when he meets Lady Anne Marston and is forced to create a 'pretend' engagement to the lady after he is seen kissing her by one of London's most well known gossips. But as he spends more time with the lovely and tempting Lady Anne he is forced to admit there are far worse fates than spending his life with the tempting and alluring red-headed beauty.
As for Lady Anne, she is still in shock. She never imaged a simple bit of conversation with the charming rogue would turn into an engagement! Lady Anne has given up all hopes of marriage after an unfortunate mistake in her past but as she spend more time in this fake engagement she doesn't know how she will be able to keep from losing her own heart to the man. Especially when her past comes back to haunt her and stop her from finding any kind of future happiness.
Sally MacKenzie does a fantastic job of creating a fun story that is both appealing and exciting to read. The two main characters have great chemistry and are very charming. I liked learning more about them as their story develops and became more compelling. These are great characters that you can completely fall for. I really wanted them to find their own happy ending.
The Naked King is a wonderful book with an enjoyable cast that are both loveable and interesting to read.
Reviewed by Mary from Bookaholics Book Club
July 21, 2012
This book is one of those easy-read novels that I enjoy (call it "fluff" if you feel you have to, but that only makes it sound like you believe you're superior..and you're not). It was particularly refreshing after an intense epic fantasy novel and some nonfiction materials which are making me think very hard about career-oriented things.
I read this in one sitting, over approximately 5 hours. I hadn't read any of Ms. MacKenzie's books for awhile, so it's hard to compare it to the others in the series. However, while it followed the same basic formula the series is known for, I felt this one was a bit more refreshing. It basically acknowledged the formula and played on it at times, which I found cheeky and fun. The treatment of a rape victim is unrealistic and might bother some, but the book is intended to be a light, fantasy-laden read. It's not meant to mimic real life in any way, and I think it managed to be respectful of the subject, if unreal.
For those who dislike heroines who are "rescued" and who confine to some of the Victorian-era standards (defying some, following most), then this book is not for you. If you're a fan of romance novels that are set in the Regency era and don't mind a general lack of historical details, I think you'll enjoy it. I know I did!
I read this in one sitting, over approximately 5 hours. I hadn't read any of Ms. MacKenzie's books for awhile, so it's hard to compare it to the others in the series. However, while it followed the same basic formula the series is known for, I felt this one was a bit more refreshing. It basically acknowledged the formula and played on it at times, which I found cheeky and fun. The treatment of a rape victim is unrealistic and might bother some, but the book is intended to be a light, fantasy-laden read. It's not meant to mimic real life in any way, and I think it managed to be respectful of the subject, if unreal.
For those who dislike heroines who are "rescued" and who confine to some of the Victorian-era standards (defying some, following most), then this book is not for you. If you're a fan of romance novels that are set in the Regency era and don't mind a general lack of historical details, I think you'll enjoy it. I know I did!
January 23, 2016
4 stars
Suka sama anak 2 keluarga parker-roth ...stephen yg di julukin "king of heart" krn kemampuannya yg berhubungan dengan wanita
Ketemu tiba2 dengan lady anne yg berambut merah dan berkacamata dan terlibat skandal yg mengharuskan dia bertunangan dgn lady anne.
Stephen dari awal udah napsu banget sama lady anne, sayang lady anne yg pemarah awalnya bener2 gak suka stephen dan dia gak berniat menikah walo udah berumur 27 thn krn pernah di perkaos lord jahat.
Tapi lady anne ternyata gak kebal juga sama stephen yg charming dan bermulut manis. So pertunangan yg anne kira pura2 malah akhir nya bikin anne jatuh cinta beneran.
Ini buku terjemahan yg lumayan hot dan kata2 nya gak di "perhalus" seperti buku2 HR yg skrg2 ini. Byk dialoh nakal stephen yg bener2 tergila2 sama anne yg memancing tawa.
Sukaaa buku2 karangan sally mackenzie :)
Suka sama anak 2 keluarga parker-roth ...stephen yg di julukin "king of heart" krn kemampuannya yg berhubungan dengan wanita
Ketemu tiba2 dengan lady anne yg berambut merah dan berkacamata dan terlibat skandal yg mengharuskan dia bertunangan dgn lady anne.
Stephen dari awal udah napsu banget sama lady anne, sayang lady anne yg pemarah awalnya bener2 gak suka stephen dan dia gak berniat menikah walo udah berumur 27 thn krn pernah di perkaos lord jahat.
Tapi lady anne ternyata gak kebal juga sama stephen yg charming dan bermulut manis. So pertunangan yg anne kira pura2 malah akhir nya bikin anne jatuh cinta beneran.
Ini buku terjemahan yg lumayan hot dan kata2 nya gak di "perhalus" seperti buku2 HR yg skrg2 ini. Byk dialoh nakal stephen yg bener2 tergila2 sama anne yg memancing tawa.
Sukaaa buku2 karangan sally mackenzie :)
May 19, 2016
Pertunangan tiba-tiba karena "kegep" dlm keadaan "memalukan".
Itulah yg dialami Anne dan Stephen. Pertunangan yg awalnya hanya pura2 mjd serius. Tapi Anne yg super galau, pesimis bhw Stephen serius akan menikahinya, bisa mencintainya dgn tulus tanpa keperawanannya yg sdh terengut oleh Brentwood, bisa menerima dirinya apa adanya sbg perawan tua. Sejak keperawanannya hilang, Anne bersembunyi utk membantu membesarkan adik2nya. Jadi tidak heran Anne rada kampungan dan kurang update ttg gaya hidup ton saat itu. Stephen dgn kekayaannya yg banyak, meng-upgrade penampilan Anne sehingga memukau setiap org yg melihatnya. Disini saya lihat jadi mirip adegan "Pretty Woman"nya Julia Roberts & Richard Gere.
Alur cerita menurut saya terlalu panjang dan bertele-tele dan berfokus pada kegalauan Anne. Dan ending yg memaksakan tokoh antagonist mati secara kilat mnrt saya malah jadi terasa antiklimaks.
Itulah yg dialami Anne dan Stephen. Pertunangan yg awalnya hanya pura2 mjd serius. Tapi Anne yg super galau, pesimis bhw Stephen serius akan menikahinya, bisa mencintainya dgn tulus tanpa keperawanannya yg sdh terengut oleh Brentwood, bisa menerima dirinya apa adanya sbg perawan tua. Sejak keperawanannya hilang, Anne bersembunyi utk membantu membesarkan adik2nya. Jadi tidak heran Anne rada kampungan dan kurang update ttg gaya hidup ton saat itu. Stephen dgn kekayaannya yg banyak, meng-upgrade penampilan Anne sehingga memukau setiap org yg melihatnya. Disini saya lihat jadi mirip adegan "Pretty Woman"nya Julia Roberts & Richard Gere.
Alur cerita menurut saya terlalu panjang dan bertele-tele dan berfokus pada kegalauan Anne. Dan ending yg memaksakan tokoh antagonist mati secara kilat mnrt saya malah jadi terasa antiklimaks.
March 12, 2012
Absolutely loved this book. From start to finish, it kept my attention and left me wanting more. Stephen is a mix of rogue and gentleman, saddled with the nickname The King of Hearts. Anne is an intelligent beauty who has spent all her time taking care of her half-siblings after a youthful misjudgement led to rape at the hands of the villain Lord Brentwood.
I found despite the deplorable Brentwood and rather annoying cousin Clorinda, the book was smart, moved at a quick enough pace that as a reader, I wasn't bogged down by information and had witty repartee between the characters with the right use of levity and seriousness.
And the romantic entanglement between Stephen and Anne was just wonderfully written.
I found despite the deplorable Brentwood and rather annoying cousin Clorinda, the book was smart, moved at a quick enough pace that as a reader, I wasn't bogged down by information and had witty repartee between the characters with the right use of levity and seriousness.
And the romantic entanglement between Stephen and Anne was just wonderfully written.
June 29, 2011
What I look for is a series that has plucky heriones and heroes with a good heart and a nice strong spine (along with a sense of humor). What I like about MacKenzie is she doesn't subscribe to that dreary formula of making her heroines friendless. They have families who love them, they have friends. The friends are interesting and funny. There is a secondary love interest (although in this case, it was very second rate, hence the loss of one star).
She brings back characters for prior books making for a strong series. This series is just plain fun and this one, while not laugh out loud funny like some of the others, is sweet and amusing.
She brings back characters for prior books making for a strong series. This series is just plain fun and this one, while not laugh out loud funny like some of the others, is sweet and amusing.
July 15, 2011
I can't emphasize how much I enjoyed this series. It was so funny, with ridiculous and hilarious situations that just made me smile. It was great seeing the main characters always thrown into these loopy situations (especially for historical romance) and having to deal with it around the prying eyes of the ton. I think I may have one more book to read and I'm happy that's the case. I'm going to explore if there are other books written by this author, I'm hoping that she has a ton of other series and that they are as great as this one.
September 30, 2012
I super liked the hero, I thought he was absolutely fantastic. Once again, as has been a bit of a theme for me with this series, it really was the heroine that let the book down. She was perfectly likeable, but her stubborn clinging to the “secret” was frustrating. The much-loathed eep’s make a come back in this as well, much to my dismay. Still, despite the negatives, I overall enjoyed the book and another delightful hero.
May 15, 2013
Dumb.
March 22, 2016
3.75 Stars!
May 30, 2017
2.5 stars
Situation dragged on too long...got a bit tedious.
Situation dragged on too long...got a bit tedious.
April 26, 2023
This is the final fun book in a fun series.
Anne is in town for the first time. Her parents have dropped the family at their London town house and departed to hunt antiquities in Greece.
Anne considers herself an old maid. She has bright red hair, she is slender and she is 27 years old, those qualities make her an old maid. And her family is happy to talk about the fact that she is old and skinny and unappealing.
She is in charge of her younger sister, Evie’s, entrance into society. Evie is the beauty in the family. Everyone says so. Anne is also in charge of her 10 year old twin brothers. And the person who is supposed to be their chaperon is an elderly cousin who cares nothing for people but is mad about birds. She also talks about how homely Anne is and how she will never find a husband.
Harry, the family dog, is sharing a walk with Anne in Hyde Park. When he sees an interesting man, he runs away and knocks that interesting man into a great deal of mud.
The interesting man is Stephen. He is known in society as the King of Hearts because he has a charming way with women. He is handsome and wealthy and also very nice.
Stephen is attracted to Anne. In spite of the fact that she is dressed in a brown sack and wearing an ugly bonnet, he can see that she is actually quite attractive. And after he takes her ugly bonnet and stomps it into the mud, he has the chance to admire her bright red hair.
When the two of them are caught in an embarrassing situation on a public street, Stephen says they are betrothed. Anne believes that betrothal will end at the end of the season. Anne does not know everything.
The story gets really crazy after that.
This book has a great deal of family involvement. Stephen becomes quite fond of Anne’s sister and brothers. And they all welcome him into the family. And Harry loves him too.
Anne was assaulted when she was only 17 and since that time she has carried the shame and pain of what happened to her. She does not believe she has any value. In reality, everyone who knows her, loves and respects her.
Stephen is a man who has reached a time in his life when he realizes that he should marry and settle down. Although he has spent years exploring far distant places collecting plants, he realizes his life will be different. His older brother and a younger sister are married and producing children. His mother will not let him escape that future for very long.
Both these people are funny and smart. They are good for one another. He points out on a regular basis that she is beautiful and she does not believe a word he says. She makes him realize that being unselfish and kind and considerate are very attractive qualities.
I liked this book very much. But, I have liked all the books in this series. It is a series, but each book is a stand alone read. And if a reader is seeking humor and romance all in one package, this is a book you will enjoy.
Anne is in town for the first time. Her parents have dropped the family at their London town house and departed to hunt antiquities in Greece.
Anne considers herself an old maid. She has bright red hair, she is slender and she is 27 years old, those qualities make her an old maid. And her family is happy to talk about the fact that she is old and skinny and unappealing.
She is in charge of her younger sister, Evie’s, entrance into society. Evie is the beauty in the family. Everyone says so. Anne is also in charge of her 10 year old twin brothers. And the person who is supposed to be their chaperon is an elderly cousin who cares nothing for people but is mad about birds. She also talks about how homely Anne is and how she will never find a husband.
Harry, the family dog, is sharing a walk with Anne in Hyde Park. When he sees an interesting man, he runs away and knocks that interesting man into a great deal of mud.
The interesting man is Stephen. He is known in society as the King of Hearts because he has a charming way with women. He is handsome and wealthy and also very nice.
Stephen is attracted to Anne. In spite of the fact that she is dressed in a brown sack and wearing an ugly bonnet, he can see that she is actually quite attractive. And after he takes her ugly bonnet and stomps it into the mud, he has the chance to admire her bright red hair.
When the two of them are caught in an embarrassing situation on a public street, Stephen says they are betrothed. Anne believes that betrothal will end at the end of the season. Anne does not know everything.
The story gets really crazy after that.
This book has a great deal of family involvement. Stephen becomes quite fond of Anne’s sister and brothers. And they all welcome him into the family. And Harry loves him too.
Anne was assaulted when she was only 17 and since that time she has carried the shame and pain of what happened to her. She does not believe she has any value. In reality, everyone who knows her, loves and respects her.
Stephen is a man who has reached a time in his life when he realizes that he should marry and settle down. Although he has spent years exploring far distant places collecting plants, he realizes his life will be different. His older brother and a younger sister are married and producing children. His mother will not let him escape that future for very long.
Both these people are funny and smart. They are good for one another. He points out on a regular basis that she is beautiful and she does not believe a word he says. She makes him realize that being unselfish and kind and considerate are very attractive qualities.
I liked this book very much. But, I have liked all the books in this series. It is a series, but each book is a stand alone read. And if a reader is seeking humor and romance all in one package, this is a book you will enjoy.
December 5, 2017
-> http://antredeslivres.blogspot.fr/201...
Stephen est un coureur de jupons notoire habitué des mondanités tandis qu’Anne est une vieille fille réservée qui ne met jamais les pieds dans un salon londonien. Tout les sépare. D’ailleurs, ils ne se connaissent même pas… jusqu’à ce qu’ils se retrouvent fiancés l’un à l’autre. Il a suffi d’un seul baiser (presque) accidentel pour que tout dérape. Ainsi, afin de préserver la réputation d’Anne et de ne pas gâcher les débuts de la sœur de cette dernière, le Roi de Cœur – comme on l’appelle – n’a d’autre choix que d’annoncer leurs fiançailles. Bien évidemment, en quelques heures à peine, tout Londres est au courant. Les voilà pris au piège de leur propre mensonge… à moins que de tendres sentiments naissent entre les deux tourtereaux ?
L’intrigue ne présente aucune véritable surprise. En effet, le schéma reste le même que dans les six tomes précédents… Une jeune femme est compromise par un gentleman. Les deux jeunes gens doivent se marier pour éviter le scandale même s’ils n’en ont pas envie. Heureusement, à force de se côtoyer ils se découvrent des sentiments mutuels. Toutefois, entre eux deux se dresse un gros méchant qui essaye de leur mettre des bâtons dans les roues. Rien d’original donc, mais en même temps, je ne m’attendais pas à être surprise en commençant cette lecture, juste à assister à une jolie histoire d’amour. Et de ce côté-là, j’ai été servie.
En effet, les deux personnages principaux sont attendrissants. Anne a tout de la jolie jeune fille qui n’a pas conscience de sa beauté et qui ignore tout de l’amour. De toute façon, elle a fait une croix dessus depuis longtemps. Heureusement, Stephen est là pour la réveiller ! Ce dernier, quant à lui, est enfermé dans un rôle de séducteur. Toutes les femmes sont à ses pieds, il n’a qu’à se baisser pour en choisir une, mais ce n’est pas ce qu’il recherche. Et c’est en fréquentant Anne qu’il va s’en apercevoir… La relation qui se construit entre eux est belle à voir. Elle évolue petit à petit, avec des hauts et des bas, jusqu’à devenir enflammée !
En conclusion, une romance historique assez basique mais qui remplit parfaitement sa fonction première : divertir et faire vibrer le lecteur tout en le plongeant avec délice dans l’Angleterre puritaine du début du 19ème siècle.
Stephen est un coureur de jupons notoire habitué des mondanités tandis qu’Anne est une vieille fille réservée qui ne met jamais les pieds dans un salon londonien. Tout les sépare. D’ailleurs, ils ne se connaissent même pas… jusqu’à ce qu’ils se retrouvent fiancés l’un à l’autre. Il a suffi d’un seul baiser (presque) accidentel pour que tout dérape. Ainsi, afin de préserver la réputation d’Anne et de ne pas gâcher les débuts de la sœur de cette dernière, le Roi de Cœur – comme on l’appelle – n’a d’autre choix que d’annoncer leurs fiançailles. Bien évidemment, en quelques heures à peine, tout Londres est au courant. Les voilà pris au piège de leur propre mensonge… à moins que de tendres sentiments naissent entre les deux tourtereaux ?
L’intrigue ne présente aucune véritable surprise. En effet, le schéma reste le même que dans les six tomes précédents… Une jeune femme est compromise par un gentleman. Les deux jeunes gens doivent se marier pour éviter le scandale même s’ils n’en ont pas envie. Heureusement, à force de se côtoyer ils se découvrent des sentiments mutuels. Toutefois, entre eux deux se dresse un gros méchant qui essaye de leur mettre des bâtons dans les roues. Rien d’original donc, mais en même temps, je ne m’attendais pas à être surprise en commençant cette lecture, juste à assister à une jolie histoire d’amour. Et de ce côté-là, j’ai été servie.
En effet, les deux personnages principaux sont attendrissants. Anne a tout de la jolie jeune fille qui n’a pas conscience de sa beauté et qui ignore tout de l’amour. De toute façon, elle a fait une croix dessus depuis longtemps. Heureusement, Stephen est là pour la réveiller ! Ce dernier, quant à lui, est enfermé dans un rôle de séducteur. Toutes les femmes sont à ses pieds, il n’a qu’à se baisser pour en choisir une, mais ce n’est pas ce qu’il recherche. Et c’est en fréquentant Anne qu’il va s’en apercevoir… La relation qui se construit entre eux est belle à voir. Elle évolue petit à petit, avec des hauts et des bas, jusqu’à devenir enflammée !
En conclusion, une romance historique assez basique mais qui remplit parfaitement sa fonction première : divertir et faire vibrer le lecteur tout en le plongeant avec délice dans l’Angleterre puritaine du début du 19ème siècle.
October 14, 2018
Perhaps my favorite book in this series, and sadly the last in this series when all I want is more!
Stephen Parker-Roth is known as the "King of Hearts", and not just because he is good at cards. However, at the moment he is drunk in the wee hours of the morning and a dog has just knocked him into the mud. However, things are looking up when the dog's attractive owner arrives and Stephen finds himself entranced, despite her unattractive bonnet and dress. Anne Marston is not immune to the "King's" charms, but she fights with all she has. She has long since given up on marriage and the fact that this very attractive but drunk man has kissed her, in broad daylight, in front of the home of London's most notorious gossip, won't change her mind. Besides, if he knew the truth about her, he would never want to marry her anyways.
This book was laugh-out-loud funny from page one. Stephen was great at being charming and seductive while at the same time sensitive to Anne when it was obvious that something was upsetting her. He was a lot of fun to watch as he interacted with Anne throughout the story.
Anne was also a fun character because she fights the idea of marriage to Stephen almost the entire time, simply because of what happened in her past. Then, once the secret is out it became clear that it was holding her back this whole time. She was a great character and I loved her arc throughout the story.
Overall, I loved this book. I was sad to see that the story was ending as I was sure we could have kept going, but still was enjoying what I had. Will have to re-read the whole series again the near future.
Stephen Parker-Roth is known as the "King of Hearts", and not just because he is good at cards. However, at the moment he is drunk in the wee hours of the morning and a dog has just knocked him into the mud. However, things are looking up when the dog's attractive owner arrives and Stephen finds himself entranced, despite her unattractive bonnet and dress. Anne Marston is not immune to the "King's" charms, but she fights with all she has. She has long since given up on marriage and the fact that this very attractive but drunk man has kissed her, in broad daylight, in front of the home of London's most notorious gossip, won't change her mind. Besides, if he knew the truth about her, he would never want to marry her anyways.
This book was laugh-out-loud funny from page one. Stephen was great at being charming and seductive while at the same time sensitive to Anne when it was obvious that something was upsetting her. He was a lot of fun to watch as he interacted with Anne throughout the story.
Anne was also a fun character because she fights the idea of marriage to Stephen almost the entire time, simply because of what happened in her past. Then, once the secret is out it became clear that it was holding her back this whole time. She was a great character and I loved her arc throughout the story.
Overall, I loved this book. I was sad to see that the story was ending as I was sure we could have kept going, but still was enjoying what I had. Will have to re-read the whole series again the near future.
August 29, 2018
The hero in this one is Stephen Parker-Roth, younger and more outgoing brother of John. The heroine is Lady Anne Marston, daughter of “Crazy Crane”, an Earl who is obsessed with finding antiquities. She has always been forced to be responsible for herself and her younger siblings. Unbeknownst to any of her family, she was raped ten years previously by Lord Brentwood.
Stephen and Anne meet when Harry, the Crane family dog, knocks an inebriated Stephen into the mud. When he kisses her outside her home, Harry sees Lady Dunlee’s cat and knocks Stephen down, with Anne on top of him. The entire scene is witnessed by Lady Dunlee, the worst gossip in the ton.
With an errant dog and so many siblings, this one is very reminiscent of Georgette Heyer’s Frederica, with sexytimes. Lots of fun - I’m glad I found this series.
Stephen and Anne meet when Harry, the Crane family dog, knocks an inebriated Stephen into the mud. When he kisses her outside her home, Harry sees Lady Dunlee’s cat and knocks Stephen down, with Anne on top of him. The entire scene is witnessed by Lady Dunlee, the worst gossip in the ton.
With an errant dog and so many siblings, this one is very reminiscent of Georgette Heyer’s Frederica, with sexytimes. Lots of fun - I’m glad I found this series.
October 7, 2018
Honestly, MacKenzie's books are always a lot of fun, and this one is no different. Definitely enjoyed this couple and the way Stephen was obviously head over heels for his bride from the get go, even if I thought it was all a bit inta-lovey. Also, it's nice to meet an honorable rake!
That being said, I was a bit disappointed with how the backstory was handled (one grand speech and it's all okay?).
All in all, a really fun read and very good for times you just want something easy and relaxing.
That being said, I was a bit disappointed with how the backstory was handled (one grand speech and it's all okay?).
All in all, a really fun read and very good for times you just want something easy and relaxing.
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