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Lady Fortune
As the child bride of an elderly husband, Lady Julianna of Moncrieff learned little of men and nothing of pleasure. So when the newly widowed lady finds herself thrown into the company of the mocking and elegant Nicholas Strangefellow, a maddening court jester sent by King Henry III to entertain at her mother's wedding, Julianna is more than wary; she is determined to keep her distance.
But it doesn't take long for the mysterious Nicholas to weave his wickedly sensual spell around her. And only when it is too late will Julianna discover what sort of man he really is...a coolly calculating spy out to steal a sacred relic--and her own innocent heart. Yet Nicholas is in for a shock of his own. For never did the king's fool imagine that he would become a fool for love...until the moment comes when he must choose between desire and betrayal.
But it doesn't take long for the mysterious Nicholas to weave his wickedly sensual spell around her. And only when it is too late will Julianna discover what sort of man he really is...a coolly calculating spy out to steal a sacred relic--and her own innocent heart. Yet Nicholas is in for a shock of his own. For never did the king's fool imagine that he would become a fool for love...until the moment comes when he must choose between desire and betrayal.
319 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
12 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
204 books2,062 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 14, 2014
Definitely out of the norm for any romance, but especially for an Anne Stuart novel. I've come to expect unconventional from this author...she basically defines the word. But a court jester? The King's fool?
What an odd choice for a hero. Quite the undertaking for an author and although I ended up liking Nicholas, he was a hard guy to get to know, and very hard to find sexy. At first. But his big heart just waiting to be caught by our heroine really did win me over eventually. I just wish it had been earlier. He focused so much on fooling everyone into believing he was a fool that I felt like it got in the way of the story at times.
Julianna was a great character. Her backstory common for the time but so sad to read about now, if only because of it's basis in reality. Married to an old man at age eleven, she has only ever known the touch of a man that is accompanied by shame and pain. Newly widowed, thought to be barren, she is prompted by King Henry to attend her also newly widowed mother's wedding. She hasn't forgiven her mother for abandoning her to her lonely life so many years ago, and this was just as much a story about these two women healing as it was an odd romance. Fascinating to think about how young both of these women were...the mother not much older than I am, still in her thirties, with a fully grown daughter, both thought to be too old to have children. It boggles the mind that little girls were expected to have babies, and then thought to be unable to have children and therefore worthless if they miscarried. Their little girl bodies unable to go through so much. It makes me rage, and goes to show how vastly minds and medical advancements have come. Anyways...food for thought.
There was a secondary storyline that was just as interesting as the romance between Nicholas and Julianna. Sort of a second chance romance between Julianna's mother and her new husband, and it was actually a more well rounded, mature sort of romance than the original. I wish it had received more page time. There is a lot of focus put on a fanatical priest and everyone's obsession with a chalice. This was actually the focal point of the story, and this guy got really crazy. Screaming about burnings and heretics and self flagellation, pain and pleasure...he was a real piece of work.
If you want something different, look no further. At times funny, at times sexy, and surprisingly shocking, it's Anne Stuart, after all. So it's guaranteed well written and original, just not what you'd expect from this genre or this author.
Advance copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley
What an odd choice for a hero. Quite the undertaking for an author and although I ended up liking Nicholas, he was a hard guy to get to know, and very hard to find sexy. At first. But his big heart just waiting to be caught by our heroine really did win me over eventually. I just wish it had been earlier. He focused so much on fooling everyone into believing he was a fool that I felt like it got in the way of the story at times.
Julianna was a great character. Her backstory common for the time but so sad to read about now, if only because of it's basis in reality. Married to an old man at age eleven, she has only ever known the touch of a man that is accompanied by shame and pain. Newly widowed, thought to be barren, she is prompted by King Henry to attend her also newly widowed mother's wedding. She hasn't forgiven her mother for abandoning her to her lonely life so many years ago, and this was just as much a story about these two women healing as it was an odd romance. Fascinating to think about how young both of these women were...the mother not much older than I am, still in her thirties, with a fully grown daughter, both thought to be too old to have children. It boggles the mind that little girls were expected to have babies, and then thought to be unable to have children and therefore worthless if they miscarried. Their little girl bodies unable to go through so much. It makes me rage, and goes to show how vastly minds and medical advancements have come. Anyways...food for thought.
There was a secondary storyline that was just as interesting as the romance between Nicholas and Julianna. Sort of a second chance romance between Julianna's mother and her new husband, and it was actually a more well rounded, mature sort of romance than the original. I wish it had received more page time. There is a lot of focus put on a fanatical priest and everyone's obsession with a chalice. This was actually the focal point of the story, and this guy got really crazy. Screaming about burnings and heretics and self flagellation, pain and pleasure...he was a real piece of work.
If you want something different, look no further. At times funny, at times sexy, and surprisingly shocking, it's Anne Stuart, after all. So it's guaranteed well written and original, just not what you'd expect from this genre or this author.
Advance copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley
May 29, 2025
A good beginning, a ho-hum middle and a sweet ending.
September 3, 2014
Originally published in 2004, Lady Fortune is a thoroughly enjoyable medieval romp featuring one of those oh-so-charming, deliciously wicked heroes which have become Anne Stuart’s authorial trademark.
Nicholas Strangefellow, fool at the court of King Henry, is a man who amuses and annoys in equal measure. He is quick witted and sharp-tongued, possessed of a loose-limbed grace, an inordinate amount of charm and golden good-looks that ensure he is never without female companionship whenever he wants it. He is also clever, shrewd and utterly ruthless – qualities very few around him perceive, which is exactly as he likes it to be.
His king, however, is one of the few who has an inkling of Nicholas’ true talents – and of his identity as the son of a once noble house from the north of England who fell foul of a king’s temper and lost everything. A youth of fifteen, Nicholas survived by becoming a thief and then a fool – a profession which perfectly suits him, as he can say or do whatever he likes, mixing with nobility and commoner alike.
Henry charges Nicholas with the retrieval of a holy relic that the king insists belongs to the crown by rights - the Blessed Chalice of the Martyred Saint Hugelina the Dragon – currently in the possession of Hugh, Earl of Fortham whose family can trace its bloodlines directly back to Hugelina herself. The earl is shortly to be remarried - to the lady Isabeau of Peckham - and Henry decides to send Nicholas to the happy couple as a wedding gift in order “to make their first few months of married life particularly entertaining” - until Christmastide. Not that either Henry or Nicholas expects it will take that long for the latter to find the chalice and ‘return’ it to Henry’s keeping.
Lady Julianna of Moncrieff is twenty-one and recently – and most gratefully – widowed. She has never forgiven her mother, the lady Isabeau, for allowing her to be sent to Moncrieff as a child bride, and cannot forget the indignities and humiliations she was forced to suffer at her husband’s hands. With his death, however, Juliana is all but destitute. She hopes to be allowed to retire to a convent, but as a distant relation to the king, it is more likely he will want to marry her off to a man of his choice in order to cement an alliance.
Julianna has not seen her mother in ten years, but is ordered by the king to join her household until such time as he makes a decision about her future. She is not pleased at the prospect, but must submit to the king’s commands. He has sent an escort to take her to Fortham – the same retinue that is escorting his wedding gift to the bridal couple.
She is equally displeased at the prospect of being forced to travel with the “gift”, whom her escort describes as a babbling fool and a madman. Unlike most of the women he meets, the Lady Julianna is not disposed to dalliance, meeting Nicholas’ bawdy suggestions and rhymes with cool aloofness.
At Fortham, Nicholas begins the search for the Chalice, keen to complete his mission, return to court and at last receive the king’s reward, which will consist of a small manor and parcel of land. But he is increasingly distracted from his task by the Lady Julianna, who is the first woman who has ever failed to fall victim to his charm. Still, Nicholas has never been one to resist a challenge, and determines to make his way under her skirts before too long. But the more he gets to know her, the more he finds himself in danger of falling for her, something he can’t possibly allow to happen.
And Julianna, one of the few people able to discern the truth beneath Nicholas’ disguise is similarly drawn to this intriguing, frustrating man, wondering for the first time what it would be like to be properly kissed and held by a man in kindness and without shame.
I’m not normally a huge fan of medieval romances, but this one really worked for me. Anne Stuart has a gift for creating amoral, disreputable male leads who are nonetheless wonderful romantic heroes as soon as they set eyes on the women to whom they finally lose their hearts. Nicholas is perhaps not in the same mould as her Rohan men or Christian Montcalm, but he’s still wickedly sexy and has a questionable moral code when it comes to serving his own ends. He’s also perceptive, capable of great tenderness and maintains his own code of honour.
Lady Fortune is a relatively quick read, yet in addition to the story of Nicholas and Julianna, Ms Stuart finds time to effect a reconciliation between Julianna and her mother, and to craft a sweet secondary romance between Isabeau and her new husband. There is plenty of humour and some superb, snappy dialogue between the principals, but Ms Stuart also never loses sight of just how precarious was the position of women in the society of the time. The horrible prejudice against women preached by Abbot Paulus is, sadly, all too accurate for the time period.
As one would expect of such an experienced author, the writing flows well, and all the characters are very well drawn. The chemistry between Nicholas and Julianna is potent, the sparks flying between them from their very first meeting, and they make an engaging and well-matched couple. My one complaint is that the sense of period is not particularly strong in the book; for instance, there is no indication of exactly which King Henry is reigning, and no mention of any historical events which would allow the reader to pinpoint the book’s setting. That said however, the lack of historical reference points didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story, which is well-told, entertaining and most definitely recommended.
April 17, 2014
This was much lighter fare than what I've come to expect from Anne Stuart. Not that this was a problem, but it seems that by lightening up she lost a lot of character development and depth of plot. The writing seemed utterly formulaic and therefore predictable. Also annoying. The word "wicked" appeared 38 times, but it felt like so much more. The phrases "well and truly kissed" and being loved "well and often" should be banned from romance novels.
The villain was a crappy villain if I ever saw one. He was an abbot who spouted crazy religious nonsense every chance he got, calling women whores and ordering wives not to sleep with their husbands, and engaging in flogging in order to get closer to God (and he secretly liked it, the sick old bastard). But he was an old man. Someone could have punched him in the face right from the beginning and he wouldn't have been around to bother everyone else. I know this was set in medieval times where religious figures had a lot of power and people had to listen to them, but zealous talk of hell and sin just doesn't strike me with fear. Yawn.
Julianna and her mother Isabeau, the two main (possibly only) women of the book suffered from severe and misplaced guilt. For instance, Isabeau thought it was her fault when something bad happened to Julianna, because she'd "tarried too long in bed" with her husband. Every time Julianna wasn't completely straightforward, she called herself deceitful and treacherous and wicked and probably some synonyms of those words. It was astonishing what they blamed themselves for.
Julianna was married off when she was about eleven, and then her husband died right before the start of the book. At one point Isabeau asks Julianna if she bled when her first husband bedded her. Which Julianna didn't because her husband was old and, it turns out, impotent. All this time she believes she's had sex and hated it, but Thank God for purity. Anyway, even though Julianna has seen farm animals coupling, she has no idea what a man looks like aroused. So when she accidentally sees a couple getting it on in the kitchen, she freaks out and runs into the rain.
All because she saw a hard dick. I know they're not exactly pretty, but come on.
Nicholas, the hero, tries way too hard to convince himself he's only interested in sex and, well, himself. I was actually interested in him being a fool (that word appeared 161 times in the book, and "mad fool" appeared 12 times), but his POVs were tiresome. He doesn't want to be any woman's "pawn," which, of course, is the only thing that could happen if he ever got married.
What the hell is that? So if a woman isn't married and isn't a sexual being, she's basically pointless. At least according to Nicholas, because he needs to be able to sleep with anyone if he wants. At one point he even considers seducing Isabeau.
Another of Nicholas's dubiously insightful thoughts: "It wasn't nearly as pretty as Julianna, he thought dispassionately." This is about ... a cup. Well, a chalice. It's gold, and it has jewels, so you can understand the comparison. Nothing proves the hero's love more than him thinking a woman is prettier than a cup.
Both Isabeau and Nicholas's servant Bogo display their keen powers of perception by telling Nicholas how he feels. Basically they told him he was in love with Julianna and things would work out. Um, thanks. I hate this trope of every random person being able to discern the minute facial expressions of the hero and heroine, when they themselves are still in denial about their feelings. Just listen to the older, more experienced folk and you'll be fine! You don't know anything anyway.
This book didn't even have enough sex to save it. The only explicit sex scene between Julianna and Nicholas was nice, but it happened late in the game. The two of them falling in love happened so quickly and with so little development it was unbelievable. Their "love" was based purely on sex. I'm pretty sure all their conversations involved innuendos (sometimes in rhyme form) and a few lines about the infamous chalice.
Although I started getting a little interested in the last 10% of the book, the 90% before that was so dull it didn't matter. I don't think I'd have finished this if I hadn't gotten it from Netgalley. But I did finish it, and I'm not really sure why it's called Lady Fortune.
Huh. I really thought this was going to be a short review.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
The villain was a crappy villain if I ever saw one. He was an abbot who spouted crazy religious nonsense every chance he got, calling women whores and ordering wives not to sleep with their husbands, and engaging in flogging in order to get closer to God (and he secretly liked it, the sick old bastard). But he was an old man. Someone could have punched him in the face right from the beginning and he wouldn't have been around to bother everyone else. I know this was set in medieval times where religious figures had a lot of power and people had to listen to them, but zealous talk of hell and sin just doesn't strike me with fear. Yawn.
Julianna and her mother Isabeau, the two main (possibly only) women of the book suffered from severe and misplaced guilt. For instance, Isabeau thought it was her fault when something bad happened to Julianna, because she'd "tarried too long in bed" with her husband. Every time Julianna wasn't completely straightforward, she called herself deceitful and treacherous and wicked and probably some synonyms of those words. It was astonishing what they blamed themselves for.
Julianna was married off when she was about eleven, and then her husband died right before the start of the book. At one point Isabeau asks Julianna if she bled when her first husband bedded her. Which Julianna didn't because her husband was old and, it turns out, impotent. All this time she believes she's had sex and hated it, but Thank God for purity. Anyway, even though Julianna has seen farm animals coupling, she has no idea what a man looks like aroused. So when she accidentally sees a couple getting it on in the kitchen, she freaks out and runs into the rain.
"Her world had shifted once again, and she had no idea what to think, what to believe."
All because she saw a hard dick. I know they're not exactly pretty, but come on.
Nicholas, the hero, tries way too hard to convince himself he's only interested in sex and, well, himself. I was actually interested in him being a fool (that word appeared 161 times in the book, and "mad fool" appeared 12 times), but his POVs were tiresome. He doesn't want to be any woman's "pawn," which, of course, is the only thing that could happen if he ever got married.
"Such a waste of ripe womanhood was an affront to his nature."
What the hell is that? So if a woman isn't married and isn't a sexual being, she's basically pointless. At least according to Nicholas, because he needs to be able to sleep with anyone if he wants. At one point he even considers seducing Isabeau.
Another of Nicholas's dubiously insightful thoughts: "It wasn't nearly as pretty as Julianna, he thought dispassionately." This is about ... a cup. Well, a chalice. It's gold, and it has jewels, so you can understand the comparison. Nothing proves the hero's love more than him thinking a woman is prettier than a cup.
Both Isabeau and Nicholas's servant Bogo display their keen powers of perception by telling Nicholas how he feels. Basically they told him he was in love with Julianna and things would work out. Um, thanks. I hate this trope of every random person being able to discern the minute facial expressions of the hero and heroine, when they themselves are still in denial about their feelings. Just listen to the older, more experienced folk and you'll be fine! You don't know anything anyway.
This book didn't even have enough sex to save it. The only explicit sex scene between Julianna and Nicholas was nice, but it happened late in the game. The two of them falling in love happened so quickly and with so little development it was unbelievable. Their "love" was based purely on sex. I'm pretty sure all their conversations involved innuendos (sometimes in rhyme form) and a few lines about the infamous chalice.
Although I started getting a little interested in the last 10% of the book, the 90% before that was so dull it didn't matter. I don't think I'd have finished this if I hadn't gotten it from Netgalley. But I did finish it, and I'm not really sure why it's called Lady Fortune.
Huh. I really thought this was going to be a short review.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
April 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this one, provided by the publisher through netgalley. It's a new edition of a book published almost 15 years ago, but I hadn't read it before, so I don't know if there have been any/many updates.
It has a similar feel about it to Hidden Honor, which is absolutely one of my fave romances.
So what did I like about it?
The hero and heroine are great characters, both very much of the setting. He's the King's fool or Lord of Misrule. He's there to entertain, say the naughty things no one is allowed to, and generally relieve the boredom of court life. He is intelligent, perceptive and not what he appears. He's also physically attractive, which IMO is probably overdoing it. I appreciate the need to get away from the jester-stereotype as the prat in the tricorn hat (fools could actually occupy positions of considerable influence by their ability to mock and poke fun at anyone they wanted), but he did strike me as a character better suited to overwhelming sexual charisma rather than physical beauty, but anyway..
The heroine was traded off as a child bride to an old, decrepit rather unpleasant sounding individual, and has a whole load of emotional baggage as a result, but she's also a strong character, even if she has somewhat given up on life.
I guess what I really liked most about this one (and Hidden Honor) is how it never feels as though it is written in a cheesy mock-Medieval style setting, with bad faux-Medieval speak and complicated descriptions of clothing. And I love the complete cast of relatively complex characters who all have secrets to hide. There are two very strong romances not just one and I loved them both and that both were given a decent amount of space in the writing. It makes it more of an ensemble piece, and a more interesting read IMO.
The ending isn't really what I would have wanted, and felt a bit weak, and there was not enough explanation of why the hero was so attracted to the heroine (although when he does confront it, it's probably one of the best paragraphs in the book) but the rest was so enjoyable I didn't mind too much.
4 stars. I really liked it.
It has a similar feel about it to Hidden Honor, which is absolutely one of my fave romances.
So what did I like about it?
The hero and heroine are great characters, both very much of the setting. He's the King's fool or Lord of Misrule. He's there to entertain, say the naughty things no one is allowed to, and generally relieve the boredom of court life. He is intelligent, perceptive and not what he appears. He's also physically attractive, which IMO is probably overdoing it. I appreciate the need to get away from the jester-stereotype as the prat in the tricorn hat (fools could actually occupy positions of considerable influence by their ability to mock and poke fun at anyone they wanted), but he did strike me as a character better suited to overwhelming sexual charisma rather than physical beauty, but anyway..
The heroine was traded off as a child bride to an old, decrepit rather unpleasant sounding individual, and has a whole load of emotional baggage as a result, but she's also a strong character, even if she has somewhat given up on life.
I guess what I really liked most about this one (and Hidden Honor) is how it never feels as though it is written in a cheesy mock-Medieval style setting, with bad faux-Medieval speak and complicated descriptions of clothing. And I love the complete cast of relatively complex characters who all have secrets to hide. There are two very strong romances not just one and I loved them both and that both were given a decent amount of space in the writing. It makes it more of an ensemble piece, and a more interesting read IMO.
The ending isn't really what I would have wanted, and felt a bit weak, and there was not enough explanation of why the hero was so attracted to the heroine (although when he does confront it, it's probably one of the best paragraphs in the book) but the rest was so enjoyable I didn't mind too much.
4 stars. I really liked it.
May 19, 2010
I don't get it. This book got stellar reviews, was written by the incomparable Anne Stuart, and features a unique hero....Why did I dislike it so?
Here are some of my reasons:
1. I felt like the story was boring. A boring Chalice was the "centerpiece" of the plot and the story contained a host of characters that I didn't care for.
2. A strange romance between a court jester and a lady...one that I struggled to understand and accept.
3. A different kind of secondary romance between the heroine's mother and her husband.
4. This was just a very difficult book to get through. I didn't like the plot, the characters, or the romance.... which should've earned it a dismal 1 star, but Anne Stuart's superb writing earn it the extra star,
I recommend Lord of Danger, Ritual Sins, Nightfall, A Rose After Midnight, and To Love a Dark Lord.
Here are some of my reasons:
1. I felt like the story was boring. A boring Chalice was the "centerpiece" of the plot and the story contained a host of characters that I didn't care for.
2. A strange romance between a court jester and a lady...one that I struggled to understand and accept.
3. A different kind of secondary romance between the heroine's mother and her husband.
4. This was just a very difficult book to get through. I didn't like the plot, the characters, or the romance.... which should've earned it a dismal 1 star, but Anne Stuart's superb writing earn it the extra star,
I recommend Lord of Danger, Ritual Sins, Nightfall, A Rose After Midnight, and To Love a Dark Lord.
January 21, 2026
2.5 I’ve read a few Anne Stuart novels now and as much as I would like her to be a “for me” author, her work just hasn’t really hit with me.
I mainly picked this up because I’m sucker for fool/jester type characters and those are few and far to come by. And I did enjoy Nick but I was expecting way more emphasis on him and his ways (outside of a few rhymes) and Juliana.
as per usual with Anne Stuart, I was just really bored.
In general, most historical romance just doesn’t work for me. I feel like most rely on insta-love and don’t really dive into deep development of why these characters are falling in love. And also, I’m just tired of the one-dimensional virginal/wallflower/ugly duckling types that are often portrayed in them.
I mainly picked this up because I’m sucker for fool/jester type characters and those are few and far to come by. And I did enjoy Nick but I was expecting way more emphasis on him and his ways (outside of a few rhymes) and Juliana.
as per usual with Anne Stuart, I was just really bored.
In general, most historical romance just doesn’t work for me. I feel like most rely on insta-love and don’t really dive into deep development of why these characters are falling in love. And also, I’m just tired of the one-dimensional virginal/wallflower/ugly duckling types that are often portrayed in them.
March 20, 2019
Cute story, not much plot, insta-love
HEA.
Story is inconsistent. Too much info on secondary characters.
HEA.
Story is inconsistent. Too much info on secondary characters.
January 20, 2020
Eh.. just okay for me.
Am I shallow? I didn’t really like the idea of the Hero being a jester/ fool. Oh he was from a noble family but they lost their lands and wealth so he has to make his way trying to survive, but instead of choosing to be a knight or soldier, he chooses to be a fool. Ya so bleh..
The story was good enough though, if you can get over someone looking so silly, then their chemistry is hot.
Am I shallow? I didn’t really like the idea of the Hero being a jester/ fool. Oh he was from a noble family but they lost their lands and wealth so he has to make his way trying to survive, but instead of choosing to be a knight or soldier, he chooses to be a fool. Ya so bleh..
The story was good enough though, if you can get over someone looking so silly, then their chemistry is hot.
August 29, 2015
This rerelease of an earlier historical romance was good, but not great like most of the others I've read by Stuart. I enjoyed reading about Nicholas and Julianna. It was an interesting book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.
November 18, 2021
3.8
This was cute. Definitely different from anything I’ve read. Still, it got a bit dry and I lost interest a few times. The ending felt rushed and was very dramatic, with heavy doses of syrupy cheese.
This was cute. Definitely different from anything I’ve read. Still, it got a bit dry and I lost interest a few times. The ending felt rushed and was very dramatic, with heavy doses of syrupy cheese.
July 27, 2017
I loved the twisting way that this story works. At times it almost seemed like a Clue type mystery. So much good to say about this story and its intrigue. I loved how Christine narrated. Her many different voices and all the emotions to go with each and just how she infused this story with so much more than just words. The story was truly transformed into something so much more amazing than it already was on its own. I really loved how I was happy or sad or even on the edge of my seat every moment and I never knew quite what was going to happen next.
April 28, 2019
Anne Stuart doesn't disappoint. I love this book and the characters in it though one of the things I didn't was Julianna walking around barefoot, in a huge castle.
Nicholas is a strange fellow and for someone as observant and wise as Julianna, it is not surprising that she will fall for him.
Julianna and her mom has a lot of catching up to do in terms of their past.
Nicholas is a strange fellow and for someone as observant and wise as Julianna, it is not surprising that she will fall for him.
Julianna and her mom has a lot of catching up to do in terms of their past.
September 13, 2024
A cute and comical Anne Stuart romance!
The standout of this book is the couple. Nicholas is one of the most unique historical romance heroes I have read. I never would have imagined a court jester as a romance hero!
Nicholas was just annoying enough that I found it charming, and Julianna was naive, but not overly naive that she was annoying. She would stand up for herself when necessary.
There is also a secondary romance with Julianna's mom that is a fluffy second-chance-romance. It didn't take too much time away from the main couple, which I was happy about.
The standout of this book is the couple. Nicholas is one of the most unique historical romance heroes I have read. I never would have imagined a court jester as a romance hero!
Nicholas was just annoying enough that I found it charming, and Julianna was naive, but not overly naive that she was annoying. She would stand up for herself when necessary.
There is also a secondary romance with Julianna's mom that is a fluffy second-chance-romance. It didn't take too much time away from the main couple, which I was happy about.
November 24, 2020
I picked up this book because I was curious about how this is going to play out. I mean a Court Jester and a lady? It quite an odd pairing for me. However, this book was pleasant enough to read. Had its great moments. It just wasn't as good as the books I've read from AS. Loved it still tho.
April 9, 2023
unforgettable book
I absolutely adored this book.The characters were amazing, the plot was spell-binding. I love Anne Stuart- I recently discovered her and I have red 40 books. I have to say this book is in the top five it’s a keeper.
I absolutely adored this book.The characters were amazing, the plot was spell-binding. I love Anne Stuart- I recently discovered her and I have red 40 books. I have to say this book is in the top five it’s a keeper.
May 9, 2017
I can't believe I am calling an Anne Stuart book a fairy tale but that is the feeling it gave me. The love between Julianna and Nicholas was sweet, enduring and moving and I NEED MOARRRR
September 23, 2017
Lots of laugh out loud humor in the story. Loved it.
November 27, 2017
Got me back from my stupor!
December 3, 2017
It was good..! Very different. Although had so many loopholes that i just ignored them otherwise it was impossible to like the book. Almost felt like the author wrote this in a hurry.
March 4, 2018
Fast romantic read.......
Fast romantic read, great story. I recommended this book. Great author as well....😸 Love all of her books 💚💜😁 by......
Fast romantic read, great story. I recommended this book. Great author as well....😸 Love all of her books 💚💜😁 by......
October 30, 2020
Similar to 'Lord of Darkness', except that I thought LoD was executed better. This was lovely too, and I enjoyed both primary and secondary romances.
November 24, 2020
Keeps going and going
Not up to her usual standard of writing. The widow's character is trite and the storyline takes forever to play out.
Not up to her usual standard of writing. The widow's character is trite and the storyline takes forever to play out.
November 18, 2023
I love a good jester.
no-fcking-ways
June 1, 2025H is a jester…. Joker….
Count me out !!!
Count me out !!!
March 19, 2017
I love Anne Stuart's early romance books. Sadly, not all of them are easily accessible from the library in ebook. This one was, and while I've read it a few times before, it did not lessen the experience. Stuart's books are unique in that there are always two couples that are facing difficulties in coming together. While this is not my favorite of hers, it's still a good read.
May 23, 2014
I really liked this book, medieval settings are my favorite, though it was hard to pinpoint exactly what year the book was set in. Julianna, the heroine, I liked her. She was married as a child to a man old enough to be her great-grandfather and sent to live with him when she was only eleven. He died after about ten years of marriage and he hadn't touched her in about five years. Julianna is sent after her husband's death to go live with her mother and her future husband, Julianna has held a grudge against her mother for the last ten years because she believes her mother let her go without a fight.
Nicholas, the hero, is King Henry's fool, who is no real fool. Nicholas is a "gift" to Julianna's future stepfather from the King to entertain the household after the marriage. Nicholas has a secret mission, steal a gold cup that belonged to a long forgotten saint, the King wants this cup. Nicholas is kind of hard to like, I feel like Julianna really fell for him, but I didn't feel the love as much from him.
There are many silly and funny parts because Nicholas rhymes all of the time when pretending to be the fool. The villains are true villains and there is a nice bit of a side romance between Julianna's mother Isabeau and her new husband Hugh. When the cup is finally found and stolen, it is fun to read because whoever has it keeps getting it stolen by someone else.
Not much in the way of love scenes, really only one, but it was good and I really enjoyed the story. I think I liked the story of the cup and the theft more than the romance, but I liked the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nicholas, the hero, is King Henry's fool, who is no real fool. Nicholas is a "gift" to Julianna's future stepfather from the King to entertain the household after the marriage. Nicholas has a secret mission, steal a gold cup that belonged to a long forgotten saint, the King wants this cup. Nicholas is kind of hard to like, I feel like Julianna really fell for him, but I didn't feel the love as much from him.
There are many silly and funny parts because Nicholas rhymes all of the time when pretending to be the fool. The villains are true villains and there is a nice bit of a side romance between Julianna's mother Isabeau and her new husband Hugh. When the cup is finally found and stolen, it is fun to read because whoever has it keeps getting it stolen by someone else.
Not much in the way of love scenes, really only one, but it was good and I really enjoyed the story. I think I liked the story of the cup and the theft more than the romance, but I liked the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2014
Unique Hero Classic Stuart
LADY FORTUNE is the story of Lady Julianna of Montcrieff who was a child bride and is a young widow. Her marriage experience left her alone and desirous of entering a convent so that she never has to marry again. She meets King Henry's court jester who ostensibly sent to entertain as a wedding present for Julianna's mother and new stepfather. The court jester, Nicholas Strangefellow, is actually on a mission to steal a family heirloom from Julianna's stepfather and bring it to King Henry. Nicholas at first sees the widow as an easy conquest to pass the time but soon begins to have feelings for the young widow.
I really liked this book. Nicholas is certainly a unique hero. He is maddening and there is always the question as to what is real in this story and what is part of the subterfuge. There are so many characters whose motives are unclear and perhaps dangerous. It is amusing to see this dangerous man who thinks that he has no weakness fall so completely for Julianna. I loved that this romance was so unexpected. Stuart does not write books for everyone. Her heroes are dangerous men and while they fall in love, they do not become weak and soft and they don't change much except to open their lives to the heroine.
LADY FORTUNE is the story of Lady Julianna of Montcrieff who was a child bride and is a young widow. Her marriage experience left her alone and desirous of entering a convent so that she never has to marry again. She meets King Henry's court jester who ostensibly sent to entertain as a wedding present for Julianna's mother and new stepfather. The court jester, Nicholas Strangefellow, is actually on a mission to steal a family heirloom from Julianna's stepfather and bring it to King Henry. Nicholas at first sees the widow as an easy conquest to pass the time but soon begins to have feelings for the young widow.
I really liked this book. Nicholas is certainly a unique hero. He is maddening and there is always the question as to what is real in this story and what is part of the subterfuge. There are so many characters whose motives are unclear and perhaps dangerous. It is amusing to see this dangerous man who thinks that he has no weakness fall so completely for Julianna. I loved that this romance was so unexpected. Stuart does not write books for everyone. Her heroes are dangerous men and while they fall in love, they do not become weak and soft and they don't change much except to open their lives to the heroine.
April 20, 2014
This story was written by one of my favorite authors. Anne Stuart is totally a "Drama Queen" in this one. I have always liked her historical romances, but this one really hits the mark. We have a tall, very handsome man who is King Henry III's court jester Nicholas Strangefellow. Nicholas wears mismatched clothing, shoes and those infuriating bells to make people believe he is crazy. Then to make matters worse, the King wants him to entertain at a nobleman's wedding with a bit of spying on the side. All things considered, Nicholas really doesn't have any choice since is has no home to speak of. When Nicholas arrives at his destination, he meets the widow Lady Julianna of Moncrieff. She is appalled by the man who is the gift from the King at her mother's wedding. Keeping her distance from the silly fool is hard to do when he makes her heart beat faster and kisses like a lover. Julianna finds out why the King sent Nicholas to her Step fathers castle and she is heart broken. Nicholas thinks he is not good enough for the lady who makes him "feel things" he shouldn't feel. All in all this book is highly recommended for those readers wanting something different. Thanks Net Galley for the chance to review this one.
September 1, 2022
What a mess! How high hopes I had! When I heard this book has a trope present in Baroness Orczy's "Scarlett Pimpernel", I was immediately drawn in. You know, the motif in which the hero pretends to be a fop, obfuscating stupidity for a reason. On top of that, in "Lady Fortune" the hero is a royal jester! I have a soft spot for them, thanks to Stańczyk, who was as witty as he was smart.
Sadly Lady Fortune doesn't live up to my expectation. Everyone with intelligence managed to see through the hero's mask. Plotwise, there was almost none.
Yeah, that's what happens when a fan of slow burns goes for the mainstream.
Sadly Lady Fortune doesn't live up to my expectation. Everyone with intelligence managed to see through the hero's mask. Plotwise, there was almost none.
Yeah, that's what happens when a fan of slow burns goes for the mainstream.
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