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The Lost Lords #3
Un romance indecente
Él era hijo ilegítimo, jugador y réprobo favorito de la sociedad. Pero para lady Kiri, Lawford es un héroe: más valiente que los contrabandistas de quienes la rescata, más honorable que cualquier lord que ha conocido y mucho más atractivo de lo que un hombre tiene derecho a ser. ¿Cómo no iba a enamorarse?
Pero Damian Mackenzie tiene secretos que no dejan espacio en su vida para cortejar jóvenes de la alta sociedad… mucho menos a la hermana de uno de sus amigos más antiguos. Pero cuando la brillante inteligencia de Damian saca a la luz una amenaza mortal para la Corona de Inglaterra, descubre que Kiri no es ni tan mojigata ni tan respetable como en un principio la creyó… y la dama es mucho más seductora de lo que puede resistir.
Pero Damian Mackenzie tiene secretos que no dejan espacio en su vida para cortejar jóvenes de la alta sociedad… mucho menos a la hermana de uno de sus amigos más antiguos. Pero cuando la brillante inteligencia de Damian saca a la luz una amenaza mortal para la Corona de Inglaterra, descubre que Kiri no es ni tan mojigata ni tan respetable como en un principio la creyó… y la dama es mucho más seductora de lo que puede resistir.
446 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
419 people are currently reading
1629 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jo Putney
167 books2,261 followersShe writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.
Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.
While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.
Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.
Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.
Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.
While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.
Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.
Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
June 13, 2011
It has been a long time since I have read a new Putney book. There are certain things I know I can expect in a book by her. The predictability gives me a certain comfort and nostalgia, even while I roll my eyes a bit. A hero somehow involved with spying? Check. A set of identical twins? Check. A heroine more progressive than the times? Check. The list goes on, but I’m sure you get my point.
I approached this book eagerly. I have very fond memories of many of her books, especially my favorite, Angel Rogue. But I was really surprised by how abrupt the attraction developed in the beginning of the book. They were rolling around on the ground together by page 50! I had to stop and flip back to make sure I hadn’t missed anything because Putney usually does a much better job of building the attraction instead of just trying to shove it down your throat. I mean, where was the build up? They kissed once and were already on the floor. Kiri—sister of a duke—was willing to skate the line of propriety in no time at all.
The hero and heroine were cast in a role reversal, and while it made the heroine a little hard to take, it really made me like the hero. He was the one who didn’t want to let things get out of hand. He knew that there was no future for a bastard and the sister of a duke. Plus, he was friendly with her brother and that made things downright awkward. Despite owning a club and dealing with smugglers, he was a completely nice guy—so much so that it made the constant refrain of him being no good for Kiri tiring.
Kiri, on the other hand, was harder to swallow. I really loved some things about her. She was adventurous and outgoing, she loved her mother and was not ashamed of her Indian heritage, and she did not spend half the book dithering over her feelings. Unfortunately, the very things I liked about her were the things that I disliked as well. Instead of those traits being presented in a normal light, they were all cranked up to an unnatural degree. Instead of feeling like a unique woman of her time she seemed unrealistically modern. Especially in regards to sex! At one point the hero has to point out her pushy behavior point blank because she was so aggressive.
I liked the way Princess Charlotte (daughter of the eventual King George IV) was woven into the story. I don’t usually enjoy actual historical figures being featured in the HR I read, but I liked it this time. Her role wasn’t huge and she wasn’t written as over the top or irritating. I also liked that Damien’s reaction to seeing his blood. I like when little quirks and weaknesses like that are shown in a character. It makes them more approachable.
I felt the author’s hand in the book too frequently for my personal taste. All too often I was aware of the characters’ dialogue being used as a way of telling me things I already knew about them. They would speak and think in ways that were not at all natural, just so the author could make sure we, the reader, picked up on what she was trying to get across. I also really didn’t like Kiri’s special talent. The fact that a good chunk of the plot hinged on her smelling ability did not please me. I found it too convenient and random to be real.
Even though there were good and bad things about the book, I enjoyed the read over all. I honestly don’t think this book comes anywhere near the author’s old charm, but it had a muted echo of her old style. It was enough to put me into a nostalgic mood and stir my interest in rereading some of my old favorites.
Favorite Quote:
Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.
I approached this book eagerly. I have very fond memories of many of her books, especially my favorite, Angel Rogue. But I was really surprised by how abrupt the attraction developed in the beginning of the book. They were rolling around on the ground together by page 50! I had to stop and flip back to make sure I hadn’t missed anything because Putney usually does a much better job of building the attraction instead of just trying to shove it down your throat. I mean, where was the build up? They kissed once and were already on the floor. Kiri—sister of a duke—was willing to skate the line of propriety in no time at all.
The hero and heroine were cast in a role reversal, and while it made the heroine a little hard to take, it really made me like the hero. He was the one who didn’t want to let things get out of hand. He knew that there was no future for a bastard and the sister of a duke. Plus, he was friendly with her brother and that made things downright awkward. Despite owning a club and dealing with smugglers, he was a completely nice guy—so much so that it made the constant refrain of him being no good for Kiri tiring.
Kiri, on the other hand, was harder to swallow. I really loved some things about her. She was adventurous and outgoing, she loved her mother and was not ashamed of her Indian heritage, and she did not spend half the book dithering over her feelings. Unfortunately, the very things I liked about her were the things that I disliked as well. Instead of those traits being presented in a normal light, they were all cranked up to an unnatural degree. Instead of feeling like a unique woman of her time she seemed unrealistically modern. Especially in regards to sex! At one point the hero has to point out her pushy behavior point blank because she was so aggressive.
"No!" He jerked away, his breathing ragged. "Imagine that our genders were reversed. If you were male and I was female and you were pressuring me to lie with you even though it was against my conscience and honor--what would you call that?"In addition to finding Kiri completely out of place in a historical, I thought certain events crossed the line of believability a little too often. It was like worrying about an unmarried girl’s reputation—even a duke’s sister—became a non issue.
I liked the way Princess Charlotte (daughter of the eventual King George IV) was woven into the story. I don’t usually enjoy actual historical figures being featured in the HR I read, but I liked it this time. Her role wasn’t huge and she wasn’t written as over the top or irritating. I also liked that Damien’s reaction to seeing his blood. I like when little quirks and weaknesses like that are shown in a character. It makes them more approachable.
I felt the author’s hand in the book too frequently for my personal taste. All too often I was aware of the characters’ dialogue being used as a way of telling me things I already knew about them. They would speak and think in ways that were not at all natural, just so the author could make sure we, the reader, picked up on what she was trying to get across. I also really didn’t like Kiri’s special talent. The fact that a good chunk of the plot hinged on her smelling ability did not please me. I found it too convenient and random to be real.
Even though there were good and bad things about the book, I enjoyed the read over all. I honestly don’t think this book comes anywhere near the author’s old charm, but it had a muted echo of her old style. It was enough to put me into a nostalgic mood and stir my interest in rereading some of my old favorites.
Favorite Quote:
"The Garden of Eden contained Adam, Eve, and a serpent. You, Lady Kiri, are most surely descended from the serpent who is offering temptation in return for Adam's and Eve's souls."
Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.
July 9, 2019
DNF 27%
Like the previous 2 in the series, I don't enjoy the writing, dialogue or plot - I've read it all before (except Kira being biracial, points for that) and it lacks charisma and bite to keep my interest.
I will try the next book as it appears the female lead is the main hero of the book, and that's something new!
Like the previous 2 in the series, I don't enjoy the writing, dialogue or plot - I've read it all before (except Kira being biracial, points for that) and it lacks charisma and bite to keep my interest.
I will try the next book as it appears the female lead is the main hero of the book, and that's something new!
August 24, 2024
3'5 Estrellas. Me ha gustado bastante, pero me ha faltado algo. Empezó muy bien la cosa, la trama estaba increíble, pero aún con eso, no sé por qué, no ha conseguido atraparme lo suficiente.
"Un romance indecente" es el tercer libro de la serie Lores Perdidos de Mary Jo Putney. Me declaro muy fan de esta escritora porque me gusta mucho como escribe, y sus tramas, que suelen ser increíblemente alucinantes. Siendo sincera, el primer libro de ésta serie no lo recuerdo mucho, pero el segundo fue una sorpresa muy satisfactoria y creo que esperaba más de éste tercero. Y aún con todos sus ingredientes, no sé por qué, me ha resultado un libro más.
En éste tercer libro tenemos como protagonistas a Lady Kiri Lawson, la hermana de Adam, duque de Ashton y protagonista del primer libro. Y a Damian Mackenzie, el hermano bastardo de Will Masterson, el protagonista de "Érase una vez un soldado" (serie que no sé por qué, leí antes que esta, y otra más que han olvidado las editoriales españolas).
Kiri no es una mujer común, al igual que Adam es mestiza. Su madre era una princesa hindú que se casó con un duque inglés, que murió mientras su madre estaba embarazada de Kiri. Kiri, a diferencia de su hermano, se crió en la India, en un campamento militar británico (debido a que años más tarde su madre se casó con un general), y solo por eso, es tan distinta a las damiselas corrientes de Inglaterra. Kiri no es recatada y delicada, es fuerte y voluntariosa, y por sus venas pasa lo mejor de ambas razas.
Damian también es distinto a cualquier lord. Es el hijo bastardo de un noble inglés y su madre era una actriz de teatro. Lo mejor que le pasó a Damian fue su hermano Will, que lo aceptó sin reservas, y su paso por la academia de lady Agnes, para chicos problemáticos. Con los años Damian es el dueño de un próspero club de juego, mientras que por las noches acude a Dover a hacer tratos con contrabandistas y de paso sirve a la Corona durante las guerras napoleónicas.
Cuando empieza el libro, Kiri está en una fiesta campestre, esperando a que un joven lord se le declare, cuando a escondidas oye una desagradable conversación entre la futura suegra y su hermana. Ése rechazo y racismo son suficientes para que Kiri abandone la mansión y huya sola de vuelta a Londres. Pero por el camino las cosas se complican y la apresan unos contrabandistas. Su esperanza será la milagrosa aparición de Damian Mackenzie, que la rescatará.
En seguida, Kiri se verá impresionada por la fuerza y valentía de ese hombre, y una vez a salvo en Londres con su familia, Kiri intentará compensar a Damian por su rescate. El problema será cuando ambos protagonistas se vean inmersos en un complot que amenaza con destruir al príncipe regente y a su hija, la princesa Charlotte.
Damian, junto con lady Kiri y otros agentes de la Corona, intentarán descubrir al cerebro de esta operación y pararle los pies.
Visto lo visto, la trama parece muy buena, y realmente lo es. Lo que no sé, es qué me ha pasado. Tiene los ingredientes para ser un libro que enganche, los protagonistas me han gustado. Sencillamente, no sé qué es lo que ha fallado. Quizás que no he podido disponer de tanto tiempo como habría querido para leer, o que el libro no me ha atrapado igual.
Puede que la historia de trasfondo haya estado muy bien, pero sí es verdad que el romance no me ha convencido al 100%, la autora ha destinado más tiempo a la trama principal que a los protagonistas.
En el fondo me ha gustado y ha sido un muy buen libro, y estoy segura de que los siguientes de la serie también me gustarán, pero me da pena que este, habiendo pintado tan bien, no lo haya disfrutado tanto. Al menos, tengo la esperanza de que los siguientes me gusten más.
"Un romance indecente" es el tercer libro de la serie Lores Perdidos de Mary Jo Putney. Me declaro muy fan de esta escritora porque me gusta mucho como escribe, y sus tramas, que suelen ser increíblemente alucinantes. Siendo sincera, el primer libro de ésta serie no lo recuerdo mucho, pero el segundo fue una sorpresa muy satisfactoria y creo que esperaba más de éste tercero. Y aún con todos sus ingredientes, no sé por qué, me ha resultado un libro más.
En éste tercer libro tenemos como protagonistas a Lady Kiri Lawson, la hermana de Adam, duque de Ashton y protagonista del primer libro. Y a Damian Mackenzie, el hermano bastardo de Will Masterson, el protagonista de "Érase una vez un soldado" (serie que no sé por qué, leí antes que esta, y otra más que han olvidado las editoriales españolas).
Kiri no es una mujer común, al igual que Adam es mestiza. Su madre era una princesa hindú que se casó con un duque inglés, que murió mientras su madre estaba embarazada de Kiri. Kiri, a diferencia de su hermano, se crió en la India, en un campamento militar británico (debido a que años más tarde su madre se casó con un general), y solo por eso, es tan distinta a las damiselas corrientes de Inglaterra. Kiri no es recatada y delicada, es fuerte y voluntariosa, y por sus venas pasa lo mejor de ambas razas.
Damian también es distinto a cualquier lord. Es el hijo bastardo de un noble inglés y su madre era una actriz de teatro. Lo mejor que le pasó a Damian fue su hermano Will, que lo aceptó sin reservas, y su paso por la academia de lady Agnes, para chicos problemáticos. Con los años Damian es el dueño de un próspero club de juego, mientras que por las noches acude a Dover a hacer tratos con contrabandistas y de paso sirve a la Corona durante las guerras napoleónicas.
Cuando empieza el libro, Kiri está en una fiesta campestre, esperando a que un joven lord se le declare, cuando a escondidas oye una desagradable conversación entre la futura suegra y su hermana. Ése rechazo y racismo son suficientes para que Kiri abandone la mansión y huya sola de vuelta a Londres. Pero por el camino las cosas se complican y la apresan unos contrabandistas. Su esperanza será la milagrosa aparición de Damian Mackenzie, que la rescatará.
En seguida, Kiri se verá impresionada por la fuerza y valentía de ese hombre, y una vez a salvo en Londres con su familia, Kiri intentará compensar a Damian por su rescate. El problema será cuando ambos protagonistas se vean inmersos en un complot que amenaza con destruir al príncipe regente y a su hija, la princesa Charlotte.
Damian, junto con lady Kiri y otros agentes de la Corona, intentarán descubrir al cerebro de esta operación y pararle los pies.
Visto lo visto, la trama parece muy buena, y realmente lo es. Lo que no sé, es qué me ha pasado. Tiene los ingredientes para ser un libro que enganche, los protagonistas me han gustado. Sencillamente, no sé qué es lo que ha fallado. Quizás que no he podido disponer de tanto tiempo como habría querido para leer, o que el libro no me ha atrapado igual.
Puede que la historia de trasfondo haya estado muy bien, pero sí es verdad que el romance no me ha convencido al 100%, la autora ha destinado más tiempo a la trama principal que a los protagonistas.
En el fondo me ha gustado y ha sido un muy buen libro, y estoy segura de que los siguientes de la serie también me gustarán, pero me da pena que este, habiendo pintado tan bien, no lo haya disfrutado tanto. Al menos, tengo la esperanza de que los siguientes me gusten más.
January 20, 2013
The story in a nutshell:
It’s rare that a sequel rates better than the first book in the series, but this one has gone and done it, mainly because Putney managed to squeeze some actual historical figures into the story.
Up to bat in this inning is Lady Kiri, the Duke of Ashton’s (see Loving a Lost Lord) sister, who was born in India and raised by their mother and stepfather. Kiri is entertaining the suit of a very nice man at a house party when she overhears his mother spew a bunch of racist crap and suggest that the only reason the marriage would be tolerated was because Kiri would be well-dowered. Hurt and furious, Kiri “borrows” the best horse in the stable and heads for the nearest town, where she plans to hire a hack and go home. It’s that or break something.
She encounters smugglers along the way.
They drag her to their little hidey-cave and chain her to the wall with the rusty old manacles (evidently they're in the habit of manacling people in the cave). Then the thugs quarrel over whether they ought to “enjoy” her and then drown her, or whether they might want to try for a ransom. The “rape and kill” faction is winning the argument.
That’s when Trouble arrives. Really. That’s his name. Middle name, anyway.
Damian T. MacKenzie, the bastard brother of Will Masterson, runs a “gentlemen’s” club, and he buys his booze from the smugglers. Seeing the damsel in distress, he offers to take her off their hands, and even pay for her. Most of the smugglers are game, but the leader of the “rape and kill” faction doesn’t like the deal. Damian offers to gamble for her—and, being a card sharp, he wins. The other guy doesn’t like that and there’s a fight.
Kiri, meanwhile, has been sawing on the rusty manacles with her diamond ring, and improbably, it works. During the dustup, she tries to sneak out, but ends up having to do a little Hindu Kung Fu on one of the smugglers.
She comes away from the deal with the smuggler's knife. Then Damian swoops in and gets her out of there.
Naturally the attraction is immediate, and there’s an exploratory grope before Damian realizes who she is. Once he does, he knows he’s unsuitable company for her, so he takes her to Lady Agnes (the woman who runs the academy for wayward boys, that all the heros of these stories once attended). He rides off the next morning and the two of them try to forget each other.
A bit later, Kiri and a friend sneak out (in dominos and masks, of course) to check out Damian’s club—Kiri wants to see him again, ostensibly to repay the money he gave the smugglers for her. While she's circulating in the club, Kiri ends up befriending another young lady who likewise snuck out to get a taste of the wild side.
Later, Kiri sees some men trying to drag the young lady out a side door, and she interferes, foiling an attempted kidnapping.
Turns out the almost-victim is Princess Charlotte, and it’s all part of a huge French plot. The kidnappers wore masks, so they can only be identified by their scents. Kiri happens to be a perfumer by hobby, and she's got a talented (and gorgeous) nose.
So Kiri and Damian, and assorted other sneaky folks, are thrown together while they try to “sniff out” the traitors.
It’s a good story, and I liked the “scent” twist. And the inclusion of Princess Charlotte, an overly sheltered young woman who was punted around like a football by her royal parents, added a touch of history that I enjoyed. From what I read about the princess, she spent a good deal of her life locked away from anyone who wasn’t paid to watch her. Even so, she had no trouble rebelling when it counted; it wouldn’t be too surprising if the princess managed to sneak out from time to time and look for Trouble.
I'm giving this one four stars.
Historical fact—in the Regency period, it was a "fad" for artists to create miniatures of an eye—just a single eye—of their subject. This is Princess Charlotte's eye. Makes her more real, doesn't it? As if she's peering through some kind of lens at US!
But how did one interrupt a conversation to say, “By the way, last night I slipped out to an alarmingly fashionable club and helped foil a royal kidnapping, and I intend to move to a house in a bad neighborhood so I can live with dangerous strangers and dress like a doxy and go to gambling hells and sniff men to see if they’re French conspirators?”
It’s rare that a sequel rates better than the first book in the series, but this one has gone and done it, mainly because Putney managed to squeeze some actual historical figures into the story.
Up to bat in this inning is Lady Kiri, the Duke of Ashton’s (see Loving a Lost Lord) sister, who was born in India and raised by their mother and stepfather. Kiri is entertaining the suit of a very nice man at a house party when she overhears his mother spew a bunch of racist crap and suggest that the only reason the marriage would be tolerated was because Kiri would be well-dowered. Hurt and furious, Kiri “borrows” the best horse in the stable and heads for the nearest town, where she plans to hire a hack and go home. It’s that or break something.
She encounters smugglers along the way.
They drag her to their little hidey-cave and chain her to the wall with the rusty old manacles (evidently they're in the habit of manacling people in the cave). Then the thugs quarrel over whether they ought to “enjoy” her and then drown her, or whether they might want to try for a ransom. The “rape and kill” faction is winning the argument.
That’s when Trouble arrives. Really. That’s his name. Middle name, anyway.
Damian T. MacKenzie, the bastard brother of Will Masterson, runs a “gentlemen’s” club, and he buys his booze from the smugglers. Seeing the damsel in distress, he offers to take her off their hands, and even pay for her. Most of the smugglers are game, but the leader of the “rape and kill” faction doesn’t like the deal. Damian offers to gamble for her—and, being a card sharp, he wins. The other guy doesn’t like that and there’s a fight.
Kiri, meanwhile, has been sawing on the rusty manacles with her diamond ring, and improbably, it works. During the dustup, she tries to sneak out, but ends up having to do a little Hindu Kung Fu on one of the smugglers.
She comes away from the deal with the smuggler's knife. Then Damian swoops in and gets her out of there.
Naturally the attraction is immediate, and there’s an exploratory grope before Damian realizes who she is. Once he does, he knows he’s unsuitable company for her, so he takes her to Lady Agnes (the woman who runs the academy for wayward boys, that all the heros of these stories once attended). He rides off the next morning and the two of them try to forget each other.
A bit later, Kiri and a friend sneak out (in dominos and masks, of course) to check out Damian’s club—Kiri wants to see him again, ostensibly to repay the money he gave the smugglers for her. While she's circulating in the club, Kiri ends up befriending another young lady who likewise snuck out to get a taste of the wild side.
Later, Kiri sees some men trying to drag the young lady out a side door, and she interferes, foiling an attempted kidnapping.
Turns out the almost-victim is Princess Charlotte, and it’s all part of a huge French plot. The kidnappers wore masks, so they can only be identified by their scents. Kiri happens to be a perfumer by hobby, and she's got a talented (and gorgeous) nose.
So Kiri and Damian, and assorted other sneaky folks, are thrown together while they try to “sniff out” the traitors.
It’s a good story, and I liked the “scent” twist. And the inclusion of Princess Charlotte, an overly sheltered young woman who was punted around like a football by her royal parents, added a touch of history that I enjoyed. From what I read about the princess, she spent a good deal of her life locked away from anyone who wasn’t paid to watch her. Even so, she had no trouble rebelling when it counted; it wouldn’t be too surprising if the princess managed to sneak out from time to time and look for Trouble.
I'm giving this one four stars.
Historical fact—in the Regency period, it was a "fad" for artists to create miniatures of an eye—just a single eye—of their subject. This is Princess Charlotte's eye. Makes her more real, doesn't it? As if she's peering through some kind of lens at US!
December 26, 2024
I love warrior heroines so I jumped on the plot holes and enjoyed the ride.
February 28, 2018
I will say this--Mary Jo Putney can write. She has a way with words that sucks you in from the get-go and even if the plot is crazy or the heroine is unbelievable, you still keep turning pages. That was the case here.
The story opens with the heroine hearing some distasteful gossip from the women of a family she is considering marrying into, she immediately leaves, and gets captured by smugglers. Then, the hero, who has some dealings with smugglers due to his being the owner of a club, arrives to pick up his cargo and creates a scene that allows them to escape. Then, when the heroine wants to see the hero again, she goes to his club and using her super ninja skills and the help of the hero, saves the Princess Charlotte from being kidnapped. Now, the hero and heroine have to work together with a group of spies to foil a larger plot against the royals. See what I mean?
The plot is CRAZY.
On top of that, the heroine is good at everything. I mean, everything. She is the most beautiful woman anyone has ever seen. She has impeccable taste. She has fighting skills. She has a "nose" and can blend scents like an expert. She is good with accents and can go in disguise. She can escape from handcuffs. She can dress wounds. She has no fear. And she is, of course, an excellent lover. I am all for capable heroines, but in this case, she was too good. It was suitable in that I wasn't screaming TSTL with all the spy stuff going on (yay!), but I did raise my eyebrow a few times and wonder if such a paragon could ever exist.
Despite the crazy plot and overly capable heroine, the writing still flowed beautifully and kept me turning pages. I know!! I will be giving the other books in this series a try.
The story opens with the heroine hearing some distasteful gossip from the women of a family she is considering marrying into, she immediately leaves, and gets captured by smugglers. Then, the hero, who has some dealings with smugglers due to his being the owner of a club, arrives to pick up his cargo and creates a scene that allows them to escape. Then, when the heroine wants to see the hero again, she goes to his club and using her super ninja skills and the help of the hero, saves the Princess Charlotte from being kidnapped. Now, the hero and heroine have to work together with a group of spies to foil a larger plot against the royals. See what I mean?
The plot is CRAZY.
On top of that, the heroine is good at everything. I mean, everything. She is the most beautiful woman anyone has ever seen. She has impeccable taste. She has fighting skills. She has a "nose" and can blend scents like an expert. She is good with accents and can go in disguise. She can escape from handcuffs. She can dress wounds. She has no fear. And she is, of course, an excellent lover. I am all for capable heroines, but in this case, she was too good. It was suitable in that I wasn't screaming TSTL with all the spy stuff going on (yay!), but I did raise my eyebrow a few times and wonder if such a paragon could ever exist.
Despite the crazy plot and overly capable heroine, the writing still flowed beautifully and kept me turning pages. I know!! I will be giving the other books in this series a try.
February 10, 2021
Een avonturen roman met een beetje romantiek erin verwerkt . Kiri is en beetje te perfect naar mijn smaak ( ze kan echt alles hè ) maar aan de andere kant doet ze voor een dochter en zuster van een Hertog wel erg gemakkelijk afstand van haar maagdelijkheid .
Geen suikerzoete romantiek maar wel lekker veel actie .
Geen suikerzoete romantiek maar wel lekker veel actie .
April 7, 2025
Content warnings: racism, classism, colonialism, kidnapping, confinement, imprisonment, mentions of war
I loved this. The spy vibes. The undercover shenanigans. The dynamic between the two leads. DELIGHTFUL.
I loved this. The spy vibes. The undercover shenanigans. The dynamic between the two leads. DELIGHTFUL.
September 19, 2011
4.5 stars. This is what Regency romance should be. It doesn't do anything particularly exciting or new with the genre, but what it does is traditional historical romance extremely, extremely well. My favorite bit was that the hero and heroine actually genuinely liked one another. When thinking about each other, they were all, "S/he is so smart and talented and funny! Oh, and also gorgeous," instead of the more typical, "God, s/he is so annoying, but so hot! I guess I have no choice but to furiously make out with him/her until we fall in love!"
Also, Mackenzie, Putney's hero, avoids what I have come to think of as the Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz trap of making her heroes sickeningly overprotective. There was one particular scene that went roughly like this:
Mackenzie: But you are a lady! You can't help us spy! It's too dangerous! What if you were hurt?
Kiri: Uh, in case you didn't notice, I just pretty much single-handedly stopped like five bad guys from kidnapping a girl using my awesome martial arts skills. Also, I am really good at disguise, and you need me to identify the bad guys who got away using my superpowered nose.
Mackenzie: Oh, right. My bad. Sorry. Welcome aboard!
<3
The one thing I disliked about the book is that Kiri was too perfect. She had no flaws. Kiri is, in no particular order:
1. Drop-dead gorgeous
2. A skilled martial artist
3. In possession of a super-sniffer like unto Gus in Psych--she can identify bad guys by smell alone
4. A master of disguise
5. Capable of field medicine and cooking
6. In possession of an unerring sense of direction, even in pitch black darkness
At least Mackenzie fainted at the sight of blood. Kiri didn't even have a token flaw. But, well, I'd rather a romance heroine be too kickass than not kickass enough, so I can't complain too much.
If you like Regency romance, grab this book at your earliest opportunity.
Also, Mackenzie, Putney's hero, avoids what I have come to think of as the Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz trap of making her heroes sickeningly overprotective. There was one particular scene that went roughly like this:
Mackenzie: But you are a lady! You can't help us spy! It's too dangerous! What if you were hurt?
Kiri: Uh, in case you didn't notice, I just pretty much single-handedly stopped like five bad guys from kidnapping a girl using my awesome martial arts skills. Also, I am really good at disguise, and you need me to identify the bad guys who got away using my superpowered nose.
Mackenzie: Oh, right. My bad. Sorry. Welcome aboard!
<3
The one thing I disliked about the book is that Kiri was too perfect. She had no flaws. Kiri is, in no particular order:
1. Drop-dead gorgeous
2. A skilled martial artist
3. In possession of a super-sniffer like unto Gus in Psych--she can identify bad guys by smell alone
4. A master of disguise
5. Capable of field medicine and cooking
6. In possession of an unerring sense of direction, even in pitch black darkness
At least Mackenzie fainted at the sight of blood. Kiri didn't even have a token flaw. But, well, I'd rather a romance heroine be too kickass than not kickass enough, so I can't complain too much.
If you like Regency romance, grab this book at your earliest opportunity.
June 9, 2011
3.5 Stars
I was looking forward to this book because I really liked the previous book in "The Lost Lords" series. Unfortunately, this one didn't have the last book's charm.
Mac was a nice hero, with a heart of gold underneath the seedy image. And there wasn't a touch of alpha-male in him, much to my relief. Kiri was also the sort of heroine that I like when you read the traits written out on paper. She was strong, unique, and independent. But there was something missing from this couple that would make me really want to root for them.
A lot of the book centered on a kidnapping plot and events kept happening to thrown the hero and heroine together in less than likely situations. It seemed a little too set up as a way to get them alone together.
This book would suit someone who likes to read intricate mystery and adventure plots, with just a dash of romance. The romance and characters weren't developed enough for my tastes, even though there was really nothing objectionable about the book.
Great if you like mystery, if you prefer romance with a loveable lead couple pick up "Never Less than a Lady" instead!
book sent by publicist in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
I was looking forward to this book because I really liked the previous book in "The Lost Lords" series. Unfortunately, this one didn't have the last book's charm.
Mac was a nice hero, with a heart of gold underneath the seedy image. And there wasn't a touch of alpha-male in him, much to my relief. Kiri was also the sort of heroine that I like when you read the traits written out on paper. She was strong, unique, and independent. But there was something missing from this couple that would make me really want to root for them.
A lot of the book centered on a kidnapping plot and events kept happening to thrown the hero and heroine together in less than likely situations. It seemed a little too set up as a way to get them alone together.
This book would suit someone who likes to read intricate mystery and adventure plots, with just a dash of romance. The romance and characters weren't developed enough for my tastes, even though there was really nothing objectionable about the book.
Great if you like mystery, if you prefer romance with a loveable lead couple pick up "Never Less than a Lady" instead!
book sent by publicist in exchange for honest review
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
June 22, 2011
I was thrilled to come across this at Half Price Books, because I liked the first two books in the series. I think this third story is best of the three.
Lady Kiri is the daughter of an English Duke, but her mother is a princess of India. She had an unconventional upbringing around the British Army camps of India due to her stepfather, a British General. This is how a princess learns to have such diverse skills as to make tea, set broken arms, brew perfumes, and perform martial-arts self-defense. She has less of an idea of how to be a proper British maiden. I enjoyed reading about a character who does not share the Ton's values or outlooks.
Damian Mackenzie is an illegitimate offspring of a British peer, raised with his legitimate half-brother and properly educated. After his career in the Army ended under an undeserved cloud, he was recruited as a spy-master against Napoleon and opened a London gaming-house to gather information between his undercover activities.
The two meet under unusual circumstances, and Kiri's abillities as a perfumier and "nose" become needed in order to protect the Royal Family against a plot. The rest of the story is a great action-adventure tale with the love story coming along almost incidentally. They seem star-crossed lovers fated never to share a future until....
Of course, this is a romance novel and one expects a happily-ever-after, yet I was surprised by the plot twist that allows it to occur.
I'll be reading this entire series again, and look forward to further books about "The Lost Lords."
Lady Kiri is the daughter of an English Duke, but her mother is a princess of India. She had an unconventional upbringing around the British Army camps of India due to her stepfather, a British General. This is how a princess learns to have such diverse skills as to make tea, set broken arms, brew perfumes, and perform martial-arts self-defense. She has less of an idea of how to be a proper British maiden. I enjoyed reading about a character who does not share the Ton's values or outlooks.
Damian Mackenzie is an illegitimate offspring of a British peer, raised with his legitimate half-brother and properly educated. After his career in the Army ended under an undeserved cloud, he was recruited as a spy-master against Napoleon and opened a London gaming-house to gather information between his undercover activities.
The two meet under unusual circumstances, and Kiri's abillities as a perfumier and "nose" become needed in order to protect the Royal Family against a plot. The rest of the story is a great action-adventure tale with the love story coming along almost incidentally. They seem star-crossed lovers fated never to share a future until....
Of course, this is a romance novel and one expects a happily-ever-after, yet I was surprised by the plot twist that allows it to occur.
I'll be reading this entire series again, and look forward to further books about "The Lost Lords."
May 18, 2016
In theory, this book should have hit all my areas of interest: a "kickass" and diverse heroine, a hero with an atypical flaw (he hates the sight of blood, especially his own, which causes him to faint), strong bonds between siblings, spies, gambling, smuggling, the heroine saves the hero... But it all just fell utterly flat. The more perfect Kiri was, the more I actively disliked her. Mac was fine, I suppose, is occasionally annoying with his "Kiri is so perfect! And beeyootiful!" thoughts and comments and his repeated comments that he doesn't deserve her. Top all of this off with hackneyed dialogue and a lackluster plot and you'll probably wonder why the hell I didn't just abandon this book... Which would be a very good question. Because I'm stubborn? Because I was so pleasantly surprised by The Wild Child a few weeks ago? In the end, this book doesn't end up on my "did not finish" shelf. But I almost kind of wish it did, so that I could have used that time to read something else I'd actually enjoy. Oh well. Hoping this book was just a fluke and that future Mary Jo Putney books are more in line with the Wild Child than this epic dud of a book.
May 14, 2011
This book was at least better than the last one in the series, but that's really not saying much. It wasn't that it was a particularly bad book but that it is nowhere near as good as MJP's earlier works. The characterization wasn't very deep. The actions of the heroine, Kiri, were not appropriate to the time period. I get that the heroine was a foreigner but even so the author didn't sell me on the idea that
The plot involving Princess Charlotte wasn't real interesting. In fact I had trouble caring about any of the characters. This book lacks the emotional depth I have come to expect in MJP's work and I miss it. No tugs on my heart strings at all.
After three books in this series, I don't have much faith that the series will get any better. However, I am a long time fan of MJP so I will undoubtedly read the next one and keep my fingers crossed.
The plot involving Princess Charlotte wasn't real interesting. In fact I had trouble caring about any of the characters. This book lacks the emotional depth I have come to expect in MJP's work and I miss it. No tugs on my heart strings at all.
After three books in this series, I don't have much faith that the series will get any better. However, I am a long time fan of MJP so I will undoubtedly read the next one and keep my fingers crossed.
May 24, 2016
Actually not one of my favorites. It was OK. But I've come to realize that I don't revel in books where romance is not the central storyline. There was a mystery to be solved here which overshadowed the romance.
Kiri and Damien accidentally meet when she is kidnapped by smugglers she inadvertently discovered. Damien was using smugglers to supply his gaming establishment with the best in alcoholic beverages from France. Damien also works for a underground government intelligence organization. So they get caught up in solving the attempted assassinations of the royal family.
Still, the book was good. Just not riveting for me. Which is why I think it took so long for me to complete. I'll still finish the series, though.
Kiri and Damien accidentally meet when she is kidnapped by smugglers she inadvertently discovered. Damien was using smugglers to supply his gaming establishment with the best in alcoholic beverages from France. Damien also works for a underground government intelligence organization. So they get caught up in solving the attempted assassinations of the royal family.
Still, the book was good. Just not riveting for me. Which is why I think it took so long for me to complete. I'll still finish the series, though.
March 19, 2014
Primer libro que leo de esta autora y me gustó muchísimo. Mary chica deberías darle unas clases de lo que es escribir romance histórico a escritoras como Jude D.
Con un lenguaje bien cuidado, situaciones llenas de intriga y acción es una lectura bastante amena. Lady Kiri es una protagonista de armas tomar aunque demasiado independiente y audaz para sus tiempos. Aunque debo decir se nota el esmero de Mary Jo Putney por describirte una Inglaterra del siglo XIX y el toque de creatividad al insertar personajes mestizos.
Sin duda leeré más de esta mujer.
Con un lenguaje bien cuidado, situaciones llenas de intriga y acción es una lectura bastante amena. Lady Kiri es una protagonista de armas tomar aunque demasiado independiente y audaz para sus tiempos. Aunque debo decir se nota el esmero de Mary Jo Putney por describirte una Inglaterra del siglo XIX y el toque de creatividad al insertar personajes mestizos.
Sin duda leeré más de esta mujer.
November 2, 2011
I never thought I would say this about a book by MJP but it was too boring to finish. :(
Read
April 17, 2021This one was a bit slower going than the last two, but it picked up at the end and I loved the ending.
June 22, 2020
Saya salut bin tepok tangan dah buat author yg paling hebat dlm meng-glorifikasi heroine-nya. Saya mau menempelkan kata "MUNAFIK" ke heroine-nya entah cocok apa nggak ya.
Begini soalnya, Lady Kiri ini hampir menerima pertunangan dari putra ketiga bangsawan, tapi gara-gara dengar dirinya diomongin sbg wanita perayu murahan dan ibunya dijelek-jelekin, Kiri marah dan kabur secepatnya. Nah ternyata Kiri malah diculik sama gerombolan mesum, salah satu diantaranya Damian MacKenzie, yg awal-awalnya juga merayu Kiri juga sih. Setelah tahu Kiri adalah adik Ashton (hero di buku pertama), Mac berubah sikap dan dgn terus terang dan sejelas kaca transparan, Mac mengatakan pd Kiri dia tidak bisa mendekati adik Ashton. Etapitapitapi... Si Kiri ini (entah dimana si Kanan) malah sengaja merayu Mac dgn mengiming-imingi tubuhnya. Mbok ya... gak salah dong yg sebelumnya ngegosipin si mbak Lady ini. Mahar berkilauan tapi tingkah laku (walau secara teknis masih perawan) gak pantas walau atas dasar cinta, ya gimana gak saya cap sbg "MUNAFIK"?
Untungnya novel ini plot ceritanya menarik ttg plot makar utk membunuh Princess Charlotte dan ayahnya, Prinny (walau panjang, terjemahannya sd 550 hlm). Jadi Kiri ngeyel mau ikut penyelidikan siapa yg mau mengadakan makar yg bermula dari klub "Damian's" milik Mac. Dgn mengandalkan penciumannya yg tajam (gw koq jadi merasa si Kiri ini mirip Doggy ya), dia melacak siapa yg memakai parfum Alejandro (deuh.. bikin gw teringat pada Lady Gaga). Mac juga bukan org suci dan setelah memperawani Kiri dan bobo bareng lagi, dia menegur Kiri utk jangan merayu-rayu lagi krn iman dan iminnya tipis kalau liat body semoknya si Kiri. Untung si Kiri manut (pdhl biasanya gak krn over PD dirinya cantik dan sangat kaya raya). Kenapa saya menulis ini dgn agak detil? Saya sebel dgn kepribadian si Kiri, makanya bacanya jadi agak lama.
Mac jatuh bangun utk mendapatkan siapa dalang sang makar. Nah saya suka di bagian ini krn ini berkaitan dgn sejarah yg sebenarnya. Cuma selain itu saya kurang suka cerita ttg semua hal kekeluargaan. Darah campuran Kiri tidak terlalu dipersoalkan, ini bagus, tapi gak usah diberi banyak ketrampilan ini itu spt gak ada kekurangannya aja. FYI, Kiri bisa menguasai ilmu totok (menghentikan peredaran darah) Kalariyaptu ala India ini. Kiri jago bikin parfum, Kiri bisa mengobati luka parah. Serba bisa kan, plus bisa merayu lelaki manapun yg diinginkan. Sptnya saya harus siap lahir batin setiap baca buku author ini.
Begini soalnya, Lady Kiri ini hampir menerima pertunangan dari putra ketiga bangsawan, tapi gara-gara dengar dirinya diomongin sbg wanita perayu murahan dan ibunya dijelek-jelekin, Kiri marah dan kabur secepatnya. Nah ternyata Kiri malah diculik sama gerombolan mesum, salah satu diantaranya Damian MacKenzie, yg awal-awalnya juga merayu Kiri juga sih. Setelah tahu Kiri adalah adik Ashton (hero di buku pertama), Mac berubah sikap dan dgn terus terang dan sejelas kaca transparan, Mac mengatakan pd Kiri dia tidak bisa mendekati adik Ashton. Etapitapitapi... Si Kiri ini (entah dimana si Kanan) malah sengaja merayu Mac dgn mengiming-imingi tubuhnya. Mbok ya... gak salah dong yg sebelumnya ngegosipin si mbak Lady ini. Mahar berkilauan tapi tingkah laku (walau secara teknis masih perawan) gak pantas walau atas dasar cinta, ya gimana gak saya cap sbg "MUNAFIK"?
Untungnya novel ini plot ceritanya menarik ttg plot makar utk membunuh Princess Charlotte dan ayahnya, Prinny (walau panjang, terjemahannya sd 550 hlm). Jadi Kiri ngeyel mau ikut penyelidikan siapa yg mau mengadakan makar yg bermula dari klub "Damian's" milik Mac. Dgn mengandalkan penciumannya yg tajam (gw koq jadi merasa si Kiri ini mirip Doggy ya), dia melacak siapa yg memakai parfum Alejandro (deuh.. bikin gw teringat pada Lady Gaga). Mac juga bukan org suci dan setelah memperawani Kiri dan bobo bareng lagi, dia menegur Kiri utk jangan merayu-rayu lagi krn iman dan iminnya tipis kalau liat body semoknya si Kiri. Untung si Kiri manut (pdhl biasanya gak krn over PD dirinya cantik dan sangat kaya raya). Kenapa saya menulis ini dgn agak detil? Saya sebel dgn kepribadian si Kiri, makanya bacanya jadi agak lama.
Mac jatuh bangun utk mendapatkan siapa dalang sang makar. Nah saya suka di bagian ini krn ini berkaitan dgn sejarah yg sebenarnya. Cuma selain itu saya kurang suka cerita ttg semua hal kekeluargaan. Darah campuran Kiri tidak terlalu dipersoalkan, ini bagus, tapi gak usah diberi banyak ketrampilan ini itu spt gak ada kekurangannya aja. FYI, Kiri bisa menguasai ilmu totok (menghentikan peredaran darah) Kalariyaptu ala India ini. Kiri jago bikin parfum, Kiri bisa mengobati luka parah. Serba bisa kan, plus bisa merayu lelaki manapun yg diinginkan. Sptnya saya harus siap lahir batin setiap baca buku author ini.
May 9, 2011
Truly not up to Putney's usual standards, either in terms of character-development or in terms of crafting a believable, engaging plot. Lots of secrets about the hero's past are told to little effect -- we never really see how his past shaped the person he is today. And Lady Kiri was simply too out of period to be at all believable (perhaps if Putney had included more specific incidents from her upbringing, I might have bought it, but without...). The central plot conceit -- that Princess Charlotte could escape from her house and enter a gambling club and then be at the mercy of kidnappers -- struck me as utterly unbelievable, despite the author's note explaining that Charlotte was "rebellious." And I kept stumbling over infelicitous turns of phrase, more so than in earlier Putney novels. Hard to believe that the same author who wrote THUNDER AND ROSES and THE BARTERED BRIDE, with their complex character construction, wrote this one...
Reading this, I felt like Putney was just going through the motions. Made me wonder: has someone told Putney she has to write less involved, shorter books to keep an audience engaged? Or has she hired a ghost-writer to pen her books, because the well has run dry?
Reading this, I felt like Putney was just going through the motions. Made me wonder: has someone told Putney she has to write less involved, shorter books to keep an audience engaged? Or has she hired a ghost-writer to pen her books, because the well has run dry?
August 1, 2014
I loved every minute of this book. Mac was to die for and Kiri was such a sweetie. This was forbidden love at it's finest. Kiri is a Duke's daughter and a mixed blood (English and Indian) while Mac is a bastard and a gaming club owner. Kiri is a little wild and hates the stuffy Englishmen who see her as inferior. When she meets Mac, she is instantly smitten but Mac knows that he is not the one for her. After all his former school mate, Adam Lawford is her brother and he knows Mac and Mac's ways. Mac sees no way to overcome their differences and tries his best to resist her temptations but Kiri was having none of that. Like I said, romance at it's finest.
May 12, 2011
This was the first of Mary Jo Putney that I've read. One of the many free reads I picked up from the RT convention this year. I loved that the heroine in this story lived outside the bounds of society. I realize that it probably didn't happen often in real life, but this is fiction people... so why not? The hero is flawed and charming. I really did enjoy this.
March 11, 2019
Kiri and Damian have an abundance of moxie and it's fun to watch them fall under each other's spell. Neither of them really fit in with the aristocratic norms of Britain, and they both really blossom once they realize their love for each other can help them to belong. I liked this one a lot, and it had some Will bits, which was great as he's my fave.
August 4, 2021
The Duke’s Daughter and Baron’s Illegitimate Son
New to England, Lady Kiri is having a hard time fitting in. Beautiful, wealthy, and half Indian, Kiri keeps encountering people who only see who she is superficially. Isn’t it odd that the one man who seems to see into her soul is the same man who helps rescue her from a group of Smugglers.
Damien Mackenzie, Mac to his friends, as long known who he was. And he’s fine with it. The illegitimate son of an actress and a wealthy baron, Mac has always learned that charm and preparation can go far. But when a plot to assassinate several members of the British royal family falls into his lap he knows what he hast to do. But can he resist his partner, Kiri—The fascinating sister of one of his closest friends, in order to do it?
—
This is a really fun romantic suspense novel. There’s a compelling and exciting plot that does a really good job of not only keeping the romance going. But also introducing us to characters that will carryover into future novels.
Kiri is a fun alpha heroine. And those are really rare in romance let me tell you. She’s the one who directs the directionality of the romance and I honestly appreciate seeing a woman take the lead in that department. I also really enjoyed watching curious unique ability to distinguish scents Be utilized to help uncover this plot.
I also liked Mac as a hero. He is an alpha hero he’s the kind of guy who kicks butt and take names. He’s a spy and he’s a good spy. But he also got some insecurities when it comes to romance and it’s sort of nice to see the shoe be on the other foot. They were fun together and I liked them.
But honestly the plot was one of the better ones of the series. From the prologue I was hooked. And I even laughed at it.
This was a fun book
Five Stars
New to England, Lady Kiri is having a hard time fitting in. Beautiful, wealthy, and half Indian, Kiri keeps encountering people who only see who she is superficially. Isn’t it odd that the one man who seems to see into her soul is the same man who helps rescue her from a group of Smugglers.
Damien Mackenzie, Mac to his friends, as long known who he was. And he’s fine with it. The illegitimate son of an actress and a wealthy baron, Mac has always learned that charm and preparation can go far. But when a plot to assassinate several members of the British royal family falls into his lap he knows what he hast to do. But can he resist his partner, Kiri—The fascinating sister of one of his closest friends, in order to do it?
—
This is a really fun romantic suspense novel. There’s a compelling and exciting plot that does a really good job of not only keeping the romance going. But also introducing us to characters that will carryover into future novels.
Kiri is a fun alpha heroine. And those are really rare in romance let me tell you. She’s the one who directs the directionality of the romance and I honestly appreciate seeing a woman take the lead in that department. I also really enjoyed watching curious unique ability to distinguish scents Be utilized to help uncover this plot.
I also liked Mac as a hero. He is an alpha hero he’s the kind of guy who kicks butt and take names. He’s a spy and he’s a good spy. But he also got some insecurities when it comes to romance and it’s sort of nice to see the shoe be on the other foot. They were fun together and I liked them.
But honestly the plot was one of the better ones of the series. From the prologue I was hooked. And I even laughed at it.
This was a fun book
Five Stars
February 6, 2021
2.5 stars
One of this author's weaker books, this novel didn't make much of an impression on me. Like several other novels in this series, this one is part spy thriller and part regency romance. Unfortunately, both parts didn't mesh at all. They dangle separately, and the author picks one up at random, prods the sub-plot a bit further along, then switches to the other one and repeats the process. And so on, back and forth to the end.
Another flaw of this book was that every few pages, the author introduced a new obstacle in the protagonists' way. It looked like she was sitting at her desk and thinking: hey, what else could go wrong? And then applying what she came up with to the next chapter of her story. I don't mind characters solving problems - that's how they grow - but there should be a finite number of problems in any given story. When there are too many, the problems loose their terrifying flavor and their immediacy and become just words on the page.
Besides, while the spying adventure line was OK, sort of, the emotional line read bland and amateur. I didn't care about the hero and heroine's love/attraction/lust. In fact, I skimmed the mushy parts, because neither the hero nor the heroine seemed alive. They could've been such an fascinating couple - the material was there - but the execution was so poor I didn't give a damn about their star-crossed situation at all.
Furthermore, there was a social chasm between them, which was clearly impossible to cross in the 19th century. That the author resolved that problem so easily and produced the HEA on schedule by the last chapter just proved this novel's essential shortcomings.
Overall: meh.
One of this author's weaker books, this novel didn't make much of an impression on me. Like several other novels in this series, this one is part spy thriller and part regency romance. Unfortunately, both parts didn't mesh at all. They dangle separately, and the author picks one up at random, prods the sub-plot a bit further along, then switches to the other one and repeats the process. And so on, back and forth to the end.
Another flaw of this book was that every few pages, the author introduced a new obstacle in the protagonists' way. It looked like she was sitting at her desk and thinking: hey, what else could go wrong? And then applying what she came up with to the next chapter of her story. I don't mind characters solving problems - that's how they grow - but there should be a finite number of problems in any given story. When there are too many, the problems loose their terrifying flavor and their immediacy and become just words on the page.
Besides, while the spying adventure line was OK, sort of, the emotional line read bland and amateur. I didn't care about the hero and heroine's love/attraction/lust. In fact, I skimmed the mushy parts, because neither the hero nor the heroine seemed alive. They could've been such an fascinating couple - the material was there - but the execution was so poor I didn't give a damn about their star-crossed situation at all.
Furthermore, there was a social chasm between them, which was clearly impossible to cross in the 19th century. That the author resolved that problem so easily and produced the HEA on schedule by the last chapter just proved this novel's essential shortcomings.
Overall: meh.
February 5, 2022
No ha estat malament. Correspon més a un 3,5 que a un 4. M'ha agradat més que l'anterior de la saga, això sí.
Ella, força "moderna" i empoderada. Ell, encantador, des de la seva bastardia.
La Putney ha solventat el problema social, traient-se un as de la màniga que m'ha semblat una mica com fer trampes... però li perdono, per tal de veure junts ever after al Damian i la Kiri.
Ella, força "moderna" i empoderada. Ell, encantador, des de la seva bastardia.
La Putney ha solventat el problema social, traient-se un as de la màniga que m'ha semblat una mica com fer trampes... però li perdono, per tal de veure junts ever after al Damian i la Kiri.
July 15, 2017
Best book in the series so far. More of a traditional romance with some risqué additions but I enjoyed the mystery of it more than the second book.
December 13, 2017
It was an interesting and adventurous story :) And it was fun to read about Lady Kiri. She made a fascinating character with her mixed heritage, fighting skills and passion for perfumes. It was also fun to read about Prince Regent and Princess Charlotte. The Regency period was well described with characters that thwarted all conventions.
September 16, 2022
I enjoyed this third book in the Lost Lords series. A strong heroine, half British and half Indian, in Regency England kicking butt with clandestine operatives. All while finding love and making perfume. The most unique so far but hoping the remaining books will be as well done.
March 25, 2021
I listened to this and enjoyed it. She was a different type heroine--Indian royalty, expert in martial art-type fighting, and very self confident, but believable.
November 6, 2021
I love this kind of dramas that break the rules of high society. The author makes a fascinating mix of cultures despite being set in the times of ancient England. Conspiracies and little particular espionage was what got me hooked on this novel. The protagonists are not very conventional and I loved the dynamics between them.
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