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Gothic Love Stories #2
Too Sinful To Deny - Terlalu Nista untuk Diingkari
Dengan sekali melihat ke bangunan tinggi yang bakal menjadi kediamannya selama diasingkan dari lingkungan sosialita, Susan Stanton tahu, rumah itu dihantui rahasia-rahasia dan penuh ancaman. Tak ada jalan melarikan diri bagi Susan. Hal terbaik yang bisa dilakukan Susan adalah mengenyahkan ancaman paling berbahaya yang ada di sana, penyelundup berambut gelap: Evan Bothwick!
Susan sendiri memiliki rahasia yang tak ingin dibaginya dengan siapapun - kemampuan khusus yang menuntunnya ke misteri paling gelap yang tersembunyi di balik dinding dan lorong-lorong bawah tanah manor. Satu-satunya orang yang bisa membantunya adalah Evan, bangsawan liar yang pesonanya melebihi kemampuan Susan bertahan...
Susan sendiri memiliki rahasia yang tak ingin dibaginya dengan siapapun - kemampuan khusus yang menuntunnya ke misteri paling gelap yang tersembunyi di balik dinding dan lorong-lorong bawah tanah manor. Satu-satunya orang yang bisa membantunya adalah Evan, bangsawan liar yang pesonanya melebihi kemampuan Susan bertahan...
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Erica Ridley
135 books2,224 followersGet freebies and 99¢ deals at: https://ridley.vip
Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of historical romance novels, including THE DUKE HEIST, featuring the Wild Wynchesters. Why seduce a duke the normal way, when you can accidentally kidnap one in an elaborately planned heist?
In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, enjoy witty, heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!
Two popular series, the Dukes of War and Rogues to Riches, feature roguish peers and dashing war heroes who find love amongst the splendor and madness of Regency England.
When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found eating couscous in Morocco, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.
Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of historical romance novels, including THE DUKE HEIST, featuring the Wild Wynchesters. Why seduce a duke the normal way, when you can accidentally kidnap one in an elaborately planned heist?
In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, enjoy witty, heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!
Two popular series, the Dukes of War and Rogues to Riches, feature roguish peers and dashing war heroes who find love amongst the splendor and madness of Regency England.
When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found eating couscous in Morocco, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
December 10, 2022
Erica Ridley is my go-to author for happy reading. Her books, irrespective of the plot always just always manage to bring a smile to my face, and Too Sinful to Deny is no exception. Honestly thou this is not a book that one should smile about with all the ghosts troubling Susan and the gothic manor house with its spooky and terrifying butler and her absent aunt adding to the troubles. Then there are the smugglers led by Evan Bothwick hell bent on discovering his brother’s murderer.
There’s chaos with a whole host of characters including the ghosts and Susan finding herself at a loss unable to trust anyone and all she wants is for her parents to send her some money so she can get back to the bustle of London.
Susan’s characterization didn’t work really well for me, she is kind of jumbled up and her thoughts always felt kind of muddled, yes she’s intent on escape but she keeps doing hoola loops around with one option on the other adding to the confusion. The plot has quite a lot going on, what with smuggling, murders, and also abuse both physical and mental tortures coming into play. The banter between Evan and Susan was like always with the author cracking with a spark of its own.
Easy to read and quite a quick fun, Erica Ridley keeps the suspense high with lovely bits of humor and romance in Too Sinful To Deny.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
There’s chaos with a whole host of characters including the ghosts and Susan finding herself at a loss unable to trust anyone and all she wants is for her parents to send her some money so she can get back to the bustle of London.
Susan’s characterization didn’t work really well for me, she is kind of jumbled up and her thoughts always felt kind of muddled, yes she’s intent on escape but she keeps doing hoola loops around with one option on the other adding to the confusion. The plot has quite a lot going on, what with smuggling, murders, and also abuse both physical and mental tortures coming into play. The banter between Evan and Susan was like always with the author cracking with a spark of its own.
Easy to read and quite a quick fun, Erica Ridley keeps the suspense high with lovely bits of humor and romance in Too Sinful To Deny.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
September 23, 2025
4,5 stars
Jane Eyre meets Pirates of the Caribbean. And SEES DEAD PEOPLE. 😱
🕯️🏴☠️🕯️🏴☠️🕯️🏴☠️🕯️
RTC
Jane Eyre meets Pirates of the Caribbean. And SEES DEAD PEOPLE. 😱
🕯️🏴☠️🕯️🏴☠️🕯️🏴☠️🕯️
RTC
June 14, 2011
I love gothic romances, especially ones with ocean side manors and smugglers! So I was really happy to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I found it a very fun read!
London socialite Susan Stanton is banished from town by her parents for acting improperly and is sent to visit her relatives, whom she's never met, at Moonseed Manor in Bournemouth. While there she meets a very strange assortment of characters--the "scarecrow" butler, the "porcelain doll" and "witch" that work in the dress shop, handsome smuggler Evan Bothwick, who is trying to find out who murdered his brother, and three persistent ghosts.
This book was a little heavier on the suspense than the romance but I still found it very enjoyable. Evan and Susan were a wonderful couple!
If you enjoy romances with creepy manors and ghosts I recommend "To Sinful To Deny".
London socialite Susan Stanton is banished from town by her parents for acting improperly and is sent to visit her relatives, whom she's never met, at Moonseed Manor in Bournemouth. While there she meets a very strange assortment of characters--the "scarecrow" butler, the "porcelain doll" and "witch" that work in the dress shop, handsome smuggler Evan Bothwick, who is trying to find out who murdered his brother, and three persistent ghosts.
This book was a little heavier on the suspense than the romance but I still found it very enjoyable. Evan and Susan were a wonderful couple!
If you enjoy romances with creepy manors and ghosts I recommend "To Sinful To Deny".
August 12, 2019
After disappointing her society-driven mother too many times, Susan is banished to stay with a country cousin. The impossibly dull location is made a little more exciting by ghosts, pirates, and a certain Mr Bothwick.
I received a free copy of the Gothic Love Stories box-set from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This follows Susan, who was a side character in Too Wicked to Kiss (book 1), in which she is shunned by society for being a tattletale, and shunned by her mother for failing to trap Lord Lioncroft in marriage.
This second book starts with Susan showing further disobedience to her mother, by sneaking out and almost drowning at the Frost Fair.
Rather than care for her daughter's well-being, Lady Stanton sends her away from London, until her previous "ill behaviour" is forgotten about.
Susan ends up in a seaside town with no entertainment fit for a lady, no friends, and no chance of escape. Worse, she is plagued by ghosts, since her own brush with death. She finds an unlikely ally in Dead Mr Bothwick, and seeks to uncover the mystery surrounding his death, and her cousin's captivity.
Mr Bothwick's living brother, Evan, has sworn to stay away from Miss Stanton. She's the sort of marriage-chasing society prim that he has no interest in. He has no intention of falling into any sort of commitment with a woman. But Susan surprises him, by being opinioned, head-strong, and more than a little odd.
I really, really wanted to like this one. I enjoyed its predecessor, and come on, this one includes ghosts and pirates.
Unfortunately, it lost the flowing, easy-to-read narrative of the other books in this boxset. Sentences were jumbled and the plot was hard to follow. It felt like the author didn't know what she wanted to achieve with any particular scene, but kept writing anyway.
I was very disappointed, this was a great idea, but the execution just gave me a headache.
I wanted to like Susan, and she had some glimmers of hope, but overall I didn't buy her as a character. She didn't seem to grasp the danger she was in, with her cousin and her husband. Or, she did, but it didn't seem to bother her that she had to keep sleeping in their home. She's keen to escape, and seems quite selfish in that endeavour.
She had a plan that she was going to escape via an assembly at Bath, but not for a couple of weeks. It was frustrating, and her thoughts were dismally repetitive, as she stewed in her misfortune and didn't make any effort, except when she was being harried by a ghost.
I'm glad this wasn't the first book in the boxset, as it would have put me off the rest.
I received a free copy of the Gothic Love Stories box-set from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This follows Susan, who was a side character in Too Wicked to Kiss (book 1), in which she is shunned by society for being a tattletale, and shunned by her mother for failing to trap Lord Lioncroft in marriage.
This second book starts with Susan showing further disobedience to her mother, by sneaking out and almost drowning at the Frost Fair.
Rather than care for her daughter's well-being, Lady Stanton sends her away from London, until her previous "ill behaviour" is forgotten about.
Susan ends up in a seaside town with no entertainment fit for a lady, no friends, and no chance of escape. Worse, she is plagued by ghosts, since her own brush with death. She finds an unlikely ally in Dead Mr Bothwick, and seeks to uncover the mystery surrounding his death, and her cousin's captivity.
Mr Bothwick's living brother, Evan, has sworn to stay away from Miss Stanton. She's the sort of marriage-chasing society prim that he has no interest in. He has no intention of falling into any sort of commitment with a woman. But Susan surprises him, by being opinioned, head-strong, and more than a little odd.
I really, really wanted to like this one. I enjoyed its predecessor, and come on, this one includes ghosts and pirates.
Unfortunately, it lost the flowing, easy-to-read narrative of the other books in this boxset. Sentences were jumbled and the plot was hard to follow. It felt like the author didn't know what she wanted to achieve with any particular scene, but kept writing anyway.
I was very disappointed, this was a great idea, but the execution just gave me a headache.
I wanted to like Susan, and she had some glimmers of hope, but overall I didn't buy her as a character. She didn't seem to grasp the danger she was in, with her cousin and her husband. Or, she did, but it didn't seem to bother her that she had to keep sleeping in their home. She's keen to escape, and seems quite selfish in that endeavour.
She had a plan that she was going to escape via an assembly at Bath, but not for a couple of weeks. It was frustrating, and her thoughts were dismally repetitive, as she stewed in her misfortune and didn't make any effort, except when she was being harried by a ghost.
I'm glad this wasn't the first book in the boxset, as it would have put me off the rest.
August 8, 2019
Can two persons with different agenda find a truce and work together.
Estranged from London ton for her unsuitability to keep her mouth closed, Susan finds herself hurled to the confines of nowhere. Where she steps in the middle of a smuggler/pirate war.
When I saw this second book will be about Susan the haughty and scheming young Miss from the previous book, I was not sure about it.
Susan is far from the best heroine, but from the beginning I do liked her spoiled bratty self. She was full of quips and sarcasms.
This was until she meets Evan, at first it was a battle of wits then the more they denied their chemistry, the more I was upset by their distrust of the other.
Even if it was rather humorous to see Susan put her feet in her mouth, I disliked their inability to talk calmly, trust another and always hiding things from the other. They spent 90% of the story doubting the other, keeping secrets and by the way causing heartaches.
I do liked the paranormal side, it added to the tension between Susan and Evan.
Evan is a very complex character, part gentleman what ever he says, smuggler bordering piracy, but kind and respectful from the weakest.
In fact I do think I liked both main characters alone, it was their relationship that bothered me more, their sizzling moments were like out of control scenes. At the end, they were perfect together but their way to another was too bumpy and filled with betrayal, miscommunications and misconceiving.
A 4 stars rate for this earlier work by the talented Mrs Erica Ridley.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and previously I had preordered my own copy. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
Estranged from London ton for her unsuitability to keep her mouth closed, Susan finds herself hurled to the confines of nowhere. Where she steps in the middle of a smuggler/pirate war.
When I saw this second book will be about Susan the haughty and scheming young Miss from the previous book, I was not sure about it.
Susan is far from the best heroine, but from the beginning I do liked her spoiled bratty self. She was full of quips and sarcasms.
This was until she meets Evan, at first it was a battle of wits then the more they denied their chemistry, the more I was upset by their distrust of the other.
Even if it was rather humorous to see Susan put her feet in her mouth, I disliked their inability to talk calmly, trust another and always hiding things from the other. They spent 90% of the story doubting the other, keeping secrets and by the way causing heartaches.
I do liked the paranormal side, it added to the tension between Susan and Evan.
Evan is a very complex character, part gentleman what ever he says, smuggler bordering piracy, but kind and respectful from the weakest.
In fact I do think I liked both main characters alone, it was their relationship that bothered me more, their sizzling moments were like out of control scenes. At the end, they were perfect together but their way to another was too bumpy and filled with betrayal, miscommunications and misconceiving.
A 4 stars rate for this earlier work by the talented Mrs Erica Ridley.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and previously I had preordered my own copy. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
August 11, 2019
I love a good Gothic romance, add in a dark manor, a few ghosts, an exiled socialite and some nasty evil that she finds herself right in the middle of and you have Erica Ridley’s TOO SINFUL TO DENY! Did I mention the sexy, yet mysterious smuggler in search of his brother’s killer?
Susan and Evan make an unlikely duo that works perfectly together as they unravel hidden truths of murder, conspiracy and abuse in the small seaport town. Life will never be the same for either them, or the ghosts Susan sees.
A fun read, a little spooky, more teasing romance than blazing passion and I liked it!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from WebMotion! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Gothic Love Stories - Book 2
Publisher: WebMotion; 2 edition (August 9, 2019)
Publication Date: August 9, 2019
Genre: Historical Romance
Print Length: 408 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Susan and Evan make an unlikely duo that works perfectly together as they unravel hidden truths of murder, conspiracy and abuse in the small seaport town. Life will never be the same for either them, or the ghosts Susan sees.
A fun read, a little spooky, more teasing romance than blazing passion and I liked it!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from WebMotion! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Gothic Love Stories - Book 2
Publisher: WebMotion; 2 edition (August 9, 2019)
Publication Date: August 9, 2019
Genre: Historical Romance
Print Length: 408 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
June 19, 2017
Susan Stanton has been exiled to the sea side manor that is haunted. When she encounters the handsome smuggler, Evan Bothwick, her life becomes complicated. To make matters even more complicated, Susan has a secret that she has been keeping. Now, trying to figure out the mysteries lurking in the manor she will have to rely on Evan to make it through.
My excitement was palpable when I picked up this book, eagerly anticipating the continuation of the series after thoroughly enjoying the first installment. However, disappointment soon set in. Unlike the initial novel, I struggled to immerse myself in the story and engage with the mystery it presented. It felt like the author was uncertain about the direction of the plot at various points in the narrative, resulting in a confusing overall storyline that left me wanting more clarity and cohesion.
My excitement was palpable when I picked up this book, eagerly anticipating the continuation of the series after thoroughly enjoying the first installment. However, disappointment soon set in. Unlike the initial novel, I struggled to immerse myself in the story and engage with the mystery it presented. It felt like the author was uncertain about the direction of the plot at various points in the narrative, resulting in a confusing overall storyline that left me wanting more clarity and cohesion.
August 12, 2019
To say the beginning got my attention quickly is an understatement! The heroine of the story Susan almost drowned! Yes, that was the beginning of some very strange happenings to come! This seemed to be her last escapade (not the drowning but what led up to it!) before her parents banished her to remote Moonseed Manor.
Arriving she looked at the "scarecrow" of a butler and tried to introduce herself. "She was the twenty-year old sole offspring of a loveless titled couple who had banished their ostracized disappointment of a daughter to the remotest corner of England rather than bear the sight of her." Is that what she should say? But then it got interesting as she went to meet her relative at the manor. A giant answered the door the scarecrow took her too and then a very handsome man came forward. Wait are you confused? You just have to read this amusing, tangled story that was truly fascinating and I could not stop once I started!!
I knew I like Susan immediately with her quirkiness and humorous thoughts. Plus the characters were priceless!
A gothic romance filled with a haunted mansion by the seaside, smugglers, murder and mayhem but a lot of humor which is usually not the case. But I loved it! The handsome guy she met at first was Evan Bothwick, smuggler and soon to be attracted to Susan and she to him.
Alas, there is a bumpy road to the happy ending, that is if they can make it past the murder and mayhem!! Don't miss this one!
Arriving she looked at the "scarecrow" of a butler and tried to introduce herself. "She was the twenty-year old sole offspring of a loveless titled couple who had banished their ostracized disappointment of a daughter to the remotest corner of England rather than bear the sight of her." Is that what she should say? But then it got interesting as she went to meet her relative at the manor. A giant answered the door the scarecrow took her too and then a very handsome man came forward. Wait are you confused? You just have to read this amusing, tangled story that was truly fascinating and I could not stop once I started!!
I knew I like Susan immediately with her quirkiness and humorous thoughts. Plus the characters were priceless!
A gothic romance filled with a haunted mansion by the seaside, smugglers, murder and mayhem but a lot of humor which is usually not the case. But I loved it! The handsome guy she met at first was Evan Bothwick, smuggler and soon to be attracted to Susan and she to him.
Alas, there is a bumpy road to the happy ending, that is if they can make it past the murder and mayhem!! Don't miss this one!
August 9, 2019
One look at the towering ocean-side Moonseed Manor that is to be her new home, and exiled socialite Susan Stanton knows that this is a place haunted by secrets, and riddled with menace.
For Susan, there is no escaping the most dangerous element of all—dark-haired smuggler Evan Bothwick, a man whose rakish countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.
What a fun read, there's plenty of suspense as Evan tries to find his brother's murderer. If you like a gothic romance with smugglers, ghosts, & romance then this is right up your street. Strong characters & a well written well paced story kept me engrossed from start to finish. I hadn't warmed to Susan in the previous book but grew to really like her. The banter between Evan & Susan was so highly entertaining.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
For Susan, there is no escaping the most dangerous element of all—dark-haired smuggler Evan Bothwick, a man whose rakish countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.
What a fun read, there's plenty of suspense as Evan tries to find his brother's murderer. If you like a gothic romance with smugglers, ghosts, & romance then this is right up your street. Strong characters & a well written well paced story kept me engrossed from start to finish. I hadn't warmed to Susan in the previous book but grew to really like her. The banter between Evan & Susan was so highly entertaining.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
August 7, 2019
This story had all the elements of a gothic story, ghosts, haunting, atmospheric surroundings by the sea and pirates. There was a motley collection of characters and a murder mystery to solve. My main grouse was that the pace of the story was slow. There was an attraction between Susan and Evan but could he prove himself to be a better man? I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 5, 2019
The Gothic goodness continues… I love the slight edge and mysterious threatening vibe that runs throughout this book. This series is by far my favorite series of Erica Ridley!
This one especially felt like reading a ghost story, with the perfect gloomy and daunting setting. And if the ghosts aren’t enough, there’s plenty of creepy living secondary characters to go around, so brilliantly –scarily- written that the butler and the shopkeeper at times will frighten you more than the pirates and smugglers that are lurking about.
Susan and Evan circle each other warily, neither knowing what to make of the other nor if they can trust each other. I really enjoyed seeing them navigate their growing feelings for each other all the while trying to solve a murder mystery. There’s a lot of misdirection and figuring out who the good guys/women are is quite the challenge. I also loved Susan’s new and highly secret ability and how she learned to cope with it.
This book was a treat. Witty, romantic and full of unexpected danger and challenges for our couple to be. Loved it!!
This one especially felt like reading a ghost story, with the perfect gloomy and daunting setting. And if the ghosts aren’t enough, there’s plenty of creepy living secondary characters to go around, so brilliantly –scarily- written that the butler and the shopkeeper at times will frighten you more than the pirates and smugglers that are lurking about.
Susan and Evan circle each other warily, neither knowing what to make of the other nor if they can trust each other. I really enjoyed seeing them navigate their growing feelings for each other all the while trying to solve a murder mystery. There’s a lot of misdirection and figuring out who the good guys/women are is quite the challenge. I also loved Susan’s new and highly secret ability and how she learned to cope with it.
This book was a treat. Witty, romantic and full of unexpected danger and challenges for our couple to be. Loved it!!
August 6, 2015
Book one of the series "Too Wicked to Kiss" was Meh. Okay, but nothing to really grab hold of. Read this next book in the series...fast....just to get thru it. Done with this author. There just ain't no thrill Too be to Sinful to Deny!! Oh, same female model on both Book 1 and 2...really? Yup.
August 5, 2019
Too Sinful to Deny is the second book in the Gothic Love Stories series by Erica Ridley. It can be read as a standalone, but the main character was also in the first book of the series. If you want to read a little more about her original story then you should read that first, but you really don't need to.
Susan Stanton has been in trouble from the time she spread gossip, albeit true, which caused a scandal in London. Since then a near-death incident occurred which has left Susan with the ability to see ghosts. It's also left her parents absolutely fuming with her so they send her away to a relative in Bournemouth and pretty much wash their hands of her.
Evan Bothwick is sort of a friend of Ollie, the husband of Susan's relative. It is through Ollie that they meet. There is an attraction between them but to start with they definitely don't get on.
Susan has one thing on her mind, getting away from Bournemouth and the horrid dark dismal place that she has to live in. The town if you can call it that is dire, there isn't even a place to hire a horse. Not that she could hire one anyway with no money. She is well and truly stuck. It doesn't help when she starts seeing ghosts who make demands on her either.
I don't want to give away the plot because as it unfolds you won't want to have had any spoilers. What I will say is that the story is very dark in places as one would expect with a gothic novel. Once I started reading the story I couldn't read it quickly enough to find out what happened.
The relationship between Susan and Evan isn't an easy one especially as Susan must remain chaste in order to find herself a rich husband and regain her name in London's society. As much as she needs the latter she also can't stop herself from enjoying time in Evan's arms sharing passionate moments. They both have secrets and neither trusts the other enough to share them. Until they can and until they do not only is their relationship at risk, their lives could be too.
The story began slowly but it soon picked up the pace. As soon as it did I really got involved. I got a little annoyed at Susan, she's not the most likeable of characters because of being spoilt, but she redeems herself as the story goes on which pleased me a lot. All in all, this was a good mystery/romance that I am happy to recommend.
Susan Stanton has been in trouble from the time she spread gossip, albeit true, which caused a scandal in London. Since then a near-death incident occurred which has left Susan with the ability to see ghosts. It's also left her parents absolutely fuming with her so they send her away to a relative in Bournemouth and pretty much wash their hands of her.
Evan Bothwick is sort of a friend of Ollie, the husband of Susan's relative. It is through Ollie that they meet. There is an attraction between them but to start with they definitely don't get on.
Susan has one thing on her mind, getting away from Bournemouth and the horrid dark dismal place that she has to live in. The town if you can call it that is dire, there isn't even a place to hire a horse. Not that she could hire one anyway with no money. She is well and truly stuck. It doesn't help when she starts seeing ghosts who make demands on her either.
I don't want to give away the plot because as it unfolds you won't want to have had any spoilers. What I will say is that the story is very dark in places as one would expect with a gothic novel. Once I started reading the story I couldn't read it quickly enough to find out what happened.
The relationship between Susan and Evan isn't an easy one especially as Susan must remain chaste in order to find herself a rich husband and regain her name in London's society. As much as she needs the latter she also can't stop herself from enjoying time in Evan's arms sharing passionate moments. They both have secrets and neither trusts the other enough to share them. Until they can and until they do not only is their relationship at risk, their lives could be too.
The story began slowly but it soon picked up the pace. As soon as it did I really got involved. I got a little annoyed at Susan, she's not the most likeable of characters because of being spoilt, but she redeems herself as the story goes on which pleased me a lot. All in all, this was a good mystery/romance that I am happy to recommend.
August 21, 2019
Spoiled London debutante Susan Stanton has finally taken her gossiping and reckless curiosity too far and been banished to live with a distant cousin in a remote seaside manor house. As soon as she arrives, Susan realizes something is off about the house and nearby town and that's before she starts seeing ghosts. To make matters worse, it seems the only one with a chance of helping her figure out just what is going on is roguish smuggler Evan Bothwick, the farthest thing from the wealthy, titled husband Susan hopes to secure. For his part, Evan is trying to solve his late brother's murder and doesn't have time for feminine distractions, though keeping his distance may be easier said than done.
I couldn't stand Susan as a secondary character in the previous book in this series and I disliked her even more as a main character here. I hoped there would be some depth and redemption for her vapid character, but alas there really was not. She was honestly just too stupid, vain and shallow for me to cheer for her. The rakish Evan wasn't much better, but he was rather charmingly noble in his underhandedness. Despite the fact that she recognizes that her big mouth and recklessness continue to get her into trouble, Susan fails to learn and continues to jump to conclusions and display a general airheadedness. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the gothic vibes and plot of this one, though the pacing was a little slow to hold my attention, I did keep picking it back up. I always love when a rake gives up his wild ways for the perfect woman and this did not disappoint on that score.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I couldn't stand Susan as a secondary character in the previous book in this series and I disliked her even more as a main character here. I hoped there would be some depth and redemption for her vapid character, but alas there really was not. She was honestly just too stupid, vain and shallow for me to cheer for her. The rakish Evan wasn't much better, but he was rather charmingly noble in his underhandedness. Despite the fact that she recognizes that her big mouth and recklessness continue to get her into trouble, Susan fails to learn and continues to jump to conclusions and display a general airheadedness. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the gothic vibes and plot of this one, though the pacing was a little slow to hold my attention, I did keep picking it back up. I always love when a rake gives up his wild ways for the perfect woman and this did not disappoint on that score.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 8, 2019
Too Sinful to Deny by Erica Ridley
Gothic Love Stories #2
Susan Stanton has been exiled to Bournemouth and upon arrival finds herself in a situation she does not want to remain in. Her cousin is missing, the man of the house is huge and fearsome, the butler is odious and she is less than impressed. Her immediate goal is to get back to London as quickly as possible and everything she does is with that goal in mind. Evan Bothwick is another man Susan meets shortly after her arrival. He is visiting Moonseed Manor and not the happiest of men as he speaks with Ollie.
With smuggling, murder, secret treasure, ghosts, a small town of closed minded people and a woman kept chained in the bowels of Moonseed Manor this is a book that also provides intrigue, a few laughs and a romance that was superb.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I like to read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Gothic Love Stories #2
Susan Stanton has been exiled to Bournemouth and upon arrival finds herself in a situation she does not want to remain in. Her cousin is missing, the man of the house is huge and fearsome, the butler is odious and she is less than impressed. Her immediate goal is to get back to London as quickly as possible and everything she does is with that goal in mind. Evan Bothwick is another man Susan meets shortly after her arrival. He is visiting Moonseed Manor and not the happiest of men as he speaks with Ollie.
With smuggling, murder, secret treasure, ghosts, a small town of closed minded people and a woman kept chained in the bowels of Moonseed Manor this is a book that also provides intrigue, a few laughs and a romance that was superb.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I like to read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
August 10, 2019
This is the second book in Erica’s Gothic series. Susan was in the previous book as a secondary character who was not very nice. Since then she has had a near death experience which leaves her with the ability to see ghosts when she is exiled to a manor off the English coastline. Graveyards, secrets, strange locals, smugglers, pirates, ghosts and murders all fill the pages of this story.
With so many secrets floating around, trust is in short supply for both Susan and Evan (sometime smuggler/pirate and gentlemen). Their relationship needs to weather trust issues before it can develop into anything lasting.
I found that the story slowed up a bit in the middle and I didn’t think it would all gel into a cohesive story. Thankfully all the links joined up to create a satisfying ending.
The strange code names that Susan gives to various characters are fun descriptions.
With so many secrets floating around, trust is in short supply for both Susan and Evan (sometime smuggler/pirate and gentlemen). Their relationship needs to weather trust issues before it can develop into anything lasting.
I found that the story slowed up a bit in the middle and I didn’t think it would all gel into a cohesive story. Thankfully all the links joined up to create a satisfying ending.
The strange code names that Susan gives to various characters are fun descriptions.
November 11, 2019
Mr. Evan Bothwick and Miss Susan Stanton cordially invite you into a world of conspiracy, death, intrigue, romance and suspense.
Banished to the tiny seaside town of Bournemouth, she was still Miss Susan Stanton, sole heiress of a reasonably wealthy baron, eligible young lady who would one fine day finally able to be welcomed back home to London and once again in High Society perhaps she could grant her parents wish of a noble marriage for herself.
However her hopes and dreams aside Susan, along with Evan, is drawn into a dangerous game from which they hopefully will emerge alive and unscathed.
Darkly forbidding surroundings, eerie characters, betrayals, deceit, lies and murder are the setting of this strange romance.
Second in the series and soon to read the third.
Banished to the tiny seaside town of Bournemouth, she was still Miss Susan Stanton, sole heiress of a reasonably wealthy baron, eligible young lady who would one fine day finally able to be welcomed back home to London and once again in High Society perhaps she could grant her parents wish of a noble marriage for herself.
However her hopes and dreams aside Susan, along with Evan, is drawn into a dangerous game from which they hopefully will emerge alive and unscathed.
Darkly forbidding surroundings, eerie characters, betrayals, deceit, lies and murder are the setting of this strange romance.
Second in the series and soon to read the third.
August 7, 2019
Susan is desperately trying to survive being banished in a castle and village where the strangest things are happening. She has acquired a new skill which is sure to make people think she is going crazy. Evan is a little bit of pirate. He is stymied by his attraction to Susan as he tries to solve the mystery of his brother’s death. The characters are geniuses crafted in looks to represent their actions. It is often hilarious as Susan gets into one scrape or the other. If you love ghosts you will absolutely love this story. Susan finds unexpected happiness in the last place she thought she would.
August 21, 2019
The first book in this gothic romance package, Too wicked to
kiss is absolutely divine and sexy as hell. The romantic encounters between Gavin and Evangeline were delightful, I love everything about this one now it's onto the other. Too sinful to deny wasn’t up to scratch, it lacks enticement and Susan isn’t a good leading character. Now this other Too tempting to resist isn’t doing it for me either, it’s a bit bland. Well, I have come to the conclusion that the best was first, not that the other stories aren't good, Too wanton to wed is not sizzling enough for me.
kiss is absolutely divine and sexy as hell. The romantic encounters between Gavin and Evangeline were delightful, I love everything about this one now it's onto the other. Too sinful to deny wasn’t up to scratch, it lacks enticement and Susan isn’t a good leading character. Now this other Too tempting to resist isn’t doing it for me either, it’s a bit bland. Well, I have come to the conclusion that the best was first, not that the other stories aren't good, Too wanton to wed is not sizzling enough for me.
August 14, 2019
The storyline is interesting with some good twists. This is “Good Old Romance (toe curling actually) with Suspense”.
Ms. Susan Standton is stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing but treacherous rocks and waters. Something sinister is afoot but what? Just when she thought it couldn’t get worse, it did, with PIRATES!
Is Susan’s life in danger? What about the dashing man (or is he a pirate as well?) Evan? The witty remarks between Susan and Evan are priceless!
Ms. Susan Standton is stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing but treacherous rocks and waters. Something sinister is afoot but what? Just when she thought it couldn’t get worse, it did, with PIRATES!
Is Susan’s life in danger? What about the dashing man (or is he a pirate as well?) Evan? The witty remarks between Susan and Evan are priceless!
November 29, 2017
I obtained this book through my local library system.
This is mostly a good story. Good character development with vivid descriptive.
Not so good: the storytelling moved too slow.
However, Ms. Ridley shows once again that she deserves my admiration and that I highly recommend her works.
This is mostly a good story. Good character development with vivid descriptive.
Not so good: the storytelling moved too slow.
However, Ms. Ridley shows once again that she deserves my admiration and that I highly recommend her works.
March 2, 2022
3.5 stars.
This story has a lot going for it terms of plot, character development, and overall narrative style. As with others by this author, the first half plods and second half bolts.
This story has a lot going for it terms of plot, character development, and overall narrative style. As with others by this author, the first half plods and second half bolts.
August 7, 2019
Oh, this one is REALLY good! Miss Stanton is sent to a tiny coastal village in disgrace. Mr. Bothwick is an untitled rake and smuggler and, disgraced or not, Miss Stanton intends to marry a wealthy, London gentleman. Mr. Bothwick never intends to marry and, besides, he has some very serious business to attend - if he can just keep his mind off her long enough ...
August 5, 2024
3.5. Ok story but a bit convoluted. Liked the changes in Susan from the previous book.
October 6, 2019
As much as I like Erica's books, this was a bit long-winded and convoluted. Too much going on plotwise and nearly insta-love.
November 18, 2017
Susan Stanton loves gossip, so much that when she overhears a juicy bit from a wife cuckolding her husband, she finds herself on the wrong side of The Ton, despite the truth to her words. Her mother's attempt to marry her off to a morally questionable but well off gentlemen was destined to fail (see Too Wicked to Kiss) so she ends up confined to her room until further notice. Yet Susan was determined to attend The Frost Fair in celebration of the Thames freezing over, a rare occurrence. Who knew that despite her stealthy attempts to sneak out, she was discovered when she fell through the ice and drowned. Luckily she was rescued and brought back to life, but only to be banished from her beloved London - packed up and sent to the end of nowhere at Moonseed Manor in Bournemouth, to stay with her cousin Lady Beaune with the closest center of civilization the town of Bath.
The situation is even worse that Susan expected when there is no Lady Beaune to greet her and she is "welcomed" instead by her cousin's creepy husband, Ollie. The town folks don't cotton to her overtures of friendship, especially the owner of the dress shop who resents her popularity with the only decent men around including Gordon Forrester, the local magistrate. Susan's only interest, though, is to find a way home again, if only she can discover a way to get to the closest town where her recognizable family name will provide the means of the necessary escape. Things are looking up when Forrester offers to accompany her to the upcoming Assembly in Bath, occurring in about two weeks, but Susan is not sure she can wait that long. It seems that there have been a series of recent deaths, and the lingering ghosts can't rest until she does them each a favor. Seeing and hearing spirits seems to be a new but unwanted talent she has acquired after her near death experience and she'll do anything to shut them up. Of course, these are ghosts of the recently departed, so who exactly is the murderer? There is a plethora of suspects which only a Bow Street Runner could untangle. Then there is the question of her missing cousin. Is she buried under that unmarked grave or is it that freshly dug mound of earth the resting place of some other hapless soul? Nobody's talking.
Complicatiog her life is Ollie's friend, Evan Bothwick, a devastatingly handsome rogue tinkering in the Pirate business and bent on making her his latest conquest. If only she could trust him, but she worries that he will not only keep her from escaping, but also steal her heart. Her focus is to keep her eye on the prize - someone from The Ton who loves London as much as she does, ready to marry a chaste and pure innocent, a dream threatened by Evan's carefree ways.
Too Sinful to Deny, Book 2 in the Scoundrels and Sinners series, never seemed to end. While Erica Ridley tried to capture a sense of gothic all she exceeded in doing was to create a horrifying scenario filled with mean spiritedness and senseless violence which could not be compensated for by the rest of the trappings of a Regency Romance. The ghosts actually provided a bit of levity, if you can believe that. While the love interests had a somewhat decent sensibility, the townsfolk were a horrid unredeeming bunch who I'd just as soon not meet again. The only scene which brought a smile to my lips was when the heroine buys a seemingly endless round of drinks resulting in a packed bar with a tab she can never hope to pay unless her parents cough up her allowance.
If you are a fan of the Saw movies, this one is for you, but if you avoid fare such as chainsaw massacres, then find another book to read. Two and a half stars.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.
The situation is even worse that Susan expected when there is no Lady Beaune to greet her and she is "welcomed" instead by her cousin's creepy husband, Ollie. The town folks don't cotton to her overtures of friendship, especially the owner of the dress shop who resents her popularity with the only decent men around including Gordon Forrester, the local magistrate. Susan's only interest, though, is to find a way home again, if only she can discover a way to get to the closest town where her recognizable family name will provide the means of the necessary escape. Things are looking up when Forrester offers to accompany her to the upcoming Assembly in Bath, occurring in about two weeks, but Susan is not sure she can wait that long. It seems that there have been a series of recent deaths, and the lingering ghosts can't rest until she does them each a favor. Seeing and hearing spirits seems to be a new but unwanted talent she has acquired after her near death experience and she'll do anything to shut them up. Of course, these are ghosts of the recently departed, so who exactly is the murderer? There is a plethora of suspects which only a Bow Street Runner could untangle. Then there is the question of her missing cousin. Is she buried under that unmarked grave or is it that freshly dug mound of earth the resting place of some other hapless soul? Nobody's talking.
Complicatiog her life is Ollie's friend, Evan Bothwick, a devastatingly handsome rogue tinkering in the Pirate business and bent on making her his latest conquest. If only she could trust him, but she worries that he will not only keep her from escaping, but also steal her heart. Her focus is to keep her eye on the prize - someone from The Ton who loves London as much as she does, ready to marry a chaste and pure innocent, a dream threatened by Evan's carefree ways.
Too Sinful to Deny, Book 2 in the Scoundrels and Sinners series, never seemed to end. While Erica Ridley tried to capture a sense of gothic all she exceeded in doing was to create a horrifying scenario filled with mean spiritedness and senseless violence which could not be compensated for by the rest of the trappings of a Regency Romance. The ghosts actually provided a bit of levity, if you can believe that. While the love interests had a somewhat decent sensibility, the townsfolk were a horrid unredeeming bunch who I'd just as soon not meet again. The only scene which brought a smile to my lips was when the heroine buys a seemingly endless round of drinks resulting in a packed bar with a tab she can never hope to pay unless her parents cough up her allowance.
If you are a fan of the Saw movies, this one is for you, but if you avoid fare such as chainsaw massacres, then find another book to read. Two and a half stars.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read.
June 27, 2015
A Fun Gothic Paranormal Romance with Sexy Smugglers and a Spooky Manor!
"I have to find a missing person."
"A missing person?" Susan leaned forward. How romantic! This explained his mercurial moods. And why he was equally averse to being sighted along with Susan. "Who is she? Where do you think she went? Why do you think she left?"
"Not a she." He drained his brandy. "And I doubt he had much choice in the matter. He's dead."
"You lost a dead person?" she echoed, fingers gripping her knees in horror.
His face hardened and his eyes sparked with simmering fury. "To be honest, I rather suspect somebody stole him from me."
"You..." Whatever she was going to say died on her tongue.
Susan leapt to her feet. What the bloody hell had she been thinking, whiling away the morning with this madman as if he'd invited her over for biscuits and tea? He carried a pistol. And misplaced dead people.
TOO SINFUL TO DENY by Erica Ridley is a combination of a Gothic cozy mystery and romantic suspense. It is the second book in Erica's Wicked Sinful series, but it can be fully enjoyed as a standalone. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I had, I didn't want to put it down. It's well-written with numerous steamy scenes.
I discovered Erica's books when I listened to her THE VISCOUNT'S CHRISTMAS TEMPTATION - which I loved - and now I'm slowly but surely picking up books from her backlist every time I get a chance.
TOO SINFUL TO DENY is the story of spoiled London debutante Susan Stanton and handsome smuggler Evan Bothwick. I liked them both, though, if I had any complaint about this tale, it's that I would have enjoyed learning a bit more about Evan's background. His past remains an enigma.
As the story opens, Susan, who seems to have trouble as a middle name, has a brush with death in London and, since then, has been able to see dead people. Because her parents believed that she acted impulsively and improperly in that incident, they have evicted her to the country to stay with cousins she has never met at secluded Moonseed Manor in seaside Bournemouth. Susan had previously been used to getting whatever she wanted just by mentioning her Stanton name. But, as she plots to escape, she quickly finds out that her family name doesn't work the same in Bournemouth. Instead she finds her life in danger at every turn.
Evan Bothwick has escaped from London's revelry to his coastal home in Bournemouth where he can live the intriguing, albeit clandestine pirate's life. After meeting the alluring but capricious Miss Stanton, Ethan finds that their paths keep unfathomably crossing over and over which distracts him from concentrating on finding out who murdered his brother and misplaced his body.
This tale sports an interesting, diverse array of supporting characters including three relentless ghosts, a "scarecrow" butler, a "porcelain doll" and a "witch" gainfully employed at the town's only fashion boutique. Needless to say, Susan's interactions with these colorful characters make for some hilarious and often hair-raising scenes.
TOO SINFUL TO DENY was rich with surprising twists and turns and chilling thrills. I was completely bowled over by the ending - I can honestly say that I never saw that coming!
My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club! Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
3 1/2 Wine Glasses!
"I have to find a missing person."
"A missing person?" Susan leaned forward. How romantic! This explained his mercurial moods. And why he was equally averse to being sighted along with Susan. "Who is she? Where do you think she went? Why do you think she left?"
"Not a she." He drained his brandy. "And I doubt he had much choice in the matter. He's dead."
"You lost a dead person?" she echoed, fingers gripping her knees in horror.
His face hardened and his eyes sparked with simmering fury. "To be honest, I rather suspect somebody stole him from me."
"You..." Whatever she was going to say died on her tongue.
Susan leapt to her feet. What the bloody hell had she been thinking, whiling away the morning with this madman as if he'd invited her over for biscuits and tea? He carried a pistol. And misplaced dead people.
TOO SINFUL TO DENY by Erica Ridley is a combination of a Gothic cozy mystery and romantic suspense. It is the second book in Erica's Wicked Sinful series, but it can be fully enjoyed as a standalone. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I had, I didn't want to put it down. It's well-written with numerous steamy scenes.
I discovered Erica's books when I listened to her THE VISCOUNT'S CHRISTMAS TEMPTATION - which I loved - and now I'm slowly but surely picking up books from her backlist every time I get a chance.
TOO SINFUL TO DENY is the story of spoiled London debutante Susan Stanton and handsome smuggler Evan Bothwick. I liked them both, though, if I had any complaint about this tale, it's that I would have enjoyed learning a bit more about Evan's background. His past remains an enigma.
As the story opens, Susan, who seems to have trouble as a middle name, has a brush with death in London and, since then, has been able to see dead people. Because her parents believed that she acted impulsively and improperly in that incident, they have evicted her to the country to stay with cousins she has never met at secluded Moonseed Manor in seaside Bournemouth. Susan had previously been used to getting whatever she wanted just by mentioning her Stanton name. But, as she plots to escape, she quickly finds out that her family name doesn't work the same in Bournemouth. Instead she finds her life in danger at every turn.
Evan Bothwick has escaped from London's revelry to his coastal home in Bournemouth where he can live the intriguing, albeit clandestine pirate's life. After meeting the alluring but capricious Miss Stanton, Ethan finds that their paths keep unfathomably crossing over and over which distracts him from concentrating on finding out who murdered his brother and misplaced his body.
This tale sports an interesting, diverse array of supporting characters including three relentless ghosts, a "scarecrow" butler, a "porcelain doll" and a "witch" gainfully employed at the town's only fashion boutique. Needless to say, Susan's interactions with these colorful characters make for some hilarious and often hair-raising scenes.
TOO SINFUL TO DENY was rich with surprising twists and turns and chilling thrills. I was completely bowled over by the ending - I can honestly say that I never saw that coming!
My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club! Please check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
3 1/2 Wine Glasses!
July 14, 2026
"She was a proper lady. He was a rude, arrogant commoner who lost track of dead persons "
Miss Susan Stanton escapes her mother's house arrest only to fall through the ice and nearly drown in the Thames. Once her broken arm has healed, her mother needs a new strategem to keep her daughter out of society. Susan's rumor-starting has gotten her into too much hot water to continue swanning around ballrooms and dinner parties (a reaction Susan takes issue with, since her information was entirely accurate). And so it is that Susan is shipped off to Moonseed Manor in the tiny coastal town of Bournesmouth. Little does she know that she received another souvenir from her tumble into the depths beyond the broken bone, and that's not the only surprise in store.
For while Susan's mother had intended to send her daughter to stay with the aged Lady Beaune, Moonseed Manor has passed into new hands. It turns out that Susan's boring seaside sojourn is actually a stay in a haunted Gothic pile overtaken by smugglers. She can't get any straight answers from Ollie, the new master of the manor, about where Lady Beaune might be found, and any explanations her imagination can supply amount to the same conclusion. She needs to get herself back to London ASAP. The problem is that she has no money, no conveyance, and though she *does* have parents she could write to for both, they aren't much interested in hearing what she has to say these days (if ever). Also lurking around the house is Evan Bothwick, Ollie's literal partner in crime. Evan might be an irreverent playboy, but he's worried for his much more reliable younger brother, Timothy, who hasn't returned from the latest job on time nor sent word about a delay.
Both our protagonists are characters beset by troubles. Susan has the shocking revelation that she can see ghosts, something she at first hopes is a symptom of the old house, but it soon becomes apparent that it's more of a personal problem. Meanwhile, Evan finds his brother's body, clearly murdered, with a shot to the head. And though the body goes missing (see my starting quote), he means to unearth any evidence he can of who's responsible so he may unleash vengeance. Our pair's plans to address these issues are in direct opposition. The only man nearby with a horse who could get Susan out of this nightmare is the uptight magistrate. She'll need to be the picture of propriety to convince him to offer his aid. Meanwhile, the rakish Evan needs a cover to sniff around his brother's murder without alerting potential suspects. His best bet is to hide behind expected behavior, which in his case, is carousing, flirting, the works. Susan, being the only new face in town, is practically an assumed conquest already just by spending time in his presence. He plans to lean into that facade while he hunts for the truth. And little does he know that Susan is an accomplished spy and gossip, which you may recall got her into trouble with the ton. She would be a worthy ally in his cause if he told her what he needed to discover.
This book is so funny. My highlighter was very busy because I kept finding something new to giggle about. One of many ongoing shticks is the way Susan refers to people in her inner monologue with monikers suiting how they strike her: various townspeople that she meets become Scarecrow and Giant, Witch and Porcelain Doll, in her telling of events. Their real names almost don't matter to her. There are a lot of wordplay jokes, as well, which happen to be one of my favorite varieties. I also like a gothic story where there are actual dangers and real spooky things. I'm okay with mind games as readers sort out the details of what's "real" and what's not, but I want to genuinely be invested. Satire a la Northanger Abbey is fine, as well, but I think some writers inspired by the gothic style can't live up to the dangerous ambience in the way I want. Not so with this one. (There really is a wife chained up in the basement, for example). I also like that there's a thread of plot about women's historic legal rights that I've also seen discussed in other books, but that doesn't make it unmeaningful here.
Unfortunately, I wasn't completely enamored, though. For one thing, the chemistry between Susan and Evan was just meh despite all there was to recommend it. Helpless attraction only takes me so far. And part of it might be my lack of enthusiasm for the characters themselves. Susan is pretty unlikeable upfront, even though we've had a chance to meet her already in the first book. She's privileged without much self-awareness; all her goals are about a life of ease and wealth for herself. And then there's Evan, an ass who thinks he's God's gift to women. Both their faults add to the comedy but detract from the emotional resonance of the romantic arc.
It's interesting because, on the one hand, I found their predictable miscommunication quite believable rather than infuriating. They have every reason to mistrust each other. But on the other hand, I think it was so easy to comprehend because they didn't communicate much at all, period. Of course, they have secrets from one another. They have more of those than shared confidences. So it made their suspicions about the other's villainy a reasonable plot point at the end, but it also shed light on why the relationship felt rushed and incomplete to me. If they'd *really* known each other on a deeper level, there wouldn't have been so much room to question.
Another example of how the plot didn't do the character development or emotions justice is in how Evan's grief for his murdered brother feels surface-level; it's an eventuality needed for the plot, but not something that adds to characterization, nor something that could emotionally connect with the readers. And those feel like missed opportunities all around.
Finally, the book walks a fine line on the slut-shaming. It comes up in the context of Susan interacting with her townie enemies (the aforementioned witch and porcelain doll), two women who immediately take a dislike to her and vice versa. On a couple of occasions, Susan tries again to connect with them (for self-serving reasons), but they never accept her overtures, in part because marriageable men in town are in direly short supply, and here comes Susan to snap Evan up, but also because she doesn't do much to endear herself to them. In the midst of their exchange of verbal volleys, snide remarks are lobbed from both sides about the others' potential sexual forays, which could completely ruin their reputations. And I have mixed feelings about that because we can't ignore the social pressures and consequences of the era (or since), but also, when does it become internalized and gross and transmitted to the reader?
So where does that leave me? I am already a fan of the author, so it was no surprise that I enjoyed her voice in this one. I also like her take on the Gothic style in this particular series. I just think that perhaps the focus in this one wasn't for me. In a romance, I'm really looking for emotions, whether it's on a character's personal journey or whether it's a part of the relationship. So if you like a historical romance that's heavier on the comedy half of rom-com, or if you like a Gothic romance with actual stakes at play (but no jumpscares or the like), this could be a winner for you.
Miss Susan Stanton escapes her mother's house arrest only to fall through the ice and nearly drown in the Thames. Once her broken arm has healed, her mother needs a new strategem to keep her daughter out of society. Susan's rumor-starting has gotten her into too much hot water to continue swanning around ballrooms and dinner parties (a reaction Susan takes issue with, since her information was entirely accurate). And so it is that Susan is shipped off to Moonseed Manor in the tiny coastal town of Bournesmouth. Little does she know that she received another souvenir from her tumble into the depths beyond the broken bone, and that's not the only surprise in store.
For while Susan's mother had intended to send her daughter to stay with the aged Lady Beaune, Moonseed Manor has passed into new hands. It turns out that Susan's boring seaside sojourn is actually a stay in a haunted Gothic pile overtaken by smugglers. She can't get any straight answers from Ollie, the new master of the manor, about where Lady Beaune might be found, and any explanations her imagination can supply amount to the same conclusion. She needs to get herself back to London ASAP. The problem is that she has no money, no conveyance, and though she *does* have parents she could write to for both, they aren't much interested in hearing what she has to say these days (if ever). Also lurking around the house is Evan Bothwick, Ollie's literal partner in crime. Evan might be an irreverent playboy, but he's worried for his much more reliable younger brother, Timothy, who hasn't returned from the latest job on time nor sent word about a delay.
Both our protagonists are characters beset by troubles. Susan has the shocking revelation that she can see ghosts, something she at first hopes is a symptom of the old house, but it soon becomes apparent that it's more of a personal problem. Meanwhile, Evan finds his brother's body, clearly murdered, with a shot to the head. And though the body goes missing (see my starting quote), he means to unearth any evidence he can of who's responsible so he may unleash vengeance. Our pair's plans to address these issues are in direct opposition. The only man nearby with a horse who could get Susan out of this nightmare is the uptight magistrate. She'll need to be the picture of propriety to convince him to offer his aid. Meanwhile, the rakish Evan needs a cover to sniff around his brother's murder without alerting potential suspects. His best bet is to hide behind expected behavior, which in his case, is carousing, flirting, the works. Susan, being the only new face in town, is practically an assumed conquest already just by spending time in his presence. He plans to lean into that facade while he hunts for the truth. And little does he know that Susan is an accomplished spy and gossip, which you may recall got her into trouble with the ton. She would be a worthy ally in his cause if he told her what he needed to discover.
This book is so funny. My highlighter was very busy because I kept finding something new to giggle about. One of many ongoing shticks is the way Susan refers to people in her inner monologue with monikers suiting how they strike her: various townspeople that she meets become Scarecrow and Giant, Witch and Porcelain Doll, in her telling of events. Their real names almost don't matter to her. There are a lot of wordplay jokes, as well, which happen to be one of my favorite varieties. I also like a gothic story where there are actual dangers and real spooky things. I'm okay with mind games as readers sort out the details of what's "real" and what's not, but I want to genuinely be invested. Satire a la Northanger Abbey is fine, as well, but I think some writers inspired by the gothic style can't live up to the dangerous ambience in the way I want. Not so with this one. (There really is a wife chained up in the basement, for example). I also like that there's a thread of plot about women's historic legal rights that I've also seen discussed in other books, but that doesn't make it unmeaningful here.
Unfortunately, I wasn't completely enamored, though. For one thing, the chemistry between Susan and Evan was just meh despite all there was to recommend it. Helpless attraction only takes me so far. And part of it might be my lack of enthusiasm for the characters themselves. Susan is pretty unlikeable upfront, even though we've had a chance to meet her already in the first book. She's privileged without much self-awareness; all her goals are about a life of ease and wealth for herself. And then there's Evan, an ass who thinks he's God's gift to women. Both their faults add to the comedy but detract from the emotional resonance of the romantic arc.
It's interesting because, on the one hand, I found their predictable miscommunication quite believable rather than infuriating. They have every reason to mistrust each other. But on the other hand, I think it was so easy to comprehend because they didn't communicate much at all, period. Of course, they have secrets from one another. They have more of those than shared confidences. So it made their suspicions about the other's villainy a reasonable plot point at the end, but it also shed light on why the relationship felt rushed and incomplete to me. If they'd *really* known each other on a deeper level, there wouldn't have been so much room to question.
Another example of how the plot didn't do the character development or emotions justice is in how Evan's grief for his murdered brother feels surface-level; it's an eventuality needed for the plot, but not something that adds to characterization, nor something that could emotionally connect with the readers. And those feel like missed opportunities all around.
Finally, the book walks a fine line on the slut-shaming. It comes up in the context of Susan interacting with her townie enemies (the aforementioned witch and porcelain doll), two women who immediately take a dislike to her and vice versa. On a couple of occasions, Susan tries again to connect with them (for self-serving reasons), but they never accept her overtures, in part because marriageable men in town are in direly short supply, and here comes Susan to snap Evan up, but also because she doesn't do much to endear herself to them. In the midst of their exchange of verbal volleys, snide remarks are lobbed from both sides about the others' potential sexual forays, which could completely ruin their reputations. And I have mixed feelings about that because we can't ignore the social pressures and consequences of the era (or since), but also, when does it become internalized and gross and transmitted to the reader?
So where does that leave me? I am already a fan of the author, so it was no surprise that I enjoyed her voice in this one. I also like her take on the Gothic style in this particular series. I just think that perhaps the focus in this one wasn't for me. In a romance, I'm really looking for emotions, whether it's on a character's personal journey or whether it's a part of the relationship. So if you like a historical romance that's heavier on the comedy half of rom-com, or if you like a Gothic romance with actual stakes at play (but no jumpscares or the like), this could be a winner for you.
June 18, 2012
I just finished reading “Too Sinful To Deny” by romance novelist Erica Ridley. While I’m not an avid romance reader and I wasn’t sure what to expect from Ridley, having never read her works before, I am however glad that I read it.
Susan Stanton, our damsel in distress, has been banished to a remote manor located on the side of a massive cliff overlooking the ocean because her socialite parents find her too inquisitive for her own good and their social standing. Even before Susan settles in she makes an eerie discovery and realizes that everything is not as it would appear to be. Finding her new home to be both maze and prison Susan attempts a descent down the cliffs to the seashore so she can hopefully locate a town and some form of transportation to return her to London. She thinks she’s unobtrusively following the handsome scoundrel Evan Bothwick outside but once she’s trapped on the steep cliff trail with nowhere to hide he decides to take that moment to confront her. With nowhere else to go she finds herself at his mercy…and I’ll let you continue from there when you decide to read “Too Sinful To Deny.”
I think we all know that most romance novels all have the same theme: in the beginning a beautiful but tragically unhappy damsel runs into the devilishly handsome but all wrong for her scoundrel yet somehow, by the end, they have worked out all their differences; have fallen madly in love with each other; have the world’s best um…“evening activities” and manage to live happily ever after. And of course “Too Sinful To Deny” is definitely more of the same.
With that being said though I must compliment Ridley on her writing style and technique. She takes a closely followed formula and successfully makes it her own. Her writing is descriptive; her characters are engaging and the plot itself is surprisingly interesting.
In summary I give “Too Sinful To Deny” a four-star rating and am placing it in the “must read” category for anyone who enjoys reading a well-written romance novel.
(Reviewed in association with Rebecca's Reads).
Susan Stanton, our damsel in distress, has been banished to a remote manor located on the side of a massive cliff overlooking the ocean because her socialite parents find her too inquisitive for her own good and their social standing. Even before Susan settles in she makes an eerie discovery and realizes that everything is not as it would appear to be. Finding her new home to be both maze and prison Susan attempts a descent down the cliffs to the seashore so she can hopefully locate a town and some form of transportation to return her to London. She thinks she’s unobtrusively following the handsome scoundrel Evan Bothwick outside but once she’s trapped on the steep cliff trail with nowhere to hide he decides to take that moment to confront her. With nowhere else to go she finds herself at his mercy…and I’ll let you continue from there when you decide to read “Too Sinful To Deny.”
I think we all know that most romance novels all have the same theme: in the beginning a beautiful but tragically unhappy damsel runs into the devilishly handsome but all wrong for her scoundrel yet somehow, by the end, they have worked out all their differences; have fallen madly in love with each other; have the world’s best um…“evening activities” and manage to live happily ever after. And of course “Too Sinful To Deny” is definitely more of the same.
With that being said though I must compliment Ridley on her writing style and technique. She takes a closely followed formula and successfully makes it her own. Her writing is descriptive; her characters are engaging and the plot itself is surprisingly interesting.
In summary I give “Too Sinful To Deny” a four-star rating and am placing it in the “must read” category for anyone who enjoys reading a well-written romance novel.
(Reviewed in association with Rebecca's Reads).
April 8, 2011
Too engaging to put down.
Susan is banished by her aristocratical parents, who are tired of her misbehaving. She goes from being the darling of London to the unwanted newcomer in the gloomy coastal town of Bournemouth. The place is inhabited by pirates, smugglers, ghosts, villains, and a few unfortunate victims. There are also the town’s dressmakers, who are an interesting pair. According to Susan, the Witch and the Porcelain Doll own the Dress Shop of Iniquity.
Susan is a different kind of heroine if compared to the ones we usually encounter in historical romances. She unwillingly interacts with ghosts, besides, her witty and irreverent narrative keeps one entertained all the way to the end. Her thoughts run rampant most of the time, and since we are what we think...well, she gets into a lot of trouble.
Evan is a pleasantly mischievous hero. Yes, he is a smuggler and he is not a gentleman, but he is so charming that we don’t mind about his past. And in spite of all, he would protect Susan, even from her tendency to stumble into insurmountable danger.
Regardless of its title and the suggestive cover, the romance is more sweet than erotic in Too Sinful To Deny. There is ample sexual tension between Evan and Susan, but most love scenes are rather sensual than explicit. This, in addition to the great storyline going on, is perfectly all right with me. It would have been awkward having them engaging into extreme sex in the middle of so many uncertainties. Being gothic suspense romance, the heroine instead of feeling protected by the hero, distrusts him. Indeed, they both take turns doubting one another. Somehow, they find a way to fall in love during this nail-biting page-turner. This book will enthrall you from the first page until the very end, I highly recommend it.
Susan is banished by her aristocratical parents, who are tired of her misbehaving. She goes from being the darling of London to the unwanted newcomer in the gloomy coastal town of Bournemouth. The place is inhabited by pirates, smugglers, ghosts, villains, and a few unfortunate victims. There are also the town’s dressmakers, who are an interesting pair. According to Susan, the Witch and the Porcelain Doll own the Dress Shop of Iniquity.
Susan is a different kind of heroine if compared to the ones we usually encounter in historical romances. She unwillingly interacts with ghosts, besides, her witty and irreverent narrative keeps one entertained all the way to the end. Her thoughts run rampant most of the time, and since we are what we think...well, she gets into a lot of trouble.
Evan is a pleasantly mischievous hero. Yes, he is a smuggler and he is not a gentleman, but he is so charming that we don’t mind about his past. And in spite of all, he would protect Susan, even from her tendency to stumble into insurmountable danger.
Regardless of its title and the suggestive cover, the romance is more sweet than erotic in Too Sinful To Deny. There is ample sexual tension between Evan and Susan, but most love scenes are rather sensual than explicit. This, in addition to the great storyline going on, is perfectly all right with me. It would have been awkward having them engaging into extreme sex in the middle of so many uncertainties. Being gothic suspense romance, the heroine instead of feeling protected by the hero, distrusts him. Indeed, they both take turns doubting one another. Somehow, they find a way to fall in love during this nail-biting page-turner. This book will enthrall you from the first page until the very end, I highly recommend it.
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