A Most Naked Solution

by Anna Randol

Sometimes the best solution is found in bed...

Lady Sophia Harding: beautiful, blond, and...capable of murder? That's what Lord Camden Grey intends to find out. It is Camden's duty to uphold the laws of the land. His neighbor's pale beauty and winsome grace don't make her the most likely suspect, but is the innocent and altogether beguiling look in her eyes the truth, or is she secretly a scheming seductress?

Lord Camden Grey is entirely too distracting and too smart. Sophia knows that to keep her family's secrets, she must avoid any entanglements with the powerful and brutally handsome man. But the pull of their mutual desire is all-consuming. Can Sophia trust Camden with the truth when she knows it might kill the love that has grown between them?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Ebooks, Novella, Historical Fiction

169 pages, ebook

First published June 26, 2012

Reviews

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.



Expected Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon
Author’s Website: http://www.annarandol.com
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy


While I do wish that this novella had been a little longer, I couldn’t really hold that against it too much, because I think I only wanted it to be longer because I was enjoying the writing and the characters so much.

I’ve long been a sucker for abused heroines, and Sophia was delightful. Sympathetic without being pitiful, and possessing quite a bit of inner strength without being unrealistic, I loved watching her regain her sense of identity after Richard’s death.

Camden, too, was an unexpected pleasure to read, as he wasn’t a “typical” romance hero either. A brilliant mathematician, his capacity of Justice of the Peace wasn’t some great calling for justice or a way for a chest-thumping alpha male to take control of his surroundings, but was instead almost a ceremonial title, since the justice system in those days was drastically different from the one we are familiar with today.

With an intriguing mystery with a surprising twist or two, and just the right amount of steam and chemistry to balance things out, this novella makes a wonderful summer read.

A very solid 4.5/5 Stars.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When some new information comes up regarding the mysterious death of a local viscount, Lord Camden Grey reluctantly looks into it, as he is the justice of peace for his village. Camden truly does not want to pursue much into the matter as the late viscount's wife was someone he knew when he was younger and had a crush on her so he does not want to turn her in if necessary. Now, Lady Sophia Harding is back in his life, denying any wrong doing in her husbands death and denying she knows what truly happened. But as Camden can see Sophia is lying, he attempts to find the truth any way he can.

Sophia is glad her husband is dead but is fearful that her father and brother had something to do with it. As she refuses to see them suffer for her horrible marriage, she tries to do what she can to protect them--even if it makes her look guilty. But when a mysterious gunshot almost hits her, it becomes clear that someone is now after her. Being around her childhood crush brings back feelings that she thought were long buried. Together, Sophia and Camden attempt to find out who would want to harm Sophia and also to prove the truth. But as the truth of Sophia's marriage slowly comes out, can Camden forgive himself for ignoring her all those years ago and will Sophia finally be able to find herself and stand strong for herself and she that she is worth protecting?

First, I love this cover. It is so simple and sexy at the same time and alludes well to the title :) I really enjoyed this novella. Sophia is such a strong woman but she has been beaten down both mentally and physically and we get to watch her try and find herself again, see that she is special. She stands up and protects all those around her she cares for, even if it causes her harm. The attraction that she felt for mathematician Camden as a girl, stills grows strong but learning to trust again takes time. Camden was also a very enjoyable character. He went to war and gained his cursory title but his true passion is math, much to the disappointment of his father. I so enjoyed the scene where Sophia and Camden come together and work on Camden's math equation...it showed how normal and happy this couple could be out in the country. Overall, an excellent novella that I didn't want to end! If you missed Anna Randol's debut, A Secret in Her Kiss, this is a great taste of an author to watch. A Most Naked Solution is sure to have something to please any historical romance fan--an intriguing mystery that does not overwhelm and a romance that will curl your toes all written in a delectable manor. 4 stars

I received this eARC from Avon Impulse via edelweiss.com

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story, but not loved it. Lord Camden Grey, a mathematician, ugh maths! I much preferred reading about Lady Sophia......is she really capable of murder? An easy read. 3☆

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novella, A MOST NAKED SOLUTION by Anna Randol is a wonderful sequel to A SECRET IN HER KISS. This was the novel where we first hear of Bennett Prestwood’s sister, Sophia, whose marital condition Bennett frets over even as his heart and protection are claimed by Mari Sinclair. We learn that Sophia has entangled herself with a husband who is less than honorable in regards to her respect and Bennett has long suspected of her abuse. Bennett, it turns out, was not wrong in his assumptions.

Lady Sophia Harding now finds herself the widow of Lord Harding after the man is shot dead, presumably by a poacher. When Lord Camden Grey, the Justice of the Peace for the village of Weltford, has evidence brought to his attention that the man may have actually been the victim of a hired killing, he sets out to solve the crime. His main suspect, the dead man’s wife and the same woman who had claimed his heart so many years earlier.

Lord Camden Grey, with his mathematically analytical mind, has more than a crime to solve. He’s been so caught up in his attempt to impress his father by solving a mathematical mystery that he’s ignored the mystery of his heart – his unrelenting attraction and desire for the young girl who used to linger in the hallway to listen to his tutorial lectures on mathematics. Now he is faced with not only confronting that part of his heart that he's shut away but he's also faced with the prospect that Sophia may also be involved in her husband murder.

Lady Sophia Harding, on the other hand, has never forgotten her first love or the assumed rejection she’d felt after writing Camden of her love and respect while he was away at war. Despite the cruelties she was forced to endure at the hands of a husband who claimed to love her, her heart refuses to allow Camden to keep himself from her even while he believes her capable of murder. So who did kill the dastardly Lord Richard Harding and why? Was it Sophia or someone who loved her enough to protect her from such a monster? Was it someone who wants to see Sophia go down for the crime? All will be revealed in A MOST NAKED SOLUTION.

A MOST NAKED SOLUTION by Anna Randol is a novella of dimension containing multiple levels of plot and intrigue. Anna proved herself a talented story teller with A SECRET IN HER KISS but has acknowledged herself even more improved with A MOST NAKED SOLUTION. The characters are believable and extraordinary in intelligence and personality. Many questions are put forth to the reader and then summarily answered easily and intelligently - except for one unanswered question left at the end. I can only hope that this question will lead us to the next creative story from this talented author.

I highly recommend A MOST NAKED SOLUTION by Anna Randol to anyone who enjoys a bit of murder and intrigue with their delightful Regency Romance.

I actually give this novella 4 1/2 stars!!

[Mella · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb had me thinking this was going to be a lot more lighthearted and fun than it was. But it's not really anything like that, because the main character is dealing with a lot of trauma from being abused by her ex-husband. She was a strong woman and there was some great positive messages present - particularly that the abuse wasn't her fault and she didn't need fixing to be okay - but this also wasn't at all what I was expecting. I also had no idea it was a part of a series - although I don't think that it impacted my ability to follow the storyline.

So based on the quality of the writing, the plot and the characters I'd give it three stars. The relationship between the two characters could have been more developed but I think the gem in this book was the manner in which domestic abuse was dealt with and the messages that were highlighted. Sophia is unsure of herself but works hard to find her confidence and sparkle. I really loved that she decided not to just jump into a relationship with Camden, that she was willing to tell him she needed time to find herself and to be confident in the idea that she was worth the wait.

On the other hand - I want to only give two stars because this wasn't what I was in the mood for. I picked this looking for a fun flirty read - I wasn't in the mood for anything serious but the blurb, cover and title are misleading.

[Zaanodes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Missed the mark all the way through.

Such a good plot to come up short. The editorial errors didn't help. Camden becoming Clayton one time, sentences being written one way then changed mid-sentence, etc. What can be over looked in a story that is otherwise interesting became very distracting.

[yoli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a cute little novella. It was nice to have some math in it? The secondary characters were interesting, but overall it went by too quickly to have much to say.

[Dottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a wonderful novella! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:

As justice of the peace, Lord Camden Grey, who was a mathematician, had been suspicious about the death of Viscount Harding. He had finally ruled with the coroner’s jury that the death was caused by a poacher because he had no evidence to the contrary. Although it had not been his job to investigate the death, only to rule on it, he had offered a reward for any information regarding the death. That had been three months ago. Now someone was coming forth with information that a woman was involved. As soon as Camden heard this, he immediately thought of Lady Harding, although he did not know why. He remembered when he had taught her brother mathematics and how she had listened at the door to learn as well. At the time of the death, her father, the Earl of Riverton, had asked him for discretion when dealing with the case.

When Lady Sophia Harding discovered that the justice of the peace was asking questions again about her husband’s death, she grew alarmed. Her husband had been a violent man and she was aware that one of the villagers might let something slip. But she was also determined to protect those she fears may be responsible for his death…her father and brother.

Although Camden had just moved to the village two years ago when he had been granted his barony, the villagers treated him like they had known him from boyhood. But when everyone in the village ignored his questions, he knew something was amiss. But then he found a pinch-faced woman, Ms. Ovard, who claimed that Lady Harding had dismissed her as her housekeeper and also claimed that Lady Harding had been in the village earlier, warning everyone not to speak to him. She stated that Lady Harding was not as innocent as she looked, having purchased a gun at the time of her husband’s death. But at that moment, the wife of the innkeeper, seeing Ms. Ovard with Camden, chased her off, warning him not to believe her lies. He was aware that Ms. Ovard had her own motive for talking to him, that of revenge. But he also wondered how much of what she had said was the truth.

Visiting Lady Harding, Camden is not surprised when she claims to know nothing about her husband’s death, but he can tell that she is lying. Fearing that her brother and her father had something to do with her husband’s murder, Sophia is determined to protect them. She does not want them to suffer for her terrible marriage. But her actions only make her look guilty. Seeing Camden again, she is reminded of the crush she had on him as a girl. But when a bullet almost hits her, she knows that she is now the target, but she does not know why. Together, can Camden and Sophie find the culprit before it is too late?

An excellent novella, A MOST NAKED SOLUTION, the latest story by talented author Anna Randol, is one that I hated to see end. Suspense, intrigue, passion, mystery, plot twists, romance and love abound in this delightful, touching tale. Sophia had thought she was over the crush she had had on Camden as a young girl, but being around him again brings it all back. However, trust is another matter. As for Camden, although he must investigate the new information that has surfaced, he is somewhat reluctant as he remembers sweet Sophie as a young girl and the love letter she once sent him. During the investigation, the attraction between them strengthens as they rediscover their feelings for each other. Ms. Randol is a new author to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novella and look forward to her next novel, SINS OF A VIRGIN, due out at the end of August. In the meantime, I highly recommend A MOST NAKED SOLUTION!

Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll start off by admitting that I didn’t think mathematicians could be so sexy. I was a little worried when I found out Camden’s main thing besides solving the murder was figuring out some math theory (is my prejudice against math showing yet?). I didn’t see how that could be interesting. But it was. Because A) the author thankfully didn’t go into too much detail about the math, and B) she wrote about Camden’s quest to solve the math problem with so much wit and humor that I forgot to be bored.

But enough about the math. Camden was a highly likeable hero. He’s logical and straightforward and doesn’t play any games. Which is exactly what Sophia needs, coming from her abusive husband. I really enjoyed Sophia. I’m always a little wary of abused heroines, but I think Anna Randol pulls it off pretty well. And what I liked most was that Sophia finds her footing and her strength by herself. Camden doesn’t do it for her. I mean, yes, he provides some reassurance, but Sophia’s growing bravery is all her own. I also appreciated that Sophia’s healing process is just that—a process. It takes time for her to come into her own, which made the whole thing feel more believable.

The mystery of who killed Sophia’s husband wasn’t that deep and was maybe a little too easily resolved, but I guess that’s to be expected since this is mainly a romance, not a full-out mystery, and a short novella at that. I guess there wasn’t really time to make the mystery too complex since the time had to be spent making the romance believable. And really, I would’ve been totally okay with this novella being a full-length book. It’s really good as is, but I wouldn’t have minded getting more time to get to know the characters and their pasts.

Oh, and just as a random head’s up—in the Kindle version of this novella, the story ends at 70%. The rest is excerpts from the author’s other books. I didn’t realize that when I started reading it, so I was a little confused about why all the development was taking place so early in the story. Turns out it wasn’t early, I was just misinformed about how long the story actually was.

But overall, a great story with great characters. It was funny too. I love it when books manage to be witty on top of everything else. I’m definitely looking forward to Randol’s next book.

[Jen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Camden Grey is a mathematician at heart. But he is also a Justice of the Peace. And he know there is more to the death of Richard Harding than meets the eye. A brief investigation found he had been killed by poachers, but Camden doesn't buy it... especially after a witness comes forward, claiming he heard about a murder-for-hire in the local tavern.

Camden's number one suspect is Richard's wife, Sophia. After all, the witness said the killers were hired by a woman. It's been years since Camden saw her --not since he tutored her brother years ago and she developed a crush on him. Determined he would not let their past get in the way of his investigation, Camden seeks her out.

Sophia is no killer. She is a woman getting over horrible abuse at the hands of her late husband. She is just starting to reclaim her life when Camden shows up on her doorstep. She ends up helping him solve the mystery of Richard's death, as she falls again for the man who captured her heart in her youth.

Poor Sophia has been through so much and I felt like the author did an excellent job giving us a look inside her past and state of mind. She is very damaged and I was a little surprised by how quickly she threw herself into a physical relationship with Camden. And I was a little disappointed at how fast he ended up professing his love for her.

The murder-mystery made for a decent backdrop for the romance. I just had a hard time feeling the love. Attraction, sure. Protective instincts... curiosity... even lust... OK. But there wasn't enough time or interaction between them for me to see beyond that. --On the plus side, I was very pleased with the way Sophia came to terms with her issues and her sense of self-worth. In fact, I felt like her entire journey of healing was done well from the beginning. I just wasn't bowled over by the romance.

I must also point out that my review copy had some noticeable typos and errors --and in one case, called the hero Clayton instead of Camden. But I was reading an ARC and these issues may have been corrected in the finished product.

Rating: C+

*ARC Provided by Avon

[Janga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lord Camden Gray is a mathematician whose most pressing concern is proving his worth to his controlling father by solving a math problem before a rival mathematician can. But since he’s also a Justice of the Peace, when the local drunk approaches him with the information that he overheard two Londoners bragging about how easy they found it to murder the man a woman hired them to kill, one Richard Harding, he feels duty bound to forsake his equation to investigate the murder. His chief suspect is the dead man’s wife, the sister of an old friend.

Lady Sophia Harding knows she didn’t kill her husband, but she fears someone close to her may have done so to free her from his abuse. She hasn’t forgotten her youthful crush on Camden, but memories cannot be allowed to soften her determination to see that his investigation be stopped. With mutually exclusive goals, Sophia and Camden are initially distrustful of each other. They can’t deny the feelings they have for one another, but they must trust one another if they are to have a future together.

Camden and Sophia are terrific characters, each interesting in her/his own right, and with their history together, equally interesting as a couple. The mystery and the love story are interwoven so that neither suffers from the development of the other. I was especially pleased that despite the limitations of novella length, Sophia is given space for healing and reclamation of her selfhood before she joins her life to Camden’s. This was the first thing I’ve read by this author, but I’ll be interested in seeing other books from her.

[Ibrium · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a short story/novella problem: It's incredibly difficult for me to connect with and care about the MCs. This is a "it's not you, it's me" state of affairs to be sure. I can't place all the blame on the author for a personal quirk. But I can and have fallen in love with characters in novellas (see: Courtney Milan), and because of that, the blame for not being bowled over by this story must be shared.

Lady Harding and Lord Gray are likable enough, but as implied, I never really cared about them or what happened to them. The bright spot for me had to be Sophia's realization that she did not need fixing. That who she is is perfect enough. Yay, positive messages!

Some errors in editing (missing words, misused words [Seriously, discrete? Lord Grey, a mathematician, warned the servants to be DISCRETE? sigh.]) also kept kicking me out of the story. Whether this is format-specific (I own the Nook edition) or not I can't say.

Readable, but not compelling. The writing was competent enough to make me inclined to try a full-length novel by Ms. Randol in the hopes that a little more meat on the story's bones will engage me fully.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story with a widow in need of healing and self-confidence and a mathematician hero who finds his muse in the lovely widow. When Lord Camden Grey is provided with new evidence in the murder of a local nobleman, he suspects the widow, Lady Sophia Harding of the crime. In his investigation, he learns more about Lady Sophia and her life since he met her as a child during his stint as her brother's math tutor. Sophia is trying to find herself again after her abusive marriage and is happy to see the young man she had such a crush on when she was younger. Too bad he suspects her of killing her husband. I enjoyed the way the mystery was solved and that the story didn't end there, but did come to a delightful conclusion later.

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MOST NAKED SOLUTION by Anna Randol is an exciting Regency historical romance. A fast paced,adventure filled story of love,trust,secrets,passion,and love. When Lady Sophia Harding,a seductress in the making meets Lord Camden Grey sparks fly and passion ignites,but can she trust him with her family's secrets. Adventure filled. I enjoy this author's stories and "A Most Naked Solution" is no exception. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Above The Treeline. Details can be found at the author's website,Avon Impulse,and My Book Addiction and More.

RATING: 4.5

HEAT RATING:MILD

REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction and More/ My Book Addiction Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short novella is a sequel to ‘A Secret in Her Kiss’ which I really liked. The hero of that novel has a sister, and this is her story.

I liked the leads, and the plot was good. The pace was perfect, considering that this is a short story, but then something just went wrong.

How does one explain and reconcile a great premise with a decent plot and ... thanks for jumping to b2b to finish my review ...

http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.co...

Melanie for b2b

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher

[Ann Lorz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of historical romance and I have a very short list of who I'll read. Anna Randol is now on that list. Very shortly I found myself lost in the story. I found the writing to be very much like Amanda Quick. The story is well written and fast paced, it held equal amounts of humor and suspense. You don't want to stop reading it until you reach the ending. It's a must read!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novella (163pgs) but it was well written & didn't feel rushed or incomplete in any way. The heroine is the sister of Bennett the hero from Anna's 1st book & is mentioned very briefly (i'd forgotten) in the 1st chapter. I loved Anna's debut bk & this one is just as good.

Loved that the hero is a mathematician & uses his knowledge to help people against his father's wishes.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novella. Just too short and not enough secondary characters. Sophia was an interesting character, and I understood that she thought her father killed her husband so didn't want the death investigated. I didn't like the character of Lord Camden Grey as much. I didn't feel his committment to his duty to solving the murder. And I like my heros with a little more town bronze.

[LibraryDanielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book this afternoon, right before going to see a friend for a couple hours. I have no idea what the book was about. none at all. I have completely forgotten it. sad. so because it was so utterly forgettable im giving it two stars. two instead of one because according to the overdrive app I did finish it...

[Huong · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not much fan of romance novellas. The writing & plot was just 'ok' for a short story. Not really sure how the title fits either.

Didn't care much for Lady Sophia. I get that she is a battered hero, but her 'empowerment' came off rather juvenile.

[Milena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another short story with lots of potential for more character and plot development, still the author did bring into play Sophia and Camden quite nicely, enough so that it left me wanting to read more.
Sorry this wasn't a full length book but it was still a good read.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Light, fluffy, not very deep. At one point the male main character's name randomly changes to Clayton for a sentence before going back to Camden. There were a few other editing quirks like this that I noticed, which means I wasn't as engaged in the story as I could be.

[Hanna Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. It didn't "feel" like a novella at all. Lyrical prose, a couple who used to have secret crushes on each other, a little mystery and a sweet, lovely, organic coming back together ... sigh. Wonderful.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies: http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artm...

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet, enjoyable novella. I really enjoy this author and I'm on to her next novel :)

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars