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The London List #1
Lord Gray's List
From duchesses to chamber maids, everybody’s reading it. Each Tuesday, The London List appears, filled with gossip and scandal, offering job postings and matches for the lovelorn—and most enticing of all, telling the tales and selling the wares a more modest publication wouldn’t touch.
The creation of Evangeline Ramsey, The London List saved her and her ailing father from destitution. But the paper has given Evie more than financial relief. As its publisher, she lives as a man, dressed in masculine garb, free to pursue and report whatever she likes—especially the latest disgraces besmirching Lord Benton Gray. It’s only fair she hang his dirty laundry, given that it was his youthful ardor that put her off marriage for good.
Lord Gray—Ben—isn’t about to stand by while all of London laughs at his peccadilloes week after week. But once he discovers that the publisher is none other than pretty Evie Ramsey with her curls lopped short, his worries turn to desires—and not a one of them fit to print.
The creation of Evangeline Ramsey, The London List saved her and her ailing father from destitution. But the paper has given Evie more than financial relief. As its publisher, she lives as a man, dressed in masculine garb, free to pursue and report whatever she likes—especially the latest disgraces besmirching Lord Benton Gray. It’s only fair she hang his dirty laundry, given that it was his youthful ardor that put her off marriage for good.
Lord Gray—Ben—isn’t about to stand by while all of London laughs at his peccadilloes week after week. But once he discovers that the publisher is none other than pretty Evie Ramsey with her curls lopped short, his worries turn to desires—and not a one of them fit to print.
317 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
40 people are currently reading
506 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Robinson
40 books360 followersMaggie Robinson is a former teacher, library clerk and mother of four who woke up in the middle of the night, absolutely compelled to create the perfect man and use as many adverbs as possible doing so. A transplanted New Yorker, she lives with her not-quite perfect husband in Maine, where the cold winters are ideal for staying inside and writing hot historical romances and her latest venture, the Lady Adelaide Mysteries. Her books have been translated into nine languages.
She also wrote two erotic historical romances as Margaret Rowe.
She also wrote two erotic historical romances as Margaret Rowe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
April 9, 2020
1.5 star
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I believe in that very much. But I struggled here to see beauty of any kind in Evangeline, the prickly heroine. To be blunt, she's a complete bitch. And for no other reason except her morally superior belief that she's suffered some imaginary horror and needs to take it out on everyone else--men in particular. This did absolutely nothing for me. A man-slut hero who bends over backwards to get the heroine's approval endlessly and reform his rakish ways while she turns her nose up in the air continuously. The whole time I'm wondering what an Adonis sex-crazed intimidating creature like Ben sees in a rail thin, big-nosed, hairy-chinned, shrewish plain spinster masquerading as a man who does nothing but ridicule and snarl at him every chance she gets. That's an ol' bucket full of horse pucky if I ever saw it. And FYI: none of the physical traits I just described is an exaggeration on my part. Oh it's all very real, down to the very chin hair she seems so proud of. Really didn't see what he found so attractive or endearing about her and probably the most far-fetched thing in this entire story. I mean not only is she not very attractive but her attitude is ugly too on top of that. I'm not exactly sure what Robinson was trying to accomplish with a heroine like this? Evie was insufferable and a complete narcissist to boot. The most hateful, miserable, self-righteous, selfish, judgmental character I've had the displeasure of reading about. Someone who loves to pass judgement on others because of their vices while they themselves make money off other people's suffering & exploits does not give them room to be judge jury and executioner. Get off the damn throne dear. That is not a noble crusade of any kind so please spare me.
I had trouble understanding why this woman went to such lengths to skewer Ben through her newspaper The London List for 2 years when she was the one who coldly rejected him when they were young and in love. I mean I was just waiting for someone to point this out to her, Ben in particular:
Her motivations made no sense and poorly justified. And we are never given much insight or guilt for that matter on the heroine's part for her rejection of Ben 10 years prior when he proposed to her. I had to sit through reading the heroine degrade and insult the hero at every turn thinking him useless, "stupid, insipid and an idiot". (Abusive much?) I'm swooning. Hey he's great for a few good screws but marriage? Never!..... Oh please spare me. Pot meet Kettle. And a woman who has no problem fitting into the role of a man and believing gay men were born that way is a little too modern thinking for me for a 1800's time setting. It was lovely idea but I felt Robinson went leaps and bounds to make this heroine revolutionary in every possible way and it was just overkill.
And why the author didn't bother to divulge the hero's ugly abusive childhood to the heroine makes me scratch my head. Total missed opportunity and was needed to disillusion our uppity austere heroine. This was something I felt Evie really needed to understand and know about since she was so set on making him out to be some reckless useless unfeeling fool. I really don't like judgmental people especially ones who are so narrow-minded, holier-than-thou and hypocritical about it. Evie had no problems lifting her skirts when she was 22 for Ben, she seemed to keep forgetting that tidbit in her blood bath crusade against him. RME. Just because your father was a reckless gambler who didn't protect you doesn't excuse your own up-bringing, behavior or nasty attitude. It bothered me to NO end how the heroine's loose up bringing was breezily justified yet the hero is a moral-less monster who needs to repent because he had mistresses?? There's a wallop of double standards & hypocrisy that I had no patience for. Just...UGH.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I believe in that very much. But I struggled here to see beauty of any kind in Evangeline, the prickly heroine. To be blunt, she's a complete bitch. And for no other reason except her morally superior belief that she's suffered some imaginary horror and needs to take it out on everyone else--men in particular. This did absolutely nothing for me. A man-slut hero who bends over backwards to get the heroine's approval endlessly and reform his rakish ways while she turns her nose up in the air continuously. The whole time I'm wondering what an Adonis sex-crazed intimidating creature like Ben sees in a rail thin, big-nosed, hairy-chinned, shrewish plain spinster masquerading as a man who does nothing but ridicule and snarl at him every chance she gets. That's an ol' bucket full of horse pucky if I ever saw it. And FYI: none of the physical traits I just described is an exaggeration on my part. Oh it's all very real, down to the very chin hair she seems so proud of. Really didn't see what he found so attractive or endearing about her and probably the most far-fetched thing in this entire story. I mean not only is she not very attractive but her attitude is ugly too on top of that. I'm not exactly sure what Robinson was trying to accomplish with a heroine like this? Evie was insufferable and a complete narcissist to boot. The most hateful, miserable, self-righteous, selfish, judgmental character I've had the displeasure of reading about. Someone who loves to pass judgement on others because of their vices while they themselves make money off other people's suffering & exploits does not give them room to be judge jury and executioner. Get off the damn throne dear. That is not a noble crusade of any kind so please spare me.
I had trouble understanding why this woman went to such lengths to skewer Ben through her newspaper The London List for 2 years when she was the one who coldly rejected him when they were young and in love. I mean I was just waiting for someone to point this out to her, Ben in particular:
Her motivations made no sense and poorly justified. And we are never given much insight or guilt for that matter on the heroine's part for her rejection of Ben 10 years prior when he proposed to her. I had to sit through reading the heroine degrade and insult the hero at every turn thinking him useless, "stupid, insipid and an idiot". (Abusive much?) I'm swooning. Hey he's great for a few good screws but marriage? Never!..... Oh please spare me. Pot meet Kettle. And a woman who has no problem fitting into the role of a man and believing gay men were born that way is a little too modern thinking for me for a 1800's time setting. It was lovely idea but I felt Robinson went leaps and bounds to make this heroine revolutionary in every possible way and it was just overkill.
And why the author didn't bother to divulge the hero's ugly abusive childhood to the heroine makes me scratch my head. Total missed opportunity and was needed to disillusion our uppity austere heroine. This was something I felt Evie really needed to understand and know about since she was so set on making him out to be some reckless useless unfeeling fool. I really don't like judgmental people especially ones who are so narrow-minded, holier-than-thou and hypocritical about it. Evie had no problems lifting her skirts when she was 22 for Ben, she seemed to keep forgetting that tidbit in her blood bath crusade against him. RME. Just because your father was a reckless gambler who didn't protect you doesn't excuse your own up-bringing, behavior or nasty attitude. It bothered me to NO end how the heroine's loose up bringing was breezily justified yet the hero is a moral-less monster who needs to repent because he had mistresses?? There's a wallop of double standards & hypocrisy that I had no patience for. Just...UGH.
October 18, 2012
Lord Benton Gray has had it with the weekly gossip rag, The London List. He is always the front page fodder and everyone, including his own mother, eagerly awaits each new issue. Deciding to end this once and for all, he goes and confronts the owner, a Mr. Ramsey. But who should this Mr. Ramsey turn out to be but the one woman he proposed to years ago...Evangeline Ramsey. Evie is running the paper to help pay her ailing fathers medical bills and dressing as a man has proved to be most advantageous as people are more willing to speak to a man over a woman and take her seriously. Seeing the man she made a foolish mistake with and ruined her future as a result stems her anger and frustration but the final straw is when Ben goes behind her back and buys the paper from her father! Sparks reignite, tempers flare and their past attraction still burns strong. Together, Evie shows Ben the ropes of running a paper and the side that the public doesn't seem much, the caring and helping of all the desperate, poor people who need so much yet can not afford the rates to advertise. Will Ben be able to truly turn over a new leaf and leave his rakish ways behind him and help Evie with all the issues with the paper and find what they thought they had lost all those years ago?
This book had everything I have come to expect from Maggie Robinson; heart, humor and heat. The heat starts off rather quickly, with Evie and Ben already having a torrid affair in the past but then the sexual tension sets in and just keeps building. The humor was just wonderful. Our couple are constantly trying to prove who is the man and should wear the pants (literally)...Ben wants Evie to wear dresses and be a female and take care of her while Evie wants to continue doing her job and the pants suit her just fine. Evie is a strong, bold, confident woman and does not need a man to take care of her! (Even if he is devilishly handsome, wealthy and shows himself to have a very generous heart). The heart comes from all the secondary characters that add a nice sense of completion to this story. Evie knows what it is like to struggle and when Ben decides to shut down the paper, she shows him how many people depend on The London List to find jobs, homes, and helpers, that it is far more that a scandal sheet. Yes, the situations that arose seemed to be settled fairly quickly and easily, but they were still pleasant to read. I also really enjoyed seeing some of the day to day operations involved in running a newspaper! Overall, a delightful, sensual romance that will surely please romance fans who enjoy a perfect blend of heart, wit, charm and heat. 4 stars
ARC provided by the author
This book had everything I have come to expect from Maggie Robinson; heart, humor and heat. The heat starts off rather quickly, with Evie and Ben already having a torrid affair in the past but then the sexual tension sets in and just keeps building. The humor was just wonderful. Our couple are constantly trying to prove who is the man and should wear the pants (literally)...Ben wants Evie to wear dresses and be a female and take care of her while Evie wants to continue doing her job and the pants suit her just fine. Evie is a strong, bold, confident woman and does not need a man to take care of her! (Even if he is devilishly handsome, wealthy and shows himself to have a very generous heart). The heart comes from all the secondary characters that add a nice sense of completion to this story. Evie knows what it is like to struggle and when Ben decides to shut down the paper, she shows him how many people depend on The London List to find jobs, homes, and helpers, that it is far more that a scandal sheet. Yes, the situations that arose seemed to be settled fairly quickly and easily, but they were still pleasant to read. I also really enjoyed seeing some of the day to day operations involved in running a newspaper! Overall, a delightful, sensual romance that will surely please romance fans who enjoy a perfect blend of heart, wit, charm and heat. 4 stars
ARC provided by the author
April 11, 2014
2.5 stars
Benton ("Ben") and Evangeline ("Evie")
England, Unspecified time period (but references to Regency period)
I was rather disappointed in this book. I never felt engaged with the characters or the story. Benton was just too much of a dissolute rake to get behind and there really wasn't enough to go on with Evie to understand or like her. There was a lot of sex but it was dull and uninspiring. I also felt the story was lacking and somewhat unbelievable. It seemed strange that the author picked the Regency period to set this in as it might have been more believable to have Evie running a newspaper in the late Victorian or Edwardian period. I also have a pet peeve and hate when authors put too much time in these second chance love stories. A decade between their first affair and their second meeting up just seems too much, especially given that it puts Evie at the age of 32 by the time this story comes around. Truthfully I ended up almost skimming the whole book because I just could not become engaged in the story so either 2.5 stars is too generous or maybe I didn't give it better attention. It's a shame because I absolutely loved another book by this author.
Benton ("Ben") and Evangeline ("Evie")
England, Unspecified time period (but references to Regency period)
I was rather disappointed in this book. I never felt engaged with the characters or the story. Benton was just too much of a dissolute rake to get behind and there really wasn't enough to go on with Evie to understand or like her. There was a lot of sex but it was dull and uninspiring. I also felt the story was lacking and somewhat unbelievable. It seemed strange that the author picked the Regency period to set this in as it might have been more believable to have Evie running a newspaper in the late Victorian or Edwardian period. I also have a pet peeve and hate when authors put too much time in these second chance love stories. A decade between their first affair and their second meeting up just seems too much, especially given that it puts Evie at the age of 32 by the time this story comes around. Truthfully I ended up almost skimming the whole book because I just could not become engaged in the story so either 2.5 stars is too generous or maybe I didn't give it better attention. It's a shame because I absolutely loved another book by this author.
October 14, 2021
The independent h is older, seduced and abandoned by the H years before. Easy to see why, she's prickly, but she loves him, and he loves her but won't admit it. So they go backward and forward, being dishonest with each other. The story seemed to rely on current social agenda. I disliked this book but love others by this author.
August 28, 2019
4.5
Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.
The London List is the bane of Lord Benton Gray’s existence. Every Tuesday it has featured his debaucherous shenanigans and he’s had enough. Enough, I tell you! He stomps down to the paper to give the editor a good dressing down only to find out his old love is the one running the place. Wut?! How in the name of all the sexy mistresses on Jane Street is this possible? She’s a woman. Dressed like a man. But he knows exactly who he, I mean she, is. Evangeline Ramsey. His very first (and only as it turns out) love.
Evie’s been caught with her hand in the printer’s ink. She’s been poking the London Bear and now he’s come agrowlin’ at her. She should have stopped writing about him, but just couldn’t seem to help herself. He’s the only one who ever made her blood sing and now that he’s in his 30s he should be thinking of settling down, not trying to top each ridiculous exploit he’s involved in. In any case, the jig is up. When he buys the paper from her father, she has to do some fast talking to get him to keep the paper open. And that’s where all the fun begins.
Despite the fact that Ben is a jackass in the beginning (um, who does he think he is trying to tell Evie how to live her life?), I really love this story. Evie is a strong woman with a great mind and a soft heart. She takes a failing paper and makes it profitable. She and her father aren’t rich by any means, but they have a house, some staff, and food on the table at least. Plus, she’s helping so many people through her personal ads that she needs to convince Ben to keep it going. During all of this negotiating they can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other. And that makes for some hilarious predicaments for Ben when he’s out in public with “Mr. Ramsey.” Humor and steamy action with wonderful characters make this a top read of 2019 for me. It’s entertaining and makes my heart all gooey, too. Bravo!
Book source ~ ARC. My review is voluntary and honest.
The London List is the bane of Lord Benton Gray’s existence. Every Tuesday it has featured his debaucherous shenanigans and he’s had enough. Enough, I tell you! He stomps down to the paper to give the editor a good dressing down only to find out his old love is the one running the place. Wut?! How in the name of all the sexy mistresses on Jane Street is this possible? She’s a woman. Dressed like a man. But he knows exactly who he, I mean she, is. Evangeline Ramsey. His very first (and only as it turns out) love.
Evie’s been caught with her hand in the printer’s ink. She’s been poking the London Bear and now he’s come agrowlin’ at her. She should have stopped writing about him, but just couldn’t seem to help herself. He’s the only one who ever made her blood sing and now that he’s in his 30s he should be thinking of settling down, not trying to top each ridiculous exploit he’s involved in. In any case, the jig is up. When he buys the paper from her father, she has to do some fast talking to get him to keep the paper open. And that’s where all the fun begins.
Despite the fact that Ben is a jackass in the beginning (um, who does he think he is trying to tell Evie how to live her life?), I really love this story. Evie is a strong woman with a great mind and a soft heart. She takes a failing paper and makes it profitable. She and her father aren’t rich by any means, but they have a house, some staff, and food on the table at least. Plus, she’s helping so many people through her personal ads that she needs to convince Ben to keep it going. During all of this negotiating they can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other. And that makes for some hilarious predicaments for Ben when he’s out in public with “Mr. Ramsey.” Humor and steamy action with wonderful characters make this a top read of 2019 for me. It’s entertaining and makes my heart all gooey, too. Bravo!
November 5, 2012
Lord Gray's List rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Release date October 30, 2012
“Lord Gray’s List" is the first in Robinson’s new series The London List
but can be read as a stand-alone novel.
How are the sex scenes?
Very, very good. Descriptive and imaginative but not over the top.
How are the story lines?
Enjoyable. They read very detailed and historical but keep you
interested despite the big words (this was my first historical).
Would you read it again?
Yes. I liked the hero and want to revisit him.
Back of the book
From duchesses to chamber maids, everybody's reading it. Each Tuesday, The London List appears, filled with gossip and scandal, offering job postings and matches for the lovelorn - and most enticing of all, telling the tales and selling the wares a more modest publication wouldn't touch....
The creation of Evangeline Ramsey, The London List saved her and her ailing father from destitution. But the paper has given Evie more than financial relief. As its publisher, she lives as a man, dressed in masculine garb, free to pursue and report whatever she likes - especially the latest disgraces besmirching Lord Benton Gray. It's only fair that she hang his dirty laundry, given that it was his youthful ardor that put her off marriage for good...
Lord Gray - Ben - isn't about to stand by while all of London laughs at his peccadilloes week after week. But once he discovers that the publisher is none other than pretty Evie Ramsey with her curls lopped short, his worries turn to desires - and not a one of them fit to print...
Review
It's 1820 in London, England. Hero Ben (Baron Benton Gray) and heroine Evie (Evangeline Ramsey) have chemistry and history. Yet it never gets too far, because their relationship is...complicated. Complicated more by Evie than by Ben.
Evie feels like Ben has changed too much over the years into a person she no longer knows or understands. His escapades and behavior become her main page stories of The London List which ups her subscriptions and saves her and her father.
Not knowing who it is that runs The London List but determined to stop the paper, Ben heads to the printing office to confront the publisher. When he discovers that it's his first love Evangeline "Evie" Ramsey under the guise of a man, his old feelings for her emerge and make things more complicated. Ben eventually tries to sway Evie to stop her from spreading the gossip and tarnishing his reputation. This is the main angst between the characters. It also stems from their past history of being each other's first loves. Ben had asked Evie at one time to take his hand in marriage but she turns him down which is part of the discontent between the two.
All other character cameos are a wonderful addition to the story between the hero and heroine. To tell you who pops in would be a spoiler, just know that there is plenty of intrigue and mystery to keep you interested in the storyline as you venture through the reacquaintance of Ben and Evie.
The love scenes are hot and steamy without being over done. Although each character claims to not have any feelings for the other, you can still feel and understand the connection they still have with each other. For my experience, I felt more for the hero in this story. He seemingly let Evie walk away long ago but never stopped carrying the "torch" for her and loves her still when he finally finds her again.
"He felt something for her still, and had sought escape from that inconvenient emotion for a third of his life. Calf-love, never grown, a great moo-y mess of need and want. Impossible. Insupportable."
Lord Gray's List was an enjoyable read for this reviewer's first historical novel. I recommend you read it too!
Release date October 30, 2012
“Lord Gray’s List" is the first in Robinson’s new series The London List
but can be read as a stand-alone novel.
How are the sex scenes?
Very, very good. Descriptive and imaginative but not over the top.
How are the story lines?
Enjoyable. They read very detailed and historical but keep you
interested despite the big words (this was my first historical).
Would you read it again?
Yes. I liked the hero and want to revisit him.
Back of the book
From duchesses to chamber maids, everybody's reading it. Each Tuesday, The London List appears, filled with gossip and scandal, offering job postings and matches for the lovelorn - and most enticing of all, telling the tales and selling the wares a more modest publication wouldn't touch....
The creation of Evangeline Ramsey, The London List saved her and her ailing father from destitution. But the paper has given Evie more than financial relief. As its publisher, she lives as a man, dressed in masculine garb, free to pursue and report whatever she likes - especially the latest disgraces besmirching Lord Benton Gray. It's only fair that she hang his dirty laundry, given that it was his youthful ardor that put her off marriage for good...
Lord Gray - Ben - isn't about to stand by while all of London laughs at his peccadilloes week after week. But once he discovers that the publisher is none other than pretty Evie Ramsey with her curls lopped short, his worries turn to desires - and not a one of them fit to print...
Review
It's 1820 in London, England. Hero Ben (Baron Benton Gray) and heroine Evie (Evangeline Ramsey) have chemistry and history. Yet it never gets too far, because their relationship is...complicated. Complicated more by Evie than by Ben.
Evie feels like Ben has changed too much over the years into a person she no longer knows or understands. His escapades and behavior become her main page stories of The London List which ups her subscriptions and saves her and her father.
Not knowing who it is that runs The London List but determined to stop the paper, Ben heads to the printing office to confront the publisher. When he discovers that it's his first love Evangeline "Evie" Ramsey under the guise of a man, his old feelings for her emerge and make things more complicated. Ben eventually tries to sway Evie to stop her from spreading the gossip and tarnishing his reputation. This is the main angst between the characters. It also stems from their past history of being each other's first loves. Ben had asked Evie at one time to take his hand in marriage but she turns him down which is part of the discontent between the two.
All other character cameos are a wonderful addition to the story between the hero and heroine. To tell you who pops in would be a spoiler, just know that there is plenty of intrigue and mystery to keep you interested in the storyline as you venture through the reacquaintance of Ben and Evie.
The love scenes are hot and steamy without being over done. Although each character claims to not have any feelings for the other, you can still feel and understand the connection they still have with each other. For my experience, I felt more for the hero in this story. He seemingly let Evie walk away long ago but never stopped carrying the "torch" for her and loves her still when he finally finds her again.
"He felt something for her still, and had sought escape from that inconvenient emotion for a third of his life. Calf-love, never grown, a great moo-y mess of need and want. Impossible. Insupportable."
Lord Gray's List was an enjoyable read for this reviewer's first historical novel. I recommend you read it too!
November 6, 2012
Lord Gray, or Ben to his friends is sick of being quoted on London’s popular newspaper, The London List every Tuesday. Each week the antics of ‘Lord G’ are printed for all to read. From the women he beds to the clubs he visits. Yes he is a rake and he likes women, but he doesn’t need everyone to know everything about him and he is determined to put a stop to it. But then he discovers the ‘Mr. Ramsey’ in charge of the paper is actually Evangeline Ramsey, better known as Evie dressed as a man and fooling everyone.
Evie’s father won the London List in a card game and is now ailing and can’t care for himself. She finds it much easier to conduct business as a man and has shorn off her long locks and now wears men’s clothing. The money brought in helps her and her father off tremendously, but The London List is more than just a gossip column. She also sells advertising space for people to anonymously look for a significant other or employment. Evie takes this seriously, as she has helped many people find the perfect job or even a the right companion.
Ben and Evie have a history, as in ten years ago they started sleeping together. But Evie wanted someone safe and mature, where Ben at the time was young and still sowing his oats. They split up, and lost contact. But now he is back, and furious she is writing all of this gossip about him. He decides to go straight to her father and offers to buy the newspaper, which he agrees to. Now Evie is the furious one, but Ben doesn’t realize just how popular The London List is and just how many people will get in an uproar if he shuts down the publication he now owns.
Lord Gray’s List is a lighthearted, cute book about two people who annoy the heck out of each other, yet can’t contain their lust when they are in each other’s company. Ben is sexy and charming and always knows the right thing to say. He constantly thinks about sex with Evie, and although he has matured in the ten years they have been apart, working with her at the paper, gives him further insight to what it is to be a responsible adult. Evie works hard, and he comes to respect her for that.
Evie is strong willed and has the support of many in the town when things start to go south for her paper. She tries to not fall for Ben’s charms (okay, she doesn’t try very hard) but ends up in bed with him on many occasions. There really isn’t a lot of conflict between them. I mean, they fight and they try to stay out of each other’s pants (since Evie dresses like a man they both wear pants! Ha!) but the pants don’t stay on for long. I kind of wish more had happened between them. More angst or more drama. I also didn’t buy into Evie tricking everyone that she was a man. That got kind of old.
But overall the book is a fun, quick read and pretty steamy too.
Rating: B-
Evie’s father won the London List in a card game and is now ailing and can’t care for himself. She finds it much easier to conduct business as a man and has shorn off her long locks and now wears men’s clothing. The money brought in helps her and her father off tremendously, but The London List is more than just a gossip column. She also sells advertising space for people to anonymously look for a significant other or employment. Evie takes this seriously, as she has helped many people find the perfect job or even a the right companion.
Ben and Evie have a history, as in ten years ago they started sleeping together. But Evie wanted someone safe and mature, where Ben at the time was young and still sowing his oats. They split up, and lost contact. But now he is back, and furious she is writing all of this gossip about him. He decides to go straight to her father and offers to buy the newspaper, which he agrees to. Now Evie is the furious one, but Ben doesn’t realize just how popular The London List is and just how many people will get in an uproar if he shuts down the publication he now owns.
Lord Gray’s List is a lighthearted, cute book about two people who annoy the heck out of each other, yet can’t contain their lust when they are in each other’s company. Ben is sexy and charming and always knows the right thing to say. He constantly thinks about sex with Evie, and although he has matured in the ten years they have been apart, working with her at the paper, gives him further insight to what it is to be a responsible adult. Evie works hard, and he comes to respect her for that.
Evie is strong willed and has the support of many in the town when things start to go south for her paper. She tries to not fall for Ben’s charms (okay, she doesn’t try very hard) but ends up in bed with him on many occasions. There really isn’t a lot of conflict between them. I mean, they fight and they try to stay out of each other’s pants (since Evie dresses like a man they both wear pants! Ha!) but the pants don’t stay on for long. I kind of wish more had happened between them. More angst or more drama. I also didn’t buy into Evie tricking everyone that she was a man. That got kind of old.
But overall the book is a fun, quick read and pretty steamy too.
Rating: B-
January 9, 2013
So, tell me again - why don't we like the hero?
Lord Gray's List, by Maggie Robinson, has a couple of very strong characters. One of them, Evie, is so strong she is a human bulldozer. A bulldozer dressed as a man. However, her strength is also her weakness and because of that weakness I had a hard time liking her. You see, she has a grudge against our hero, Benton Gray. A big grudge. Once upon a time, Gray and Evie were lovers. They were also very young and Gray was a bit of a wastrel. But he was also in love with Evie and so he laid his heart on the table for her to carve up and proposed. She declined. Either she blamed him for her father's gambling habits or she thought he was too much like her father. Whichever the case, she turned him down.
Time passed and we move forward 10 years and Evie is disguised as a man and running a newspaper. Or should I say, a scandal sheet! She also seems to be printing all kinds of salacious things about Gray. Evie is really, really peeved with Gray.
Ah, Gray... what an adorable rogue. In fact, he was painted as such a wonderful character, I had a hard time understanding all the hatred directed at him by Evie. She was seething with vindictiveness. For me, this couple didn't seem to balance one another. Evie was just so mean to Gray, and I kept hoping all the way through the book for the big reveal that would explain her one-track mind. Alas, it was not meant to be.
Gray was a delightful character - he was sexy, witty, fun, and while he's a bit of a rake through the course of the story, he grows into a better person. He sees his past life for what it was and tries his darndest to make Evie happy. I was never sure why he spent so much time trying to please this shrew of a woman. Although she couldn't seem to keep her hands, feet, and bosoms off all of him. It was hot sex, hate sex, mad sex, sex, sex, we can't do that again sex - all very irritating. I found her willingness to jump into bed with him, while holding him in disdain, very disturbing.
Gray was such a charming fellow, I only wish Evie was more deserving of him.
There was also a sub-plot involving two other women, which jerked me out of the story. Now, I would probably be interested in reading their stories (especially the fire starter), but these two scenarios distracted me from Evie and Gray's romance.
In the end, I was torn between a very entrancing, fun hero and a peevish, unlikeable heroine. I wish Evie had been a different person, for I would have liked the story better. As it was, these two just didn't connect for me. That doesn't mean I'm giving up on this series. No, this is just a case of heroine-phobia. I will, of course, be picking up the next book in the series.
KaysBlog
Lord Gray's List, by Maggie Robinson, has a couple of very strong characters. One of them, Evie, is so strong she is a human bulldozer. A bulldozer dressed as a man. However, her strength is also her weakness and because of that weakness I had a hard time liking her. You see, she has a grudge against our hero, Benton Gray. A big grudge. Once upon a time, Gray and Evie were lovers. They were also very young and Gray was a bit of a wastrel. But he was also in love with Evie and so he laid his heart on the table for her to carve up and proposed. She declined. Either she blamed him for her father's gambling habits or she thought he was too much like her father. Whichever the case, she turned him down.
Time passed and we move forward 10 years and Evie is disguised as a man and running a newspaper. Or should I say, a scandal sheet! She also seems to be printing all kinds of salacious things about Gray. Evie is really, really peeved with Gray.
Ah, Gray... what an adorable rogue. In fact, he was painted as such a wonderful character, I had a hard time understanding all the hatred directed at him by Evie. She was seething with vindictiveness. For me, this couple didn't seem to balance one another. Evie was just so mean to Gray, and I kept hoping all the way through the book for the big reveal that would explain her one-track mind. Alas, it was not meant to be.
Gray was a delightful character - he was sexy, witty, fun, and while he's a bit of a rake through the course of the story, he grows into a better person. He sees his past life for what it was and tries his darndest to make Evie happy. I was never sure why he spent so much time trying to please this shrew of a woman. Although she couldn't seem to keep her hands, feet, and bosoms off all of him. It was hot sex, hate sex, mad sex, sex, sex, we can't do that again sex - all very irritating. I found her willingness to jump into bed with him, while holding him in disdain, very disturbing.
Gray was such a charming fellow, I only wish Evie was more deserving of him.
There was also a sub-plot involving two other women, which jerked me out of the story. Now, I would probably be interested in reading their stories (especially the fire starter), but these two scenarios distracted me from Evie and Gray's romance.
In the end, I was torn between a very entrancing, fun hero and a peevish, unlikeable heroine. I wish Evie had been a different person, for I would have liked the story better. As it was, these two just didn't connect for me. That doesn't mean I'm giving up on this series. No, this is just a case of heroine-phobia. I will, of course, be picking up the next book in the series.
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2013
Reviewed by Sarah L
Book provided by publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Lord Gray’s List is the first book in Maggie Robinson’s latest series The London List. While certainly not unique, the plot sounded very intriguing with the heroine Evie Ramsey masquerading as a man and disparaging the reputation of her former beau Lord Gray by publishing his transgressions each week in her newspaper. Even though the story line was very well developed and written, I did not find myself fully engaged and my mind kept wandering throughout.
The interactions between Ben and his mother and also with his staff regarding the newspaper were at times comical. Everyone was determined to get their hands on it and Ben was determined to keep them from it. Ben even went so far as to sitting on the paper to hide it from his mother only to realize he had to get up to fill his plate. Little tidbits such as this scattered throughout did give the story a more lighthearted feel.
As much as I enjoyed getting to know both characters and the sex (for a historical) was pretty hot, I didn’t feel the connection between the two of them. There was plenty of friction between them but it just seemed to be missing that extra little bit of spark and sizzle that I am always looking for.
All in all, this story had all the makings of a great romance with a decent plot and great character development but unfortunately lacked that dash of spice that would have brought it all together.
Book provided by publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
Lord Gray’s List is the first book in Maggie Robinson’s latest series The London List. While certainly not unique, the plot sounded very intriguing with the heroine Evie Ramsey masquerading as a man and disparaging the reputation of her former beau Lord Gray by publishing his transgressions each week in her newspaper. Even though the story line was very well developed and written, I did not find myself fully engaged and my mind kept wandering throughout.
The interactions between Ben and his mother and also with his staff regarding the newspaper were at times comical. Everyone was determined to get their hands on it and Ben was determined to keep them from it. Ben even went so far as to sitting on the paper to hide it from his mother only to realize he had to get up to fill his plate. Little tidbits such as this scattered throughout did give the story a more lighthearted feel.
As much as I enjoyed getting to know both characters and the sex (for a historical) was pretty hot, I didn’t feel the connection between the two of them. There was plenty of friction between them but it just seemed to be missing that extra little bit of spark and sizzle that I am always looking for.
All in all, this story had all the makings of a great romance with a decent plot and great character development but unfortunately lacked that dash of spice that would have brought it all together.
March 29, 2013
This was an enjoyable read, but it was only pretending to be a historical romance. The vocabulary and attitudes of the characters are quite contemporary. Evie is a tabloid journalist/social justice crusader. She actually uses the term "social justice" to describe her actions. Significant portions of the book are dedicated to her rescuing people from the evils of the time. She rescues two different women from abusive situations. One way Ben signals that he has reformed from his previously dissipated lifestyle is by rescuing a women from her abusive husband. This rescue takes up several chapters. It involves a staged threesome and a staged orgy where the Evie (who pretends to be male in public to run her paper) pretends to be a man pretending to be a female hooker. Ben sweetens his proposal by offering to build Evie a sort of YMCA/nursing home to house all her charity cases. The romance aspect feels almost like an afterthought by comparison - a lot more time is dedicated to their various good deeds than to their relationship. The details about running a paper and operating a printing press were interesting, but it's really not much of a romance.
January 3, 2013
A Regency story (quite a bit of story) with a contemporary slant. The sex scenes are sensual with words like penis used with manhood - and the f-word used several times. This is not a critique but an observation.
The heroine is a contemporary thinker, she dresses like a man and runs a newspaper. She has good reasons why she doesn't trust men easily. The story is well paced. The dialogue is contemporary. The hero is a scoundrel, but not a true bad-boy or an alpha-male. It's refreshing to meet an interesting, but nearly normal rich male in a romance novel.
The H and h do not go to balls or parties. They do not waltz together. He does not send her flowers or get down on his knees to propose. The romance is in the relationship that develops as they work together on the newspaper - again a more contemorary view of the Regency world.
The heroine is a contemporary thinker, she dresses like a man and runs a newspaper. She has good reasons why she doesn't trust men easily. The story is well paced. The dialogue is contemporary. The hero is a scoundrel, but not a true bad-boy or an alpha-male. It's refreshing to meet an interesting, but nearly normal rich male in a romance novel.
The H and h do not go to balls or parties. They do not waltz together. He does not send her flowers or get down on his knees to propose. The romance is in the relationship that develops as they work together on the newspaper - again a more contemorary view of the Regency world.
February 8, 2013
I don't know. I wasn't super impressed by this one. lord benton gray is moderately likeable, but I didn't care for eve for most of the book. they start out immediately sleeping with each other, even though they hold the other in extreme dislike. benton uses sex as a weapon with eve, who is pretty much a b!tch. she petty, spiteful, and mean. she hates benton because he appears to be a rake and so decides to use him and his exploits to sell papers. she reminded me of the sleezy tabloid reporters. there are some interesting bits to the story, but on the whole I didn't care for it. maybe if they hadn't used sex against each other so much it wouldn't be so distasteful to me. sex isn't a weapon.
October 29, 2019
I had to add it to my shelves just to comment on the cover. The location of Big Ben is particularly amusing, given the hero's name. Ahem.
***
The cover still makes me giggle. I hadn't remembered that I already read a book in this series and apparently forgot to review it.
I liked both characters and the majority of the plot.
***
The cover still makes me giggle. I hadn't remembered that I already read a book in this series and apparently forgot to review it.
I liked both characters and the majority of the plot.
September 17, 2013
I kept hoping the book would get better more into the story but it didn't. The supplemental characters were not developed and I didn't like the hero and heroine and the plot was lacking. I would definitely not recommend anyone reading this book.
October 30, 2012
4.00 stars / 3.50 stars
September 1, 2015
Sultry. Funny. Good paced. Very enjoyable. Will have to try more of Maggie Robinson.
May 5, 2021
Felt utterly bad for Ben the hero.
Evie was terrible. Constantly putting him down and there was nothing that I could see that merited her treatment of him. Her reason that I remember was that he gambled like her father. The story didn't mention that I remember him losing lots of money or anything so the excuse was the flimsiest if ever seen. If
But if his gambling was such a problem even a rich man might find himself with no man's teen years later right? Nope, years later he is still extremely rich. So clearly he knew when to cut himself off.
Years later, just because she proceeds to air his dirty laundry in her newspaper for two years. Even though she rejected him. Even though he hasn't recently made contact with her or done anything recently that should cause her to have a vendetta against him.
Took sixteen chapters before she was like maybe I was vindictive. You think?!
If he had done something to earn her wrath that would be one thing but he didn't. When he proposed to her, he'd been super romantic with a lovely dinner and a ring.
Another problem I had was that the author doesn't even reveal his sad backstory to the Heroine. And no matter what he did the Heroine still put him down so it would've been nice for her to see what there was more because all the other things she saw she took credit for!
I forgot to mention that the original issue with the gambling didn't even get resolved. They never really discuss it and she married him the second time anyway. What?! I ended up taking satisfaction in the fact that she didn't get a super romantic proposal the second time around.(Reading about how romantic he was the first time made me even more mad at her) I don't think that's what the author was going for.
I finished the book but will not read the next one. I'm just incredibly disappointed by this book. So many missed opportunities and the Heroine never became likeable. I'm fine if a woman isn't pretty or slim but being a vindicative woman and basically stalking the guy you rejected is never okay.
Evie was terrible. Constantly putting him down and there was nothing that I could see that merited her treatment of him. Her reason that I remember was that he gambled like her father. The story didn't mention that I remember him losing lots of money or anything so the excuse was the flimsiest if ever seen. If
But if his gambling was such a problem even a rich man might find himself with no man's teen years later right? Nope, years later he is still extremely rich. So clearly he knew when to cut himself off.
Years later, just because she proceeds to air his dirty laundry in her newspaper for two years. Even though she rejected him. Even though he hasn't recently made contact with her or done anything recently that should cause her to have a vendetta against him.
Took sixteen chapters before she was like maybe I was vindictive. You think?!
If he had done something to earn her wrath that would be one thing but he didn't. When he proposed to her, he'd been super romantic with a lovely dinner and a ring.
Another problem I had was that the author doesn't even reveal his sad backstory to the Heroine. And no matter what he did the Heroine still put him down so it would've been nice for her to see what there was more because all the other things she saw she took credit for!
I forgot to mention that the original issue with the gambling didn't even get resolved. They never really discuss it and she married him the second time anyway. What?! I ended up taking satisfaction in the fact that she didn't get a super romantic proposal the second time around.(Reading about how romantic he was the first time made me even more mad at her) I don't think that's what the author was going for.
I finished the book but will not read the next one. I'm just incredibly disappointed by this book. So many missed opportunities and the Heroine never became likeable. I'm fine if a woman isn't pretty or slim but being a vindicative woman and basically stalking the guy you rejected is never okay.
December 2, 2017
I discover Maggie Robinson with her Courtesan Court's series that I rather like. But this one .... Yerk !!
Evie is a pricky hypocrit egocentric woman. She had a love story with Ben ten years ago, when they were around twenty years old, but she left him. And when her father won a printing press, she decided to run a newspaper, filled with gossip and advertisements. And who did she use for 2 years, as the prim interest of her gossip ?? Her ex-lover Ben. She is typically a woman who left her lover, and who turned offended and jealous when he start something new !!
And when she pushed Ben too much, conducting him to buy the press, and trying to reform himself, she refused to see he is not just a rake, but he has also others aspects of personnality. She think that, because they have known each other ten years ago, and she has writen about his debauchery life for two years, his life is limited to that, and he don't have any other side of himself.
She also accused him several time to live an useless life, without considering that is the norm of titled gentleman. And when they met other titled gentlemen, it seems like that accusation isn't in question for them ...
So Ben is quite sweet, even if I don't really know how he can love her that much. But Evie ... quite a bitch !!
Evie is a pricky hypocrit egocentric woman. She had a love story with Ben ten years ago, when they were around twenty years old, but she left him. And when her father won a printing press, she decided to run a newspaper, filled with gossip and advertisements. And who did she use for 2 years, as the prim interest of her gossip ?? Her ex-lover Ben. She is typically a woman who left her lover, and who turned offended and jealous when he start something new !!
And when she pushed Ben too much, conducting him to buy the press, and trying to reform himself, she refused to see he is not just a rake, but he has also others aspects of personnality. She think that, because they have known each other ten years ago, and she has writen about his debauchery life for two years, his life is limited to that, and he don't have any other side of himself.
She also accused him several time to live an useless life, without considering that is the norm of titled gentleman. And when they met other titled gentlemen, it seems like that accusation isn't in question for them ...
So Ben is quite sweet, even if I don't really know how he can love her that much. But Evie ... quite a bitch !!
November 19, 2012
I am a big fan of Maggie Robinson's Courtesan Court series (I think those were my introduction to historical erotica), so when I heard that there will be a new series after the Courtesan Court series comes to an end I was excited and impatient to see what it will be about. Well here it is, finally!
Maggie Robinson's new steamy historical romance series is centered around the London List, a vastly popular and beloved Regency gossip rag. In Lord Gray's List, the first novel of the series, we learn how the magazine became the well known and celebrated paper it is and get a close look behind the scenes of how it is made.
We discover pretty early on that the paper is published by Evangeline Ramsey, a young 30-ish woman who plays the part of a man, Mr. Ramsey out in society to be able to keep the press and their livelihood running. However, her ruse doesn't fool Lord Gray, all it takes is one look and Ben recognizes Mr. Ramsey as Evie, his first love, the woman he proposed marriage to when he was a young boy of only twenty. Though since Evie's rejection of his poposal he has lived a very promiscuous and sinful life, he never succeeded in purging his mind and heart of Evie's memory, so seeing her after more than ten years sure awakens some fond and some less agreeable memories for both of them.
I found the two main characters wonderful. Evie was an incredibly unusual and visionary heroine: she was a feminist, an independent, most of the time grumpy and stubborn woman.
"I told him I’d hire someone to take over, but after several disastrous interviews, I decided to do it myself. I’ve never been a beauty, or especially graceful, and after the sneers I received from those I tried to hire—they treated me like a brainless feather-head, Amy. As if a woman couldn’t know how things should be done. It seemed the simplest solution—to become a man—far fewer impediments to moving about society. No chaperone necessary. No ridiculous rules of propriety. As a girl I’d sometimes larked about in boys’ clothing, but now I had reason to be serious. It’s the rare woman who is permitted to be successful in business, and I wasn’t interested in being unsuccessful—we needed every penny of revenue."
She was no simpering, shy, blushing debutante. No, at the "ripe" age of 32 Evie considers herself a spinster and due to her slim and almost curveless figure, prominent nose and cropped hair she doesn't consider herself a beauty or a girly woman. However, despite her thorns and almost constant nagging she had an inner softness that made her character all the more complex and made me, the reader understand what Ben saw in her despite her nonstop grumpiness:
"Evangeline Ramsey was a romantic. A modern-day Don Quixote tilting at the windmills of British life, organizing everyone into the little cubbies he’d seen on the wall, turning Miss Sturgess into Cinderella withat the stroke of a pen. For all Evie’s viciousness with him, she was a Fairy Godmother—or, in their minds, Fairy Godfather—to the rest of the world."
Ben was simply loveable. He was a warm-hearted, generous, amiable man. To complement Evie's prickly temperament he was all softness and kindness, which was quite surprising in a hero, but it suited him and didn't take anything away from his very charismatic virility. He was the mellow and soft from the two and I loved how he wanted to soften Evie's heart and regard for him. How despite Evie not being a typical beauty, lacking dainty features and ample cleavage he still found her desirable and beautiful:
"Other women might have more up top, but she needed not an extra inch to compel completely. He’d best stop thinking of other women, not that anyone compared to his Evie. She was the love of his youth. She was the l— Dear God. What sort of spell had she cast over him? This was Evie. Difficult. Demanding. Ink-stained. And so very dear to him."
The chemistry between these two was explosive! Even when they couldn't stand each other, when the sight of the other person enraged them they just couldn't keep their hands off of each other. They were like two parts of a magnet, flying towards one another and sticking together. I enjoyed this tug of war between their minds and libido, and reading about their confusion at not understanding their irresistible attraction when they couldn't stand each other was very entertaining:
"one part of his brain wanted to call her disastrous, the other desirable. Perhaps Evie was both, but one thing Ben knew—she was giving him a headache right now to match the pain in his unattended erection."
Besides the plenty of smexy scenes something else I enjoyed a lot was the humour in the story:
"“Hm,” she said, damnably noncommittal. Perhaps if he rescued orphans from a burning building she might see him with new eyes, but setting fire to property was a criminal offense, not to mention causing worry to the poor children was not at all cricket."
And all the little tidbits and trivia Maggie Robinson taught me regarding all the expressions originating from the publishing industry, like:
“And they’re not called letters, but sorts. You know the expression ‘Out of sorts?’ When one runs out of sorts, it’s impossible to finish the print job and one becomes quite grumpy.”
Verdict: Lord Gray's List was a delightful story and an engaging first novel in the new London List series. While I found the story dragged a bit in the middle and it could have picked up speed a bit faster, I enjoyed witnessing Evie and Ben's story and how they found love and happiness for the second time around.
If you'd like to read an interesting and unusual, very steamy historical romance, pick up Lord Gray's List, I'm sure you'll be enetertained! ;-) As for me, I can't wait to read the second book in the series, Captain Durant's Countess (which will be released in February 2013, yay!)!
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Writing: 8/10
Ending: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
Maggie Robinson's new steamy historical romance series is centered around the London List, a vastly popular and beloved Regency gossip rag. In Lord Gray's List, the first novel of the series, we learn how the magazine became the well known and celebrated paper it is and get a close look behind the scenes of how it is made.
We discover pretty early on that the paper is published by Evangeline Ramsey, a young 30-ish woman who plays the part of a man, Mr. Ramsey out in society to be able to keep the press and their livelihood running. However, her ruse doesn't fool Lord Gray, all it takes is one look and Ben recognizes Mr. Ramsey as Evie, his first love, the woman he proposed marriage to when he was a young boy of only twenty. Though since Evie's rejection of his poposal he has lived a very promiscuous and sinful life, he never succeeded in purging his mind and heart of Evie's memory, so seeing her after more than ten years sure awakens some fond and some less agreeable memories for both of them.
I found the two main characters wonderful. Evie was an incredibly unusual and visionary heroine: she was a feminist, an independent, most of the time grumpy and stubborn woman.
"I told him I’d hire someone to take over, but after several disastrous interviews, I decided to do it myself. I’ve never been a beauty, or especially graceful, and after the sneers I received from those I tried to hire—they treated me like a brainless feather-head, Amy. As if a woman couldn’t know how things should be done. It seemed the simplest solution—to become a man—far fewer impediments to moving about society. No chaperone necessary. No ridiculous rules of propriety. As a girl I’d sometimes larked about in boys’ clothing, but now I had reason to be serious. It’s the rare woman who is permitted to be successful in business, and I wasn’t interested in being unsuccessful—we needed every penny of revenue."
She was no simpering, shy, blushing debutante. No, at the "ripe" age of 32 Evie considers herself a spinster and due to her slim and almost curveless figure, prominent nose and cropped hair she doesn't consider herself a beauty or a girly woman. However, despite her thorns and almost constant nagging she had an inner softness that made her character all the more complex and made me, the reader understand what Ben saw in her despite her nonstop grumpiness:
"Evangeline Ramsey was a romantic. A modern-day Don Quixote tilting at the windmills of British life, organizing everyone into the little cubbies he’d seen on the wall, turning Miss Sturgess into Cinderella withat the stroke of a pen. For all Evie’s viciousness with him, she was a Fairy Godmother—or, in their minds, Fairy Godfather—to the rest of the world."
Ben was simply loveable. He was a warm-hearted, generous, amiable man. To complement Evie's prickly temperament he was all softness and kindness, which was quite surprising in a hero, but it suited him and didn't take anything away from his very charismatic virility. He was the mellow and soft from the two and I loved how he wanted to soften Evie's heart and regard for him. How despite Evie not being a typical beauty, lacking dainty features and ample cleavage he still found her desirable and beautiful:
"Other women might have more up top, but she needed not an extra inch to compel completely. He’d best stop thinking of other women, not that anyone compared to his Evie. She was the love of his youth. She was the l— Dear God. What sort of spell had she cast over him? This was Evie. Difficult. Demanding. Ink-stained. And so very dear to him."
The chemistry between these two was explosive! Even when they couldn't stand each other, when the sight of the other person enraged them they just couldn't keep their hands off of each other. They were like two parts of a magnet, flying towards one another and sticking together. I enjoyed this tug of war between their minds and libido, and reading about their confusion at not understanding their irresistible attraction when they couldn't stand each other was very entertaining:
"one part of his brain wanted to call her disastrous, the other desirable. Perhaps Evie was both, but one thing Ben knew—she was giving him a headache right now to match the pain in his unattended erection."
Besides the plenty of smexy scenes something else I enjoyed a lot was the humour in the story:
"“Hm,” she said, damnably noncommittal. Perhaps if he rescued orphans from a burning building she might see him with new eyes, but setting fire to property was a criminal offense, not to mention causing worry to the poor children was not at all cricket."
And all the little tidbits and trivia Maggie Robinson taught me regarding all the expressions originating from the publishing industry, like:
“And they’re not called letters, but sorts. You know the expression ‘Out of sorts?’ When one runs out of sorts, it’s impossible to finish the print job and one becomes quite grumpy.”
Verdict: Lord Gray's List was a delightful story and an engaging first novel in the new London List series. While I found the story dragged a bit in the middle and it could have picked up speed a bit faster, I enjoyed witnessing Evie and Ben's story and how they found love and happiness for the second time around.
If you'd like to read an interesting and unusual, very steamy historical romance, pick up Lord Gray's List, I'm sure you'll be enetertained! ;-) As for me, I can't wait to read the second book in the series, Captain Durant's Countess (which will be released in February 2013, yay!)!
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 8/10
Writing: 8/10
Ending: 8/10
Cover: 7/10
August 27, 2022
Loved the Lady Adelaide series but was not enthralled with this. Too much descriptive sex for me. I skimmed thru the book rapidly because I just wanted to relax with a cozy mystery. Mostly there was no mystery. There was an underlying story of the problems for women in the 19th century many of which still exist and the main characters deal with them in interesting ways and there was the predictable love story. I might have enjoyed this all when I was much younger.
September 28, 2019
I loved the book! I checked it out at my local library, on a Saturday afternoon, and read it completely through. I was done Sunday at 2am. I just couldn’t put it down.. I know it’s a “romance novel” but there was much more to it.. so many twists, and turns. Really a great read, but I don’t want to give any spoilers!
May 24, 2025
It started in Print
I really give this story 5 stars because of the author, Lady Maggie. For some reason I had not read anything by her in a while. I enjoyed the 2 main characters in the story, Evangeline and Ben, their love story was real to me. Full of sizzling, hot sex and plenty of it.
I really give this story 5 stars because of the author, Lady Maggie. For some reason I had not read anything by her in a while. I enjoyed the 2 main characters in the story, Evangeline and Ben, their love story was real to me. Full of sizzling, hot sex and plenty of it.
August 9, 2019
Couple in their thirties get a second chance
Evie 2years older than Ben 30 get together again after 10 years apart, too much sexual encounters ,little character interacting
Evie 2years older than Ben 30 get together again after 10 years apart, too much sexual encounters ,little character interacting
March 8, 2025
Bad.
October 28, 2012
A sassy tale with plenty of heat and humor. Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:
At thirty, Baron Benton ‘Ben’ Gray keeps himself in shape by fencing, rather than boxing at Gentleman Jack’s. A sport using his fist is too reminiscent of his abusive father’s activities. Until his father’s death, when Ben was still a child, Ben and his mother had suffered under his heavy hand and the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness had still not completely gone away. His father had been famous for his temper, so Ben tries to remain affable at all times. But the one thing that could ruin that mood was the London List, a popular news rag that is published every Tuesday. It has something for everyone, but it seems that Ben has starred in almost every issue. Tired of having his life on the front page of the paper, he decides to go down to the newspaper office and confront the publisher. Checking the paper, he could not help noticing the coincidence of the publisher having the same surname as his past lover. But then, as is usually the case, he discovers there is no such thing as coincidence as the man bent over the printing press turns around and Benton comes face-to-face with Evangeline, his ex-lover, clad in manly attire.
Ten years ago at the age of twenty-two, Evangeline ‘Evie’ Ramsey had turned down Ben’s proposal. Years later, she returned to London to take over running the newspaper that her father had won in a card game. Knowing she could not be productive at running her paper as a female, she chopped off her hair, donned men’s clothing and assumed the name ‘Mr. Ramsey.’ So far, everyone has believed her ruse. However, when she first returned to London, she had been upset to see Ben’s frivolous lifestyle, as he went from one mistress to another, especially after he had declared his undying love to her when he proposed. Needing retribution, she began writing articles about him, and Ben, with his wild rakehell antics, was very accommodating about providing fodder for her paper. His scandalous behavior has helped make her paper profitable, so, after two years, she is finally making money and paying off some of the massive debts left by her father’s gambling losses and his subsequent medical bills. Now, suffering from Alzheimer’s, her father stays at home and has his good days and his bad days, under a nurse’s care.
Coming face-to-face with Evie, Ben finds their years apart slipping away and he is hit with desire for her, despite her close-cut hair, men’s clothing and sharp tongue. But he is also tired of being the joke of London, as everyone eagerly anticipates the next issue of the London List and his latest antics. Soon things turn heated and Ben, who has been against marriage, finds himself falling in love. But their past together has put Evie off of marriage. After confronting Evie, Ben gets the idea to purchase the paper and shut it down, but she refuses to sell. So he goes behind her back to her father, who accepts his offer. But when his intention to shut down the paper becomes widely known, her readers and advertisers protest, appearing right on his doorstep. So he rehires Evie and starts the paper again. The only problem is they cannot be in the same room without sparks flying and passion flaring, despite Evie’s attempts to keep everything professional. How long can Ben bear to work side-by-side with the woman he can’t forget?
When they were younger, Evie turned down his marriage proposal because she desired security and she believed that Ben was following in her father’s gambling footsteps. Can she trust him now, or does his rakehell antics prove her right?
A deliciously sexy tale, LORD GRAY’S LIST, the first novel in exceptional author Maggie Robinson’s LONDON LIST series, is a fun, passionate historical romance that is sure to captivate readers from the very first page. Reading it kept me up late into the night as I could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting, but the loss of sleep was well worth it. A fan of Ms. Robinson’s work, I cannot pass up one of her books and I am so glad I read this one. As Ben works beside Evie, he finds himself enjoying his new profession and coming to the aid of those in trouble, something she has been doing all along. I could not help rooting for these two, who seem to be made for each other. Combining sassy humor, engaging characters, steamy sensuality, witty repartee, delectable scandals, surprising plot twists, second chances and true love, Ms. Robinson has penned a winning novel that readers will not soon forget. As I eagerly await the next book in this exciting, new series, be sure to get your own copy of LORD GRAY’S LIST. If you are looking for a terrific story with plenty of heat and humor, this is the one for you. Do not miss it!
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
At thirty, Baron Benton ‘Ben’ Gray keeps himself in shape by fencing, rather than boxing at Gentleman Jack’s. A sport using his fist is too reminiscent of his abusive father’s activities. Until his father’s death, when Ben was still a child, Ben and his mother had suffered under his heavy hand and the feelings of helplessness and hopelessness had still not completely gone away. His father had been famous for his temper, so Ben tries to remain affable at all times. But the one thing that could ruin that mood was the London List, a popular news rag that is published every Tuesday. It has something for everyone, but it seems that Ben has starred in almost every issue. Tired of having his life on the front page of the paper, he decides to go down to the newspaper office and confront the publisher. Checking the paper, he could not help noticing the coincidence of the publisher having the same surname as his past lover. But then, as is usually the case, he discovers there is no such thing as coincidence as the man bent over the printing press turns around and Benton comes face-to-face with Evangeline, his ex-lover, clad in manly attire.
Ten years ago at the age of twenty-two, Evangeline ‘Evie’ Ramsey had turned down Ben’s proposal. Years later, she returned to London to take over running the newspaper that her father had won in a card game. Knowing she could not be productive at running her paper as a female, she chopped off her hair, donned men’s clothing and assumed the name ‘Mr. Ramsey.’ So far, everyone has believed her ruse. However, when she first returned to London, she had been upset to see Ben’s frivolous lifestyle, as he went from one mistress to another, especially after he had declared his undying love to her when he proposed. Needing retribution, she began writing articles about him, and Ben, with his wild rakehell antics, was very accommodating about providing fodder for her paper. His scandalous behavior has helped make her paper profitable, so, after two years, she is finally making money and paying off some of the massive debts left by her father’s gambling losses and his subsequent medical bills. Now, suffering from Alzheimer’s, her father stays at home and has his good days and his bad days, under a nurse’s care.
Coming face-to-face with Evie, Ben finds their years apart slipping away and he is hit with desire for her, despite her close-cut hair, men’s clothing and sharp tongue. But he is also tired of being the joke of London, as everyone eagerly anticipates the next issue of the London List and his latest antics. Soon things turn heated and Ben, who has been against marriage, finds himself falling in love. But their past together has put Evie off of marriage. After confronting Evie, Ben gets the idea to purchase the paper and shut it down, but she refuses to sell. So he goes behind her back to her father, who accepts his offer. But when his intention to shut down the paper becomes widely known, her readers and advertisers protest, appearing right on his doorstep. So he rehires Evie and starts the paper again. The only problem is they cannot be in the same room without sparks flying and passion flaring, despite Evie’s attempts to keep everything professional. How long can Ben bear to work side-by-side with the woman he can’t forget?
When they were younger, Evie turned down his marriage proposal because she desired security and she believed that Ben was following in her father’s gambling footsteps. Can she trust him now, or does his rakehell antics prove her right?
A deliciously sexy tale, LORD GRAY’S LIST, the first novel in exceptional author Maggie Robinson’s LONDON LIST series, is a fun, passionate historical romance that is sure to captivate readers from the very first page. Reading it kept me up late into the night as I could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting, but the loss of sleep was well worth it. A fan of Ms. Robinson’s work, I cannot pass up one of her books and I am so glad I read this one. As Ben works beside Evie, he finds himself enjoying his new profession and coming to the aid of those in trouble, something she has been doing all along. I could not help rooting for these two, who seem to be made for each other. Combining sassy humor, engaging characters, steamy sensuality, witty repartee, delectable scandals, surprising plot twists, second chances and true love, Ms. Robinson has penned a winning novel that readers will not soon forget. As I eagerly await the next book in this exciting, new series, be sure to get your own copy of LORD GRAY’S LIST. If you are looking for a terrific story with plenty of heat and humor, this is the one for you. Do not miss it!
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
October 24, 2012
Baron Benton Gray (Ben) has had enough. He’s tired of the endless tales of gossip featuring him every single issue in the weekly called The London List. These stories are making a mockery of his life, and he’s fed up. So Ben goes to the paper’s editor demanding he stop printing these sour stories and is surprised to discover that the editor is not a ‘he’ but a ‘she’ dressed in men’s clothing. Evangeline Ramsey (Evie) has been featuring Ben’s escapades on the front page of The London List for over two years. It’s the number one feature of the paper and happens to keep the paper afloat. With the profits that accrue from Ben’s stories, Evie can really do her life’s calling. She runs a matching service through the classifieds helping people find lost loves, potential mates, or even employment positions as needed. When Evie refuses to stop featuring Ben on the front page, Ben does what any wealthy titled gentleman would do, he buys the paper out from underneath Evie. (In typical Maggie Robinson style, that’s not the only thing Ben gets underneath Evie.)
Ben and Evie have a long past together that just won’t let go of either of them. Ben was Evie’s first lover, and his mark is forever on her heart. Ben still smarts from Evie’s refusal of his marriage proposal over 10 years ago. Since Evie is the editor and reporter for the paper, she’s seen firsthand how Ben is wasting his life and becoming a drunk and a libertine. When Ben shuts down the paper, there’s a revolt outside his home. It seems the paper is more important to the people of London than he thinks. For the sake of self-preservation, Ben decides to learn how to run it with Evie’s help so that he can sell it. Evie agrees in order to keep the classifieds operating. Even though they have been separated for years, their emotions are right on the surface. Hate, bickering, sniping, and of course, name calling quickly turn into wild uncontrolled passion between the two characters as they come to realize how important they are to each other.
Robinson crafts a delightful story that is laugh-out-loud funny. She frequently uses literary alliterations throughout the story to emphasize the characters’ feelings. For instance, Evie is upset with Ben at the beginning of the story for being “dissolute and dissipated.” She expresses this through an internal dialogue summarizing Ben as “[D]ismissive. Disgusting. Disappointing. Evangeline could ‘dis’ him forever, . . .” Meanwhile, Ben is frustrated with Evie’s continued portrayal of him as the bad guy. He reflects that Evie is “[t]he most infuriating, insulting—Incomparable.”
Robinson does this so many times throughout the story I lost count, but it’s a fun feature that makes this story a joyful read. But in true ‘Maggie Robinson’ style, the couple can’t resist each other, and their lovemaking is featured early and frequently to illustrate the point that when they are together, they make each other better.
This story is light and filled with humor. It was interesting to learn how printing presses operated during the time. Also, the book features the holidays as a vehicle for allowing the characters to develop their relationship. Although the book is not marketed as a holiday read, don’t be afraid to add it to your holiday reading list. Sigh, I look forward to the next book in this series. I got this ARC from the author.
Lord Gray's List
Ben and Evie have a long past together that just won’t let go of either of them. Ben was Evie’s first lover, and his mark is forever on her heart. Ben still smarts from Evie’s refusal of his marriage proposal over 10 years ago. Since Evie is the editor and reporter for the paper, she’s seen firsthand how Ben is wasting his life and becoming a drunk and a libertine. When Ben shuts down the paper, there’s a revolt outside his home. It seems the paper is more important to the people of London than he thinks. For the sake of self-preservation, Ben decides to learn how to run it with Evie’s help so that he can sell it. Evie agrees in order to keep the classifieds operating. Even though they have been separated for years, their emotions are right on the surface. Hate, bickering, sniping, and of course, name calling quickly turn into wild uncontrolled passion between the two characters as they come to realize how important they are to each other.
Robinson crafts a delightful story that is laugh-out-loud funny. She frequently uses literary alliterations throughout the story to emphasize the characters’ feelings. For instance, Evie is upset with Ben at the beginning of the story for being “dissolute and dissipated.” She expresses this through an internal dialogue summarizing Ben as “[D]ismissive. Disgusting. Disappointing. Evangeline could ‘dis’ him forever, . . .” Meanwhile, Ben is frustrated with Evie’s continued portrayal of him as the bad guy. He reflects that Evie is “[t]he most infuriating, insulting—Incomparable.”
Robinson does this so many times throughout the story I lost count, but it’s a fun feature that makes this story a joyful read. But in true ‘Maggie Robinson’ style, the couple can’t resist each other, and their lovemaking is featured early and frequently to illustrate the point that when they are together, they make each other better.
This story is light and filled with humor. It was interesting to learn how printing presses operated during the time. Also, the book features the holidays as a vehicle for allowing the characters to develop their relationship. Although the book is not marketed as a holiday read, don’t be afraid to add it to your holiday reading list. Sigh, I look forward to the next book in this series. I got this ARC from the author.
Lord Gray's List
January 15, 2013
การเขียนเรื่องแนวย้อนยุคไม่ได้มีพื้นที่สำหรับความคิดสร้างสรรอะไรมากมาย ส่วนหนึ่งเพราะข้อจำกัดทางยุคสมัยที่พฤติกรรมบางอย่างอาจจะไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับ แต่งานเขียนของแม็คกี้ โรบินสันค่อนข้างแตกต่างออกไป นั่นก็คือ คาแร็คเตอร์ของเธอมักจะทำอะไรที่แตกต่างจากข้อควรปฏิบัติในวงสังคมพอสมควร และการเขียนของเธอก็น่าเชื่อพอได้ว่า มันเป็นการกระทำที่แม้สังคมอาจจะไม่ยอมรับ แต่ก็เกิดขึ้นในชีวิตจริงได้
ดังนั้นเราจึงชื่นชมงานเขียนของเธอในแง่ที่สร้างความประหลาดใจให้กับเราได้ อย่างไรก็ตามหลังจากอ่านงานของเธอมาหลายเล่ม เราก็เริ่มรู้สึกว่า เริ่มจับทาง "ความประหลาดใจ" ที่เธอใช้ในเรื่องได้แล้วล่ะ
เล่มนี้ก็เช่นกัน ทำให้ตอนที่อ่าน เราไม่ค่อยแปลกใจเท่าไหรกับทางเลือกที่ค่อนข้าง Unconventional ของเธอ คือเหมือนกับว่า คาดหวังไว้แล้วว่าจะเจอตัวละครแนวนี้ แล้วก็ได้เจอจริง ๆ ดังนั้นแม้คาแร็คเตอร์จะแตกต่างจากหนังสือแนวย้อนยุคทั่วไป มันกลับไม่ได้แตกต่างไปจากสไตล์ที่แม็กกี้ โรบินสันเขียนเอาไว้เลย (สรุปก็คือ ชักจะจับทางการเขียนของเธอได้ เลยไม่เซอร์ไพรส์อีกต่อไป)
ชื่อเรื่องก็พอบอกพล็อตได้นะคะ เมื่อลอร์ดเกรย์ซึ่งตกเป็นเป้าหมายการโจมตีของหนังสือพิมพ์แนวซุบซิบเขาก็หากทางออกด้วยการซื้อหนังสือพิมพ์นั้นมาซะเลย โดยเฉพาะเมื่อรู้ว่า คนที่เป็นบรรณาธิการ และตัวตั้งตัวตีในการทำลายชื่อเสียงของเขาก็คืออดีตคนรักเก่าในอดีต คนที่ทิ้งเขาไปนั่นเอง แต่ผลลัพธ์กลับไม่เป็นไปดังคาด เมื่อวงสังคมรับรู้ว่าเขากำลังจะสั่งปิดหนังสือพิมพ์ ก็เลยเกิดกระแสบีบให้เขาต้องหันมาทำงานเป็นบรรณาธิการเสียเอง โดยได้รับความช่วยเหลือจากหญิงสาวที่เป็นคู่ปรับนั่นแหละ
เราอ่านเรื่องนี้ก่อนคำสั่งห้ามฉายละครเหนือเมฆ 2 นะคะ แต่ดันมาเข้ากระแสยุคจำกัดเสรีภาพของสื่อพอดีกันเลย
พล็อตแนวคนรักเก่ากลับมาเจอกันอีกครั้ง เป็นพล็อตแบบที่เราชอบ ความแตกต่างก็คือ ไม่ได้มีเรื่องเข้าใจผิดเกิดขึ้น นางเอกของเราจงใจทิ้งพระเอกไปเอง เพราะเธอไม่เชื่อมั่นในความรักที่เขามีให้ คิดว่าด้วยอายุที่เด็กกว่า (ของพระเอก) เขายังไม่รู้จักโลกดีพอจะเข้าใจความรัก มันคงจะเป็นแค่ความหลงใหล และเพราะการที่พระเอกเป็นขุนนางเสเพล ทำให้เธอไม่ต้องการมีสามีที่ใช้ชีวิตแบบเดียวกับพ่อของตัวเอง เธอจึงบอกปัดความรักที่ถูกมอบให้ และทำให้ลอร์ดเกรย์กลายเป็นเสือผู้หญิง และไม่คิดจะลงเอยกับใครเป็นเรื่องเป็นราวอีก
การกลับมาเจอกันใหม่อีกครั้ง ทั้งคู่โตขึ้น เราไม่ชอบการที่นางเอกทำเหมือนว่า พระเอกเป็นคนผิด ตอนต้นเรื่องที่ยังไม่ได้เล่าเหตุการณ์ทั้งหมดที่เกิดขึ้นในอดีต มุมมองของนางเอกทำให้เราคิดไปถึงขนาดว่า เขาทิ้งเธอไป แต่เอาเข้าจริงกลับเป็นนางเอกนี่แหละที่เป็นคนผิด จุดนี้ก็เลยทำให้รู้สึกหงุดหงิดเล็กน้อยที่เหมือนเธอไม่ยอมรับความจริง แต่กลับโทษว่า การที่ความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งคู่ไปไม่รอดเป็นเพราะความเสเพลของพระเอก (ทั้งที่จริงแล้ว ตอนนั้นเขารักจริงหวังแต่ง เธอต่างหากที่ไม่เชื่อใจเขามากพอ)
ในแง่นึงเล่มนี้มีความไม่น่าเชื่อของพล็อตอยู่เยอะพอควร ตั้งแต่การปลอมตัวเป็นผู้ชายแล้วทำงานเป็นนักหนังสือพิมพ์ของนางเอก หรือการที่พระเอกซึ่งเป็นชนชั้นขุนนางกลับลงไปเป็นบรรณาธิการหนังสือพิมพ์ ซึ่งไม่น่าจะเป็นสิ่งที่ยอมรับได้ของยุคนั้น การอธิบายว่า ทั้งคู่ไม่แคร์สังคมก็พออธิบายได้บ้าง แต่ก็ยังดูไม่น่าเชื่ออยู่ดี
อย่างไรก็ตามเล่มนี้ก็ยังถือว่า อ่านได้สนุก แม้เราจะจับทาง "ความแตกต่าง" ของแม็กกี้ โรบินสันได้แล้ว แต่เรื่องนี้ก็ยังแตกต่างจากโรแมนซ์แนวย้อนยุคทั่วไป นอกจากนี้การเล่าถึงเรื่องของตัวละครรองที่เป็นบรรดาคนที่ลงประกาศในหนังสือพิมพ์ในเรื่องต่าง ๆ ก็น่าสนใจ (บางครั้งน่าสนใจยิ่งกว่าเรื่องของตัวเอกซะอีก) ก็ทำให้เรื่องนี้อยู���ในความสนใจของเราตลอดเวลาที่อ่านได้
คะแนน 67
ดังนั้นเราจึงชื่นชมงานเขียนของเธอในแง่ที่สร้างความประหลาดใจให้กับเราได้ อย่างไรก็ตามหลังจากอ่านงานของเธอมาหลายเล่ม เราก็เริ่มรู้สึกว่า เริ่มจับทาง "ความประหลาดใจ" ที่เธอใช้ในเรื่องได้แล้วล่ะ
เล่มนี้ก็เช่นกัน ทำให้ตอนที่อ่าน เราไม่ค่อยแปลกใจเท่าไหรกับทางเลือกที่ค่อนข้าง Unconventional ของเธอ คือเหมือนกับว่า คาดหวังไว้แล้วว่าจะเจอตัวละครแนวนี้ แล้วก็ได้เจอจริง ๆ ดังนั้นแม้คาแร็คเตอร์จะแตกต่างจากหนังสือแนวย้อนยุคทั่วไป มันกลับไม่ได้แตกต่างไปจากสไตล์ที่แม็กกี้ โรบินสันเขียนเอาไว้เลย (สรุปก็คือ ชักจะจับทางการเขียนของเธอได้ เลยไม่เซอร์ไพรส์อีกต่อไป)
ชื่อเรื่องก็พอบอกพล็อตได้นะคะ เมื่อลอร์ดเกรย์ซึ่งตกเป็นเป้าหมายการโจมตีของหนังสือพิมพ์แนวซุบซิบเขาก็หากทางออกด้วยการซื้อหนังสือพิมพ์นั้นมาซะเลย โดยเฉพาะเมื่อรู้ว่า คนที่เป็นบรรณาธิการ และตัวตั้งตัวตีในการทำลายชื่อเสียงของเขาก็คืออดีตคนรักเก่าในอดีต คนที่ทิ้งเขาไปนั่นเอง แต่ผลลัพธ์กลับไม่เป็นไปดังคาด เมื่อวงสังคมรับรู้ว่าเขากำลังจะสั่งปิดหนังสือพิมพ์ ก็เลยเกิดกระแสบีบให้เขาต้องหันมาทำงานเป็นบรรณาธิการเสียเอง โดยได้รับความช่วยเหลือจากหญิงสาวที่เป็นคู่ปรับนั่นแหละ
เราอ่านเรื่องนี้ก่อนคำสั่งห้ามฉายละครเหนือเมฆ 2 นะคะ แต่ดันมาเข้ากระแสยุคจำกัดเสรีภาพของสื่อพอดีกันเลย
พล็อตแนวคนรักเก่ากลับมาเจอกันอีกครั้ง เป็นพล็อตแบบที่เราชอบ ความแตกต่างก็คือ ไม่ได้มีเรื่องเข้าใจผิดเกิดขึ้น นางเอกของเราจงใจทิ้งพระเอกไปเอง เพราะเธอไม่เชื่อมั่นในความรักที่เขามีให้ คิดว่าด้วยอายุที่เด็กกว่า (ของพระเอก) เขายังไม่รู้จักโลกดีพอจะเข้าใจความรัก มันคงจะเป็นแค่ความหลงใหล และเพราะการที่พระเอกเป็นขุนนางเสเพล ทำให้เธอไม่ต้องการมีสามีที่ใช้ชีวิตแบบเดียวกับพ่อของตัวเอง เธอจึงบอกปัดความรักที่ถูกมอบให้ และทำให้ลอร์ดเกรย์กลายเป็นเสือผู้หญิง และไม่คิดจะลงเอยกับใครเป็นเรื่องเป็นราวอีก
การกลับมาเจอกันใหม่อีกครั้ง ทั้งคู่โตขึ้น เราไม่ชอบการที่นางเอกทำเหมือนว่า พระเอกเป็นคนผิด ตอนต้นเรื่องที่ยังไม่ได้เล่าเหตุการณ์ทั้งหมดที่เกิดขึ้นในอดีต มุมมองของนางเอกทำให้เราคิดไปถึงขนาดว่า เขาทิ้งเธอไป แต่เอาเข้าจริงกลับเป็นนางเอกนี่แหละที่เป็นคนผิด จุดนี้ก็เลยทำให้รู้สึกหงุดหงิดเล็กน้อยที่เหมือนเธอไม่ยอมรับความจริง แต่กลับโทษว่า การที่ความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งคู่ไปไม่รอดเป็นเพราะความเสเพลของพระเอก (ทั้งที่จริงแล้ว ตอนนั้นเขารักจริงหวังแต่ง เธอต่างหากที่ไม่เชื่อใจเขามากพอ)
ในแง่นึงเล่มนี้มีความไม่น่าเชื่อของพล็อตอยู่เยอะพอควร ตั้งแต่การปลอมตัวเป็นผู้ชายแล้วทำงานเป็นนักหนังสือพิมพ์ของนางเอก หรือการที่พระเอกซึ่งเป็นชนชั้นขุนนางกลับลงไปเป็นบรรณาธิการหนังสือพิมพ์ ซึ่งไม่น่าจะเป็นสิ่งที่ยอมรับได้ของยุคนั้น การอธิบายว่า ทั้งคู่ไม่แคร์สังคมก็พออธิบายได้บ้าง แต่ก็ยังดูไม่น่าเชื่ออยู่ดี
อย่างไรก็ตามเล่มนี้ก็ยังถือว่า อ่านได้สนุก แม้เราจะจับทาง "ความแตกต่าง" ของแม็กกี้ โรบินสันได้แล้ว แต่เรื่องนี้ก็ยังแตกต่างจากโรแมนซ์แนวย้อนยุคทั่วไป นอกจากนี้การเล่าถึงเรื่องของตัวละครรองที่เป็นบรรดาคนที่ลงประกาศในหนังสือพิมพ์ในเรื่องต่าง ๆ ก็น่าสนใจ (บางครั้งน่าสนใจยิ่งกว่าเรื่องของตัวเอกซะอีก) ก็ทำให้เรื่องนี้อยู���ในความสนใจของเราตลอดเวลาที่อ่านได้
คะแนน 67
October 26, 2012
ARC provided by Author
Evie has been discussing herself as a man so that she can take care of her ailing father. She has produced a newspaper that has the towns’ gossip as well as jobs. But she has always made her paper popular because of a certain Lord. She has known him for a long time and found his life amusing and wanted the rest of London to know. However she never thought that she would find him on her papers doorstep, let alone buying the paper from under her. She also never thought that signing a contract with him would lead her to her own happy ending.
Lord Gray has always loved how he lived his life. However he has gotten fed up with having it displayed in the town paper every week. He went to the paper and was surprised on who actually wrote all about his escapades. He then decided to buy the paper from her father to stop everything from being printed. He never thought that the paper was used for other things besides betting written about him. He found out first-hand what the paper was about. He never thought that he would find his future in that paper printing room.
Lord Gray and Evie knew each other. They had an interesting past together and parted ways very unexpectedly. So it was a surprise to Grey when he found out who was really printing the information about himself in the paper. Si8nce grey bought the paper, they made a deal. She would work from him until the New Year. There were a few other things added into the contract as well. The contract was signed.
Gray started enjoying what was going on at the paper he however did not like all of the hours Evie was putting into it so eh hired more men to help so that they both could get rest. Gray helped one person in particular with the help of Evie. It was then that he realized that he could not let her go. He proposed in a very unconventional way. She asked for time but finally agreed.
Throughout the whole book, there was always tension between the two main characters. As the book went one it became more and more clear why there was tension between them. It also made the book more interesting on how they were going to resolve it. It was good to read about how they could resolve their issue and finally realize that they loved each other all along and just were too stubborn to do anything about it.
I completely fell in love with the characters. I loved how they both pushed each other. They were both so stubborn that they worked so well together. Bravo to the author for creating these characters. I completely recommend this book. It is the type of book that proves that if people are meant to be together, stubbornness does not matter.
Evie has been discussing herself as a man so that she can take care of her ailing father. She has produced a newspaper that has the towns’ gossip as well as jobs. But she has always made her paper popular because of a certain Lord. She has known him for a long time and found his life amusing and wanted the rest of London to know. However she never thought that she would find him on her papers doorstep, let alone buying the paper from under her. She also never thought that signing a contract with him would lead her to her own happy ending.
Lord Gray has always loved how he lived his life. However he has gotten fed up with having it displayed in the town paper every week. He went to the paper and was surprised on who actually wrote all about his escapades. He then decided to buy the paper from her father to stop everything from being printed. He never thought that the paper was used for other things besides betting written about him. He found out first-hand what the paper was about. He never thought that he would find his future in that paper printing room.
Lord Gray and Evie knew each other. They had an interesting past together and parted ways very unexpectedly. So it was a surprise to Grey when he found out who was really printing the information about himself in the paper. Si8nce grey bought the paper, they made a deal. She would work from him until the New Year. There were a few other things added into the contract as well. The contract was signed.
Gray started enjoying what was going on at the paper he however did not like all of the hours Evie was putting into it so eh hired more men to help so that they both could get rest. Gray helped one person in particular with the help of Evie. It was then that he realized that he could not let her go. He proposed in a very unconventional way. She asked for time but finally agreed.
Throughout the whole book, there was always tension between the two main characters. As the book went one it became more and more clear why there was tension between them. It also made the book more interesting on how they were going to resolve it. It was good to read about how they could resolve their issue and finally realize that they loved each other all along and just were too stubborn to do anything about it.
I completely fell in love with the characters. I loved how they both pushed each other. They were both so stubborn that they worked so well together. Bravo to the author for creating these characters. I completely recommend this book. It is the type of book that proves that if people are meant to be together, stubbornness does not matter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2013
This book did absolutely nothing for me, except annoy and bore me. After giving it to 20% I decided that enough was enough!! It was weak, far-fetched, thread bare, and what there was to the book only annoyed me. In the little I did read, I must have read about how beautiful the hero was a couple dozen times! OK, I GET IT, HE'S TOOOOO HOT TO RESIST!! fucking christ, I get it! But really I don't, because how things were unfolding was just utterly ridiculous! I don't get how the plot could have moved so fast. I don't get how they could have bedded so soon under the circumstances. I don't get how their thoughts and their actions were in such opposition! And ok, so they are attracted to each other, but give me a break.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> spoiler alert <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The guy just buys your life's work out from under you. Taking away something you held precious, and had sunk 2 years of your life into. You are furious at his underhanded/backstabbing, and hurt, and concerned for those that depend on you. And the best you can do is call the guy a bastard and then fuck his brains out. Yeah, I know just what you're thinking, same thing as me, "this is just what I would have done!!!"... NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> end spoiler <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
This book seemed so contrived. It seemed slapped together. It seemed utterly useless, and in no way entertained me. No emotions, connections, nor really, were any actions portrayed. They were all just stated. "So and so felt this way because...(well, just take my word for it)." So, we read a billion times about how attracted to each other they are, but she never writes HOW, we never see any reason for it. There are no scenes depicted that cause you to say to yourself, "ah, yeah, he/she is hot!" or "oh yeah, I'd be drawn to him/her as well." Through the whole of what I read I was informed how they felt, I was told what to think, I was notified about what was happening, but never once was I involved in any action, or given enough information to form my own opinion, or given cause to feel even a twinge of ANY kind of emotional connection or reaction!
And the both of them were so easy it was a miracle there was anyone in London they hadn't had sex with.
Terrible book! Just terrible! I can not state enough how weak it was, in both writing and plot.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> spoiler alert <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The guy just buys your life's work out from under you. Taking away something you held precious, and had sunk 2 years of your life into. You are furious at his underhanded/backstabbing, and hurt, and concerned for those that depend on you. And the best you can do is call the guy a bastard and then fuck his brains out. Yeah, I know just what you're thinking, same thing as me, "this is just what I would have done!!!"... NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> end spoiler <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
This book seemed so contrived. It seemed slapped together. It seemed utterly useless, and in no way entertained me. No emotions, connections, nor really, were any actions portrayed. They were all just stated. "So and so felt this way because...(well, just take my word for it)." So, we read a billion times about how attracted to each other they are, but she never writes HOW, we never see any reason for it. There are no scenes depicted that cause you to say to yourself, "ah, yeah, he/she is hot!" or "oh yeah, I'd be drawn to him/her as well." Through the whole of what I read I was informed how they felt, I was told what to think, I was notified about what was happening, but never once was I involved in any action, or given enough information to form my own opinion, or given cause to feel even a twinge of ANY kind of emotional connection or reaction!
And the both of them were so easy it was a miracle there was anyone in London they hadn't had sex with.
Terrible book! Just terrible! I can not state enough how weak it was, in both writing and plot.
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