My Fair Concubine

Tang Dynasty #3

by Jeannie Lin

THE NOBLEMAN WHO TURNED A TEA GIRL INTO A PRINCESS...
Yan Ling tries hard to be servile-it's what's expected of a girl of her class. Being intelligent and strong-minded, she finds it a constant battle.

Proud Fei Long is unimpressed by her spirit-until he realizes she's the answer to his problems. He has to deliver the emperor a "princess." In two months can he train a tea girl to pass as a noblewoman?

Yet it's hard to teach good etiquette when all Fei Long wants to do is break it, by taking this tea girl for his own....

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, China, Adult, Fiction

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

USA TODAY Bestselling author Jeannie Lin grew up fascinated with stories of Western epic fantasy and Eastern martial arts adventures. When her best friend introduced her to romance novels in middle school, the stage was set. Jeannie started writing her first romance while working as a high school science teacher in South Central Los Angeles. After four years of trying to break into publishing with an Asian-set historical, her 2009 Golden Heart Award–winning manuscript, Butterfly Swords, sold to Harlequin Mills & Boon. Her books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Library Journal with The Dragon and the Pearl listed among Library Journal's Best Romances of 2011.

Titles by Jeannie Lin:
Gunpowder Alchemy (Gunpowder Chronicles #1)
The Jade Temptress (The Lotus Palace #2)
The Lotus Palace
Butterfly Swords
The Dragon and the Pearl
My Fair Concubine
The Sword Dancer

For updates, sign up for her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/42oZL
Find out more about Jeannie Lin online at http://www.jeannielin.com

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Fair Lady in Tang Dynasty China? Yes, please!

In the field of fiction, Jeannie Lin's novels are unicorns. They are the rarest of mythical creatures: Historical Romances set in Tang Dynasty, China. I have always loved Jeannie Lin's romances, and this is among my favorite of her novels. This book is delightful in every way. We have a truly compelling situation, the "My Fair Lady" scenario isn't made on a whim, there is familial honor and duty at stake. There is a wonderful supporting cast, from the spirited maidservant Dao to the irrepressible Bai Shen (OHMIGOD I LOVE HIM), and a love story that builds gradually. There is no insta-love here.

This is truly a fantastic book.

The Summary:

Yan Ling turned to wipe down her already-cleaned table once more when the stranger spoke.

‘I need a woman,’ he mumbled. ‘Any woman would do.’

Fei Long does need a woman, but not in the way you would imagine.

Fei Long is a Tang Dynasty nobleman, and he is a noble man in every sense of the word. He is kind, he is a benevolent master, an obedient son, but an absent one. His father has died, and he has returned home to find it in chaos. Debt collectors are pounding at the door, and to make matters worse, his little sister, Pearl, is nowhere to be seen. She has eloped with their neighbor.

This would be a bad enough situation on its own, but what makes it considerably worse is that his sister is not free to marry. Pearl was supposed to have been elevated to the rank of Imperial Princess, then sent off to marry the far-away Khitan king. A wedding of convenience, one that would ensure the peace of two nations, one that would secure the wealth and honor of the family line.

And now she is eloped to someone else. Fei Long catches up with the lovers, but does not have the heart to force his beloved sister into an unwanted marriage. He lets them go.

His sister had turned to Han because she’d had no one else.
The tension drained out of Fei Long, stealing away his rage. His throat pulled tight as he forced out the next word. ‘Go.’
The two of them stared at him in disbelief.
‘Go,’ he repeated roughly.

Well, fuck, now Fei Long is truly screwed. He doesn't have a sister to deliver to Khitan, but at least his sister is happy.

Now, do you see why Fei Long needs a woman?

Enter Yan Ling.



A 19-year old teahouse maid, down on her luck, hungry day in and out. When the drunk Fei Long mutters "I need a woman" to her, what else is she to think? She throws a pot of tea at him. She regrets it immediately. One impulsive action got her fired, and onto the streets. She begs Fei Long for help, it was HIS fault that she got fired, after all. Fei Long looks at her...and has other ideas.

‘I have a proposal for you.’
‘I know exactly what sort of proposal you mean.’ She shook an accusing finger at him. ‘I don’t care how rich you are, I was right to pour that tea on you.’
Her step quickened. ‘Leave me alone. I may not be learned or wear expensive clothes like you, but I’m a respectable girl. I won’t do...do that.’
‘That wasn’t what I meant.’

Yan Ling is passably pretty. She's got fire in her, a fire that his timid, demure sister lacks. With enough training, her edges sharpened down, Yan Ling could pass as his sister. And let's face it, a life as a royal princess in Khitan is better than a life on the street any day.

A ripple of pleasure ran through her, lazy and warm with promise. She would never need to worry about being cold or hungry again. Her back wouldn’t ache from serving customers from the first light of day to deep in the night.

The training is difficult and tedious. It is no easy feat to be a lady, as Yan Ling soon learns. For example, despite the fact that she has worked at a tea house for years, she doesn't know proper tea etiquette.

‘And when you took the cup from me, you did it with one hand.’
Had she?
‘Two hands,’ he went on. ‘With a slight bow of your head as you accept the cup.’
Heaven and earth, she didn’t even know how to drink tea properly! She, who had grown up in a teahouse.

And don't even mention the dresses, Jesus Christ! How the fuck does one move properly in those things?!

The cloth pooled around her feet as she tried to move forwards, wrapping about her ankles until he was certain she would topple. Fortunately she didn’t. She kicked at the train, much like—heaven help him—one would kick a stray dog. He raised a hand over his mouth.

‘Are you laughing at me?’

Yan Ling is smart, persistent. She is so innocent, so eager to please. She is truly grateful to Fei Long for bringing her into this whole situation. For the first time in her life, she has friends, she has company, she feels needed.

The last weeks in the Chang household had been the happiest time she’d ever known. She wore the fanciest silks and ate delicious meals from painted plates and bowls.
More precious than that, she had companionship. True companionship that came from the time that was her own.

Fei Long has the fantastic Bai Shen to help her to be a lady. Bai Shen may be a man, but he is an accomplished actor, and he's more *snaps fingers* fa-bu-lous than you will ever be.

‘There are a thousand looks. A hundred gestures. I’ve studied them all.’ He circled his hand with a flourish. ‘The secret is to create the illusion. You don’t need it all. Emphasise certain characteristics and the audience will believe.’

And she'd better succeed in all of this girly shit. There's feminine honor on the line! She can't be outdone by a man!

‘And don’t forget you have one grand advantage,’ he said.

‘What is that?’

He shrugged. ‘You actually are a woman.’

Teehee.

Fei Long is not absent. He has been tutoring her, watching her, seeing her grow in confidence day by day. He has his doubts, he has his fears. There is so much responsibility on his shoulders, but Fei Long is not alone.

‘You don’t need to thank me for anything,’ he said gently. ‘I should be thanking you.’
‘Because we’re in this together,’ she said uncertainly.
He nodded, breathing deep. ‘Together.’

As the days go by, as they encounter more challenges to their lives, as the past catches up to them, will they ever be able to overcome their differences? Will Fei Long be able to overcome his stern exterior--will his need to do what's right destroy the spark of life within the woman he loves?

Fei Long could hear Yan Ling’s laughter just over his shoulder while he sat in isolation, unable to share in it.

He was the only one not in disguise that night, yet he was the one hiding.

When the time comes to deliver Yan Ling to the Khitan, will he ever be able to let her go?

The Setting: AWESOME. Oh my god, if you've ever watched a Chinese drama, you will love this book. We see the city of Changan, vibrant with color.

Wealth was in the red banners cascading from the balconies of the wine-houses and restaurants of Changan. The rainbow bolts of silk in the marketplace. Even the fruit piled in the stalls sparkled like jewels: rosy peaches and startling pink dragonfruit with green-tipped scales.

There is an ample amount of detail, and the Chinese fangirl within me loved all of it. From the Chinese theatres, to the street stalls, to the mansion itself and its furnishings. There is no shortage of the life and color and beauty of Ancient China within these pages.

Yan Ling: I absolutely adore her character, and how she grows. Bai Shen tells her to be a phoenix in the book, and I can see her transformation. From spirited, irreverent teahouse maid, to a demure lady who could pass as a princess, we see every step of her transformation.

Yan Ling starts off being completely in awe of Fei Long, and who can blame her? She is no doormat, but she wants to please him, she wants to do right by him, because he has rescued her from the streets. Yan Ling has so much faith in Fei Long, she completely trusts him.

‘Promise me you’ll stay beside me the entire time.’

‘I promise.’

His gaze held on to her and she knew then that Fei Long wouldn’t let anything happen. She would do this for him. So he could be proud and think well of her.

Yan Ling grows, but she never becomes weak. She becomes a lady, but she is never cowed. Her feelings for Fei Long grows bit by bit, but she knows it is hopeless, because of where it will all lead.

‘Ah, of course.’ Her throat tightened around the words. ‘The grand scheme, above all else.’

Whatever romantic aspirations Yan Ling has is completely solidified by reality: Yan Ling is not a silly girl, she knows her dream is just a dream.

He felt nothing. None of the unwanted fire within her. Silly girl, why would he?

In the end, we will see clearly that Yan Ling has more strength and bravery within her than we would ever have expected.

Fei Long: A truly admirable character. He is stern and seriously because he has to be. He is never cruel. He strives to do everything correctly in life. He is such an honorable man. So honorable that he could never allow himself to take advantage of his situation to compromise a girl whose life he holds in his hands.

‘I think of you, Yan Ling, more than I should.’ A wave of longing struck him. ‘When I see your face at night, I don’t see the tea girl or the elegant lady. I only see you.’

‘If I acted on these feelings, if I...if I took what I wanted, it would be an abuse of authority. You’re under my care. That was what I meant when I spoke of our positions. I won’t treat you like that.’ His mouth twisted. ‘As if you’re here for my pleasure.’

He sees Yan Ling transform day by day, to be better for him. He feels guilty for making her lose her inner spark.

When she walked into a room, he could no longer see any remnants of the tea girl he’d first met. Occasionally, he would see her doubled over in laughter with Dao or Bai Shen and the sight always sent an inexplicable ache through him. She never laughed that way in his presence.

Yan Ling was exceeding all his expectations—and he hated it.

BAI SHEN: WHY IS HIS NAME CAPITALIZED? BECAUSE HE'S FUCKING AWESOME, THAT'S WHY. Oh, sure, the other characters in the book are awesome, but you don't know fabulous until you've met Bai Shen.



He is not gay. He is an actor in Ancient China, which means that he has to play female characters. And damn, does he do it well. When trouble comes, when a girl doesn't know how to act feminine, who's Fei Long gonna call?

If Yan Ling was to become a princess, or at least pretend to be one, they would need to transform her. He needed someone who was a master at deception.

Meet Bai Shen.

The gentleman was already seated on the couch. His robe was adorned with a brilliant border of maroon brocade and his topknot was affixed with a straight silver pin. He had narrow, handsome features, with dark eyebrows that accented his face in two bold lines.

And what's he gonna do?

He tapped his chest twice. ‘Bai Shen is one of the premier actors of the Nine Dragon theatre troupe and that, dear miss, is not a pretty face you’re making. I can see why Fei Long needs my help.’

OH YEAH.

He's not only gorgeous, he's not only a fabulous acrobatic actor, Bai Shen is also well-versed in the matters of the heart.

‘Be careful, Fei Long,’ Bai Shen said sombrely.
‘I’m being very careful. I’m taking every precaution when dealing with Tong.’
With a sigh, Bai Shen turned around to continue surveying the perimeter. ‘You fool,’ he muttered. ‘That’s not what I was talking about at all.’

READ THIS BOOK.

[Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Category: A book about a culture you are unfamiliar with

Duty. For the most part, in western culture, the meaning of the word “duty” has fallen by the wayside. It is still circulated in common speech but it no longer means what it once did. We may say that something is a duty, with a fluttering hand wave, without ever having to really worry about the ramifications of not accomplishing that task.

Honour is spoken of, but it is always a little tongue in cheek. Again, for the most part our culture doesn’t hold our honour, and that of our family members and all who associate with us, on a tightrope where one misstep will send us plummeting into the shame of disgrace. Eastern cultures do, even today. In China, family honour is ANYTHING but a joke. Your family and associates ARE judged by your actions. And while, in some ways, that judgement has become more lax over the years it is very much still present. I have a number of friends, male and female alike, who were born and raised in China and I have had numerous discussions about this. About the different ways you can mark your family name, ways that seem a little crazy to my western upbringing. The reason I mention this is because this is one of the fundamental differences between western and eastern culture and it plays a very large role in My Fair Concubine.

‘You will do well.’ His tone was more of a command than a comfort. ‘We will just have to work harder. I have faith in you, Yan Ling.’
She nodded. Her palms grew damp and she wiped them against her robe when he wasn’t looking. The only thing that could make her more anxious than Fei Long’s disapproval was his trust.

This IS a love story, but it is a love story ensconced in the protection of family honour and duty. When our love interests first meet it is in a small tea house where Fei Long’s younger sister, Pearl, has run off with her lover. Fei Long has come to save the family honour by forcing her home where she is promised to another man. The Chang family has been bestowed a great honour and duty, Pearl is to be elevated to a Princess and wed in Khitan to ensure peace with their neighbours. Not an overly romantic notion but one of great HONOUR.

However, when Fei Long crashes into the lovers’ room and Pearl beseeches him to understand that she is IN LOVE, he relents, allowing the lovers to run off together. Enter Yan Lin, a tea girl at this very tea house. She serves him tea which grows cold as he worries himself over how he will save his family honour now that his sister has gone. He makes a rather rude statement about needing a woman to Yan Ling and ends up with a face full of cold tea. She is promptly fired and our journey truly begins when Fei Long discovers that if he can make this saucy tea girl into a ‘Lady’ he may just have an answer to both of their predicaments. It is not unheard of for a woman to pretend to be of royal blood in order to be wed in such a way, in fact his sister was being elevated to ‘Princess’ for this very purpose.

The Chinese culture is a culture of nuances. Statements not made but implied and a noble woman knows all these nuances. The way to move in a garment which is several lengths more than truly required to cover a body while looking both elegant and regal. The turn of one’s head, the movement of a hand, whether your eyes are downcast or half-cast; these ALL have meanings. This is where I have a little difficulty with My Fair Concubine, I find it pretty difficult to believe that Fei Long would truly believe that the learning of all these noble woman customs, not to mention reading and writing, could be accomplished in a few short months. However, he IS desperate so I allowed it.

Yan Ling begins a rigorous regime of learning how to transform from a lowly tea girl to a noble woman and princess. She has several teachers along the way, one of them being the actor, Li Bai Shen, renowned for his portrayal of women in the local theatre group. I love Bai Shen, probably for the most part because he is so damned inappropriate.



This is a love story that moves quietly, like the shift of an arm in layers of silk, it whispers along under the surface growing slowly until those small movements are all you are watching for. It is a love story told in nuances, a glance here, a brush against skin there. It is all so subtle and understated. And then the end happens with all the elegance of an untrained child bashing the keys of a piano. It lacked a certain grace and style which I had come to love throughout the rest of the novel and for that alone I am deducting half a star.

'There is a balance inherent in the art of writing, of Shū.' His voice was quiet, stroking gently over her skin. 'Defined rules about how to write each character. Every stroke has its place and position.'

Thank you for buddy-reading this one with me, Heatherdoll, even though you liked it a great deal less than I did! ♥

(Now it is my turn to beseech you, my lovies…. Does anyone know who that staggeringly handsome gentleman on the cover is??)

[Melanie THEE Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you’re thinking “this slow burn better be worth it, and IT IS 🔥” This book was fabulous.

RTC.

Chang Fei Long is in a bit of a pickle: his younger sister Pearl has run off with the man she loves after she was obligated to marry a man of the emperor's choosing in order to secure a political alliance. He comes across a serving girl, Yan Ling, who appears to be the answer to all his problems (even after she pours tea on him). Fei Long offers her an opportunity of a lifetime; she will pose as his sister after he trains her in the art of being a "lady." Obviously, he will not fall in love with her BECAUSE FEELS AREN'T ALLOWED OK.

My thoughts: I'm a sucker for a GOOD Pygmalion retelling-and let's be honest Higgins is a POS so there was plenty of room for improvement-and this was just what the doctor ordered. We have a reserved hero who's focused on duty and responsibility and tries to keep the heroine at arm's length until OH CRAP HE REALIZES THAT HE'S IN LOVE WITH HER AGAINST HIS WILL. HOW RUDE. We have a compassionate, kind and brave heroine who's certain that her feelings for the hero are unrequited until HOLY GUACOMOLE HE FEELS THE SAME WAY? I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

Truly, this romance was divine. The chemistry between the MCs was incredible. The yearning was top tier. It's definitely a slow burn but BABY THE PAYOFF IS WORTH IT. The supporting characters were fabulous (one of them gets her own novella) and the relationships between everyone felt so layered and real! Highly recommend. Also, there's no third act breakup!

Fei Long/Yan Ling's song(s):

Say Yes to Heaven: Lana Del Rey
Black Flies: Ben Howard

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I liked this but the whole time I was reading it I was thinking “Why am I not liking this more?”

And I think the answer is, “Because except for the place and time—China, 824 AD—I’ve read this story many times before, and I’ve read it with more emotional impact.”

Fei Long’s sister Pearl runs away to escape an arranged marriage to a barbarian tribal leader to cement a peace alliance with the Emperor, leaving Fei Long to face the family disgrace from her actions. But wait! Perhaps the disgrace can be avoided if the little tea girl who just doused him with a cold pot of it can be transformed into a cultured lady and take his sister’s place.

You can guess the rest. She transforms. They fall for each other but keep it to themselves because she must leave to be married and he must let her or face ruin. Their slow-burn has some nice moments but suffers from a lack of communication and connection. Fei Long is too controlled and remote. Yan Ling is too self-effacing and self-sacrificing. If the time and place in history is more interesting than the love story is compelling, I’m thinking too much and feeling too little.

[K.J. Charles]

Marvellous Pygmalion story with a pig-headed nobleman miserably locked in a desperate struggle to save the family name and honour, which requires him to send his sister off to be a barbarian princess, which requires turning a tea girl into a lady because the sister has run away. It all unfolds delightfully with loads of period feel and a really well delineated culture and background.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buddy read with Karly on June 3rd 6th!

I can't recall ever reading a Harlequin before, but from what I gather they don't have much depth or characterization to speak of. From reading another review, it seems this was one of the better Harlequins as far as those things go. However, when it comes to romance, this was not my cup of tea.

I CANNOT like a romance if it doesn't sweep me away, and this one didn't. I felt the writing was too stilted and even awkward at times. I didn't get a good picture of the character's emotions.

One of the reasons for this was that some of Fei Long and Yan Ling's early interactions didn't actually happen on the page. The interactions were talked about, but we don't get to see the interactions themselves, which would have been crucial for building the relationship, especially so early on in the novel. One example was Fei Long and Yan Ling having discussed a poem. We didn't see this happening, but Fei Long talks about the incident with Bai Shen. This would have been fine if we had seen BOTH interactions and not just one. I feel that leaving certain scenes like this out failed to establish a foundation for the romance.

This wasn't a bad book, the hero wasn't an ass, and the heroine wasn't annoying. It just wasn't my thing.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the three sex scenes crammed into less than 15 pages, after which there wasn't even 20 pages of story left. This obviously didn't work for me.

[Joanna Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters. Wishing I had read and not listened. May add more later.

[Anne Boleyn's Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

An utterly delightful My Fair Lady retelling featuring a grumpy nobleman (which is the only type of nobleman worth reading, as far as I'm concerned) and a spirited tea house servant.

The story is filled with humor, and a dash of intrigue, and longing. Perfect picture longing. To save his family's honor, Fei Long must transform Yan Ling into a lady capable of filling his wayward sister's place as the intended bride of a foreign warlord. Instead, Yan Ling ends up saving him.

The scenes where Fei Long teaches Yan Ling to write? Seriously sexy. Although the steam is mainly limited to the last 15% of the book, their coming together is tenderly passionate.

A highly enjoyable and recommended read.

SBTB April - June 2019 Quarterly Challenge: A book where money plays a role (billionaire, class differences, etc.)

[b.andherbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am so glad i read this with my book club (But Do They Bang: Tales as Old as Time edition) because I was near to DNF'ing around the 30% mark. Fei Long was so closed off and I wanted more character depth for Yan Ling BUT then, then, it all started to come together as I kept reading, and holy wow the payoff at the end was simply amazing.

As I said on my instagram review, My Fair Concubine was like watching a cherry tree slowly bloom. Once it does, magnificence. This is a great slowburn that ends in great pay off, and I just loved the archery contest too.

Also, Fei Long simp'ing for Yan Ling through calligraphy, my whole heart. Sexy calligraphy lessons for the win, reminding me of the sexy Italian lessons in Julie Anne Long's After Dark with the Duke.

[charlotte, · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rep: Chinese cast & setting

[Obsidian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a buddy read that I had with Melissa's Book Musings. You can find her final review of the book here. Suffice it to say that we both gave it three stars.

My Fair Concubine was a riff off of My Fair Lady and honestly, this should have just been called "My Fair Tea House Girl" since there was no concubine in this book besides for a couple minutes appearance, and she's not the main focus of this book. Ahem. Excuse the rant.

I am going to echo Melissa's Book Musings here with the fact that I found the heroine, Yan Ling just okay. I would also add in a seriously bored by her too. The hero Chang Fei Long I was more intrigued by, but who wouldn't love the Tang Dynasty version of Henry Higgins.

Plot is that because Fei Long has decided to not force his sister to come back and be wedded as per Imperial decree, he needs someone to take her place. So he of course sets his sights on the tea house girl who threw tea on him (just go with it). I mean you suspend your belief when you read romance, but in this case I really had to suspend my belief. The whole plan (make Yan Ling over in order to pass for someone who was brought up learning proper etiquette along with writing and the proper way in which to walk and talk) was hare-brained as hell. I was just wondering how they were going to pull it off.

So instead of some madcap scenes, we get a lot and I do mean a lot of Ms. Lin describing all of Yan Ling's lessons. I felt like I was slowly being beaten to death with a palm frond. I was just bored throughout anytime the book (which was about 80 percent of it) going into how Yan was learning how to write calligraphy or to spell and read certain words.

I really did love the character of Li Bai Shen (an old friend of Fei Long's) who is an actor who portrays women quite often in plays who is tapped to get Yan Ling to walk and move like a woman. I wish we had focused on him a bit more and also included more of his training, because those were the only parts that I found intriguing.

Other characters we don't get to see developed much, Yan Ling's current personal maid Dao and others such as Fei Long's servants. Frankly I can't believe no servants anywhere would not have been gossiping about what he was trying to pull off under the Emperor's nose.

I thought the flow could have been improved if we hadn't focused so much on the training aspect. And I can't lie, the constant stealing of glances by Yan Ling when she decides out of nowhere she has fallen for Fei Long or when Fei Long who has been right and proper the whole time, decides, screw it, he';s going to run away with Yan Ling rang false. The actual sex scenes took me completely out of the book, they were done well (except for the whole the first time was the best time ever nonsense which I wish would die a quick death in romance books everywhere) but once again didn't ring true of how right and proper Fei Long had been the entire book.

I wish I could say more about the Tang Dynasty setting. I did not feel fully immersed in the culture. I really wish that we had gotten more insights into other homes, tea houses, how the courts were set up, etc.

The ending I rolled my eyes at. The simplest solution ever in order for the hero and heroine to have their happily ever after.

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upped one star just because of LI BAI SHEN. Because fucking fabulousness.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. My Fair Concubine is everything that I've ever wanted in a historical romance - it is beautifully written and rich in cultural details, with a sweeping romance featuring intelligent and well-developed characters. Before My Fair Concubine, I had never enjoyed reading pure romance novels very much - even historical romances were usually "same old, same old," for all my love of history. This book changed my mind about the genre completely; if more romance novels were like this, then I might actually find myself a convert.

The story is obviously based on My Fair Lady, but aside from sharing a similar premise, My Fair Concubine stands far apart as its own unique tale. The main strength of this lies in the character development as Yan Ling transforms from a simple tea girl to a princess, while Fei Long (proud, honorable and responsible) learns to bend a little. The secondary characters are also quite likeable - I particularly loved the crafty and flamboyant Bai Shen. The author's Tang Dynasty is wonderfully and vividly executed and I was glad to see that she captured the speech and behaviour of Chinese characters in a historical context without rendering the dialogue utterly stilted, as many Chinese historical novels are wont to do.

What I appreciated most about this story, however, was that it was actually romantic. Yes, it sounds like a strange comment - this is supposed to be a romance! What else would it be if not romantic? But that is exactly the problem, with many romance novels opting to skip the build up and hop straight into the bed (literally). The beauty of a good romance is in the build up and seeing the characters slowly fall for each other, and this is what Jeannie Lin gives us here.

Watching Yan Ling and Fei Long begin as teacher and student before gradually transitioning into something more is the sort of thing that made one hold their breath, just waiting and hoping for everything to work out. The fact that Yan Ling is only a fill-in for Fei Long's sister as trophy bride to the Khitans, combined with the strict social norms and the Chinese stress on family honor, seemed to make their love an impossible dream. What's more, Fei Long was probably born silent and honorable while Yan Ling would do anything rather than disappoint Fei Long, so they persist in practicality, bottling up their feelings and leaving everything unsaid. This is the kind of romance that ticks every box for me - fraught with repressed emotion, it is actually far more effective than frequent displays of intimacy. The added benefit is that when their love is consummated, the reward is that much greater since the characters had to work so hard for it. There isn't even any need for the badly constructed obstacles that are thrown into the paths of protagonists in many contemporary romances. And really, how much sweeter was it to discover that for all his seemingly unshakeable emotional control, it turns out that Fei Long was so in love with Yan Ling that he spent their calligraphy lessons writing her name over and over "like a lovesick scholar," as he put it?

The two POVs (Yan Ling's and Fei Long's) are also employed to full effect. Not only did it enable us to get to know and sympathize with both characters, it was also supremely effective in heightening romantic tension - we would see a particularly heart-pounding encounter from Yan Ling's point of view, but the following chapter will show us Fei Long's reactions in the aftermath and we learn that he's not half as stoic as he is in front of Yan Ling. It's really quite cleverly done.

The title of the book - or at least the "concubine" part of it - doesn't actually play a part in the relationship between our hero and heroine, despite their difference in social status. In fact, Fei Long was quite indignant when it was suggested! Jeannie Lin has created quite a romantic masterpiece and I can honestly say I enjoyed every single page of this book. It's such a satisfying read.

[Aoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

That's it! Jeannie Lin is on my auto-buy list! I enjoyed every book of hers so far, and am looking forward to reading more novels from the Tang dynasty.

Her books are such a breath of fresh air amidst all the rogues and ladies of the Regency. Ms Lin's lush writing takes us through Tang era Changan; the colours and smells of the marketplaces, teahouses and gardens. The characters, especially the supporting cast of Li Bai Shen and Dao are witty and charming. The romance itself is a slow burn- the intense feelings, the longing all held back against a curtain of propriety.

It was an amazing read. Can't wait to read Dao's story.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5
This story is My Fair Lady meets Ancient China. I really enjoyed it. There were times when the story dragged a bit--my interest would be elsewhere at times or I just got bored--but I'm glad I pushed through. Yan Ling and Fei Long are great characters, Fei Long's characterization as a steely man of honor was very well done. Yan Ling was sweet, and her journey of self-improvement tugged at my heartstrings. Also, Li Bai Shen is amazing and deserves all the good things.

I loved, loved the ending. I live for HEAs. I had no idea how it was going to end (which made it really hard to enjoy that sex scene), but I'm glad it was solved that way. Everyone was happy and obtained their heart's desire.

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two things about this novel caught my eye when I saw it on my Goodreads friends list feed. First, it's set during China's Tang Dynasty, around 800 AD. It's a period I have some fondness for, having imprinted as a teen on Van Gulik's Judge Dee mysteries set in that place and era. And to my mind far too few works of historical fiction available here in America are set outside the Anglo-American world, never mind Asia. Second, it was reviewed by a friend of that friend who is very picky. Indeed, she's notable for often being scathingly, often hilariously, acerbic in her reviews. So when she gave this book five stars my eyebrow went way up and I hunted this down.

I don't rate this as highly no. I did very much like the way Lin evoked the place and time, at least in terms of physical details. I don't know though that the culture felt foreign enough though given the distance we're traveling to a China of the eighth century in the way of the best historical fiction I've read. It doesn't for me distinguish itself in style, which is not elegant, even if readable, in characters, which are likable but not to my mind distinctive enough to linger in my mind, and I found the plot predictable--I saw the resolution coming miles away. There were no passages that evoked writer's envy or tempted me to mark pages. Compare that to Crusie's Bet Me, the prize among books I've read in the romance category, with lots of elements and lines that linger in memory, which made me laugh and made me cry: that I rated five stars.

Mind you, given this is a Harlequin Romance imprint, never mind genre romance, I'm tempted to give My Fair Concubine five stars, because grading on a curve, this would be one of the best books I've read in the genre. I'm a sap that relishes a good love story, but it's rare that I've ever found anything in the romance aisle that I haven't found gag-worthy. And because I think there are good stories in every genre and I do enjoy love stories--the ones I love generally being found in other areas of the store--I have tried, going through more than one romance recommendation list. Other than Jennifer Crusie, I have yet to read a living romance author I'd be tempted to read a second time. Given the too-many-books, too-little time principle, I'm not sure Lin is another exception, which is why four stars feels too generous, if three stars given how much I enjoyed it a bit stingy.

But I did tear through the story and I did enjoy the ride. So if you think you'd enjoy a solidly written romance set in a far off time and place, yes, I'd recommend this novel.

[Tandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for some fluffy brain candy and was surprised by the depth of this historical romance. Yan Ling, a lowly tea house girl, is chosen by Lord Chang to stand in for his sister (she eloped & ran away) in an arranged marriage. She must become a gracious lady in a very short time! Yan submits to a rigorous crash course, learning to speak & hold herself like a princess. Very Eliza Doolittle. Lord Chang Fei Long personally handles the task of teaching Yan Ling to read and write. He's a harsh critic, but Yan is a dedicated student.

We all know the Pygmillian, My Fair Lady, Pretty Woman story well. This incarnation is beautiful! Side characters were well done. Lord Chang enlists his longtime friend and actor, Bai Shen, to teach Yan the nuances of being a convincing upper class lady. Since only men were allowed to perform on stage, Bai Shen was a favorite 'female' actor. Fun ensues. So much fun! Dow (I can't find the spelling) is Yan's personal maid & friend. She's sarcastic and wonderful!

I listened to this book and the narrator was lovely. Apparently, this is the third book in a series about the Tang Dynasty. It read as a stand alone, no holes. There was some steam toward the end, but it wasn't drawn out or tasteless. This book does NOT read like a typical Harlequin romance, and yes, I realize that sounds book-snobbish. I'm Grateful to my friend Khan for recommending this to me. If you're interested (READ IT READ IT), Khan's review is much more detailed. I very highly recommend My Fair Concubine (READ IT READ IT). I'm searching out all the author's books.

(I'm having trouble providing a link to Khan's review. I'll ask her to post it in comments.)

[Kerrelyn Sparks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book to read by Jeannie Lin, and I really enjoyed it. It was so refreshing to have a new and different setting-- China, Tang Dynasty, 824 AD. I would recommend this if you love experiencing books with an interesting and unique setting and culture.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

After all the rave reviews, I fully expected this to become my new favorite Jeannie Lin novel. It didn’t sweep me away but for mostly me reasons. While I can take or leave the Pygmalion, I was looking forward to how the author would make it her own. Her choices didn’t manage to overcome my issues with the original material. Mostly, I wish it had been more driven by internal conflict, really digging into Fei Long’s duty vs. love quandary, instead of backing off and focusing on external conflicts, which felt contrived. However, I did appreciate the way it showed the erotic potential of teaching somehow how to write.

Characters: Yan Ling is a 19 year old Chinese teahouse girl. Fei Long is a nobleman, squad captain, and archery champion in his mid-20s. This is set in AD 825 Changan, China.

Content notes: recent death of father (slipped, hit his head, and drowned in canal), sexual assault secondary character kisses FMC without consent in order to make MMC jealous, MMC is robbed and beat up by slumlord’s thugs in an alley (broken ribs), cross dressing FMC dresses as male servant to accompany MMC, male secondary character plays female roles in plays, MMC’s father had significant gambling debts, MMC’s father impregnated one of his servants and never recognized that child who then became a servant as well (unclear how consensual that relationship was), fatphobia (uncountered), past death of MMC’s mother, FMC was abandoned as a baby, colorism, purity culture, sexism, classism, on page sex, alcohol, inebriation, hangover (secondary character), gender essentialism, ableist language


*Buddy read with Vicky!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely an argument for letting books build and not giving up on them if you aren't immediately into them, because I definitely struggled a bit through the beginning but by the end was practically biting my fist to keep from squealing.

[Grace*dnfing books since 2022* · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid read. Deserving of more stars, possibly, if only because of its rare setting and the author's clear knowledge of (obscure to westerners) Chinese literature, calligraphy, wardrobe, geography, even hand gestures made by women. Basically everything that most westerners do not know.

And the setting is done beautifully. The characters. There's nothing objectionable about them either. Yan Lin is a likable woman, spirited but practical, and she knows that this is the best thing that could have happened to her. That's not to stop her from falling for -- no, that's not right, gradually starting to feel the beginnings of the sprouts of kindly emotion for Fei Long.

Yes, you heard me. The romance is so slow to build that they don't have much interaction, despite spending every day together in "fair lady lessons." That in itself, however, doesn't detract from the book either.

Nor is Fei Long the issue. Fei Long is probably the best thing about this book. He's probably the best thing to happen in any romance novel, or, for that matter, in the history of mankind. He's just about the last honorable man alive. He's a human atlas, carrying the entire weight of generations of his family, including all servants and retainers, on his shoulders, alone. Nor will he let anyone know the depth of his anxiety and worries. When he starts to feel an inkling of emotion for Yan Lin, he stamps down hard on those embers, because to feel that way about any woman under his protection would be a gross abuse of power. Fei Long does not wrong, nor is he without compassion, compassion that doesn't let him abuse the weak, compassion that forces him to let his sister go at high cost. Nor does he forget his debts, even those not rendered by him and belong to the nasty mob-boss. He doesn't forget to repay those debts even when he's mugged by the nasty mob-boss's people and robbed of all the money he carried trying to return those debts. Money, might I add, that he got from selling precious family heirlooms and property. No, about the only dishonorable thing that Fei Long has ever done was to pretend Yan Ling was his sister, and even that wasn't that dishonorable, because Tang princesses didn't even have to be real princesses, but were in fact honorary titles bestowed to treaty brides given to barbarian states.

And basically that was the problem. Fei Long was TOO honorable, TOO suppressed, which meant their interactions up until 80% of the novel was glance exchanges. Most of which Yan Lin could not decipher, of course, due to Fei Long's impressive poker face. And then when Fei Long does profess his feelings and want to run off with her...well, some of that honor has rubbed off on her too, and she refuses to run off with him.

So how do they get together?

Beats me.

That is, they get together, and it's weird, because it shouldn't have been so simplistic. The maid-cum-Fei Long's half-sister because of his randy father who professed at the start of the book that she couldn't do what Yan Lin was doing, suddenly is jealous that Yan Lin has this opportunity. Yay, she'll be the stand-in for Yan Lin then! And Fei Long and Yan Lin's love scene? It felt like it had to be stuck in there because the publisher is Harlequin and the book has gone on quite long enough without some hanky-panky. But, honestly, it would have been better if the book had been published by someone else. Because Fei Long, being so honorable, and having honorable intentions toward Yan Lin, never would have requested Yan Lin submit to him without a formal marriage.

And the government censor who was a minor villain in this whole thing? Didn't he realize that Fei Long was suddenly married to his supposed sister who was to have been married to a barbarian kingdom? Maybe all these Asian women were interchangeable to him as well.

[MBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeannie Lin is one of those authors that writes romances that speaks to your heart. Her writing is flawlessly beautiful and China as the setting provides for that exoticism that is unbeatable. My Fair Concubine is the third book in the Tang Dynasty series and explores the story of Chang Fei Long, a nobleman and Yan Ling, a baby abandoned at a tea house where she had grown up, knowing no life except one of servitude.

Fei Long wants to save his family’s honor and is at a loss as to how to go about it when the idea strikes to make use of Yan Ling to do so. Fei Long has just three months to turn Yan Ling into princess material, to teach her the etiquettes and way of life that would be required from her when she is given to the people of Khitan as princess bride to forge political ties with China through an arranged marriage. What Fei Long doesn’t expect is for him to want to break every single rule he has set for their brief partnership and claim Yan Ling for himself. But as life would have it, many a hurdle needs to be crossed before that particular dream would be realized.

I have no idea why I skipped on reading My Fair Concubine and jumped straight to The Sword Dancer, the 4th book in the series. Either way, My Fair Concubine turned out to be a beautifully spun story with enough angst, finely wrought sexual tension and the intricacies of Chinese politics and life in the Tang Dynasty that I just adored.

I loved both Fei Long and Yan Ling. Fei Long is man who practically has honor stamped right into his DNA. Yan Ling is the woman who grew up as a servant, whose inner fire, courage, wit and wisdom makes her the right fit for a man like Fei Long. The control that Fei Long exerts on his self and emotions was such a turn on if you ask me. I love a hero who is reserved. There is such a wealth of passion hidden inside characters of that sort and I just loved what Jeannie had to offer with Fei Long. When it comes to Fei Long and Yan Ling, there’s so much to be said for the near miss caresses, the fervent longing in each glance and this intricate dance was done superbly well which reached its ultimate climax the moment during which all that control shattered under the strength of Fei Long’s hidden passion for the woman he loves. And oh my stars; what a magnificent moment that was!

I adored the colorful secondary characters like Dao and Li Bae Shen that gave this story the wholesome edge to it that it deserved. The historical tidbits and the exotic feel to the entire setting itself was one I continued to lap up like someone who was starved for just that. If history were ever to be written with such flare, I don’t think I’d ever have a problem with buying a ton of books on the subject and holing myself up somewhere for days.

This review wouldn’t do justice to the story without mentioning the scenes of passion towards the end of the story; oh boy! I was feeling quite peeved about all the heightened sexual tension in the novel with no way of breaking the promises that held Fei Long and Yan Ling from acting on their desire for one another. And when Jeannie Lin delivered on all that, sigh, I swear I just near about swooned and rightfully so if you ask me. All those hours of calligraphy lessons? Totally worth it. And that alone is reason enough to buy a copy and indulge in my opinion. Well done Ms. Lin, well done.

Rating = 4.25/5

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[P. Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Rounded up because it's a historical that doesn't involve petticoats, the ton, and Mr. Darcy clones.

Fei Long is a nobleman in a bit of a bind. In Tang Dynasty China, it is common practice for emperors to marry their daughters off to foreign potentates to keep the peace. Because what says, "Let's be pals," like the gift of a woman? Except, most emperors don't want to send their actual daughters to distant lands, so instead they send stand-in princesses, the daughters of lesser nobleman, to play the part of princess. And this being long before the Internet and easy background checks for $50, the foreign princes are unaware of their counterfeit princesses.

Fei Long's sister Pearl is supposed to be one of those faux princesses. Except she's run off with her one true love. Fei Long's meeting with Yan Ling, a tea girl at an inn, doesn't go so well -- she chucks a pot of tea at him -- but when she approaches him after being fired, he strikes a deal with her. Basically, room and board for the next few months, during which time he'll teach her how to be a proper lady, capable of pretending to be his sister Pearl. And, once she's mastered the finer points of etiquette, she'll take Pearl's place as the "princess" and journey to far away Khitan to be a warlord's bride.

Yan Ling, an orphan with no family to fall back on, and now probably unemployable because of the tea incident, is initially wary of Fei Long's proposal, but agrees, because the alternative is starvation.

So...Pygmalion/My Fair Lady, the Chinese version. As Fei Long schools Yan Lin in the finer points of being a lady, the lurve happens. This being inconvenient because Yan Lin is supposed to be preparing to marry the Khitan warlord and in the process, save Fei Long's family honor. Also, there's the matter of a huge gambling debt, racked up by Fei Long's late father, and now Fei Long's unfortunate inheritance. Basically, everything he owns is mortgaged to a local thug/bookie. Even if he could find another woman to substitute for Yan Ling, he'd still have the problem of keeping a roof over his and Yan Ling's head.

Confession. For the most part, My Fair Concubine falls into the "unmemorable" category. Fei Long is a nice break from the he-brutes (grunt, grunt, grunt) of romance, and Yan Ling is sensible and forward-thinking without being an anachronism for the time period. But both characters lack the sparkle, the innate charisma required to turn this novel into a keeper. Once again, I'd pin the blame on the absence of humor. In that respect, the stand-out character is Fei Long's actor friend, Bai Shen, who's rather adorable.

But..I've developed such an aversion to A) insta-lust and B) stupid conflicts based on misunderstandings that could be solved with a simple conversation, and C) an "obstacle to romance" that consists of nothing more than the hero/heroine's lame-ass insecurities, that My Fair Concubine was refreshing. As was the evocative and exotic setting.

Recommended for romance readers who think "historical" should mean something more than Regency England.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romances are an occasional guilty pleasure of mine, less frequent than when I started reading them a decade or so ago as I tired of many of the tropes and stereotypes, first in MF and then in MM romances, but sometimes it is just what I am in the mood for and I will give another a try.

This book caught my eye in part for being set in T’ang Dynasty China, which I am fascinated to learn more about. The premise and characters of this book also intrigued me. At the start of the story, my feelings were mixed: the characters’ motivations were clear (although perhaps spelled put more than necessary at times), although certain words and actions between them did not feel right, like the confrontation at an inn along the journey. I understand the purpose, but the specifics felt awkward to me. That was just my subjective sense of it though and I kept reading and soon got swept up in the characters and setting.

There are lots of enjoyable characters and I especially loved Fei Long and Yan Ling! Yan Ling is no passive “heroine” but a strong character, making choices to better her situation, practical, and with a strong sense of duty and loyalty to her new friends and family. Fei Long is likewise no boorish “hero” but a man of great discipline and duty, with exceptions only made for those he cares for and never for himself. I enjoyed reading of their developing understanding and friendship, each trying to supress feeling that they know can never be allowed to develop further.

I enjoyed the details of time and place and felt this was well-incorporated. I think the author had a difficult balancing act to do here, as some readers would be more interested in the time and setting than others who might have preferred focus more solely on character interactions and romance.

It was the ending that lost me, sadly. It felt as if Harlequin had read an early draft and demanded that X,Y,Z be added to the book, because suddenly tropes appeared that did not fit with the characters established. Making out in a public park?! I really cannot imagine that happening between these characters. But most of all, there was the duty of the peace bride which Yan Ling had freely agreed to fulfill. This was a duty to the empire and to maintaining peace with a neighboring nation. Regardless of what anyone may think of the practice, it was the treaty and if those who had pledged to fulfill certain duties did not, might this not have meant war for the empire and who knows how many deaths? No, the Fei Long and Yan Ling I loved would not put their desires or even those of one they loved before such a solemn duty. Either something else would have needed to happen first on the political side that changed Yan Ling’s duty in this, or the story needed to have a much delayed HEA, sad as that would have been, but I cannot truly believe in and be happy with a happy ending that does not feel right for the story and characters. My apologies to the author if I seem overly harsh, but it is only because I had come to love her characters that it upset me that I could not believe the ending.

[Malin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fei Long is in desperate straits. His sister has been selected to be sent to a foreign court to secure an important political alliance through marriage but has instead eloped with her lover. Once Fei Long catches up to the runaway couple, he doesn't really have the heart to force his sister back home, so instead, he lets her and her new husband go. However, if he doesn't present a princess candidate to the imperial court, his family's reputation will be ruined.

So when he encounters Yan Ling, a beautiful serving girl at the tea house where he rests after sending his sister off, he hatches a plan. Not many people have actually seen his sister in the last few years. If he manages to train Yan Ling enough in courtly manners and etiquette to pass for a young noblewoman, they can pretend she is his sister, and he won't have to worry about the wrath of the emperor.

Of course, they don't have a lot of time, and Yan Ling doesn't even know how to read and write, so a lot of work has to be done. To complicate matters further, it turns out that Fei Long's recently departed father had a massive gambling problem and has left the household with massive debts that are now Fei Long's responsibility to deal with. A high-ranking city official also wants to monitor the progress that Fei Long's "sister" is making, to make sure she is a suitable candidate to send off to secure the alliance.

Of course, despite their initial social standings and animosity, Fei Long and Yan Ling fall for one another, and both try bravely to resist the attraction, as their love is impossible, and they only have a few months together before Yan Ling needs to be sent off to a foreign country to marry someone else.

This is my second Jeannie Lin novel this year, and while it was fine, I didn't enjoy it as much as The Dragon and the Pearl. It's another of the novels that originally were published by Harlequin, and anyone looking for high spice should probably look elsewhere. This book is mostly pining.

I really liked the bits with Yan Ling working to become delicate and sophisticated enough to pass for a noblewoman. The subplot with Fei Long dealing with his father's gambling debts and dealing with a mob boss and having to do a bunch of archery dragged the story out, however. Could have done with less of that.

Judging a book by its cover: This cover feels pretty generic, except for the fact that it has Chinese people in historical costumes on it, rather than white people in period garb readers are probably more familiar with.

[EuroHackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The April 2023 #TBRChallenge is "Unusual Historical." This is 1000% my catnip, and I was looking forward to returning to the challenge after a very challenging March. I basically took one look at my Harlequin Historicals shelf and grabbed this book. I've wanted to read it for a long time, and I've slowly been collecting this author's work, based on the premises and promise of fellow reviewers. I was not disappointed.

The novel opens with Fei Long storming a provincial teahouse and finding his younger sister, Pearl, in a compromising situation with her long-time love Han. Fei Long is furious because Pearl has been selected as a heqin (alliance) bride, but she protested bitterly against it and ran away with her lover instead. It is a matter of honor and principle, but Fei Long relents in the end and allows the two to escape. He's left in a conundrum, however: the Khitan kingdom is still expecting to receive a Tang princess as part of their political alliance agreement, and Fei Long only has one sister. Where is is going to find a replacement, and fast?

He goes downstairs to the teahouse and broods over a cup of tea. He makes a remark to the server which results in her throwing the tea at him, a mortal offense given his class status. The girl is horrified at her reaction, and seeks him out the next day, telling him that she has been thrown out of the tea house for her insubordination and has nowhere to go, begging his forgiveness for her rash act. Fei Long gets another good look at her, and a crazy plan forms in his mind: he can potentially take this tea girl and put her in his sister's place as the heqin bride. He'd have two months to teach her courtly manners and ways, poise and dress, as well as how to read and write. He could take her back to his home in the capital city, Changan, and put his servants to work on her - and maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to pull it off.

The girl, Yan Ling, readily agrees to the scheme when he proposes it. She has no family, and now no job or place to live - so what does she have to lose?

The two travel back to Fei Long's mansion in the capital, and he installs her in his sister's quarters and begins her princess lessons. He quickly finds himself at a loss, however; his parents are deceased, and his father's last concubine has gone off to join a convent. His household servants can help, but what he needs is someone who can teach Yan Ling to be a Lady of Quality. He turns to an old friend, Li Bai Shen, a renowned theatre actor who is well known and well loved for taking the female roles in the plays. If anyone can teach an illiterate girl from the provinces how to pass for a high-born princess, it is the self-proclaimed master of deception.

Yan Ling is caught up in the whirlwind of her lessons - with Bai Shen; with Dao, Pearl's loyal servant; and with Fei Long himself, who teaches her how to write. She quickly grows to love her newfound home in the bustling capital city, and is determined to follow through with the scheme to step into Pearl's role as the heqin bride, who is being sent basically to the hinterlands. She owes as much to the man she once covered with tea, but who ultimately saved her and gave her a chance.

There is more going on under the surface of this My Fair Lady-esque story, however: dark political machinations swirl about, and Fei Long's father leaves behind huge debts to a notorious moneylender. Fei Long is the new leader of his household, and it falls to him to keep everything moving smoothly, and to keep pride of place for his family's honor. As Yan Ling transforms from mousy servant girl to courtier, it becomes harder and harder for him to be around her, knowing all that burdens him - and all he dreams of.

This may be #3 in a series but it stands alone quite beautifully. It is a beautifully told story, set in 824 China during the Tang dynasty. The rigid class structure plays a large role in proceedings, and informs all of the characters in believably authentic ways. Fei Long is very much of the Sesshoumaru mold, bound by honor and pride and his father's name. He should not be having the thoughts and feelings he's having about Yan Ling, and finds himself between a rock and a hard place. How can he love her? And yet, how can he let her go?

The romantic tension is delicious and sensual. These characters feel all of their emotions, and yet try to restrain them around others. I just loved the push-pull tug between them. They are very much characters of their time as well, and the side plots that play out around them are excellent set pieces that move the plot along. The supporting cast is equally wonderful! I saw the 'out' to the ultimate tangle way before either character did, and I was hoping that I would be right because any other solution would just be absurd. (I was!)

The UST resolves in a set of beautiful love scenes near the end, just the way I like them (in a similar fashion to my own fandom opus fic), so A++ for that, too.

As anticipated, I just adored this writer's style and I'm really happy I have more of her work on Mount TBR!

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved this book!

Set in Tang Dynasty, China, this version of My Fair Lady is pure comfort reading. Yan Ling is a tea house serving girl, hard-working with a fiery streak. Fei Long is the perfect composed, elegant gentleman, always in control. When they meet, they seem like the answer to each other's problem Fei Long needs a woman to prepare as a bride for a neighboring nation after he allows his sister to run away with her true love, and Yan Ling needs to escape to an environment that suits her intelligent, romantic, lively spirit., but somewhere along the way, feelings happen.

I loved the contrast of the subtle, outward interactions with the tumultuous inner battles. Although light on history, there was enough to flavour the story nicely. I was hooked from the beginning straight through to the end. I had not read Jeannie Lin before, and My Fair Concubine was so enjoyable, I must read more or her work.

ATW 2018 China

[Victoria (Eve's Alexandria) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fully expecting to love this but, aside from the deliciously erotic writing scenes, I found myself at arms length much of the time. The duty vs love theme is 100% my jam but I’d have liked to see more internal anguish from the MCs, instead of the overly convenient external drivers. I also have some questions about how Fei Long’s best friend Bai Shen is queer coded and then used as a foil in his relationship with Yan Ling.

[MV · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, fun fairytale romp. It did start to drag things out a bit at the very end, but overall, I really enjoyed it. Love the beautiful cover.

Possible spoiler about sex scenes (skip if you want to be surprised by when these occur):




There aren't any till close till the end of the book. I was getting a little antsy 🤣

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending is perfect. Full review coming.