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Essex Sisters #4
Le plaisir apprivoisé
Benjamine des quatre sœurs Essex, Joséphine est la seule à être encore célibataire. Et pour cause! Celle que les mauvaises langues surnomment "la truie écossaise" en raison de son embonpoint est persuadée qu'aucun homme ne voudra jamais d'elle. Elle a beau se sangler dans un corset pour tenter d'aplatir ses formes généreuses, jamais elle n'aura une silhouette de sylphide, comme par exemple Mlle de la Broderie, la ravissante fiancée française du comte de Mayne. Lors d'un bal, bouleversée par les insultes d'un goujat, Joséphine se confie au comte. Attendri, celui-ci décide de lui apprendre en toute amitié l'art de séduire un homme. Très rapidement, l'élève plutôt douée remporte un franc succès... et le professeur, rongé de jalousie, ne sait plus à quel saint se vouer!
313 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
580 people are currently reading
4208 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,534 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 518 reviews
November 6, 2009
my very very favorite Eloisa James book. Josie is so...and Mayne is so...
Oh, forget it. Words just fail me.
I'm basically in love with Mayne, though, so maybe you shouldn't take my word for it.
Oh, forget it. Words just fail me.
I'm basically in love with Mayne, though, so maybe you shouldn't take my word for it.
May 10, 2018
Esta es la primera vez que releo un libro concientemente.
La verdad estoy demasiado decepcionada como para hacer una reseña larga, solo debo decir que este libro la primera vez que lo leí fue un libro 4 estrellas. Y ya se habrán dado cuenta la calificación que le di esta vez.
Me había encantado la relación entre los protagonistas e incluso llegué a pensar que fue muy parecido al libro nueve reglas que romper para conquistar un granuja y también un poco al de el falso prometido.
NADA QUE VER.
Las 4 estrellas de antes me parecen demasiado. Creo que o una de dos, ya cambié muchísimo de gustos o estoy tan en modo hater que no me tolero ni yo. El caso es que NO me gustó.
En primer lugar, El protagonista se la pasó enamorado de otra casi el 60% del libro.
El amor entre los dos ni siquiera fue creíble, apareció de golpe como solo por aparecer.
Así tipo:
«me casé contigo porque te amo y no pensarás que fui violada, pero como te amo debo dejarte ir con tu francesa, tu verdadero amor»
Y que lo droga y lo manda al barco con la ex.
Más ridiculo imposible.
O sea, ya ni lujuria era!!!! No había nada de nada entre ellos.
La protagonista se la pasaba pensando en su gordura. Que si tenía las piernas gordas, que si la cara era redonda, que si el vestido le quedaba feo, que si nadie la desearía nunca, que si envidiaba a sus hermanas. GRRRRR TERRIBLE.
Sip; hay momentos bonitos, sobre todo los pasajes del infame Hellgate, pero nada más.
No hay pasión entre ellos, no hay química y mucho menos el amor que dicen tenerse. Todavía ni siquiera comprendo porque terminaron juntos. 🙄🙄🙄
La pareja secundaria tuvo más escenas tiernas que estos dos y un romance mucho más creíble. Es lamentable que a pesar de que Mayne se las da de libertino, sea un puritano de corazón. Y por si los traumas y falta de confianza de ella no fueran suficientes, al final resulta que él también se siente inseguro por tener casi 35 años y ser mayor que ella!!!!
HÁGANME EL FAVOR... ya vieron a Chris Hemsworth? Saben que tiene casi 35? JAAAAA si mi esposo del futuro se viera así teniendo esa edad, la verdad como que me venía valiendo eso de los años Hahahaha aunque tuviera 15 señoras!!!!! Así de facilona fui desde chiquita 😂😂😂😂 ok, no... eso fue broma pero captaron mi punto 🙈😅 y tengo 24 así que fácil me llevaría 10 años.
La verdad estoy demasiado decepcionada como para hacer una reseña larga, solo debo decir que este libro la primera vez que lo leí fue un libro 4 estrellas. Y ya se habrán dado cuenta la calificación que le di esta vez.
Me había encantado la relación entre los protagonistas e incluso llegué a pensar que fue muy parecido al libro nueve reglas que romper para conquistar un granuja y también un poco al de el falso prometido.
NADA QUE VER.
Las 4 estrellas de antes me parecen demasiado. Creo que o una de dos, ya cambié muchísimo de gustos o estoy tan en modo hater que no me tolero ni yo. El caso es que NO me gustó.
En primer lugar, El protagonista se la pasó enamorado de otra casi el 60% del libro.
El amor entre los dos ni siquiera fue creíble, apareció de golpe como solo por aparecer.
Así tipo:
«me casé contigo porque te amo y no pensarás que fui violada, pero como te amo debo dejarte ir con tu francesa, tu verdadero amor»
Y que lo droga y lo manda al barco con la ex.
Más ridiculo imposible.
O sea, ya ni lujuria era!!!! No había nada de nada entre ellos.
La protagonista se la pasaba pensando en su gordura. Que si tenía las piernas gordas, que si la cara era redonda, que si el vestido le quedaba feo, que si nadie la desearía nunca, que si envidiaba a sus hermanas. GRRRRR TERRIBLE.
Sip; hay momentos bonitos, sobre todo los pasajes del infame Hellgate, pero nada más.
No hay pasión entre ellos, no hay química y mucho menos el amor que dicen tenerse. Todavía ni siquiera comprendo porque terminaron juntos. 🙄🙄🙄
La pareja secundaria tuvo más escenas tiernas que estos dos y un romance mucho más creíble. Es lamentable que a pesar de que Mayne se las da de libertino, sea un puritano de corazón. Y por si los traumas y falta de confianza de ella no fueran suficientes, al final resulta que él también se siente inseguro por tener casi 35 años y ser mayor que ella!!!!
HÁGANME EL FAVOR... ya vieron a Chris Hemsworth? Saben que tiene casi 35? JAAAAA si mi esposo del futuro se viera así teniendo esa edad, la verdad como que me venía valiendo eso de los años Hahahaha aunque tuviera 15 señoras!!!!! Así de facilona fui desde chiquita 😂😂😂😂 ok, no... eso fue broma pero captaron mi punto 🙈😅 y tengo 24 así que fácil me llevaría 10 años.
March 4, 2020
Un maravilloso cierre para una serie que me ha tenido absorta casi todo el mes. La pareja principal son Garret y Josephine, a quienes conocimos en el primer libro y que nos acompañan durante toda la serie. Debo decir que a pesar de todas sus diferencias, son los que más me han convencido como pareja. Este es el libro más largo de todos porque incorpora a varios secundarios, varias subtramas y otro romance, el de la hermana de Garret, que también tiene un rol principal en los cuatro libros.
De verdad es una serie muy buena, pero reconozco que sólo será del gusto de quienes también disfrutan de la ficción histórica, ya que hay mucha descripción de época. Sin duda se debe a que tenemos en Eloisa James a una verdadera erudita, graduada en Harvard, en Orford y con un Ph.D en Yale, que además se desempeña como profesora en lengua inglesa, especializada en la obra de Shakespeare. Conocimientos que, indudablemente, pone al servicio de sus maravillosas novelas.
Reto #35 PopSugar 2020: Un libro con tres palabras en el título
De verdad es una serie muy buena, pero reconozco que sólo será del gusto de quienes también disfrutan de la ficción histórica, ya que hay mucha descripción de época. Sin duda se debe a que tenemos en Eloisa James a una verdadera erudita, graduada en Harvard, en Orford y con un Ph.D en Yale, que además se desempeña como profesora en lengua inglesa, especializada en la obra de Shakespeare. Conocimientos que, indudablemente, pone al servicio de sus maravillosas novelas.
Reto #35 PopSugar 2020: Un libro con tres palabras en el título
January 8, 2010
I skipped book 2 and 3 just to read about Mayne. And truthfully I was a bit entertained and disappointed at the same time. I love Josie and I admit, I adore Mayne, but bugger, I want more of them instead of the secondary characters although I love Griselda and I think she deserved to find her man and Darlington was kinda okay, but I didn't like them taking up so much space, it was tiring to read so much of their lovey dovey moments on the first half of the book, duh! (although I admit the age different really make it really really cute) and I don't care much about Hellgate anyway, with a horribly written memoirs like that I wouldn't even buy the book, how could they actually give an award for the author for that? blah.
“I’m not sure,” he said slowly. “I only read about half of the book before I threw it away.”
I'm with you there, Garret.
First I have to say that the synopsis above is misleading, it was not what exactly happened in the book. Josie was the last of the Essex sisters to be married; unfortunately in her first season, she was stuck with the nickname Scottish Sausage so no one wanted her company. So she wore this corset to make her body looked slimmer but it actually made her even more look like a sausage O_o so Mayne, who was a good friend of the sisters and their husbands, taught her to be more ladylike (I'm not gonna explain how Mayne ended up with a skirt here O_o); he told her to get rid of her corset and taught her how to kiss (while wearing the skirt O_o anywaaay...) - so Josie did, she got rid of the corset, ordered new gowns that would make her shine, and she did it. She looked marvelous and sexy. Until a young man who was angry because Josie was now looked like a renaissance goddess instead of a sausage cornered Josie in a stable and molested her (well, not quite, he did kiss her forcefully but she completely kicked his ass). Mayne who found her with her gowns torn and face dirty thought she was raped, and he tried to be a hero by marrying her.
Mayne was a reformed rake since book 1, he really wanted to find a wife, and after finally gone through his first ever heartbreak with Lady Godwin (or whatever her name was) he actually preferred chaste, inexperienced ladies, thus he was engaged to Sylvie. This was what some readers find it so annoying why Mayne could switch so easily from Sylvie to Josie. But I don't think that Mayne really loved Sylvie (despite how florid he described about her qualities) - he just saw her as someone who was completely different from any other women in his previous life. She didn't care much about being kissed, didn't enjoy it even (although in the end we understand that it wasn't because of Mayne, instead it was because Mayne was, well, a man? lol). But with Josie, he found someone who could really love him *and* actually had the guts to tell him what she wanted, their chemistry was just too cute.
This could get 4 stars, but too much Griselda and Darlington really made it 3.
“I’m not sure,” he said slowly. “I only read about half of the book before I threw it away.”
I'm with you there, Garret.
First I have to say that the synopsis above is misleading, it was not what exactly happened in the book. Josie was the last of the Essex sisters to be married; unfortunately in her first season, she was stuck with the nickname Scottish Sausage so no one wanted her company. So she wore this corset to make her body looked slimmer but it actually made her even more look like a sausage O_o so Mayne, who was a good friend of the sisters and their husbands, taught her to be more ladylike (I'm not gonna explain how Mayne ended up with a skirt here O_o); he told her to get rid of her corset and taught her how to kiss (while wearing the skirt O_o anywaaay...) - so Josie did, she got rid of the corset, ordered new gowns that would make her shine, and she did it. She looked marvelous and sexy. Until a young man who was angry because Josie was now looked like a renaissance goddess instead of a sausage cornered Josie in a stable and molested her (well, not quite, he did kiss her forcefully but she completely kicked his ass). Mayne who found her with her gowns torn and face dirty thought she was raped, and he tried to be a hero by marrying her.
Mayne was a reformed rake since book 1, he really wanted to find a wife, and after finally gone through his first ever heartbreak with Lady Godwin (or whatever her name was) he actually preferred chaste, inexperienced ladies, thus he was engaged to Sylvie. This was what some readers find it so annoying why Mayne could switch so easily from Sylvie to Josie. But I don't think that Mayne really loved Sylvie (despite how florid he described about her qualities) - he just saw her as someone who was completely different from any other women in his previous life. She didn't care much about being kissed, didn't enjoy it even (although in the end we understand that it wasn't because of Mayne, instead it was because Mayne was, well, a man? lol). But with Josie, he found someone who could really love him *and* actually had the guts to tell him what she wanted, their chemistry was just too cute.
This could get 4 stars, but too much Griselda and Darlington really made it 3.
January 15, 2018
My hope for this book varied between 4 plus and 5 to settle at a 4.
It’s a very good book, an unputdownable – that’s a lot to say since I’m in a serious glut rut right now – but certain things stopped it from being perfect.
It had so many things I steer clear of but the author managed to assimilate these irritants to make for an acceptable product even for my exacting proclivity. Like I can’t abide a H who’s too stupidly and too long enamored with the ow, the ow hogging too much space and importance, less h-H time together, H’s history with the h’s sisters, an overpowering secondary cast from the series, a strongly competitive secondary romance. But as I said, I still enjoyed this book despite the above mentioned.
I haven’t read the previous books in the series (about the other 3 Essex sisters) where Mayne, this H is a recurring character – as a dissolute, bed-hopping womanizer. He was involved, some way or the other, with all 3 of the h’s sisters at various times. One was engaged to him, another wanted him to seduce her etc. So I’m glad I haven’t read all that because I hate sisters sharing a guy in any way – even as innocuously and passionlessly as it’s shown here.
Josie, the h is sweet yet aggressive, determined yet insecure and in perpetual despair of her bountiful ‘curves and flesh’ (Who's responsible for that cover?) that you can’t help but adore her. She’s so determined to marry that she’s ready to take the compromise and ruin route – only she’s yet to find the right (or not) guy. One thing I liked about her was her secret jealousy of her sisters' happiness. She isn’t like the other hs who have a ‘pang of envy’ for others’ happiness and then quickly dismiss it as being ungenerous. Josie wallows in it! As she does in her longing for Mayne – she’s isn’t certain it’s love but her admiration for his French fiancé slowly turns into strong dislike.
The secondary romance of Griselda and Darlington is too delicious and heartwarming for words – deserving of a book of their own. An older woman and an angry young man flirt their way into an impossible and forbidden relationship that seems set for heartbreak or wait, can they reach for the stars? Added one star to the book at least!
The interweaving of Shakespeare and ‘Midnight Summer’s Dream’ was done well even if the book was not named accordingly. I loved the description of the garden on their wedding night.
“A French window looked onto a stone railing that glowed oddly silver in the moonlight. Beyond the railing the garden looked magical and rather frightening, as if it were a place where wishes came true and fairies danced.”
And the humor when the H asks her if she wishes to wait for the consummation after they marry ….
“We can wait for those matters as long as you wish. A year even.”
Josie swallowed. The only thing that came to mind was a forlorn line of Desdemona’s when Othello was sent off to war: ‘the rites for which I married him are bereft me’. A fancy way of asking the governor not to send her husband off to war before they consummated their marriage.”
Okay, the two things that took away from the book, as I see it-
As much I was ready to be generous about the ow being given a strong presence and character my patience ran out at around 70% of the book…the H was just refusing to let go! Even as he accepted that they were not meant to be, he kept having (friendly but) fond thoughts of her. Enough, you idiot!
And the h deserved a more heartfelt and unique declaration of love if not a grovel exactly. He’s an expert on women, having seduced/bedded ‘all’ the beautiful women in London. Come on, man you can do better than this paltry, rushed, too-little-too-late thing.
First he can’t see that his fiancé isn’t interested in him and then he can’t decipher his own feelings for Josie even as he sporadically gets all poetic (about her hair) and protective on her. He's labeled an expert on women through 4 books when he’s as muddled and ignorant as a callow youth!
It’s a very good book, an unputdownable – that’s a lot to say since I’m in a serious glut rut right now – but certain things stopped it from being perfect.
It had so many things I steer clear of but the author managed to assimilate these irritants to make for an acceptable product even for my exacting proclivity. Like I can’t abide a H who’s too stupidly and too long enamored with the ow, the ow hogging too much space and importance, less h-H time together, H’s history with the h’s sisters, an overpowering secondary cast from the series, a strongly competitive secondary romance. But as I said, I still enjoyed this book despite the above mentioned.
I haven’t read the previous books in the series (about the other 3 Essex sisters) where Mayne, this H is a recurring character – as a dissolute, bed-hopping womanizer. He was involved, some way or the other, with all 3 of the h’s sisters at various times. One was engaged to him, another wanted him to seduce her etc. So I’m glad I haven’t read all that because I hate sisters sharing a guy in any way – even as innocuously and passionlessly as it’s shown here.
Josie, the h is sweet yet aggressive, determined yet insecure and in perpetual despair of her bountiful ‘curves and flesh’ (Who's responsible for that cover?) that you can’t help but adore her. She’s so determined to marry that she’s ready to take the compromise and ruin route – only she’s yet to find the right (or not) guy. One thing I liked about her was her secret jealousy of her sisters' happiness. She isn’t like the other hs who have a ‘pang of envy’ for others’ happiness and then quickly dismiss it as being ungenerous. Josie wallows in it! As she does in her longing for Mayne – she’s isn’t certain it’s love but her admiration for his French fiancé slowly turns into strong dislike.
The secondary romance of Griselda and Darlington is too delicious and heartwarming for words – deserving of a book of their own. An older woman and an angry young man flirt their way into an impossible and forbidden relationship that seems set for heartbreak or wait, can they reach for the stars? Added one star to the book at least!
The interweaving of Shakespeare and ‘Midnight Summer’s Dream’ was done well even if the book was not named accordingly. I loved the description of the garden on their wedding night.
“A French window looked onto a stone railing that glowed oddly silver in the moonlight. Beyond the railing the garden looked magical and rather frightening, as if it were a place where wishes came true and fairies danced.”
And the humor when the H asks her if she wishes to wait for the consummation after they marry ….
“We can wait for those matters as long as you wish. A year even.”
Josie swallowed. The only thing that came to mind was a forlorn line of Desdemona’s when Othello was sent off to war: ‘the rites for which I married him are bereft me’. A fancy way of asking the governor not to send her husband off to war before they consummated their marriage.”
Okay, the two things that took away from the book, as I see it-
As much I was ready to be generous about the ow being given a strong presence and character my patience ran out at around 70% of the book…the H was just refusing to let go! Even as he accepted that they were not meant to be, he kept having (friendly but) fond thoughts of her. Enough, you idiot!
And the h deserved a more heartfelt and unique declaration of love if not a grovel exactly. He’s an expert on women, having seduced/bedded ‘all’ the beautiful women in London. Come on, man you can do better than this paltry, rushed, too-little-too-late thing.
First he can’t see that his fiancé isn’t interested in him and then he can’t decipher his own feelings for Josie even as he sporadically gets all poetic (about her hair) and protective on her. He's labeled an expert on women through 4 books when he’s as muddled and ignorant as a callow youth!
December 5, 2015
Josie doesn't feel pretty until Mayne makes her feel pretty (by making himself feel pretty?). Then, some kind of inconsequential stuff happens before EVERYTHING happens: within the space of an afternoon, Josie is attacked, Mayne is dumped, Mayne marries Josie, and Josie seduces Mayne. GOT THAT? GOOD. And there wasn't a plot point about Josie drugging Mayne because why would there be?
Oh, and Grissie gets a subplot too but it's not so pretty.
1. What is this cover? With all the conversation about how bad the blurbs are, how did no one mention this cover? Is that half-naked lady is supposed to represent Josie? WHAT?
2. Let's get Grissie's subplot out of the way:
But then all of that lovely stuff kind of disappeared for another quarter of the book. Mayne goes back to worshiping at the feet of his frigid fiance, and Josie goes back to discovering she is a ravishing goddess. And then James must have realized she was halfway into this thing and Mayne's still engaged to Sylvie and Josie is ravishing but unravished so--ALL THE THINGS. BOOM: 6 hours later, Mayne's married to Josie and we can FINALLY get this party started. Which brings me to:
4. I wish they would have gotten married in the first 15% of the book and the relationship could have unraveled from there. I liked Josie. I liked Mayne. But there was too much time spent on too many other things so I never got to love them, especially together.
5. While I liked Mayne, he was kind of disappointing as a hero? I was expecting a bit more spice out of him after his deft handling of Imogen, but he felt really very tepid. I wanted verve and dash and pep!! Excitement! Boners! Everywhere! But everything felt rather tame. Rafe felt more exciting than Mayne and that feels rather like comparing a St. Bernard to a greyhound??
6. Wow I did not need labor in my epilogue seriously.
7. This book makes me feel like I should have said "Oh yeah, that's it" but instead I was left saying "Oh, is that it?" and lksjdfkj that makes me sad and mad and feelings. :(
Oh, and Grissie gets a subplot too but it's not so pretty.
1. What is this cover? With all the conversation about how bad the blurbs are, how did no one mention this cover? Is that half-naked lady is supposed to represent Josie? WHAT?
2. Let's get Grissie's subplot out of the way:
a. I don't really want to consider a hero that ever mocks women because he's bored and feeling trapped. That's horrifying. That behavior should be stamped "RED FLAG ABANDON SHIP GET OFF THE BOAT THIS SHIT IS SINKING".3. While the whole Mayne-in-a-dress thing was...a thing, the champagne/walking lesson was pretty stellar. I saw a glimpse of what I wanted most: the reluctant enchantment--reluctant because they've known each other for years, wouldn't it be weird? But the enchantment nonetheless, stealing up on them when they're not looking.
b. The fact that Darlington never actually apologizes to Josie is gross.
c. I never got the feeling that Griselda was 100% into the relationship. There was A LOT of reluctance on her part, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE DUDE IS AN ASSHAT GET OUT GET OUT.
d. WHY WAS IT EVERY OTHER CHAPTER
e. Honestly, though: don't romanticize bullies. It's nasty.
But then all of that lovely stuff kind of disappeared for another quarter of the book. Mayne goes back to worshiping at the feet of his frigid fiance, and Josie goes back to discovering she is a ravishing goddess. And then James must have realized she was halfway into this thing and Mayne's still engaged to Sylvie and Josie is ravishing but unravished so--ALL THE THINGS. BOOM: 6 hours later, Mayne's married to Josie and we can FINALLY get this party started. Which brings me to:
4. I wish they would have gotten married in the first 15% of the book and the relationship could have unraveled from there. I liked Josie. I liked Mayne. But there was too much time spent on too many other things so I never got to love them, especially together.
5. While I liked Mayne, he was kind of disappointing as a hero? I was expecting a bit more spice out of him after his deft handling of Imogen, but he felt really very tepid. I wanted verve and dash and pep!! Excitement! Boners! Everywhere! But everything felt rather tame. Rafe felt more exciting than Mayne and that feels rather like comparing a St. Bernard to a greyhound??
6. Wow I did not need labor in my epilogue seriously.
7. This book makes me feel like I should have said "Oh yeah, that's it" but instead I was left saying "Oh, is that it?" and lksjdfkj that makes me sad and mad and feelings. :(
October 2, 2013
Just like the book before this one it again took until chapter seven for me to get into this story. So anyway I really wish it would stop being mentioned how much older Garrett is than Josie because it makes me feel icky with how much older he is than Josie.
This story begins for me when Garrett and Josie get tipsy in the Starlight room in his house and he gets her to shed her corset. This scene just made me smile because I could totally tell it was a precursor for things to come.
I became so incredibly annoyed with how the author gave dual top billing with what is suppose to be our main couple and a secondary couple, Garrett's sister who appears in previous books and the guy who starts a nasty nickname for Josie, The Scottish Sausage. The author dedicates whole chapters to the secondary couple and alternates the two stories. I would be just fully immersing myself into Josie and Garrett's story and then would be rudely jerked out of their story into the other couple. It got so bad for me I actually skipped the chapters that didn't pertain to Josie and Garrett. They are who I wanted to read about darn it!
There were times I was reading this story I kept asking myself why I was trying so hard to get into it instead of treating it as blase reading and then there would be a Mayne scene. The author writes this character so strikingly, it's a shame to me she couldn't write him a supporting story.
There are definitely some scenes and dialogue between Josie and Garrett which cause a pang in your chest but few and far between. I will say I'm not someone who feels a need to get married but there is something about the way some men say "their wife" and when Mayne said wife in regards to Josie I seriously got shivers.
Too much attention alternating between the first and secondary couples and I totally feel like the author flaked out on a character I loved; maybe my expectations were to high. This book received a B solely on the back of Mayne. Josie was a really likable character but sorry she just didn't meet up to Mayne standards.I would like to say though, this has been one of the strongest series I have ever read. Each book was above average and kept me involved with the series, which is extremely hard to do. The author just needs to curb her ADHD and focus on the main couple.
This story begins for me when Garrett and Josie get tipsy in the Starlight room in his house and he gets her to shed her corset. This scene just made me smile because I could totally tell it was a precursor for things to come.
I became so incredibly annoyed with how the author gave dual top billing with what is suppose to be our main couple and a secondary couple, Garrett's sister who appears in previous books and the guy who starts a nasty nickname for Josie, The Scottish Sausage. The author dedicates whole chapters to the secondary couple and alternates the two stories. I would be just fully immersing myself into Josie and Garrett's story and then would be rudely jerked out of their story into the other couple. It got so bad for me I actually skipped the chapters that didn't pertain to Josie and Garrett. They are who I wanted to read about darn it!
There were times I was reading this story I kept asking myself why I was trying so hard to get into it instead of treating it as blase reading and then there would be a Mayne scene. The author writes this character so strikingly, it's a shame to me she couldn't write him a supporting story.
There are definitely some scenes and dialogue between Josie and Garrett which cause a pang in your chest but few and far between. I will say I'm not someone who feels a need to get married but there is something about the way some men say "their wife" and when Mayne said wife in regards to Josie I seriously got shivers.
Too much attention alternating between the first and secondary couples and I totally feel like the author flaked out on a character I loved; maybe my expectations were to high. This book received a B solely on the back of Mayne. Josie was a really likable character but sorry she just didn't meet up to Mayne standards.I would like to say though, this has been one of the strongest series I have ever read. Each book was above average and kept me involved with the series, which is extremely hard to do. The author just needs to curb her ADHD and focus on the main couple.
September 19, 2012
Wow. I REALLY didn't like this book.
The beginning was so confusing; At first I thought there was going to be something between Darlington and Josie. (Which I thought would be REALLY interesting. But Mayne creeped me out. And bored me to death.)
The beginning was so confusing; At first I thought there was going to be something between Darlington and Josie. (Which I thought would be REALLY interesting. But Mayne creeped me out. And bored me to death.)
December 15, 2021
4 Estrellitas. Me ha gustado bastante éste broche de serie, pero con algunos peros que no me han terminado de convencer. "Placer por placer" es el libro más largo de las hermanas Essex pero tiene su por qué y es porque hay una trama de romance secundario que ha ocupado un tercio entero del libro. Pero iré por partes.
"Placer por placer" ocurre pocos meses después del libro de Imogen y Rafe. La Temporada acaba de empezar en Londres, y Josie Essex, la menor de las hermanas, acaba de debutar. Pero todo está resultando ser un desastre, Josie se siente acomplejada debido a sus kilos de más, y para colmo de males, se ha hecho el eco en la prensa de que la llaman "la salchicha escocesa" y nadie quiere bailar con ella en los bailes.
Por su parte, Garret Langham, el conde de Mayne y muy amigo de Lucius y Rafe, va a casarse felizmente con Sylvie de la Broderie, una perfecta y fría dama francesa de la que está muy enamorado.
Para Josie la Temporada está siendo un desastre, mientras que Mayne no puede esperar el momento de casarse con el amor de su vida, así que con esto y con todo ¿cómo puede haber romance entre ellos? La tediosa noche de la boda de Imogen y Rafe, Josie le pide ayuda a Mayne y éste se ofrece a enseñarle lo que necesita para seducir a un hombre, y lo primero es deshacerse de ése horrible corsé que la tiene embutida como una salchicha y mostrar todos sus encantos.
Tras esto, Josie empieza a adquirir cierta fama y algunos pretendientes ¿hasta qué punto pueden torcerse las cosas? Cuando Josie sea víctima del escándalo, ahí estará Mayne para acudir en su rescate.
Por otra parte, he dicho que hay historia secundaria, sí. Nada más ni menos que Griselda, la hermana menor y viuda de Mayne, que apareció en los libros como dama de compañía de las hermanas Essex. Griselda tiene treinta y dos años y siente que es el momento de volver a casarse y tener hijos propios.
Cuando las chicas Essex, Griselda y la prometida de su hermano, Sylvie, descubren que el joven libertino Charles Darlington es quien ha estado escribiendo esas cosas horribles sobre Josie en la prensa, idean un plan; y es que Griselda lo seduzca y lo humille por el daño que le hizo a Josie. Pero el inocente coqueteo al que lo sucumbe Griselda llega demasiado lejos y se convierten en amantes hasta que acaban realmente enamorados ¿pero qué dirá la sociedad de ellos cuando ella es cinco años mayor que Charles?
En cuanto al romance de Josie y Mayne, me temo que no me lo he creído, no me ha convencido. Durante la mitad de la novela, Mayne está locamente enamorado de su prometida y de buenas a primeras ocurre algo entre ellos, rompen y ¿él la olvida así porque sí y de repente quiere a Josie? No, no me lo he creído. Y por otro lado Josie. No es que ella no me haya gustado, es que la he visto durante toda la novela como una niña. Cuando la serie empieza Josie es una niña de quince años; en su libro tiene dieciocho pero no he visto una pizca de madurez en ella, sigue siendo una niña, mientras que Mayne es un hombre, con todas las letras. No estoy en contra del amor en personajes con una gran diferencia de edad, ni mucho menos; sólo digo que Josie y Mayne no pegan, no me pegan, no me cuadran. Y es algo que choca bastante, pues Josie dice durante toda la novela que no quiere que se esposo tenga más de veinticinco años, para ella todos los mayores de treinta son viejos.
Pues Eloisa James lo ata todo de tal manera que acaba convirtiéndolos en pareja, aunque a mí hayan seguido hasta el final sin que me peguen.
Pese a todo no es mala novela, aunque se hace un pelín larga. Si acaso, hubiese dejado la historia de Griselda y Darlington como un relato corto a parte, pues la verdad que no afecta su historia es casi nada mientras se está desarrollando la historia principal.
Hasta aquí llegué al final con las hermanas Essex y me han gustado mucho. Sobre todo el libro de Imogen y Rafe, del que no esperaba nada y fue una muy grata sorpresa. De momento no me olvidaré de Eloisa James y seguiré leyéndola con el Cuarteto de Duquesas, serie que también tengo a medias.
"Placer por placer" ocurre pocos meses después del libro de Imogen y Rafe. La Temporada acaba de empezar en Londres, y Josie Essex, la menor de las hermanas, acaba de debutar. Pero todo está resultando ser un desastre, Josie se siente acomplejada debido a sus kilos de más, y para colmo de males, se ha hecho el eco en la prensa de que la llaman "la salchicha escocesa" y nadie quiere bailar con ella en los bailes.
Por su parte, Garret Langham, el conde de Mayne y muy amigo de Lucius y Rafe, va a casarse felizmente con Sylvie de la Broderie, una perfecta y fría dama francesa de la que está muy enamorado.
Para Josie la Temporada está siendo un desastre, mientras que Mayne no puede esperar el momento de casarse con el amor de su vida, así que con esto y con todo ¿cómo puede haber romance entre ellos? La tediosa noche de la boda de Imogen y Rafe, Josie le pide ayuda a Mayne y éste se ofrece a enseñarle lo que necesita para seducir a un hombre, y lo primero es deshacerse de ése horrible corsé que la tiene embutida como una salchicha y mostrar todos sus encantos.
Tras esto, Josie empieza a adquirir cierta fama y algunos pretendientes ¿hasta qué punto pueden torcerse las cosas? Cuando Josie sea víctima del escándalo, ahí estará Mayne para acudir en su rescate.
Por otra parte, he dicho que hay historia secundaria, sí. Nada más ni menos que Griselda, la hermana menor y viuda de Mayne, que apareció en los libros como dama de compañía de las hermanas Essex. Griselda tiene treinta y dos años y siente que es el momento de volver a casarse y tener hijos propios.
Cuando las chicas Essex, Griselda y la prometida de su hermano, Sylvie, descubren que el joven libertino Charles Darlington es quien ha estado escribiendo esas cosas horribles sobre Josie en la prensa, idean un plan; y es que Griselda lo seduzca y lo humille por el daño que le hizo a Josie. Pero el inocente coqueteo al que lo sucumbe Griselda llega demasiado lejos y se convierten en amantes hasta que acaban realmente enamorados ¿pero qué dirá la sociedad de ellos cuando ella es cinco años mayor que Charles?
En cuanto al romance de Josie y Mayne, me temo que no me lo he creído, no me ha convencido. Durante la mitad de la novela, Mayne está locamente enamorado de su prometida y de buenas a primeras ocurre algo entre ellos, rompen y ¿él la olvida así porque sí y de repente quiere a Josie? No, no me lo he creído. Y por otro lado Josie. No es que ella no me haya gustado, es que la he visto durante toda la novela como una niña. Cuando la serie empieza Josie es una niña de quince años; en su libro tiene dieciocho pero no he visto una pizca de madurez en ella, sigue siendo una niña, mientras que Mayne es un hombre, con todas las letras. No estoy en contra del amor en personajes con una gran diferencia de edad, ni mucho menos; sólo digo que Josie y Mayne no pegan, no me pegan, no me cuadran. Y es algo que choca bastante, pues Josie dice durante toda la novela que no quiere que se esposo tenga más de veinticinco años, para ella todos los mayores de treinta son viejos.
Pues Eloisa James lo ata todo de tal manera que acaba convirtiéndolos en pareja, aunque a mí hayan seguido hasta el final sin que me peguen.
Pese a todo no es mala novela, aunque se hace un pelín larga. Si acaso, hubiese dejado la historia de Griselda y Darlington como un relato corto a parte, pues la verdad que no afecta su historia es casi nada mientras se está desarrollando la historia principal.
Hasta aquí llegué al final con las hermanas Essex y me han gustado mucho. Sobre todo el libro de Imogen y Rafe, del que no esperaba nada y fue una muy grata sorpresa. De momento no me olvidaré de Eloisa James y seguiré leyéndola con el Cuarteto de Duquesas, serie que también tengo a medias.
October 1, 2015
I've been haunted by this question for sometime;
Why is the heroine on the cover a stick whereas Josie is actually FAR from it?
Publishing houses really need to pay attention to the covers. I for one tend to carry the image of the cover models while imagining the characters in a story so when romances are made to have random good looking people in random poses, it really messes with my head.
Mayne is an 'okay' character in comparison to the swoon-worthy historical heroes we've sampled till now in so many books. The way his feelings shifted from his french fiance to Josie seemed hasty which made the whole 'love' story so unconvincing.
I fail to understand why the book has received such a high rating. I found it mediocre at best and nobody could be as sad for it as I am. :(
Why is the heroine on the cover a stick whereas Josie is actually FAR from it?
Publishing houses really need to pay attention to the covers. I for one tend to carry the image of the cover models while imagining the characters in a story so when romances are made to have random good looking people in random poses, it really messes with my head.
Mayne is an 'okay' character in comparison to the swoon-worthy historical heroes we've sampled till now in so many books. The way his feelings shifted from his french fiance to Josie seemed hasty which made the whole 'love' story so unconvincing.
I fail to understand why the book has received such a high rating. I found it mediocre at best and nobody could be as sad for it as I am. :(
February 6, 2022
When I started this series I’d heard that the last book was the best so I had VERY high expectations and Mayne and Josie were as scrumptious as I hoped.
Josie’s season is not going very well because of some bullies that absolutely infuriated me. Mayne steps in to help because he’s very protective of her but also he’s very engaged to someone else. Dun, dun, duuuuuuun.
Meanwhile, there’s a memoir out based on Mayne’s exploits and Griselda sets out to seduce the man who started horrible rumors about Josie to punish him. Dun, dun, DUUUNNN!!
I loved both of the stories in the book. Get you some, Grissie.
Is there a age gap? Yes. In both stories actually. I liked the take of Grissie with a younger man, but Josie and Mayne is a very drastic age gap. Did I mind? No. Usually 18 year olds and 34 year olds leave me puking, but somehow I forgot all this age difference stuff through Eloisa’s writing. Even though Mayne kept bringing it up I was right there with Josie like, “Who gives a crap how old you are, dude?” I’ve always felt like Josie was older than her age so it didn’t feel so awful.
What I loooove so much about Eloisa James is her characters are very likable and they communicate. There are so many times when plots can take a turn because of secrets and miscommunication but Eloisa is like, “Nah, let me show you how I can create tension without all that nonsense.” It’s so freaking refreshing and makes the book even more enticing because I can’t predict what’s gonna happen.
Josie and Mayne are definitely my faves of this series and the ENDING! GAH! I love the ending of these books so much and this one was absolutely perfect. I love love loved it!
Josie’s season is not going very well because of some bullies that absolutely infuriated me. Mayne steps in to help because he’s very protective of her but also he’s very engaged to someone else. Dun, dun, duuuuuuun.
Meanwhile, there’s a memoir out based on Mayne’s exploits and Griselda sets out to seduce the man who started horrible rumors about Josie to punish him. Dun, dun, DUUUNNN!!
I loved both of the stories in the book. Get you some, Grissie.
Is there a age gap? Yes. In both stories actually. I liked the take of Grissie with a younger man, but Josie and Mayne is a very drastic age gap. Did I mind? No. Usually 18 year olds and 34 year olds leave me puking, but somehow I forgot all this age difference stuff through Eloisa’s writing. Even though Mayne kept bringing it up I was right there with Josie like, “Who gives a crap how old you are, dude?” I’ve always felt like Josie was older than her age so it didn’t feel so awful.
What I loooove so much about Eloisa James is her characters are very likable and they communicate. There are so many times when plots can take a turn because of secrets and miscommunication but Eloisa is like, “Nah, let me show you how I can create tension without all that nonsense.” It’s so freaking refreshing and makes the book even more enticing because I can’t predict what’s gonna happen.
Josie and Mayne are definitely my faves of this series and the ENDING! GAH! I love the ending of these books so much and this one was absolutely perfect. I love love loved it!
April 28, 2019
Eloisa James never writes less than entertainingly, and with the odd insight that enlivens even the most pedestrian of her books.
And this might, unfortunately, be that book. It's not awful in the way Potent Pleasures was - it's just...not terribly interesting. Like the end of a party, when the hubbub has died down, only die-hards, the dregs of bottles of sweet German white wine and the washing-up are left. That's the "End of Series" feeling you get when the H&hs of the previous volumes traipse through the story demonstrating their happiness, children and validating their earlier choices. (Oh, do go home everyone, I've got these last two single characters from the series to pair up somehow, and then, bliss, I can take these shoes off...)
I don't think it's absolutely necessary to have read the earlier three books (though there are frequent references to them in this one, so you may feel that you're a little left out of the gossip). Four sisters-fallen-on-hard-times come under the guardianship of a duke (as you do); the three older ones are now all married, leaving Josie to make her début under the aegis of Lady Griselda. Josie has a bit of a rough time of it at first, until Griselda's brother, the Earl of Mayne (a friend of the family), helps her out. You can probably guess the rest!
I'm not sure how EJ actually decided on the pairings in the Essex Girls series, but Mayne has cropped up in a couple of them, as a bit of a "Pssst, lady, wanna shag?" meister, to show off the real hero's virtues more brightly by contrast. So there's been a sense that Mayne could have ended up with any of the sisters, which, for me, slightly undermines his "allocation" to Josie in this story. It's as if they were just the last two standing. EJ doesn't help me get over this feeling by having Mayne in love with another woman for at least half the book. Josie's story is fractionally more interesting, as she doesn't lose too much of the straight-talking persona she's shown in the first three books. Although she is made to suffer a bit from I'm-the-author-and-I-will-change-your-character-during-a-dramatic-denouement-if-I-need-to at the end.
So why isn't this just a 2 star read? Well, because this is Eloisa James, so, lurking in the background, there is actually a more interesting party going on, which we get tantalising glimpses of, AND a third party - which is such a cool party we don't even get an invitation to it, we're just told about it afterwards. The second party is given by Mayne's sister Griselda, very privately, with A Younger Man. It's a touching little love story, and had, I thought, more potential than Mayne/Josie. It's intercut with the main story, probably, I would guess, to pad it out (because, as above, the main story ain't that brilliant), and the switching between the two is irritating - they don't intersect in plot terms at all, nor emotionally.
Finally, if you read very very carefully, you will notice a third love story happening . If Eloisa James had asked me, Griselda's story should have been a separate short story in its own right, and the third (hidden) strand is the one to draw out and explore - that would have made for a more emotionally rich (and unusual) book. Ah, well, she'll know better next time. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some wine dregs to finish off.
And this might, unfortunately, be that book. It's not awful in the way Potent Pleasures was - it's just...not terribly interesting. Like the end of a party, when the hubbub has died down, only die-hards, the dregs of bottles of sweet German white wine and the washing-up are left. That's the "End of Series" feeling you get when the H&hs of the previous volumes traipse through the story demonstrating their happiness, children and validating their earlier choices. (Oh, do go home everyone, I've got these last two single characters from the series to pair up somehow, and then, bliss, I can take these shoes off...)
I don't think it's absolutely necessary to have read the earlier three books (though there are frequent references to them in this one, so you may feel that you're a little left out of the gossip). Four sisters-fallen-on-hard-times come under the guardianship of a duke (as you do); the three older ones are now all married, leaving Josie to make her début under the aegis of Lady Griselda. Josie has a bit of a rough time of it at first, until Griselda's brother, the Earl of Mayne (a friend of the family), helps her out. You can probably guess the rest!
I'm not sure how EJ actually decided on the pairings in the Essex Girls series, but Mayne has cropped up in a couple of them, as a bit of a "Pssst, lady, wanna shag?" meister, to show off the real hero's virtues more brightly by contrast. So there's been a sense that Mayne could have ended up with any of the sisters, which, for me, slightly undermines his "allocation" to Josie in this story. It's as if they were just the last two standing. EJ doesn't help me get over this feeling by having Mayne in love with another woman for at least half the book. Josie's story is fractionally more interesting, as she doesn't lose too much of the straight-talking persona she's shown in the first three books. Although she is made to suffer a bit from I'm-the-author-and-I-will-change-your-character-during-a-dramatic-denouement-if-I-need-to at the end.
So why isn't this just a 2 star read? Well, because this is Eloisa James, so, lurking in the background, there is actually a more interesting party going on, which we get tantalising glimpses of, AND a third party - which is such a cool party we don't even get an invitation to it, we're just told about it afterwards. The second party is given by Mayne's sister Griselda, very privately, with A Younger Man. It's a touching little love story, and had, I thought, more potential than Mayne/Josie. It's intercut with the main story, probably, I would guess, to pad it out (because, as above, the main story ain't that brilliant), and the switching between the two is irritating - they don't intersect in plot terms at all, nor emotionally.
Finally, if you read very very carefully, you will notice a third love story happening . If Eloisa James had asked me, Griselda's story should have been a separate short story in its own right, and the third (hidden) strand is the one to draw out and explore - that would have made for a more emotionally rich (and unusual) book. Ah, well, she'll know better next time. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some wine dregs to finish off.
July 9, 2008
Romance Novel Fact: Sex is always super hot and orgasms are MIND-BLOWING for both parties involved, especially for the woman on the event of losing her virginity.
Real World Fact: Eh.
I won’t go into too much detail over this issue because I don’t want to beat the proverbial dead horse. However, I have to add that the very first kiss that occurred between the hero and heroine in this book was freaking adorable. She had never been kissed and as a result, she was completely unaware of her own sensuality and appeal to men. The hero, and of course he only wanted to help this poor girl, offered to kiss her (because he was very good at kissing), in order to show her what it was all about, thusly awakening her to the power of her sex and to enable her ability to sway her hips when she walked. Apparently her inability to walk sexily was holding her back from finding the husband of her dreams, so this kiss was an important part of her education. Heh.
So anyway, he grabs her (and can I also add that he’s wearing a pink dress when he does this?) and starts kissing her. Her inner monologue goes something along the lines of, “Uhhh...ok? I know he told me he was a good kisser but this is kind of weird and a little bit gross and will he finish already?” And then all of a sudden she’s like, “WHOA! AWESOME! KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME MORE!!! I LOVE KISSING!!!!!”
Ahhhh! It’s the awakening!
I liked the fact that someone’s first intimate encounter with the person who was to become their perfect sexual mate was neither hot nor electric. It became hot eventually (of course) but it didn’t start out that way so it was more believable. That’s not something you usually see in these kinds of books.
Real World Fact: Eh.
I won’t go into too much detail over this issue because I don’t want to beat the proverbial dead horse. However, I have to add that the very first kiss that occurred between the hero and heroine in this book was freaking adorable. She had never been kissed and as a result, she was completely unaware of her own sensuality and appeal to men. The hero, and of course he only wanted to help this poor girl, offered to kiss her (because he was very good at kissing), in order to show her what it was all about, thusly awakening her to the power of her sex and to enable her ability to sway her hips when she walked. Apparently her inability to walk sexily was holding her back from finding the husband of her dreams, so this kiss was an important part of her education. Heh.
So anyway, he grabs her (and can I also add that he’s wearing a pink dress when he does this?) and starts kissing her. Her inner monologue goes something along the lines of, “Uhhh...ok? I know he told me he was a good kisser but this is kind of weird and a little bit gross and will he finish already?” And then all of a sudden she’s like, “WHOA! AWESOME! KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME MORE!!! I LOVE KISSING!!!!!”
Ahhhh! It’s the awakening!
I liked the fact that someone’s first intimate encounter with the person who was to become their perfect sexual mate was neither hot nor electric. It became hot eventually (of course) but it didn’t start out that way so it was more believable. That’s not something you usually see in these kinds of books.
September 9, 2016
Review in one sentence: This book is all over the place.
Griselda's story should be it's own book - she deserves it after being a main player in the last four. Mayne's struggles with being a washed-up man whore pale in comparison to Rafe's very real alcoholism. Josie goes between being very 18 and immature, to grown up, to immature again.
I do think Mayne and Josie are a good match, however, it's all very abrupt. The first half he's in love with his perfect French lady. Then suddenly he and Josie are married. I would have liked Mayne pining after Josie a little bit.
There is some clever dialogue, and phrases that I appreciated. That being said, overall thought: meh.
Griselda's story should be it's own book - she deserves it after being a main player in the last four. Mayne's struggles with being a washed-up man whore pale in comparison to Rafe's very real alcoholism. Josie goes between being very 18 and immature, to grown up, to immature again.
I do think Mayne and Josie are a good match, however, it's all very abrupt. The first half he's in love with his perfect French lady. Then suddenly he and Josie are married. I would have liked Mayne pining after Josie a little bit.
There is some clever dialogue, and phrases that I appreciated. That being said, overall thought: meh.
September 18, 2022
The side romance has pleasantly surprised me. I fell in love with Charles Darlington and quirky language and his writing.
The main love story was ok. This was the story I was looking forward to the most but it didn’t strike me that hot.
Still the secondary romance makes up for the main romance.
The main love story was ok. This was the story I was looking forward to the most but it didn’t strike me that hot.
Still the secondary romance makes up for the main romance.
August 14, 2016
FINAL DECISION: Entertaining and sweet redemption for us women who are more pear shaped than fashionably thin, PLEASURE FOR PLEASURE provides a warm conclusion to the Essex Sisters quartet.
THE STORY: Miss Josie Essex has obtained the unfortunate nickname 'the Scottish Sausage" because of her full figure. Abandoning the possibility of a traditional courtship, Josie is persuaded by family friend, the Earl of Mayne to throw away her ugly restrictive corset, obtain some clothes to flatter her curvy figure and realize the attractive possibilities of her own body. When Josie is almost ruined by a boorish rakehell, Mayne steps up to save her.
OPINION: I enjoyed this book precisely because Josie, the young woman with a poor self-image of herself, the woman who is taunted by bullies having been given the moniker "the Scottish Sausage" manages to claim the man who has gotten away from every woman in this series (including Josie's own sisters). In this story, there is something especially lovely about the jaded Mayne falling for the lively youngest Miss Essex. Josie is not a stereotypical sweet gentle miss. She is tart and argumentative and simply wonderful.
I honestly am usually more interested in the hero than the heroine, but this book was one where I so identified with Josie that I focused on her journey. While she is young, I love how she is able to keep Mayne once she catches him. I loved her personality which is so different from the mousey wallflower one might suspect. She feels like an incredibly well rounded and complex character.
One of the interesting parts of this book is how James has Mayne and Josie fall in love in the quiet. There is no "ah, ha" moment. Yet, by the time the big moment comes at the end of the book, it is clear that these two are perfect for one another. Mayne has been bored with life, not truly engaging with life. Josie is so full of life, that she pulls Mayne with her.
My one quibble with the story is that I thought that Josie deserved a bit more in her happy ending with Mayne. After he had been matched with so many women, I would have liked something just a little more demonstrating his devotion to Josie alone.
There is also a secondary romance involving Mayne sister. I enjoyed that romance as well and it neatly wrapped up all the characters from the series.
WORTH MENTIONING: The epilogue has a little "in the future"
CONNECTED BOOKS: PLEASURE FOR PLEASURE is the fourth book in the Essex Sisters series. It can be read as a standalone but is a great culmination of everything that has happened in the series.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
THE STORY: Miss Josie Essex has obtained the unfortunate nickname 'the Scottish Sausage" because of her full figure. Abandoning the possibility of a traditional courtship, Josie is persuaded by family friend, the Earl of Mayne to throw away her ugly restrictive corset, obtain some clothes to flatter her curvy figure and realize the attractive possibilities of her own body. When Josie is almost ruined by a boorish rakehell, Mayne steps up to save her.
OPINION: I enjoyed this book precisely because Josie, the young woman with a poor self-image of herself, the woman who is taunted by bullies having been given the moniker "the Scottish Sausage" manages to claim the man who has gotten away from every woman in this series (including Josie's own sisters). In this story, there is something especially lovely about the jaded Mayne falling for the lively youngest Miss Essex. Josie is not a stereotypical sweet gentle miss. She is tart and argumentative and simply wonderful.
I honestly am usually more interested in the hero than the heroine, but this book was one where I so identified with Josie that I focused on her journey. While she is young, I love how she is able to keep Mayne once she catches him. I loved her personality which is so different from the mousey wallflower one might suspect. She feels like an incredibly well rounded and complex character.
One of the interesting parts of this book is how James has Mayne and Josie fall in love in the quiet. There is no "ah, ha" moment. Yet, by the time the big moment comes at the end of the book, it is clear that these two are perfect for one another. Mayne has been bored with life, not truly engaging with life. Josie is so full of life, that she pulls Mayne with her.
My one quibble with the story is that I thought that Josie deserved a bit more in her happy ending with Mayne. After he had been matched with so many women, I would have liked something just a little more demonstrating his devotion to Josie alone.
There is also a secondary romance involving Mayne sister. I enjoyed that romance as well and it neatly wrapped up all the characters from the series.
WORTH MENTIONING: The epilogue has a little "in the future"
CONNECTED BOOKS: PLEASURE FOR PLEASURE is the fourth book in the Essex Sisters series. It can be read as a standalone but is a great culmination of everything that has happened in the series.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
December 14, 2010
If Rafe is my favorite hero from this series, then Josie is my favorite heroine. Incredibly outspoken, desperately wanting to be married after seeing her sisters do the same, swearing like a navvy and incredibly insecure.
I LOVE the way the author treats Josie's lack of self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. The book beautifully expresses the insecurities of late-teen years and the desperation of not looking like everyone else, and total ignorance about the power of your own sexuality. It also addresses excellently how different men find different women sexually attractive. The hero can't keep his eyes (and later his hands) off her, even though he can't quite get over their age difference, or his notorious past, or the fact that he's never even looked at voluptuous women before (I actually found that bit more than a tad difficult to believe, though).
The secondary romance is also excellent. It's not a cursory glimpse, but gets it's own chapters. I loved that Griselda found happiness.
In general, this series has followed a formula which I've found I really love - Shakespearean themes, a light touch with the language (the writing is wonderfully witty) but at the same time addressing some really excellent themes (feeling like an outcast because of appearance as a teenager, alcoholism, feelings of worthlessness on being judged only on physical beauty, finding the man you lusted over for years just wasn't really what you needed after all and then guilt when he dies). The Shakespearean farce theme is worked in very well. Sometimes I felt like I was losing the plot, but that is how these plays are - slightly chaotic as though the cast is going to lose control at any minute, until it all comes right at the end.
There were some bizarre typos in my kindle copy (replacing Annabel for Isobel, for example), but they didn't reduce my enjoyment.
5 stars.
I LOVE the way the author treats Josie's lack of self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. The book beautifully expresses the insecurities of late-teen years and the desperation of not looking like everyone else, and total ignorance about the power of your own sexuality. It also addresses excellently how different men find different women sexually attractive. The hero can't keep his eyes (and later his hands) off her, even though he can't quite get over their age difference, or his notorious past, or the fact that he's never even looked at voluptuous women before (I actually found that bit more than a tad difficult to believe, though).
The secondary romance is also excellent. It's not a cursory glimpse, but gets it's own chapters. I loved that Griselda found happiness.
In general, this series has followed a formula which I've found I really love - Shakespearean themes, a light touch with the language (the writing is wonderfully witty) but at the same time addressing some really excellent themes (feeling like an outcast because of appearance as a teenager, alcoholism, feelings of worthlessness on being judged only on physical beauty, finding the man you lusted over for years just wasn't really what you needed after all and then guilt when he dies). The Shakespearean farce theme is worked in very well. Sometimes I felt like I was losing the plot, but that is how these plays are - slightly chaotic as though the cast is going to lose control at any minute, until it all comes right at the end.
There were some bizarre typos in my kindle copy (replacing Annabel for Isobel, for example), but they didn't reduce my enjoyment.
5 stars.
May 3, 2017
Es la historia de Josie la menor de las hermanas Essex. No me gustó.
El romance de la pareja protagonista apareció de golpe, dado que el Conde de Mayne estuvo media novela enamorado de otra, Sylvie, una francesa de belleza y modales perfectos aunque fóbica a los hombres. Y Josie solo preocupada por su gordura y cómo conseguir un marido, no importa cómo.
No se me movió un pelo.
Para peor, Mayne hizo de antihéroe en otra novela que me gustó mucho (“Tus malas costumbres”) y no le tenía simpatía (hacía de seductor compulsivo de mujeres casadas). Además, no me gusta tanta diferencia de edad: ella 18 y él 34.
Lo único que me gustó fue la historia secundaria entre la hermana viuda de Mayne, Griselda, y el joven Darlington, tercer hijo de un Duque y un bueno para nada. Aparentemente. Muy apasionada. Ella 32 años y el 27. Esa diferencia de edad sí me gusta. Y por esta pareja le pongo una estrella más.
El romance de la pareja protagonista apareció de golpe, dado que el Conde de Mayne estuvo media novela enamorado de otra, Sylvie, una francesa de belleza y modales perfectos aunque fóbica a los hombres. Y Josie solo preocupada por su gordura y cómo conseguir un marido, no importa cómo.
No se me movió un pelo.
Para peor, Mayne hizo de antihéroe en otra novela que me gustó mucho (“Tus malas costumbres”) y no le tenía simpatía (hacía de seductor compulsivo de mujeres casadas). Además, no me gusta tanta diferencia de edad: ella 18 y él 34.
Lo único que me gustó fue la historia secundaria entre la hermana viuda de Mayne, Griselda, y el joven Darlington, tercer hijo de un Duque y un bueno para nada. Aparentemente. Muy apasionada. Ella 32 años y el 27. Esa diferencia de edad sí me gusta. Y por esta pareja le pongo una estrella más.
December 24, 2022
enjoyed it a lot
March 12, 2019
The best one
Josie is the youngest of the Essex sisters and has her heart set on the earl of mayne who is a notorious rake. An unfortunate event brings these two together in a windstorm romance. This has been my favorite book out of this series
Josie is the youngest of the Essex sisters and has her heart set on the earl of mayne who is a notorious rake. An unfortunate event brings these two together in a windstorm romance. This has been my favorite book out of this series
April 15, 2023
Último libro de la serie y el que menos me ha gustado.
Josephine y Garret son buenos personajes, pero creo que su historia ha quedado en segundo plano con tantos personajes y subtramas alrededor.
Tengo que decir que la subtrama de Griselda me ha parecido algo más interesante que la de la pareja principal que apenas ha tenido interacciones hasta bien pasada la mitad del libro.
Ese ha sido el problema para mí. No he visto a la pareja junta, no he visto ese supuesto enamoramiento ni los sentimientos que se suponen que han ido creciendo entre ellos. Es una pena, porque durante toda la serie se ha ido intuyendo esta pareja, era para mí lo más lógico y al final se ha quedado en una historia coral donde ellos son una pareja más.
En fin, me ha costado acabarlo y es una pena porque esta serie es muy bonita y esperaba más de este último libro como cierre.
Josephine y Garret son buenos personajes, pero creo que su historia ha quedado en segundo plano con tantos personajes y subtramas alrededor.
Tengo que decir que la subtrama de Griselda me ha parecido algo más interesante que la de la pareja principal que apenas ha tenido interacciones hasta bien pasada la mitad del libro.
Ese ha sido el problema para mí. No he visto a la pareja junta, no he visto ese supuesto enamoramiento ni los sentimientos que se suponen que han ido creciendo entre ellos. Es una pena, porque durante toda la serie se ha ido intuyendo esta pareja, era para mí lo más lógico y al final se ha quedado en una historia coral donde ellos son una pareja más.
En fin, me ha costado acabarlo y es una pena porque esta serie es muy bonita y esperaba más de este último libro como cierre.
October 1, 2014
This was a did-not-finish book.
The heroine's nickname was "The Scottish Sausage" and she spent most of her time complaining about how she was fat. Then in the same sentence she said she's going to eat another sandwich, even though she can barely move in the specially designed "sausage" corset. She talks about how in the tight corse she's almost the same size as her sister.
It was exhausting reading about a heroine who hated herself so much.
The hero spends most of the book in love with his fiance, who does not love him. The hero has also kissed her sister.
Not what I want to read about. This was a did-not-finish book for me.
The heroine's nickname was "The Scottish Sausage" and she spent most of her time complaining about how she was fat. Then in the same sentence she said she's going to eat another sandwich, even though she can barely move in the specially designed "sausage" corset. She talks about how in the tight corse she's almost the same size as her sister.
It was exhausting reading about a heroine who hated herself so much.
The hero spends most of the book in love with his fiance, who does not love him. The hero has also kissed her sister.
Not what I want to read about. This was a did-not-finish book for me.
February 23, 2018
Como siempre, a esta autora, por lo menos con esta serie, le ha faltado un puntito. Y además, no he visto por ningún lado cómo se enamoran los protagonistas principales el uno del otro. No ha habido evolución en sus sentimientos.
January 25, 2020
Lee la reseña completa en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
Cuarto y último libro de esta serie donde nuestra adorada Josie Essex es apodada “la salchicha escocesa” y con ello comienza a pensar que se convertirá en una solterona. Sus posibilidades de encontrar marido se reducen a cero, Josie necesita a un verdadero experto para que su plan funcione y quien mejor que Garret Langham, conde de Mayne para que la ayude.
La novela no tiene desperdicio, Eloisa James nos trae a una pareja protagonista original y si no tanto, no tan típica en este tipo de novelas. Por si no fuera poco tendremos a otra pareja y su historia que tiene su encanto aunque no me fascinó tanto como lo hizo la que apareció en el tercer libro.
Josie ha sido un personaje con el que nos hemos ido familiarizando desde el principio y le hemos cogido mucho cariño. Conocemos sus inseguridades y su cuerpo es la primera de ellas (probablemente la única) y la más importante, ella no se encuentra en los estándares de la época en lo que se refiere a su figura y que la apoden “la salchicha escocesa” no la ayuda mucho. Junto a ella sentiremos esa sensación de baja autoestima, ni su familia puede quitarle de la cabeza esa obsesión por un cuerpo delgado y así es como un momento muy especial con Mayne la hace cambiar y sentirse a gusto consigo misma.
Josie ha sido un personaje...
Cuarto y último libro de esta serie donde nuestra adorada Josie Essex es apodada “la salchicha escocesa” y con ello comienza a pensar que se convertirá en una solterona. Sus posibilidades de encontrar marido se reducen a cero, Josie necesita a un verdadero experto para que su plan funcione y quien mejor que Garret Langham, conde de Mayne para que la ayude.
La novela no tiene desperdicio, Eloisa James nos trae a una pareja protagonista original y si no tanto, no tan típica en este tipo de novelas. Por si no fuera poco tendremos a otra pareja y su historia que tiene su encanto aunque no me fascinó tanto como lo hizo la que apareció en el tercer libro.
Josie ha sido un personaje con el que nos hemos ido familiarizando desde el principio y le hemos cogido mucho cariño. Conocemos sus inseguridades y su cuerpo es la primera de ellas (probablemente la única) y la más importante, ella no se encuentra en los estándares de la época en lo que se refiere a su figura y que la apoden “la salchicha escocesa” no la ayuda mucho. Junto a ella sentiremos esa sensación de baja autoestima, ni su familia puede quitarle de la cabeza esa obsesión por un cuerpo delgado y así es como un momento muy especial con Mayne la hace cambiar y sentirse a gusto consigo misma.
Josie ha sido un personaje...
September 22, 2020
This one did not work at all for me. He's a manho with Madonna/whore syndrome, she's a va-va-va-voom-virgin and therefore is fat-shamed by undersexed minor British nobility. He just never seems that much in love, and she's going to be the more mature one within a few months of marriage.
Oh and that cover? How exactly is that model supposed to represent the hourglass heroine? FAIL.
Oh and that cover? How exactly is that model supposed to represent the hourglass heroine? FAIL.
February 18, 2025
tres dramatique j'ai bien ri 🤭
February 12, 2011
I only discovered Eloisa James in the last year, maybe year and a half and have been doing catch-up so this is the second book of this series that I have read. Wonderful.
After reading Your Wicked Ways I had to know the rest of Mayne's story. I also liked his sister, Griselda, and while I didn't feel compelled to read that she had found a happy ending of her own, I was delighted to see that she did in this book. Pleasure for Pleasure is not just the fourth book in the Essex Sisters series, it could (imho) be considered the sequel to Your Wicked Ways.
I love stories that have interesting secondary stories (one book is on my keep shelf only because of the secondary story). In this one the secondary story is given almost as much time as the primary story and it is a lovely story. The only complaint I have about the book is that I would have liked more of both stories. There are even bits of a tertiary story, but it is one I am only mildly interested in, and that just to confirm my earlier suspicions.
While I wouldn't have thought it, Josie and Mayne are perfect for each other as are Griselda and Darlington. Each is what the other needs and happily, wants.
Wonderful story, well told.
After reading Your Wicked Ways I had to know the rest of Mayne's story. I also liked his sister, Griselda, and while I didn't feel compelled to read that she had found a happy ending of her own, I was delighted to see that she did in this book. Pleasure for Pleasure is not just the fourth book in the Essex Sisters series, it could (imho) be considered the sequel to Your Wicked Ways.
I love stories that have interesting secondary stories (one book is on my keep shelf only because of the secondary story). In this one the secondary story is given almost as much time as the primary story and it is a lovely story. The only complaint I have about the book is that I would have liked more of both stories. There are even bits of a tertiary story, but it is one I am only mildly interested in, and that just to confirm my earlier suspicions.
While I wouldn't have thought it, Josie and Mayne are perfect for each other as are Griselda and Darlington. Each is what the other needs and happily, wants.
Wonderful story, well told.
January 26, 2015
By far, my favorite romance of the series! One of those relationships I could see myself in, with the humor and the honestly and the reluctance to admit their feelings. I need to get my hands on a physical copy of the book, so I can more easily re-read my favorite parts.
I wasn't a huge fan of the secondary love story, though, so I guess this isn't a perfect five stars. It's basically a reformed bully story and sometimes those can work for me, but, in this case, I felt like, okay, great, he's sorry for what he did and is a better person now--but that doesn't mean you fall in love with him.
Actually, I originally didn't like some of how the main love story was unfolding, but I think I like it as a whole. And, whatever, five stars for swoons and happiness and a relatable relationship.
And now that I'm done with this series, what do I do with my life???
(This series has the worst descriptions. They're so misleading.)
I wasn't a huge fan of the secondary love story, though, so I guess this isn't a perfect five stars. It's basically a reformed bully story and sometimes those can work for me, but, in this case, I felt like, okay, great, he's sorry for what he did and is a better person now--but that doesn't mean you fall in love with him.
Actually, I originally didn't like some of how the main love story was unfolding, but I think I like it as a whole. And, whatever, five stars for swoons and happiness and a relatable relationship.
And now that I'm done with this series, what do I do with my life???
(This series has the worst descriptions. They're so misleading.)
June 16, 2017
I love Eloisa James, but I really wasn't digging this one. The Hero, Mayne, spends half the book in love with another woman, and the heroine, Josie, only has what to say about how fat she is (& doesn't say much else). Mayne and Josie's story could have been told in half the amount of time if the first 28 chapters were cut out, and Griselda's subplot erased. Abandoned at chapter 34.
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