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Duchess Quartet #4
Your Wicked Ways
Helene, the Countess Godwin, knows there is nothing more unbearably tedious than a virtuous woman. After all, she's been one for ten long years while her scoundrel of a husband lives with strumpets and causes scandal after scandal. So she decides it's time for a change -- she styles her hair in the newest, daring mode, puts on a shockingly transparent gown, and goes to a ball like Cinderella, hoping to find a prince charming to sweep her off her feet...and into his bed.
But instead of a prince, she finds only her own volatile, infuriatingly handsome...husband, Rees, the Earl Godwin. They'd eloped to Gretna Green in a fiery passion, but passion can sometimes burn too hot to last.
But now, Rees makes her a brazen offer, and Helene decides to become his wife again...but not in name only. No, this time she decides to be very, very wicked indeed.
But instead of a prince, she finds only her own volatile, infuriatingly handsome...husband, Rees, the Earl Godwin. They'd eloped to Gretna Green in a fiery passion, but passion can sometimes burn too hot to last.
But now, Rees makes her a brazen offer, and Helene decides to become his wife again...but not in name only. No, this time she decides to be very, very wicked indeed.
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First published March 30, 2004
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About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,551 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 327 reviews
August 7, 2011
This book…ugh.
Just...ugh!
I do not think it would have been so horrible if the author made sense. But she did not. it felt like she made a lot of notes about the plot and then somebody else tried to patch it all together for a few bucks.
On the other hand when I think of Lina…maybe it would not have worked even if there was more of a back story.
Why? Well..I am a person who mostly hates eeeeevil mistresses. But this -good- mistress made me want to puke!
Her sweetness attacks and the way that the hero is so 'protective' of her because she is very nice, and lovable and not a whore! Never a whore! Oh,no! Never!
I am guessing the author wanted to make EVERYBODY likable so the end of her series could bring an all around happy ending. Well, good for her. But it still did not work.
Mostly all of this just looked like Lina was bipolar at best or two characters badly blended in to one.
For a sec she is the puritanical vicars daughter that shines in the light of her only two sexual partners and her love for the hero and/or his brother but then she turns in t the all around fuck body that sprouts malice in the dress shop.
Confusing.
I think this could have worked if she never slept with the hero. I would not have the eeew factor with her sharing dna related penises and more importantly the hero's actions would have made more sens....wait. No they would not.
Lina was badly written, but the hero was not logical for even a moment.
At the very beginning of this book he grabs the heroine's butt because he thinks it is Lina. He goes on and on about how he likes Lina's type of body and hates the heroines. So why in Gods green Earth does he have no real hunger to have sex with her and really did not have sex with her for a year? It just does not click.
For a while I daydreamed about him being so obsessed with fatter women because they were the opposite of the heroine but the author cut me there by giving the very stupid explanation(s) about his dead father.
But alongside all of this we have a bigger problem. The fact that I never really got why he treated the heroine the way he did. Not even after the 'revelations'. Because he loved her but knew not how to show it?
What ever.
He threw her out of the house because she hated the pain while they had sex?
She still had sex with him! What did it matter??
He hated the first time he had sex with her and it was bad because he was a virgin.
Ummmmm….he finished. How was it bad?
It is not like anything changed. The women he was with since then did not touch him etc… nothing is really changed !!! Why did he not like it? I just do not get it!
But this is not my fault. It is the authors. She just piled up on information never going back to them and getting it untangled.
The result? I was left cold when the hero and heroine decided to stay together. There were these I love you-s and there was a 'Oh, so we are staying together? Cool' moment but…but…why? how did it happen? I never saw this! I feel like there are pages missing.
Or meybe the author just focused more on Lina and Tom, the super boring couple that had a HEA for no reason what so ever. They stole page space but were frankly better done even thou I did not care one wit for what will their future hold.
All in all…I do not think I will be catching up on the other books in these series.
Just...ugh!
I do not think it would have been so horrible if the author made sense. But she did not. it felt like she made a lot of notes about the plot and then somebody else tried to patch it all together for a few bucks.
On the other hand when I think of Lina…maybe it would not have worked even if there was more of a back story.
Why? Well..I am a person who mostly hates eeeeevil mistresses. But this -good- mistress made me want to puke!
Her sweetness attacks and the way that the hero is so 'protective' of her because she is very nice, and lovable and not a whore! Never a whore! Oh,no! Never!
I am guessing the author wanted to make EVERYBODY likable so the end of her series could bring an all around happy ending. Well, good for her. But it still did not work.
Mostly all of this just looked like Lina was bipolar at best or two characters badly blended in to one.
For a sec she is the puritanical vicars daughter that shines in the light of her only two sexual partners and her love for the hero and/or his brother but then she turns in t the all around fuck body that sprouts malice in the dress shop.
Confusing.
I think this could have worked if she never slept with the hero. I would not have the eeew factor with her sharing dna related penises and more importantly the hero's actions would have made more sens....wait. No they would not.
Lina was badly written, but the hero was not logical for even a moment.
At the very beginning of this book he grabs the heroine's butt because he thinks it is Lina. He goes on and on about how he likes Lina's type of body and hates the heroines. So why in Gods green Earth does he have no real hunger to have sex with her and really did not have sex with her for a year? It just does not click.
For a while I daydreamed about him being so obsessed with fatter women because they were the opposite of the heroine but the author cut me there by giving the very stupid explanation(s) about his dead father.
But alongside all of this we have a bigger problem. The fact that I never really got why he treated the heroine the way he did. Not even after the 'revelations'. Because he loved her but knew not how to show it?
What ever.
He threw her out of the house because she hated the pain while they had sex?
She still had sex with him! What did it matter??
He hated the first time he had sex with her and it was bad because he was a virgin.
Ummmmm….he finished. How was it bad?
It is not like anything changed. The women he was with since then did not touch him etc… nothing is really changed !!! Why did he not like it? I just do not get it!
But this is not my fault. It is the authors. She just piled up on information never going back to them and getting it untangled.
The result? I was left cold when the hero and heroine decided to stay together. There were these I love you-s and there was a 'Oh, so we are staying together? Cool' moment but…but…why? how did it happen? I never saw this! I feel like there are pages missing.
Or meybe the author just focused more on Lina and Tom, the super boring couple that had a HEA for no reason what so ever. They stole page space but were frankly better done even thou I did not care one wit for what will their future hold.
All in all…I do not think I will be catching up on the other books in these series.
September 1, 2016
DNF
I made it through 40% before I decided I was kidding myself and just couldn’t read any further. Generally I’m quite patient with my books but this was just a frustrating read altogether and I feel the need to vent...
The plot was something that I’ve taken to reading recently – historical romances based on an estranged marriage where the two redeem themselves. But this, the basis around the estrangement didn’t seem believable. The characters themselves were one dimensional at best and too vain and immature for my liking – and I’m not just talking about the hero and heroine here, I basically disliked everyone. At halfway through the book, the fact that no character jumped out of the pages at me, or tugged my heartstrings for some well deserved sympathy, it didn’t bode well.
Initially, Helene (Countess Godwin) was alright, she wasn’t a particularly strong heroine but still not too bad. But then she just gets a little too insipid and the whole “must find someone to have my baby with” storyline didn’t work for me. And Rees (Earl Godwin), I was waiting for a redeeming feature in him that did not come. I felt like he was truly deranged in a way, thinking that his wife would accept moving back in with him and occupying a chamber next to the nursery while his mistress occupied the countess bed chamber. But no! Stupid Helene is desperate enough for a baby that she agrees! Albeit some conditions, but that point is moot to me. What self respecting woman agrees to move back home whilst her husband’s mistress is still in residence?
But the real reason that I just stopped altogether and didn’t even bother to finish for the sake of finishing, was Tom and Lina. The vicar and the mistress ‘who isn’t a courtesan’. Thomas Holland is the Earl of Goodwin’s younger brother and a vicar in the North Country. He is was a sensible man, but then he meets Lina, Rees’ mistress, and turns into a randy teenager lusting after her. It was horrible to read and I thoroughly hated what little I read of their banter:
In terms of Lina’s character, when we were introduced to her, Lina was plain malicious. I’ve read that she changes for the better, but I just don’t see how that can be done realistically. She’s a horrible person and I honestly have no idea why James even bothered with this storyline. The vicar getting with his brother’s mistress isn’t tasteful.
So overall, I don’t recommend this whatsoever. As always, the writing style by Eloisa James is smooth and succinct, but plot and character wise? Not worth it. Perhaps it might improve towards the end, but I’m really not inclined to hang around and find out given the direction I see it heading. Big disappointment.
Sidenote: If you're looking for a better estranged marriage/reconciliation historical romance then I suggest you'd be better off reading Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley, The Marriage Bed by Laura Lee Guhrke or The Book of Scandal by Julia London.
I made it through 40% before I decided I was kidding myself and just couldn’t read any further. Generally I’m quite patient with my books but this was just a frustrating read altogether and I feel the need to vent...
The plot was something that I’ve taken to reading recently – historical romances based on an estranged marriage where the two redeem themselves. But this, the basis around the estrangement didn’t seem believable. The characters themselves were one dimensional at best and too vain and immature for my liking – and I’m not just talking about the hero and heroine here, I basically disliked everyone. At halfway through the book, the fact that no character jumped out of the pages at me, or tugged my heartstrings for some well deserved sympathy, it didn’t bode well.
Initially, Helene (Countess Godwin) was alright, she wasn’t a particularly strong heroine but still not too bad. But then she just gets a little too insipid and the whole “must find someone to have my baby with” storyline didn’t work for me. And Rees (Earl Godwin), I was waiting for a redeeming feature in him that did not come. I felt like he was truly deranged in a way, thinking that his wife would accept moving back in with him and occupying a chamber next to the nursery while his mistress occupied the countess bed chamber. But no! Stupid Helene is desperate enough for a baby that she agrees! Albeit some conditions, but that point is moot to me. What self respecting woman agrees to move back home whilst her husband’s mistress is still in residence?
But the real reason that I just stopped altogether and didn’t even bother to finish for the sake of finishing, was Tom and Lina. The vicar and the mistress ‘who isn’t a courtesan’. Thomas Holland is the Earl of Goodwin’s younger brother and a vicar in the North Country. He is was a sensible man, but then he meets Lina, Rees’ mistress, and turns into a randy teenager lusting after her. It was horrible to read and I thoroughly hated what little I read of their banter:
In terms of Lina’s character, when we were introduced to her, Lina was plain malicious. I’ve read that she changes for the better, but I just don’t see how that can be done realistically. She’s a horrible person and I honestly have no idea why James even bothered with this storyline. The vicar getting with his brother’s mistress isn’t tasteful.
So overall, I don’t recommend this whatsoever. As always, the writing style by Eloisa James is smooth and succinct, but plot and character wise? Not worth it. Perhaps it might improve towards the end, but I’m really not inclined to hang around and find out given the direction I see it heading. Big disappointment.
Sidenote: If you're looking for a better estranged marriage/reconciliation historical romance then I suggest you'd be better off reading Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley, The Marriage Bed by Laura Lee Guhrke or The Book of Scandal by Julia London.
Read
October 2, 2012Worst book I've ever read. Hello? It's supposed to come from Eloisa james, a rather safe book where you always expect to read a masterpiece. But no, this book is sooo bad. I stopped while reading it. Every time I turned a page, i'de scratch my head in pain. Hello?!?! Is anyone that desperate to live in a house with your husband's mistress?!?! And you just want to pay her off?? What kind of wife does that? She's supposed to fight for her right and kick the mistress's ass off the house. And to make the mistress take up with the vicar?! That's cheap!!! It's a historical romance!!.. I'm so disappointed in ms. James. Well, I guess this is goodbye to her books. She seems to want to continue the topic of mistress and bad marriages in her book. At first, it's refreshing then you kind of get tired of their theatrics with the whole story. Yes I was an Eloisa james fan. Damn the money I spent on kindle amazon. She's not worth it anymore.
August 11, 2022
Completely shocked five star read ✨✨✨
This book is not for the faint of romance reading hearts. I have read enough old school and Eloisa James that I can get down with imperfect heroes and heroines. I’m actually to the point now where I prefer it. I don’t need characters castigating themselves over the fire for some dumb crap at the end of books simply because it’s the 80% mark. This book is full of imperfect characters and a whole lot of serious mistakes made, but it’s a story of love. Forgiving, long suffering, and imperfect love. There’s no grand gestures or crazy groveling. It’s just simple forgiveness and love and I absolutely loved it. I understand why a lot of people don’t like it, because problematic things are well, problematic, but I’m just problematic enough myself that I like these crazy plots now 🤣
When I started this series and was introduced to Rees Holland, Earl of Godwin and learn that this dude kicked his wife out of the house and replaced her with an opera singer….I had my doubts. My serious doubts.
But. Then. 😭
Helene is a shrew. I’m not exaggerating. She’s an angry little thing and she has every right to be. She wants a divorce from her shameful husband, she wants a baby, she wishes she could just have sex and her junk not shut down like Fort Knox. Helene is in desperate need for a sexual revolution in her life for practical and personal reasons. So when her husband offers himself as stud in exchange for her help in writing an opera, she’s just desperate enough to accept.
The thing I loved about this book was the absolute lack of sexual prowess. You know how it goes. You read a book with two virgins but obvs they have secret powers and everyone reaches completion in a rainbow meadow of unicorns. Instead, we have two virgins that absolutely muck everything up and it makes their marriage fall apart. There are a lot of love scenes in this book as Helene and Rees are trying to have a baby, but they aren’t all ecstasy crazy. The intimacy builds as these two reconnect and I enjoyed watching Rees flounder and say things like, “It can’t work tonight” and “I don’t know much about women” and “Maybe I should ask my best friend about this stuff…” lolololol.
Helene and Rees aren’t perfect. They’ve both said horrible things and man, did Rees put his wife though the ringer, but I love love loved watching them come back to each other. I don’t understand a freaking word either one of them say when they are working on music, but it’s still wonderful to watch their connection.
I want to dock a half a star for the boring and meh plot of Lina and Tom, but Helene and Rees bump it up to a five again anyway.
This book is not for the faint of romance reading hearts. I have read enough old school and Eloisa James that I can get down with imperfect heroes and heroines. I’m actually to the point now where I prefer it. I don’t need characters castigating themselves over the fire for some dumb crap at the end of books simply because it’s the 80% mark. This book is full of imperfect characters and a whole lot of serious mistakes made, but it’s a story of love. Forgiving, long suffering, and imperfect love. There’s no grand gestures or crazy groveling. It’s just simple forgiveness and love and I absolutely loved it. I understand why a lot of people don’t like it, because problematic things are well, problematic, but I’m just problematic enough myself that I like these crazy plots now 🤣
When I started this series and was introduced to Rees Holland, Earl of Godwin and learn that this dude kicked his wife out of the house and replaced her with an opera singer….I had my doubts. My serious doubts.
But. Then. 😭
Helene is a shrew. I’m not exaggerating. She’s an angry little thing and she has every right to be. She wants a divorce from her shameful husband, she wants a baby, she wishes she could just have sex and her junk not shut down like Fort Knox. Helene is in desperate need for a sexual revolution in her life for practical and personal reasons. So when her husband offers himself as stud in exchange for her help in writing an opera, she’s just desperate enough to accept.
The thing I loved about this book was the absolute lack of sexual prowess. You know how it goes. You read a book with two virgins but obvs they have secret powers and everyone reaches completion in a rainbow meadow of unicorns. Instead, we have two virgins that absolutely muck everything up and it makes their marriage fall apart. There are a lot of love scenes in this book as Helene and Rees are trying to have a baby, but they aren’t all ecstasy crazy. The intimacy builds as these two reconnect and I enjoyed watching Rees flounder and say things like, “It can’t work tonight” and “I don’t know much about women” and “Maybe I should ask my best friend about this stuff…” lolololol.
Helene and Rees aren’t perfect. They’ve both said horrible things and man, did Rees put his wife though the ringer, but I love love loved watching them come back to each other. I don’t understand a freaking word either one of them say when they are working on music, but it’s still wonderful to watch their connection.
I want to dock a half a star for the boring and meh plot of Lina and Tom, but Helene and Rees bump it up to a five again anyway.
September 1, 2020
I hated this book. After six chapters I went to put it aside to stop reading but I still wanted to know how it ended and all it did was piss me off at the end of the story. It always annoys me when the woman forgives the man so easily. He cheated during the entire marriage and he was a complete asshole. I know she wasn't great either, but it was still annoying.
August 17, 2018
This was such a sweet book. It plays out exactly as one would imagine from reading the blurb but I can't bring myself to fault it for that.
I loved every moment.
I loved every moment.
June 19, 2017
I really, really needed more serious groveling on Rees's part.
October 10, 2025
This author was harsh on her fmc! They elope to Gretna Green when they are teens. He’s an Earl. They are both virtuosos. He kicks her out and she now lives with her mother 10 Years later. He has supposedly wild parties and sexcapades… but really how wild can it be when he’s the 2 pump Chump? Seriously his record is 7 minutes and he goes in dry. WTF? This is pretty informative for an older HR. Anyways she cuts her hair and buys a new dress and is transformed. She wants a baby so they make a deal that she will move back in and have sex everyday with minute man and help him write his opera. His mistress who is living in the FMCS bedroom stays so she can sing the arias from the opera he’s writing. Then the mistress becomes fmc 2 with a secondary story with the Hs brother. If you’re interested in premature ejaculation—- this books for you💦🔫🦆
February 11, 2020
Clumsy words and actions make for big problems.
Rees and Helene, *sigh*, an instance where two virgins do not make for happy trails. If only they'd approached sex they way do musical composition--this can be better--it might not have been such a cluster. Careless words spoken are cruel and ineptitude is awkward and painful. Rees' backstory is well-thought out and I like his relationship with his brother. But Ree's obsession with music means that he tends to have giant blinders on all the time, the absentminded composer.
This is probably one of the most touching and scary lines I've read in a romance novel:
"Self-loathing stopped warring with passion, and was replaced by something infinitely more tender, and more terrifying."
The behaviors approach absurd, but since this holds the edge of emotional anguish it never feels good, and thus it comes across overdone. Rees is an idiot and that he has no friend to tell him so is the problem. I think my favorite part of the story was the waltz Helene wrote and it's reflection of their marriage and how Rees rewrites it--the rating for this relies exclusively on this because it was brilliant, the rest made me feel like this:
Rees and Helene, *sigh*, an instance where two virgins do not make for happy trails. If only they'd approached sex they way do musical composition--this can be better--it might not have been such a cluster. Careless words spoken are cruel and ineptitude is awkward and painful. Rees' backstory is well-thought out and I like his relationship with his brother. But Ree's obsession with music means that he tends to have giant blinders on all the time, the absentminded composer.
This is probably one of the most touching and scary lines I've read in a romance novel:
"Self-loathing stopped warring with passion, and was replaced by something infinitely more tender, and more terrifying."
The behaviors approach absurd, but since this holds the edge of emotional anguish it never feels good, and thus it comes across overdone. Rees is an idiot and that he has no friend to tell him so is the problem. I think my favorite part of the story was the waltz Helene wrote and it's reflection of their marriage and how Rees rewrites it--the rating for this relies exclusively on this because it was brilliant, the rest made me feel like this:
"So I try to remain collected. Otherwise I might throw plates at people's heads regularly."
"Thank for the warning," Esme said with some amusement, moving the lemon tarts to the far side of the table.
June 18, 2022
4 Estrellitas. Al contrario que los anteriores libros de ésta serie, éste sí me ha convencido. Tenía muchas ganas de él, pero también recelos al conocer la historia pasada y presente de los protagonistas; pero creo que Eloisa James ha sabido llevarla.
Helene y Rees Holland, condes de Godwin se casaron muy jóvenes y muy impulsivos fugándose a Gretna Green. En seguida se dieron cuenta de que lo suyo no era idílico y se perdieron totalmente el respeto, hasta que Rees echó de casa a Helene.
Han pasado nueve años y Helene ha decidido dar el paso definitivo, todas sus amigas están felizmente casadas y han sido madres y ella quiere tener hijos, pero no quiere tenerlos con Rees, así que insistirá hasta que éste le conceda el divorcio.
Rees Holland ha pasado esos nueve años perdiendo su respetabilidad entre bailarinas y cantantes de ópera, de hecho su actual amante lleva años viviendo con él en su casa y durmiendo en la habitación de la condesa.
Cuando Helene llega una vez más a pedirle el divorcio a Rees, éste no morderá el anzuelo, no quiere divorciarse y si su esposa quiere un hijo se lo dará él y será su heredero, Rees no consentirá que su heredero sea el hijo de otro hombre.
Ya sabemos que en ésa época el papel de una mujer era muy limitado y dependiente del padre o del esposo y aquí Rees jugará ése papel ofreciéndole a Helene un trato: que Helene venga un mes a vivir a la casa Godwin, donde él intentará darle ése hijo, y a cambio ella le ayudará a componer su última opereta. Rees es compositor de ópera, y lleva mucho tiempo con un bloqueo artístico importante, sólo la sagacidad al piano de su esposa podrá ayudarla.
El problema de éste trato, es que la actual amante de Rees, Lina, aún vive en la casa, y Rees no quiere echarla. Lina lleva meses sin frecuentar su cama, pero tiene la voz que Rees necesita para su ópera. Por muy indecente que sea el trato, Helene aceptará.
La trama se complicará cuando los protagonistas comiencen a intimar de nuevo y descubran lo que el tiempo y la experiencia ha cambiado en ellos.
A pesar de lo sórdido que es el personaje de Rees y su situación, me ha convencido cómo ha llevado Eloisa James la historia. De hecho ha introducido una pequeña historia secundaria entre Tom, el vicario y hermano menor de Rees, y Lina, la ex amante de Rees.
Quizás el romance me ha costado algo más pillarlo, pues queda muy al final de la novela y esperas algo más de redención por parte de Rees.
Lo que ha estado bien de la novela ha sido la introducción del conde de Mayne y su hermana, lady Griselda, que tendrán mucho protagonismo en la siguiente serie, la de las hermanas Essex.
En general, el cuartero de duquesas ha sido una serie entretenida, con pocas duquesas, y poco sobresaliente, en la que destacaría un par de novelas, la primera y la última. Sin duda, la serie de las hermanas Essex estuvo mucho mejor.
Helene y Rees Holland, condes de Godwin se casaron muy jóvenes y muy impulsivos fugándose a Gretna Green. En seguida se dieron cuenta de que lo suyo no era idílico y se perdieron totalmente el respeto, hasta que Rees echó de casa a Helene.
Han pasado nueve años y Helene ha decidido dar el paso definitivo, todas sus amigas están felizmente casadas y han sido madres y ella quiere tener hijos, pero no quiere tenerlos con Rees, así que insistirá hasta que éste le conceda el divorcio.
Rees Holland ha pasado esos nueve años perdiendo su respetabilidad entre bailarinas y cantantes de ópera, de hecho su actual amante lleva años viviendo con él en su casa y durmiendo en la habitación de la condesa.
Cuando Helene llega una vez más a pedirle el divorcio a Rees, éste no morderá el anzuelo, no quiere divorciarse y si su esposa quiere un hijo se lo dará él y será su heredero, Rees no consentirá que su heredero sea el hijo de otro hombre.
Ya sabemos que en ésa época el papel de una mujer era muy limitado y dependiente del padre o del esposo y aquí Rees jugará ése papel ofreciéndole a Helene un trato: que Helene venga un mes a vivir a la casa Godwin, donde él intentará darle ése hijo, y a cambio ella le ayudará a componer su última opereta. Rees es compositor de ópera, y lleva mucho tiempo con un bloqueo artístico importante, sólo la sagacidad al piano de su esposa podrá ayudarla.
El problema de éste trato, es que la actual amante de Rees, Lina, aún vive en la casa, y Rees no quiere echarla. Lina lleva meses sin frecuentar su cama, pero tiene la voz que Rees necesita para su ópera. Por muy indecente que sea el trato, Helene aceptará.
La trama se complicará cuando los protagonistas comiencen a intimar de nuevo y descubran lo que el tiempo y la experiencia ha cambiado en ellos.
A pesar de lo sórdido que es el personaje de Rees y su situación, me ha convencido cómo ha llevado Eloisa James la historia. De hecho ha introducido una pequeña historia secundaria entre Tom, el vicario y hermano menor de Rees, y Lina, la ex amante de Rees.
Quizás el romance me ha costado algo más pillarlo, pues queda muy al final de la novela y esperas algo más de redención por parte de Rees.
Lo que ha estado bien de la novela ha sido la introducción del conde de Mayne y su hermana, lady Griselda, que tendrán mucho protagonismo en la siguiente serie, la de las hermanas Essex.
En general, el cuartero de duquesas ha sido una serie entretenida, con pocas duquesas, y poco sobresaliente, en la que destacaría un par de novelas, la primera y la última. Sin duda, la serie de las hermanas Essex estuvo mucho mejor.
March 9, 2022
Helene and Rees. This is a soap opera type story about two young people getting married only to discover that they suck at sex. Instead of communicating they resort to being mean to each other. Her- mostly with words and a chamber pot. Him by throwing her out of their home and doing wicked things and openly flaunting having a mistress in their home. We also have Esme talking about how great at sex one of her ex lovers was and recommends him for Helene.
Now as to the mistress. This author does the same thing she did to Simon Darby she changes her completely. She starts out as someone who walks around in her negligee, taunts that she has Helene's husband all primed for a sexual afternoon on purpose so that his wife will hear, and seems to love to go about telling most of the people she meets what a whore she is. Then, suddenly everyone she meets including Helene decides she is not one and that magically it is all Rees's fault. Which is weird because she has had sex another guy back home and at least one more but SHE had a choice to stay and be an actress or to go and live with Rees as his mistress. SHE knew he was married. That fact that she fell in love with him does not negate that SHE decided to be his mistress. However, a big lie by lots of people do perform the magical transforming of Lina to just a country gal and was not his mistress.
I found it cliché that Rees brother--who is a minister--falls instantly in love with Rees's mistress. To me, it is icky to think that Rees had sex for years (though we are assured it was not go0d sex since he is a wham bang thank you type of lover) before his brother while she was still Rees's mistress.
Rees-He frustrated me. He also starts out with his internal thoughts being clear that he does not like Helene's body type. He starts out in this story grabbing Helene's butt thinking it was his mistress. Which btw-in a way negates the authors attempt that Rees and Lina has not been having sex for months because that butt grabbing may have turned into a sexual encounter if it had been his mistress sitting at the piano. So while they may not have had sex in a few months he was still lovey dovey towards his mistress.
I also felt it a bit unfair that the mistress got everything special versus Helene. She had the curves, the beauty, and even her voice was better than Helene's.
Then by the end of the story he suddenly loves Helene's body and that it was his fathers fault that made him be unfaithful and mean. He also blamed being a virgin on their wedding night as one of the reasons he was so bad at sex. Though that does not explain why he still stinks at it. HA!
I also did not like it that Rees had more feelings for his mistress than he did for Helene. He used Helene's desire for a baby to force her to decide that she had to live with him and Lina because he worried more about Lina's feelings and needed to take care of her. (BTW- Helene made that decision to take the risk of being ruined so just like his mistress she had a choice). Almost always-even during the big lie it was Helene who had to take the mistress feelings into account. Helene even apologized to her when Lina had to act like she was just a country girl to help Helene's reputation.
Anyways, Helene and Rees got their grove on and the had a very sweet hea. The bonded through their music. Luckily for Helene-Rees finally figures out how to please a woman sexually. I loved the epilogue.
Now as to the mistress. This author does the same thing she did to Simon Darby she changes her completely. She starts out as someone who walks around in her negligee, taunts that she has Helene's husband all primed for a sexual afternoon on purpose so that his wife will hear, and seems to love to go about telling most of the people she meets what a whore she is. Then, suddenly everyone she meets including Helene decides she is not one and that magically it is all Rees's fault. Which is weird because she has had sex another guy back home and at least one more but SHE had a choice to stay and be an actress or to go and live with Rees as his mistress. SHE knew he was married. That fact that she fell in love with him does not negate that SHE decided to be his mistress. However, a big lie by lots of people do perform the magical transforming of Lina to just a country gal and was not his mistress.
I found it cliché that Rees brother--who is a minister--falls instantly in love with Rees's mistress. To me, it is icky to think that Rees had sex for years (though we are assured it was not go0d sex since he is a wham bang thank you type of lover) before his brother while she was still Rees's mistress.
Rees-He frustrated me. He also starts out with his internal thoughts being clear that he does not like Helene's body type. He starts out in this story grabbing Helene's butt thinking it was his mistress. Which btw-in a way negates the authors attempt that Rees and Lina has not been having sex for months because that butt grabbing may have turned into a sexual encounter if it had been his mistress sitting at the piano. So while they may not have had sex in a few months he was still lovey dovey towards his mistress.
I also felt it a bit unfair that the mistress got everything special versus Helene. She had the curves, the beauty, and even her voice was better than Helene's.
Then by the end of the story he suddenly loves Helene's body and that it was his fathers fault that made him be unfaithful and mean. He also blamed being a virgin on their wedding night as one of the reasons he was so bad at sex. Though that does not explain why he still stinks at it. HA!
I also did not like it that Rees had more feelings for his mistress than he did for Helene. He used Helene's desire for a baby to force her to decide that she had to live with him and Lina because he worried more about Lina's feelings and needed to take care of her. (BTW- Helene made that decision to take the risk of being ruined so just like his mistress she had a choice). Almost always-even during the big lie it was Helene who had to take the mistress feelings into account. Helene even apologized to her when Lina had to act like she was just a country girl to help Helene's reputation.
Anyways, Helene and Rees got their grove on and the had a very sweet hea. The bonded through their music. Luckily for Helene-Rees finally figures out how to please a woman sexually. I loved the epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2021
This started off as a nice read but got a bit boring in the middle. Modest rating although the ending turned out the way I expected.
July 31, 2017
Esta novela me ha encantado
Me hizo sentir la misma satisfacción que "Abandonada a tus caricias" de L. Chase.
Tenía ciertas reticencias a leerla por lo que se presentaba en la sinopsis (dado que odio a los libertinos y maridos infieles), pero gracias a Dios, nada que ver!!!!
Lo que nos presenta James son personajes sumamente imperfectos, pero nada es lo que parece.
Esa imperfección me hizo sentir sumamente identificada en algunos aspectos (a quién no le pasó alguna vez estas cosas) y, sobre todo, me reí muchísimo
Es cierto, no vamos a encontrar libertinos experimentados que conocen todos los secretos del placer, ni vírgenes que tienen multiorgasmos la primeras vez, ni amantes pérfidas vengativas, ni una trama oculta terrible, ni nada por el estilo.
Es como un vodevil donde los personajes actúan de forma que uno termina riéndose de cualquier cosa. Por lo menos así me pasó a mí.
Sin entrar en detalles, porque creo que lo más interesante es ir descubriendo de a poco lo que les pasó a Rees y Helene, porqué las cosas terminaron como terminaron, diré que todo se desarrolla entre:
En este escenario se van a ir aclarando sentimientos ocultos por falta de comunicación, prejuicios y traumas familiares. Aunque nada profundamente psicológico. Claro.
Me encantaron todos los personajes, me enamoraron todos.
Con final muy feliz, por supuesto
Me hizo sentir la misma satisfacción que "Abandonada a tus caricias" de L. Chase.
Tenía ciertas reticencias a leerla por lo que se presentaba en la sinopsis (dado que odio a los libertinos y maridos infieles), pero gracias a Dios, nada que ver!!!!
Lo que nos presenta James son personajes sumamente imperfectos, pero nada es lo que parece.
Esa imperfección me hizo sentir sumamente identificada en algunos aspectos (a quién no le pasó alguna vez estas cosas) y, sobre todo, me reí muchísimo
Es cierto, no vamos a encontrar libertinos experimentados que conocen todos los secretos del placer, ni vírgenes que tienen multiorgasmos la primeras vez, ni amantes pérfidas vengativas, ni una trama oculta terrible, ni nada por el estilo.
Es como un vodevil donde los personajes actúan de forma que uno termina riéndose de cualquier cosa. Por lo menos así me pasó a mí.
Sin entrar en detalles, porque creo que lo más interesante es ir descubriendo de a poco lo que les pasó a Rees y Helene, porqué las cosas terminaron como terminaron, diré que todo se desarrolla entre:
En este escenario se van a ir aclarando sentimientos ocultos por falta de comunicación, prejuicios y traumas familiares. Aunque nada profundamente psicológico. Claro.
Me encantaron todos los personajes, me enamoraron todos.
Con final muy feliz, por supuesto
April 7, 2014
Your Wicked Ways, Eloisa James another story makes me excited. Although this novel not so interesting like her other novel, but it still can make me stole my time read it.
Helene , the heroin. I like Helene, I like her character and everything about her. But sometimes, I can't understand why she still accept what her husband doing to her. It is love? Yes, to her, her husband is her love that can't be denied. After 10 years part from Rees, she comes back. To claim her right.
Rees , the hero. I dislike him. Supposed, I give full stars for this story, but I can't. I can't accept and approved 100% what he had done. It's totally waste for 10 years to realize for all HIS MISTAKES. I don't know his feeling for Helene, I can't make any assumption. Once, I think Rees is too selfish for what he's done to Helene and Lina.
For Lina and Tom ending, I expected it to happen. After all, it’s a happy ending. I can smile at the end.
Helene , the heroin. I like Helene, I like her character and everything about her. But sometimes, I can't understand why she still accept what her husband doing to her. It is love? Yes, to her, her husband is her love that can't be denied. After 10 years part from Rees, she comes back. To claim her right.
Rees , the hero. I dislike him. Supposed, I give full stars for this story, but I can't. I can't accept and approved 100% what he had done. It's totally waste for 10 years to realize for all HIS MISTAKES. I don't know his feeling for Helene, I can't make any assumption. Once, I think Rees is too selfish for what he's done to Helene and Lina.
For Lina and Tom ending, I expected it to happen. After all, it’s a happy ending. I can smile at the end.
March 31, 2018
Well, that's me done with this author. She's repulsed me for the last time with characters of no moral fiber to speak of. Yes, yes, it's all wrapped up neat and tidy, but I spent half the book wanting to throw it across the room.
December 12, 2011
Last book in this particular series... I wasn't thinking about how these books interacted with the Essex sisters series. The names of some of the characters seemed familiar to me, and now I know why - duh!
The Earl of Mayne (Garret Langham) figures in this book; Lucius Felton in the novellette in this series. I'd forgotten that Mayne is half-French, and I was a bit thrown by his characterization as having a slight French accent for a bit. I had to re-read the 1st and last in the Essex sisters books to satisfy my "craving" for Mayne, after reading this book.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW!!! (Interspersed with my opinions and not necessarily labeled as spoilers)
Helene Godwin... she seemed to be the one friend in the duchess quartet whose marriage and love-life was simply doomed. Her husband, Rees, composes comic opera and is known for being a wild child, careless in his appearance and manner and scandalous in his open behavior -- he had a troupe of Russian dancers in his house after Helene left him, just months after their marriage. Rees has had an opera singer in residence in Helene's bed chamber for the past 2 years or so.
Helene is very thin, very pale, and very upright... one might even say, uptight. She is the moral compass of the duchess friends: Esme is the Infamous Esme - the Sensual One who knows how to keep mens' attentions; Gina is the Sensible, but Compassionate friend; Carola is the Naive, Romantic friend. In fact, I wasn't even sure that I liked Helene until this book. She seemed like too much of a goody two-shoes, and she made it perfectly plain she didn't like marital intimacies in the least. Yet she eloped with Rees?!
Her husband, Rees, seemed like a lost cause to me, too. For all his wild ways, he didn't seem to have much use for women, and he wasn't all that nice a guy to be around even for his male friends. Although when his friend Simon Darby met & married Henrietta (2nd book), there was a slight change in Rees. And in this book, we learn that Rees longs for the companionship, passion, and love that his friend Simon has found in his wife and his marriage.
It seems that Rees is another tortured hero - imagine that! As usual, his parents' marriage and his father's behavior towards him have shaped him into who he is. Rees is the eldest of two brothers, and Rees is the Sinner, while his brother Tom is the Saint. So naturally, as a second son, Tom is a vicar. Tom makes his debut in this book; he's not seen Rees for 5 years, and he misses his brother, even though their father did all he could to make the brothers detest one another. On his way, Tom encounters an orphaned 5 year-old girl who's been taken in by a middle-aged, motherly cook (Mrs. Fishbourne); but Meggin is starting to attract attention and isn't so easily hidden any more, so in a moment of desperation, Mrs. F gives Meggin to Tom to look after, thinking that 1) he's a vicar, and 2) he's from the part of England that Mrs. F is from, too.
Helene has been in anguish because Esme had a little boy, Carola has a little girl, and Gina has a little boy, too. Helene wants a child desperately, but when she talked to Rees about it, he flatly refused. Helene even tried to make Rees jealous by making him think she was having an affair, and while it galled Rees a bit, nothing much came of the incident. Helene is determined to have a child - with or without Rees' involvement; she knows it means scandal, but Helene no longer cares - she's lonely and wants a child to love. Esme, after her experience, convinces Helene that it's imperative she give Rees another chance to sire the child. Esme and her now husband Sebastian are still dealing with the consequences of Esme's son, William: while William has Miles' name and inheritance, it's become clear that her encounter with Sebastian the night before her mutual bedding with her husband produced William - he looks exactly like Sebastian. But because everyone proclaimed him to be Miles' son at birth (because they wanted him to be, Esme most of all), William will inherit Miles' title and lands; meaning that Sebastian's eldest son (perhaps only son?) isn't eligible to inherit Sebastian's title and lands.
Esme and Gina decide that Helene needs a makeover - she looks too stiff and uptight. Helene is concerned about her non-existant curves. So they take a trip to Esme's modiste to remedy the situation. Of course, Rees has been dragged to the same modiste by his opera singer, Lina. Rees is trying to write his next opera, which is long over-due, and he needs Lina's vocal help. Seems not much else has been going on between Rees and Lina for over a year now -- Rees isn't interested in much more than composing, especially since inspiration is eluding him, and Lina, bored to tears, tries to poke and prod Rees into emotion by making him take her out and spend money on her. In the modiste shop, both sides overhear the other: Lina deliberately flaunts herself, making it sound as if Rees drags her home to make love to her. Helene is mortified... just enough so that Esme and the modiste convince Helene to try some daring new styles AND to cut her hair, finally freeing Helene from the heavy "Teutonic maiden" braids that she's known for.
Of course, Helene's new "look" is the talk of the ton, which is where the Earl of Mayne comes in. While Mayne is known to bed virtually every unhappily married woman and widow around, for whatever reason he thinks himself to be suddenly and madly in love with the Countess Helene Godwin. Here's where our author fails us a bit -- she doesn't really help us to see or feel as Mayne does, so the depth of feeling Mayne supposedly feels for Helene seems completely false. I suppose we're to believe that it's a violent infatuation, and yet in the Essex sisters books (esp. the first), we see the effects of this book on Mayne, and it's not pretty.
Regardless, through the magic of this transformation, Helene manages to convince Rees to try for a child. In fact, Rees needs Helene's musical talent to help him complete his long over-due opera; but Rees still feels cruelly towards Helene, and so he insists that she move back into his house - in the NURSERY - while Lina remains in her former bedchambers! Helene knows this would be a terrible scandal, but she's so desperate to at least TRY for a child, she agrees - but only for one month and only if the entire thing is kept completely secret. Helene pretends to be in Bath, but the dogged Mayne discovers her secret, and in a fit of jealousy (really?) makes sure that the biggest gossip of the "ton" knows it.
In the meantime, Helene and Rees begin to remember why they eloped... they stop hurting one another verbally and bringing up the past. And it helps that Helene looks more like a goddess, and that Rees acts more like a lover. It seems that Rees and Helene were both virgins when they wed, and Rees never quite learned the "art" of seducing a woman or readying her for the act; he's a wham-bam-it's-your-duty kinda man. (Rees a virgin when married after his father's determination that he be a sinner - really?) But now... they seem to be finding their way together, especially in the outdoors! Scandalous!
In the OTHER meantime, Tom finds himself quite besotted with Rees' opera singer, Lina. It's convenient that while she left the opera house to be Rees' lover, Lina really thought herself in love with Rees yet both Rees and Lina discovered early on that the relationship was more about Rees having access to Lina's amazing voice than to her amazing body. So, technically I suppose Lina's not really a courtesan, right? Hmmm.... Lina is a Scottish lass - daughter of a vicar, even. But Lina's father was "perfect" and expected that same spiritual perfection from Lina. When he thought that Lina was becoming prideful over her voice, he told her she wasn't allowed to sing for 6 months. And that's when Lina finally went "all the way" with a neighbor boy and ran off to London to the opera. But of course, Lina is really a virtuous woman... and a possible mother for Meggin! And of course Tom is the image of Rees, but a kinder, more loving and gentle Rees - the one that Lina thought she was in love with.
Can you see where all this is going, dear Goodreads Friend? But can they all avoid the scandal that the Earl of Mayne has brought upon them?
--------------------
I really did enjoy this series of books. And this last book is truly a good read. But it felt too "neat" to me.... Especially because the couple involved (Rees and Helene) have never been very likeable: Rees because he's an arrogant slob who hasn't any use for women, and Helene because she's too uptight to enjoy life, much less relax enough to enjoy physical pleasure. Yes, these two people are hurting, and they've hurt each other deeply - when both were very vulnerable in their opinions of themselves and relationships and sex. Here, Rees is a typical male who's been devastated by his wife (his lover) telling him verbally that she's disgusted by his body and telling him non-verbally (and verbally) that she doesn't like sex. Rees hasn't forgotten or forgiven.
There are so many lessons in this book about love and relationships, and IMO, the lessons are directed at us women! Don't go off on a tangent, dear friend... as women, we often forget how we must first like and love ourselves before we can truly love others... and how much importance men give to our words and actions, especially our intimate words and actions. If a man doesn't believe that his lover (partner, wife, etc.) is pleased and accepting of his attentions and himself, and yes, that's mostly sexual in nature, he's devastated - and he'll go elsewhere to find what he's not getting from his lover. It doesn't matter how much he's to blame; the man won't see anything but hurt and rejection, so he won't see or hear anything his lover says or does any longer. Helene didn't and probably couldn't know that - most women don't; we learn it the hard way. Which is why it's so frustrating, because Helene has her friends, especially Esme, to guide her. But because they're too busy acting as her friend and not asking the important questions, like WHY doesn't she like intimacy (getting to the heart of the issue), neither Esme nor Gina can truly offer Helene insight or help.
And amazing as it is, we find Rees discovering inspiration and imagination, all on his own. I suppose with the proper motivation, anything is possible. But in this case, it seems improbable.
The subplot between Tom and Lina and even the stuff with Meggin is cute and "ahhh"-worthy. But again, all of it is too neat and too convenient, so the truth of the relationship between brothers and who Lina really is gets lost in what seems to be the tying up of all loose ends in this series. Because the book might as well be entitled, "All's Well That Ends Well", seeing Ms. James' penchant for Shakespeare.
I can see why Ms. James needed to re-visit Lucius Felton and especially the Earl of Mayne in another series. Had I read this series before the Essex Sisters series, I'm not sure that I would have cared as much about Mayne and wanted to see him happy. Although I suppose he paid his penance by his exposure to the Essex sisters, regardless of his life before them!
"Your Wicked Ways" is a fun read, and it does provide us with the bookend to this series. Using a light touch, the book reminds women of some of the lessons about love and intimacy and how important our words and actions are that are worth remembering. The entire series reminds us of how important our WOMEN FRIENDS are to us, and how men can't and shouldn't be expected to be our only sources of love and friendship and companionship. But it's also important to have an inner circle of female friends with whom you can be completely yourself - even confiding your most intimate secrets, woes, and joys with.
I'd gladly give the book another star (even star and a half) if it didn't feel so "neat" and so "cute". But it's a good read.
The Earl of Mayne (Garret Langham) figures in this book; Lucius Felton in the novellette in this series. I'd forgotten that Mayne is half-French, and I was a bit thrown by his characterization as having a slight French accent for a bit. I had to re-read the 1st and last in the Essex sisters books to satisfy my "craving" for Mayne, after reading this book.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW!!! (Interspersed with my opinions and not necessarily labeled as spoilers)
Helene Godwin... she seemed to be the one friend in the duchess quartet whose marriage and love-life was simply doomed. Her husband, Rees, composes comic opera and is known for being a wild child, careless in his appearance and manner and scandalous in his open behavior -- he had a troupe of Russian dancers in his house after Helene left him, just months after their marriage. Rees has had an opera singer in residence in Helene's bed chamber for the past 2 years or so.
Helene is very thin, very pale, and very upright... one might even say, uptight. She is the moral compass of the duchess friends: Esme is the Infamous Esme - the Sensual One who knows how to keep mens' attentions; Gina is the Sensible, but Compassionate friend; Carola is the Naive, Romantic friend. In fact, I wasn't even sure that I liked Helene until this book. She seemed like too much of a goody two-shoes, and she made it perfectly plain she didn't like marital intimacies in the least. Yet she eloped with Rees?!
Her husband, Rees, seemed like a lost cause to me, too. For all his wild ways, he didn't seem to have much use for women, and he wasn't all that nice a guy to be around even for his male friends. Although when his friend Simon Darby met & married Henrietta (2nd book), there was a slight change in Rees. And in this book, we learn that Rees longs for the companionship, passion, and love that his friend Simon has found in his wife and his marriage.
It seems that Rees is another tortured hero - imagine that! As usual, his parents' marriage and his father's behavior towards him have shaped him into who he is. Rees is the eldest of two brothers, and Rees is the Sinner, while his brother Tom is the Saint. So naturally, as a second son, Tom is a vicar. Tom makes his debut in this book; he's not seen Rees for 5 years, and he misses his brother, even though their father did all he could to make the brothers detest one another. On his way, Tom encounters an orphaned 5 year-old girl who's been taken in by a middle-aged, motherly cook (Mrs. Fishbourne); but Meggin is starting to attract attention and isn't so easily hidden any more, so in a moment of desperation, Mrs. F gives Meggin to Tom to look after, thinking that 1) he's a vicar, and 2) he's from the part of England that Mrs. F is from, too.
Helene has been in anguish because Esme had a little boy, Carola has a little girl, and Gina has a little boy, too. Helene wants a child desperately, but when she talked to Rees about it, he flatly refused. Helene even tried to make Rees jealous by making him think she was having an affair, and while it galled Rees a bit, nothing much came of the incident. Helene is determined to have a child - with or without Rees' involvement; she knows it means scandal, but Helene no longer cares - she's lonely and wants a child to love. Esme, after her experience, convinces Helene that it's imperative she give Rees another chance to sire the child. Esme and her now husband Sebastian are still dealing with the consequences of Esme's son, William: while William has Miles' name and inheritance, it's become clear that her encounter with Sebastian the night before her mutual bedding with her husband produced William - he looks exactly like Sebastian. But because everyone proclaimed him to be Miles' son at birth (because they wanted him to be, Esme most of all), William will inherit Miles' title and lands; meaning that Sebastian's eldest son (perhaps only son?) isn't eligible to inherit Sebastian's title and lands.
Esme and Gina decide that Helene needs a makeover - she looks too stiff and uptight. Helene is concerned about her non-existant curves. So they take a trip to Esme's modiste to remedy the situation. Of course, Rees has been dragged to the same modiste by his opera singer, Lina. Rees is trying to write his next opera, which is long over-due, and he needs Lina's vocal help. Seems not much else has been going on between Rees and Lina for over a year now -- Rees isn't interested in much more than composing, especially since inspiration is eluding him, and Lina, bored to tears, tries to poke and prod Rees into emotion by making him take her out and spend money on her. In the modiste shop, both sides overhear the other: Lina deliberately flaunts herself, making it sound as if Rees drags her home to make love to her. Helene is mortified... just enough so that Esme and the modiste convince Helene to try some daring new styles AND to cut her hair, finally freeing Helene from the heavy "Teutonic maiden" braids that she's known for.
Of course, Helene's new "look" is the talk of the ton, which is where the Earl of Mayne comes in. While Mayne is known to bed virtually every unhappily married woman and widow around, for whatever reason he thinks himself to be suddenly and madly in love with the Countess Helene Godwin. Here's where our author fails us a bit -- she doesn't really help us to see or feel as Mayne does, so the depth of feeling Mayne supposedly feels for Helene seems completely false. I suppose we're to believe that it's a violent infatuation, and yet in the Essex sisters books (esp. the first), we see the effects of this book on Mayne, and it's not pretty.
Regardless, through the magic of this transformation, Helene manages to convince Rees to try for a child. In fact, Rees needs Helene's musical talent to help him complete his long over-due opera; but Rees still feels cruelly towards Helene, and so he insists that she move back into his house - in the NURSERY - while Lina remains in her former bedchambers! Helene knows this would be a terrible scandal, but she's so desperate to at least TRY for a child, she agrees - but only for one month and only if the entire thing is kept completely secret. Helene pretends to be in Bath, but the dogged Mayne discovers her secret, and in a fit of jealousy (really?) makes sure that the biggest gossip of the "ton" knows it.
In the meantime, Helene and Rees begin to remember why they eloped... they stop hurting one another verbally and bringing up the past. And it helps that Helene looks more like a goddess, and that Rees acts more like a lover. It seems that Rees and Helene were both virgins when they wed, and Rees never quite learned the "art" of seducing a woman or readying her for the act; he's a wham-bam-it's-your-duty kinda man. (Rees a virgin when married after his father's determination that he be a sinner - really?) But now... they seem to be finding their way together, especially in the outdoors! Scandalous!
In the OTHER meantime, Tom finds himself quite besotted with Rees' opera singer, Lina. It's convenient that while she left the opera house to be Rees' lover, Lina really thought herself in love with Rees yet both Rees and Lina discovered early on that the relationship was more about Rees having access to Lina's amazing voice than to her amazing body. So, technically I suppose Lina's not really a courtesan, right? Hmmm.... Lina is a Scottish lass - daughter of a vicar, even. But Lina's father was "perfect" and expected that same spiritual perfection from Lina. When he thought that Lina was becoming prideful over her voice, he told her she wasn't allowed to sing for 6 months. And that's when Lina finally went "all the way" with a neighbor boy and ran off to London to the opera. But of course, Lina is really a virtuous woman... and a possible mother for Meggin! And of course Tom is the image of Rees, but a kinder, more loving and gentle Rees - the one that Lina thought she was in love with.
Can you see where all this is going, dear Goodreads Friend? But can they all avoid the scandal that the Earl of Mayne has brought upon them?
--------------------
I really did enjoy this series of books. And this last book is truly a good read. But it felt too "neat" to me.... Especially because the couple involved (Rees and Helene) have never been very likeable: Rees because he's an arrogant slob who hasn't any use for women, and Helene because she's too uptight to enjoy life, much less relax enough to enjoy physical pleasure. Yes, these two people are hurting, and they've hurt each other deeply - when both were very vulnerable in their opinions of themselves and relationships and sex. Here, Rees is a typical male who's been devastated by his wife (his lover) telling him verbally that she's disgusted by his body and telling him non-verbally (and verbally) that she doesn't like sex. Rees hasn't forgotten or forgiven.
There are so many lessons in this book about love and relationships, and IMO, the lessons are directed at us women! Don't go off on a tangent, dear friend... as women, we often forget how we must first like and love ourselves before we can truly love others... and how much importance men give to our words and actions, especially our intimate words and actions. If a man doesn't believe that his lover (partner, wife, etc.) is pleased and accepting of his attentions and himself, and yes, that's mostly sexual in nature, he's devastated - and he'll go elsewhere to find what he's not getting from his lover. It doesn't matter how much he's to blame; the man won't see anything but hurt and rejection, so he won't see or hear anything his lover says or does any longer. Helene didn't and probably couldn't know that - most women don't; we learn it the hard way. Which is why it's so frustrating, because Helene has her friends, especially Esme, to guide her. But because they're too busy acting as her friend and not asking the important questions, like WHY doesn't she like intimacy (getting to the heart of the issue), neither Esme nor Gina can truly offer Helene insight or help.
And amazing as it is, we find Rees discovering inspiration and imagination, all on his own. I suppose with the proper motivation, anything is possible. But in this case, it seems improbable.
The subplot between Tom and Lina and even the stuff with Meggin is cute and "ahhh"-worthy. But again, all of it is too neat and too convenient, so the truth of the relationship between brothers and who Lina really is gets lost in what seems to be the tying up of all loose ends in this series. Because the book might as well be entitled, "All's Well That Ends Well", seeing Ms. James' penchant for Shakespeare.
I can see why Ms. James needed to re-visit Lucius Felton and especially the Earl of Mayne in another series. Had I read this series before the Essex Sisters series, I'm not sure that I would have cared as much about Mayne and wanted to see him happy. Although I suppose he paid his penance by his exposure to the Essex sisters, regardless of his life before them!
"Your Wicked Ways" is a fun read, and it does provide us with the bookend to this series. Using a light touch, the book reminds women of some of the lessons about love and intimacy and how important our words and actions are that are worth remembering. The entire series reminds us of how important our WOMEN FRIENDS are to us, and how men can't and shouldn't be expected to be our only sources of love and friendship and companionship. But it's also important to have an inner circle of female friends with whom you can be completely yourself - even confiding your most intimate secrets, woes, and joys with.
I'd gladly give the book another star (even star and a half) if it didn't feel so "neat" and so "cute". But it's a good read.
November 28, 2019
Read about 45% and just couldn't take it anymore. Horrible just plain horrible. The Hero - Rees, Earl Godwin is nothing of a hero. He's more of a villain. From the start of the book so far he's just been plain horrible, with actions that would never be redeemable.
The Heroine comes off as a strong woman initially and then immediately appears viperish and judgemental. She desperately wants to have a child and is looking for candidates to give her one, while husband having thrown her out of the house some 9 or so years ago is now living with his mistress (who is comfortablely put up in his wife's bedroom). He refuses to have a child with the heroine, tells the heroine to find a lover because it'll do her some good. But when learns of her plan to have a child with another man, sets off to stop it. Convinces to talk her into sleeping with him and then manipulates and blackmails her into moving into his house while also refusing to toss out the mistress. Insists that mistress (though he hasn't slept with her for over a year and wants her only for her voice) will sleep in the countess's bedchamber, i.e wife's rightfull bedchamber and the wife in a room off the nursery. And on top of that has the temerity to ask wife's help in composing songs/music for his play because he's lost his touch, where as she has only improved. AND the wife AGREES!!
What self-respecting women would ever allow much less agree to such a thing?
It's been made clear that the hero knows that the mistress loves the stage and would gladly appear as the lead in his, there no good reason for him to keep her in the house with his wife and disrespect his wife so. And yet he insists, even when his mistress tells him it's mad.
After these actions, no amount of apologies will ever make it redeemable. I don't know how the author tries to turn this around and I don't intend to find out.
The Heroine comes off as a strong woman initially and then immediately appears viperish and judgemental. She desperately wants to have a child and is looking for candidates to give her one, while husband having thrown her out of the house some 9 or so years ago is now living with his mistress (who is comfortablely put up in his wife's bedroom). He refuses to have a child with the heroine, tells the heroine to find a lover because it'll do her some good. But when learns of her plan to have a child with another man, sets off to stop it. Convinces to talk her into sleeping with him and then manipulates and blackmails her into moving into his house while also refusing to toss out the mistress. Insists that mistress (though he hasn't slept with her for over a year and wants her only for her voice) will sleep in the countess's bedchamber, i.e wife's rightfull bedchamber and the wife in a room off the nursery. And on top of that has the temerity to ask wife's help in composing songs/music for his play because he's lost his touch, where as she has only improved. AND the wife AGREES!!
What self-respecting women would ever allow much less agree to such a thing?
It's been made clear that the hero knows that the mistress loves the stage and would gladly appear as the lead in his, there no good reason for him to keep her in the house with his wife and disrespect his wife so. And yet he insists, even when his mistress tells him it's mad.
After these actions, no amount of apologies will ever make it redeemable. I don't know how the author tries to turn this around and I don't intend to find out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2015
Ahhh. I liked this, although I feel like I wanted a little MORE in some ways. I feel like I wasn't QUITE there with the couple, although I certainly believed they were on their way to a happy life together. I just don't think they had quite earned it yet.
It's also a book where I would've loved flashbooks. You see, they were passionately in love with each other, eloped, had bad sex and couldn't figure out how to get past that. No, really, that seemed to basically be the root of the problems. Then they said mean things to each other, but if they'd just figured out the sex thing, they'd have been fine!
But they were young and didn't know any better. Didn't really know that much better ten years later, but they knew enough to be able to fix it. (Really, I wish more had been spent on this. They seemed to move too quickly from both believing Helene wasn't capable of pleasure to figuring out that wasn't true.)
And I really liked the role music had in both of their lives and the way it bonded them together, but I wanted more of that, too!
Part of the problem is probably that there was a secondary romance that probably needed to be its own book. I liked both storylines, but I needed more of each.
Also, make sure you read this book before James's Essex Sisters series. The hero of one of those books is a rival in this one and I thought I was prepared for that, but it was just TOO WEIRD.
It's also a book where I would've loved flashbooks. You see, they were passionately in love with each other, eloped, had bad sex and couldn't figure out how to get past that. No, really, that seemed to basically be the root of the problems. Then they said mean things to each other, but if they'd just figured out the sex thing, they'd have been fine!
But they were young and didn't know any better. Didn't really know that much better ten years later, but they knew enough to be able to fix it. (Really, I wish more had been spent on this. They seemed to move too quickly from both believing Helene wasn't capable of pleasure to figuring out that wasn't true.)
And I really liked the role music had in both of their lives and the way it bonded them together, but I wanted more of that, too!
Part of the problem is probably that there was a secondary romance that probably needed to be its own book. I liked both storylines, but I needed more of each.
Also, make sure you read this book before James's Essex Sisters series. The hero of one of those books is a rival in this one and I thought I was prepared for that, but it was just TOO WEIRD.
February 23, 2020
This book was quite hard to rate but then I finally decided to lean on the bright side lool!
My main issue was the hero: he was quite despicable, especially in the beginning. Rees had a mistress, a live in mistress! Ten years ago he threw his wife Helene out of their house, became depraved and quite disgusting lool. He stopped being intimate with Lina his mistress but he kept her just because he needed her opera voice for his next musical.
Now the wife, Helene! I loved her lool... She wanted a divorce to remarry and have a child but Rees didn't want to grant it. After a relooking from her crazy friend Esme, men were lining up so Rees decided he will father the baby. He had a short lived competition from another earl and I seriously loved how Helene was infatuated with Mayne lol!
The husdand then wants her to live with him to help with his musical and make the baby.
Problem? REES IS KEEPING LINA IN THE SAME HOUSE HE WANTS HELENE TO MOVE BACK INTO!!
That was disrespectful. And I hated that the author painted Lina as a good woman, innocent and so pure and difficult to hate lool! I also hated how Rees never properly groveled to Helene. He never apologized for his poor treatment of her over the years, she just fell back into his arms too easily
That being said, the book was quite hilarious tho lool! Even when I hated Rees, he still made laugh with his dumb self loool. The humour saves the book
My main issue was the hero: he was quite despicable, especially in the beginning. Rees had a mistress, a live in mistress! Ten years ago he threw his wife Helene out of their house, became depraved and quite disgusting lool. He stopped being intimate with Lina his mistress but he kept her just because he needed her opera voice for his next musical.
Now the wife, Helene! I loved her lool... She wanted a divorce to remarry and have a child but Rees didn't want to grant it. After a relooking from her crazy friend Esme, men were lining up so Rees decided he will father the baby. He had a short lived competition from another earl and I seriously loved how Helene was infatuated with Mayne lol!
The husdand then wants her to live with him to help with his musical and make the baby.
Problem? REES IS KEEPING LINA IN THE SAME HOUSE HE WANTS HELENE TO MOVE BACK INTO!!
That was disrespectful. And I hated that the author painted Lina as a good woman, innocent and so pure and difficult to hate lool! I also hated how Rees never properly groveled to Helene. He never apologized for his poor treatment of her over the years, she just fell back into his arms too easily
That being said, the book was quite hilarious tho lool! Even when I hated Rees, he still made laugh with his dumb self loool. The humour saves the book
February 23, 2014
Other than a few minor phrases of repetition, I loved the book (you see drove me insane)
I think Eloisa James will be a staple in my historical romance addiction. I found this book secondhand, not knowing it was the 4th in a series. I read it as a standalone without any issue, and will go back to book 1.
Many Historical Romance novels are too flowery, over descriptive, insta-love, and eye-roll worthy. They possess an excess of words that must be skimmed(like 3 pages to describe one action). I didn't find James' writing to be this way. Eloise James writing style is similar to Kleypas. When an author has a huge back-list, you are guaranteed to find a few that just miss the mark with you; it is a given. For me, these authors can do no wrong, and I hope James joins those ranks on my favorite shelves.
I think Eloisa James will be a staple in my historical romance addiction. I found this book secondhand, not knowing it was the 4th in a series. I read it as a standalone without any issue, and will go back to book 1.
Many Historical Romance novels are too flowery, over descriptive, insta-love, and eye-roll worthy. They possess an excess of words that must be skimmed(like 3 pages to describe one action). I didn't find James' writing to be this way. Eloise James writing style is similar to Kleypas. When an author has a huge back-list, you are guaranteed to find a few that just miss the mark with you; it is a given. For me, these authors can do no wrong, and I hope James joins those ranks on my favorite shelves.
June 27, 2022
leído en julio 2011
2.5 estrellas
Decepcionó un poco y más xq los anteriores me gustaron mucho y esperaba la misma calidad en este!!
2.5 estrellas
Decepcionó un poco y más xq los anteriores me gustaron mucho y esperaba la misma calidad en este!!
December 28, 2017
Una novela ligera y divertida con toques de música.
me he reido bastante con las escenas del libro, me recuerda a estas peliculas romanticas de enredos, muy aconsejable para quien le guste la romantica erotica victoriana.
me he reido bastante con las escenas del libro, me recuerda a estas peliculas romanticas de enredos, muy aconsejable para quien le guste la romantica erotica victoriana.
December 14, 2021
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
I decided to read four books by this author in my yearly reading challenges because I love historical fiction, I love romances and Ms James is a professor in English Lit so I was excited to see what someone with her credentials could bring to the field. I think it is safe to conclude that this author is not a good fit for my reading tastes and the fact that it took me almost a whole year to pick up this final book (when a series like this I probably would have usually devoured in January alone) speaks volumes.
Ms James's characters are not what I consider of decent moral fiber (eek - that sounds really sanctimonious - but stay with me here while I explain).
This according to Ms James is romance and we are supposed to cheer this "hero" on. Nope.
This was a quick and easy read and for that I give it 2.5 stars - but I just don't like Ms James characters or what she considers romance so I think we will end our relationship here as this stuff is just not what I think should be promoted under the romance banner as this is dysfunctional, coercive and abusive. Rant over.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Readers 2021 Sydney Opera House Challenge: Read books that have titles that start with letters that spell out SydneY Opera House
I decided to read four books by this author in my yearly reading challenges because I love historical fiction, I love romances and Ms James is a professor in English Lit so I was excited to see what someone with her credentials could bring to the field. I think it is safe to conclude that this author is not a good fit for my reading tastes and the fact that it took me almost a whole year to pick up this final book (when a series like this I probably would have usually devoured in January alone) speaks volumes.
Ms James's characters are not what I consider of decent moral fiber (eek - that sounds really sanctimonious - but stay with me here while I explain).
This according to Ms James is romance and we are supposed to cheer this "hero" on. Nope.
This was a quick and easy read and for that I give it 2.5 stars - but I just don't like Ms James characters or what she considers romance so I think we will end our relationship here as this stuff is just not what I think should be promoted under the romance banner as this is dysfunctional, coercive and abusive. Rant over.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Readers 2021 Sydney Opera House Challenge: Read books that have titles that start with letters that spell out SydneY Opera House
March 23, 2009
Eloisa James brings us another sultry read about an estranged married couple who've been apart the past 10 years who end up reuniting and creating a spark when brought back together to produce an heir and a musical score. Helene, the countess of Godwin changes from the prudish woman to a more daring and beautiful woman who entices many men after her change including her rake of a husband, Reese, the Earl of Godwin. When she approaches him yet again for a child of her own. He agrees only if she'll come back to their house to help him with his music and all while his mistress of the past 3 years lives in her old room next to his. What a scandal...
The only thing lacking for me was that I wanted a bit more "macho" action between the two men rivaling for her attentions. It's always a bit more fun when 2 men fight over a woman.
The only thing lacking for me was that I wanted a bit more "macho" action between the two men rivaling for her attentions. It's always a bit more fun when 2 men fight over a woman.
February 26, 2010
(Actually, 2.5 stars.) After finishing Your Wicked Ways, I feel conflicted. There were so many elements in the book that I usually like--reconciled lovers, uncomfortable marriages, noblemen who actually work for a living--but once I closed the book, I wasn't satisfied.
I think it all boils down to Rees and Helene. I couldn't forgive his past behavior, and I didn't understand how she would ever agree to move back into that sort of situation. Plus, endless parading of happy couples from previous books (plus their offspring) is possibly the plot point most calculated to infuriate me.
I'm moving onto Eloisa James's Essex Sisters series next, because in spite of all my plot-related annoyances, I really do love her writing.
I think it all boils down to Rees and Helene. I couldn't forgive his past behavior, and I didn't understand how she would ever agree to move back into that sort of situation. Plus, endless parading of happy couples from previous books (plus their offspring) is possibly the plot point most calculated to infuriate me.
I'm moving onto Eloisa James's Essex Sisters series next, because in spite of all my plot-related annoyances, I really do love her writing.
December 6, 2011
I was contemplating if I should give this novel a 4 star or a 2 star. It is the kind of novel which you either like or dislike.
The beginning of the novel was very good. I was willing to forgive Rees and and I was hoping Helene to transform his life and the usual things that usually happens when estranged couples meet again. But the more I read the more annoyoed I became at Rees. It had such a strong foundation but I felt Eloisa James couldn't make the entire thing work. I couldn't forgive Rees for his idioticity and Helene just seemed to complacent for my taste. And then the ending was too quick and rushed. I mean, I just couldn't make myself enjoy reading it.
The beginning of the novel was very good. I was willing to forgive Rees and and I was hoping Helene to transform his life and the usual things that usually happens when estranged couples meet again. But the more I read the more annoyoed I became at Rees. It had such a strong foundation but I felt Eloisa James couldn't make the entire thing work. I couldn't forgive Rees for his idioticity and Helene just seemed to complacent for my taste. And then the ending was too quick and rushed. I mean, I just couldn't make myself enjoy reading it.
August 6, 2016
The secondary romance was sweet (after I got over the ick factor). The main relationship was a mess and I didn't feel it was properly sorted out by the end.
While it was nice that they have a HEA, so many things happen that I don't like to read in romance, including adultery.
There are some painful truths about human behavior (especially how negative words said in temper can hurt for years but be forgotten by the speaker) but overall the the story was so miserable that the happy ending felt like a fairy godmother just waved her wand to make it so.
This won't be one I will keep in my library.
While it was nice that they have a HEA, so many things happen that I don't like to read in romance, including adultery.
There are some painful truths about human behavior (especially how negative words said in temper can hurt for years but be forgotten by the speaker) but overall the the story was so miserable that the happy ending felt like a fairy godmother just waved her wand to make it so.
This won't be one I will keep in my library.
August 25, 2021
ok so i read a bunch of eloisa james books last week during my slight breakdown and they were all absolutely terrible and so sexist oh my lordddd the agony of reading these - i have nooo idea why i did it
September 11, 2024
2.5 stars, rounded up
Edit, still 2.5 but rounded down: The more I think about this book, the more frustration I feel about the missed potential with the main couple. The reconciliation between Helene and Rees should have had been expanded for all the set-up we were given. There were parts to their relationship that I would have loved if more space was given to them. Such as when they first met and fell in love! The two only reference that time period and I would have preferred a small flashback to why they were originally drawn to each other. Not to mention that I just could not care for half of the side couple (oh Tom, if only I could throw you into a cold river) though Lena was fun before the ending de-clawed her.
Edit, still 2.5 but rounded down: The more I think about this book, the more frustration I feel about the missed potential with the main couple. The reconciliation between Helene and Rees should have had been expanded for all the set-up we were given. There were parts to their relationship that I would have loved if more space was given to them. Such as when they first met and fell in love! The two only reference that time period and I would have preferred a small flashback to why they were originally drawn to each other. Not to mention that I just could not care for half of the side couple (oh Tom, if only I could throw you into a cold river) though Lena was fun before the ending de-clawed her.
March 28, 2013
Helene, the Countess of Godwin, has been married to her husband for over ten years. When she met him she was young and believed herself in love with him. They eloped knowing it would be against her parents wishes. It seemed to Helene that their marriage was doomed from the start. Since she found no pleasure in sexual encounters with her husband at the beginning only found pain, they started to drift apart. Now ten years later, Helene wants something she yearns for, a child. However when she goes to ask her husband for a divorce he denies her. Rees, The Earl of Godwin is a rake through and through. He is a scoundrel and has had many illicit affairs outside of his marriage. He is content with having a wife in name, and having passions in the flesh with other women with which he has no attachment to. When Helene asks him for a divorce, he is blunt with his answers, having no compassion for his wife's desires or wants in having children. Helene eventually leaves, after a long discussion that proved hopeless. So while with a friend out shopping one day, she decides that she needs a change. She wants to have a child no matter the circumstance in which the child is conceived. So she comes up with a plot, that will help her achieve such a goal. She cuts her hair ( knowing her husband loved her long hair ) and she buys new clothes, and in all appearances is a changed woman, since she is planning to entice a man to her bed. At the ball in which she will begin her plot, she comes face to face once more with her husband who knows of her plot, and makes her a offer she can't refuse. That he will be the one to help her conceive the child she so desires, but she has to come live with him for one month, in his town house where his current mistress is also living. Even though Helene wishes she could back off, she wants a child above the sake of her own pride. So she goes along with this scheme, and finds a passion and sensual delights that she has never encountered.
Its been quite some time since I have had the chance to read anything from Eloisa James in quite some time. I love the circumstances in which Helene and Rees are brought back together once more. At first they fight and argue quite often, and at time act childish to say the least. But as time progress, their attitude toward one another gentles and thus we start to see a flaming passion that rises between the two, one that they didn't even know existed. Rees, although I thought his character seemed very rude and insufferable at times, he also had some higher moments of course. There were times that he was a handsome, and caring husband toward Helene. Throughout the book you see him soften his attitude and become the true hero of the book. Helene, just sparked my interest from the first page. Helene of course, wants to have a child, after seeing her friends having babies of their own. She craves one more than ever now, and even though she seems to despise her husband that starts to change for him. For all their tense moments and heated arguments, there is also a tender love that blossoms between the two. It definitely will have you flipping page after page, wondering what is going to happen next, and when are they going to admit how much they love each other. This was a tender love story, and one that I am grateful to have gotten my hands on. Now I would like to read the rest of the series, having seen a couple of the other characters from other books, I am eager to hop to it!!!
Its been quite some time since I have had the chance to read anything from Eloisa James in quite some time. I love the circumstances in which Helene and Rees are brought back together once more. At first they fight and argue quite often, and at time act childish to say the least. But as time progress, their attitude toward one another gentles and thus we start to see a flaming passion that rises between the two, one that they didn't even know existed. Rees, although I thought his character seemed very rude and insufferable at times, he also had some higher moments of course. There were times that he was a handsome, and caring husband toward Helene. Throughout the book you see him soften his attitude and become the true hero of the book. Helene, just sparked my interest from the first page. Helene of course, wants to have a child, after seeing her friends having babies of their own. She craves one more than ever now, and even though she seems to despise her husband that starts to change for him. For all their tense moments and heated arguments, there is also a tender love that blossoms between the two. It definitely will have you flipping page after page, wondering what is going to happen next, and when are they going to admit how much they love each other. This was a tender love story, and one that I am grateful to have gotten my hands on. Now I would like to read the rest of the series, having seen a couple of the other characters from other books, I am eager to hop to it!!!
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