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The Blakehurst-Braybrook Series #2
A Compromised Lady
As a girl she had been bubbling over with mischief. As a woman she seemed half lost in shadow. But Richard Blakehurst couldn't miss the flash of connection between them when his hand touched hers. It was as if he had awakened something deep inside her. Seeing Richard again brought back the taunting memory of their dance at her come-out ball. She must tame her wayward thoughts, because Thea doubted even her considerable fortune could buy Richard's good opinion of her if ever he learnt the truth....
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2007
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333 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Rolls
100 books123 followersWe live in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, in a beautiful lush valley full of apple, pear and cherry orchards. We moved here a couple of years back, escaping from the city and it’s just gorgeous. The property is small, only five acres, but we have room for two small noisy boys, three dogs, two cats and several woolly things masquerading a environmentally friendly lawnmowers. Before that we lived in Melbourne, which was fun, but we always wanted to live in the country and now we do.
I’ve been married to an ex-nuclear physicist – don’t ask! for the last 17 years and we have two rowdy little boys, commonly described as “feral”. Most of our friends think we have far too many animals, and everyone knows we have far too many books.I grew up moving around a fair bit. Dad was in the army and every few years we had to up sticks and move on. I was born in England, expelled from kindergarten in Melbourne, started school in Papua New Guinea and finished school in Melbourne. After taking a degree in Music Education I taught music for several years while my husband finished his Ph.D.
How I started writing
I had the writing bug from a very early age. From the time I could read I loved writing stories. Throughout my school days I was nearly always writing something very quietly, and there were several teachers who encouraged me. One student teacher, whose name I have totally forgotten, when I was in sixth grade, as well as a couple of high school English teachers, Mrs Redman and Mrs Mackay.
I started writing my first book after I finished my Masters degree. For one thing I really, really missed my thesis. I’d enjoyed researching it, and I loved writing it. So it seems inevitable now that when I was looking for something to do in the evenings to unwind after work, I started writing again.
I’d been staying with an old school friend. Meg is a fellow Georgette Heyer fan, and she had a very large collection of Regencies on her bookshelves. Well, that was an eye-opener. I’d had no idea anyone else apart from Heyer had actually written them. By the time I went home I had an idea floating around in my brain and I sat down and roughed out some sort of chapter plan. Then I started typing. Six months later I had a story with a beginning a middle and an end which I sent to Meg. After a great deal of talking, she persuaded me to send it off to Harlequin Mills & Boon. After doing the rounds of all three editorial offices and undergoing a major rewrite and extension while I was about seven months pregnant with the second small noisy boy, it was accepted for publication and published as The Unexpected Bride.
Most of my writing friends have threatened to lynch me over that story at one time or another. Personally I envy them for having learnt an enormous amount about writing and the industry before acquiring an editor who understandably expects you to know what you are doing.
I’ve been married to an ex-nuclear physicist – don’t ask! for the last 17 years and we have two rowdy little boys, commonly described as “feral”. Most of our friends think we have far too many animals, and everyone knows we have far too many books.I grew up moving around a fair bit. Dad was in the army and every few years we had to up sticks and move on. I was born in England, expelled from kindergarten in Melbourne, started school in Papua New Guinea and finished school in Melbourne. After taking a degree in Music Education I taught music for several years while my husband finished his Ph.D.
How I started writing
I had the writing bug from a very early age. From the time I could read I loved writing stories. Throughout my school days I was nearly always writing something very quietly, and there were several teachers who encouraged me. One student teacher, whose name I have totally forgotten, when I was in sixth grade, as well as a couple of high school English teachers, Mrs Redman and Mrs Mackay.
I started writing my first book after I finished my Masters degree. For one thing I really, really missed my thesis. I’d enjoyed researching it, and I loved writing it. So it seems inevitable now that when I was looking for something to do in the evenings to unwind after work, I started writing again.
I’d been staying with an old school friend. Meg is a fellow Georgette Heyer fan, and she had a very large collection of Regencies on her bookshelves. Well, that was an eye-opener. I’d had no idea anyone else apart from Heyer had actually written them. By the time I went home I had an idea floating around in my brain and I sat down and roughed out some sort of chapter plan. Then I started typing. Six months later I had a story with a beginning a middle and an end which I sent to Meg. After a great deal of talking, she persuaded me to send it off to Harlequin Mills & Boon. After doing the rounds of all three editorial offices and undergoing a major rewrite and extension while I was about seven months pregnant with the second small noisy boy, it was accepted for publication and published as The Unexpected Bride.
Most of my writing friends have threatened to lynch me over that story at one time or another. Personally I envy them for having learnt an enormous amount about writing and the industry before acquiring an editor who understandably expects you to know what you are doing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 30, 2009
Oh how I adored this book! This is my third Elizabeth Rolls book and I think it's officially my favorite.
In my last review (of The Dutiful Rake), I mentioned that one of my favorite things about ER's books was the unnecessary angst often brought about by the insecurity and self-doubt of the hero and heroine.
I must say that this particular book didn't have any of that, and yet, I adored it.
We first met our hero, Richard, in His Lady Mistress (which is one of my all-time favorite books, but definitely falls into the "unnecessary angst" category), as Max's fraternal twin brother. In that book, we learn that when they were children, Max dared Richard to jump a fence (or something) while riding, and the horse fell on him, shattering his leg. He was told at that time that he'd never walk again, but our hero was too stubborn to listen and now walks quite well, albeit with a limp. We're maybe 6 or 7 months after the conclusion of HLM, as Verity is nearing the end of her pregnancy and is living in the country with Max.
Back in town, Richard and Max's stuffy Aunt Almeria (whom we also had the "pleasure" of meeting in HLM) coaxes Max into agreeing to stay with her in London. Unbeknownst to him, she's also agreed to take on her Goddaughter, Thea, for the season.
A childhood friend of Richard's, Thea has been living with her Aunt Maria for the past seven years, after her fiance died. When a wealthy relative passes on, his will states that if she marries with her estranged father's approval, she will inherit a large amount of money. If she does not marry, she will receive 200 pounds a year until she turns thirty, at which point she'll receive her full fortune.
Thea, however, is determined not to marry despite her father's grand plans to the contrary, and is quite happy to avoid the Marriage Mart completely. Now, if only someone could convince Almeria of the fact, perhaps things would be much simpler!
As you can tell just from the title, our heroine, Thea, isn't "an innocent" as is required in order to be considered a marriageable female in those days. As with the previous ER books that I've read, I did guess the full extent of The Big Secret (dun dun dun!) quite early on, but that didn't make the story boring like it could have.
While Richard does have one moment where I as a reader wanted to bash his stubborn head in, he's definitely one of my favorite characters. Unlike some of ER's heroes from her other books **cough**Max**cough**, he does not try to resist his feelings as they develop naturally for Thea, nor does he tend to say stupid, hurtful things in a fit of pique every four chapters or so.
Thea is definitely one of my favorite Regency heroines. She takes blame when it is rightfully hers, and she courageously stands up for what is right not matter what the cost to her personally. While she does try to make certain noble sacrifices, it's obvious from Richard's reaction in one scene in particular that she's not cutting off her nose to spite her face, but rather is just being realistic in the face of doing what she knows is the right thing. This is fairly unusual in regency romances, and I was very pleasantly surprised to see such a heroine in an ER novel.
It does tend to move a bit slow at points, and there's only one true "love" scene, which while nice, honestly just seemed to be thrown in there because it was expected. Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I've just read way too much Twilight and other YA novels lately, but sometimes a "fade-to-black" is all that's really needed, and even a well-written love scene just seems a tad bit gratuitous. The sexual tension is fairly mild, but well done, and as I said, the singular love scene is quite nice.
This is definitely one of my favorites, mainly because I just adore Thea.
In my last review (of The Dutiful Rake), I mentioned that one of my favorite things about ER's books was the unnecessary angst often brought about by the insecurity and self-doubt of the hero and heroine.
I must say that this particular book didn't have any of that, and yet, I adored it.
We first met our hero, Richard, in His Lady Mistress (which is one of my all-time favorite books, but definitely falls into the "unnecessary angst" category), as Max's fraternal twin brother. In that book, we learn that when they were children, Max dared Richard to jump a fence (or something) while riding, and the horse fell on him, shattering his leg. He was told at that time that he'd never walk again, but our hero was too stubborn to listen and now walks quite well, albeit with a limp. We're maybe 6 or 7 months after the conclusion of HLM, as Verity is nearing the end of her pregnancy and is living in the country with Max.
Back in town, Richard and Max's stuffy Aunt Almeria (whom we also had the "pleasure" of meeting in HLM) coaxes Max into agreeing to stay with her in London. Unbeknownst to him, she's also agreed to take on her Goddaughter, Thea, for the season.
A childhood friend of Richard's, Thea has been living with her Aunt Maria for the past seven years, after her fiance died. When a wealthy relative passes on, his will states that if she marries with her estranged father's approval, she will inherit a large amount of money. If she does not marry, she will receive 200 pounds a year until she turns thirty, at which point she'll receive her full fortune.
Thea, however, is determined not to marry despite her father's grand plans to the contrary, and is quite happy to avoid the Marriage Mart completely. Now, if only someone could convince Almeria of the fact, perhaps things would be much simpler!
As you can tell just from the title, our heroine, Thea, isn't "an innocent" as is required in order to be considered a marriageable female in those days. As with the previous ER books that I've read, I did guess the full extent of The Big Secret (dun dun dun!) quite early on, but that didn't make the story boring like it could have.
While Richard does have one moment where I as a reader wanted to bash his stubborn head in, he's definitely one of my favorite characters. Unlike some of ER's heroes from her other books **cough**Max**cough**, he does not try to resist his feelings as they develop naturally for Thea, nor does he tend to say stupid, hurtful things in a fit of pique every four chapters or so.
Thea is definitely one of my favorite Regency heroines. She takes blame when it is rightfully hers, and she courageously stands up for what is right not matter what the cost to her personally. While she does try to make certain noble sacrifices, it's obvious from Richard's reaction in one scene in particular that she's not cutting off her nose to spite her face, but rather is just being realistic in the face of doing what she knows is the right thing. This is fairly unusual in regency romances, and I was very pleasantly surprised to see such a heroine in an ER novel.
It does tend to move a bit slow at points, and there's only one true "love" scene, which while nice, honestly just seemed to be thrown in there because it was expected. Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I've just read way too much Twilight and other YA novels lately, but sometimes a "fade-to-black" is all that's really needed, and even a well-written love scene just seems a tad bit gratuitous. The sexual tension is fairly mild, but well done, and as I said, the singular love scene is quite nice.
This is definitely one of my favorites, mainly because I just adore Thea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2017
I love love love this book. I want a Richard..i just adore him-he was so understanding and loving and Thea too-i love everything about her. I liked everything about this book.. even the slow pace
April 20, 2018
Je l'ai lu rapidement car le résumé me faisait envie (d'ailleurs, il est trompeur et spoile l'histoire !). L'histoire d'amour est (très) lente mais bien construite, l'auteure utilise un mécanisme dans la relation qu'elle a de nouveau utilisé dans His Convenient Marchioness.
L'intérêt de ce roman est la façon dont il traite le fait d'être une fille-mère à cette époque, l'auteure a parfaitement souligné les difficultés et a bien cerné les mentalités de l'époque.
En revanche, la traduction française est extrêmement mauvaise notamment au niveau des titres de noblesse et des salutations entre personnages (les hommes disent "bonjour, serviteur", du grand n'importe quoi). Il vaut mieux lire cette auteure en VO, elle a une plume très agréable qui n'a pas été bien rendue par la traduction...
L'intérêt de ce roman est la façon dont il traite le fait d'être une fille-mère à cette époque, l'auteure a parfaitement souligné les difficultés et a bien cerné les mentalités de l'époque.
En revanche, la traduction française est extrêmement mauvaise notamment au niveau des titres de noblesse et des salutations entre personnages (les hommes disent "bonjour, serviteur", du grand n'importe quoi). Il vaut mieux lire cette auteure en VO, elle a une plume très agréable qui n'a pas été bien rendue par la traduction...
August 13, 2012
Elizabeth Rolls is an accomplished writer, who conveys her character's emotions with depth and skill. The heroine, Dorothea [Thea] is forcibly returned from exile in the country to marry a man of her father's choice, having been badly treated by him and a man whom she once considered marrying, and although the circumstances of Thea's fall from virue are revealed, it is done very, very slowly.
Thea's treatment then, and in the present has, understandably made her both fearful and wary of men in general, to the extent she swears she can never marry. Her childhood friend, Richard, recognises a damaged soul and tries to get close to her, so close he falls in love with her - but Thea's determination not to allow her tainted character to touch his life is a constant, and repeated barrier.
The story is sweet, and Thea's suffering was credible, sad, and I didn't feel the predictability spoiled the satisfying ending at all. My only criticism is that the self doubt, heart-searching and angst-ridden scenes where the hero and heroine, touch on but don't quite admit their feelings are long and tiresome.
I also felt the eight page sex scene at the end was unnecessary apart from some gratuitous titillation, though I'm aware this is compulsory for romances these days.
Thea's treatment then, and in the present has, understandably made her both fearful and wary of men in general, to the extent she swears she can never marry. Her childhood friend, Richard, recognises a damaged soul and tries to get close to her, so close he falls in love with her - but Thea's determination not to allow her tainted character to touch his life is a constant, and repeated barrier.
The story is sweet, and Thea's suffering was credible, sad, and I didn't feel the predictability spoiled the satisfying ending at all. My only criticism is that the self doubt, heart-searching and angst-ridden scenes where the hero and heroine, touch on but don't quite admit their feelings are long and tiresome.
I also felt the eight page sex scene at the end was unnecessary apart from some gratuitous titillation, though I'm aware this is compulsory for romances these days.
August 16, 2011
Thea has been hiding from society for the last 8 years after the death of her fiancee under suspicious circumstances. Her father forces her back though in an attempt to marry her off once and for all. Richard Blakenhurst remembers Thea from her coming out ball. The young, smiling girl from his youth does not resemble the withdrawn woman who comes back into town. With Richard's help, though, Thea slowly begins to come out of her shell again and realizes that she has feeling for Richard. But before she can move forward, she must confront her past.
Unfortunately this book was so forgettable that I was halfway through it the second time before I realized I had read it before. The story was pretty meh. I liked Richard and Thea well enough but there just wasn't much spark or excitement between them or in the story in general. The majority of it is quite boring. The first book in this series about Richard's brother is much more interesting.
Unfortunately this book was so forgettable that I was halfway through it the second time before I realized I had read it before. The story was pretty meh. I liked Richard and Thea well enough but there just wasn't much spark or excitement between them or in the story in general. The majority of it is quite boring. The first book in this series about Richard's brother is much more interesting.
July 30, 2010
It is almost impossible to say much about the plot without spoiling the story. The 25 year old heroine was seriously compromised 8 years earlier and has resolved to never marry when her b_st_rd of a father calls her back to London to force her into a political marriage to a sadist. The hero, her chilhood friend, and her brother work to protect her. Lots of angst and conflict in this one.
I wanted to slap both the hero and the heroine because they took way too long to be open and honest with each other and to trust each other. The ending is very effective and emotional so I guess it was worth it. And the heroine made a nice transition from the frightened woman she was at the beginning to an assertive woman who refused to let her odious father push her around any more.
I wanted to slap both the hero and the heroine because they took way too long to be open and honest with each other and to trust each other. The ending is very effective and emotional so I guess it was worth it. And the heroine made a nice transition from the frightened woman she was at the beginning to an assertive woman who refused to let her odious father push her around any more.
March 22, 2013
Aslında gayet güzel olabilecek bir kitap çevirmenin azizliğine uğramış maalesef... Daniel, Richard oldu... Richard vaftiz anne ve gazete oldu... Sonra Max de birileriyle karıştı ama şimdi hatırlayamayacağım... Ama en bombası şu cümle: "SAÇLARININ gri renginin yas tutmaktan olmadığını biliyordu. Demek ki GÖZLERİ her zaman bu renkti."
Ayrıca Thea inadıyla beni delirtti. Adam her şeye rağmen seviyorum evlenelim dedi bu bi çocuğum var diye evlenmem diye inat etti!
Ayrıca Thea inadıyla beni delirtti. Adam her şeye rağmen seviyorum evlenelim dedi bu bi çocuğum var diye evlenmem diye inat etti!
April 6, 2012
Çeviri ve redaksiyon çok berbat olduğundan kırdım puan. Yoksa kitap aslında iyiydi. Yalnız kitap ismi farklı bir şey olabilirdi. Thea ve Richard. Karakter olarak ikisini de beğendim. Fena bir kitap değildi. Tabi kitaptaki edit hatalarını göz ardı ederseniz:D
September 18, 2014
This is a great story! It's the third or fourth book I've read by this author, and so far, it's easily my favorite. The other books I've read by Ms. Rolls are The Unexpected Bride; Mistress or Marriage?; and the novella, A Shocking Proposition. All of those were enjoyable reads for me each garnering a 4 star rating--although I think I may have given SHOCKING 5 stars. In any event, this book, A COMPROMISED LADY, is in a class by itself. The H in this story, Mr. Richard Blakehurst, twin brother to an Earl, was apparently first introduced in His Lady Mistress, the story in which his twin, Max, Earl of Blakehurst, found love. I've never read that story and I was easily able to follow this one. FYI, there is another story following this one; Lord Braybrook's Penniless Bride, in which Richard's good friend, Julian, Viscount Braybrook gets his HEA. Me meet Julian in this book, and I found him to be a wonderful secondary character.
But, enough of that. This book is wonderful. It's beautifully written, as are all of Rolls' novels, with three dimensional, fully developed characters--primary and secondary alike. As a matter of fact, one of my absolute favorite characters, aside from the protagonists--is Thea's older brother, David. David is so sweet, so loving, and so protective of Thea, it was wonderful to read! The way he stood up to their father in support of Thea was heartwarming. On the other hand, Thea and David's father is a bastard of the first order--unfortunately his attitude regarding Thea's rape was pretty standard for the time period.
In addition to the wonderful characters, this book boasts a truly fantastic storyline--and yes, I'm going to include spoilers from this point, so please if you don't like spoilers don't go any further. As a matter of fact, did you see the SPOILER ALERT in the review title? LOL-- Anyhow, Thea and Richard were childhood friends. They share a godmother, who is also Richard's maternal aunt. When Thea is forced back into society by her unfeeling a** of a father, she is sent to stay with her godmother, who is to sponsor her for the season. Her godmother, Lady Arnsworth, is intent on playing matchmaker for Richard and Thea. Richard is her favorite nephew and she is set on seeing him wed an heiress, which Thea just happens to be. Unfortunately, Thea has a dark past, which is the reason for her almost eight year absence from society. Despite her father's wishes to the contrary, Thea is determined to never marry. Poor Thea, having suffered the trauma of a rape at the hands of her betrothed, can hardly stand to have others touch her and is terrified at the thought of having to endure the endless rounds of balls, routs, and musicales, which abound during the season.
When Richard and Thea first meet for the first time in eight years, he is shocked at how worn down and dreary his old friend appears. He quickly realizes that all is not as it should be and decides to do all in his power to help Thea--of course he has no idea of the depths of the secrets which haunt Thea. As for Thea, from their very first meeting, she is surprised at her response to Richard--she feels a warmth in his presence that she's not experienced in almost eight years. As the two spend more time together, love blossoms between them. But, because of her past, Thea knows that she and Richard can never have a future together. When an anonymous person launches a campaign to ruin Thea, Richard comes to her rescue, determined to protect her at all costs. Sigh! How the couple grow in love and ultimately overcome all the obstacles thrown in their path, to achieve their HEA, made for an amazing read!
One of the things I really liked about this story is the nice pace at which Ms. Rolls reveals Thea's secrets. Slowly but surely the events from Thea's past are revealed, not only to Richard, but also to the reader. But there are secrets of which not even Thea is aware, which when revealed forces the gentle soul to make some life-altering decisions. I also loved the realistic manner in which Thea is portrayed. I realize that as humans we are all individuals, and that, as a consequence, we all react differently to traumatic events. That being said, IMO, Ms. Rolls did an excellent job of creating Thea's character. Thea's behavior as a victim of rape is very believable. Thea is full of guilt, and shame over the incident, and takes partial blame for what happened, which absolutely broke my heart! However, as the story progresses, Thea's character develops from a from a fearful waif into a strong, independent woman, who was determined to follow her own path. The scene where she finally stands up for herself to her father is fantastic!
My only complaint--if I had to have one--is that Thea's father did not get his just deserts in the end. Even though, I am forced to admit, that his behavior was pretty par for the course when you consider the time period in which the story is set. Furthermore, I guess I should be satisfied with the fact that ultimately love triumphed and Thea was able to get her HEA, despite her father's repugnant behavior. Ugh
So, bottom line, this is an amazing story! One that I highly recommend. FYI, this is not a clean romance. There is a love scene that is quite descriptive, although, IMO, not overly graphic. Furthermore, no crude language is used. Happy reading!
But, enough of that. This book is wonderful. It's beautifully written, as are all of Rolls' novels, with three dimensional, fully developed characters--primary and secondary alike. As a matter of fact, one of my absolute favorite characters, aside from the protagonists--is Thea's older brother, David. David is so sweet, so loving, and so protective of Thea, it was wonderful to read! The way he stood up to their father in support of Thea was heartwarming. On the other hand, Thea and David's father is a bastard of the first order--unfortunately his attitude regarding Thea's rape was pretty standard for the time period.
In addition to the wonderful characters, this book boasts a truly fantastic storyline--and yes, I'm going to include spoilers from this point, so please if you don't like spoilers don't go any further. As a matter of fact, did you see the SPOILER ALERT in the review title? LOL-- Anyhow, Thea and Richard were childhood friends. They share a godmother, who is also Richard's maternal aunt. When Thea is forced back into society by her unfeeling a** of a father, she is sent to stay with her godmother, who is to sponsor her for the season. Her godmother, Lady Arnsworth, is intent on playing matchmaker for Richard and Thea. Richard is her favorite nephew and she is set on seeing him wed an heiress, which Thea just happens to be. Unfortunately, Thea has a dark past, which is the reason for her almost eight year absence from society. Despite her father's wishes to the contrary, Thea is determined to never marry. Poor Thea, having suffered the trauma of a rape at the hands of her betrothed, can hardly stand to have others touch her and is terrified at the thought of having to endure the endless rounds of balls, routs, and musicales, which abound during the season.
When Richard and Thea first meet for the first time in eight years, he is shocked at how worn down and dreary his old friend appears. He quickly realizes that all is not as it should be and decides to do all in his power to help Thea--of course he has no idea of the depths of the secrets which haunt Thea. As for Thea, from their very first meeting, she is surprised at her response to Richard--she feels a warmth in his presence that she's not experienced in almost eight years. As the two spend more time together, love blossoms between them. But, because of her past, Thea knows that she and Richard can never have a future together. When an anonymous person launches a campaign to ruin Thea, Richard comes to her rescue, determined to protect her at all costs. Sigh! How the couple grow in love and ultimately overcome all the obstacles thrown in their path, to achieve their HEA, made for an amazing read!
One of the things I really liked about this story is the nice pace at which Ms. Rolls reveals Thea's secrets. Slowly but surely the events from Thea's past are revealed, not only to Richard, but also to the reader. But there are secrets of which not even Thea is aware, which when revealed forces the gentle soul to make some life-altering decisions. I also loved the realistic manner in which Thea is portrayed. I realize that as humans we are all individuals, and that, as a consequence, we all react differently to traumatic events. That being said, IMO, Ms. Rolls did an excellent job of creating Thea's character. Thea's behavior as a victim of rape is very believable. Thea is full of guilt, and shame over the incident, and takes partial blame for what happened, which absolutely broke my heart! However, as the story progresses, Thea's character develops from a from a fearful waif into a strong, independent woman, who was determined to follow her own path. The scene where she finally stands up for herself to her father is fantastic!
My only complaint--if I had to have one--is that Thea's father did not get his just deserts in the end. Even though, I am forced to admit, that his behavior was pretty par for the course when you consider the time period in which the story is set. Furthermore, I guess I should be satisfied with the fact that ultimately love triumphed and Thea was able to get her HEA, despite her father's repugnant behavior. Ugh
So, bottom line, this is an amazing story! One that I highly recommend. FYI, this is not a clean romance. There is a love scene that is quite descriptive, although, IMO, not overly graphic. Furthermore, no crude language is used. Happy reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2012
Thea is a complex character. She has too much baggage in tow but I guess those things make her Thea; it makes her more touchable, more real. And among all the heroines I’ve encountered I think I relate most to Thea Winslow. Any woman who went through the same ordeal as Thea should be congratulated for not going insane. I liked that she took hold of her life and despite any repercussion, she abides by her decision. And I loved how she chooses to do the right thing even if it meant giving up her own happiness.
I liked Richard Blakehurst even from Max’s story. He’s sensible, practical and an easy character to relate to. I think I fell in love with Richard while he was carving wood on Max’s library with Verity secretly sketching him. I liked that he doesn’t push, he waits. He doesn’t blame, he understands. For me, Richard showed only one weakness and even then he can be excused because he realized his mistake without anyone pointing it out for him. He knows what he wants and damns the world if it gets on his way to get it.
Both Richard and Thea’s characters have been tested, individually and together. Both have been through enough that when their story came to the inevitable conclusion I couldn’t help but say ‘finally’ because they deserved the happy ending more than anyone. And watching them grow as characters, as individuals and as a couple was very illuminating.
It’s like seeing candlelight in the middle of a very dark room. You may trip and bump into a lot of things but if you’re patient and wait until your eyes adjust to the dim light, you might discover the room isn’t that bad after all.
I liked Richard Blakehurst even from Max’s story. He’s sensible, practical and an easy character to relate to. I think I fell in love with Richard while he was carving wood on Max’s library with Verity secretly sketching him. I liked that he doesn’t push, he waits. He doesn’t blame, he understands. For me, Richard showed only one weakness and even then he can be excused because he realized his mistake without anyone pointing it out for him. He knows what he wants and damns the world if it gets on his way to get it.
Both Richard and Thea’s characters have been tested, individually and together. Both have been through enough that when their story came to the inevitable conclusion I couldn’t help but say ‘finally’ because they deserved the happy ending more than anyone. And watching them grow as characters, as individuals and as a couple was very illuminating.
It’s like seeing candlelight in the middle of a very dark room. You may trip and bump into a lot of things but if you’re patient and wait until your eyes adjust to the dim light, you might discover the room isn’t that bad after all.
June 14, 2011
Malesef sıkılarak okuduğum bir kitap oldu. İlk başta çeviri azizliğine sonrada yazarın azizliğine uğradı caanım hikaye. Olay döngüsü heyecanlı, ilginçti. Ama gel görün ki bir kadın karakterimiz var ki sabit fikirli, nuh dedi seninle evlenirim demedi. Oğlanımızda bir rahata eremedi. Sonuna doğru karşılıklı bir saçmalama girişiminde bulundular ki Yok artık dedirtti yazar :) Özetle bana göre sınıfta kaldı bu kitap.
February 9, 2013
Böyle bir çeviriden sonra kitabı fazla suçlamasamda sonlarında araba kazası geçirip de, kazanın ardında Richard kendisini kurtarıp yaralanmışken onu değilde sorunlarını düşünen bir kızın ana karakter olduğu kitaba bu puan bile fazla...
July 24, 2017
Leído en Enero 2010
December 31, 2024
I'm on an Elizabeth Rolls binge lately. Her writing is great at the sentence level *and* her books tend to be fast-paced. Once I start one, I have trouble putting it down. A COMPROMISED LADY is no exception: I galloped through it in two days.
Both leads are likeable, but Richard stands out. He is softer, kinder, and less toxic than his angry brother Max. He might have become my very favorite of Rolls' MMCs. Yes, that means I think I like Richard even better than Huntercombe, the silver fox with hot daddy energy. (That says a lot, b/c Hunt is awesome.) Also, shout out to David Winslow for being a loving, supportive big brother. I wish he had his own book; he deserves one!
Why not five stars? Because this is one of those books where the leads make assumptions about each other's motives and desires rather than sitting down and talking about how they feel and why. The result is some unnecessary angst over the course of the novel. Despite that, there are *real* conflicts and disagreements between the leads; the conflict is not all misunderstanding. Richard, in particular, really flubs his response to one of Thea's disclosures. There are also significant external conflicts.
My other objection is that Thea seems to have PTSD at the beginning of the novel, but many of the symptoms (not all) disappear as she circulates in society and falls in love with a sweet, kind, protective man. I go back and forth about whether this is an example of love "curing" a mental illness. Since I have no experience with PTSD, it's probably best for me to let folks who do have such experience decide for themselves whether this is good representation.
Trigger warning: nightmares and flashbacks of a past sexual assault; on-page attempted assault by a villain; abusive/toxic parenting.
Both leads are likeable, but Richard stands out. He is softer, kinder, and less toxic than his angry brother Max. He might have become my very favorite of Rolls' MMCs. Yes, that means I think I like Richard even better than Huntercombe, the silver fox with hot daddy energy. (That says a lot, b/c Hunt is awesome.) Also, shout out to David Winslow for being a loving, supportive big brother. I wish he had his own book; he deserves one!
Why not five stars? Because this is one of those books where the leads make assumptions about each other's motives and desires rather than sitting down and talking about how they feel and why. The result is some unnecessary angst over the course of the novel. Despite that, there are *real* conflicts and disagreements between the leads; the conflict is not all misunderstanding. Richard, in particular, really flubs his response to one of Thea's disclosures. There are also significant external conflicts.
My other objection is that Thea seems to have PTSD at the beginning of the novel, but many of the symptoms (not all) disappear as she circulates in society and falls in love with a sweet, kind, protective man. I go back and forth about whether this is an example of love "curing" a mental illness. Since I have no experience with PTSD, it's probably best for me to let folks who do have such experience decide for themselves whether this is good representation.
Trigger warning: nightmares and flashbacks of a past sexual assault; on-page attempted assault by a villain; abusive/toxic parenting.
October 28, 2022
I really love this. I usually met with awesome supporting roles, just to be greatly disappointed when that particular supporting roles have his own story. My heart broke for Thea and I somehow can accept how Richard become the balm of her wounded heart with him being a gentle childhood friend from Thea's memory.
And really, the elderly's viewpoint in this story disgust me. Just imagine the true reality back in the days.
I cried when Thea sacrificed her love life for her child.
I love how Richard and David willingly shared the burden of scandal to protect both Thea and Sophia.
By the way, I find his respond for Thea's,
"I am not a virgin, Richard. That is why I have never married and why I refused your offer"
is
"Neither am I, Thea"
was so sexy😆.
And really, the elderly's viewpoint in this story disgust me. Just imagine the true reality back in the days.
I cried when Thea sacrificed her love life for her child.
I love how Richard and David willingly shared the burden of scandal to protect both Thea and Sophia.
By the way, I find his respond for Thea's,
"I am not a virgin, Richard. That is why I have never married and why I refused your offer"
is
"Neither am I, Thea"
was so sexy😆.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2024
4 1/2 stars. The author peels back layers to reveal the h's past. The H is all that is decent and honorable which is as opposite to the h's former betrothed as can be. A violent man who was killed by her brother in a duel when she was 16. She has hidden herself away from London for 7 years. Rumors about her past are whispered in ball rooms and she is the source of gossip. A childhood friend, the H feels protective of the h, shielding her from the insistent advances of a father approved suitor. An unexpected inheritance, threateningletters about her past, her brother's arrest for the murder of her former betrothed are a few of the challenges that the h faces as her past is revealed. Through it all the H stands by her. Clever resolution of a final problem at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2018
This book is part of a series. The hero is a younger brother of an Earl who falls in love with a childhood friend whom he has not seen for many years. She is an heiress with a dark history and a horrible father who wants to force her to get married to someone for his political intrigues. The hero was sweet and the heroine was well characterized. I liked the book as it depicted the genuine feelings of a young girl who had lost everything in her past. Finally she becomes strong enough to take some very bold decisions without the support of the hero.
August 29, 2021
Really liked this book. I did not hold out much hope for it after reading the first in the series. Except I liked Richard, and he did not disappoint. Thea's past was heartbreaking, so much so she could not see what a good man Richard is. There are so many players in this book, that it takes a bit to work through them all. It is well worth it. I am very glad of the epilogue that winds up the HEA. I really think David should have his own book; what we saw of him was very attractive.
Lost one star for steaminess.
Lost one star for steaminess.
August 26, 2018
I enjoyed this novel very much. A young woman with a damaged past overcomes great obstacles to find her HEA. The hero is solid, dependable, my favorite kind.
What kept me from giving it five stars though was the abrupt POV shifts within a scene. There were even secondary characters whose POV would pop up in the middle of a scene. That kind of writing interrupts the flow of my reading, and I would have enjoyed this story even more if POV was consistent.
What kept me from giving it five stars though was the abrupt POV shifts within a scene. There were even secondary characters whose POV would pop up in the middle of a scene. That kind of writing interrupts the flow of my reading, and I would have enjoyed this story even more if POV was consistent.
August 31, 2018
While this did play nicely into one of my favorite tropes - abused/traumatized heroine - it fell a bit short on my personal rating scale because Still enjoying this series though! (3.5 stars)
April 27, 2022
This book starts out quite good, loses it about 5/6ths of the way through, but recovers at the very end. While a bit heavy on the melodrama, the romance between Richard and Thea grows naturally and the book is well written and fairly fast paced - until about 80% of the way through, when I found myself skipping ahead. Too much time is spent at Richard's country estate, and it really starts to drag at that point. Despite that, this is a fairly good read for a boring afternoon.
September 5, 2024
I will pass on Rolls in the future. The tedium of endless, repetitive scenes of softcore frustrated the crap out of me. I may have skimmed the entire last chapter before the epilogue just to move the hell on. The plot and circumstances are the only thing getting it higher than one star (and that there are worse). I'd rather a far shorter book based on the VERBAL communication between the primaries.
March 20, 2021
3.5 (originally read on Kobo)
April 16, 2021
Much better than the first book, though not quite as angsty. The lead male is a rare one who actually falls in love and knows it and doesn't try to pretend he doesn't.
December 7, 2021
I’m a sucker for these plots, but this one lacked the little special something needed to make it a reread.
May 7, 2022
It was an okay read. I was hoping for angst but theirs fell flat for me; it was more annoying than not.
July 30, 2024
3.75** 😮😮🫶
(huijaan, en kyllä lukenut enkuksi… 😓)
(huijaan, en kyllä lukenut enkuksi… 😓)
December 31, 2025
Cute, perhaps a bit too much back and forth
December 5, 2017
Abbandonato a pag.52. Confusionario, poco profondo, banale, lento, didascalico e noioso.
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