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The Wild Quartet #0.5
The Second Seduction of a Lady
Enter the thrilling, sexy world of Georgian England in this splendid Miranda Neville novella—and catch a glimpse of Caro, the heroine of the upcoming The Importance of Being Wicked, on sale December 2012.
Eleanor Hardwick and Max Quinton shared one night of incredible passion . . . that was shattered the next day, when Eleanor learned of a bet placed by Max's friends. Now, five years later, Max still can't get Eleanor out of his head or his heart. He has a single chance to make a second impression—one that will last forever.
Eleanor Hardwick and Max Quinton shared one night of incredible passion . . . that was shattered the next day, when Eleanor learned of a bet placed by Max's friends. Now, five years later, Max still can't get Eleanor out of his head or his heart. He has a single chance to make a second impression—one that will last forever.
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 16, 2012
About the author
Miranda Neville
24 books517 followersMiranda Neville grew up in England, loving the books of Georgette Heyer and other Regency romances. She lived in Vermont with her daughter and an immensely talented cat, who made a book trailer for her novel, The Importance of Being Wicked. Her historical romances published by Avon include the popular Burgundy Club series, about Regency book collectors, and The Wild Quartet.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 72 reviews
October 7, 2012
Eleanor Hardwick lives her life the way she wants and thanks to an inheritance from her late mother, she can. If she wants to spend money of fancy bonnets, she will. If she wants to travel, she can. Yet, being the only child of a recluse father is very lonely so her travels often involve visiting her relatives and trying to help in any way she can, welcome or not. Eleanor takes one of her young cousins, Caro, under her wing since her mother is dastardly but her life is thrown into upheaval upon a walk when Eleanor and Caro stumble upon a young man and his guardian. The guardian is Max Quinton, the man who broke her heart five years ago with a cruel bet. Max is delighted to see the only woman who has laid claim to his heart and he is determined to make rights with Eleanor once and for all so he sets about a slow seduction to win her back. Unfortunately, he causes more problems as he uses his charge's interest in Caro to gain information and when this comes to light, the damage is done all over for Eleanor. Will a chase to Gretna Green together be enough to prove that Eleanor is the only one for him?
This novella (which was about sixty percent of my file, the rest were excerpts) is the kickoff to Miranda Neville's upcoming new series and was an enjoyable tale. When Max broke her heart, it cemented her belief that marriage is not for her, especially after witnessing her joyful mother wilt under her fathers boring lifestyle. Now, at the tender age of 30 (I loved that she was a bit older than the norm!), she is determined to live a quiet life by herself and she plans to shove Max away. Max is charming and quiet in his seduction of Eleanor and she finally allows him to explain his side of the bet and together they make great stride to happiness only for it to seem to fall away again. I really enjoyed the secondary romance that also bloomed between Caro and Robert and as Caro is the heroine for the next book (The Importance of Being Wicked) it has made me very anxious as to what is next for her! However, since this novella was about Eleanor and Max, I did sort of feel Caro's problems overtook the storyline a bit and I would have liked a little more courtship between Eleanor and Max with just a bit more of their history. Even in this short novella it has what I expect from Miranda Neville, sharp dialogue, wit, charm, heat and a dash of action. A great kickoff to what is sure to be an amazing series! 3 1/2 stars
eARC provided by Avon via edelweiss
This novella (which was about sixty percent of my file, the rest were excerpts) is the kickoff to Miranda Neville's upcoming new series and was an enjoyable tale. When Max broke her heart, it cemented her belief that marriage is not for her, especially after witnessing her joyful mother wilt under her fathers boring lifestyle. Now, at the tender age of 30 (I loved that she was a bit older than the norm!), she is determined to live a quiet life by herself and she plans to shove Max away. Max is charming and quiet in his seduction of Eleanor and she finally allows him to explain his side of the bet and together they make great stride to happiness only for it to seem to fall away again. I really enjoyed the secondary romance that also bloomed between Caro and Robert and as Caro is the heroine for the next book (The Importance of Being Wicked) it has made me very anxious as to what is next for her! However, since this novella was about Eleanor and Max, I did sort of feel Caro's problems overtook the storyline a bit and I would have liked a little more courtship between Eleanor and Max with just a bit more of their history. Even in this short novella it has what I expect from Miranda Neville, sharp dialogue, wit, charm, heat and a dash of action. A great kickoff to what is sure to be an amazing series! 3 1/2 stars
eARC provided by Avon via edelweiss
January 15, 2013
This is 0.5 (the prologue) in the "Wild Quartet" series.
Eleanor Hardwick is a 30-year-old dyed-in-the-wool spinster. Not for lack of offers—she's handsome enough (OK, when I hear the words "handsome woman," I think
…so maybe not a great endorsement). But anyway, a couple guys have asked and she turned them down. Eleanor has seen the misery that is marriage secondhand, in a number of unhappy marriages in her family—including that of her parents. She blames her father's benign neglect for her mother's death, and Eleanor is convinced that her life will be more pleasant without a husband.
Well, there was that "little incident" five years ago…
But that was an aberration, and Eleanor quickly learned the error of it when she learned that the man who'd seduced her, the man she can't stop thinking about, dammit, had kissed her (and then some) to win a bet. Thankfully, the additional details of their liaison never got around, and thankfully her "little friend" visited her at the usual time after, so there was no reason to marry. Eleanor's moved on, wiser and a little bitter, and a lot more convinced that the single life is best for her.
Eleanor gets her "family fix" by visiting her relations; she gets to be the wiser, not-so-older, auntie who can relate to the younger members of her family where their parents can't. At the moment she's staying with her obnoxiously high-in-the-instep cousin Elizabeth, whose 17-year-old daughter Caro is an impulsive ninny, but sweet. Eleanor enjoys Caro enough that it's worth humoring Elizabeth.
On one afternoon walk, Caro spies a gloriously handsome young man, and promptly falls in a stream. The adolescent Adonis fishes her out—but they come up on the other side of the stream. As Eleanor searches for the bridge that will put her back in control of the situation, she stumbles on an older Adonis. A man she hasn't seen in five years.
Max Quinton can't forget that night either. He wanted to marry Eleanor, but she told him to go bite himself. He was a little hurt.
Still is, to tell the truth. And now here she is, apparently the companion of the soggy little chit who's flirting madly with his ward, Robert Townsend.
…except Eleanor still doesn't want anything to do with marriage.
Elopement, disownment, and some silly, more-imaginary-than-reasonable obstacles along the way create the core conflict of this story. Not a great, but as a lead-in to what appears to be a new series in the making, this lays the groundwork well enough. 3 stars.
Eleanor Hardwick is a 30-year-old dyed-in-the-wool spinster. Not for lack of offers—she's handsome enough (OK, when I hear the words "handsome woman," I think
…so maybe not a great endorsement). But anyway, a couple guys have asked and she turned them down. Eleanor has seen the misery that is marriage secondhand, in a number of unhappy marriages in her family—including that of her parents. She blames her father's benign neglect for her mother's death, and Eleanor is convinced that her life will be more pleasant without a husband.
Well, there was that "little incident" five years ago…
But that was an aberration, and Eleanor quickly learned the error of it when she learned that the man who'd seduced her, the man she can't stop thinking about, dammit, had kissed her (and then some) to win a bet. Thankfully, the additional details of their liaison never got around, and thankfully her "little friend" visited her at the usual time after, so there was no reason to marry. Eleanor's moved on, wiser and a little bitter, and a lot more convinced that the single life is best for her.
Eleanor gets her "family fix" by visiting her relations; she gets to be the wiser, not-so-older, auntie who can relate to the younger members of her family where their parents can't. At the moment she's staying with her obnoxiously high-in-the-instep cousin Elizabeth, whose 17-year-old daughter Caro is an impulsive ninny, but sweet. Eleanor enjoys Caro enough that it's worth humoring Elizabeth.
On one afternoon walk, Caro spies a gloriously handsome young man, and promptly falls in a stream. The adolescent Adonis fishes her out—but they come up on the other side of the stream. As Eleanor searches for the bridge that will put her back in control of the situation, she stumbles on an older Adonis. A man she hasn't seen in five years.
Max Quinton can't forget that night either. He wanted to marry Eleanor, but she told him to go bite himself. He was a little hurt.
Still is, to tell the truth. And now here she is, apparently the companion of the soggy little chit who's flirting madly with his ward, Robert Townsend.
…except Eleanor still doesn't want anything to do with marriage.
Elopement, disownment, and some silly, more-imaginary-than-reasonable obstacles along the way create the core conflict of this story. Not a great, but as a lead-in to what appears to be a new series in the making, this lays the groundwork well enough. 3 stars.
January 27, 2016
This was an ok read for me. I didn't like Elenor very much. She was too rigid and unforgiven or the story was too short or something. I have mad love for Miranda Neville and Carolyn's story has a lot of potential.
October 12, 2012
Originally published at Reading Reality
Rule #1) Never bet on your own love life. Not if you actually want to have a love life, that is. Rule #2) If you only figure out that the lady is more important than the bet after you've made the bet, for pity's sake, confess all, and quickly!
Of course, if heroes of romance fiction followed the above rules, readers of said fiction would be much the poorer for it. The misunderstanding that occurs before the opening of The Second Seduction of a Lady (and the reason there even needs to be a second seduction) revolves around just such a bet, and the heroine's natural feeling of betrayal once it is revealed. Of course, she finds out after a night of grand passion, and from someone who is not exactly the hero's best friend.
But that's all in the past. A past that Eleanor Hardwick has tried her damnedest to forget, and that Max Quinton can't help but remember. Particularly since Max is aware that the fault was his and only his.
Five years ago, Eleanor was a blue-stocking, almost but not quite on the shelf, her intelligence, and her unwillingness to pretend to be lacking any, causing her to be a wallflower. Max Quinton took the bet that he would kiss her before the week was out because he was just barely gentry, he really needed the money, and because he admired that intelligence the others derided.
He should have known from the first second that she was the only woman for him. He wanted all of her. And had her, for one night. Then she found out about the bet, and it was over.
Now she's visiting her young cousin Caro in the country, and who does she see but Max Quinton. In the middle of nowhere, finishing the last days of his guardianship of Robert, the son of a friend.
And Max, not having learned his lesson the last time about deceiving Eleanor in order to get her, encourages Robert's pursuit of Caro in order to provide him with a chance to seduce Eleanor a second time. This time he doesn't plan on letting her go. No matter how many misunderstandings lay between them.
Max also doesn't plan on Robert and Caro really falling in love, either. Just who ends up racing whom to Gretna Green?
Escape Rating B+: If you are looking for some delightfully whipped historical froth, The Second Seduction of a Lady might just be the right recipe to while away an hour or two.
Max and Eleanor are terrific characters, all the more so because neither of them are typical. Max has to work for a living, and Eleanor is not just a bluestocking, but she's old enough to know her mind, and strong enough to voice her opinions. She also has just enough money to not need to marry. Her independence of the high ton is refreshing. It's also a nice change to see a Regency or Georgian romance where both the hero and the heroine are adults.
I would love to have seen a bit more of what happened Max and Eleanor's first time around. There are just enough hints that the reader gets a good idea, but the story sounds delicious enough to warrant a full chapter or two of its own.
The Second Seduction of a Lady is the prequel for Miranda Neville's new series. The first book in that series is The Importance of Being Wicked, and it will feature Robert and Caro's story. It looks so much like more delicious fun that I just downloaded it from Edelweiss.
Rule #1) Never bet on your own love life. Not if you actually want to have a love life, that is. Rule #2) If you only figure out that the lady is more important than the bet after you've made the bet, for pity's sake, confess all, and quickly!
Of course, if heroes of romance fiction followed the above rules, readers of said fiction would be much the poorer for it. The misunderstanding that occurs before the opening of The Second Seduction of a Lady (and the reason there even needs to be a second seduction) revolves around just such a bet, and the heroine's natural feeling of betrayal once it is revealed. Of course, she finds out after a night of grand passion, and from someone who is not exactly the hero's best friend.
But that's all in the past. A past that Eleanor Hardwick has tried her damnedest to forget, and that Max Quinton can't help but remember. Particularly since Max is aware that the fault was his and only his.
Five years ago, Eleanor was a blue-stocking, almost but not quite on the shelf, her intelligence, and her unwillingness to pretend to be lacking any, causing her to be a wallflower. Max Quinton took the bet that he would kiss her before the week was out because he was just barely gentry, he really needed the money, and because he admired that intelligence the others derided.
He should have known from the first second that she was the only woman for him. He wanted all of her. And had her, for one night. Then she found out about the bet, and it was over.
Now she's visiting her young cousin Caro in the country, and who does she see but Max Quinton. In the middle of nowhere, finishing the last days of his guardianship of Robert, the son of a friend.
And Max, not having learned his lesson the last time about deceiving Eleanor in order to get her, encourages Robert's pursuit of Caro in order to provide him with a chance to seduce Eleanor a second time. This time he doesn't plan on letting her go. No matter how many misunderstandings lay between them.
Max also doesn't plan on Robert and Caro really falling in love, either. Just who ends up racing whom to Gretna Green?
Escape Rating B+: If you are looking for some delightfully whipped historical froth, The Second Seduction of a Lady might just be the right recipe to while away an hour or two.
Max and Eleanor are terrific characters, all the more so because neither of them are typical. Max has to work for a living, and Eleanor is not just a bluestocking, but she's old enough to know her mind, and strong enough to voice her opinions. She also has just enough money to not need to marry. Her independence of the high ton is refreshing. It's also a nice change to see a Regency or Georgian romance where both the hero and the heroine are adults.
I would love to have seen a bit more of what happened Max and Eleanor's first time around. There are just enough hints that the reader gets a good idea, but the story sounds delicious enough to warrant a full chapter or two of its own.
The Second Seduction of a Lady is the prequel for Miranda Neville's new series. The first book in that series is The Importance of Being Wicked, and it will feature Robert and Caro's story. It looks so much like more delicious fun that I just downloaded it from Edelweiss.
April 25, 2016
Nice story about a reunion, a hero who found the woman for him, only he fumbled the acquisition of the wife he wanted mostly because of missteps. Plus a stupid wager. Now he has the opportunity to fix things, but she's still leery of marriage. It's a lovely little novella.
October 18, 2012
2.5 stars or C-/D+
Every few books, I like to stop and unwind with a romance, particularly romances about strong-willed women overcoming societal expectations and falling for men who appreciate them as they are. When The Second Seduction of a Lady came up for ARC, it seemed to be right up my alley. The synopsis sounded similar to Courtney Milan’s Unlocked, which I really liked but had problems with how pushy the LI was. Well boy howdy, do I need to go back and up my rating on that, because at least Courtney didn't let her characters become nearly as obsessive and stalkerish as Neville’s Max.
Eleanor Hardwick is a 30 year old spinster who prides herself on her pragmatic and logical approach to life. Seeing poor matches and loveless marriages around her, she vows to never marry. Instead, she fills her days traveling to relatives homes and using her “managing disposition” to tidy up their lives. The only reckless decision she’s ever made was to engage in a whirlwind romance with Max Quinton, five years ago. When she discovered Max originally approached her as part of a Georgian-She’s All That, Eleanor rebuffs his marriage proposal and returns to her father’s home to lick her wounds. Now, for the first time, they’ve run into each other as Eleanor tries to manage her cousin Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s 17-year-old daughter, “Caro”.
Caro is a bit of a wild child who longs to go to London and wear pretty dresses and fall in love. Eleanor can sympathize, if not empathize, and encourages her to try to be good so her mother will let Caro visit Eleanor in the city. This lasts approximately three seconds, until Caro falls into the river and is saved by the handsome rogue next door. As Eleanor marches across the bridge to fetch Caro home, who does she run into but Robert, (the rogue’s) guardian, Max.
From there, Max encourages Robert, who is 21, flunked out of school, and may have a gambling problem, to pursue Caro, because it means he’ll be around Eleanor. Even though Eleanor made it quite clear that she’s still not interested, Max knows that deep down she’s in love with him and if he just forces her to interact with him, then she’ll see it too. Well no, nothing shady or abusive there! This is another book where the hero thinks about how easy it would be to “compromise” the heroine, ruining her reputation and forcing her into marriage, only to discard the idea because, and I QUOTE, “With regret and a measure of relief he watched her slowly shake her head. ‘It’s just as well,” he said. ‘I want you to come to me freely, without a shadow of doubt or coercion. You are worth waiting for.’” AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ROMANTIC AND PLEASE THE HEROINE! I understand the romance genre, especially historicals, relies on the reluctant heroine trope, but come on. He honestly pats himself on the back for not taking advantage of a woman and leaving her pregnant. Oh, and after they inevitably end up together, he threatens to tie her to the bed if she withholds sex again. Yeah.
This exchange is my biggest problem with Max and his character, but I also hate that he never really apologized for the wrongs of the past. He says the words, but continues to treat Eleanor like a goose. He’s full of excuses for why he took the bet in the first place, but when given a chance to right his wrongs, he engages in more shady, stalkery shit. He gets Robert to get Caro to give him their visiting schedule, so he’ll be there when she arrives. He tampers with her transportation so she can’t go to Scotland without him. He risks her reputation to share a room with her at an inn, lying to the innkeep that they’re husband and wife and then keeping her surrounded by people so she can’t “make a scene”. But he totally supports her having a life and interests of her own and admires her independent spirit.
Of course, they end up together and get the HEA they would have gotten 5 years earlier, if only she had listened to him then, too!
The writing is fine, although Caro has a brother who is in literally one scene and disappears. The villains are a little cartoony, but not the worst I’ve read. Really it’s just an issue of who could ever find Max to be romantic. As a prequel to a new series featuring Caro, it negatively impacted itself. The Importance of Being Wicked’s blurb sounds fine, and I might have checked it out, but after how badly portrayed she was in TSSoaL I’ll definitely pass.
Every few books, I like to stop and unwind with a romance, particularly romances about strong-willed women overcoming societal expectations and falling for men who appreciate them as they are. When The Second Seduction of a Lady came up for ARC, it seemed to be right up my alley. The synopsis sounded similar to Courtney Milan’s Unlocked, which I really liked but had problems with how pushy the LI was. Well boy howdy, do I need to go back and up my rating on that, because at least Courtney didn't let her characters become nearly as obsessive and stalkerish as Neville’s Max.
Eleanor Hardwick is a 30 year old spinster who prides herself on her pragmatic and logical approach to life. Seeing poor matches and loveless marriages around her, she vows to never marry. Instead, she fills her days traveling to relatives homes and using her “managing disposition” to tidy up their lives. The only reckless decision she’s ever made was to engage in a whirlwind romance with Max Quinton, five years ago. When she discovered Max originally approached her as part of a Georgian-She’s All That, Eleanor rebuffs his marriage proposal and returns to her father’s home to lick her wounds. Now, for the first time, they’ve run into each other as Eleanor tries to manage her cousin Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s 17-year-old daughter, “Caro”.
Caro is a bit of a wild child who longs to go to London and wear pretty dresses and fall in love. Eleanor can sympathize, if not empathize, and encourages her to try to be good so her mother will let Caro visit Eleanor in the city. This lasts approximately three seconds, until Caro falls into the river and is saved by the handsome rogue next door. As Eleanor marches across the bridge to fetch Caro home, who does she run into but Robert, (the rogue’s) guardian, Max.
From there, Max encourages Robert, who is 21, flunked out of school, and may have a gambling problem, to pursue Caro, because it means he’ll be around Eleanor. Even though Eleanor made it quite clear that she’s still not interested, Max knows that deep down she’s in love with him and if he just forces her to interact with him, then she’ll see it too. Well no, nothing shady or abusive there! This is another book where the hero thinks about how easy it would be to “compromise” the heroine, ruining her reputation and forcing her into marriage, only to discard the idea because, and I QUOTE, “With regret and a measure of relief he watched her slowly shake her head. ‘It’s just as well,” he said. ‘I want you to come to me freely, without a shadow of doubt or coercion. You are worth waiting for.’” AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ROMANTIC AND PLEASE THE HEROINE! I understand the romance genre, especially historicals, relies on the reluctant heroine trope, but come on. He honestly pats himself on the back for not taking advantage of a woman and leaving her pregnant. Oh, and after they inevitably end up together, he threatens to tie her to the bed if she withholds sex again. Yeah.
This exchange is my biggest problem with Max and his character, but I also hate that he never really apologized for the wrongs of the past. He says the words, but continues to treat Eleanor like a goose. He’s full of excuses for why he took the bet in the first place, but when given a chance to right his wrongs, he engages in more shady, stalkery shit. He gets Robert to get Caro to give him their visiting schedule, so he’ll be there when she arrives. He tampers with her transportation so she can’t go to Scotland without him. He risks her reputation to share a room with her at an inn, lying to the innkeep that they’re husband and wife and then keeping her surrounded by people so she can’t “make a scene”. But he totally supports her having a life and interests of her own and admires her independent spirit.
Of course, they end up together and get the HEA they would have gotten 5 years earlier, if only she had listened to him then, too!
The writing is fine, although Caro has a brother who is in literally one scene and disappears. The villains are a little cartoony, but not the worst I’ve read. Really it’s just an issue of who could ever find Max to be romantic. As a prequel to a new series featuring Caro, it negatively impacted itself. The Importance of Being Wicked’s blurb sounds fine, and I might have checked it out, but after how badly portrayed she was in TSSoaL I’ll definitely pass.
October 18, 2022
Love-hate story about a couple who met before. Will they get a second chance at love?
October 2, 2012
This was a sweet novella. I like historical romances where the hero and heroine are separated for some reason. In this case the hero, Max Quinton, meets the heroine, Eleanor Hardwick, on a bet. What's supposed to be just a kiss ends up being real feelings. Eleanor is devastated when she finds out about the bet and refuses to hear Max's side of the story or trust the feelings he has professed. Five years later pass and neither has really gotten over the other. Now 30 years old, Eleanor is well on her way to spinsterhood. Eleanor and Max are reunited while Eleanor is staying with her cousin Elizabeth and keeping an eye on Elizabeth's 18 year old daughter, Caroline. While on a walk Eleanor and Caro run into Robert, a young man, whose ward just happens to be Max. Now that Max has Eleanor in his sights, he will do whatever he can to make sure Eleanor knows they are meant to be.
Eleanor could be a bit frustrating. Especially when she runs from Max a second time after she thinks he did another something very wrong. She obviously didn't learn the first time that talking is better than running. But I did like their second reunion. This time it's as they are racing to Scotland after Caro and Robert have decided to elope.
I found the dialogue witty and humorous, especially when Max was involved. I liked him very much, and he made up a lot for Eleanor's stubbornness. This story introduces us to Caro, who is the heroine in the first novel length book in this series. She's very innocent and a little immature in this novella, so I look forward to seeing how she has grown in her book.
I do wish we could have seen more of the week when Eleanor and Max first met. Much of their feelings developed during that time. By the time we meet Max, he is already declaring his love for Eleanor. I would have liked to have seen those feelings develop.
3.5 Stars
ARC provided through Edelweiss.
Eleanor could be a bit frustrating. Especially when she runs from Max a second time after she thinks he did another something very wrong. She obviously didn't learn the first time that talking is better than running. But I did like their second reunion. This time it's as they are racing to Scotland after Caro and Robert have decided to elope.
I found the dialogue witty and humorous, especially when Max was involved. I liked him very much, and he made up a lot for Eleanor's stubbornness. This story introduces us to Caro, who is the heroine in the first novel length book in this series. She's very innocent and a little immature in this novella, so I look forward to seeing how she has grown in her book.
I do wish we could have seen more of the week when Eleanor and Max first met. Much of their feelings developed during that time. By the time we meet Max, he is already declaring his love for Eleanor. I would have liked to have seen those feelings develop.
3.5 Stars
ARC provided through Edelweiss.
October 22, 2012
The Second Seduction of a Lady is a historical novella that introduces a new series by Miranda Neville, The Wild Quartet. Eleanor is a woman firmly "on the shelf" and against the institution of marriage. She occupies her time by visiting relatives and helping out her many cousins. While visiting one of these cousins, Eleanor runs into the man who managed to seduce her and use her years before. Max knew he made mistakes with Eleanor, but he has never gotten over her and he is determined to make the most of his second chance, which proves to be more difficult than he could have anticipated.
I really enjoyed Eleanor's character, I understood her negative feelings about marriage (even though I didn't necessarily agree) and I like that she is an independent woman. She manages to do what she pleases and still be part of society. Neither Eleanor or Max are high up in the Ton, they are people who are easy to relate to. Max proved to be very dedicated to winning Eleanor over and I always love it when a man has to work to win his lady.
The Second Seduction of a Lady is a quick read, but the antics of Eleanor's cousin and Max's attempts to win Eleanor are amusing and enjoyable to read. I did not have any issues with the story, but at the same time it did not amaze me. The story is simple, yet enjoyable and provides a nice prelude to an upcoming series. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the story and will likely read book 1 in The Wild Quartet Series, The Importance of Being Wicked, when it debuts in late November.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
I really enjoyed Eleanor's character, I understood her negative feelings about marriage (even though I didn't necessarily agree) and I like that she is an independent woman. She manages to do what she pleases and still be part of society. Neither Eleanor or Max are high up in the Ton, they are people who are easy to relate to. Max proved to be very dedicated to winning Eleanor over and I always love it when a man has to work to win his lady.
The Second Seduction of a Lady is a quick read, but the antics of Eleanor's cousin and Max's attempts to win Eleanor are amusing and enjoyable to read. I did not have any issues with the story, but at the same time it did not amaze me. The story is simple, yet enjoyable and provides a nice prelude to an upcoming series. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the story and will likely read book 1 in The Wild Quartet Series, The Importance of Being Wicked, when it debuts in late November.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
October 16, 2012
Really 4.5 stars. I just wanted more of Max and Eleanor.
Miranda Neville has become one of my never-fail authors. Both Max and Eleanor are intelligent strong-minded, and imperfect, qualities I associate with most of Neville’s characters. I loved them both and particularly enjoyed that they were a bit older than the typical hero and heroine. Reunion romances are my favorites, in part because I like a hero and heroine who share a history. And this second seduction is marvelous. In fact, the only thing that I regretted about this story was that the reader didn’t see more of the first seduction. “The Second Seduction of a Lady” is a novella, a mere six chapters, and it serves as a prequel to The Importance of Being Wicked, the first book in Neville's new late-Georgian quartet about art collectors. I wanted more of Max and Eleanor. I would have been happy with a full-length novel.
The novella releases today. It’s a bargain read at $1.99, and it includes a two-chapter excerpt from The Importance of Being Wicked, which is set for release on November 27, with Caro as the heroine. I’ve read TIOBW and adored it. That review will be coming soon. For now, I do recommend “The Second Seduction of a Lady.” It’s a delicious souspeçon, an appetizer for the terrific main dish of a story that’s six weeks from release
Full review at Just Janga: http://justjanga.blogspot.com/2012/10...
Miranda Neville has become one of my never-fail authors. Both Max and Eleanor are intelligent strong-minded, and imperfect, qualities I associate with most of Neville’s characters. I loved them both and particularly enjoyed that they were a bit older than the typical hero and heroine. Reunion romances are my favorites, in part because I like a hero and heroine who share a history. And this second seduction is marvelous. In fact, the only thing that I regretted about this story was that the reader didn’t see more of the first seduction. “The Second Seduction of a Lady” is a novella, a mere six chapters, and it serves as a prequel to The Importance of Being Wicked, the first book in Neville's new late-Georgian quartet about art collectors. I wanted more of Max and Eleanor. I would have been happy with a full-length novel.
The novella releases today. It’s a bargain read at $1.99, and it includes a two-chapter excerpt from The Importance of Being Wicked, which is set for release on November 27, with Caro as the heroine. I’ve read TIOBW and adored it. That review will be coming soon. For now, I do recommend “The Second Seduction of a Lady.” It’s a delicious souspeçon, an appetizer for the terrific main dish of a story that’s six weeks from release
Full review at Just Janga: http://justjanga.blogspot.com/2012/10...
November 6, 2012
Max and Eleanor have a past. It's not a happy one for Eleanor who happened to lose her virginity under the belief that Max was the one for her. Max decides to participate in a bet with his buddies as to who would be the first to "claim" Eleanor. After a tryst at a gathering, Eleanor discovers the existence of the bet and says goodbye to Max. Max can't forget her. Years later while fly fishing, he sees a woman who reminds him of Eleanor. It is Eleanor, and Max decides to take matters into his own hands. The story takes off from here.
I love a romance where the characters come together after overcoming a major obstacle in their path. Max is especially sweet since he realizes he has loved Eleanor for years and is determined to win her back. Eleanor is a little late in acknowledging her feelings, but don't despair. These two find their way back to each other.
Miranda Neville has a wonderful voice, and I always love to read her books. She is one of my favorite authors and is an automatic buy for me. The Second Seduction of a Lady is a perfect break when you only have time for a short story during the busy holiday season. I can’t wait to read the rest of Caro Brotherton’s story which is previewed after the end of Max and Eleanor’s story.
I love a romance where the characters come together after overcoming a major obstacle in their path. Max is especially sweet since he realizes he has loved Eleanor for years and is determined to win her back. Eleanor is a little late in acknowledging her feelings, but don't despair. These two find their way back to each other.
Miranda Neville has a wonderful voice, and I always love to read her books. She is one of my favorite authors and is an automatic buy for me. The Second Seduction of a Lady is a perfect break when you only have time for a short story during the busy holiday season. I can’t wait to read the rest of Caro Brotherton’s story which is previewed after the end of Max and Eleanor’s story.
January 26, 2013
This short story was a disappointment. I’m not sure if it was just too short, or if the premise was flawed from the start, but it just didn’t work for me. The characters thoughts and actions didn’t add up. The heroine is presented as someone who doesn’t want to marry, but after that initial setup, her thoughts and emotions are all about how much she would enjoy being married. The hero claims that he respects the heroine’s intelligence and independence, but he spends most of the story manipulating her. In a longer book it’s possible the author could have reconciled these contradictions (or made them a point of contention) but in this novella they just seemed confused. The only reason to read this novella is that it introduces and explains the heroine of her next book.
October 9, 2012
I really enjoyed this one. A sweet story about estranged lovers, old grudges (based on old betrayals), and finding forgiveness and opening oneself to happiness.
With lovely chemistry and just a little bit of steam to round things off, it was a wonderful way to pass the day.
4/5 stars, full review to follow.
With lovely chemistry and just a little bit of steam to round things off, it was a wonderful way to pass the day.
4/5 stars, full review to follow.
March 7, 2015
1. The central 'misunderstanding' was so thin, it was nearly unbelievable.
2. So was Caro's and Robert's love story. The author falls into the dreaded category of 'telling' not 'showing'
3. Awkward turns of phrase- “the core he had once filled" wtf?
4. What a high-handed narcissistic ass of a hero! He doesn't wait for the heroine's consent, and goes ahead announcing their marriage anyway..
2. So was Caro's and Robert's love story. The author falls into the dreaded category of 'telling' not 'showing'
3. Awkward turns of phrase- “the core he had once filled" wtf?
4. What a high-handed narcissistic ass of a hero! He doesn't wait for the heroine's consent, and goes ahead announcing their marriage anyway..
November 11, 2012
This review appeared at Dear Author:
http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
REVIEW: The Second Seduction of a Lady by Miranda Neville
Dear Ms. Neville,
I’ve enjoyed all four books in your Burgundy Club series so when I heard you were starting a new series and putting out a prequel novella, I snapped it up from Edelweiss. Set in the English countryside in 1793, The Second Seduction of a Lady is a story of reunited lovers.
The novella begins with Austen-style omniscient narration which tells the reader that Eleanor Hardwick’s record for common sense is nearly unblemished. The one blemish, as it turns out, is Max Quinton. Eleanor has never believed in marriage nor intended to marry, but when she was twenty-five, Eleanor’s conviction slipped.
Max Quinton turned out to be a cad, and Eleanor found out before she married him – but not before she’d given him her “virtue.” While Max sent her letters pleading his case, Eleanor waited to see if pregnancy would force her to marry him. Thankfully, it didn’t, and Eleanor returned his letters unopened.
Max and Eleanor meet again when she is visiting her delightful seventeen year old cousin Caro, as well Caro’s unpleasant mother and brother. Max is the guardian of the young heir to the neighboring estate, Robert, and Robert is about to reach his majority.
After a brief, cold, wet greeting from Eleanor on a riverbank, Max resolves to win back her affections. He fell in love with Eleanor five years ago and never got over her loss. As Max engineers meetings with Eleanor, affording Robert and Caro opportunities to fall into infatuation, the story of Eleanor and Max’s first meeting is told in flashbacks.
Max knows he screwed up back then, but he wants another chance with Eleanor. And the more time Eleanor spends with Max, the more she questions whether she was right to be so unforgiving. Meanwhile, Caro and Robert get closer than is wise, and Max is not exactly blameless for that. Will Eleanor, a woman set against marriage, find it in her heart not only to forgive him, but to accept his suit?
The Second Seduction of a Lady has a less humorous and more serious tone than most of your books, and reminded me of the 1990s traditional regencies published by Signet. Those little red books frequently had countryside settings, lovers parted by misunderstanding or an interfering third party, and occasionally, a punishing kiss, all of which can be found here. The heroines sometimes felt a bit starchy, and that description fits Eleanor, too.
Though there were Signet regencies I loved, more often I liked those books mildly. Many of them were a pleasant way to pass the time. I had a similar experience with The Second Seduction of a Lady.
The novella gives a charming depiction of a countryside neighborhood and several nice touches in side characters who bring that milieu to life. It also contains sex scenes, unlike most trad regencies. Perhaps because these are shown in the less-experienced heroine’s POV, the sex scenes contained some awkward descriptions of body parts, such as “the core he has once filled.” There was also some conflation (to borrow a word from Janet/Robin) of love and sex that didn’t thrill me.
I’ve written in the past about how much I enjoy your writing style and especially your characterization. There is typically a genuine warmth and vulnerability to your characters that makes them appeal to me in a way that feels very natural. But I didn’t connect with Eleanor and Max to the same degree.
I said before that Eleanor could seem a bit starchy at times. Her views on marriage seemed rigid to me, too. While we were told early on that her parents were ill-suited to one another and their marriage made Eleanor’s mother unhappy, I think I needed her mother’s unhappiness and Eleanor’s role in observing it or responding to it as a child to be shown or discussed in greater depth for me to understand why Eleanor was so set against marriage.
Max was a livelier character than Eleanor, but I had an issue with him as well. While Eleanor described herself as “managing” I saw Max as much more managing since he engineered situations more than once. There were times he behaved in a manipulative or high-handed fashion where Eleanor was concerned.
I understand intellectually that Max was devastated to lose Eleanor five years before, but if this was the reason for his high-handedness, I wish I had been made to feel the pain that loss brought him more. Furthermore, I wanted him to understand that what he’d done was wrong. In some cases he did understand his mistakes, took responsibility for them, and apologized, but not in all instances.
With both these characters, I wanted more of the vulnerability you usually depict so well. But they both had likeable qualities too. Eleanor loved her large family and looked out for Caro. She had a quirky love for fashionable hats and a softness that emerged when Max got closer to her. Max had charm and evident competence. He was also devoted to Eleanor in his heart.
I read this novella pretty fast, and toward the end, I even got a little emotional. There were some clever turns of phrase, too. I missed the humor that characterizes your books, but the writing itself was mostly good and the story readable. I’m giving it a C.
Sincerely,
Janine
http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
REVIEW: The Second Seduction of a Lady by Miranda Neville
Dear Ms. Neville,
I’ve enjoyed all four books in your Burgundy Club series so when I heard you were starting a new series and putting out a prequel novella, I snapped it up from Edelweiss. Set in the English countryside in 1793, The Second Seduction of a Lady is a story of reunited lovers.
The novella begins with Austen-style omniscient narration which tells the reader that Eleanor Hardwick’s record for common sense is nearly unblemished. The one blemish, as it turns out, is Max Quinton. Eleanor has never believed in marriage nor intended to marry, but when she was twenty-five, Eleanor’s conviction slipped.
Max Quinton turned out to be a cad, and Eleanor found out before she married him – but not before she’d given him her “virtue.” While Max sent her letters pleading his case, Eleanor waited to see if pregnancy would force her to marry him. Thankfully, it didn’t, and Eleanor returned his letters unopened.
Max and Eleanor meet again when she is visiting her delightful seventeen year old cousin Caro, as well Caro’s unpleasant mother and brother. Max is the guardian of the young heir to the neighboring estate, Robert, and Robert is about to reach his majority.
After a brief, cold, wet greeting from Eleanor on a riverbank, Max resolves to win back her affections. He fell in love with Eleanor five years ago and never got over her loss. As Max engineers meetings with Eleanor, affording Robert and Caro opportunities to fall into infatuation, the story of Eleanor and Max’s first meeting is told in flashbacks.
Max knows he screwed up back then, but he wants another chance with Eleanor. And the more time Eleanor spends with Max, the more she questions whether she was right to be so unforgiving. Meanwhile, Caro and Robert get closer than is wise, and Max is not exactly blameless for that. Will Eleanor, a woman set against marriage, find it in her heart not only to forgive him, but to accept his suit?
The Second Seduction of a Lady has a less humorous and more serious tone than most of your books, and reminded me of the 1990s traditional regencies published by Signet. Those little red books frequently had countryside settings, lovers parted by misunderstanding or an interfering third party, and occasionally, a punishing kiss, all of which can be found here. The heroines sometimes felt a bit starchy, and that description fits Eleanor, too.
Though there were Signet regencies I loved, more often I liked those books mildly. Many of them were a pleasant way to pass the time. I had a similar experience with The Second Seduction of a Lady.
The novella gives a charming depiction of a countryside neighborhood and several nice touches in side characters who bring that milieu to life. It also contains sex scenes, unlike most trad regencies. Perhaps because these are shown in the less-experienced heroine’s POV, the sex scenes contained some awkward descriptions of body parts, such as “the core he has once filled.” There was also some conflation (to borrow a word from Janet/Robin) of love and sex that didn’t thrill me.
I’ve written in the past about how much I enjoy your writing style and especially your characterization. There is typically a genuine warmth and vulnerability to your characters that makes them appeal to me in a way that feels very natural. But I didn’t connect with Eleanor and Max to the same degree.
I said before that Eleanor could seem a bit starchy at times. Her views on marriage seemed rigid to me, too. While we were told early on that her parents were ill-suited to one another and their marriage made Eleanor’s mother unhappy, I think I needed her mother’s unhappiness and Eleanor’s role in observing it or responding to it as a child to be shown or discussed in greater depth for me to understand why Eleanor was so set against marriage.
Max was a livelier character than Eleanor, but I had an issue with him as well. While Eleanor described herself as “managing” I saw Max as much more managing since he engineered situations more than once. There were times he behaved in a manipulative or high-handed fashion where Eleanor was concerned.
I understand intellectually that Max was devastated to lose Eleanor five years before, but if this was the reason for his high-handedness, I wish I had been made to feel the pain that loss brought him more. Furthermore, I wanted him to understand that what he’d done was wrong. In some cases he did understand his mistakes, took responsibility for them, and apologized, but not in all instances.
With both these characters, I wanted more of the vulnerability you usually depict so well. But they both had likeable qualities too. Eleanor loved her large family and looked out for Caro. She had a quirky love for fashionable hats and a softness that emerged when Max got closer to her. Max had charm and evident competence. He was also devoted to Eleanor in his heart.
I read this novella pretty fast, and toward the end, I even got a little emotional. There were some clever turns of phrase, too. I missed the humor that characterizes your books, but the writing itself was mostly good and the story readable. I’m giving it a C.
Sincerely,
Janine
November 5, 2017
Disappointing. When I learned of author Miranda Neville's recent death, I thought I would honor her memory by reading some of her books. Perhaps this was not the best one to start with, but it was available at my local library. This is quite short (under 100 pages; the rest is filled with previews), so more of a novella to introduce the couple who will be central to the following story. The premise: Five years earlier Eleanor Hardwick succumbed to Max Quinton's advances, but refused to marry him, preferring her solitary state. She is convinced that very few marriages are happy, and since she has enough money of her own, spends her time visiting various relatives (and interfering in their lives). When they meet again, how can Max convince her to reconsider?
October 17, 2018
Eh. Neville's writing is strong as always but she didn't seem super invested in this couple's storyline, and it overall felt pretty lackluster for what I've come to expect from her.
September 6, 2019
This was lame and boring. I don't think I will continue the series.
January 15, 2024
Short and predictable
January 22, 2026
This was okay. It's a brief novella setting up a series so my expectations were tempered.
February 1, 2015
4,0 Stars
I really liked the idea of this novella, I am a huge fan of "lovers in the past", "he made a mistake aka bet and must win her back" and "she is a wallflower" stories. Especially the bet part intrigued me, I love it, when the hero loves the heroine but loses her because of this mistake and must atone for it.
The romance was okay for me, but it disappointed me a little in the end, because over the time the romance went missing, it just evaporated... (And yes, that is never good for a romantic novella ;-))
I really liked the hero, Max, and I could believe that he really loved the heroine, Eleanor, and that he made his mistake, the bet, not because he wanted to ridicule her, but to win the money so he would be able to give her a better future as a husband. He is not titled or rich as Croesus, only a horse breeder if I recall correctly.
Eleanor was very rigid and serious, but in the beginning I liked her because of that. She seemed intelligent and sensible, but in the end I hated that she always thought the worst of Max and always left him without telling him or asking if what she guessed was right. This made me think, that she is not only not really in love with him (because love means trust, at least in my eyes) but not intelligent too (making the same mistake over and over again). And I started disliking her her, because she continuously hurt him (I know that he hurt her too, but he apologized and tried everything to undo it), whereas she never learned to change her ways (I do not even know if she apologized or if he just forgave her). In his position I could not be with her, that made the romance unbelievable and not romantic at all, because emotionally it could not grab me.
Nevertheless the novella was a nice and fast read, especially the beginning was really great! Later on the heroine was getting on my nerves and Carolyns story was getting too important, her story overshadowed the major love story and that should never happen in a romance novel, even in a novella that is only the introduction to a new series. And because it was clear, that Carolyn was making a mistake with her marriage, I knew that I would not want to read the first book in this series. Unfortunately I do not like unhappy marriage/he is dying and she is finding a new love love stories...
Summary:
Great idea, but the minor love story is too important and taking too much space of this novella. Additionally the heroine, Eleanor, is making stupid mistakes over and over again, ruining the romance a little bit. I cannot really understand why the hero keeps loving her, but that is how love is (sometimes).
I really liked the idea of this novella, I am a huge fan of "lovers in the past", "he made a mistake aka bet and must win her back" and "she is a wallflower" stories. Especially the bet part intrigued me, I love it, when the hero loves the heroine but loses her because of this mistake and must atone for it.
The romance was okay for me, but it disappointed me a little in the end, because over the time the romance went missing, it just evaporated... (And yes, that is never good for a romantic novella ;-))
I really liked the hero, Max, and I could believe that he really loved the heroine, Eleanor, and that he made his mistake, the bet, not because he wanted to ridicule her, but to win the money so he would be able to give her a better future as a husband. He is not titled or rich as Croesus, only a horse breeder if I recall correctly.
Eleanor was very rigid and serious, but in the beginning I liked her because of that. She seemed intelligent and sensible, but in the end I hated that she always thought the worst of Max and always left him without telling him or asking if what she guessed was right. This made me think, that she is not only not really in love with him (because love means trust, at least in my eyes) but not intelligent too (making the same mistake over and over again). And I started disliking her her, because she continuously hurt him (I know that he hurt her too, but he apologized and tried everything to undo it), whereas she never learned to change her ways (I do not even know if she apologized or if he just forgave her). In his position I could not be with her, that made the romance unbelievable and not romantic at all, because emotionally it could not grab me.
Nevertheless the novella was a nice and fast read, especially the beginning was really great! Later on the heroine was getting on my nerves and Carolyns story was getting too important, her story overshadowed the major love story and that should never happen in a romance novel, even in a novella that is only the introduction to a new series. And because it was clear, that Carolyn was making a mistake with her marriage, I knew that I would not want to read the first book in this series. Unfortunately I do not like unhappy marriage/he is dying and she is finding a new love love stories...
Summary:
Great idea, but the minor love story is too important and taking too much space of this novella. Additionally the heroine, Eleanor, is making stupid mistakes over and over again, ruining the romance a little bit. I cannot really understand why the hero keeps loving her, but that is how love is (sometimes).
November 27, 2012
This novella sets up Miranda Neville's upcoming series, providing us with a glimpse of the heroine of the first book as a young, headstrong girl. The novella tells the story of her aunt, Eleanor Hardwick. 5 years earlier, Eleanor fell in love with Max Quinton, and he with her. Unfortunately, there was a bet involved (your typical "£££ for anyone who manages to get a kiss from that frigid bitch" kind of thing). Max wasn't really participating in that wager, and only approached Eleanor because he fell in lust with her the moment he saw her, but that's not what the instigator of the wager told Eleanor. So, as soon as she could be sure she hadn't got pregnant from the night they got carried away, she unceremoniously dumped Max and refused to have anything to do with him. As the novella starts, they meet again and keep meeting, when the young people they are responsible for become infatuated with each other.
I liked the idea of the set-up, but in the end, I just found this boring and not very engaging. The characters were fine, the writing was fine, the plot was fine... just ok. Nothing special. I didn't feel particularly engaged with the characters, and didn't particularly care what happened. I only finished it because it was short. Speaking of which, this finished at 60%ish on my kindle, which was very annoying. I usually check when the promo material starts, especially with novellas, but I completely forgot to do it here. The reading experience changes completely if you're reading the closing sequence and you think there's over a third of the book to go. It feels strange, you wonder what the conflict will be, since everything seems to be resolved. Hmph!
MY GRADE: A C-.
I liked the idea of the set-up, but in the end, I just found this boring and not very engaging. The characters were fine, the writing was fine, the plot was fine... just ok. Nothing special. I didn't feel particularly engaged with the characters, and didn't particularly care what happened. I only finished it because it was short. Speaking of which, this finished at 60%ish on my kindle, which was very annoying. I usually check when the promo material starts, especially with novellas, but I completely forgot to do it here. The reading experience changes completely if you're reading the closing sequence and you think there's over a third of the book to go. It feels strange, you wonder what the conflict will be, since everything seems to be resolved. Hmph!
MY GRADE: A C-.
November 12, 2012
The Second Seduction of a Lady is a novella that introduces us to a brand new series by author Miranda Neville called The Wild Quartet. It tells the story of Eleanor Hardwick and Max Quinton while introducing us to Caro the heroine in book one; The Importance of Being Wicked. This was a quick, easy, delightful read but I will admit I wanted more.
The tale begins when we meet Eleanor Hardwick who at thirty is soundly on the shelf. To others she is the pinnacle of a true lady, and many mothers seek her out as an influence to their young daughters. She is determined to never marry, buy as many hats as she wants and never be saddled to a man. She also has a secret; five years ago, her resolve broke and she spent an incredibly passionate night with Max Quinton. For one night she thought of marriage and a life with this man. That is until the next morning when she discovered she was a wager. The tale that unfolds is delightful and humorous.
Eleanor is head strong, unaware of her own beauty and determined never to meet the fate of marriage. Max still pines after Eleanor and is determined to have a second chance. Caro is Eleanor’s niece and is inquisitive and longing for romance while trying to escape from under her mother’s controlling thumb. When Caro meets Robert her next door neighbor things get interesting. The two are immediately smitten. As Robert’s guardian Max seizes every opportunity to spend time with Eleanor.
I want to thank HarperCollins Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The tale begins when we meet Eleanor Hardwick who at thirty is soundly on the shelf. To others she is the pinnacle of a true lady, and many mothers seek her out as an influence to their young daughters. She is determined to never marry, buy as many hats as she wants and never be saddled to a man. She also has a secret; five years ago, her resolve broke and she spent an incredibly passionate night with Max Quinton. For one night she thought of marriage and a life with this man. That is until the next morning when she discovered she was a wager. The tale that unfolds is delightful and humorous.
Eleanor is head strong, unaware of her own beauty and determined never to meet the fate of marriage. Max still pines after Eleanor and is determined to have a second chance. Caro is Eleanor’s niece and is inquisitive and longing for romance while trying to escape from under her mother’s controlling thumb. When Caro meets Robert her next door neighbor things get interesting. The two are immediately smitten. As Robert’s guardian Max seizes every opportunity to spend time with Eleanor.
I want to thank HarperCollins Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
November 9, 2012
3.5 Stars
At 30, Eleanor is firmly on the shelf and has no plans to ever marry. Why should she? She has certainly seen her fair share of unhappy marriages. She has her own money and can make her own decisions about her life. So what if she still remembers the one night of passion she shared with a man five years ago? Max Quinton is in the past and he can never hurt her again. --Imagine her surprise when she runs into him while chaperoning her young cousin, Caro.
Max has never gotten over his brief affair with Eleanor and he is shocked to see her while he is out fishing with his ward, Robert. She rejects his attempts to apologize for his past behavior, but he is determined to win her back. A growing affection between Robert and Caro gives him just the excuse he needs to get close to her again.
I liked the story. The details of what happened between Max and Eleanor all those years ago are slowly revealed over the course of the story. The sexual tension builds very well and I thought the payoff was good.
The story was short... maybe 70 pages, so we don't have an opportunity to get to emotionally invested in these two. And I didn't love the fact that a sizeable part of their discord was made by misunderstanding. But overall, I found the story engaging and enjoyable.
It's also a great set-up for The Importance of Being Wicked.
*ARC Provided by Avon
At 30, Eleanor is firmly on the shelf and has no plans to ever marry. Why should she? She has certainly seen her fair share of unhappy marriages. She has her own money and can make her own decisions about her life. So what if she still remembers the one night of passion she shared with a man five years ago? Max Quinton is in the past and he can never hurt her again. --Imagine her surprise when she runs into him while chaperoning her young cousin, Caro.
Max has never gotten over his brief affair with Eleanor and he is shocked to see her while he is out fishing with his ward, Robert. She rejects his attempts to apologize for his past behavior, but he is determined to win her back. A growing affection between Robert and Caro gives him just the excuse he needs to get close to her again.
I liked the story. The details of what happened between Max and Eleanor all those years ago are slowly revealed over the course of the story. The sexual tension builds very well and I thought the payoff was good.
The story was short... maybe 70 pages, so we don't have an opportunity to get to emotionally invested in these two. And I didn't love the fact that a sizeable part of their discord was made by misunderstanding. But overall, I found the story engaging and enjoyable.
It's also a great set-up for The Importance of Being Wicked.
*ARC Provided by Avon
January 14, 2013
เรื่องนี้เป็นเรื่องสั้น ๆ เพื่อเปิดตัวหนังสือชุดใหม่ของมิแรนดา เนวิลล์ โดยในเรื่องมีการปรากฎตัวของนางเอกในเรื่อง The Importance of Being Wicked แต่สำหรับเราแล้ว นี่เหมือนการสกัดดาวรุ่ง เพราะอ่านเล่มนี้จบแล้ว ไม่อยากอ่านต่อเลยค่ะ ไม่ชอบนิสัยของนางเอกในเล่มหน้าเอาเสียเลย
ในส่วนของเรื่องราวในเล่มนี้เองก็เป็นไปตามแบบฉบับเรื่องสั้น นั่นคือสั้นเกินกว่าจะสร้างความประทับใจอะไรเป็นชิ้นอันได้ชัดเจน การที่พระนางรู้จักกันมาก่อนถือเป็นเรื่องดีนะคะ เพราะไม่จำเป็นต้องสร้างความสัมพันธ์กันตั้งแต่นับหนึ่งใหม่ เราชอบที่นางเอกใจแข็ง และเป็นตัวของตัวเอง เธอตัดสินใจเลิก และตัดความสัมพันธ์กับพระเอก เมื่อรู้ว่า ตัวเองตกเป็นเป้าหมายของการพนันระหว่างพระเอก และเพื่อน เธอเดินออกจากชีวิตของเขา แล้วใช้ชีวิตโสดตามลำพัง ซึ่งตลอดเวลาพระเอกไม่เคยลืมเธอเลย
จริง ๆ ในส่วนของพระนางเอกในเล่มนี้เอง ถือว่าใช้ได้นะคะ แต่ความน่ารำคาญของคาโร ซึ่งจะเป็นนางเอกในเล่มต่อไป ทำให้เราอ่านแล้วหงุดหงิดไม่น้อย เธอเป็นคาแร็คเตอร์ที่แย่มาก ดูเหมือนคนแต่งพยายามสื่อว่า เธอเป็นหญิงสาวที่มีความตัวของตัวเอง และเลือกจะใช้ชีวิตแบบมีอิสระ แต่สิ่งที่เราเห็นก็คือ เด็กสาวที่เห็นแก่ตัวอย่างร้ายแรง ไม่เคยแคร์คนอื่น บอกตามตรงว่า อ่านเล่มนี้จบแล้ว ความคิดดั้งเดิมที่กะว่าจะหยิบเอาเรื่องของคาโรมาอ่าน ก็หมดไปทันที
ในส่วนของเรื่องราวในเล่มนี้เองก็เป็นไปตามแบบฉบับเรื่องสั้น นั่นคือสั้นเกินกว่าจะสร้างความประทับใจอะไรเป็นชิ้นอันได้ชัดเจน การที่พระนางรู้จักกันมาก่อนถือเป็นเรื่องดีนะคะ เพราะไม่จำเป็นต้องสร้างความสัมพันธ์กันตั้งแต่นับหนึ่งใหม่ เราชอบที่นางเอกใจแข็ง และเป็นตัวของตัวเอง เธอตัดสินใจเลิก และตัดความสัมพันธ์กับพระเอก เมื่อรู้ว่า ตัวเองตกเป็นเป้าหมายของการพนันระหว่างพระเอก และเพื่อน เธอเดินออกจากชีวิตของเขา แล้วใช้ชีวิตโสดตามลำพัง ซึ่งตลอดเวลาพระเอกไม่เคยลืมเธอเลย
จริง ๆ ในส่วนของพระนางเอกในเล่มนี้เอง ถือว่าใช้ได้นะคะ แต่ความน่ารำคาญของคาโร ซึ่งจะเป็นนางเอกในเล่มต่อไป ทำให้เราอ่านแล้วหงุดหงิดไม่น้อย เธอเป็นคาแร็คเตอร์ที่แย่มาก ดูเหมือนคนแต่งพยายามสื่อว่า เธอเป็นหญิงสาวที่มีความตัวของตัวเอง และเลือกจะใช้ชีวิตแบบมีอิสระ แต่สิ่งที่เราเห็นก็คือ เด็กสาวที่เห็นแก่ตัวอย่างร้ายแรง ไม่เคยแคร์คนอื่น บอกตามตรงว่า อ่านเล่มนี้จบแล้ว ความคิดดั้งเดิมที่กะว่าจะหยิบเอาเรื่องของคาโรมาอ่าน ก็หมดไปทันที
October 24, 2012
This was a truly charming novella, which is also the introduction to the heroine of Miranda Neville's next full-length book, The Importance of Being Wicked. Unlike some of the "tasters" I've read recently, this is a complete story and I although I could happily have read more about Max and Eleanor, I was quite satisfied with what I got.
Max is a wonderful hero - he's not a wastrel or a rake, or especially rich, but he's warm and funny and level-headed; just the sort of fella you'd want around in a crisis.
Eleanor is generous and giving, but is determined to remain unmarried, largely because her parents' marriage was not happy and she doesn't wish to tread the same path. Fortunately for her however, Max is gently persistent and steadfast in his love for her and she eventually realises that she can't allow her fear of an unhappy outcome to stop her having the things she wants from life.
A really enjoyable, quick read.
Max is a wonderful hero - he's not a wastrel or a rake, or especially rich, but he's warm and funny and level-headed; just the sort of fella you'd want around in a crisis.
Eleanor is generous and giving, but is determined to remain unmarried, largely because her parents' marriage was not happy and she doesn't wish to tread the same path. Fortunately for her however, Max is gently persistent and steadfast in his love for her and she eventually realises that she can't allow her fear of an unhappy outcome to stop her having the things she wants from life.
A really enjoyable, quick read.
November 10, 2014
Another novella introducing a book series where I ask “was this really necessary?” This one wasn’t bad, rather just “meh.” The problem I have with novellas, at least in the romance genre, is that most authors are not able to develop an interesting story in such a short space. It’s possible to do so, but not many accomplish. Here, our heroine Eleanor, lost her virginity to Max and then rebuffed him because she learned he’d made a bet that he could bet her. He admits to the bet, but had wanted to marry and saw it as a way to earn money. (Seriously, Max, you didn’t think she might be insulted??) He never forget her and when he discovers her five years later when visiting the young man for whom he serves as guardian, he decides to pursue her again. So the remainder of the story is pursuit and recognizing the problem of misperception. Not bad, just not that engaging.
3/5 on my romance scale.
3/5 on my romance scale.
September 11, 2013
I was a commitment phobe when I met my husband so I know where this woman is coming from. But I didn't like how it was handled in this novella because I wasn't convinced she really loved him. She didn't seem to have suffered overmuch by the 5-year separation and only seem to feel lust for him, which isn't enough reason to get married when you have been against the institution.
I can tell you from experience that when you are deeply afraid of commitment, only an abiding love will make you change your mind. And the fear doesn't go away just because the guy reassures you. YOU have to take a leap of faith and decide FOR YOURSELF, whether you are willing to take the risk or not. In this case, she seemed more interested in being a mother and having a house of her own than in the hero.
I'll continue the series but I think this can be skipped. It didn't add much to the series.
I can tell you from experience that when you are deeply afraid of commitment, only an abiding love will make you change your mind. And the fear doesn't go away just because the guy reassures you. YOU have to take a leap of faith and decide FOR YOURSELF, whether you are willing to take the risk or not. In this case, she seemed more interested in being a mother and having a house of her own than in the hero.
I'll continue the series but I think this can be skipped. It didn't add much to the series.
August 27, 2018
Enter the thrilling, sexy world of Georgian England in this splendid Miranda Neville novella—and catch a glimpse of Caro, the heroine of the upcoming The Importance of Being Wicked, on sale December 2012.
Eleanor Hardwick and Max Quinton shared one night of incredible passion…that was shattered the next day, when Eleanor learned of a bet placed by Max's friends. Now, a year later, Max still can't get Eleanor out of his head or his heart. He has a single chance to make a second impression—one that will last forever.
About the AuthorMiranda Neville grew up in England before moving to New York City to work in Sotheby's rare books department. After many years as a journalist and editor, she decided that writing fiction was more fun. She lives in Vermont.
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