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Daughters of Sin #1
Her Gilded Prison
She was determined to secure the succession, he was in it for the pleasure. Falling in love was not part of the arrangement.
***
When dashing twenty-five year old Stephen Cranbourne arrives at the estate he will one day inherit, it’s expected he will make a match with his beautiful second cousin, Araminta. But while proud, fiery Araminta and her shy, plain sister, Hetty, parade their very different charms before him, it’s their mother, Sybil, a lonely and discarded wife, who evokes first his sympathy and then stokes his lustful fires. As Stephen introduces Sybil to every pleasure she’s been deprived of, duty and passion become a deep and mutual love. But with the unexpected arrival of a contender to the estate, Sybil realises that what she's set in motion to save the family might have tragic consequences.
***
When dashing twenty-five year old Stephen Cranbourne arrives at the estate he will one day inherit, it’s expected he will make a match with his beautiful second cousin, Araminta. But while proud, fiery Araminta and her shy, plain sister, Hetty, parade their very different charms before him, it’s their mother, Sybil, a lonely and discarded wife, who evokes first his sympathy and then stokes his lustful fires. As Stephen introduces Sybil to every pleasure she’s been deprived of, duty and passion become a deep and mutual love. But with the unexpected arrival of a contender to the estate, Sybil realises that what she's set in motion to save the family might have tragic consequences.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2013
871 people are currently reading
1500 people want to read
About the author
Beverley Oakley
128 books211 followersAlso writes under Beverley Eikli.
Beverley Oakley writes Regency, Victorian and Georgian-set romances full of passion and laced with mystery and intrigue.
Born in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, she married the handsome bush pilot she met in Botswana while managing a safari lodge and has spent the rest of her life as a ‘trailing spouse’ doing what she loves most: writing books from sweet to steamy; and from humorous to historical romantic suspense.
Here’s more about her series.
Daughters of Sin
A very steamy, funny, witty and dangerous Regency-set ‘Dynasty’ featuring two nobly-born debutantes and their illegitimate sisters - laced with political intrigue, cheating spouses and, of course, dangerous gentlemen.
1. Her Gilded Prison
2. Dangerous Gentlemen
3. The Mysterious Governess
4. Beyond Rubies
5. Lady Unveiled: The Cuckold’s Conspiracy
(Prequel coming October 2021)
The Scandalous Miss Brightwells
A humorous, sometimes steamy, matchmaking series – with some books sweeter and more sensual and poignant.
1. Rake’s Honour
2. Rogue’s Kiss
3. The Wedding Wager
4. The Accidental Elopement
5. The Honourable Fortune Hunter
6. The Wilful Widow
7. The Courtship Caper
Fair Cyprians of London
A group of women who work in a high class House of Assignation. Ranging from very steamy to sweet, hopeful redemption stories.
1. Saving Grace
2. Forsaking Hope
3. Keeping Faith
4. Wedding Violet
5. Christmas Charity
6. Loving Lily
Hearts in Hiding
Historical romantic suspense, very steamy often showing the darker aspects of Regency society, including the dependence and subjugation of women – and how, against the odds, they find their happy-ever-afters.
1. The Duchess and the Highwayman
2. The Bluestocking and the Rake
3. Duchess of Seduction
4. The Countess and the Cavalier
Scandalous: Three Daring Charades
Three sweet, yet intrigue-filled Regency historicals
Lady Sarah’s Redemption
Lady Olivia’s Butterfly
A Little Deception
You can connect with Beverley on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeverl...,
or through her website at: www.beverleyoakley.com
http://twitter.com/BeverleyOakley
https://www.facebook.com/beverley.eikli
Beverley Oakley writes Regency, Victorian and Georgian-set romances full of passion and laced with mystery and intrigue.
Born in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, she married the handsome bush pilot she met in Botswana while managing a safari lodge and has spent the rest of her life as a ‘trailing spouse’ doing what she loves most: writing books from sweet to steamy; and from humorous to historical romantic suspense.
Here’s more about her series.
Daughters of Sin
A very steamy, funny, witty and dangerous Regency-set ‘Dynasty’ featuring two nobly-born debutantes and their illegitimate sisters - laced with political intrigue, cheating spouses and, of course, dangerous gentlemen.
1. Her Gilded Prison
2. Dangerous Gentlemen
3. The Mysterious Governess
4. Beyond Rubies
5. Lady Unveiled: The Cuckold’s Conspiracy
(Prequel coming October 2021)
The Scandalous Miss Brightwells
A humorous, sometimes steamy, matchmaking series – with some books sweeter and more sensual and poignant.
1. Rake’s Honour
2. Rogue’s Kiss
3. The Wedding Wager
4. The Accidental Elopement
5. The Honourable Fortune Hunter
6. The Wilful Widow
7. The Courtship Caper
Fair Cyprians of London
A group of women who work in a high class House of Assignation. Ranging from very steamy to sweet, hopeful redemption stories.
1. Saving Grace
2. Forsaking Hope
3. Keeping Faith
4. Wedding Violet
5. Christmas Charity
6. Loving Lily
Hearts in Hiding
Historical romantic suspense, very steamy often showing the darker aspects of Regency society, including the dependence and subjugation of women – and how, against the odds, they find their happy-ever-afters.
1. The Duchess and the Highwayman
2. The Bluestocking and the Rake
3. Duchess of Seduction
4. The Countess and the Cavalier
Scandalous: Three Daring Charades
Three sweet, yet intrigue-filled Regency historicals
Lady Sarah’s Redemption
Lady Olivia’s Butterfly
A Little Deception
You can connect with Beverley on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeverl...,
or through her website at: www.beverleyoakley.com
http://twitter.com/BeverleyOakley
https://www.facebook.com/beverley.eikli
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
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March 31, 2019Ugh, big fat DNF!
The hero, for lack of a better word, has a sordid sexual encounter in a closet with the wife of an acquaintance. It's a setup so he'll lose a bet. Sucker.
The heroine has been married for about twenty years to a man who is in love with another woman and has a whole family that comes to their same church. The husband makes it clear what a chore it is to bed his wife. Hurray, the hero is now here to take up the slack. That was irony.
The heroine's two daughters are in parts bitchy and pathetic. The older one will do or say anything to get what she wants; her own mother doesn't like her. And the younger more plain one just rolls over.
Really gross. More worms under a rock behavior on the part of just about everybody. The kicker is when the husband who has been cheating for decades pitches a fit that the heroine has committed adultery then makes the point once again how she never made him happy and what a disappointment she was.
The hero, for lack of a better word, has a sordid sexual encounter in a closet with the wife of an acquaintance. It's a setup so he'll lose a bet. Sucker.
The heroine has been married for about twenty years to a man who is in love with another woman and has a whole family that comes to their same church. The husband makes it clear what a chore it is to bed his wife. Hurray, the hero is now here to take up the slack. That was irony.
The heroine's two daughters are in parts bitchy and pathetic. The older one will do or say anything to get what she wants; her own mother doesn't like her. And the younger more plain one just rolls over.
Really gross. More worms under a rock behavior on the part of just about everybody. The kicker is when the husband who has been cheating for decades pitches a fit that the heroine has committed adultery then makes the point once again how she never made him happy and what a disappointment she was.
July 10, 2018
Cute, enjoyable family melodrama (NB: please be aware, as always, that my 'cute' varies from other romance readers' interpretation ;P). Despite this being a repackaged Ellora's Cave story, the sex is vanilla & only very slightly spicier than standard Avons (mainly in word choice -- the word 'fuck' appears twice), so if you're looking for in-depth erotica, this isn't it.
I was disbelieving of the blurb describing this story cycle as a Regency-era Dynasty, but now I can see why. The matriarch & patriarch are married, yes, but only in name; Humphrey neglects his titled family to spend all his time & happy emojis with his OTHER family, & he considers it cheapening to his beloved mistress to make babies on his wife. Classy. :D But now that the legit daughters are preparing to enter their Season, our heroine Sybil, a 40-yr-old mum, has had enough of being the superfluous, neglected spleen on her family. Nobody gives a rat's ass about her feelings except her younger daughter, Hetty (who's in love with mimbo cousin Edgar), so Sybil decides to have an affair with 25-yr-old hero Stephen, Humphrey's distant relation. Add to the mix a massive bankroll, an estate without a proper heir, hints of Napoleonic traitors, & compromising scandals attached to the family -- plus Sybil's guilt over her Cougar Feelz for a guy her spoiled, bitchy daughter Araminta is also hot for -- & you do indeed have soap of the highest order.
There is a HEA of sorts, but it's not a firm one, & it's not a love-conquers-all kind of bliss -- it's a live & let live, "fuck off, I deserve this & you can't deny it" kind of ending. Later books focus on the daughters, both legitimate & illegitimate, as they find their own adventures in London. (Happily, Araminta's do NOT include Stephen -- because Araminta is a breathtakingly selfish, spoiled cow & I hope she gets run over by a carriage. :D)
Pearl clutchers, beware of CHEATING. It's part of the story & it's there for a reason. Also the hero boffs another woman in chapter 1 & at first believes he's in love with Araminta, not Sybil. Either deal with it & let things unfold naturally, or read something else. This isn't a soothing avocado mask of romance, & THANK YOU to the author for writing it...because there ARE still readers who want actual highs & lows in their written adventures.
I was disbelieving of the blurb describing this story cycle as a Regency-era Dynasty, but now I can see why. The matriarch & patriarch are married, yes, but only in name; Humphrey neglects his titled family to spend all his time & happy emojis with his OTHER family, & he considers it cheapening to his beloved mistress to make babies on his wife. Classy. :D But now that the legit daughters are preparing to enter their Season, our heroine Sybil, a 40-yr-old mum, has had enough of being the superfluous, neglected spleen on her family. Nobody gives a rat's ass about her feelings except her younger daughter, Hetty (who's in love with mimbo cousin Edgar), so Sybil decides to have an affair with 25-yr-old hero Stephen, Humphrey's distant relation. Add to the mix a massive bankroll, an estate without a proper heir, hints of Napoleonic traitors, & compromising scandals attached to the family -- plus Sybil's guilt over her Cougar Feelz for a guy her spoiled, bitchy daughter Araminta is also hot for -- & you do indeed have soap of the highest order.
There is a HEA of sorts, but it's not a firm one, & it's not a love-conquers-all kind of bliss -- it's a live & let live, "fuck off, I deserve this & you can't deny it" kind of ending. Later books focus on the daughters, both legitimate & illegitimate, as they find their own adventures in London. (Happily, Araminta's do NOT include Stephen -- because Araminta is a breathtakingly selfish, spoiled cow & I hope she gets run over by a carriage. :D)
Pearl clutchers, beware of CHEATING. It's part of the story & it's there for a reason. Also the hero boffs another woman in chapter 1 & at first believes he's in love with Araminta, not Sybil. Either deal with it & let things unfold naturally, or read something else. This isn't a soothing avocado mask of romance, & THANK YOU to the author for writing it...because there ARE still readers who want actual highs & lows in their written adventures.
March 14, 2023
I liked the originality, although it's not a HEA I root for. This isn't a triangle; it's almost a love quartet!😂 I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is sensitive about cheating.
Definitely, what hooked me was wanting to find out the outcome of Sybil's love life. She is 38 years old, if I'm not mistaken, and has never been loved. She is the major protagonist of this book without a doubt; meeting the hero was almost irrelevant to me.
Definitely, what hooked me was wanting to find out the outcome of Sybil's love life. She is 38 years old, if I'm not mistaken, and has never been loved. She is the major protagonist of this book without a doubt; meeting the hero was almost irrelevant to me.
September 3, 2016
Her Gilded Prison (Daughters of Sin) by Beverley Oakley
Reviewed by Isha Coleman for Candid Book Reviews
Beverley Oakley broke every rule in the romance manual creating Stephen and Sybil. There was scandal, intrigue and consequences for every move this couple made. Her Gilded Prison tells the story of a woman who will sacrifice anything for her daughters, even her own happiness. Stephen is a temptation she doesn't need but finds hard to resist. This pairing breaks many a stereotype, pushes the envelope repeatedly but even though you see the obvious trainwreck coming, is hard to turn away from. Her Gilded Prison is the reason guilty pleasures are so addictive.
Reviewed by Isha Coleman for Candid Book Reviews
Beverley Oakley broke every rule in the romance manual creating Stephen and Sybil. There was scandal, intrigue and consequences for every move this couple made. Her Gilded Prison tells the story of a woman who will sacrifice anything for her daughters, even her own happiness. Stephen is a temptation she doesn't need but finds hard to resist. This pairing breaks many a stereotype, pushes the envelope repeatedly but even though you see the obvious trainwreck coming, is hard to turn away from. Her Gilded Prison is the reason guilty pleasures are so addictive.
August 15, 2014
A pretty interesting erotic historical romance. The plot was a little far-fetched, but the characters were multi-dimensional and the ending was satisfying. Erotic, but no more explicit than most main-line romances.
ARC courtesy of the author.
ARC courtesy of the author.
July 2, 2017
This amounted to regency erotica to me and not even well done erotica.
December 31, 2025
This was a bizarre romance. The setup is that Sybil's husband, Horace, likes her but is in love with the woman his father disapproved of (apparently threatening to disown him); Horace has remained as faithful as possible to his lover (despite having at least three children (1 set of twins) with Sybil--there may have been a miscarriage mixed in), but he doesn't feel any sexual attraction to her and must be intoxicated to even attempt to perform. Their son, George, died 4 years before the story starts, so the title and property will be inherited by a male cousin. They have two surviving daughters: Armentina, who is apparently a "diamond of the first water" but is fundamentally selfish and just awful to her mother and sister, and Hetty, who is kind and caring, but a bit plain. Armentina is hellbent on marrying her father's heir, and continuing to live at the family house, or, alternatively, marrying someone wealthy enough to apparently build her an exact copy. Meanwhile, Horace has a second family with his mistress; that family is somehow accepted in local society even though his mistress is unmarried and raising her children as an unmarried mother.
Sybil has serious self-esteem issues, stemming from her husband's honest lack of interest in her and Armentina's treatment (apparently, Armentina think it's her mother's fault that her father goes out at night, but is somehow not bright enough to have figured out his illicit connection with a family in the neighborhood). Sybil's jealous of her rival, which I understand, but her thoughts are really unkind about Horace's other kids, even as she recognizes that their familial status makes it unlikely (if not impossible) that they will obtain any social status.
All of this might actually be a good setup, but it falls apart in the execution. Stephen is a cousin who is now the heir because the cousin expected to inherit is reported dead in the Peninsular campaign. In the first chapter, Stephen is seduced by the wife of his host. One of the reasons she's easily successful is that he can't get over that a beautiful woman wants him; he thinks to himself that it's been a long time since he didn't have to pay a woman for sexual intimacy. He also feels badly about committing adultery.
Well, that first chapter would make you think that Stephen isn't that attractive, and that he's so ashamed of having sex with a married woman that he'd never do that again. But, no, he's super-handsome, apparently great in bed, and eager to bed Sybil. He has absolutely no problem staring at a naked Sybil, who is getting out of her bath while he's climbing the wall (after an errant canary who largely disappears after giving Stephen an excuse to be a Peeping Tom). Even as he tells Sybil how beautiful she is and becomes involved with her, he's flirting with Armentina, who he expects to marry. Even as he tells himself that he's in love with Sybil (not entirely sure why, as they spend most of their time having sex as opposed to really getting to know each other), he's still courting Armentina, and Sybil knows it.
Look, Armentina is a pill, but this is one deeply dysfunctional situation. And the story keeps getting weirder. But also strangely repetitive. Horace and Sybil have the same basic conversation at least 4 times about Armentina and her ambitions, and they end every single one of them with, "well, what can we do about it?" Actually, as parents in the early 19th century, they could do plenty--threaten to cut her off if she decides to marry an unsuitable candidate, refuse to let said undesirable candidate visit or stay in the family home, take her to the continent to meet other people, send her to the middle of nowhere to "visit" distant relations, etc. But they never think of these things.
The "happily ever after" resolution is also weird, though I guess I'll give it points for being as unconventionally realistic (well, as realistic as any of these endings might be). After slogging through the first hundred or so pages, I found myself skimming this the rest of the way. Don't waste your time.
Sybil has serious self-esteem issues, stemming from her husband's honest lack of interest in her and Armentina's treatment (apparently, Armentina think it's her mother's fault that her father goes out at night, but is somehow not bright enough to have figured out his illicit connection with a family in the neighborhood). Sybil's jealous of her rival, which I understand, but her thoughts are really unkind about Horace's other kids, even as she recognizes that their familial status makes it unlikely (if not impossible) that they will obtain any social status.
All of this might actually be a good setup, but it falls apart in the execution. Stephen is a cousin who is now the heir because the cousin expected to inherit is reported dead in the Peninsular campaign. In the first chapter, Stephen is seduced by the wife of his host. One of the reasons she's easily successful is that he can't get over that a beautiful woman wants him; he thinks to himself that it's been a long time since he didn't have to pay a woman for sexual intimacy. He also feels badly about committing adultery.
Well, that first chapter would make you think that Stephen isn't that attractive, and that he's so ashamed of having sex with a married woman that he'd never do that again. But, no, he's super-handsome, apparently great in bed, and eager to bed Sybil. He has absolutely no problem staring at a naked Sybil, who is getting out of her bath while he's climbing the wall (after an errant canary who largely disappears after giving Stephen an excuse to be a Peeping Tom). Even as he tells Sybil how beautiful she is and becomes involved with her, he's flirting with Armentina, who he expects to marry. Even as he tells himself that he's in love with Sybil (not entirely sure why, as they spend most of their time having sex as opposed to really getting to know each other), he's still courting Armentina, and Sybil knows it.
Look, Armentina is a pill, but this is one deeply dysfunctional situation. And the story keeps getting weirder. But also strangely repetitive. Horace and Sybil have the same basic conversation at least 4 times about Armentina and her ambitions, and they end every single one of them with, "well, what can we do about it?" Actually, as parents in the early 19th century, they could do plenty--threaten to cut her off if she decides to marry an unsuitable candidate, refuse to let said undesirable candidate visit or stay in the family home, take her to the continent to meet other people, send her to the middle of nowhere to "visit" distant relations, etc. But they never think of these things.
The "happily ever after" resolution is also weird, though I guess I'll give it points for being as unconventionally realistic (well, as realistic as any of these endings might be). After slogging through the first hundred or so pages, I found myself skimming this the rest of the way. Don't waste your time.
February 10, 2020
A spicy tale
Trapped in a loveless marriage the main character has to try and secure her daughters’ futures and their estate. Along comes her husband’s heir and when he is attracted to her instead of her daughters, things get interesting.
Trapped in a loveless marriage the main character has to try and secure her daughters’ futures and their estate. Along comes her husband’s heir and when he is attracted to her instead of her daughters, things get interesting.
November 17, 2023
This book was not what I was expecting from the blurb. I was expecting Sybil's husband to be the typical heartless, cruel man and as we stay over the course of their marriage he has been kind to her but never really caring. And I was expecting something to happen to him. His backstory is typical of young men compressioned by their others. The sad effects of this on both "families" is seen.
I was expecting Stephen to be an accomplished, confident man, and was surprised to see his insecurities and how he was portrayed at the beginning but loved him by the end. Some will hate what Stephen did at the beginning of the story while in that insecure phase. It was racy/sordid in the first setting, the second lady spider to dazzle him was confusing at first and thankfully was fleeting and both served to highlight the difference to what he ended up having with Sybil.
There is some twists about the next heir, some scheming ladies, and betrayal.
I thought all would be neatly tied up but the thread continues on in the story of the 4 girls. I am going to read the next book because it's about Hetty and I want more of Sybil and Stephen.
I was both disappointed but also okay with how the relationships/ "marriages" turned out. I guess that would have been the more realistic outcome for that time. Lots of feels, is steamy and has cheating (not by the hero on the heroine). There are grey areas, and two sides to every story, but is it wrong that I hope some characters are not fully redeemed and get the life they plotted for?
I was expecting Stephen to be an accomplished, confident man, and was surprised to see his insecurities and how he was portrayed at the beginning but loved him by the end. Some will hate what Stephen did at the beginning of the story while in that insecure phase. It was racy/sordid in the first setting, the second lady spider to dazzle him was confusing at first and thankfully was fleeting and both served to highlight the difference to what he ended up having with Sybil.
There is some twists about the next heir, some scheming ladies, and betrayal.
I thought all would be neatly tied up but the thread continues on in the story of the 4 girls. I am going to read the next book because it's about Hetty and I want more of Sybil and Stephen.
I was both disappointed but also okay with how the relationships/ "marriages" turned out. I guess that would have been the more realistic outcome for that time. Lots of feels, is steamy and has cheating (not by the hero on the heroine). There are grey areas, and two sides to every story, but is it wrong that I hope some characters are not fully redeemed and get the life they plotted for?
June 21, 2016
Love it
Well that was some tale and yes I had no choice in seeing how this writer would end this tale. Bravo B.O well done I for one wish you continue success and yes I look forward to completing the tales one by one and see how each sister unfolds. I only give reviews to my author and it's unfair to you the reader to tell you any part of the writer's story. But I will let all who read my reviews as to weather you should read as to weather you should not waste your time. This is a book you will be very happy with and I'm sure you will give a wonderful review. Enjoy. Beverly May your guardian Angel continue to guide your mind and hands. D.H. from New York City
Well that was some tale and yes I had no choice in seeing how this writer would end this tale. Bravo B.O well done I for one wish you continue success and yes I look forward to completing the tales one by one and see how each sister unfolds. I only give reviews to my author and it's unfair to you the reader to tell you any part of the writer's story. But I will let all who read my reviews as to weather you should read as to weather you should not waste your time. This is a book you will be very happy with and I'm sure you will give a wonderful review. Enjoy. Beverly May your guardian Angel continue to guide your mind and hands. D.H. from New York City
May 16, 2017
I thought that this was the first of Beverley Oakley's stories that I had read but was very pleasantly surprised to discover on checking back that I have in fact read another and enjoyed this one just as much, if not more than the first story that I'd read.
What do I think of this book? I loved it! The theme was so very clever and so novel. There are so many different twists and turns woven into this story that one cannot be anything but totally engrossed and interested in what is going to happen next. I was kept guessing most of the time and loved it as each scene unfolded and played itself out.
If you want to be thoroughly entertained, then this is the book for you!
What do I think of this book? I loved it! The theme was so very clever and so novel. There are so many different twists and turns woven into this story that one cannot be anything but totally engrossed and interested in what is going to happen next. I was kept guessing most of the time and loved it as each scene unfolded and played itself out.
If you want to be thoroughly entertained, then this is the book for you!
October 10, 2018
Unique storyline
I enjoyed this book for the unique storyline. There was some interesting events and situations. This is a Fun and quick read.
I enjoyed this book for the unique storyline. There was some interesting events and situations. This is a Fun and quick read.
January 24, 2020
I almost wanted to give a third star just for the refreshing cougar theme. But even though I'm all for the slighted middle aged wife getting to shag the hunk, this just isn't a very good book.
Read
April 1, 2021From reading reviews, readers have both likes & dislikes of this romance. I admit, I to hate many aspects of the story. But there are many enjoyable parts too especially when Lady Sybil finally gets some pleasure in her lonely existence. Trapped in a loveless marriage Lady Sybil has being trying to bed her husband for 3 years to produce another heir to secure her daughters’ futures and their estate.
Here comes Stephen recently back from war to visit the property that will one day be his. Stephen knows his duty & obligation to the family & security of his inheritance. This includes trying to fall in love with the oldest daughter of Lord Humphrey & Lady Sybil the selfish, spoiled shrew Lady Araminta.
Cousin Stephen has his own issues for being such a hunk. He had an affair with a married woman, has Lady Araminta trying to seduce him. Plus, the long-lost cousin who the family believed died at in the war shows up to claim his place to inherit. That kicks Stephen out of the line of secession of the inheritance. With all that he has his own secrets, & debts that he must resolve. He owes money on a bet that he believes he was cheated out of. Though without real proof of cheating occurring. He is stuck & needs to rely on his cousin Humphrey to assist with his debt & help get attached for a job with the foreign service.
Stephen needs the funds to pay the aristocratic couple who somehow cheated on the bet. How? By having the lady of the house Lady Julia seduce Stephen to distraction while her husband finds a way to change the spiders to have the bet go in their favor. Stephen is out 1000 pounds. I do find this part of the storyline quite silly.
I'm thrilled that the author wrote a theme of a younger man, & a sophisticated, loyal older woman romance. Lots of twists & turns based Between the era & the have quite a bit of rules, scandal, gossip woman concept. Though in that era, it is a bit hard to have a HEA.
Lord Stephen wants to make Lady Sybil come in more ways than one! He will do anything to convince the beauty how much he lusts for her body. Show her a touch of desire, & sensual, explicit & exotic love. He will give her all the lust a woman is supposed to express & beg for.
Here comes Stephen recently back from war to visit the property that will one day be his. Stephen knows his duty & obligation to the family & security of his inheritance. This includes trying to fall in love with the oldest daughter of Lord Humphrey & Lady Sybil the selfish, spoiled shrew Lady Araminta.
Cousin Stephen has his own issues for being such a hunk. He had an affair with a married woman, has Lady Araminta trying to seduce him. Plus, the long-lost cousin who the family believed died at in the war shows up to claim his place to inherit. That kicks Stephen out of the line of secession of the inheritance. With all that he has his own secrets, & debts that he must resolve. He owes money on a bet that he believes he was cheated out of. Though without real proof of cheating occurring. He is stuck & needs to rely on his cousin Humphrey to assist with his debt & help get attached for a job with the foreign service.
Stephen needs the funds to pay the aristocratic couple who somehow cheated on the bet. How? By having the lady of the house Lady Julia seduce Stephen to distraction while her husband finds a way to change the spiders to have the bet go in their favor. Stephen is out 1000 pounds. I do find this part of the storyline quite silly.
I'm thrilled that the author wrote a theme of a younger man, & a sophisticated, loyal older woman romance. Lots of twists & turns based Between the era & the have quite a bit of rules, scandal, gossip woman concept. Though in that era, it is a bit hard to have a HEA.
Lord Stephen wants to make Lady Sybil come in more ways than one! He will do anything to convince the beauty how much he lusts for her body. Show her a touch of desire, & sensual, explicit & exotic love. He will give her all the lust a woman is supposed to express & beg for.
March 25, 2021
From reading reviews, readers have both likes & dislikes of this romance. I admit, I to hate many aspects of the story. But there are many enjoyable parts too especially when Lady Sybil finally gets some pleasure in her lonely existence. Trapped in a loveless marriage Lady Sybil has being trying to bed her husband for 3 years to produce another heir to secure her daughters’ futures and their estate.
Here comes Stephen recently back from war to visit the property that will one day be his. Stephen knows his duty & obligation to the family & security of his inheritance. This includes trying to fall in love with the oldest daughter of Lord Humphrey & Lady Sybil the selfish, spoiled shrew Lady Araminta.
Cousin Stephen has his own issues for being such a hunk. He had an affair with a married woman, has Lady Araminta trying to seduce him. Plus, the long-lost cousin who the family believed died at in the war shows up to claim his place to inherit. That kicks Stephen out of the line of secession of the inheritance. With all that he has his own secrets, & debts that he must resolve. He owes money on a bet that he believes he was cheated out of. Though without real proof of cheating occurring. He is stuck & needs to rely on his cousin Humphrey to assist with his debt & help get attached for a job with the foreign service.
Stephen needs the funds to pay the aristocratic couple who somehow cheated on the bet. How? By having the lady of the house Lady Julia seduce Stephen to distraction while her husband finds a way to change the spiders to have the bet go in their favor. Stephen is out 1000 pounds. I do find this part of the storyline quite silly.
I'm thrilled that the author wrote a theme of a younger man, & a sophisticated, loyal older woman romance. Lots of twists & turns based Between the era & the have quite a bit of rules, scandal, gossip woman concept. Though in that era, it is a bit hard to have a HEA.
Lord Stephen wants to make Lady Sybil come in more ways than one! He will do anything to convince the beauty how much he lusts for her body. Show her a touch of desire, & sensual, explicit & exotic love. He will give her all the lust a woman is supposed to express & beg for.
Here comes Stephen recently back from war to visit the property that will one day be his. Stephen knows his duty & obligation to the family & security of his inheritance. This includes trying to fall in love with the oldest daughter of Lord Humphrey & Lady Sybil the selfish, spoiled shrew Lady Araminta.
Cousin Stephen has his own issues for being such a hunk. He had an affair with a married woman, has Lady Araminta trying to seduce him. Plus, the long-lost cousin who the family believed died at in the war shows up to claim his place to inherit. That kicks Stephen out of the line of secession of the inheritance. With all that he has his own secrets, & debts that he must resolve. He owes money on a bet that he believes he was cheated out of. Though without real proof of cheating occurring. He is stuck & needs to rely on his cousin Humphrey to assist with his debt & help get attached for a job with the foreign service.
Stephen needs the funds to pay the aristocratic couple who somehow cheated on the bet. How? By having the lady of the house Lady Julia seduce Stephen to distraction while her husband finds a way to change the spiders to have the bet go in their favor. Stephen is out 1000 pounds. I do find this part of the storyline quite silly.
I'm thrilled that the author wrote a theme of a younger man, & a sophisticated, loyal older woman romance. Lots of twists & turns based Between the era & the have quite a bit of rules, scandal, gossip woman concept. Though in that era, it is a bit hard to have a HEA.
Lord Stephen wants to make Lady Sybil come in more ways than one! He will do anything to convince the beauty how much he lusts for her body. Show her a touch of desire, & sensual, explicit & exotic love. He will give her all the lust a woman is supposed to express & beg for.
June 18, 2020
Not sure about this one.
I almost quit reading before I ever got thru chapter 2, but I have never left a book unfinished so I went on. I have loved regional romances for over 2 decades and have never read one quite like this. Stephen was an unbelievable rake. Too weak of a man to say no or keep himself in check no matter his future was on the line. Araminta was the worst sort of person that no one seemed to be able to correct or cared too until near the end. Stephen and Sybil ended up being brazen at the end and it seemed to have turned out decent for them. I was annoyed by the whole spider thing as well, Stephen tells Sybil the whole story of the spider not long after his arrival and of the plan Humphrey has to help him, yet she acts like she knows nothing when it gets close to time and then finally alludes to a.conversation she had with Humphrey about the spiders,I went back and re-read to make sure I wasn't imagining it but I didnt, there were a few editing errors throughout the book. It did finally grab my interest mainly because of the train wreck of things happening, the authors warning towards the second book of the series has me worried but my OCD will probably ensure that I read it. Anyway I will have to give this book some more thought, it was certainly different that what I was expecting but not as bad in the end as I had feared upon the start.
I almost quit reading before I ever got thru chapter 2, but I have never left a book unfinished so I went on. I have loved regional romances for over 2 decades and have never read one quite like this. Stephen was an unbelievable rake. Too weak of a man to say no or keep himself in check no matter his future was on the line. Araminta was the worst sort of person that no one seemed to be able to correct or cared too until near the end. Stephen and Sybil ended up being brazen at the end and it seemed to have turned out decent for them. I was annoyed by the whole spider thing as well, Stephen tells Sybil the whole story of the spider not long after his arrival and of the plan Humphrey has to help him, yet she acts like she knows nothing when it gets close to time and then finally alludes to a.conversation she had with Humphrey about the spiders,I went back and re-read to make sure I wasn't imagining it but I didnt, there were a few editing errors throughout the book. It did finally grab my interest mainly because of the train wreck of things happening, the authors warning towards the second book of the series has me worried but my OCD will probably ensure that I read it. Anyway I will have to give this book some more thought, it was certainly different that what I was expecting but not as bad in the end as I had feared upon the start.
September 29, 2023
I really loved this story!!! The story isn’t pretty though- & I think that’s why I love it so.
Sybil is in a loveless marriage, with a husband who is in love with his mistress & has fathered children with not just his wife but with his mistress too.
Sybil has 2 daughters, opposite in personalities & temperament and she has a difficult relationship with one of them.
Stephen is Sybil’s husbands nephew, second in line as his heir & stands to inherit since there are no direct male heirs in the family. Sybil propositions Stephen, Stephen gladly accepts, and they fall in love. There’s more, of course but I just really like the angst of it all.
Sybil is trapped in a loveless marriage but so is her husband. I thought the husbands feelings were interesting. He wasn’t a bad man necessarily just stuck because he made his choice from duty and not for love and because of his choices, everyone kind of suffered.
This is a second chance romance that I truly enjoyed. I saw the characters as real people with their flaws exposed and overcoming.
That moment when Stephen confronted Sybil’s husband!!!! Gah!!!! LOVED!!! Five stars!!!!
Sybil is in a loveless marriage, with a husband who is in love with his mistress & has fathered children with not just his wife but with his mistress too.
Sybil has 2 daughters, opposite in personalities & temperament and she has a difficult relationship with one of them.
Stephen is Sybil’s husbands nephew, second in line as his heir & stands to inherit since there are no direct male heirs in the family. Sybil propositions Stephen, Stephen gladly accepts, and they fall in love. There’s more, of course but I just really like the angst of it all.
Sybil is trapped in a loveless marriage but so is her husband. I thought the husbands feelings were interesting. He wasn’t a bad man necessarily just stuck because he made his choice from duty and not for love and because of his choices, everyone kind of suffered.
This is a second chance romance that I truly enjoyed. I saw the characters as real people with their flaws exposed and overcoming.
That moment when Stephen confronted Sybil’s husband!!!! Gah!!!! LOVED!!! Five stars!!!!
August 25, 2020
What a fun read! I really liked how the story keep surprising me at every turn!
Very different from the usual formulaic romance novels my favorite platform recommends I read, this book cleverly plays with the tropes of the genre and either reverse them or give them a new twist. So, instead of the rich, single, older,womanizing experienced nobleman falling for the poor, equally single, younger, virgin innocent, lower class girl, we have Stephen Cranborne, a poor single young man (made even poorer after chapter 1) falling for Lady Sybil Partington, an unhappily married older noblewoman. And it works.
The characters have some depth so it's easy to understand their motivations and have sympathy for them. The necessary drama is provided by slightly over-the-top but highly entertaining secondary characters: cheating Humphrey, sweet Hetty, spoiled Araminta, scheming Lady Julia, mysterious Mrs. Hazlett and more.
And the end doesn't disappoint as it is very unconventional and yet completely satisfying.
I'm off to read book 2 in the serie!
Very different from the usual formulaic romance novels my favorite platform recommends I read, this book cleverly plays with the tropes of the genre and either reverse them or give them a new twist. So, instead of the rich, single, older,
The characters have some depth so it's easy to understand their motivations and have sympathy for them. The necessary drama is provided by slightly over-the-top but highly entertaining secondary characters: cheating Humphrey, sweet Hetty, spoiled Araminta, scheming Lady Julia, mysterious Mrs. Hazlett and more.
And the end doesn't disappoint as it is very unconventional and yet completely satisfying.
I'm off to read book 2 in the serie!
May 5, 2021
For me, the emotional heart of Her Gilded Prison is Sybil's relationship with her husband. It packed the most punch. That he did not love her but had another family with the OW that was his one true love, did not even want to try to have an heir with her even though he does not like the distant family relation that would inherit everything-ooh that will mess you up!!
I know the story is not about them but they were more interesting to me to contemplate than the relationship between Stephen and Sybil, which felt by-the-numbers. After the heir is killed at war, Sybil's husband finds the next male in line, which is Stephen. Stephen is invited to become acquainted with the family. Araminta, Sybil's eldest daughter believes it is her duty to marry the heir of their land, and so she's got her hooks on Stephen as soon as he arrives. Araminta was a mean girl but she was fun to read, as she livened things up. Meanwhile, Stephen ends up attracted to Sybil instead. Oops.
Although I love a good pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ending, I respected the realistic ending.
I know the story is not about them but they were more interesting to me to contemplate than the relationship between Stephen and Sybil, which felt by-the-numbers. After the heir is killed at war, Sybil's husband finds the next male in line, which is Stephen. Stephen is invited to become acquainted with the family. Araminta, Sybil's eldest daughter believes it is her duty to marry the heir of their land, and so she's got her hooks on Stephen as soon as he arrives. Araminta was a mean girl but she was fun to read, as she livened things up. Meanwhile, Stephen ends up attracted to Sybil instead. Oops.
Although I love a good pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ending, I respected the realistic ending.
October 5, 2017
Her Gilded Prison by Beverley Oakley is a great read. This historical romance is a well-written book. Ms Oakley has given us a story with a phenomenal cast of characters. Stephen and Sybil's story is loaded with drama, bits of humor and sizzling hot sexy bits. Sybil is married to a man that doesn't want her...but his heir does. This is a bit of a twisted tale, but a great read. I enjoyed reading Her Gilded Prison and look forward to reading more from Beverley Oakley in the future. Her Gilded Prison is book 1 in the Daughters of Sin Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
June 25, 2018
Great read!
This was a well written, good read and not your usual Regency romance. Sybil, the lead female character, has been married for many years to a man who has never loved her. She has birthed two daughters to him and one son who dies young. Her husband has maintained a mistress, his long-time first love, for many years and has had children with her. Stephen, the husband's heir arrives, and the gist of the story takes off at this point and this is where the story becomes quite engrossing. There are some steamy scenes in this story. Overall, my interest was kept and I couldn't wait to see how everything evolved.
This was a well written, good read and not your usual Regency romance. Sybil, the lead female character, has been married for many years to a man who has never loved her. She has birthed two daughters to him and one son who dies young. Her husband has maintained a mistress, his long-time first love, for many years and has had children with her. Stephen, the husband's heir arrives, and the gist of the story takes off at this point and this is where the story becomes quite engrossing. There are some steamy scenes in this story. Overall, my interest was kept and I couldn't wait to see how everything evolved.
August 23, 2018
Interesting storyline
This story is certainly unique for a Regency romance with husband and wife cheating on each other with the hero involved, too. There's a bit much of "woe is me, nobody loves me" from the heroine, Sybil. Humphrey, her husband, doesn't quite fit the mold of villain, but he's not all that good either. Araminta is, simply, a shrew, and Hetty a naive doormat. The book needs a proofreader. For instance, the name of Humphrey's mistress changes from Hazlett to Hazlitt and back again. There's also some use of anachronistic terms (e.g., doormat). These types of errors prevent the book from attaining a 4-star rating.
This story is certainly unique for a Regency romance with husband and wife cheating on each other with the hero involved, too. There's a bit much of "woe is me, nobody loves me" from the heroine, Sybil. Humphrey, her husband, doesn't quite fit the mold of villain, but he's not all that good either. Araminta is, simply, a shrew, and Hetty a naive doormat. The book needs a proofreader. For instance, the name of Humphrey's mistress changes from Hazlett to Hazlitt and back again. There's also some use of anachronistic terms (e.g., doormat). These types of errors prevent the book from attaining a 4-star rating.
June 4, 2019
Skipping Chapters
I needed to skip chapters in order to try to finish the book. After this was done, I enjoyed this book. I don’t care for romances where characters such as Araminta are over the top mean and full of angst. Sybil and Stephen's story starting at chapter 7 is endearing. I was disappointed that the epilogue didn’t include whether the baby was a boy or a girl. I thought I would buy the next book in the series but after reading a synopsis of the story decided against it due again, to the meanness of Araminta discussed there. One doesn’t read a romance novel for that type of character's interference and angst.
I needed to skip chapters in order to try to finish the book. After this was done, I enjoyed this book. I don’t care for romances where characters such as Araminta are over the top mean and full of angst. Sybil and Stephen's story starting at chapter 7 is endearing. I was disappointed that the epilogue didn’t include whether the baby was a boy or a girl. I thought I would buy the next book in the series but after reading a synopsis of the story decided against it due again, to the meanness of Araminta discussed there. One doesn’t read a romance novel for that type of character's interference and angst.
July 11, 2018
Never Too Old to Fall in Love
This is not your typical Regency romance. There is certainly a rogue, reformed by love. This is where the expected story line ends. Stephen is 25, and Sybil is 40, or thereabouts. She is also married to the man that Stephen would eventually inherit. He was supposed to court the daughter, a shallow child, but he falls in love with the mother instead. How can there be a happily ever after for this unlikely couple? Read this story and find out what happens. Since this is the first book in the series, we know there is more to come.
This is not your typical Regency romance. There is certainly a rogue, reformed by love. This is where the expected story line ends. Stephen is 25, and Sybil is 40, or thereabouts. She is also married to the man that Stephen would eventually inherit. He was supposed to court the daughter, a shallow child, but he falls in love with the mother instead. How can there be a happily ever after for this unlikely couple? Read this story and find out what happens. Since this is the first book in the series, we know there is more to come.
January 21, 2019
Characters failed to inspire affinity
Failing isn't story, but characters.
- Young hero is unbelievably gullible for a war veteran. Never known anyone to come back from war with youthful naivete intact.
- Older heroine has known for decades that her husband loves his mistress, yet still sobs after Twenty years. Neither admirable or relatable.
Other characters- mostly unapealing. Would be great if they were parodies but (sigh) just stale and vile, with no pithy or witty undercurrents.
Failing isn't story, but characters.
- Young hero is unbelievably gullible for a war veteran. Never known anyone to come back from war with youthful naivete intact.
- Older heroine has known for decades that her husband loves his mistress, yet still sobs after Twenty years. Neither admirable or relatable.
Other characters- mostly unapealing. Would be great if they were parodies but (sigh) just stale and vile, with no pithy or witty undercurrents.
January 5, 2020
It's different, I'll give it that, although I'm not sure I ever really liked most of the characters. Our hero is a bit immature considering he went to war, and if adultery is a hard pass for you, then you will not want to read this book. I was intrigued to see how it all turned out, and I'll admit I'm interested to see how everything continues between these two in the future... but probably not enough to buy the rest of the series. The daughters just didn't interest me enough. It was memorable, though.
May 9, 2020
Initially, I wasn't sure whether I'd take to the storyline but I am so glad I kept going because I very much enjoyed Stephen and Sybil's story. Out of all the historicals I've read (and I've enjoyed most too), this was the first one that felt truly reflective of the time it's set. From the characters' lifestyle and thinking - not just touching on lovely bits but ugly truths, limitations and emotional and real-life hardship - to the word choices and style of the prose. I look forward to reading more of Beverley's books in future!
December 22, 2022
AHHHHHH i need another full book of stephen and sybil. they’re my besties fr. i love them so much. it was so good though. i really really love historical romance. this is only the second one i’ve ever read but !!!!! i think i said this in my last review but i def need to look up some commonly used historical romance terms bc i was confused sometimes. context clues help though 🤣. but back to the book, my poor hetty…she’s so cute i liked her a lot. i wish she would’ve had a larger role tbh. i would def read a full book about her too.
October 26, 2018
Her Gilded Prison (Daughters of Sin Book 1)
The love story of Stephen and Sybil. Lady Sybil is marry in name only . Her husband love his mistress and want nothing to do with his wife. Now he send for his heir apparent because Sybil has not produce a heir.
Stephen is the heir apparent because his cousin was kill in the war. When he met Sybil he fall in love with her. Will they love end with a child or lost of everything? Okay story.
The love story of Stephen and Sybil. Lady Sybil is marry in name only . Her husband love his mistress and want nothing to do with his wife. Now he send for his heir apparent because Sybil has not produce a heir.
Stephen is the heir apparent because his cousin was kill in the war. When he met Sybil he fall in love with her. Will they love end with a child or lost of everything? Okay story.
June 13, 2018
A matter of love
Trying to out best gentleman and knowing you have no money. Yet Archie would not allow it. Steven didn't have means to obtain the money. When receiving a missive he would be heir he thought his debt could be paid. When moving to Humphrrys estate he foundore them the matter of being jeir
Trying to out best gentleman and knowing you have no money. Yet Archie would not allow it. Steven didn't have means to obtain the money. When receiving a missive he would be heir he thought his debt could be paid. When moving to Humphrrys estate he foundore them the matter of being jeir
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