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Landing a Lord #1
Loving the Marquess
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00B1GA9X0
She is on the verge of losing everything…
To save her home and keep her two younger siblings safe, Louisa Evans must turn to the head of the family that ruined hers.
He needs an heir…
The Marquess of Overlea is starting to show signs of having inherited the same illness that killed his father and older brother. To prevent the marquisate from falling into the hands of an unscrupulous cousin, Overlea must secure an heir before that illness also claims him.
But he is determined not to be the father of that heir…
Overlea’s plan is simple—marry the practical, yet desperate, Miss Evans and hold Louisa to her promise to provide him with an heir. But he waits until after they are married to tell his wife that he intends to have another man father that heir. His careful plan becomes complicated by an almost desperate need to claim Louisa for himself and an outside threat that proves even more dangerous than his illness.
She is on the verge of losing everything…
To save her home and keep her two younger siblings safe, Louisa Evans must turn to the head of the family that ruined hers.
He needs an heir…
The Marquess of Overlea is starting to show signs of having inherited the same illness that killed his father and older brother. To prevent the marquisate from falling into the hands of an unscrupulous cousin, Overlea must secure an heir before that illness also claims him.
But he is determined not to be the father of that heir…
Overlea’s plan is simple—marry the practical, yet desperate, Miss Evans and hold Louisa to her promise to provide him with an heir. But he waits until after they are married to tell his wife that he intends to have another man father that heir. His careful plan becomes complicated by an almost desperate need to claim Louisa for himself and an outside threat that proves even more dangerous than his illness.
316 pages, ebook
First published January 14, 2013
2247 people are currently reading
2213 people want to read
About the author
Suzanna Medeiros
80 books248 followersUSA Today bestselling author Suzanna Medeiros was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her love of reading led her to pursue a degree in English Literature from the University of Toronto. After working at a number of interesting places, including a federal inquiry, a youth probation office, and the Office of the Fire Marshal of Ontario, she decided to pursue her first love—writing.
Suzanna is married to her own hero and survived raising twins. When she isn't writing, she loves reading and playing video games.
She would like to thank her parents for showing her that love at first sight and happily ever after really do exist.
To learn about Suzanna's future books, sign up for her newsletter at https://www.suzannamedeiros.com/newsl....
Suzanna is married to her own hero and survived raising twins. When she isn't writing, she loves reading and playing video games.
She would like to thank her parents for showing her that love at first sight and happily ever after really do exist.
To learn about Suzanna's future books, sign up for her newsletter at https://www.suzannamedeiros.com/newsl....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
April 25, 2018
3.5 stars.
So, this was yet another novel that I ended up reading on a whim and managed to enjoy it ! I wasn't actually supposed to be reading this just yet but these things happen all the time ( to me ). But I did not regret switching my attentions to this story at all ! It was different, interesting, a bit cheesy and sad at times and even hilarious at others. It's about Nicholas Manning, the Marquess of Overlea, who thinks he's dying from an inherited disease:
Nicholas doesn't want to pass on this disease to any biological child of his, but he also refuses to allow his evil cousin Edward to inherit the title after he dies. He doesn't know how long he has to live because his "episodes" have been occurring more frequently. On one such occasion, he manages to reach the safety of a stranger's cottage before he collapses in the arms of the beautiful heroine. Louisa Evans, the heroine, is the 25 yr old daughter of a dead guy whose estate had been fleeced by Nicholas' villainous late uncle Henry. As a result, Louisa and her younger siblings live in poverty in the tiny cottage on the estate that used to belong to her father but is now owned by evil Edward. Louisa takes care her of her brother John and 17 yr old sister Catherine, by offering seamstress services to the people of the village. Louisa saves Nicholas and nurses him back to health. He shows his gratitude by telling her that she can come him for help if she should ever need it. He's also very attracted to the sheltered, impoverished heroine:
Louisa is forced to seek his help very soon, because his lecherous cousin Edward demands that either she or Catherine start paying rent by having sex with him !
The H realizes that Louisa will be the perfect woman to help him with his plan to have an heir, so that Edward would never inherit the title. He drafts up plans with his lawyer and Louisa agrees to them, without realizing that he's going to invoke a certain loophole in the clause that pertains to the siring of the much needed heir. Nicholas' plan is to ask his best friend Richard, the Earl of Kerrick, to sleep with Louisa and impregnate her ! The H doesn't want to sire a biological heir who ( as he believes ) might grow up and eventually succumb to the same terminal disease. Richard is flabbergasted when the H makes that special request:
“Yes, Nicholas, you do. You are speaking nonsense. You actually want your wife to pass off someone else’s child as your own? When it is not even certain that you would pass on your illness to your children?” Nicholas laughed, the sound bitter. “That is not a chance I am willing to take. And the father wouldn’t be just anyone. It would be someone of my choosing. Someone with impeccable bloodlines himself.” Nicholas knew the moment Kerrick understood what he was saying. His expression changed from confusion to incredulity, then anger. He stood abruptly, moved to the desk and leaned over it, his face mere inches from Nicholas’s own. “You are insane. Does your wife-to-be know you plan to whore her out to some other man? To me?”
The words were calculated to make him cringe and they hit their mark.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 1129-1135). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
The heroine is angry when she finds out about the plan, but the Earl of Kerrick devises a scheme to make Nicholas so jealous that he would be unable to let Louisa sleep with another man. I felt really sorry for the H because he goes through gut wrenching inner jealous torture when he sees Louisa and his best friend getting along so well. There's a scene in the library that's really intense because the H is filled with rage when he thinks that his wife and his friend have been fooling around. It's weird and ironic that Nicholas should be so angry and jealous when it seems that his wife and Richard are merely giving him what he wants:
The odd glint in his eyes sent a shiver of awareness down her spine.
“I take it the two of you have decided to go along with my plan?”
She didn’t reply. What could she say? She wouldn’t lie to him, yet it was vital that he believe what he was accusing her of. He stopped before her and she barely resisted the urge to take a step back.
“It would have been nice if the two of you had decided to act with a little more discretion. It will be a miracle if the staff isn’t already gossiping about the two of you belowstairs.”
Unnerved by the heat in Nicholas’s eyes, she looked away.
“Tell me,” he said, his voice soft with menace, “have the two of you kissed yet? Surely you haven’t already gone to his bed.”
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 1948-1954). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
Poor Nicholas got so hurt and eaten up with jealousy and sadness that he went and drank his favourite brandy until he got sick and collapsed. I felt so sorry for him, especially when the stupid doctor decided to use leeches and bloodletting to "cure" him. Louisa saved him by kicking out the doctor and nursing her husband back to health. It was then that he realized how much he loved her:
He gazed at her in wonder, the passionate intensity of her gaze striking a chord deep within him. He realized then that he was already lost. He was in love with her.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 2096-2097). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
He was so pitiful and hopeless at this point, that I just wanted to reach into the story and give him a big hug:
After he recovers from this setback, he stops drinking his favourite brandy for a while because Louisa has gotten rid of all the bottles that were stored in the mansion. The MC's also consummate their relationship and Nicholas decides that he is not going to go ahead with his stupid plan anymore. It's only then that the pieces of the puzzle start coming together. The H soon realizes that his his valet Harrison has been working in cahoots with his villainous cousin Edward and that they also probably poisoned his father and older brother James. However, Nicholas waits too long to tell Louisa about his suspicions and she ends up drinking poisoned tea that his valet had left for him. This happens after she is thrown from a horse whose saddle straps had been deliberately cut !
Her sister Catherine manages to save her and Lord Kerrick rushes off to London to get one of his spy friends, Lord Brantford, to investigate. The revelation of the ultimate villain is rather shocking for everybody, because it's not Edward. It turns out to be Edward's mousy sister: the H's introverted cousin Mary !
Mary had been standing silently in the background, taking in the whole scene as though she was merely a spectator. Now that she was thrust into the spotlight, however, her entire bearing changed. Louisa could only stare in horrified fascination as the formerly meek woman transformed right before their eyes. She took a step forward and stood with her head held high. Her voice rang out in a volume they had never before heard from her.
“I obviously dallied much too long. I should have finished you off months ago,” she said, hatred and something else blazing in her eyes. It took few seconds for Louisa to recognize it. Madness. From the expressions on the faces of Mary’s mother and brother, it was clear they were equally shocked.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 3299-3302). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
Crazy Mary is carted off to an asylum and the MC's can have their HEA ! The epilogue is filled with joy and happiness because the heroine confesses that she's pregnant:
“Nothing is going to come between us. You are well and truly stuck with me.” “Thank God,” he said, drawing back to look down at her. “You’ve given me everything. A family, a reason to live. And now a baby.” The look on his face was one of wonder and Louisa felt her heart squeeze. She loved him so much—more than she had ever imagined possible.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 3464-3467). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
So, this was yet another novel that I ended up reading on a whim and managed to enjoy it ! I wasn't actually supposed to be reading this just yet but these things happen all the time ( to me ). But I did not regret switching my attentions to this story at all ! It was different, interesting, a bit cheesy and sad at times and even hilarious at others. It's about Nicholas Manning, the Marquess of Overlea, who thinks he's dying from an inherited disease:
Nicholas doesn't want to pass on this disease to any biological child of his, but he also refuses to allow his evil cousin Edward to inherit the title after he dies. He doesn't know how long he has to live because his "episodes" have been occurring more frequently. On one such occasion, he manages to reach the safety of a stranger's cottage before he collapses in the arms of the beautiful heroine. Louisa Evans, the heroine, is the 25 yr old daughter of a dead guy whose estate had been fleeced by Nicholas' villainous late uncle Henry. As a result, Louisa and her younger siblings live in poverty in the tiny cottage on the estate that used to belong to her father but is now owned by evil Edward. Louisa takes care her of her brother John and 17 yr old sister Catherine, by offering seamstress services to the people of the village. Louisa saves Nicholas and nurses him back to health. He shows his gratitude by telling her that she can come him for help if she should ever need it. He's also very attracted to the sheltered, impoverished heroine:
Louisa is forced to seek his help very soon, because his lecherous cousin Edward demands that either she or Catherine start paying rent by having sex with him !
The H realizes that Louisa will be the perfect woman to help him with his plan to have an heir, so that Edward would never inherit the title. He drafts up plans with his lawyer and Louisa agrees to them, without realizing that he's going to invoke a certain loophole in the clause that pertains to the siring of the much needed heir. Nicholas' plan is to ask his best friend Richard, the Earl of Kerrick, to sleep with Louisa and impregnate her ! The H doesn't want to sire a biological heir who ( as he believes ) might grow up and eventually succumb to the same terminal disease. Richard is flabbergasted when the H makes that special request:
“Yes, Nicholas, you do. You are speaking nonsense. You actually want your wife to pass off someone else’s child as your own? When it is not even certain that you would pass on your illness to your children?” Nicholas laughed, the sound bitter. “That is not a chance I am willing to take. And the father wouldn’t be just anyone. It would be someone of my choosing. Someone with impeccable bloodlines himself.” Nicholas knew the moment Kerrick understood what he was saying. His expression changed from confusion to incredulity, then anger. He stood abruptly, moved to the desk and leaned over it, his face mere inches from Nicholas’s own. “You are insane. Does your wife-to-be know you plan to whore her out to some other man? To me?”
The words were calculated to make him cringe and they hit their mark.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 1129-1135). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
The heroine is angry when she finds out about the plan, but the Earl of Kerrick devises a scheme to make Nicholas so jealous that he would be unable to let Louisa sleep with another man. I felt really sorry for the H because he goes through gut wrenching inner jealous torture when he sees Louisa and his best friend getting along so well. There's a scene in the library that's really intense because the H is filled with rage when he thinks that his wife and his friend have been fooling around. It's weird and ironic that Nicholas should be so angry and jealous when it seems that his wife and Richard are merely giving him what he wants:
The odd glint in his eyes sent a shiver of awareness down her spine.
“I take it the two of you have decided to go along with my plan?”
She didn’t reply. What could she say? She wouldn’t lie to him, yet it was vital that he believe what he was accusing her of. He stopped before her and she barely resisted the urge to take a step back.
“It would have been nice if the two of you had decided to act with a little more discretion. It will be a miracle if the staff isn’t already gossiping about the two of you belowstairs.”
Unnerved by the heat in Nicholas’s eyes, she looked away.
“Tell me,” he said, his voice soft with menace, “have the two of you kissed yet? Surely you haven’t already gone to his bed.”
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 1948-1954). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
Poor Nicholas got so hurt and eaten up with jealousy and sadness that he went and drank his favourite brandy until he got sick and collapsed. I felt so sorry for him, especially when the stupid doctor decided to use leeches and bloodletting to "cure" him. Louisa saved him by kicking out the doctor and nursing her husband back to health. It was then that he realized how much he loved her:
He gazed at her in wonder, the passionate intensity of her gaze striking a chord deep within him. He realized then that he was already lost. He was in love with her.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 2096-2097). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
He was so pitiful and hopeless at this point, that I just wanted to reach into the story and give him a big hug:
After he recovers from this setback, he stops drinking his favourite brandy for a while because Louisa has gotten rid of all the bottles that were stored in the mansion. The MC's also consummate their relationship and Nicholas decides that he is not going to go ahead with his stupid plan anymore. It's only then that the pieces of the puzzle start coming together. The H soon realizes that his his valet Harrison has been working in cahoots with his villainous cousin Edward and that they also probably poisoned his father and older brother James. However, Nicholas waits too long to tell Louisa about his suspicions and she ends up drinking poisoned tea that his valet had left for him. This happens after she is thrown from a horse whose saddle straps had been deliberately cut !
Her sister Catherine manages to save her and Lord Kerrick rushes off to London to get one of his spy friends, Lord Brantford, to investigate. The revelation of the ultimate villain is rather shocking for everybody, because it's not Edward. It turns out to be Edward's mousy sister: the H's introverted cousin Mary !
Mary had been standing silently in the background, taking in the whole scene as though she was merely a spectator. Now that she was thrust into the spotlight, however, her entire bearing changed. Louisa could only stare in horrified fascination as the formerly meek woman transformed right before their eyes. She took a step forward and stood with her head held high. Her voice rang out in a volume they had never before heard from her.
“I obviously dallied much too long. I should have finished you off months ago,” she said, hatred and something else blazing in her eyes. It took few seconds for Louisa to recognize it. Madness. From the expressions on the faces of Mary’s mother and brother, it was clear they were equally shocked.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 3299-3302). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
Crazy Mary is carted off to an asylum and the MC's can have their HEA ! The epilogue is filled with joy and happiness because the heroine confesses that she's pregnant:
“Nothing is going to come between us. You are well and truly stuck with me.” “Thank God,” he said, drawing back to look down at her. “You’ve given me everything. A family, a reason to live. And now a baby.” The look on his face was one of wonder and Louisa felt her heart squeeze. She loved him so much—more than she had ever imagined possible.
Suzanna Medeiros. Loving the Marquess (Kindle Locations 3464-3467). Suzanna Medeiros. Kindle Edition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2021
Ooooh. Marriage of convenience + nursing back to health is almost always a good combination. This book was no exception. I only felt a little disappointed because I read a very similar book recently, but it doesn't mean that this book was not enjoyable because it definitely was and I am looking forward to keep reading the series.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
July 18, 2013
The girl is the typical poor girl, who raises her brothers by herself and now is about to lose the place where they live. She is desperate and need urgent help.
Still, for having a good heart, she helps a complete stranger who knocks at her door. The next day, when she discovers who he was, The Marquess of Overlea, stood at her disposal if she needed something. And he is exactly who she goes for help ...
Overlea is a rich man, tormented by a certainty: the same disease that killed his father and his brother began to show symptoms. Desperate and pressured by his grandmother, he must find a bride fast and have an heir to his title and fortune do not fall into the hands of a unscrupulous cousin.
When Louisa, the girl who helped him, knocks on his door asking for help, he sees a golden opportunity here.
To solve the situation of both, he proposes to her in marriage, with the condition that the heir should not delay to come.
What Louisa did not know was that Overlea planned give her to his friend Kerrick for him to be the child's father, and with it, the ill-fated disease is not transmitted to the heir.
Guys, you die laughing in several scenes.
First because Overlea not yet understood that this "disease" comes from the fact that he and his family are a band of drunkers. Nothing serious, it was just stop drinking. But he mused that "symptoms" were appearing.
Then comes the problem of giving his wife to lie with another man, his friend.All the plan was cool, but who said he wanted to do that? Of course he starts to be enchanted for Louisa and gets terribly grumpy every time he sees Kerrick next to her. That is, a mess after another.
A delight of a book.
The pace of the story is good.
The characters are wonderful. Tempting to already have the next release in hand.
A book to re-read and share with others.
5 STARS!!!!
Still, for having a good heart, she helps a complete stranger who knocks at her door. The next day, when she discovers who he was, The Marquess of Overlea, stood at her disposal if she needed something. And he is exactly who she goes for help ...
Overlea is a rich man, tormented by a certainty: the same disease that killed his father and his brother began to show symptoms. Desperate and pressured by his grandmother, he must find a bride fast and have an heir to his title and fortune do not fall into the hands of a unscrupulous cousin.
When Louisa, the girl who helped him, knocks on his door asking for help, he sees a golden opportunity here.
To solve the situation of both, he proposes to her in marriage, with the condition that the heir should not delay to come.
What Louisa did not know was that Overlea planned give her to his friend Kerrick for him to be the child's father, and with it, the ill-fated disease is not transmitted to the heir.
Guys, you die laughing in several scenes.
First because Overlea not yet understood that this "disease" comes from the fact that he and his family are a band of drunkers. Nothing serious, it was just stop drinking. But he mused that "symptoms" were appearing.
Then comes the problem of giving his wife to lie with another man, his friend.All the plan was cool, but who said he wanted to do that? Of course he starts to be enchanted for Louisa and gets terribly grumpy every time he sees Kerrick next to her. That is, a mess after another.
A delight of a book.
The pace of the story is good.
The characters are wonderful. Tempting to already have the next release in hand.
A book to re-read and share with others.
5 STARS!!!!
March 28, 2013
Loving the Marquess (Landing a Lord, #1) was a fun read. I love that marriage of convenience trope. I was actually quite pleased when Louisa actually tells Nicholas Manning, the Marquess of Overlea, that his nasty cousin had propositioned her and when she turned him down, he said he would turn to her 17 year old sister. I like when characters actually talk about issues.
Of course, having said that, Nicholas keeps something from Louisa, figuring that after the marriage contract is signed will be soon enough to let her in on his plan.
From the blurb:
Overlea’s plan is simple—marry the practical, yet desperate, Miss Evans and hold Louisa to her promise to provide him with an heir. But he waits until after they are married to tell his wife that he intends to have another man father that heir. His careful plan becomes complicated by an almost desperate need to claim Louisa for himself and an outside threat that proves even more dangerous than his illness.
Yep, he asks his best friend to lay with is wife and give him an heir. Yep, he didn't tell HER that until after the wedding, either.
You know and I know that this is not a good plan, but Nicholas seems to think that whatever is killing him shouldn't be passed on to his progeny.
Although I figured out early on "who done it," this was still an enjoyable read. I liked the way the main characters did come together and the side characters were fun to read. I want to know more about Kerrick and Brantford! Having seen the cover of Beguiling the Earl, I'm hoping that's Kerrick and Louisa's sister, Catherine, in the next one.
I will most definitely be reading more from Suzanna Medeiros.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ms. Medeiros, for the opportunity to read Loving the Marquess.
Of course, having said that, Nicholas keeps something from Louisa, figuring that after the marriage contract is signed will be soon enough to let her in on his plan.
From the blurb:
Overlea’s plan is simple—marry the practical, yet desperate, Miss Evans and hold Louisa to her promise to provide him with an heir. But he waits until after they are married to tell his wife that he intends to have another man father that heir. His careful plan becomes complicated by an almost desperate need to claim Louisa for himself and an outside threat that proves even more dangerous than his illness.
Yep, he asks his best friend to lay with is wife and give him an heir. Yep, he didn't tell HER that until after the wedding, either.
You know and I know that this is not a good plan, but Nicholas seems to think that whatever is killing him shouldn't be passed on to his progeny.
Although I figured out early on "who done it," this was still an enjoyable read. I liked the way the main characters did come together and the side characters were fun to read. I want to know more about Kerrick and Brantford! Having seen the cover of Beguiling the Earl, I'm hoping that's Kerrick and Louisa's sister, Catherine, in the next one.
I will most definitely be reading more from Suzanna Medeiros.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ms. Medeiros, for the opportunity to read Loving the Marquess.
September 23, 2022
This was such a fun, slightly silly but thoroughly enjoyable read. I’ve had it sitting on my TBR FOREVER because it seemed like it might be unsafe, but it really wasn’t. The hero is suffering from an affliction that killed his father and brother and he doesn’t want to pass it down to his child. However he has a duty and responsibility to the marquisette and he has to have an heir. So he comes up with the brilliant idea of having his best friend father his child. He of course makes this plan before he knows the heroine and in the abstract it seems like a fine idea. Actually being able to stomach it in reality is a totally different story. The heroine and hero’s bestie conspire together to make him jealous, feeding his agony over the plan he himself came up with and putting him thru such agony that he can’t follow thru. You know what they say about the best laid plans…
On top of the romance, there was a little mystery thrown in and it felt a little gothic. I honestly NEVER saw who the villain was
I also loved that the heroine wasn’t an annoying modern h shoved into a historical for no reason; she was sweet and caring and fit perfectly within the time period this is set.
Safe. Hero’s past is briefly mentioned but nothing explicit and he’s been celibate since meeting heroine. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No true OM drama as neither OM nor h have any interest in the other. No cheating or abuse. HEA with epilogue
On top of the romance, there was a little mystery thrown in and it felt a little gothic. I honestly NEVER saw who the villain was
I also loved that the heroine wasn’t an annoying modern h shoved into a historical for no reason; she was sweet and caring and fit perfectly within the time period this is set.
Safe. Hero’s past is briefly mentioned but nothing explicit and he’s been celibate since meeting heroine. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No true OM drama as neither OM nor h have any interest in the other. No cheating or abuse. HEA with epilogue
Want to read
September 7, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/17/2019)! 🎁
October 17, 2021
Good plot but no angst, no excitement!
January 8, 2022
2 stars!
Both Louisa and Nicholas have reasons for marrying before it's too late. Louisa has money problems, with no promising prospects of marriage or a steady income. Nicholas on the other hand, believes his family is plagued by an illness, one that he cannot escape and decides not to have children. But with expectations of marrying and an heir, Nicholas has to rethink his future.
My thoughts:
In the beginning, Nicholas is very arrogant and I tried my best not to judge his character too early. Nicholas and Louisa's relationship throughout the book is based on lust, and they barely bond over anything? No conservations about likes, family, life etc. I was expecting more from this, especially when they're expected to attend the ball. I'm pretty sure Louisa bonded more with Kerrick, and to be honest Kerrick's personality was refreshing and charismatic compared to Nicholas.
When Nicholas had something in mind for Louisa and Kerrick, and revealed his plans to both of them, I wanted to internally cringed so hard. What is funny about this situation, both Louisa and Kerrick use it as an opportunity for Nicholas to reveal his truth intentions and affections to Louisa, but during this whole part of the book, it made Nicholas look insecure, whiny and extremely annoying. Usually I love the tension the jealousy adds, but Nicholas took so long to act on it.
I loved the side characters though! Especially Louisa's siblings (Catherine and John), Kerrick and the grandmother.
I (sort of) predicted the ending, I lost interest in the book at this point and talking about endings, what even was that? With the chaotic ending, predictable plot twists and the truth of the illness revealed, it truly showed how naive the main characters were. First Nicholas trusted his cousins, despite his hesitation allowing them to walk freely in his estate. The scene with the leeches and poisonous plants were hard to read, knowing how naive Nicholas was to the whole situation, believing he truly had an illness. And Edward restocking the brandy supply for Nicholas, knowing how bad the effects were for him...
Overall, the beginning had potential but towards the end, I was very frustrated with the characters and ridiculous plot twists.
Buddy read with Laura 💕
Both Louisa and Nicholas have reasons for marrying before it's too late. Louisa has money problems, with no promising prospects of marriage or a steady income. Nicholas on the other hand, believes his family is plagued by an illness, one that he cannot escape and decides not to have children. But with expectations of marrying and an heir, Nicholas has to rethink his future.
My thoughts:
In the beginning, Nicholas is very arrogant and I tried my best not to judge his character too early. Nicholas and Louisa's relationship throughout the book is based on lust, and they barely bond over anything? No conservations about likes, family, life etc. I was expecting more from this, especially when they're expected to attend the ball. I'm pretty sure Louisa bonded more with Kerrick, and to be honest Kerrick's personality was refreshing and charismatic compared to Nicholas.
When Nicholas had something in mind for Louisa and Kerrick, and revealed his plans to both of them, I wanted to internally cringed so hard. What is funny about this situation, both Louisa and Kerrick use it as an opportunity for Nicholas to reveal his truth intentions and affections to Louisa, but during this whole part of the book, it made Nicholas look insecure, whiny and extremely annoying. Usually I love the tension the jealousy adds, but Nicholas took so long to act on it.
I loved the side characters though! Especially Louisa's siblings (Catherine and John), Kerrick and the grandmother.
I (sort of) predicted the ending, I lost interest in the book at this point and talking about endings, what even was that? With the chaotic ending, predictable plot twists and the truth of the illness revealed, it truly showed how naive the main characters were. First Nicholas trusted his cousins, despite his hesitation allowing them to walk freely in his estate. The scene with the leeches and poisonous plants were hard to read, knowing how naive Nicholas was to the whole situation, believing he truly had an illness. And Edward restocking the brandy supply for Nicholas, knowing how bad the effects were for him...
Overall, the beginning had potential but towards the end, I was very frustrated with the characters and ridiculous plot twists.
Buddy read with Laura 💕
January 18, 2013
Louisa Evans rescues a sick man who comes stumbling to her door one night, and he turns out to be the Nicholas, Marquess of Overlea, a progeny of the family that ruined hers. Both of them feel the attraction, and they meet again when circumstances lead to Louisa seeking Overlea's help. Nicholas is in need of a wife, since his grandmother is adamant that he get married and get an heir on the way lest the title falls to his useless cousin (so few good cousins in Regency romances, let me tell you). The thing Nick didn't tell Louisa is that he is ill and his illness is genetic, therefore he plans to select someone else to be the father to their child.
There is a secondary romance in development during this book that will likely be the subject of the author's next novel. It's cute, but doesn't really contribute anything to the plot.
Things go pretty smoothly in the book, there are no major misunderstandings and fights among the two leading characters. There are some tongue-wagging about the speed of the marriage, but things go along well for the newly married couple; even the crotchety old Dowager Marchioness likes the lowly-born Louisa and her family.
This was a very quick read for me, I finished it in around 2 hours. The plot is nothing complex, the mystery is not too deep. H/H are both reasonable, responsible people, who get along reasonably well and fall in love quickly without impediment (although of course, in typical Regency romance fashion, neither will actually say the L word to each other). The mystery is easy to solve, the book is an enjoyable, quick, very easy read.
There is a secondary romance in development during this book that will likely be the subject of the author's next novel. It's cute, but doesn't really contribute anything to the plot.
Things go pretty smoothly in the book, there are no major misunderstandings and fights among the two leading characters. There are some tongue-wagging about the speed of the marriage, but things go along well for the newly married couple; even the crotchety old Dowager Marchioness likes the lowly-born Louisa and her family.
This was a very quick read for me, I finished it in around 2 hours. The plot is nothing complex, the mystery is not too deep. H/H are both reasonable, responsible people, who get along reasonably well and fall in love quickly without impediment (although of course, in typical Regency romance fashion, neither will actually say the L word to each other). The mystery is easy to solve, the book is an enjoyable, quick, very easy read.
January 9, 2024
Very pleasant read
A Marquees that is sick and thinking he's dying meets a woman thrown into poverty and decides he's going to marry her. This was a very good book. I loved the mystery of his illness and their growing love for each other. He thought his illness was in his family's genes so he asked his best friend Kerrick to sire the heir so to speak. But he didn't plan on falling in love with his wife. Very cute how they tried to make him jealous, which he was, and force him to abandon the plan. The epilogue was very sweet too.
A Marquees that is sick and thinking he's dying meets a woman thrown into poverty and decides he's going to marry her. This was a very good book. I loved the mystery of his illness and their growing love for each other. He thought his illness was in his family's genes so he asked his best friend Kerrick to sire the heir so to speak. But he didn't plan on falling in love with his wife. Very cute how they tried to make him jealous, which he was, and force him to abandon the plan. The epilogue was very sweet too.
July 23, 2018
Entirely predictable and devoid of decent historical setting facts, but still entertaining.
February 1, 2015
VERY WELL WRITTEN HISTORICAL ROMANCE!!!!
This is the first time I have read one of Suzanna Medeiros books. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Loving the Marquess was written very well and moved along at a building pace to the end. Nicholas is the new Marquess of Overlea. He never expected to inherit the title as he was a second son. Nicholas father and brother have died of a mysterious illness and now Nicholas is showing signs of the same illness. His grandmother has told him he must marry and produce and heir. He mysteriously finds himself in the bed of the home of one of his families enemies and he doesn't' know how he got there.
Louisa Evans find a mysterious man passed out on her door steps. He is sick and has a fever. Being the kind heart women she is; she and her brother John take him to her bedroom and Louisa cares for him. The next day she finds out that he is the new Marquess of Overlea. The nephew of the man Henry Manning who destroyed her father and took everything they had. Louisa and her brother John and sister Catherine live in a cottage on the lands they once owned. Now the lands and its homes belong to Edward the son of the now deceased Henry Manning and cousin to Nicholas, Lord Overlea. Once Nicholas realizes who Louisa and her siblings are he tells her before he leaves to let him know if she ever needs anything. Leaving her with his direction he leaves thinking he would never see her again.
Edward decides its time for the Evans to pay rent. So he propositions Louisa for her sexual favors in lieu of the rent. When she refused he said he would put the proposal to her 17yr old sister Catherine. This scares her and she know they would never come up with the money. She realizes she only has one choice and that is to seek Nicholas's help. Once Louisa tells Nicholas what has happen and that she needs his help. He suggest they marry becasue he needs and heir and she needs his help. But he doesn't tell her he thinks he is dying of the same illness that killed his father and older brother. There is something weird going on it seems Nicholas only gets sick when he drinks. Hmmmm!! something is afoot. The clues started being revealed as to what is really going on. The romance and marriage between Louisa and Nicholas is strained as he wants her to have his best friend the Earl of Kerricks baby. He doesn't want to pass this illness or is it an illness on to his own children but he needs an heir to keep is unworthy evil cousin Edward from inheriting the title.
This is a very good story and I Highly Recommend it . This won't be my last book by Suzanna Medeiros. I am off to read bk 2 Beguiling the Earl!!
This is the first time I have read one of Suzanna Medeiros books. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Loving the Marquess was written very well and moved along at a building pace to the end. Nicholas is the new Marquess of Overlea. He never expected to inherit the title as he was a second son. Nicholas father and brother have died of a mysterious illness and now Nicholas is showing signs of the same illness. His grandmother has told him he must marry and produce and heir. He mysteriously finds himself in the bed of the home of one of his families enemies and he doesn't' know how he got there.
Louisa Evans find a mysterious man passed out on her door steps. He is sick and has a fever. Being the kind heart women she is; she and her brother John take him to her bedroom and Louisa cares for him. The next day she finds out that he is the new Marquess of Overlea. The nephew of the man Henry Manning who destroyed her father and took everything they had. Louisa and her brother John and sister Catherine live in a cottage on the lands they once owned. Now the lands and its homes belong to Edward the son of the now deceased Henry Manning and cousin to Nicholas, Lord Overlea. Once Nicholas realizes who Louisa and her siblings are he tells her before he leaves to let him know if she ever needs anything. Leaving her with his direction he leaves thinking he would never see her again.
Edward decides its time for the Evans to pay rent. So he propositions Louisa for her sexual favors in lieu of the rent. When she refused he said he would put the proposal to her 17yr old sister Catherine. This scares her and she know they would never come up with the money. She realizes she only has one choice and that is to seek Nicholas's help. Once Louisa tells Nicholas what has happen and that she needs his help. He suggest they marry becasue he needs and heir and she needs his help. But he doesn't tell her he thinks he is dying of the same illness that killed his father and older brother. There is something weird going on it seems Nicholas only gets sick when he drinks. Hmmmm!! something is afoot. The clues started being revealed as to what is really going on. The romance and marriage between Louisa and Nicholas is strained as he wants her to have his best friend the Earl of Kerricks baby. He doesn't want to pass this illness or is it an illness on to his own children but he needs an heir to keep is unworthy evil cousin Edward from inheriting the title.
This is a very good story and I Highly Recommend it . This won't be my last book by Suzanna Medeiros. I am off to read bk 2 Beguiling the Earl!!
April 27, 2013
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: March 21, 2013
Publisher: Suzanna Medeiros
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.suzannamedeiros.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Landing A Lord series
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Farfetched Premise (Minor), Too Stupid To Live Moment (Hero)
Favorite Tropes: Scared to Father Heirs, Spinster Heroine, Marriage of Convenience
The main thing holding this story back was the hero’s bullheadedness. First, is his stubborn resolution to stick with his ridiculous plan to have his best friend father an heir. Sure, it sounded like a good idea in theory, back before he’d actually gotten married, and his “wife” was just a nameless, faceless woman who would be receiving the benefits of his title and wealth, and would simply have to lay with a different man that she didn’t love. Not a big deal, considering that his marriage wouldn’t be a love match to begin with, right?
But his determination to see his plan through, even when it became obvious that the idea of Louisa and Kerrick together made him want to break things, made me want to shake him. More than that, however, was the fact that he knew that the disease that killed his brother and his father, and by association, his mother, was made worse by alcohol, and yet the man still drank like a fish. It was that stupidity that really made me throw my hands up in the air.
Still, it was a very entertaining read, with plenty of drama and a wonderful twist at the end.
Recommended for fans of marriages of convenience, heroes determined not to beget heirs of their own due to some sort of hereditary condition that they don’t wish to pass on, and heroines just as determined to woo those husbands.
4/5 Stars
Expected Release Date: March 21, 2013
Publisher: Suzanna Medeiros
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://www.suzannamedeiros.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Landing A Lord series
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy
Pet Peeves: Farfetched Premise (Minor), Too Stupid To Live Moment (Hero)
Favorite Tropes: Scared to Father Heirs, Spinster Heroine, Marriage of Convenience
The main thing holding this story back was the hero’s bullheadedness. First, is his stubborn resolution to stick with his ridiculous plan to have his best friend father an heir. Sure, it sounded like a good idea in theory, back before he’d actually gotten married, and his “wife” was just a nameless, faceless woman who would be receiving the benefits of his title and wealth, and would simply have to lay with a different man that she didn’t love. Not a big deal, considering that his marriage wouldn’t be a love match to begin with, right?
But his determination to see his plan through, even when it became obvious that the idea of Louisa and Kerrick together made him want to break things, made me want to shake him. More than that, however, was the fact that he knew that the disease that killed his brother and his father, and by association, his mother, was made worse by alcohol, and yet the man still drank like a fish. It was that stupidity that really made me throw my hands up in the air.
Still, it was a very entertaining read, with plenty of drama and a wonderful twist at the end.
Recommended for fans of marriages of convenience, heroes determined not to beget heirs of their own due to some sort of hereditary condition that they don’t wish to pass on, and heroines just as determined to woo those husbands.
4/5 Stars
January 11, 2021
I really liked this one! Couldn't ask for a better ending to my 2020 reading challenge...
The story was quite original and I liked the plot: Louisa Evans was living with her sister Catherine and brother John in a small cottage after her father's death. They used to be rich, living in a nice manor but after the mom died the dad started to drink and he gambled all his possessions one night.
The man who ''stole'' their home and everything is the hero's uncle, so there was some bad blood between both families.
Nicholas Manning meets Louisa after one of his attack during the night, he collapses at her front door and she takes him in, nurses him back to health. He is grateful so of course he told her to ask if she needs anything. Louisa is proud and of course her family wants nothing to do with the Mannings.
But of course, something happens and she needs help and goes to him, and comes back home with a proposal.
Their wedding starts out funny. As the blurb says, Nicholas needs an heir but he is afraid of fathering him because he doesn't want the child to inherit that mysterious illness. So his plan is to have his BFF doing the deed lool!
Look I kind of understood him but geez what a stupid plan! It was so funny to see him getting mad at Louisa and his friend Keurig (eh eh :P) getting closer. They did it to make him jealous and force him to realize his feelings for Louisa.
It works of course, but then we had the illness to deal with... And I love how the resolution came, bit by bit. It didn't all happen at the end, but the author progressively gave us clues here and there.
I love that in addition to the romance we also had that mystery going on, so the book wasn't really dull and kept the reader's interest until the end.
The only thing I was hoping for was some real groveling from Nicholas, because he treated Louisa quite bad. From his coldness to his stupid plan, he should have kissed her feet at the end. She even saved his life several times, he was really lucky to have her.
4,5 stars!
I can't wait to read Catherine and Keurig story now!
The story was quite original and I liked the plot: Louisa Evans was living with her sister Catherine and brother John in a small cottage after her father's death. They used to be rich, living in a nice manor but after the mom died the dad started to drink and he gambled all his possessions one night.
The man who ''stole'' their home and everything is the hero's uncle, so there was some bad blood between both families.
Nicholas Manning meets Louisa after one of his attack during the night, he collapses at her front door and she takes him in, nurses him back to health. He is grateful so of course he told her to ask if she needs anything. Louisa is proud and of course her family wants nothing to do with the Mannings.
But of course, something happens and she needs help and goes to him, and comes back home with a proposal.
Their wedding starts out funny. As the blurb says, Nicholas needs an heir but he is afraid of fathering him because he doesn't want the child to inherit that mysterious illness. So his plan is to have his BFF doing the deed lool!
Look I kind of understood him but geez what a stupid plan! It was so funny to see him getting mad at Louisa and his friend Keurig (eh eh :P) getting closer. They did it to make him jealous and force him to realize his feelings for Louisa.
It works of course, but then we had the illness to deal with... And I love how the resolution came, bit by bit. It didn't all happen at the end, but the author progressively gave us clues here and there.
I love that in addition to the romance we also had that mystery going on, so the book wasn't really dull and kept the reader's interest until the end.
The only thing I was hoping for was some real groveling from Nicholas, because he treated Louisa quite bad. From his coldness to his stupid plan, he should have kissed her feet at the end. She even saved his life several times, he was really lucky to have her.
4,5 stars!
I can't wait to read Catherine and Keurig story now!
February 25, 2013
When Louisa Evan's starts crawling into bed after a long day, she is stopped when she hears a knock at the door. After dragging herself away and opens the door to a man that is leaning against the door who says, "I require your assistance...", as he is swaying and she manages to steady's before he collapses...
When Nicholas Manning, The Marquess of Overlea, wakes the next morning with a pounding headache and is in an unfamiliar place, he can't seem to remember where he was and realizes that he had an attack from is illness, the same one that killed his father and his older brother. After clearing the misunderstanding of what happened the night before with the woman the nursed him and introductions were made, he found out that she and her family are the ones that tricked their father out of there money and home, which left them in ruin...
Though Louisa doesn't like to ask for help, she is in a difficult situation, she is about to lose her home, when her new landlord, Edward Manning, ups the rent or offers her an unscrupulous deal. But unable to figure out a solution, she goes and asks help from Nicholas...
Nicholas needs an heir, before the illness that runs through is family kills him. So when Louisa comes to ask for her help, he offers her to marry her and have her give him an heir. Though he waits until after they are married to tell her his plan that he is going to have another man father his heir...
When I read the synopsis for this book, I wasn't sure what I to except. The concept of this Historical Romance was different and I got interested on how it would turn out. I enjoyed how there was a strong attraction between Louisa and Nicholas when they first met, though they didn't act on it. I liked how Louisa was able to take the next step in going to Nicholas for help when she is used to doing and figuring out things for herself. I liked how Nicholas was able to overcome his plans and start getting to know Louisa, though there weren't a lot of scenes, the ones they had was a great start to the development of their relationship.
Nicholas' grandma was a great addition to the story. Though she was a little bit manipulative, it lead Nicholas to the decision to get married. And after he tells her he is marrying Louisa, she accepts her and her siblings with open arms and gets along with them.
Though they didn't in depth about Catherine, Louisa's baby sister, you do learn that she blames herself for her mother's death after she died in child birth and then their fathers incident and is willing to do anything for Louisa and her brother John, though they don't blame her at all. They did mention an attraction between her and Nicholas' best friend, Lord Kerrick and it kind-of make me hopeful that they are the next main couple in the next book for the "Landing A Lord" series and if this is the case I look forward to see how their relationship grows.
After the wedding Louisa's brother John leaves. Since his sisters were going to be taken care of and protected he decided he would do what he really wanted to do, but couldn't since he was put in the position of man of the house. I really was hoping the author had put some mention of John by a letter to his sisters or something along those lines by the end of the book so you know how he was fairing , since after he left he is not mentioned anymore after that. All in all I really enjoyed the book. It had romance, suspense, and mystery.
When Nicholas Manning, The Marquess of Overlea, wakes the next morning with a pounding headache and is in an unfamiliar place, he can't seem to remember where he was and realizes that he had an attack from is illness, the same one that killed his father and his older brother. After clearing the misunderstanding of what happened the night before with the woman the nursed him and introductions were made, he found out that she and her family are the ones that tricked their father out of there money and home, which left them in ruin...
Though Louisa doesn't like to ask for help, she is in a difficult situation, she is about to lose her home, when her new landlord, Edward Manning, ups the rent or offers her an unscrupulous deal. But unable to figure out a solution, she goes and asks help from Nicholas...
Nicholas needs an heir, before the illness that runs through is family kills him. So when Louisa comes to ask for her help, he offers her to marry her and have her give him an heir. Though he waits until after they are married to tell her his plan that he is going to have another man father his heir...
When I read the synopsis for this book, I wasn't sure what I to except. The concept of this Historical Romance was different and I got interested on how it would turn out. I enjoyed how there was a strong attraction between Louisa and Nicholas when they first met, though they didn't act on it. I liked how Louisa was able to take the next step in going to Nicholas for help when she is used to doing and figuring out things for herself. I liked how Nicholas was able to overcome his plans and start getting to know Louisa, though there weren't a lot of scenes, the ones they had was a great start to the development of their relationship.
Nicholas' grandma was a great addition to the story. Though she was a little bit manipulative, it lead Nicholas to the decision to get married. And after he tells her he is marrying Louisa, she accepts her and her siblings with open arms and gets along with them.
Though they didn't in depth about Catherine, Louisa's baby sister, you do learn that she blames herself for her mother's death after she died in child birth and then their fathers incident and is willing to do anything for Louisa and her brother John, though they don't blame her at all. They did mention an attraction between her and Nicholas' best friend, Lord Kerrick and it kind-of make me hopeful that they are the next main couple in the next book for the "Landing A Lord" series and if this is the case I look forward to see how their relationship grows.
After the wedding Louisa's brother John leaves. Since his sisters were going to be taken care of and protected he decided he would do what he really wanted to do, but couldn't since he was put in the position of man of the house. I really was hoping the author had put some mention of John by a letter to his sisters or something along those lines by the end of the book so you know how he was fairing , since after he left he is not mentioned anymore after that. All in all I really enjoyed the book. It had romance, suspense, and mystery.
February 9, 2013
Finally, an enjoyable Regency! In recent weeks I have read a slew of Regency romances whose heroines either left me cold, or whom I disliked intensely.
Loving the Marquess has broken that trend. While I found John, the heroine's brother, to be immensely irritating and immature - even for 18 - the other characters where well developed, and very true to the time. The hero and heroine were both very likeable and read very well indeed.
Hero's grandmother gave me some bad moments when I first met her, but she redeemed herself very quickly (and graciously). The hero's best friend was indeed, the very calibre of a man any man would want in a best friend; and the hero's aunt and cousins were as truly obnoxious as only obnoxious blood relatives can be.
The unveiling of the true villain in the story didn't deliver any surprises - you'll see that one coming a mile away, and if you're like me, you might even wish you were wrong so that the hero wouldn't be wrong in his suspicions. But even heroes must be shown to be fallible, I suppose.
The only niggling little issue for me was the question of why it was only ever the hero who was affected by the plants in the conservatory. If they were as toxic as they were reputed to be - certainly to the extent that the hero could not remain in the conservatory for more than a minute or so without being overcome, why were the grandmother and others who spent hours in there unaffected?
The ending of the story seemed just a wee bit rushed, and a little lacking in gracefulness or romance. Instead of that deeply satisfying sense of Awwwwwwww...., it was just Over.
But it was a very good story, and one I still thoroughly enjoyed reading. I highly recommend it.
Loving the Marquess has broken that trend. While I found John, the heroine's brother, to be immensely irritating and immature - even for 18 - the other characters where well developed, and very true to the time. The hero and heroine were both very likeable and read very well indeed.
Hero's grandmother gave me some bad moments when I first met her, but she redeemed herself very quickly (and graciously). The hero's best friend was indeed, the very calibre of a man any man would want in a best friend; and the hero's aunt and cousins were as truly obnoxious as only obnoxious blood relatives can be.
The unveiling of the true villain in the story didn't deliver any surprises - you'll see that one coming a mile away, and if you're like me, you might even wish you were wrong so that the hero wouldn't be wrong in his suspicions. But even heroes must be shown to be fallible, I suppose.
The only niggling little issue for me was the question of why it was only ever the hero who was affected by the plants in the conservatory. If they were as toxic as they were reputed to be - certainly to the extent that the hero could not remain in the conservatory for more than a minute or so without being overcome, why were the grandmother and others who spent hours in there unaffected?
The ending of the story seemed just a wee bit rushed, and a little lacking in gracefulness or romance. Instead of that deeply satisfying sense of Awwwwwwww...., it was just Over.
But it was a very good story, and one I still thoroughly enjoyed reading. I highly recommend it.
May 28, 2022
I might have rated this two stars if I hadn’t felt so insulted as a reader. The writing was basic, the plot itself had some interest but was handled so clumsily that it ended up farcically predictable to the reader and farcically opaque to the characters in the book, and the whole thing was tragically lacking subtlety, nuance, humor, and intelligence. Ugh. The only positive thing I have to say it that the book was mercifully short.
January 17, 2013
Not much of a romance here. No real tender moments or saying nice things to each other.
Basically hero is sick and marries heroine who is poor and in desperate straits so she will have sex with someone else and pass the baby off as his. He does not want to pass on his illness to his child.
There were not any humorous moments or anything memorable. It was just bland and very boring.
Basically hero is sick and marries heroine who is poor and in desperate straits so she will have sex with someone else and pass the baby off as his. He does not want to pass on his illness to his child.
There were not any humorous moments or anything memorable. It was just bland and very boring.
Read
July 4, 20133.5 stars.
This is a nice story -- another entry in the must-have-heir trope, which I seem to have been reading a lot of lately. But there's also a mystery going on, and it's fairly well done.
This is a nice story -- another entry in the must-have-heir trope, which I seem to have been reading a lot of lately. But there's also a mystery going on, and it's fairly well done.
April 20, 2020
2.75*
I’ve read this story before in a better written, more interesting way so I skimmed a lot.-
I’ve read this story before in a better written, more interesting way so I skimmed a lot.-
January 23, 2020
3.5 stars for this marriage of convenience plot that features a marquess who must marry and produce an heir ASAP and a poor gentrywoman who must marry to save herself from the machinations of the local landlord (who happens to be the marquess' cousin).
I'd describe this book as a slice of warm pecan pie: sweet, pleasant, not particularly surprising, but tasty and comforting. The book implies that Nicholas, Marquess of Overlea, is a rake, but we see very little to no rake-iness in the book. He's stoic, stable, capable and caring. He also has an utterly cuckoo idea of how to acquire an heir without bedding his wife (yes, it's ridiculous, albeit well written ridiculousness).
The heroine, Louisa, is both naive and tough, caring and capable. Her grace under pressure is repeatedly demonstrated throughout the book, except at the very end, in a scene I found utterly idiotic. She takes care of her younger siblings, and is willing to marry anyone to save them from a life of poverty. As it turns out, she marries the hot, rich guy. Only in Romancelandia! Her constant obsessiveness about the marquess once she knows they will marry and are married, strikes me as the sort of thing that happens with rich housewives: not much else to do but spend time wondering what their man is thinking.
The book does involve the hero repeatedly trying to resist the heroine, but all it does is make her feel more hurt and insecure about herself. So if you don't like plots involving a bit of secret keeping (nothing overly prolonged, it all comes out naturally in the plot), you may not like this one.
Should mention: there is a mystery plot, regarding the Marquess' illness and his father and brother's.
This book is currently free on Kindle! It's definitely worth the read. I did fork over a few bucks to buy the sequels, which feature Louisa's sister, Catherine and one of the secondary characters in this book.
I'd describe this book as a slice of warm pecan pie: sweet, pleasant, not particularly surprising, but tasty and comforting. The book implies that Nicholas, Marquess of Overlea, is a rake, but we see very little to no rake-iness in the book. He's stoic, stable, capable and caring. He also has an utterly cuckoo idea of how to acquire an heir without bedding his wife (yes, it's ridiculous, albeit well written ridiculousness).
The heroine, Louisa, is both naive and tough, caring and capable. Her grace under pressure is repeatedly demonstrated throughout the book, except at the very end, in a scene I found utterly idiotic. She takes care of her younger siblings, and is willing to marry anyone to save them from a life of poverty. As it turns out, she marries the hot, rich guy. Only in Romancelandia! Her constant obsessiveness about the marquess once she knows they will marry and are married, strikes me as the sort of thing that happens with rich housewives: not much else to do but spend time wondering what their man is thinking.
The book does involve the hero repeatedly trying to resist the heroine, but all it does is make her feel more hurt and insecure about herself. So if you don't like plots involving a bit of secret keeping (nothing overly prolonged, it all comes out naturally in the plot), you may not like this one.
Should mention: there is a mystery plot, regarding the Marquess' illness and his father and brother's.
This book is currently free on Kindle! It's definitely worth the read. I did fork over a few bucks to buy the sequels, which feature Louisa's sister, Catherine and one of the secondary characters in this book.
January 9, 2021
He Needs An Heir👨
ADULT Regency 💕 and Murder Mystery💀
Nicholas🐺🍆⛲💪, the Marquess of Overlea, was a second son who never wanted to be Marquess. He is somewhat of a rake.
His parents died in a horrific carriage crash, then his older brother became ill and died. Now Nicholas🐺🍆⛲💪 thinks he has inherited the same mysterious illness that killed his brother.
His grandmother insists he marry, but will his illness be passed down to his heir👨? He's afraid to find out.
This is a long book that has several villains. I really enjoyed the mystery of what really happened to his family.
ADULT Regency 💕 and Murder Mystery💀
Nicholas🐺🍆⛲💪, the Marquess of Overlea, was a second son who never wanted to be Marquess. He is somewhat of a rake.
His parents died in a horrific carriage crash, then his older brother became ill and died. Now Nicholas🐺🍆⛲💪 thinks he has inherited the same mysterious illness that killed his brother.
His grandmother insists he marry, but will his illness be passed down to his heir👨? He's afraid to find out.
This is a long book that has several villains. I really enjoyed the mystery of what really happened to his family.
December 1, 2019
3.7 rounded to 4. A bit of angst since the main character, the Marquess, is convinced he is dying from a hereditary decease. So he doesn’t have much time.
Then there is a bit of intrigue later on in the story and, although it’s not developed too well by the author, it would be better not to read any spoilers. I did a disservice to the book by reading the spoilers and thus did not appreciate the twist at the end.
Then there is a bit of intrigue later on in the story and, although it’s not developed too well by the author, it would be better not to read any spoilers. I did a disservice to the book by reading the spoilers and thus did not appreciate the twist at the end.
December 17, 2017
I don't read many HRs but was looking for something fluffy. This definitely fit the bill; light, predictable, but enjoyable.
March 22, 2015
3.5
A couple weeks ago, I was looking for new books to read, cruising through Amazon's recommendations, and consulting Goodreads to see what I've read and liked. (Goodreads is my bookish memory.) I'd picked up the prequel novella to this series, Dancing with the Duke, as a freebie and had enjoyed it enough to be curious about the full-length novels.
The novella held potential, but I'm not particularly sure it was fully realized here. I wanted more of the characters in the prequel, and that holds true for Loving the Marquess. I think the problem was that we missed some of the reactions and thought processes of the characters. We "see" everything that happens to the characters, but we don't necessarily get to experience it with them.
That said, I did like Louisa. Nicholas -- the Marquess in question -- is kind of an ass at the beginning, marrying her, then informing her afterward (and after he'd almost had sex with her, then got up [not that way; he was already up] and left) that he wanted someone else to father the heir.
I just... o.O I mean, I can logically understand his reasons for doing so, but dude. DUDE. Louisa didn't deserve any of it, especially after everything she'd been through to support her family. But whatever. She deals. And she deals with it much better than Nicholas does.
As for Nicholas's illness... it was definitely taken in a direction I didn't expect, though it does make total sense given the context. I will say that certain things were said enough times that I knew, with each new mention of it, that it couldn't be the actual reason for the illness. Not sure if it was over play on the author's part or if I'm just that good at seeing through red herrings.
Loving the Marquess was a quick, fluff read, but sometimes, that's all you need.
A couple weeks ago, I was looking for new books to read, cruising through Amazon's recommendations, and consulting Goodreads to see what I've read and liked. (Goodreads is my bookish memory.) I'd picked up the prequel novella to this series, Dancing with the Duke, as a freebie and had enjoyed it enough to be curious about the full-length novels.
The novella held potential, but I'm not particularly sure it was fully realized here. I wanted more of the characters in the prequel, and that holds true for Loving the Marquess. I think the problem was that we missed some of the reactions and thought processes of the characters. We "see" everything that happens to the characters, but we don't necessarily get to experience it with them.
That said, I did like Louisa. Nicholas -- the Marquess in question -- is kind of an ass at the beginning, marrying her, then informing her afterward (and after he'd almost had sex with her, then got up [not that way; he was already up] and left) that he wanted someone else to father the heir.
I just... o.O I mean, I can logically understand his reasons for doing so, but dude. DUDE. Louisa didn't deserve any of it, especially after everything she'd been through to support her family. But whatever. She deals. And she deals with it much better than Nicholas does.
As for Nicholas's illness... it was definitely taken in a direction I didn't expect, though it does make total sense given the context. I will say that certain things were said enough times that I knew, with each new mention of it, that it couldn't be the actual reason for the illness. Not sure if it was over play on the author's part or if I'm just that good at seeing through red herrings.
Loving the Marquess was a quick, fluff read, but sometimes, that's all you need.
February 26, 2018
"We cannot allow fear of the future to stop us from living in the present." --Louisa, Marchioness of Overlea
4.5 stars
I admit that the premise of this novel was a bit far-fetched. Nicholas, the Marquess of Overlea, is convinced he has inherited a deadly disease that killed both his father and older brother James, which in turn forced him to inherit the title. Because he does not wish to pass on the illness to his children, he comes up with a plan to keep the Overlea line 'clean': to have his wife conceive a child with his best friend Kerrick (who refuses profusely) and then claim the child as his own. Louisa, his wife, also objects vehemently, as she has come to care deeply for her husband even though their engagement was unconventional. She wasn't afraid to stand up to him and she was stubborn in her will to break through Nicholas' walls, and she was so great to follow along with Nicholas.
Despite the minor whimsical aspect, I really enjoyed and was engrossed in this novel! The storyline--while slightly unbelievable--was still intriguing. The angst, the plotting, the mystery, the danger, the slow-burn love, the betrayal, and the shocking twist was just so great. Definitely recommend this one as it was another amazing historical for this year :)
My Nicholas Manning, Marquess of Overlea, dancing with his new wife Louisa..
January 7, 2024
I just want to say that for the record, I still get lured in by the advertisements for this story and every time I click on it and see that it’s this title, I get sad because I’ve already read it. The author is seriously one hell of a writer!
July 6, 2013
Nice premise but I did not think it held up through out the entire book. It was a good start to al new series and I will be following future books.
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