What do you think?
Rate this book
A Risk Worth Taking
Griffin Blackmoor blames himself for the tragic accident that claimed his wife and young son. Riddled with guilt, he prays that during the Crimean War an enemy’s bullet will end the consuming torture he can’t escape. Instead, that bullet finds his best friend. Now there isn’t enough whiskey in England to make him forget all the people who have died because of him. But before he can drown himself in an endless sea of liquor, he must keep the promise he made his dying friend. Except that promise is sure to risk an innocent woman’s life—and his own battered heart.
When her brother’s sudden death leaves her destitute, Lady Anne Carmichael knows she must marry. Although her dark beauty earns her the attention of London’s most eligible bachelors, only one man can stir her soul with his kisses. Griffin Blackmoor is everything she swore she never wanted. So why does his love feel like exactly what she needs?
When her brother’s sudden death leaves her destitute, Lady Anne Carmichael knows she must marry. Although her dark beauty earns her the attention of London’s most eligible bachelors, only one man can stir her soul with his kisses. Griffin Blackmoor is everything she swore she never wanted. So why does his love feel like exactly what she needs?
Audio CD
First published October 1, 2013
238 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Laura Landon
67 books367 followersLaura Landon taught high school for ten years before leaving the classroom to open her own ice-cream shop. As much as she loved serving up sundaes and malts from behind the counter, she closed up shop after penning her first novel. Now she spends nearly every waking minute writing, guiding her heroes and heroines to find their happily ever afters.
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 12, 2014
2,5 STARS.
Let's grant that 0,5 more for the smooth, if unexceptional, writing and the fact that there was nothing offensive in the book, but the flat plot, the repetitiveness of certain dynamics and the non-building sensual and emotional tension prevent this from being something more than a barely average read for me.
On a side note: bare-chested guy notwithstanding, this book is pretty tame (and this, per se, is neither a flaw nor a merit, it depends on the writer and the story), but given today's publishing standards, I just wanted to warn potential readers as I think the, unfortunately de rigueur, beef-cake on the cover to be quite misleading in this case.
Griffin Blackmoor lost his wife and child in a shipwreck, lost some of his Intelligence Office mates during the Crimean War and when the book opens one of his best friends is killed near an inn, maybe with a bullet instead meant for him. This trail of sorrows leaves him devastated, with a huge sense of worthlessness and with the urge to quit this world as soon as possible. And Griffin's personal route to self-destruction is booze. He still possesses a kernel of dignity though and so he resolves to fulfil the promise he made to his dying friend: to protect his sister, thus landing on Lady Anne Carmichael's doorstep.
What ensues is a very tepid "love" story between a tired and emotionally reluctant man and a woman who needs to save somebody in order to earn herself the heroine status, a perfect foil for the hero's recovery from self-pity, but never a fully rounded character in her own right.
"We're doing this for the Queen (the reader) and for the Country (the book)" kept echoing in my ears. Add to all this a wallpaper setting and an obvious villain and there you go.
The realistic portrayal of alcoholism and its ugly face, of the infernal withdrawal symptoms, of the slow resurrection towards lucidity are maybe the only strong points of the book, but not enough to recommend this bland romance... precisely because it was supposed to be a romance.
Let's grant that 0,5 more for the smooth, if unexceptional, writing and the fact that there was nothing offensive in the book, but the flat plot, the repetitiveness of certain dynamics and the non-building sensual and emotional tension prevent this from being something more than a barely average read for me.
On a side note: bare-chested guy notwithstanding, this book is pretty tame (and this, per se, is neither a flaw nor a merit, it depends on the writer and the story), but given today's publishing standards, I just wanted to warn potential readers as I think the, unfortunately de rigueur, beef-cake on the cover to be quite misleading in this case.
Griffin Blackmoor lost his wife and child in a shipwreck, lost some of his Intelligence Office mates during the Crimean War and when the book opens one of his best friends is killed near an inn, maybe with a bullet instead meant for him. This trail of sorrows leaves him devastated, with a huge sense of worthlessness and with the urge to quit this world as soon as possible. And Griffin's personal route to self-destruction is booze. He still possesses a kernel of dignity though and so he resolves to fulfil the promise he made to his dying friend: to protect his sister, thus landing on Lady Anne Carmichael's doorstep.
What ensues is a very tepid "love" story between a tired and emotionally reluctant man and a woman who needs to save somebody in order to earn herself the heroine status, a perfect foil for the hero's recovery from self-pity, but never a fully rounded character in her own right.
"We're doing this for the Queen (the reader) and for the Country (the book)" kept echoing in my ears. Add to all this a wallpaper setting and an obvious villain and there you go.
The realistic portrayal of alcoholism and its ugly face, of the infernal withdrawal symptoms, of the slow resurrection towards lucidity are maybe the only strong points of the book, but not enough to recommend this bland romance... precisely because it was supposed to be a romance.
May 6, 2022
Well, if youre looking for stand-alone HR I think this author has good ones.
It is rare to see a romance book that talks about alcoholism, specially a historical, the only other one that I can think of is The rake by Mary Jo Putney.
This hero has lost his wife and child to the sea and when his best friend died in his arm it was a death too many and he went over the line.
I actually got the mystery right and couldn't believe the hero could not see it. Ofc, he was too close snd too deep to actually see anything straight.
This was not the best book I read from this author but it was nice nonetheless.
3.5 stars.
It is rare to see a romance book that talks about alcoholism, specially a historical, the only other one that I can think of is The rake by Mary Jo Putney.
This hero has lost his wife and child to the sea and when his best friend died in his arm it was a death too many and he went over the line.
I actually got the mystery right and couldn't believe the hero could not see it. Ofc, he was too close snd too deep to actually see anything straight.
This was not the best book I read from this author but it was nice nonetheless.
3.5 stars.
September 1, 2016
Griffin Blackmoor is a hero with a world of emotional baggage from his past. He blames himself for the death of his wife and son, and after returning from the Crimean War he's been slowly drinking himself to death. When the story opens, he's with a close friend who takes a bullet that Griffin is sure was meant for him (all that spying and skullduggery whilst in the war and all). Said friend dies, and the entire estate is entailed to a distant cousin, leaving the two younger sisters penniless. Griffin's guilt knows no bounds (and his drinking is even worse than before), and he makes arrangements for the elder sister to have a season and hopefully find a wealthy husband to care for her.
Well, this being a romance novel you know Griffin and Lady Anne are going to fall in love, and since there's a murder mystery afoot you know they're going to have to solve that too. Unfortunately, despite Griffin being a super-duper top-drawer spy of the highest order, it takes him a very long time to figure out who the baddie is. The reader, on the other hand, will figure it all out by page 50 or so.
Top that off with Griffin's overly melodramatic pity party (felt like I was being clubbed over the head with it all), this just wasn't a book that kept my interest. I finished it, but I was very glad it was over. The romance was nice enough when it did get going, but be warned - there's not going to be any hot sex to make up for the heavy-handed writing - wedding night behind closed doors.
While I do enjoy reading historical romances, I generally steer clear of what's being published in today's marketplace, so I have a hard time comparing this to what I'm accustomed to. Perhaps this style of writing is what's common for today's romances and would suit the every-day romance reader, your mileage may vary.
Reviewed for Amazon Vine.
Well, this being a romance novel you know Griffin and Lady Anne are going to fall in love, and since there's a murder mystery afoot you know they're going to have to solve that too. Unfortunately, despite Griffin being a super-duper top-drawer spy of the highest order, it takes him a very long time to figure out who the baddie is. The reader, on the other hand, will figure it all out by page 50 or so.
Top that off with Griffin's overly melodramatic pity party (felt like I was being clubbed over the head with it all), this just wasn't a book that kept my interest. I finished it, but I was very glad it was over. The romance was nice enough when it did get going, but be warned - there's not going to be any hot sex to make up for the heavy-handed writing - wedding night behind closed doors.
While I do enjoy reading historical romances, I generally steer clear of what's being published in today's marketplace, so I have a hard time comparing this to what I'm accustomed to. Perhaps this style of writing is what's common for today's romances and would suit the every-day romance reader, your mileage may vary.
Reviewed for Amazon Vine.
May 3, 2019
England 1857.
Griffin served as a Crimean war intelligence officer.
Now retired from svc. He felt guilt about the loss of
his wife and son to drowning 4 yrs ago. He saw his
bestie Freddie shot dead before his eyes & promised
Fred he'd look out for his sisters Anne & Becca. But
Griff's alcoholism consumed him. Fred and sisters
saw how their late father chose alcohol over family.
Griff convinced his (earl) brother & wife to sponsor
Anne's society come-out (H absorbed costs) while
her sister was away at school. With hard work,
Griff became sober.
This little story kept my interest until Anne made
several TSTL decisions, starting at the 81% mark.
It was all down hill from there.
Griffin served as a Crimean war intelligence officer.
Now retired from svc. He felt guilt about the loss of
his wife and son to drowning 4 yrs ago. He saw his
bestie Freddie shot dead before his eyes & promised
Fred he'd look out for his sisters Anne & Becca. But
Griff's alcoholism consumed him. Fred and sisters
saw how their late father chose alcohol over family.
Griff convinced his (earl) brother & wife to sponsor
Anne's society come-out (H absorbed costs) while
her sister was away at school. With hard work,
Griff became sober.
This little story kept my interest until Anne made
several TSTL decisions, starting at the 81% mark.
It was all down hill from there.
August 14, 2024
Review from 2014
C- for content / B+ for narration.
I’ve listened to and read a couple of other books by Laura Landon and, although they weren’t dreadful, they weren’t anything to write home about either. I chose to listen to A Risk Worth Taking solely because I happen to like James Langton as a narrator. While he couldn’t transform what turned out to be a fairly run-of-the-mill book into an exciting page-turner, he did at least make the eight-plus hours of listening pleasant ones. The story is simple and undemanding but it’s also unoriginal and has been better executed elsewhere.
Griffin Blackmoor is an ex-soldier and intelligence officer whose wife and young son drowned in a storm at sea four years previously. Weighed down by guilt, Griff has lived a reclusive and aimless life since then and is determined never to experience that sort of loss ever again. Not only that, but because he blames himself for the tragedy, he has become convinced that anyone who gets close to him will be hurt as a result of their association with him.
When Griff’s best friend Freddie, the Marquess of Brentwood, is shot and killed, it only serves to reinforce Griff’s belief that he’s bad news. He is sure the bullet that killed Freddie was actually meant for him and the pain of his friend’s loss, together with the crushing weight of guilt, finally sends Griff over the edge and into taking refuge at the bottom of a bottle.
One of the things the author did well was her treatment of Griff’s alcoholism and his subsequent struggle to kick the habit and stay on the wagon. I’ve read many books where one of the characters has an addiction of some sort which is miraculously overcome with very little pain or effort, so kudos to Ms. Landon for not sugar-coating Griff’s problem and not being afraid to show him when he is inebriated and having trouble walking, seeing, or thinking straight.
Freddie’s last words had been a plea to take care of his sister, Annie, but given Griff’s preoccupation with drinking himself into an early grave, it’s some months before he remembers his friend’s request. Being an unmarried man, he cannot have a single lady residing, unchaperoned, under his roof, so he decides that the best thing for all concerned – and mostly himself – would be for Annie to take up residence with his brother and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Covington.
Lady Anne Carmichael and her young sister, Becky, have been left destitute by their brother’s death, as his estates (with one small exception) are entailed. The new Marquess is all sweetness and light, allowing the ladies the use of a cottage on the estate yet after only a short time, he tells them he needs the cottage for the new caretaker and the sisters will have to leave. There is an alternative but Annie refuses his proposal of marriage even though she has no idea where they will go.
Adam, Earl of Covington, agrees to take Annie in under his roof and to sponsor her for a Season, but there is a condition attached – Griff must stop drinking and sober up. Griff is angry and appalled at what he sees as an unreasonable demand because, of course, he can stop drinking any time he wants. He just doesn’t want to. But he knows he has no choice if he’s to honour his friend’s dying wishes.
Once Annie is settled and Griff makes good on his part of the bargain with his brother, he believes his obligation fulfilled and plans to remove himself from London. He’s finding himself drawn to Annie in a way he hadn’t wanted or anticipated and believes he has to get away from her for her own good.
For her part, Annie finds Griff very attractive but has no wish to become involved with a man who would put his next drink before her. She saw her parents’ marriage fall apart because of her father’s alcoholism and the last thing she wants is to find herself in similar straits to her mother.
Running alongside the romance is a secondary plotline concerning Griff’s conviction that someone is out to murder him. Even though others suggest that perhaps he’s barking up the wrong tree, Griff is convinced he’s the intended victim. After all, he was present when Freddie was killed, and when a runaway carriage threatened Annie’s life. I found it hard to believe that a supposedly intelligent man would so stubbornly refuse to consider any other possibilities but Griff is far too self-obsessed and preoccupied with his own grief and guilt as to be completely blinkered on the matter.
Ms. Landon did try to set up a “red-herring” guilty party, but the identity of the villain was obvious almost from the start, even though his motives were not fully explained until later.
The pacing of the story was uneven; the first and last third of the book worked fairly well but parts of the middle section dragged considerably. The characterisation of both principals lacked depth so that neither of them came off as especially engaging or likeable. Annie was a fairly stereotypical damsel-in-distress and Griffin was almost entirely defined by his guilt and self-pity. He had the potential to be a decent romantic hero but was so self-obsessed for most of the time that he never really developed into anything more. There is a sprinkling of romantic tension between the pair, but this is a squeaky clean romance that doesn’t go beyond the bedroom door so there’s no fun between the sheets to liven things up!
There was some incredibly cheesy dialogue which, to his credit, James Langton negotiated easily and he breathed life into the principal and secondary characters, rounding them out somewhat by virtue of his interpretations. Each character is appropriately voiced using a variety of range and the odd regional accent. The two female characters, Annie and Lady Covington, are easy to tell apart by virtue of the softness of tone employed for Annie and the very upper-class accent used for her ladyship. The villain of the piece sounds suitably malicious and smarmy and Griff’s old army companion is nicely gruff and down-to-earth. Mr Langton’s narration is well-paced and, although he has a habit of using a slight upward intonation at the end of sentences or phrases, it didn’t get in the way of the performance. I find his tone soothing and the slight huskiness to his voice very attractive but even a narrator of his calibre couldn’t rescue this lacklustre story.
C- for content / B+ for narration.
I’ve listened to and read a couple of other books by Laura Landon and, although they weren’t dreadful, they weren’t anything to write home about either. I chose to listen to A Risk Worth Taking solely because I happen to like James Langton as a narrator. While he couldn’t transform what turned out to be a fairly run-of-the-mill book into an exciting page-turner, he did at least make the eight-plus hours of listening pleasant ones. The story is simple and undemanding but it’s also unoriginal and has been better executed elsewhere.
Griffin Blackmoor is an ex-soldier and intelligence officer whose wife and young son drowned in a storm at sea four years previously. Weighed down by guilt, Griff has lived a reclusive and aimless life since then and is determined never to experience that sort of loss ever again. Not only that, but because he blames himself for the tragedy, he has become convinced that anyone who gets close to him will be hurt as a result of their association with him.
When Griff’s best friend Freddie, the Marquess of Brentwood, is shot and killed, it only serves to reinforce Griff’s belief that he’s bad news. He is sure the bullet that killed Freddie was actually meant for him and the pain of his friend’s loss, together with the crushing weight of guilt, finally sends Griff over the edge and into taking refuge at the bottom of a bottle.
One of the things the author did well was her treatment of Griff’s alcoholism and his subsequent struggle to kick the habit and stay on the wagon. I’ve read many books where one of the characters has an addiction of some sort which is miraculously overcome with very little pain or effort, so kudos to Ms. Landon for not sugar-coating Griff’s problem and not being afraid to show him when he is inebriated and having trouble walking, seeing, or thinking straight.
Freddie’s last words had been a plea to take care of his sister, Annie, but given Griff’s preoccupation with drinking himself into an early grave, it’s some months before he remembers his friend’s request. Being an unmarried man, he cannot have a single lady residing, unchaperoned, under his roof, so he decides that the best thing for all concerned – and mostly himself – would be for Annie to take up residence with his brother and his wife, the Earl and Countess of Covington.
Lady Anne Carmichael and her young sister, Becky, have been left destitute by their brother’s death, as his estates (with one small exception) are entailed. The new Marquess is all sweetness and light, allowing the ladies the use of a cottage on the estate yet after only a short time, he tells them he needs the cottage for the new caretaker and the sisters will have to leave. There is an alternative but Annie refuses his proposal of marriage even though she has no idea where they will go.
Adam, Earl of Covington, agrees to take Annie in under his roof and to sponsor her for a Season, but there is a condition attached – Griff must stop drinking and sober up. Griff is angry and appalled at what he sees as an unreasonable demand because, of course, he can stop drinking any time he wants. He just doesn’t want to. But he knows he has no choice if he’s to honour his friend’s dying wishes.
Once Annie is settled and Griff makes good on his part of the bargain with his brother, he believes his obligation fulfilled and plans to remove himself from London. He’s finding himself drawn to Annie in a way he hadn’t wanted or anticipated and believes he has to get away from her for her own good.
For her part, Annie finds Griff very attractive but has no wish to become involved with a man who would put his next drink before her. She saw her parents’ marriage fall apart because of her father’s alcoholism and the last thing she wants is to find herself in similar straits to her mother.
Running alongside the romance is a secondary plotline concerning Griff’s conviction that someone is out to murder him. Even though others suggest that perhaps he’s barking up the wrong tree, Griff is convinced he’s the intended victim. After all, he was present when Freddie was killed, and when a runaway carriage threatened Annie’s life. I found it hard to believe that a supposedly intelligent man would so stubbornly refuse to consider any other possibilities but Griff is far too self-obsessed and preoccupied with his own grief and guilt as to be completely blinkered on the matter.
Ms. Landon did try to set up a “red-herring” guilty party, but the identity of the villain was obvious almost from the start, even though his motives were not fully explained until later.
The pacing of the story was uneven; the first and last third of the book worked fairly well but parts of the middle section dragged considerably. The characterisation of both principals lacked depth so that neither of them came off as especially engaging or likeable. Annie was a fairly stereotypical damsel-in-distress and Griffin was almost entirely defined by his guilt and self-pity. He had the potential to be a decent romantic hero but was so self-obsessed for most of the time that he never really developed into anything more. There is a sprinkling of romantic tension between the pair, but this is a squeaky clean romance that doesn’t go beyond the bedroom door so there’s no fun between the sheets to liven things up!
There was some incredibly cheesy dialogue which, to his credit, James Langton negotiated easily and he breathed life into the principal and secondary characters, rounding them out somewhat by virtue of his interpretations. Each character is appropriately voiced using a variety of range and the odd regional accent. The two female characters, Annie and Lady Covington, are easy to tell apart by virtue of the softness of tone employed for Annie and the very upper-class accent used for her ladyship. The villain of the piece sounds suitably malicious and smarmy and Griff’s old army companion is nicely gruff and down-to-earth. Mr Langton’s narration is well-paced and, although he has a habit of using a slight upward intonation at the end of sentences or phrases, it didn’t get in the way of the performance. I find his tone soothing and the slight huskiness to his voice very attractive but even a narrator of his calibre couldn’t rescue this lacklustre story.
July 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. To have a regency romance book that deals with alcoholism and the effects it has on the family members as well as the process of dealing with death, grief, blame and finally forgiveness and peace. Well done characters and smooth flow to the story. Glad it concluded with a successful ending. 😍
January 2, 2016
There is more bad than good about this book. But I like to start with the positive. The writing did have some moments of fluidity. I thought The portrayal of Griff's alcoholism was done reasonably well and overall his characterisation wasn't too bad. I'm afraid at this point I rather run out of good things to say.
The writing overall was jarring and unsubtle (the sheer number of rhetorical questions alone made my eye twitch). Far too much tell, very little show. The H/h didn't have any chemistry and the romance is badly developed. The heroine declares herself in love with Griff and I thought - but why? He decides he's in love with her and I thought - but why? The whole spy element was poor in my opinion and took the book out of its time unnecessarily. The villain was too on the nose.
The heroine's characterisation was clumsy and inconsistent. She doesn't want to marry except for love but she's destitute (so, straight away: daft). She refuses the villain's proposal even though he seems like a sensible choice because she just knows him to be a villain. Then she agrees to be sponsored into society but she won't marry the hero because he's an alcoholic. But then she does. Then she's worried about his feelings for his dead wife although that thought hasn't occurred to her before. But she still wants a baby with him. She knows they're in danger but she goes out on her own to a dangerous part of the estate. Just: no. Oh, and the sex was fade to black.
I finished it (with some skimming of the last 20% or so) but I cannot recommend this one.
The writing overall was jarring and unsubtle (the sheer number of rhetorical questions alone made my eye twitch). Far too much tell, very little show. The H/h didn't have any chemistry and the romance is badly developed. The heroine declares herself in love with Griff and I thought - but why? He decides he's in love with her and I thought - but why? The whole spy element was poor in my opinion and took the book out of its time unnecessarily. The villain was too on the nose.
The heroine's characterisation was clumsy and inconsistent. She doesn't want to marry except for love but she's destitute (so, straight away: daft). She refuses the villain's proposal even though he seems like a sensible choice because she just knows him to be a villain. Then she agrees to be sponsored into society but she won't marry the hero because he's an alcoholic. But then she does. Then she's worried about his feelings for his dead wife although that thought hasn't occurred to her before. But she still wants a baby with him. She knows they're in danger but she goes out on her own to a dangerous part of the estate. Just: no. Oh, and the sex was fade to black.
I finished it (with some skimming of the last 20% or so) but I cannot recommend this one.
June 20, 2015
I have never felt the need to give half stars to any books but this book is not really 3 or 4 stars...so 3.5 it is. The thing with Laura Landon's books is that she has the skills of a seasoned writer....she weaves together words so beautifully you want to lose yourself in them. The thing that prevents the complete surrender to her stories are her traditional plots and story lines. I wish she pushed her imagination just a little further. This book was nice I enjoyed Griff and Anne's chemistry...and didn't even feel the need for explicit love scenes to convey the depth of their connection. But I did wish that their first time together was written instead of left to imagination...I think for that Sherry Thomas is a pro....she writes love scenes by utilizing euphemisms and emotionally charged sentiments to convey the couples coming together it fires up your imagination just enough. The thing that bothered me the most about this book was the ignorance of Griff on the real issue...I mean you dont even need spy skills just common sense to put 2 and 2 together...It is worth a try...though nothing you can't go on without reading.
December 23, 2013
Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
Sometimes when I read a book, I wonder.. What would I do if that happened to me? I don't always agree with the way a heroine might handle something, sometimes I even think she is something of a nitwit, but if a book makes me think I am well pleased. Laura Landon's A Risk Worth Taking was one of those books (and I didn't think the heroine was a nitwit).
Lady Anne Carmichael was left alone to raise her younger sister. When her brother died she discovers that the entire estate is entailed and she is pretty much out on the street. They are struggling but things are working until the new Marquess ups the anty.. he is hiring a new Caretaker so they have to move out of the cottage. They don't have any money for rent and oh by the way, let's get married. Yeah, that is so not happening. Anne knows she must have other options and when her brother's best friend Griffin Blackmore stops in and offers her a season and a chance to marry, Anne is forced to accept.
Griffin Blackmore has a hero complex.. it's earned but still can get a bit tedious. Ms Landon did a brilliant job writing him. When his wife and son died Griffin was devestated but was still able to function. But he went to war and saw horrors in abundance. Capturing a spy ring and making sure they hung for their sins was Griffin's last job. Now he's a civilian and haunted by war and tragedy. And face it a drunk. When his best friend is shot down right in front of him, Griffin is convinced that they missed a man in the spy ring. And someone wants him dead. The guilt of loosing his best friend finally forces him over the edge. Into an every deepening spiral of drink and despair.
While I didn't always enjoy the way Griffin behaved, like I said Ms Landon wrote him brilliantly. Everything was his fault, poor me, guess I am gonna have another drink. Woe is me, life is hard, give me another drink.. When his brother refused to help Anne unless Griffin stopped drinking he was appalled. Talk about a brilliant intervention!
Anne on the other hand.. well her father was a drunk. She knew what it was like living with someone who preferred a life with the bottle rather than with his wife and kids. A man whose family hid all his flaws and hid from society so no one would find out. And still she fell for Griffin. Now he was sober during their interaction but still..
OK, I know I shouldn't bring reality into a romance book but it's there. It's a hard subject wonderfully written and two wounded souls, who are willing to fight for something. It takes a while for Griffin to get over his wounded warrior, survivor's guilt but he works at becoming a better man.
I enjoyed this book, honestly enjoyed it and I am not quite sure why.. I guess it's Ms. Landon's wonderfully flawed characters who seek redemption in the arms of love *grins* couldn't help myself. I think most historical romance readers would enjoy this book, check it out, give it a try.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of A Risk Worth Taking, provided by netgalley
Sometimes when I read a book, I wonder.. What would I do if that happened to me? I don't always agree with the way a heroine might handle something, sometimes I even think she is something of a nitwit, but if a book makes me think I am well pleased. Laura Landon's A Risk Worth Taking was one of those books (and I didn't think the heroine was a nitwit).
Lady Anne Carmichael was left alone to raise her younger sister. When her brother died she discovers that the entire estate is entailed and she is pretty much out on the street. They are struggling but things are working until the new Marquess ups the anty.. he is hiring a new Caretaker so they have to move out of the cottage. They don't have any money for rent and oh by the way, let's get married. Yeah, that is so not happening. Anne knows she must have other options and when her brother's best friend Griffin Blackmore stops in and offers her a season and a chance to marry, Anne is forced to accept.
Griffin Blackmore has a hero complex.. it's earned but still can get a bit tedious. Ms Landon did a brilliant job writing him. When his wife and son died Griffin was devestated but was still able to function. But he went to war and saw horrors in abundance. Capturing a spy ring and making sure they hung for their sins was Griffin's last job. Now he's a civilian and haunted by war and tragedy. And face it a drunk. When his best friend is shot down right in front of him, Griffin is convinced that they missed a man in the spy ring. And someone wants him dead. The guilt of loosing his best friend finally forces him over the edge. Into an every deepening spiral of drink and despair.
While I didn't always enjoy the way Griffin behaved, like I said Ms Landon wrote him brilliantly. Everything was his fault, poor me, guess I am gonna have another drink. Woe is me, life is hard, give me another drink.. When his brother refused to help Anne unless Griffin stopped drinking he was appalled. Talk about a brilliant intervention!
Anne on the other hand.. well her father was a drunk. She knew what it was like living with someone who preferred a life with the bottle rather than with his wife and kids. A man whose family hid all his flaws and hid from society so no one would find out. And still she fell for Griffin. Now he was sober during their interaction but still..
OK, I know I shouldn't bring reality into a romance book but it's there. It's a hard subject wonderfully written and two wounded souls, who are willing to fight for something. It takes a while for Griffin to get over his wounded warrior, survivor's guilt but he works at becoming a better man.
I enjoyed this book, honestly enjoyed it and I am not quite sure why.. I guess it's Ms. Landon's wonderfully flawed characters who seek redemption in the arms of love *grins* couldn't help myself. I think most historical romance readers would enjoy this book, check it out, give it a try.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of A Risk Worth Taking, provided by netgalley
April 19, 2014
its a nice and partly even romantic story but the lack of steam in it is horrible. two people know each other but dont know eacher other, they like each other and not like each other. both have a past ...
I could only give the book 2 stars because I only finished it because I wanted to know what happened to one of the characters not involved in this "love" relationship. I eventually wont reach another laura landon book.
-------------------------
Faszinier18663354t von der Regency Welt, habe ich mich in dieser Osterwoche durch so einige Werke gelesen – mittlerweile beinahe 2000 Seiten. Fasziniert musste ich feststellen, dass viele Bücher nicht das versprechen …
… hier eines davon!
Zum Buch:
Griffin Blackmoor gibt sich die Schuld am Tod seiner Frau und seines Sohnes – beide sind vor fünf Jahren ertrunken, bei einer Überfahrt über den Ärmelkanal. In London wird dann sein bester Freund erschosse und Griffin ist überzeugt, dass diese Kugel für ihn bestimmt war. Am Sterbebett bittet er ihn, sich um seine Schwester Annie zu kümmern.
Annie, die ältere der beiden Schwestern, muss bei der Testamentsverlesung erfahren, dass sie quasi mit keinen Cent aussteigt. Lediglich ein Stück Land am Meer, von Felsen und Höhlen dominiert, vererbt er ihr. Um etwas länger ein Dach über dem Kopf zu haben, bietet der neue Herr des Hauses, ein gieriger Cousin, ein kleines Angestelltenhaus an, welches er ihr bald abspenstig machen möchte, um sie dazu zu bringen, ihn zu heiraten.
Griffins Leben wird vom Alkohol bestimmt. Er trinkt um zu vergessen. Trinkt um sich nicht um Annie kümmern zu müssen. Schließlich sieht er ein, dass er es doch in die Hand nehmen muss und die einzige Möglichkeit, die er sieht, ist ihre Verheiratung. Also überredet er seinen Bruder, der verheiratet ist, sie bei sich aufzunehmen, um ihre eine Saison in London Zeit zu geben, einen passenden Ehemann zu finden.
Das Problem ist allerdings, dass Annie eigentlich nicht vor hat zu heiraten, denn die Ehe ihrer Eltern war äußerst problematisch – ihre Mutter hat ihren Vater geliebt, er allerdings nur die Flasche. Daher lehnt sie auch den Kontakt zu Griffin ab, als sie bemerkt, dass er trinkt.
Allerdings hatte Griffins Bruder an Annies Aufnahme eine Bedingung geknüpft – seinen Entzug
…
Bis dahin verspricht das Buch ja relativ viel. Man erwartet die eine oder anderen erotische Szene, Romantik – irgendetwas in dieser Art und Weise. Was bekommt man? Drei bis vier Zeilen, dass sie sich innig geküsst hätten blablabla … keine Romantik. Keine Erotik. Nichts.
Die Charaktere sind sympatisch, wenn auch etwas oberflächlich, besonders Annie.
Im Grunde gibt es zwei Handlungen – die “Liebesgeschichte” und die Handlung rund um das mysteriöse Grundstück, das Annie vermacht worden war. Man erfährt kaum mehr etwas über die jüngere Schwester, kaum etwas über die Frau Griffins Bruder, außer dass sie drei Söhne geboren hat und die perfekte Gattin zu sein scheint.
Das Buch hinterließ, alles in allem, einen eher langweiligen Eindruck – es fehlte einfach die Romantik.
Wertung: 2**
I could only give the book 2 stars because I only finished it because I wanted to know what happened to one of the characters not involved in this "love" relationship. I eventually wont reach another laura landon book.
-------------------------
Faszinier18663354t von der Regency Welt, habe ich mich in dieser Osterwoche durch so einige Werke gelesen – mittlerweile beinahe 2000 Seiten. Fasziniert musste ich feststellen, dass viele Bücher nicht das versprechen …
… hier eines davon!
Zum Buch:
Griffin Blackmoor gibt sich die Schuld am Tod seiner Frau und seines Sohnes – beide sind vor fünf Jahren ertrunken, bei einer Überfahrt über den Ärmelkanal. In London wird dann sein bester Freund erschosse und Griffin ist überzeugt, dass diese Kugel für ihn bestimmt war. Am Sterbebett bittet er ihn, sich um seine Schwester Annie zu kümmern.
Annie, die ältere der beiden Schwestern, muss bei der Testamentsverlesung erfahren, dass sie quasi mit keinen Cent aussteigt. Lediglich ein Stück Land am Meer, von Felsen und Höhlen dominiert, vererbt er ihr. Um etwas länger ein Dach über dem Kopf zu haben, bietet der neue Herr des Hauses, ein gieriger Cousin, ein kleines Angestelltenhaus an, welches er ihr bald abspenstig machen möchte, um sie dazu zu bringen, ihn zu heiraten.
Griffins Leben wird vom Alkohol bestimmt. Er trinkt um zu vergessen. Trinkt um sich nicht um Annie kümmern zu müssen. Schließlich sieht er ein, dass er es doch in die Hand nehmen muss und die einzige Möglichkeit, die er sieht, ist ihre Verheiratung. Also überredet er seinen Bruder, der verheiratet ist, sie bei sich aufzunehmen, um ihre eine Saison in London Zeit zu geben, einen passenden Ehemann zu finden.
Das Problem ist allerdings, dass Annie eigentlich nicht vor hat zu heiraten, denn die Ehe ihrer Eltern war äußerst problematisch – ihre Mutter hat ihren Vater geliebt, er allerdings nur die Flasche. Daher lehnt sie auch den Kontakt zu Griffin ab, als sie bemerkt, dass er trinkt.
Allerdings hatte Griffins Bruder an Annies Aufnahme eine Bedingung geknüpft – seinen Entzug
…
Bis dahin verspricht das Buch ja relativ viel. Man erwartet die eine oder anderen erotische Szene, Romantik – irgendetwas in dieser Art und Weise. Was bekommt man? Drei bis vier Zeilen, dass sie sich innig geküsst hätten blablabla … keine Romantik. Keine Erotik. Nichts.
Die Charaktere sind sympatisch, wenn auch etwas oberflächlich, besonders Annie.
Im Grunde gibt es zwei Handlungen – die “Liebesgeschichte” und die Handlung rund um das mysteriöse Grundstück, das Annie vermacht worden war. Man erfährt kaum mehr etwas über die jüngere Schwester, kaum etwas über die Frau Griffins Bruder, außer dass sie drei Söhne geboren hat und die perfekte Gattin zu sein scheint.
Das Buch hinterließ, alles in allem, einen eher langweiligen Eindruck – es fehlte einfach die Romantik.
Wertung: 2**
February 22, 2015
Laura Landon is a good writer who excels in penning likeable heroines from the Victorian era. Different to most Regency romances, Landon's novels usually have a feeling of suspense to them--often the heroine finds herself in a dangerous situation not just emotionally but physically too. The emotional risk is usually found to be worth taking, whereas the physical is resolved by the hero of the novel swooping into action. This is not to say that Landon's heroines are portrayed as completely helpless, often they're giving it all they've got and just need a helping hand. This novel was no different in this regard, and the heroine was a strong woman with a rather severe outlook on life. Nevertheless she had to open her heart and realize that Griffen Blackmoor was definitely 'A Risk Worth Taking'.
Blackmoor himself has many demons that he must battle before he is able to fully become the hero of the novel. The loss of his first wife has put up a barrier between himself and the rest of the world, not to mention the many war demons that he has brought home with him after his service. All of these issues must be dealt with before he is able to have a successful relationship with Anne, and this is what gives the novel it's unique storyline. Together they face many trails before they can settle down into married life together.
Overall I enjoyed this novel and read it in a short period of time. It was the perfect distraction after a busy day at work.
Blackmoor himself has many demons that he must battle before he is able to fully become the hero of the novel. The loss of his first wife has put up a barrier between himself and the rest of the world, not to mention the many war demons that he has brought home with him after his service. All of these issues must be dealt with before he is able to have a successful relationship with Anne, and this is what gives the novel it's unique storyline. Together they face many trails before they can settle down into married life together.
Overall I enjoyed this novel and read it in a short period of time. It was the perfect distraction after a busy day at work.
January 18, 2014
A one day read
Quick, Nice, Fast
-----------------------------------------------------
I disliked the drunked & self loathing behaviour from Hero
Quick, Nice, Fast
-----------------------------------------------------
I disliked the drunked & self loathing behaviour from Hero
October 20, 2024
Griffin and Anne
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
A Risk Worth Taking by Laura Landon. KU Read Abs Listen program borrow and listen. Standalone. Dual POV. Solo style narration. Historical romance; widower and his best friend's younger sister. Slow burn, fade-to-black. It's listed as 8 hours 8 minutes; I listened at speed 2.25 for 3 hours 37 minutes. Unnecessary intro and finalé music. Narrator James Langton read well, but his voice seemed much older than all of the characters. Content warnings: H's wife and two year old son drown to death; h's brother was murdered; H is an alcoholic; H's brother helped him detox; drug smuggling; and h's distant cousin tried to force her to marry him, abducted her, and tried to k¡ll both H and h multiple times.
Location: London and the English countryside
November 20, 1857
Captain Griffin Blackmoor (aka Griff) was widowed four years ago when his wife and two year old son drown to death on their voyage home. After helping two other women evacuate the boat, he tried to return to the place where he left his wife and son, and sadly, they could not be saved. He's been single ever since, attempting to drink himself to death because he couldn't save them. One night, he met with Freddie, his best friend, and they were discussing Freddie's desire to find a wife, style down, and create an heir. Unfortunately, Freddie was shot that she bought. Before he died, he asked Griffin to watch out for Anne. Lady Anne Carmichael lost her father when she was 16 when he fell from his horse and broke his neck, and then her mother died from a broken heart when Anne was 17. Anne has been running their household and caring for Rebecca, their younger sister, ever since. When she learns of Freddie's death, she's distraught. Anne is now tasked with finding a way to survive and protect Rebecca. All of their family property and titles are conferred to their distant cousin, with the exception of one small "unusable" parcel Freddie left to Anne. Griffin struck a deal with Adam, his brother, to get sober if Adam agreed to allow Anne to live with Adam and his family and sponsor her through a season so she could find a husband. When Anne learns that Griffin is offering a large dowry to whomever marries her, Anne is stung. Griffin is eventually forced to marry Anne when they're caught kissing. After they are married, they find out who was trying to k¡ll Anne in a terrible manner, but they are in love and together in the end. Griffin and Jack cleared the air and remained friends. JP
Side characters: Adam Blackmoor, Earl of Covington (Griffin's older brother); Patience (Adam's wife); Adam and Patience's three sins: Timothy (4), Matthew (3), Simon (almost a year old); Julia (Griffin's deceased wife); Andrew (2; Griffin and Julia's deceased son); Freddie Carmichael, the former Marquess of Brentwood (26; Griffin's best friend; Anne and Rebecca's older brother; deceased); Lady Rebecca Carmichael (15; Freddie and Anne's younger sister); Jack Hawkins (Griffin is convinced he's behind Freddie's death and the attempts on Anne's life); the new Marquess of Brentwood (Freddie, Anne, and Rebecca's distant cousin; drug smuggler; ev¡l murderer).
1 out of 5 on my spice scale.
1st listen 01-19-24 (KU Read & Listen)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2016
I've given this a C- at AAR, so that's 2.5 stars.
This is the second or third book I have read by this author and as with the others, A Risk Worth Taking is competently written and features some appealing characters, but it’s not going to set the romance world alight. It’s a simple and undemanding read, but the storyline is unoriginal and, quite frankly, needed a little something extra in terms of the depth of the characterization, dialogue or plot to make it stand out from all the other books with similar plotlines.
Griffin Blackmoor is an ex-soldier and intelligence officer who is weighed down by guilt over the death of his wife and young son four years previously. He’s the brother of an earl, handsome, and independently wealthy. He has led a reclusive and aimless existence since the tragedy; he's determined never to get close to anyone again – not only because he can’t bear to experience that sort of loss again, but also because he believes that anyone who gets close to him will come to grief through their association.
This belief is further reinforced when Griff’s best friend, Freddie, the Marquess of Brentwood, is shot and killed by a bullet Griff thinks must have been intended for him. The pain of his friend’s loss together with the crushing weight of guilt finally sends Griff over the edge and into the arms of the bottle.
Freddie’s last words had been a plea to take care of his sister, Annie , but Griff is so bound up in his own self-pity that it’s several months before he remembers his friend’s request. When he does, the only thing he can think of is to pass her off onto his brother, Adam, Earl of Covington, and his wife. As an unmarried man, Griff cannot have a young woman living under his roof unchaperoned – and in any case, he’s firmly set on a course for self-destruction and doesn’t want any responsibilities getting in the way of his goal of drinking himself to death.
Lady Anne Carmichael and her young sister, Becky, have been left almost destitute by their brother’s death, as his estates – with one small exception – are entailed and pass to their cousin. The new Marquess kindly allows the ladies to remain in a cottage on the estate – but it soon becomes clear that he’s up to no good when he later says he needs the cottage for the new caretaker and the sisters will have to leave. Annie refuses his proposal of marriage even though she has no idea where they will go.
Meanwhile, Adam has agreed to take Annie into his home (Becky is away at school) and sponsor her for a Season, but on one condition: Griff must stop drinking and sober up. Griff is angry and appalled at what he sees as an unreasonable demand, because of course, he can stop drinking any time he wants – he just doesn’t want to. Griff’s alcoholism and subsequent drying-out was one of the aspects of the story which was handled in a very believable manner. I’ve read so many books where the hero (or heroine) has an addiction which they overcome almost overnight and without too much pain or effort; but here, Ms Landon hasn’t shied away from showing her hero when he’s inebriated and not functioning properly, or from showing how hard it is for someone in his situation to kick the habit.
Having dumped Annie with Adam, Griff believes his obligation fulfilled, but to help things along, he – unbeknownst to her – settles a large dowry on her. As a result, her popularity among the young men of the ton is assured, and she has her pick of suitors, although by this time, Griffin is fighting a reluctant attraction to her even as he decides that none of the men courting her are good enough.
Alongside the romance is the side-plot concerning Griff’s attempts to discover who is trying to kill him. He’s convinced he’s the intended victim – after all, he was present when Freddie was killed and when a runaway carriage threatened Annie’s life, and these are more reasons he heaps up as to why it’s dangerous for him to get close to anyone. I did find it rather annoying that a supposedly intelligent man would refuse to admit the possibility that perhaps someone other than himself is the intended target – but Griff is having far too much of a good time at his self-pity-party to see that there might be any other explanation.
While the real villain of the piece could be spotted early on – he did everything but swirl a cloak, rub his hands and snicker “muahahahaha!” – there was an attempt to divert suspicion to someone who had a grudge against Griff and his former military colleagues, but it never really gelled.
There was some incredibly cheesy dialogue in the book and the characterization of both principals was little more than two-dimensional. Griffin was defined almost entirely by his guilt and his alcoholism, and Annie was a fairly stereotypical “damsel-in-distress”. There was a sprinkling of romantic tension between them, but this is a squeaky-clean story, so no nookie to liven things up a bit! And I have to say that I thought the manner of closing the bedroom door on the couple’s belated wedding night was abrupt in the extreme. There’s an art to writing romantic love scenes without getting into detail, but one line: “And then he made her his wife” – isn’t going to win any awards in that department.
I said at the beginning that I’ve read a couple of other books by this author, and even I’m beginning to scratch my head as to why. I read them a while ago so can’t remember many details, but I’m supposing they must have been better efforts than this one.
This is the second or third book I have read by this author and as with the others, A Risk Worth Taking is competently written and features some appealing characters, but it’s not going to set the romance world alight. It’s a simple and undemanding read, but the storyline is unoriginal and, quite frankly, needed a little something extra in terms of the depth of the characterization, dialogue or plot to make it stand out from all the other books with similar plotlines.
Griffin Blackmoor is an ex-soldier and intelligence officer who is weighed down by guilt over the death of his wife and young son four years previously. He’s the brother of an earl, handsome, and independently wealthy. He has led a reclusive and aimless existence since the tragedy; he's determined never to get close to anyone again – not only because he can’t bear to experience that sort of loss again, but also because he believes that anyone who gets close to him will come to grief through their association.
This belief is further reinforced when Griff’s best friend, Freddie, the Marquess of Brentwood, is shot and killed by a bullet Griff thinks must have been intended for him. The pain of his friend’s loss together with the crushing weight of guilt finally sends Griff over the edge and into the arms of the bottle.
Freddie’s last words had been a plea to take care of his sister, Annie , but Griff is so bound up in his own self-pity that it’s several months before he remembers his friend’s request. When he does, the only thing he can think of is to pass her off onto his brother, Adam, Earl of Covington, and his wife. As an unmarried man, Griff cannot have a young woman living under his roof unchaperoned – and in any case, he’s firmly set on a course for self-destruction and doesn’t want any responsibilities getting in the way of his goal of drinking himself to death.
Lady Anne Carmichael and her young sister, Becky, have been left almost destitute by their brother’s death, as his estates – with one small exception – are entailed and pass to their cousin. The new Marquess kindly allows the ladies to remain in a cottage on the estate – but it soon becomes clear that he’s up to no good when he later says he needs the cottage for the new caretaker and the sisters will have to leave. Annie refuses his proposal of marriage even though she has no idea where they will go.
Meanwhile, Adam has agreed to take Annie into his home (Becky is away at school) and sponsor her for a Season, but on one condition: Griff must stop drinking and sober up. Griff is angry and appalled at what he sees as an unreasonable demand, because of course, he can stop drinking any time he wants – he just doesn’t want to. Griff’s alcoholism and subsequent drying-out was one of the aspects of the story which was handled in a very believable manner. I’ve read so many books where the hero (or heroine) has an addiction which they overcome almost overnight and without too much pain or effort; but here, Ms Landon hasn’t shied away from showing her hero when he’s inebriated and not functioning properly, or from showing how hard it is for someone in his situation to kick the habit.
Having dumped Annie with Adam, Griff believes his obligation fulfilled, but to help things along, he – unbeknownst to her – settles a large dowry on her. As a result, her popularity among the young men of the ton is assured, and she has her pick of suitors, although by this time, Griffin is fighting a reluctant attraction to her even as he decides that none of the men courting her are good enough.
Alongside the romance is the side-plot concerning Griff’s attempts to discover who is trying to kill him. He’s convinced he’s the intended victim – after all, he was present when Freddie was killed and when a runaway carriage threatened Annie’s life, and these are more reasons he heaps up as to why it’s dangerous for him to get close to anyone. I did find it rather annoying that a supposedly intelligent man would refuse to admit the possibility that perhaps someone other than himself is the intended target – but Griff is having far too much of a good time at his self-pity-party to see that there might be any other explanation.
While the real villain of the piece could be spotted early on – he did everything but swirl a cloak, rub his hands and snicker “muahahahaha!” – there was an attempt to divert suspicion to someone who had a grudge against Griff and his former military colleagues, but it never really gelled.
There was some incredibly cheesy dialogue in the book and the characterization of both principals was little more than two-dimensional. Griffin was defined almost entirely by his guilt and his alcoholism, and Annie was a fairly stereotypical “damsel-in-distress”. There was a sprinkling of romantic tension between them, but this is a squeaky-clean story, so no nookie to liven things up a bit! And I have to say that I thought the manner of closing the bedroom door on the couple’s belated wedding night was abrupt in the extreme. There’s an art to writing romantic love scenes without getting into detail, but one line: “And then he made her his wife” – isn’t going to win any awards in that department.
I said at the beginning that I’ve read a couple of other books by this author, and even I’m beginning to scratch my head as to why. I read them a while ago so can’t remember many details, but I’m supposing they must have been better efforts than this one.
December 15, 2021
The narration by James Langton made this audiobook better than some of Laura Landon's other audiobooks that were narrated by Sarah Coomes. But the story just isn't that compelling and I didn't find the characters as compelling and, well, tortured as I thought they would be? I feel like I was told that hero was tortured and his actions were those of a tortured hero but I just didn't feel it. Weird. Not my favorite by this author. I wonder if I'd feel differently if I'd read instead of listening to it first?
January 4, 2019
Great Escape
This is the first novel that I’ve read from this author and she kept me very entertained. I love Historical Romance Novels. She made you really feel what the characters were feeling. There was a mystery involved also but I,the reader, figured out who was responsible before the Author told the identity of the one doing the awful things but that was alright. It was still a Great Escape!
This is the first novel that I’ve read from this author and she kept me very entertained. I love Historical Romance Novels. She made you really feel what the characters were feeling. There was a mystery involved also but I,the reader, figured out who was responsible before the Author told the identity of the one doing the awful things but that was alright. It was still a Great Escape!
January 26, 2019
Alcohol addiction, smuggling, and love, oh my!
Yet another wonderful read from LL. She has a gift of taking modern issues such as alchohol addiction and putting in them a regency setting. Anne and Griff have several battles to overcome before they can acknowledge that love conquers all. These characters and their adventures will keep you up a night turning pages as quickly as possible. Enjoy!
Yet another wonderful read from LL. She has a gift of taking modern issues such as alchohol addiction and putting in them a regency setting. Anne and Griff have several battles to overcome before they can acknowledge that love conquers all. These characters and their adventures will keep you up a night turning pages as quickly as possible. Enjoy!
June 18, 2022
One of these things is not like the other one
Not much happens for the first half of the book, so much so that it was a struggle to remain engaged. The most prominent part of the book was the H’s relationship with his flask and it was a bit nonsensical that the falling-down blackout drunk is also some kind of special ops investigator. Mental and physical acuity doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with sloppy drunkenness.
Not much happens for the first half of the book, so much so that it was a struggle to remain engaged. The most prominent part of the book was the H’s relationship with his flask and it was a bit nonsensical that the falling-down blackout drunk is also some kind of special ops investigator. Mental and physical acuity doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with sloppy drunkenness.
October 21, 2019
Unfortunately I have no sympathy
I'm usually a huge fan of LLs characters, but I felt no affinity for either of the heroine or the hero.
Sometimes even mistakes are the fault of someone, especially when they were preventable as were several of the things that happened here. Just a pass for me.
I'm usually a huge fan of LLs characters, but I felt no affinity for either of the heroine or the hero.
Sometimes even mistakes are the fault of someone, especially when they were preventable as were several of the things that happened here. Just a pass for me.
January 18, 2020
I didn’t love this book. It’s about an alcoholic. I really hate the romanticization of alcoholism. As someone intimately acquainted with the disease, you can’t get anyone sober and they are not going to quit drinking for love. Otherwise a huge fan of all her books! This one was a personal preference but otherwise well written and good storytelling!
March 18, 2023
Good but spelling errors
I enjoyed the book and the characters...they were easy to know and like. Given this is set in England after the Crimean War though, the language should be English UK not US...e.g., realise not realize...the book is peppered with americanised spellings and unfortunately ruined some of the magic of the book (hence 4 star not 5).
I enjoyed the book and the characters...they were easy to know and like. Given this is set in England after the Crimean War though, the language should be English UK not US...e.g., realise not realize...the book is peppered with americanised spellings and unfortunately ruined some of the magic of the book (hence 4 star not 5).
June 22, 2018
A Risk Worth Taking
Lots of mystery and suspense as well as romance, exactly what I like. The only thing I didn't like was all the angst. Why can't a romance be there for the entire book? It was good and the twists and turns are surprisingly good. The ending was good.
Lots of mystery and suspense as well as romance, exactly what I like. The only thing I didn't like was all the angst. Why can't a romance be there for the entire book? It was good and the twists and turns are surprisingly good. The ending was good.
January 19, 2019
Great Story
Griff found happiness again and almost lost it. I just started reading this author and find her books very entertaining and full of action. I was beginning to wonder if this book would have a HEA. You’ll have to read it to find the answer yourself.
Griff found happiness again and almost lost it. I just started reading this author and find her books very entertaining and full of action. I was beginning to wonder if this book would have a HEA. You’ll have to read it to find the answer yourself.
December 20, 2019
Wonderful tale of love...told so wonderfully by Ms. Landon
Laura Landon is a marvellous story teller..
I have found all her books so rivetting and engrossing bringing out pure romance of byegone era..She is the Diva of historical romance..
Laura Landon is a marvellous story teller..
I have found all her books so rivetting and engrossing bringing out pure romance of byegone era..She is the Diva of historical romance..
May 30, 2024
Wonderfully read and exciting
I didn't know I would like this novel as much as I did. It was all consuming to the point I couldn't stop reading and listening..until the end and it is now 4 AM. Now I need sleep! Wonderful narration! Love his voice, very masculine and beautiful.
I didn't know I would like this novel as much as I did. It was all consuming to the point I couldn't stop reading and listening..until the end and it is now 4 AM. Now I need sleep! Wonderful narration! Love his voice, very masculine and beautiful.
July 19, 2017
3.75*
Liked this one better than others of this author with even better rating.
Liked this one better than others of this author with even better rating.
July 25, 2017
Thrilling
A wounded hero. A desperate heroine. A heartless villain. These are the ingredients of a good story. Excellent suspense and romance.
A wounded hero. A desperate heroine. A heartless villain. These are the ingredients of a good story. Excellent suspense and romance.
July 26, 2017
Never disappointed with Laura Landon's books!
A++++ love all of her books. Cannot wait to read them all! Strong character development and easy to fall in love with heroine!
A++++ love all of her books. Cannot wait to read them all! Strong character development and easy to fall in love with heroine!
September 7, 2018
Romance
Thank you for sharing these wonderful romance novels series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you
Thank you for sharing these wonderful romance novels series books. Please keep writing more of these wonderful books. Thank you
April 10, 2019
A risk worth taking
An emotinal romance stor.Interesting and enjoyable to keep on reading . I would like to read more of this series.
An emotinal romance stor.Interesting and enjoyable to keep on reading . I would like to read more of this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews