How to School Your Scoundrel

A Princess In Hiding #3

by Juliana Gray

Three intrepid princesses find themselves targets in a deadly plot against the crown—until their uncle devises a brilliant plan to keep them safe...

Princess Luisa has devoted her life to duty, quietly preparing to succeed her father as ruler. Nothing, however, primed her to live on the run, disguised as a personal secretary to a notorious English scoundrel. The earl is just the man to help her reclaim her throne, but Luisa is drawn to her powerful employer in ways she never imagined…

Philip, Earl of Somerton, has spent six years married to a woman in love with another man—he refuses to become a fool due to imprudent emotions ever again. Only, as his carefully laid plans for vengeance falter, fate hands him hope for redemption in the form of a beautiful and determined young princess who draws him into a risky game of secrets, seduction, and betrayal. And while his cunning may be enough to save her life, nothing can save him from losing his heart…

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Royalty, Regency

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel that the title really undermines this book. A scoundrel? Bah. Somerton is a bloody conquerer, an Alexander the Great of the Victorian era.

My heart was taken in a roller coaster ride with this ruthless, unscrupulous, absurdly demanding anti-hero, and emerged with a potential risk of heart attack, I might add.

What magnificent skill it took to depict such a man as the hero - the man who was the dominant villain in every sense of the word in Gray's A Gentleman Never Tells (Affairs by Moonlight #2), and in 2/3 of this book, too. I utterly marvel at Gray's talent.

Full review to come. :)

[Monty Cupcake ☠ Queen of Bloodshed ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this better than the previous book, but it was slow, so very slow. The first 100 pages of the book are super boring, which is surprising since Somerton is a supposed scoundrel and works as a spymaster. Somehow Markham (Luisa)'s time as his secretary is very boring.

The pace of the book picks up about 130 pages in, but then again, not really fast, only not as slow as before. Still slow and rather annoying that Somerton is still on about his plot for revenge. I thought the whole thing with his wife was annoying and shouldn't have been part of the story of plot.

The most interesting parts of the book happen in the last hundred or so pages. The whodunnits are revealed and the problem of the kingdom resolved. That was surprisingly a quick ending. I was hoping for much more of a battle than the ending that occurred. All in all, I liked this better than the previous book in the series, but it didn't wow me.

Somerton wasn't very much of a scoundrel, more like he was one in his youth, now boring in his 40's. Luisa was fine, but I got tired of her defense of Lady Somerton, and her lack of communication at times with Somerton.

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

หลังจากอ่านหนังสือห้าเล่มแรกในชุด (จริง ๆ คือเรื่องถูกแบ่งออกเป็นสองชุดนะคะ คือ Affairs by Moonlight กับ Princess in Hiding แต่ทั้งหกเรื่องเกี่ยวพันกันค่อนข้างเยอะ โดยเฉพาะเล่มนี้ถือว่าไขความกระจ่างในหลายประเด็นที่ทิ้งไว้ในเล่มก่อนหน้าด้วย) ก็มาถึงเล่มนี้ ก่อนหน้าที่เราจะหยิบเล่มนี้มาอ่าน ขอบอกว่า เรากำลังอยู่ในภาวะเบื่อหน่ายเรื่องแนวย้อนยุคอย่างแรงค่ะ มันเหมือนกับว่า เราไม่อาจหาเรื่องแนวนี้ ซึ่งถือเป็นเรื่องแนวที่เราชอบมาก ๆ มาอ่านให้สนุกเหมือนในอดีตได้ พล็อตเรื่องซ้ำซากเกินไป ตัวละครเป็นสูตรสำเร็จเกินไป นักเขียนที่เราเคยชอบมาก ๆ ก็ยังไม่อาจทำให้เรากลับมาต่อกับเรื่องแนวนี้สำเร็จ

เราไม่คิดนะคะว่า จะเป็นเรื่องนี้ และนักเขียนคนนี้ที่ทำให้เรากลับมามีศรัทธาในงานแนวย้อนยุคได้อีกครั้ง

และเมื่อคิดว่า องค์ประกอบหลายอย่างในเรื่องนี้เป็นสิ่งที่เราไม่ชอบ พล็อตเรื่องที่ถ้าไม่ได้มีใครแนะนำมาให้อ่านอย่างจริงจังและจริงใจ เราคงหลีกเลี่ยง (กระนั้นเราก็นั่งมองเรื่องนี้อยู่สองเดือนนะคะ ไม่อยากอ่านเพราะพล็อต แต่เพราะเพื่อนที่แนะนำย้ำหลายครั้งว่า เราต้องอ่านให้ได้ เพราะเราน่าจะชอบมาก ๆ) เรื่องนี้พิสูจน์ชัดเจนเลยนะคะว่า ทุกอย่างขึ้นอยู่กับฝีมือของคนแต่ง พล็อตอะไรแบบไหนไม่สำคัญ ถ้าคนแต่งมีฝีมือดีพอ พล็อตที่ไม่น่าอ่าน (สำหรับเรา) ก็กลายเป็นเรื่องที่สนุกมากที่สุดไปได้

เจ้าหญิงหลุยซาเป็นหนึ่งในเจ้าหญิงสามองค์ที่หนีตายออกมาจากประเทศ หลังจากพระบิดาผู้เป็นกษัตริย์ และพระสวามีของเธอถูกลองสังหาร หลุยซาที่กำลังรอทำพิธีขึ้นเป็นราชินีคนใหม่ของประเทศ ก็ถูกลอบทำร้าย จนสุดท้ายไม่มีทางเลือกต้องหนีไปประเทศอังกฤษ เพื่อขอให้ลุง (พี่ชายของแม่) ช่วยเหลือ และแผนการของดยุคแห่งโอลิมเปีย ผู้เป็นลุงก็คือ นำเจ้าหญิงทั้งสามไปหลบซ่อนในที่ปลอดภัย แต่ข่าวการหายตัวไปของเจ้าหญิงทั้งสามก็โด่งดัง จนทำให้พวกเธอกลายเป็นที่จับตามอง ดังนั้นเพื่อซ่อนในที่แจ้ง ทั้งสามจึงปลอมตัวเป็นชาย และถูกส่งแยกย้ายกันไปในที่ต่าง ๆ

เรื่องนี้เล่าเรื่องตั้งแต่ต้น (ก่อนเหตุการณ์ใน How to Tame your Duke) ดำเนินคู่ขนานไปกับเหตุการณ์ในหลาย ๆ เล่มในชุด และมีบทสรุปตอนจบเลยตอนจบของทุกเล่มออกไป ระยะเวลาในเรื่องดำเนินไปมากกว่าหนึ่งปี และนี่คือสาเหตุสำคัญที่สุดที่ทำให้เราคิดว่า พล็อตเรื่องที่ใช้เป็นไปได้

หลุยซา (ที่ปลอมเป็นชาย) ถูกส่งไปทำงานผู้ช่วยส่วนตัวให้กับเอิร์ลแห่งโซเมอร์ตัน (สำหรับคนที่เคยอ่าน หรือจำรีวิวที่เราเขียนไปแล้วได้ เขาคือสามีผู้โหดร้ายของนางเอกในเรื่อง A Gentleman Never Tells) ชายหนุ่มอนาคตไกลหลายคนมาทำงานให้กับโซเมอร์ตัน แล้วก็ยื่นใบลาออกกันแทบไม่ทัน เพราะไม่ใช่เรื่องง่ายที่จะทำงานให้กับท่านเอิร์ลผู้เรียกร้องความสมบูรณ์แบบในทุกเรื่อง ครั้งแรกที่โซเมอร์ตันพบกับหลุยซา ผู้ซึ่งเขารู้จักในนามของนายมาร์คแฮม เขาก็คิดว่า เด็กหนุ่มคนนี้ก็คงจะลาออกในเวลาไม่นาน ใครล่ะจะทนทำงานกับเขาได้ ในเมื่อโซเมอร์ตันมีความลับมากมาย และต้องการความภักดีอย่างเต็มร้อยจากคนรอบตัว แถมเขายังมีวิธีต้อนรับคนที่มาทำงานให้กับเขาด้วยการส่งพวกเขาไปยังสถานที่อันตราย ถูกจับไปทรมานเพื่อพิสูจน์ใจว่า จะทรยศโซเมอร์ตันหรือไม่ การทดสอบที่หลุยซาสอบผ่าน

คาแร็คเตอร์ของโซเมอร์ตันเคยออกมาให้คนอ่านเห็นแล้วในเรื่อง A Gentleman Never Tells พูดง่าย ๆ ก็คือ เขาเป็นตัวร้าย เป็นสามีผู้เย็นชา และใจร้ายกับนางเอกมาก ๆ เป็นพ่อที่เห็นแก่ตัว ไม่เคยให้ความสนใจลูกชายแท้ ๆ ของตัวเองด้วยซ้ำ และในหนังสือเล่มอื่น ๆ พฤติกรรมแย่ ๆ ของโซเมอร์ตันก็ถูกกล่าวถึง ไม่ว่าจะเป็น การที่เขาเป็นชู้กับเมียของแอชแลนด์ และเป็นพ่อของลูกนอกสมรส ใน How to Tame Your Duke พูดง่าย ๆ เลยก็คือ เขาไม่ใช่แค่เป็นชายเสเพล เขาเป็นคนเลวที่สร้างปัญหาต่าง ๆ มากมายให้กับบรรดาตัวเอก (ที่เป็นคนดี) ในเรื่องชุดนี้

ก่อนเราจะอ่านเรื่องนี้ เราก็คิดนะคะว่า คนแต่งจะเขียนยังไงให้ดูน่าเชื่อว่า ชายคนนี้กลับตัว และกลายเป็นพระเอก

จูเลียนา เกรย์ทำได้ดีกว่านั้นค่ะ เพราะโซเมอร์ตันไม่ได้กลับตัว เขาก็คือคนคนเดิมที่เป็นมาตลอด เพียงแต่คนแต่งได้แสดงให้คนอ่านได้เห็นถึงห้วงความคิดของเขา ไม่มีคำขอโทษในการกระทำ เพราะนั่นคือตัวตนของเขา แต่ทำให้คนอ่าน (อย่างเรา) เห็นว่า เรื่องทุกอย่างมีสองด้าน (โปรดอย่าคิดว่า คนแต่งใช้พล็อตความเข้าใจผิดนะคะ) และในมุมมองของโซเมอร์ตัน แม้จะไม่ได้ทำให้เขากลายเป็นคนถูก แต่ทำให้เราเข้าใจเขามากขึ้น

เขายังเป็นสามีที่ใจร้าย และเนื่องจากเรื่องนี้เล่าเรื่องตั้งแต่ต้น คนอ่านได้เห็นความสัมพันธ์ของโซเมอร์ตันและอลิซาเบ็ธ ภรรยาของเขา (ซึ่งเป็นนางเอกเรื่อง A Gentleman Never Tells) ร่วมรับรู้ไปกับเหตุการณ์ที่นำไปสู่จุดที่อลิซาเบ็ธตัดสินใจหนีไปจากเขา (และไปสู่อ้อมแขนของโรแลนด์พระเอกของเธอ) คนอ่านยังได้รับรู้ไปถึงเหตุการณ์ที่นำไปสู่การแต่งงาน เพราะเมื่อโซเมอร์ตันได้พบกับอลิซาเบ็ธ เขาก็ตัดสินใจว่า เขาตกหลุมรักผู้หญิงที่สมบูรณ์แบบคนนี้ แต่เพราะเธอไม่เคยชายตามองเขาเลย หัวใจของเธอมีแต่โรแลนด์เท่านั้น สิ่งเดียวที่ชายผู้ที่ได้ทุกอย่างที่เขาต้องการ และเด็ดขาดพอที่จะลงมือกระทำก็คือ การวางแผนส่งโรแลนด์ไปปฏิบัติหน้าที่สายลับในดินแดนห่างไกล จับคู่รักแยกจากกัน จากนั้นก็ทำตัวเป็นอัศวินขี่ม้าขาวไปช่วยเหลือทางการเงินกับครอบครัวของอลิซาเบ็ธ แต่งงาน และได้เธอมาครอบครอง

โซเมอร์ตันชนะ แต่เขาก็พ่ายแพ้ เพราะแม้จะแต่งงาน ในความรู้สึกของเขา อลิซาเบ็ธไม่เคยลืมคนรักเก่า นั่นคือบาดแผลที่ลุกลามทำลายความสัมพันธ์ที่อาจจะเป็นไปได้ของพวกเขา การไม่ไว้ใจที่เขามีให้ ผลักดันให้เขากระทำหลายอย่างที่เป็นการทำร้ายจิตใจของภรรยา และทำให้เขาห่างไกลจากลูกชายของตัวเอง

เราคิดว่า คนแต่งเก่งมาก ๆ เพราะเราอ่านเรื่องนี้แล้ว เข้าใจว่าทำไมอลิซาเบ็ธต้องไป แต่ในขณะเดียวกันก็ทำให้เราเข้าใจว่า โซเมอร์ตันเองก็ไม่ใช่ปีศาจเหมือนอย่างที่เราเคยคิดว่าเขาเป็นตอนอ่านเรื่อง A Gentleman Never Tells

นี่เป็นแค่ตัวอย่างนึงของการที่คนแต่งเปลี่ยนใจเราได้เกี่ยวกับคาแร็คเตอร์ของพระเอกนะคะ เธอไม่ได้ชำระล้างทำความสะอาด ไม่มีการกลับเนื้อกลับตัว แต่ทำให้เราเข้าใจแรงขับดัน เข้าใจตัวตนของโซเมอร์ตันมากขึ้น และยอมรับเขาอย่างที่เป็น

และนั่นนำมาสู่เหตุผลที่เราชอบเล่มนี้มากมาย นั่นก็คือคาแร็คเตอร์ของนางเอก และความสัมพันธ์ของเธอกับพระเอก

นี่ไม่ใช่เรื่องรักแรกพบ ตอนที่เจอกันโซเมอร์ตันคิดว่า หลุยซาเป็นผู้ชาย และเขายังตกหลุมรักภรรยาผู้ไม่เคยรักเขาเลยอยู่ อย่างที่เราบอกค่ะ การที่เหตุการณ์ในเล่มนี้กินเวลานานเป็นปีเป็นหัวใจหลักที่ทำให้เรื่องนี้ลงตัว เพราะพระเอกและนางเอกมีเวลาในการทำความรู้จักกันและกัน รู้ข้อดีข้อด้อย และยอมรับอย่างที่เป็น

หลุยซายอมรับโซเมอร์ตันในตัวตนของเขา ชายที่ฉลาด แต่เหี้ยมโหด อารมณ์ร้อนแต่ช่างปกป้อง เธอรู้จักเขาอย่างที่ไม่เคยมีใครคิดจะใช้เวลาในการทำความรู้จัก และนั่นทำให้เธอคือคนที่เหมาะสมกับเขามากที่สุด เพราะเธอรักเขาในแบบที่เขาเป็น (ไม่ใช่รักเขาแม้เขาจะเป็นแบบนั้น)

และสำหรับโซเมอร์ตัน สถานภาพทางการเงินและสังคม รวมไปถึงสติปัญญาที่เหนือกว่าคนทั่วไป เขาไม่เคยต่อติดกับมนุษย์คนอื่น ทุกคนคือเบี้ยเป็นกระดานที่สามารถใช้งานได้เสมอ แต่เมื่อเขามีเวลาที่จะรู้จักกับมาร์คแฮม (คือหลุยซาในคราบผู้ชาย) เขาได้เรียกรู้ที่จะ "เคารพ" เพื่อนมนุษย์อีกคน การได้ใช้เวลาร่วมกัน (ทำงานนะคะ ช่วงครึ่งเล่มแรกไม่มีเรื่องทางเพศมาเกี่ยว) ทำให้ทั้งสองรู้จักตัวตนของกันอย่างแท้จริง แน่นอนว่า เขาไม่รู้ว่า ผู้ช่วยส่วนตัวคนนี้คือเจ้าหญิงที่กำลังหลบซ่อน แต่เขารู้จักหลุยซาอย่างที่เธอเป็น เพราะด้วยตัวตนที่แท้จริง เธอไม่ได้หวาดกลัว หรือเกรงใจเอิร์ลผู้ทรงอำนาจ เธอได้รับการศึกษา และเตรียมพร้อมเป็นผู้นำประเทศ เธอคือคนที่เท่าเทียมกับเขา การอยู่ในสภาพของมาร์คแฮมไม่ได้ทำให้คุณสมบัตินี้ของเธอหายไป มันแสดงออกมา และเป็นครั้งแรกในชีวิตสำหรับโซเมอร์ตัน ที่เขาได้พบกับคนที่ "เท่าเทียม" กับเขา

เราต้องบอกว่า เรื่องนี้เป็น Slow burn มาก ๆ สำหรับเรา อย่างที่บอกนะคะ โซเมอร์ตันไม่ได้ระแคะระคายเลยว่า นายมาร์คแฮม ผู้ช่วยส่วนตัวคนที่เขารู้สึกผูกพันเป็นผู้หญิง ไม่ได้มีการใช้พล็อตว่า พระเอกสงสัยตัวเองว่าเป็นเกย์รึเปล่าที่ชอบผู้ชาย มันไม่ใช่เรื่องเพศ มันเป็นความผูกพัน (แบบที่เราไม่รู้ว่าจะเขียนอธิบายยังไงให้เข้าใจ) เหมือนความเอ็นดู ปนกับเป็นห่วง ในขณะที่หลุยซาเอง เมื่อได้เห็นตัวตนข้างในลึก ๆ เธอไม่ได้หลอกตัวเองว่า เขาเป็นคนดี หรือถูกเข้าใจผิด เธอเคารพในความเข้มแข็งและเก่งกาจของเขา

ช่วงครึ่งเล่มแรกมันสมบูรณ์แบบมาก ๆ สำหรับเรา

เรื่องนี้ดำเนินก่อนและจบหลังเล่มอื่น ๆ และสำหรับการที่เป็นเล่มสุดท้ายในชุด เราคิดว่าคนแต่งทำได้ดีในการใช้เล่มนี้อธิบายปริศนาหลายอย่างในเรื่อง เราชอบแผนการของดยุคแห่งโอลิมเปียมาก ๆ เราคิดว่าฉลาดที่สุดที่ โซเมอร์ตันที่เป็นหัวหน้าองค์กรสายลับที่เป็นคู่แข่ง เป็นคนที่โอลิมเปียรู้ว่า คือคนคนเดียวที่สามารถพาหลุยซากลับคืนสู่ราชบัลลังค์ได้ เขาจึงส่งเธอไปที่นั่น กระทั่งเรื่องการเฉลยเหตุผล ที่ทำให้พระเอกทั้งสามในชุด Affairs by Moonlight ต้องเดินทางไปอิตาลีกัน

ช่วงครึ่งหลังของเล่ม เมื่อโซเมอร์ตันรู้ว่า หลุยซาคือผู้หญิง (และต่อมาคือใคร) เรื่องดร็อปความสนุกลงมาเล็กน้อย ส่วนหนึ่งอาจเพราะเรามีความสุขมาก ๆ ในการอ่านเรื่องความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างโซเมอร์ตันและนายมาร์คแฮม จนเมื่อเธอกลับมาเป็นหลุยซาอีกครั้ง เราก็ยังคิดถึงความสัมพันธ์แบบเจ้านายลูกน้องของคู่นั้นอยู่

เราเสียดายมาก ๆ ตรงที่คนแต่งเลือกที่จะไม่เล่าเรื่องซ้ำ (คือจูเลียนา เกรย์เป็นนักเขียนที่ชอบเขียนเหตุการณ์เดียวกันซ้ำไปซ้ำมาจากหลายมุมมอง) ในฉากที่โซเมอร์ตันและมาร์คแฮมไปอิตาลีเพื่อตามหาอลิซาเบ็ธและลูกชายของเขา เราอยากเห็นความคิดของโซเมอร์ตันมาก ๆ ว่าเขากำลังคิดอะไรอยู่ ตอนที่โรแลนด์จับมาร์คแฮมเป็นตัวประกัน เราอ่านฉากนี้ใน A Gentleman Never Tells แล้ว มันเป็นฉากที่ดีที่สุดที่เราอ่านในหนังสือชุดนี้ (ก่อนจะได้อ่านเล่มนี้)

ตอนจบคลี่คลายง่ายเกินไป จนทำให้ระดับความสมบูรณ์แบบลดน้อย เราว่ามันง่ายเกินไปที่จู่ ๆ ประชาชนก็ยอมรับหลุยซา และเป็นฝ่ายขับไล่กบฎออกไปเอง เราคิดว่า เรื่องเปิดมาขนาดนี้ว่า โซเมอร์ตันทรงอิทธิพล และ "เป็นคนเดียว" อย่างที่เขาและโอลิมเปียกล่าวไว้ว่า ที่จะช่วยให้หลุยซากลับคืนบังลังค์ได้ เราอยากให้เขาแสดงตัวตนด้านนั้นออกมาน่ะค่ะ

สุดท้ายอยากจะบอกว่า นักเขียนที่ทำให้เราคิดว่า ชายวัยแปดสิบกว่าปีเท่ห์ และสามารถเป็นพระเอกนิยายโรแมนซ์ได้ นักเขียนคนนั้นสุดยอดค่ะ (แม้ว่า คาแร็คเตอร์ของโอลิมเปียดูเว่อร์เกินไปหน่อยก็ตาม)

แค่การเขียนรีวิวหนังสือเล่มนี้ (หลังจากอ่านจบไปสองเดือนกว่า ๆ) ก็ทำให้เราอยากกลับไปอ่านอีกรอบแล้วล่ะค่ะ จริง ๆ คะแนนไม่ได้ถึงห้าดาว ถ้าการที่ห้าดาวคือความสมบูรณ์แบบทุกอย่าง เล่มนี้ไม่สมบูรณ์แบบ แต่ส่วนที่มันลงตัวก็มากพอจะกลบทุกอย่างที่มีตำหนิได้หมดค่ะ

[Ursula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, only 1.5 stars from me. Almost a dnf. This was not a book I particularly liked. And I have enjoyed this author's other books.
It is the story of Luisa, the third princess in hiding, who has to masquerade as the Earl of Somerton’s secretary. Dressed as a man, of course.
I am not a huge fan of this plot device- I reckon you would always be able to guess it was a woman, and I don't think a man as supposedly clever as Somerton would have taken almost half the book to work it out, but there you are.

But what really wrecked it for me was the putative hero. We met him in the previous book, and he was an absolute bastard- obsessive, promiscuous (man-whore), adulterous and pathologically jealous of his innocent wife. Also a cold and intimidating father. I was frankly doubtful that he could be redeemed, but I really tried to like him in this story. Nup. I. Just. Couldn't.
Not only was he a lot older than Luisa, he persisted in his insane scheme to kill his wife's alleged lover, at the same time professing love for Luisa. Ever heard of letting go, old son? Moving on? Devoting yourself to the one who loves you, the one you supposedly love back???
There was a final nail in his coffin: Somerton practically forces his wife to have sex with him one last time, and this is after Somerton has discovered that he is actually a she and is supposedly falling in love with Luisa. That was cheating in my book, and is a deal-breaker for me. I don't care how you want to wrap it up in an emotional, last-chance try to win his wife's love- whatever for?- package. It was just YUK.

Then he failed in winning back the principality of Holstein-Schweinwald so she had to rescue him . The story just went on and on. Down a circuitous route I did not like, with a man I could not respect. So what if he had felt rejected all his life? So what if his own parents treated him badly? He had the chance of a wonderful life with someone who really cared for him and he chose to continue on his self-destructive path. Too little, too late. And could Luisa's uncle, the Duke of Olympia, be any more useless and pathetic in his secret service stuff? She deserved better from the men in her life.

In the end, way too much melodrama, way too unpleasant hero, way too forgiving heroine, way too long "girl in breeches" trope. And not enough actual ROMANCE.
Disappointed.

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!!

20/11 - What an outlandish plot (and this is a romance, so that's saying something)! Three princesses (this is the third in the series, featuring Luisa the oldest sister and future queen) in hiding after the murder of their father and husband (or brother-in-law). A rogue group of revolutionaries have run the princesses out of their tiny German principality and sent them into hiding in the houses of appropriately dangerous (and therefore protective) men. The two people who have been deemed to still be loyal to the royal family are Miss Dingleby (their governess) and their uncle (father's brother, I think *edit to say I was wrong, he's actually Luisa's mother's brother*) the Duke of Olympia (finally checked, just before I returned it to the library this morning). It seems Uncle (it seems he has no first name, he's just Uncle, Aunt Duke, or the Duke of Olympia) is some kind of spymaster and has 'agents', including (to my surprise considering this isn't a contemporary romance) Miss Dingleby, peppered throughout Europe (were there female spy agents in the 1890s?).

In order to stay disguised from those revolutionaries everyone needs to crossdress! Miss Dingleby becomes a Mister and so do all three of the princesses (breast-binding and fake whiskers abound), while Uncle becomes Aunt Duke from Battersea who wears lavish dresses and flamboyant, ostrich-plumed hats. Now, I've read a few 'girl needs to dress as man due to circumstances, then falls in love with man she's working with as a man' stories, but none of them have ever featured the storyline of 'loyal male family member becomes outrageous drag queen in order to continue protecting said girl'. That's a bit different and I'm having trouble believing that a man of that era would even consider, let alone be willing to, dress as a woman.

Women dressing as men due to necessity was common (if you take what fiction tells us at face value), even Shakespeare wrote about it, and that brings me to my favourite example of this subgenre - Seduced by Virginia Henley https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., which is a retelling and reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. That's what I was hoping for when I picked this up, but unfortunately I don't feel the passion (there wasn't even a sexy 'she's a girl' reveal scene that this kind of book usually features), there have been no amusing 'she's a she, but he thinks she's a he and treats her accordingly' scenes, and I'm finding Somerton really abrasive. He's so bad-tempered, so vindictive that I don't feel comforted by his 'dangerousness' (that I think is meant to translate into protectiveness, but really doesn't), I just feel annoyed. I read in another review that he was the bad guy in another of Gray's books, and I can definitely feel that kind of vibe coming from him, but I don't think he's changed enough (or believably) for him to become this book's hero (maybe an anti-hero, but I don't think that's what the author was going for). Anyway, not quite finished yet, so I'll be back later to finish this up. To be continued...

21/11 - The lack of passion and love I mentioned before didn't get any less lacking in the last third of the book, even with Somerton (Leopold Somerton, I eventually learned) and Markham (as he continues to insist on calling her) getting married and spending two weeks doing it in every location and position imaginable (well, in those days at least), not that that is detailed, we're just told about it at the end of those two weeks when Olympia turns up to put an end to the conjugal bliss because it's time to make a play for her lost principality. I don't think it's particularly conducive to passion when the heroine calls her hero by his last name (so much so, that I don't think the reader knows his Christian name until after they're married) and the hero calls his heroine by her male alternate-identity's name. If either of the first two books appeared on the 'impulse borrowing' shelf (as I've begun calling my library's 'new and recently returned' shelf, due to my habit of impulse borrowing from it every time I go anywhere near it) I would get them, but I wouldn't bother to search them out or put them on hold.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book was a bit different than the other two. A majority of the book wasn't focused on how the main couple, Luisa and Somerton, fell in love but rather how Luisa played her part in the events leading up to taking her principality back and Somerton's main focus was his wife's affair and his revenge against the couple. After all this was settled everything that has happened in the previous two books wrapped up nicely. After the three princesses went into hiding, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes plots and plans to take their country back. Now we can see how it all pays off. I really enjoyed seeing what Luisa was up to as her activities were not mentioned in the previous two books. She definitely has her own part to play. There were some traitors that I wasn't sure were traitors in the previous books or if they were double agents but loyalties are definitely revealed in this book. Overall, this book has a wonderful HEA. Luisa and Somerton, like the couples before, are so perfect together. They work well together, support and protect each other and I really couldn't ask for more. Everything is wrapped up fairly well but I am still very interested in her other series which focuses on some of these characters in this series. I really loved seeing everyone together at the end. This book and this entire trilogy was very satisfying.

*I think I can write a better review to explain this book better so expect a rewrite soon.*

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so enthralled with this book, I didn't want to put it down. It has the intensity that I crave in a historical romance with excellent writing. The characters had a complexity that made them real people, and not always in good ways. Our hero lives up to the scoundrel name for sure, but his path of redemption makes for delectable reading.

I have to give this one 4.5 stars, because it's just that good. I am adding Juliana Gray to my must read HR author list.

Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the June 2014 issue. http://affairedecoeur.com.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

HOW TO SCHOOL YOUR SCOUNDREL: FINDING YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE

Original Post at http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201... on May 5, 2014.
All rights reserved


Having read HOW TO MASTER YOUR MARQUIS (HtMyM) in December of 2013 and found it a thrill ride and I enjoyed this book too although it felt more serious. But my memory is severely flawed as to who the baddies are.

In HtMyM It is Princess Stephanie who is the Princess featured. She is not destined to be the ruler of the principality unless something happens to Luisa, who is the ruler of their tiny principality upon the death of her father and her husband. What happens is they all go into hiding and are disguised into jobs with friends or associates of their uncle, the Duke of Olympia. He is a spymaster in Britain. She ends up working for Lord Somerton who is an absolute brutal asshat. He is the Evil Earl (instead of the Damaged Duke). And he needs to be saved from his badness, his bitterness and his all consuming desire for revenge.

I could not reconcile Luisa and Somerton getting together. He is just really, really bad.

But at the same time, I had no doubt that her goodness, her moral compass would reach into his soul and direct him to a moral magnetic north. And, they do it with a lot of good old sexual tension.

There's some slapstick, but this book felt more serious than HOW TO MASTER YOUR MARQUIS. We learn how so many people are betraying the royal family of this little country. Luisa is all about service to her subjects, duty and loyalty. She's been overthrown and nearly killed by the revolutionaries herself at what was really a rather turbulent time in Europe (which was always having turbulent times). She is the Imperiled Princess who needs saving for herself and her country.

In a way, the Earl, whose wife we learn in the first few pages, is not "his" in every sense of the word, has also been overthrown in his own little kingdom of wealth and power. Tossed from his moorings, and she, adrift from hers they both need rescue, and maybe a little help from the improbable cupidity of the Duke of Olympia, her Uncle. Is the "Olympia" a reference to the mythology whence Cupid sprang? This rescue could return one to her purpose in life with a fuller feeling and a more emotionally rounded life. There's a wickedly sensual scene in which a proper princess's bottled up sensuality explodes like shaken champagne. And for him it can become a purpose with which he can redeem his past. They each have the chance to find purpose. We all have the chance for that. I've been tossed from one purpose to another my whole life, so I have never been sure of mine unless it is to be adaptable. What about you?

All in all, this book is a little more complex in some ways that one would think. But at other times certain things are glossed over. I found myself wondering what had happened to Luisa's little corgi, Quincy during the book's climactic crisis. And the relationships and backstory involved with some of the book's characters made this much more a series read than a stand alone.

The writing in the book has the feeling of lightness with the underlying seriousness I mentioned before, and in that reminds me of steam punk, but without the weird science. The voice or mood reminds me of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Those were very readable and this series is a pleasant read as well. I enjoyed it a lot. If you like books with passion, and Victorians, light humor and intrigue, this is a good choice for you.

[Celine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate that Gray was trying give us a different, more complex hero than you usually see in romances. In this case, I never really liked Somerton. Occasionally, I found his situation sympathetic but I felt he caused it himself by his selfish actions. I know by the end we are supposed to believe that he's changed because of his love for Luisa but I never felt that. I never felt any sort of chemistry between Luisa and Somerton; their romance never felt believable to me.

I didn't really care for Luisa either. She didn't seem very proactive about trying to regain her throne. Her sisters, heroines in the previous books of the series, were always concerned about each other and how they were faring. Luisa didn't seem too concerned about them.

I also had a lot of problems with figuring out the timing of events in all three of the books. How the events that happened in the three books happened and when they happened just didn't seem to mesh together correctly. Plus, so many questions were raised but never really answered in this book. Did Somerton ever repair his relationship with his son from his first wife or did he just start over and leave him in the past? We get lip service that he wants to see him from time to time and we know the boy is his heir but we never see nor are we told he makes an effort to become a better father to his son. How did the fact that he had an affair with his now sister-in-law's husband's first wife that produced a child that his sister-in-law and her husband are now raising as their own work out? The whole family is present for the epilogue so obviously he has to have interaction with his daughter. Gray concocted some rather complex family dynamics then never gives them even a cursory resolution. I found this annoying.

Overall, I feel this was the weakest book of the series not only because it doesn't do what it needs to to conclude the series satisfactorily but also because the romance and plot line weren't developed well.

[Ilze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very strange book. The love story was nice, and the conversion of Somerton from villain (in Juliana Gray's earlier book "A Gentleman Never Tells") to hero was convincing. I wish the story had been concluded when Somerton and the heroine Luisa were in Italy and Somerton realized what an ass he had been with his first wife.

But no such luck - the reader is forced to carry on with the overarching, totally farcical plot about the revolutionary terrorists that took over the government of the heroine's imaginary principality. There are so many holes in that plot that it made the last part of the book hard to read - I would be thrown out of the story every time I noticed a mistake or something completely ridiculous. The most ridiculous aspect of the story, among many such, was the Duke of Olympia (who is supposedly masterminding the heroine's return to her country, but his plans usually end up turning into either a Three Stooges comedy or a disaster) in drag as a middle-aged housewife from Battersea. As if no one would notice that this extremely oddly-behaving and odd-looking 6'4'' "woman" is actually a man. Cross-dressing was probably illegal at the time too, so it's a wonder he wasn't arrested for it!

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Because I'm writing this for my own amusement, it's longer than the reviews of mine which you might read posted elsewhere, so be warned! .

This is the third and final book in Ms Gray’s Princesses in Hiding trilogy, and tells the story of the eldest of the three sisters, Luisa, the Crown Princess of Holstein-Schweinwald-Huhnhof, who, following the assassination of her father and young husband, had briefly been ruler of the small principality until forced to flee to England with her sisters. There, their uncle, the Duke of Olympia comes up with a plan to separate them and send them into hiding disguised as young men, until such time as he can find out who is behind the revolution and put in train steps to return Luisa to the throne. Olympia, the master manipulator, places each of the sisters in very specific and far from random situations, which turn out to be with men who are more than up to the task of protecting them and looking out for their best interests. The middle sister Emile (How to Tame Your Duke) goes to work for the imposing Duke of Ashland, a man known for his military prowess; and the youngest, Stefanie (How to Master Your Marquis is placed in a situation which throws her much into the company of the gorgeous Marquess of Hatherfield, an intelligent, resourceful young man who has worked as a government agent. Ashland and Hatherfield are honourable, reliable men, whereas Luisa is to be entrusted to the care of a man both hated and feared by society – the ruthless, brutal and black-hearted Earl of Somerton.

As is the case with her previous Affairs by Moonlight series, the events in these three books take place more or less concurrently, so the reader gets brief glimpses of events which have taken place in the other books. Not only that, but Ms Grey has woven one of the threads from her earlier trilogy into this one, by virtue of the fact that the Somerton is very much the villain of the piece in A Gentleman Never Tells.

And all six books are linked by the background machinations of the seemingly omniscient Duke of Olympia, uncle to the princesses and manipulator extraordinaire.

I confess to having a weakness for brooding, tortured and flawed heroes with a murky past, and Leopold, Earl of Somerton (why does it say his name is Philip in the blurb? His son is Philip, and the couple of times his first name is used in the story, it’s Leopold) fits that bill to a T. With so many books boasting wicked, rakish and scandalous heroes, it’s quite refreshing to come across one who is actually all of those things and then some! Somerton is highly intelligent, implacable, ruthless and completely unscrupulous, a man with blood on his hands (albeit for the right cause) who is well aware of his murky reputation and doesn’t hesitate to use it to his advantage. He’s not well liked, is feared rather than respected, and doesn’t give a damn for anyone else’s opinion. Who better, therefore, to help a deposed princess to regain her throne and her kingdom? It’s going to take cojones of steel, and Somerton’s the man for the job – which is exactly why Olympia places Luisa in his household, effectively guaranteeing her his protection.

At the beginning of the book, young Mr Markham shows up to apply for a position as Somerton’s personal secretary. The earl is a physically imposing and intimidating man, used to getting his own way and to servants who cower in his presence – but Luisa is a princess, brought up to rule, and she stands her ground, even turning the tables on him at one point, which of course, he admires and likes, although he’d never admit it.

Luisa is carrying a large weight of responsibility – concern for her homeland, her subjects and her fear for the lives of her sisters. She wants to take back her principality and she is frustrated at having to wait for Olympia’s strategies to play out. But she has no other choice, and settles to her role as Somerton’s right hand “man”.

One may wonder that Somerton doesn’t see through Luisa’s disguise, given his perspicacity and his job as one of the government’s most powerful officials. There are plenty of clues there – as when Ms Gray mentions the fact that Mr Markham never knocks before entering a room, or when the earl ponders the air of authority that seems to surround the young man; but I can only attribute his obliviousness to the fact that he’s preoccupied with both his government duties and his desire to prove his wife’s infidelity.

The months pass, and they strike up an odd sort of master/servant relationship – Mr Markham is frequently cheeky to his employer, and Somerton puts up with it. Markham is efficient, straightforward and trustworthy – and his trust is something Somerton does not give lightly or often. He is at a loss to explain the reasons for his strange and very unusual inclination to confide in the young man – but there’s an underlying sense that Somerton is beginning to feel something akin to friendship for Markham, which is clearly something he’s not used to experiencing.

Somerton is married, but anyone who has read A Gentleman Never Tells will know that the marriage is not happy and that his wife has been in love with another man for many years.

As is the case with a large number of the heroes in historical romance, Somerton grew up without any love or affection, and as an adult has no idea how to show either. At first sight of Elizabeth Harwood seven years previously, he fell head-over-heels in love with her, but having no idea how to court or win her, he did the only thing he felt comfortable with: he offered her impecunious father a large sum of money for her hand. Elizabeth was already in love with Lord Roland Penhallow, but had no choice in the matter and married Somerton. Here, we learn that she never really gave him a chance, submitting to the physical side of their marriage without complaint but making it perfectly clear she hated both it, and him for making her enjoy it.

Somerton is angry and frustrated – at himself as well as his wife - and is now fairly obsessed with the desire to find evidence of her infidelity, and to exact his revenge on her lover, Penhallow. Getting to see Somerton’s side of the story here enables the reader to start to feel some sympathy for him, as in the earlier book, he was very much the villain who was cruel to his wife and was trying to take their son away from her. Here we see the flip-side and learn how Elizabeth’s outright rejection, indifference and scorn have also contributed to the miserable state of their marriage.

In a brief note, Ms Gray talks about the scene in the book she felt was key in helping her to understand Somerton’s character, and I certainly found it to be rather moving. It takes place late one night when, after more than six years, he finally accepts that Elizabeth never loved him and never will – retreats to his study with the brandy bottle and his cello. For one thing – a musical hero is pretty much guaranteed to turn me to mush (and the cello is my favourite stringed instrument) – for another the way he reacts to Luisa’s expression of her simple wish for him to be happy brought a lump to my throat. This huge, powerful man has never known much – if any - affection and the thought that someone could actually give a damn about him knocks him completely off balance.

(Another plus – the inspiration for that moment came from Verdi’s Don Carlo. I love all these musical connections!)

Having finally admitted to himself that his marriage is over, Somerton decides to offer Elizabeth a divorce, although that isn’t enough to quell his desire for revenge on Penhallow. But circumstances prevent his carrying through with his plans; an attempt is made on Luisa’s life, and it finally becomes necessary for her to come clean with Somerton and ask for his help.

There’s a lot of complexity in the story in terms of the double-dealing and double-double-crossing going on in the plots against the princesses. Ms Gray cleverly throws out hints in the previous books as to the identities of the people responsible for the assassinations and subsequent revolution in Holstein-Schweinwald-Hunhof, but there was always an ambiguity there, so that I was never quite sure as to whether they really WERE the bad guys or whether they were good guys having to take difficult decisions and drastic measures.

There is a lot of humour in the book, too. I especially enjoyed the way Somerton and Olympia snipe at each other; and the final section, where both Hatherfield (now the Duke of Southam) and Ashland show up to help save the day smacked a bit of a Boy’s Own Adventure – but the highlight has to be the six-foot-three, highly distinguished Duke of Olympia getting togged up in drag so that he could keep tabs on Luisa in the guise of Mr Markham’s aunt, Mrs Duke.

I enjoy Ms Gray’s writing style, which is both intelligent and lyrical, and she can certainly turn up the heat – emotional and sexual – when called for. The romantic tension between Luisa and Somerton simmers almost palpably, and while they don’t kiss until well into the story (for obvious reasons) it’s certainly worth the wait when it finally happens. The sex scenes are well-done, too – Ms Gray injects them with an earthy sensuality that feels just a little different to so many of the other historicals out there nowadays, and let's face it, fictional bad boys are always uber-hotties between the sheets. Or against walls, over desks, on tables... and Somerton is most definitely no exception to that rule ;-)

If I have a criticism, it’s a fairly small one. Because the story takes place over around a year, there are some jumps along the timeline which are the teeniest bit jarring - but that’s pretty much all I can find to nitpick, because for the most part, the novel is very well-paced.

I’m not a fan of epilogues in which the fecundity of all the characters in the series is on display – I find it terribly twee and most times I skip them when I can. But I have to applaud Ms Gray for the inclusion of a very tongue-in-cheek Babylogue, told from Olympia’s PoV, whose pronouncements are by turns sweet, funny and insightful.

Confession time: this is a series of books I never originally intended to read. When I first saw the synopsis for How to Tame Your Duke, I didn’t think it would be for me because “Chicks in strides” is one of my least favourite tropes in the genre, and I had plenty of other books on my TBR pile to be getting on with. But a favourable review by one of my AAR colleagues made me request a review copy of the audiobook version (which I reviewed for AudioGals), and I was impressed enough with the story to want to read the next book. And when I learned that this final one would see Ms Gray attempting to make a hero of Somerton, well, there was no way I wasn’t going to read it and I think it’s my favourite book of the three. The author has done a wonderful job in turning the seemingly black-hearted earl into a romantic hero, although he remains his irascible self throughout.

I’ve said this before, I know, but it says much for Ms Gray’s storytelling abilities that she’s kept me hooked despite my dislike of the trope. She’s going onto my auto-buy list.

[Sonia189 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more a 3.5
I've liked the previous installments more, and felt this wasn't as balanced between the funny and the serious moments. Closer to the end things improved, but I don't think the jumps in time were as well done and part of the story seemed very wobbly.

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book where you sit at the end and are all "omg. I...don't even know what to say about this one."? Welp. That's kinda me. lol How to School Your Scoundrel was so not what I was expecting but dang I loved it for what it was. I enjoyed the characters, the continuation of the secondary storyline--princesses in hiding after an assassination attempt on the royal family in their country--and the romance that was just a touch dreamy. Though it was so not the romance I was expecting as Markham (Princess Louisa) and Somerton head off against each other as employer and secretary and are brought face to face with the revolution set on ending her life. Pretty...damn...awesome. *nods*

So the romance in this one. Why was it different? Well. For starters the hero is married for a good clip of the book. O.o Though his marriage is one of more or less convenience and his wife rather distant and a bit hostile towards him (and in love with someone else). And there's the fact that Louisa spends a good clip of the romance disguised as a man. So the romance is a secondary thing of sorts until way later in the story. But seeing these two together and getting to know each other as employer and employee, testing boundaries, feeling the twinges of attraction was still quite fun.

And then there's the characters. Oh how they made me waffle but made me love them too! I liked Louisa. She's a tough cookie and has so much weight on her shoulders as the eldest of the surviving royal family. She loves her country fiercely and hates being forced to abandon it, has a bit of a smart mouth--okay a lot of a smart mouth- and tries so hard in everything she does.

Now Somerton. Somerton was one I felt like I shouldn't have liked but still managed to enjoy. If that makes sense? He really was a scoundrel. Or rather...was at one point. He'd slept around with married women, had children with multiple mothers, went to brothels. He...got around and really didn't care who with. Which kinda made him an ass. But most of that was in his past and though he saw very little good in himself presently he did have it in there. Even if it was way the hell deep down. He's truly a warrior. Gets his hands dirty and will do whatever it takes to protect what's his. There's something so damn sexy about that. Whewboy. So one of those heroes that really tested my limits morally but won me over in the end.

"I'm sorry." The words were soft, muttered into his shirt, either weakly or reluctantly.

"So you should be, Markham. Very sorry, indeed." He had reached the stairs, he was climbing them, he was cradling her against his chest. She smelled of some sort of feminine soap, floral, quite unlike her, but pleasant nonetheless. "You are a very great deal of trouble to me, you know. You always have been."

She sighed, and the warmth of her breath penetrated his skin and smothered his chest. "I have... always... endeavored... to give satisfaction."

"You are not required to give satisfaction, Markham." There was her door, white and quite at the end of the hall. The northeast corner, overlooking the lake and the sunrise. It had been his own room, after he left the nursery upstairs, before his father had died. "You are only required to recover your strength without doing yourself further injury. Is that so very much to ask?"

"No. It is just so...bloody boring."

God, she would kill him.

I liked them together. They were a good fit for each other and a nice mix of hard and soft. I liked how they slowly fell for each other, resisted and finally gave in (once his marriage wasn't an issue thank goodness). They bettered each other, gave each other hell and were there for one another when things got hard or dangerous. When life was held in the balance or things seemed hopeless. That for me was what totally made this read.

How to School Your Scoundrel was all about betrayals and trust. Fighting those set on destroying the royal family and Louisa claiming her thrown and bringing stability to her people. There are lots of twists and turns and uncertainties which made for an exciting read. This one does cover a large period of time (nearing in on a year) and on occasion the timeline for me was a bit muddled on how things pieced together but overall I liked that things were drawn out and thought it fit the two and their situation. Once again Gray gave a delightfully unique read that left me excited for more!



Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.

[Noura · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent closure to the Princess in Hiding series, the story inter-relates with the Affair in Moonlight series where the Earl of Somerton was set as the villain.

In this story, the man is a total anti-hero, a villain in A Gentleman Never Lies where he was obsessed in finding his so-called adulterous runaway wife and their son. The story picks up where he was trying to find where his missing wife. Enter our eldest Princess, Luisa, now disguised as a man and working for the Earl as his secretary. He is hard, demanding and a bit of an a-hole. She's no-nonsense and sassy in a classy way - the perfect foil to the Earl.

Somewhere along the line she falls for him as she sees him as someone in need of redemption. He falls for her as she is the one person who sees him in a different light and believes in him.

Just like any other JG stories, the characters are likeable even when they are not supposed to be. I see this book has a great potential to become a TV series.

However, one grouse I would have against JG books is the corny and tired titles and the boring covers. I strongly feel that they do not do justice to the quality of the story and the writing. I hope JG will continue to write fast-paced romance adventures that are humourous, fun, suspenseful and original. Her stories are not very predictable and interweaves seamlessly which imho puts JG apart from other HR writers.

[Marielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
As much as I like Ms. Grey’s writing style, it wasn’t enough to elevate the mediocre plot of this third and final book in this series to the level of the first two books.

A lot of things have to happen in this book: the romance, saving the principality and wrapping up the stories of the three sisters. In my opinion, only the reunion worked really well. I liked the heroine, Emily, and the way she managed the hero.

The poor plotting was most apparent for me in the hero’s actions. As much as I liked his character, somehow didn’t fit in with the plot. He is suposed to be an all powerfull man, with connections all over Europe, the only one capable of saving the principality. But his actions constantly belie that statement and had me rolling my eyes repeatadly.

Still, it was a fun read.

Spoiler alert (some plot holes):

He can’t find evidence of his wife’s deceipt... but she’s been meeting with her lover often enough for her son to know the man very well, call him uncle and put himself in danger to save the uncle from his father. Certainly all those connections of that powerful man could have found that out.
When he sets off with Olympia to the principality, he (the suposed savior) follows the plans of Olympia without one idea of his own, and get captured. It provided a fun scene for the heroine to save the day, but then don’t tell me he is the only one to save them.

I liked discovering Ms. Grey’s books and I will read more of her books.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B- for narration and a B+ for content at All About Romance, so that's a B overall for this audiobook version of the story

This is the third and final book in Ms Gray’s A Princess in Hiding trilogy, in which three royal sisters have to flee their homeland following a revolution. The princesses are transported to England where their uncle, the powerful Duke of Olympia arranges for them to go into hiding disguised as young men. How to School Your Scoundrel focuses on the eldest sister Luisa who, following the assassination of her father, is now the Crown Princess of Holstein-Schweinwald-Huhnhof. At the beginning of the book she arrives, in the guise of Mr Louis Markham, at the home of the Earl of Somerton to apply for the position as his personal secretary.

Anyone who is familiar with Ms Grey’s earlier Affairs by Moonlight trilogy will recognise the Earl as the villain of A Gentleman Never Tells, in which he pursues his estranged wife to Italy with the intention of gaining custody of their five year-old son. I confess that Somerton is the big draw for me when it comes to this book. I’m a sucker for seemingly irredeemable, tortured bad-boys. Unlike so many of the “wicked,” “rakish,” or “rogue” heroes that abound in historical romance today, Somerton really is a black-hearted scoundrel – ruthless, implacable and unscrupulous. He isn’t well liked, he’s feared rather than respected, and he doesn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks of him. Which are, of course, qualities that make him ideally suited to helping to wrest back a kingdom (or, in this case, small German principality).

Somerton finds something admirable in the fact that young Mr Markham not only stands up to him, but shows no fear when doing so, and employs him. As the months pass, they strike up an odd kind of master/servant relationship. Somerton puts up with Mr Markham’s cheek because the man is efficient, straightforward and trustworthy – and his trust is something Somerton does not give lightly or often. There is also the sense of a developing friendship, which is clearly something with which Somerton does not have much experience.

I admit that it does seem odd that Somerton, one of the government’s foremost intelligence masterminds doesn’t see through Luisa’s disguise immediately; I can only presume he is so focused on his own goal of proving his wife’s infidelity and exacting revenge on her lover that he fails to see what is under his nose.

Luisa is growing increasingly concerned for the safety of her sisters and impatient to regain her throne. Things come to a head when an attempt is made on Luisa’s life, and it becomes necessary for her to reveal the truth and ask for Somerton’s help. There’s a lot of humour in the book – I particularly enjoyed the sniping between Somerton and Luisa’s uncle Olympia – as well as an enjoyably complex plot in which the double-dealing and double-double-crossing of the revolutionaries continues to threaten the lives of the princesses.

The love story is emotionally satisfying, too, as Luisa, who has heretofore lived for duty, finds the ideal partner in Somerton. He is not only “the sort of chap who will confound her enemies and do her dirty work, behind the scenes, so she may appear as an unsullied angel to her subjects,” but also a passionate lover who shows her how much more there is to life than duty. And Somerton, a man who has no experience with love or affection, and whose first love cruelly rejected him, finds the woman for him in the form of this loving, loyal young princess, whose good heart refuses to believe the worst of him, and sees honour where he’d believed none remained.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about this and Ms Gray’s previous trilogy is the fact the stories take place concurrently rather than one after the other. The listener gets brief glimpses of events which have taken place in the other books from different points of view. It isn’t necessary to have read or listened to any of the others, as this works fairly well as a standalone, but I definitely think it enhances the experience if one is familiar with the other stories and characters.

I listened to and enjoyed Carmen Rose’s performance in the previous book and am pleased to see she has finished out the series. Her voice is pleasantly modulated and her narration is measured and clear, although sometimes it feels a little on the slow side. She has an occasional tendency to snatch breaths mid-sentence, which leads to some odd vocal inflections, and I noticed a few mis-pronunciations (although not too many).

Ms Rose differentiates clearly between all the characters and performs male roles well by using a variety of timbres and accents. The Duke of Olympia, who has been a background presence in the other stories, here assumes a more prominent secondary role, and she differentiates clearly between him and Somerton – they’re easily distinguishable in the numerous scenes in which they both appear.

It must be a challenge to represent a female character who is pretending to be a man using only one’s voice. Does one choose to voice the character in a masculine way to help to perpetuate the deception being practiced within the story, or represent them in the same way – as female – throughout? Ultimately, I think Ms Rose has found the happy medium here, by performing Luisa at the lower end of her range, which still allows her to pitch Somerton and Olympia a little bit lower.

The Princess in Hiding trilogy has proved to be an entertaining series. None of the reservations I’ve expressed about the narration are serious enough to have adversely affected my enjoyment of the story. Overall , Carmen Rose delivers an accomplished and nuanced performance.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 3.75 stars **

I must say I found this book a bit underwhelming considering the build up of tension from the very beginning of the series. I liked Luisa well enough as well as her being Mr. Markham. I felt for Somerton and the situation he was in but he, sometimes, veered into morally ambiguous waters that made it hard to like him. I wanted more interactions between them as Luisa and Philip but there was more of Mr. Markham and Somerton, so their deep love was a tad unbelievable to me.

I loved Mrs. Duke and the spot of hilarity she brought. The traitor's identity was finally revealed to everyone. The end was more action filled than the other books, and that together with wonderful epilogue made the story arc complete for me. I am glad I read this series.

[Aspoon · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title of this book was extremely misleading. There was no schooling of any kind, there was scoundrel of any kind. This was my first and LAST time reading a book by this author unless someone can tell me of another book she has written that would redeem her atrocious writing. Here are my pros and cons…
Cons:
- The fact that a princess and now ruler of a country would go into hiding as a secretary or shall I say “servant” and dress up like a man nonetheless is absolutely absurd. The princess could have hidden out anywhere considering she had the means.
- The fact that this “secretary” didn’t really sound like man within the dialogue. For instance, the “male secretary’ kept calling his dog “love”… sit here love, don’t worry love… what kind of man talks to his pet that way…regency or modern day…and the tone of the “secretary” didn’t come off like in a manly tone…the author could have described the tone when the secretary was speaking …example… “I will not sir” he said in a deep baritone voice… The author never did give good character descriptions in this book.
- Also, what “secretary” or “employee” speaks to his/her employer the way Markam did from the get go, challenging, obnoxious, and insolent…..like HELLO, you know this is JOB INTERVIEW RIIIIIIIIGHT!!! … it’s just unheard of. And the fact that Lord Somerton sometimes seemed strangely attracted to “Markam” his male secretary was a turnoff…he kept saying “Your Mine”…this was before he knew “Markam” was a princess or woman for that matter. He was oddly over protective of his “male secretary”…showing up everywhere his “male secretary is”… constantly asking him what was wrong with him….if something or someone was bothering him…I just want to scream.. “YOU DO KNOW THAT”S A MAN RIIIIIIIGHT!!!” Just creepy…
- Also, Lord Somerton was a delusional, obsessed, overbearing psycho when it came to his wife. Some of the lengths he was going was over the top…and what just sealed the deal of the worst book ever for me was when Lord Somerton a English Peer who needs to produce an heir would just simply let HIS SON.. HIS ONLY SON… and HEIR go without a serious fight via the courts was when I lost respect for the character and the author. There is no way an Earl would let his son/heir go and allow another man to raise him…this so called “Lord” spent more time worried about his wife infidelity than spending any time with his son AT ALL….
- THIS IS NOT A LOVE STORY…I’m not even sure how this even passed through editors and the publishing company
Pros: ABSOLUTELY NONE

So if you are in the mood to waste your time and get pissed off for not reason…then this is your book…

[Bonnie Rzucidlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

With her country in turmoil, and her life in danger, Princess Luisa and her sisters are forced to flee their small homeland of Holstein-Schweinwald-Huhnhof for England. The Royal Prince (the girls’ father) as well as Luisa’s new husband were murdered by rebels seeking to overthrow the monarchy. The three princesses are half English, and their English uncle, The Duke of Olympia concocts a plan to have them masquerade as men to keep them safe.
Luisa is to become Mr. Markham, and apply to become secretary to the notorious Earl of Somerton. During the initial interview, Luisa displays a cockiness that appeals to Somerton, who is used to everyone trembling in his presence, and he hires her (him.) They develop a relationship, while not exactly a friendship, is a sort of mutual trust and respect.
Somerton is in an unhappy marriage. Years ago, he fell in love with his wife, who was in love with another man. He bulldozed her parents into making her accept his suit, and basically bought her. She still loves this man, and Somerton is obsessed with finding proof of her infidelity, and enacting revenge.
I am amazed at how the author managed to weave all the various threads of this story so tightly together. First of all, I have to say that I really dislike the trope of ladies disguising themselves as men. Second, I am really not at all fond of political intrigues, especially involving monarchy. And third, I totally dislike the kind of man Somerton was. (No spoilers, but he had a whole lot of sins in his past.) Yet, I absolutely loved this story. As it progresses, we get to see that Somerton is a lonely man who has never been loved, and his first attempt at loving was rejected. We also get to see him transform into a hero without losing his toughness, which is something Luisa will need. Luisa, meanwhile, has always lived for duty alone, and now she feels love as well.
This book is the third book of the princess trilogy, and these books were my first introduction to Juliana Gray. I will definitely be reading her previous books, and she is now an “auto buy” author for me. I have also learned that one of her previous books, “A Gentleman Never Tells” is the story of Somerton’s troubled marriage, told from his wife’s point of view. I can’t recommend this book highly enough – it has it all. It’s exciting, sexy, angsty, heartbreaking, and ultimately satisfying. The epilogue is a treasure.

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Luisa is the Crown Princess of some Germanic principality. She and her sisters are kidnapped after their father dies. Her uncle, the duke, comes up with this hair-brained scheme that the 3 sisters and their governess will dress as men and he will dress as a woman to hide from the bad guys. Somerton hires Luisa as his personal secretary.

The hiding scheme is preposterous. Somerton's an ass. Luisa is not charming enough to make up for it. The comedic relief characters aren't really comedic so much as sad and one-dimensional. I don't expect much from a paperback romance, but this didn't live up to my expectations.

There are too many books I want to read for me to continue with one that I can only describe as a chore...

[Tracy T. · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointing story. I loved the first 2 books in this series and was really looking forward to this one, and it was not good at all.

This book was lacking in every department. The plot, the story line, the chemistry, the characters, the character development, a terrible hero and boring heroine.
And the title of the book makes no sense. There was no schooling of any scoundrel.

This book needs re written in its entirety to come close in comparison to the first two books.

I listened to the book as I read along and the the narration was okay, not the worst and not the best.
Worth your time or money? No, not to me. Especially if you listened to or read the first two books.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course I start with the third book. Sigh.

But this was good - better than expected. Heavier on plot, intrigue, and gender roles, and thankfully, not nearly as much sex. Oh, it's there, don't worry about that! But thankfully, it's a nicely added touch, rather than the primary focus.

Going to try at least one more book by this author, see if she's really this good, or if this one was a fluke.

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

JG completely turned Somerton around for me and in the end I was in love with him! Wonderful read and I wasn't ready for it to be over. The epi was cute and can't wait for that novella for the Duke.

[Disco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Alternate titles: "How to Marry A Serial Cheater" or "How to Settle for Some Douche with Several Out-of Wedlock Children" or "My Husband Bought his Previous Wife for 100,000 Pounds!" Ugh.

[Scoyphenson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somerton never really redeemed himself in my eyes. He remained callous, gratuitously cruel, and generally unappealing.

[authorsrikandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, I LOVE historical romance because of the settings and whatnot, not because of *cough* steamy scenes *cough*. Anyway, this is the first book that I ever read by Juliana Gray and I have to say, it is better than I expected!

This book is the third book of her Princess in Hiding Trilogy and let me tell you, it can be read as a standalone but it would be better if you read it in order. But of course, I am not privileged enough to collect all books since I just bought this off from a thrift store. Anyway, this is about the eldest princess Luisa that has been kidnapped and disguised as a man in London and planned to take over her throne again with the help of Earl of Somerton, her employer where she was a secretary while disguising as a young lad. Long story short, she fell in love with him and with the help from her uncle, they managed to get her throne back. Basic HEA in historical romance, no biggie!

So, if you like...
⚜️Historical Fiction
⚜️Steamy Romance
⚜️Betrayal
⚜️Infidelity
⚜️Secret Identity
⚜️Miscarriage
Then you have picked up the right book!

My thoughts on this book:
📌There are some discussions in the book that are far too real that are taboo to be discussed in real life. And i am moved by those topics, even though it was set in the historical setting. Those issues would be INFIDELITY, MISCARRIAGE, and BETRAYAL. In most marriages, those things can bring disaster and it is the pillars that made up our hero's past. Somerton had suffered those things and it brought tears to my eyes for the realness and how he handled poorly of those issues. Until our heroine was in the zone to help him to overcome those stuff. I won't get into details for what was being done to overcome those stuff and what happened to the involved parties but let just say, her Uncle to the rescue for those poor chaps and ladies.
📌The spiciness of this book would be 🌶🌶/5 at the most. Look, I get it. Sometimes we just want to read historical romance because of the spiciness that it provided. Well not in this novel, you won't. The slow burn❤️🔥however was worth the wait for the hero and the heroine to be together in the end and I must say, despite the traumatic past that out hero and the virtuous principle that our heroine had for her late husband, they finally found each other and exploded together with passion at last. That slow burn❤️🔥, at least, worth the read😚
📌The ending to the trilogy was EVERYTHING. If you're like me and read this trilogy without order, you might think it was nothing. But i guaranteed you that if you read these books in order, all the plots and sideline characters will be answered and worth your time to read then in order. However, I don't have that luxury so, i just have to say that everyone got their HEAs.
📌My personal rating would be ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 because it was a slow read for me. Even though i finished it under 24 hours🤣. I would say some of the elements of the story were not my jam but it was really a page turning book. They have some mysteries that tied the trilogy all together and it was worth it. But i think it can be improved, especially those steamy scenes, but that was just my opinion and perhaps everyone else had a different opinion than me. Anyway, it was an enjoyable, fun read altogether!

[Dana Burda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romanul a apărut la editura Litera cu titlul '' Cum să educi un rebel'' în anul 2017, în colecția ''Iubiri de poveste'', seria ''Prințese deghizate''. A fost tradus în limba română de către Bianca Mateescu/ Graal Soft. Scriitoarea Juliana Gray și-a făcut debutul în lumea romanelor istorice de dragoste în anul 2012 cu primul roman am trilogiei ''Affairs by Moonlight'' și succesul de care s-a bucurat această trilogie a detrminat-o să continue cu o nouă trilogie '' Prințese deghizate'' din care face parte și romanul acesta.
Micul regat german Holstein-Schweinwald-Huhnhof trece printr-o criză politică teribilă în octombrie 1889, în urma asasinării prințului Rudolf și a ginerelui său Peter, so��ul celei mai mari dintre cele trei fiice ale prințului. Prințesa Luiza este și cea care trebuie să-i urmeze la tron tatălui său deoarece acesta a avut numai aceste trei fiice în urma căsătoriei sale cu o engelzoaică dintr-o familie foarte nobilă.Mama fiicelor sale moare încercând să dea naștere unui fiu și la fel se întâmplă cu toate cele patru soții ale prințului Rudolf. În cele din urmă o declară moștenitoare a tronului pe fiica sa mai mare, Luiza pe care o căsătorește cu prietenul ei din copilărie, prințul Peter de Baden- Cherrypit. Rămase de timpuriu fără mamă, cele trei prințese au crescut îngrijite de guvernantă engleză trimisă de nașul lor ducele de Olympia. După asasinarea prințului Rudolf cele trei prințese sunt aduse în Anglia de către ducele Olympia ca să le protejeze de încercările de a le sasina venite din partea complotiștilor ce se autointitulau Brigada revoluționară a sângelui vărsat. Pentru a li se pierde urma ducele decide să le travestească pe toate trei în bărbați și să le angajeze în casele unor mari nobili englezi profitând de execelenta educație a prințeselor dar și în speranța că acestea vor spiona pentru el. Astfel Luiza se transformă în domnul Markhamși intră ca secretar în casa contelui Leopold Somerton care este absolut obsedat de posibila infidelitate a frumoasei lui soții care se căsătorise cu el din obligație fiind îndrăgostită de altcineva. Și astfel tânărul Markham intră în casa contelui Somerton și devine o persoană foarte apropiată de acesta.Dar ceea ce la un moment dat devenise un excelent parteneriat între conte și secretarul său, se transformă în cele din urmă într-o poveste de dragoste...Împreună vor reuși să rezolve toate enigmele din viața fiecăruia dintre ei...un roman plăcut, captivant,care oferă o excelentă lectură de weekend. Exact ca în motto-ul cu care scriitoarea își începe romanul:'' Pentru cititorii cărților romantice , care fac lumea un loc mai frumos în care să trăiești''.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. This book has the dubious honor of being one of the handful of books among hundreds I did not finish and will never finish. I can't decide if the author was making jokes in poor taste or simply did not care who she insulted.

The name of the fictional country but clearly being situated in German territory (which makes no sense in itself). Would a Briton be delighted to see someone invent a country that is clearly British in culture and then named Brixton-Piggyforest-Chickenfarm? I highly doubt it. But, apart form Holstein as the in book first part (which is a very German name) this is a translation of the country's name invented by the author.

The plot makes no sense. The time skips make no sense. The characterisation was horrible. If Somerton is truly a spymaster - he would never, ever not find out about Markham's true gender much sooner, THEN investigate thoroughly and... even the setting his secretary up to prove himself (after not even one day in his employ!), then finding out that M saw through the heavy handed set up, then have the heroine first win against 'the best assassin in Britain' but then need rescue when dealing with a common brute five minutes later?!? Or, Lousia: she wakes up after a long illness, believes that her sisters are most likely dead or in peril and what does she do? Moon after Somerset and not try to find out what happened at all. And it goes on and on and on in that vein.

[Sabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed finishing the "Princess in Hiding" trilogy. But somehow, this third book was a bit more difficult to read than the two before. Maybe it was due to the fact that some spoilers had been given in book 2. And maybe because the villain was the villain and then not and then yes and somehow... I guess Ms. Gray wasn't quite sure whom to pick (this reminded me a little of "Cocoa Beach").

Is it just me or did she get inspiration for "Cocoa Beach" in this book? And "A Certain Age" in book 2? Those back and forth chapters in "A Certain Age" and the "is the villain truly the villain" in "Cocoa Beach"? Hmmm....

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book, having loved the first two in the series, but sadly it fell flat for me. As a book for wrapping up all the ends, it succeeds. As a romance book, it didn't fair quite as well. I never quite knew why these two characters were in love. Granted, the pretense of love in the other books in the series were a bit shallow, but this one there was no chemistry. The book seemed too preoccupied with the plot to restore the principality. In doing this, it lost some of the humor and romance of the previous books.