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Lost Lords #2
A Matter of Temptation
For years, Robert Hawthorne, the Duke of Killingsworth, was kept a prisoner by his scheming twin brother. A daring escape turns the tables and restores his birthright to him, without anyone the wiser. He can finally enjoy everything that was stolen from him. But on his first day of freedom Robert must take in wedlock a woman he has never met . . . and keep his distance to prevent her from learning the truth of his identity, until he can determine how to prove he is the rightful duke.
Victoria Lambert knows she must marry Robert--after all, as her mother always reminds her, he is the catch of the season and she'll become a duchess! True, she does not love him, but it is her duty to marry well. But a much-altered Robert stands beside her on their wedding day . . . a man somehow more considerate and charming than ever before . . . and so sensuously alluring that Torie is determined to be a temptation her husband can't resist!
Victoria Lambert knows she must marry Robert--after all, as her mother always reminds her, he is the catch of the season and she'll become a duchess! True, she does not love him, but it is her duty to marry well. But a much-altered Robert stands beside her on their wedding day . . . a man somehow more considerate and charming than ever before . . . and so sensuously alluring that Torie is determined to be a temptation her husband can't resist!
369 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 27, 2005
150 people are currently reading
1383 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Heath
90 books4,381 followersAlso writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
February 14, 2010
This was actually more like a 3.75 for me. But I think it's more a matter of personal taste.
First the plot. Robert Hawthorne has been incarcerated in virtual isolation and total anonymity for eight years while his twin brother, John, assumed Robert's role as the Duke of Killingsworth ... as Robert. Sending letters back to himself from America from his "brother", Not-Robert AKA John, has managed to make everyone believe his ruse.
Robert manages to escape after eight long years and returns to take his place. Fearing a return to the 'new prison system' if he's discovered -- since it will be only his word against the guy who has had all of the ton believing he's the Duke for eight years -- Robert sends his brother back to the prison (with the dishonest warder who'd collaborated in Robert's incarceration) in his place rather than trying to make his case right away. He's a bit discombobulated, which is understandable. I'm discombobulated just trying to explain it, which makes Heath's abilities that much more impressive.
So, Robert wakes up the next morning in a nice, soft bed with clean sheets only to find out it's his wedding day. Holy moly!. Oh well, he assumes it's a typical arranged marriage and goes through with it, only to find he's wed a lovely girl who seems to have stars in her eyes over him ... or his brother ... who was him when he asked her to marry him ...
It's all very understandable in the book, though, and Robert's dilemma is pretty clear. Except that he's feeling much more kindly toward John than I think is believable. He wants to find a way to prove his identity while not touching his new bride so she can eventually go to John, whom Robert believes she loves. Meanwhile Torie and the real Robert are falling in love with each other. She barely did know John/Robert after all, even though she liked him and had anticipated a lovely marriage, but there was no actual love involved in their courtship.
I did think, right away, of a few ways Robert could prove his identity, which was a bit annoying since he couldn't come up with anything and it kind of went on and on. In fact, we got fully through 60% of the book and nobody else knew his story. Which is where my grumble comes in. Because he was the only person who knew his problem, there was a lot of introspection going on. And since he was trying not to give himself away, Torie's part was mostly isolated as well. I'm kind of an action/dialogue girl, and that's why I say my problems with the book most likely have more to do with my taste than with any real gripe about Heath.
As always, her writing is engrossing. The characters are interesting. The chemistry works. But I felt throughout that things really couldn't happen until SOMEBODY knew his secret and I feel I was right. When someone figures it out, things really do start to take off. But that's after 60% of the book is gone.
The ending is quite nice and the couple is lovely. I don't know if they appear in any other stories, but I'd like to know more than the epilogue told me about their ongoing life and what happens with John. Like Robert, I never understood why John hadn't just killed him.
So, Heath comes through in the end, but I would have preferred 'sunlight' earlier and a more thorough resolution. But the characters and romance are good, as one can expect in a Heath novel, and there are a couple of laughs as well -- even with the sometimes dark subject matter.
First the plot. Robert Hawthorne has been incarcerated in virtual isolation and total anonymity for eight years while his twin brother, John, assumed Robert's role as the Duke of Killingsworth ... as Robert. Sending letters back to himself from America from his "brother", Not-Robert AKA John, has managed to make everyone believe his ruse.
Robert manages to escape after eight long years and returns to take his place. Fearing a return to the 'new prison system' if he's discovered -- since it will be only his word against the guy who has had all of the ton believing he's the Duke for eight years -- Robert sends his brother back to the prison (with the dishonest warder who'd collaborated in Robert's incarceration) in his place rather than trying to make his case right away. He's a bit discombobulated, which is understandable. I'm discombobulated just trying to explain it, which makes Heath's abilities that much more impressive.
So, Robert wakes up the next morning in a nice, soft bed with clean sheets only to find out it's his wedding day. Holy moly!. Oh well, he assumes it's a typical arranged marriage and goes through with it, only to find he's wed a lovely girl who seems to have stars in her eyes over him ... or his brother ... who was him when he asked her to marry him ...
It's all very understandable in the book, though, and Robert's dilemma is pretty clear. Except that he's feeling much more kindly toward John than I think is believable. He wants to find a way to prove his identity while not touching his new bride so she can eventually go to John, whom Robert believes she loves. Meanwhile Torie and the real Robert are falling in love with each other. She barely did know John/Robert after all, even though she liked him and had anticipated a lovely marriage, but there was no actual love involved in their courtship.
I did think, right away, of a few ways Robert could prove his identity, which was a bit annoying since he couldn't come up with anything and it kind of went on and on. In fact, we got fully through 60% of the book and nobody else knew his story. Which is where my grumble comes in. Because he was the only person who knew his problem, there was a lot of introspection going on. And since he was trying not to give himself away, Torie's part was mostly isolated as well. I'm kind of an action/dialogue girl, and that's why I say my problems with the book most likely have more to do with my taste than with any real gripe about Heath.
As always, her writing is engrossing. The characters are interesting. The chemistry works. But I felt throughout that things really couldn't happen until SOMEBODY knew his secret and I feel I was right. When someone figures it out, things really do start to take off. But that's after 60% of the book is gone.
The ending is quite nice and the couple is lovely. I don't know if they appear in any other stories, but I'd like to know more than the epilogue told me about their ongoing life and what happens with John. Like Robert, I never understood why John hadn't just killed him.
So, Heath comes through in the end, but I would have preferred 'sunlight' earlier and a more thorough resolution. But the characters and romance are good, as one can expect in a Heath novel, and there are a couple of laughs as well -- even with the sometimes dark subject matter.
October 20, 2017
No es la serie del año, pero a mí me está gustando. La pluma de la autora hace que las historias, aunque con tramas bastante sencillas, tengan un toque de originalidad y unos personajes que hacen que la historia prácticamente la haya leído sola y en apenas un día.
En esta ocasión los personajes no guardan ninguna relación con los del primer libro y mucho menos con los del segundo, pero aún así, ha tenido una trama bastante original en una novela de este tipo
Al más puro estilo de "El hombre de la máscara de hierro", nos encontramos con dos hermanos gemelos; uno bueno y uno malo que harán que Victoria, se encuentre envuelta en una venganza que hará que se case con el hombre que no es su prometido, pero que será su alma gemela.
El romance ha sido bonito, Robert es un amor y todas sus escenas con Victoria han sido muy dulces y a la vez desgarradoras, porque no se cree merecedor de ninguna migaja de un cariño que él no considera suyo.
Pero la historia no es perfecta,cierta situación que implica a John, el gemelo malo se ha arreglado muy fácilmente y tanto Robert como Victoria han sido demasiado buenos y la trama no avanza mucho hasta casi más de la mitad del libro, por lo que a veces resultaba un poco plano. Aún así, es una historia bonita, con un romance muy dulce y con un poco de acción e intriga.
Ahora a leer el tercero y último de la serie.
En esta ocasión los personajes no guardan ninguna relación con los del primer libro y mucho menos con los del segundo, pero aún así, ha tenido una trama bastante original en una novela de este tipo
Al más puro estilo de "El hombre de la máscara de hierro", nos encontramos con dos hermanos gemelos; uno bueno y uno malo que harán que Victoria, se encuentre envuelta en una venganza que hará que se case con el hombre que no es su prometido, pero que será su alma gemela.
El romance ha sido bonito, Robert es un amor y todas sus escenas con Victoria han sido muy dulces y a la vez desgarradoras, porque no se cree merecedor de ninguna migaja de un cariño que él no considera suyo.
Pero la historia no es perfecta,cierta situación que implica a John, el gemelo malo se ha arreglado muy fácilmente y tanto Robert como Victoria han sido demasiado buenos y la trama no avanza mucho hasta casi más de la mitad del libro, por lo que a veces resultaba un poco plano. Aún así, es una historia bonita, con un romance muy dulce y con un poco de acción e intriga.
Ahora a leer el tercero y último de la serie.
January 21, 2023
Robert Hawthorne, duque de Killingsworth ha huido de la prisión en la que su hermano gemelo lo ha mantenido durante ocho largos años. Con ansias de venganza y de ocupar el lugar que le corresponde, busca la mejor forma de poner todo en su lugar, con lo que no cuenta es en su boda inminente con Victoria Lambert (la prometida que escogió John). Tendrá que mantener alejados sus sentimientos por esa bella mujer y pensar en la mejor manera de dar a conocer su verdad.
Lorraine Heath se inspiró para esta segunda novela de “Los lores perdidos” en el personaje de “El hombre de la máscara de hierro”. Nuestro protagonista es Robert Hawthorne, el duque de Killingsworth que ha pasado ocho años de su vida encarcelado por su hermano John, que ha usurpado su lugar. Él es el verdadero duque y quiere recuperar su libertad y su posición y esclarecer los motivos por los que su hermano cometió tal acto. Poco a poco iremos descubriendo al personaje tan complejo de Robert, pese a su cautiverio no le mueve una implacable venganza, aún cree en la redención y sigue teniendo sentimientos por su hermano, algo de alabar teniendo en cuenta lo que le hizo.
Robert se muestra cauto con Victoria, respeta a la mujer que escogió John y se enfrenta a sus propias pasiones, a los sentimientos que le despierta una mujer bella, inteligente, dulce y a la vez pícara. Todo ello mientras traza un plan en el que poder demostrar quién es y mantener a su hermano a raya.
Robert ha sido... https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
Lorraine Heath se inspiró para esta segunda novela de “Los lores perdidos” en el personaje de “El hombre de la máscara de hierro”. Nuestro protagonista es Robert Hawthorne, el duque de Killingsworth que ha pasado ocho años de su vida encarcelado por su hermano John, que ha usurpado su lugar. Él es el verdadero duque y quiere recuperar su libertad y su posición y esclarecer los motivos por los que su hermano cometió tal acto. Poco a poco iremos descubriendo al personaje tan complejo de Robert, pese a su cautiverio no le mueve una implacable venganza, aún cree en la redención y sigue teniendo sentimientos por su hermano, algo de alabar teniendo en cuenta lo que le hizo.
Robert se muestra cauto con Victoria, respeta a la mujer que escogió John y se enfrenta a sus propias pasiones, a los sentimientos que le despierta una mujer bella, inteligente, dulce y a la vez pícara. Todo ello mientras traza un plan en el que poder demostrar quién es y mantener a su hermano a raya.
Robert ha sido... https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
February 7, 2017
Robert Hawthorne, Duke of Killingsworth, escapes the prison his twin brother has had him locked up in for the last 8 years on the eve of the "Duke's" wedding to Victoria Lambert. He goes ahead and marries her otherwise this would be a very short book. Then there's ~tension because he won't get his dick out and she wants his dick out. Also the whole "reclaiming his identity" thing or whatever.
1. The writing just did not work for me. It's so very ... soft. Miles of introspection; lots of telling; very little verve. It wandered. Hither and thither and without much force to it. Just not something I liked.
2. The whole "my twin stole my identity for EIGHT YEARS" was very...untraumatic for Robert. He was more worried about going to bed with Torie instead of his brother's perfidy, the likelihood of going back to prison, none of it.
2. In fact, the whole "EIGHT YEARS in prison" thing was straight ignored once Robert escaped. Like, he has no lingering effects of being kept in isolation for EIGHT YEARS. He's healthy; he's strong; he's fine except he's slightly pale OH NO. I mean, the description is pretty much straight psychological torment but it's handwaved away because that doesn't make any sense in the scope of the romance. Robert's just A-OK, ready to have sex now!!
4. Also, allegedly Robert's a virgin but he's VERY GOOD AT IT because he's been imagining it for EIGHT YEARS so. Take that with however many grains of salt you need to make it tolerable.
1. The writing just did not work for me. It's so very ... soft. Miles of introspection; lots of telling; very little verve. It wandered. Hither and thither and without much force to it. Just not something I liked.
2. The whole "my twin stole my identity for EIGHT YEARS" was very...untraumatic for Robert. He was more worried about going to bed with Torie instead of his brother's perfidy, the likelihood of going back to prison, none of it.
2. In fact, the whole "EIGHT YEARS in prison" thing was straight ignored once Robert escaped. Like, he has no lingering effects of being kept in isolation for EIGHT YEARS. He's healthy; he's strong; he's fine except he's slightly pale OH NO. I mean, the description is pretty much straight psychological torment but it's handwaved away because that doesn't make any sense in the scope of the romance. Robert's just A-OK, ready to have sex now!!
4. Also, allegedly Robert's a virgin but he's VERY GOOD AT IT because he's been imagining it for EIGHT YEARS so. Take that with however many grains of salt you need to make it tolerable.
March 16, 2022
This was an interesting story, with two nice leading characters. And also a evil brother .
June 30, 2024
The Man in the Iron Mask in Victorian London so twins and secret identities are involved.
Too descriptive, hardly any dialogue in the first half, slow-burn romance but it also has instant attraction/lust. When they finally consummate their marriage and begin having a real marriage, the book is almost over.
I enjoyed the side couple, Weddington and his wife Eleanor. Do they have their own book?
Too descriptive, hardly any dialogue in the first half, slow-burn romance but it also has instant attraction/lust. When they finally consummate their marriage and begin having a real marriage, the book is almost over.
I enjoyed the side couple, Weddington and his wife Eleanor. Do they have their own book?
October 6, 2022
3.5 stars. Mostly enjoyable story, but I felt like both the hero and heroine didn’t bother to use their brains for good chunks of it. Also, this is a little more insta-lovey than my personal preference. The hero mostly seemed to like the heroine for her looks and because he had a constant boner after being locked away for 8 years.
If you’re going to read this, get ready to suspend your disbelief because there’s a lot here that is not at all believable.
Safe; both virgins, no ow drama, some om drama from hero’s twin brother, no scenes with om/ow, no cheating.
If you’re going to read this, get ready to suspend your disbelief because there’s a lot here that is not at all believable.
Safe; both virgins, no ow drama, some om drama from hero’s twin brother, no scenes with om/ow, no cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2022
Ik heb de Nederlands talige uitgave gelezen : De onwetende bruid - Candlelight Historische roman 794
Het verhaal idee is interessant en doet een beetje denken aan de man met het ijzeren masker . Helaas was het verhaal niet zo onderhoudend als ik verwacht had en dat komt voornamelijk door de verteltrant van L.H. die lijkt mij niet zo te liggen - dit is nu het 4e boek wat ik van haar gelezen heb en ik ben over geen van deze 4 echt enthousiast .
Het verhaal idee is interessant en doet een beetje denken aan de man met het ijzeren masker . Helaas was het verhaal niet zo onderhoudend als ik verwacht had en dat komt voornamelijk door de verteltrant van L.H. die lijkt mij niet zo te liggen - dit is nu het 4e boek wat ik van haar gelezen heb en ik ben over geen van deze 4 echt enthousiast .
April 18, 2012
This book had two major flaws: the writing and the central conflict.
The writing had way to much telling and too little showing. Sometimes the author would even lead up to a scene and then cut away from the significant event to have a character think back on it instead.
Other times, buried in middle of the infernal internal musings suddenly we would be having breakfast. There were no sense of time and place in the constant introspection, so suddenly I would be in a scene and not know how I got there. This also made it difficult to connect to the story, because I wasn't actually there. Even at the climactic confrontation with the villain Instead, it was pages and pages of the characters thinking.
And what they thought about was boring. The central conflict of this story - which has twins exchanging place, a devious betrayal, a husband deceiving his wife, a tormented hero - is whether or not they are having sex. To boink or not to boink. That's it.
Even after the everything is revealed at the end, what does the heroine worry about? That the hero is no longer boinking her. Argh! Her husband has lied to her about some very salient facts and all she is worried about that he has stopped boinking her.
And the hero - who has been locked away under horrible conditions for eight years - he shows absolutely no effects of the trauma. Although he does think about it a lot. Long, long pages of introspection. But no actual conflict between the hero and heroine comes from this fact. No, he just wants to boink her.
And since the book is about twins in the epilogue we of course get... triplets!
This author has written some amazing books, but here she committed some very basic mistakes. Despite good prose and the fact that I actually finished the book, it still only gets one star. Consistently violating the number one rule in writing - show, don't tell - deserves no more.
The writing had way to much telling and too little showing. Sometimes the author would even lead up to a scene and then cut away from the significant event to have a character think back on it instead.
Other times, buried in middle of the infernal internal musings suddenly we would be having breakfast. There were no sense of time and place in the constant introspection, so suddenly I would be in a scene and not know how I got there. This also made it difficult to connect to the story, because I wasn't actually there. Even at the climactic confrontation with the villain Instead, it was pages and pages of the characters thinking.
And what they thought about was boring. The central conflict of this story - which has twins exchanging place, a devious betrayal, a husband deceiving his wife, a tormented hero - is whether or not they are having sex. To boink or not to boink. That's it.
Even after the everything is revealed at the end, what does the heroine worry about? That the hero is no longer boinking her. Argh! Her husband has lied to her about some very salient facts and all she is worried about that he has stopped boinking her.
And the hero - who has been locked away under horrible conditions for eight years - he shows absolutely no effects of the trauma. Although he does think about it a lot. Long, long pages of introspection. But no actual conflict between the hero and heroine comes from this fact. No, he just wants to boink her.
And since the book is about twins in the epilogue we of course get... triplets!
This author has written some amazing books, but here she committed some very basic mistakes. Despite good prose and the fact that I actually finished the book, it still only gets one star. Consistently violating the number one rule in writing - show, don't tell - deserves no more.
March 15, 2013
This book, A Matter of Temptation, is inspired by "The Man in the Iron Mask."
For years, Robert, the Duke of Killingsworth has been imprisoned. His twin brother, John, had him drugged and placed in the prison. It's not for a couple of weeks after Robert's locked up that he finds out that John did the deed.
Eight years later he escapes and sends his brother back to the prison.
Robert is planning how to spend his day. That plan includes wine, good food, a BATH and finding a woman. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that it's his wedding day! He dithers a bit, should he let the wedding go forward? Why not, since most marriages are only to further the name and to get heirs and to climb the social ladder. Surely the bride can't be in it for love, right?
Well, the bride, Torie, is in it for "like" at least. He is blown away by his new wife's smile.
Torie finds her new husband to be different that when they were courting, but it's different in a good way, she thinks. He blows rather hot and cold and she is continually left wondering just what he thinks and how he feels about her.
I enjoyed how these two learn about each other. And a virgin hero? Yes, I liked it!
Then the other shoe falls, as we knew it would. Because if Robert could escape from the prison, you know that John can, too.
Lots of great moments in this one. Had me clicking through on my kindle just as fast as I could!
For years, Robert, the Duke of Killingsworth has been imprisoned. His twin brother, John, had him drugged and placed in the prison. It's not for a couple of weeks after Robert's locked up that he finds out that John did the deed.
Eight years later he escapes and sends his brother back to the prison.
Robert is planning how to spend his day. That plan includes wine, good food, a BATH and finding a woman. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that it's his wedding day! He dithers a bit, should he let the wedding go forward? Why not, since most marriages are only to further the name and to get heirs and to climb the social ladder. Surely the bride can't be in it for love, right?
Well, the bride, Torie, is in it for "like" at least. He is blown away by his new wife's smile.
Torie finds her new husband to be different that when they were courting, but it's different in a good way, she thinks. He blows rather hot and cold and she is continually left wondering just what he thinks and how he feels about her.
I enjoyed how these two learn about each other. And a virgin hero? Yes, I liked it!
Then the other shoe falls, as we knew it would. Because if Robert could escape from the prison, you know that John can, too.
Lots of great moments in this one. Had me clicking through on my kindle just as fast as I could!
August 7, 2018
Sin duda leeré más libros de esta autora. Su prosa me ha enamorado, tanto como sus personajes y su historia de amor. Recomendada.
January 26, 2023
Este libro no ha sido para mi, sorry 🤷🏻♀️.
May 22, 2016
While I am the first to admit that I am a huge Lorraine Heath fan girl, this book, I'm sad to say, disappointed me :(
From page 1, this book had a decidedly gothic feel and I can't say I enjoyed it. The first few chapters have almost no dialogue and the central conflict felt contrived.
Robert, the true Duke of Killingsworth has been wrongly imprisoned for 8 years when his brother, John, duped him in order to take over the estate. Now, Robert is free and he is struggling to figure out how to prove he is the rightful heir and to pick up the pieces of his life. What he didn't expect is that the first day he wakes up in his new life, he is marrying the woman his brother selected as wife.
Victoria is an unspoiled young woman with a few anxieties about marrying a man she barely knows. However, after her wedding, she finds herself falling hard and fast for her new husband.
This book was slow; because Robert was keeping an enormous secret, there was a lot of internal reflection and not much dialogue. I didn't feel the spark between the couple and there was a lot of telling, not showing. Most of the story focuses on Robert trying to figure out how to fool everyone while being eaten up with guilt for marrying a woman who thought she was marrying his brother. As a side note, the hero is a virgin in this novel, but you wouldn't know it. There is nothing different in his characterization or how the sex scenes are handled.
I didn't think the brother's actions made sense, I didn't feel that enough time has passed for Victoria and Robert to fall in love, and I didn't understand why Robert felt guilty for marrying Victoria. It was just too convoluted for me to be fully involved. While I've loved several of Heath's novels, this was not a winner for me.
From page 1, this book had a decidedly gothic feel and I can't say I enjoyed it. The first few chapters have almost no dialogue and the central conflict felt contrived.
Robert, the true Duke of Killingsworth has been wrongly imprisoned for 8 years when his brother, John, duped him in order to take over the estate. Now, Robert is free and he is struggling to figure out how to prove he is the rightful heir and to pick up the pieces of his life. What he didn't expect is that the first day he wakes up in his new life, he is marrying the woman his brother selected as wife.
Victoria is an unspoiled young woman with a few anxieties about marrying a man she barely knows. However, after her wedding, she finds herself falling hard and fast for her new husband.
This book was slow; because Robert was keeping an enormous secret, there was a lot of internal reflection and not much dialogue. I didn't feel the spark between the couple and there was a lot of telling, not showing. Most of the story focuses on Robert trying to figure out how to fool everyone while being eaten up with guilt for marrying a woman who thought she was marrying his brother. As a side note, the hero is a virgin in this novel, but you wouldn't know it. There is nothing different in his characterization or how the sex scenes are handled.
I didn't think the brother's actions made sense, I didn't feel that enough time has passed for Victoria and Robert to fall in love, and I didn't understand why Robert felt guilty for marrying Victoria. It was just too convoluted for me to be fully involved. While I've loved several of Heath's novels, this was not a winner for me.
March 6, 2012
3 - 4+ stars
This book is difficult for me to rate... Overall, I enjoyed the story and was pleasantly pulled in and "hooked". But there are several things that, if I take time to think about, spoil the overall book.
For example, we never do find out why Twin John became "evil" and decided to assume his older brother Robert's identity... why it was necessary to imprison Robert and murder their parents just to become the Duke. We never do know if John really did care for Torie (Victoria) or if it was just about her dowry of money and lands. We never do know why John practically bankrupt his holdings - was it just to live the lifestyle he wanted? Or was it to purposefully do things that made his brother's name (Robert, the real Duke) look bad? Besides which, all Robert had to do is what he eventually did: put John in an insane asylum. Why he couldn't bring himself to kill his brother or have him killed is beyond me; yes, that's the mercenary in me. But if Robert really believed (as he had every reason to do) that John would stop at nothing to get his way, only his death would completely resolve the situation, as unpleasant as that might be. But we're to believe that our Hero has more scruples, conscience, and honor in his noble soul, so murder is out of the question.
And those questions without answers or even hints of answers make this book very unsatisfying.
I also felt Robert's sense of honor was overdone. Withholding himself from a true marriage with Torie... OK, so Robert was concerned that Torie had fallen in love with John. But everything Torie said and did pointed otherwise. Without the help of his long-time friend, Weddy (Weddington), would Robert have ever realized that Torie had grown to love and know him, the real Robert?
And I wasn't quite sure what the big deal was about having to prove that he was Robert. I suppose because John had done such a good job of assuming his brother's identity, that Robert felt he had to prove that he was Robert and not John? And at the end of the book, it seemed to make more sense. But even so, to be able to prove that his brother (regardless of WHO he was) had imprisoned his twin without trial or cause for 8 years! Wouldn't that be a sign that whoever that Duke was, he was insane or greedy or something? There's no cause to do that.
And suddenly for John to decide that Robert posed too great a danger to him alive... altogether too convenient. Were we supposed to believe that because John thought Torie really cared for Robert that now John had to kill him?
A sweet story filled with pain and questions... and tragedy. With a few more answers or hints, perhaps I could rate this book higher. I'm almost afraid that the end of the book portends the next in the series, that is, Diana (Torie's sister) falling in love with John, now safely in an insane asylum.
This book is difficult for me to rate... Overall, I enjoyed the story and was pleasantly pulled in and "hooked". But there are several things that, if I take time to think about, spoil the overall book.
For example, we never do find out why Twin John became "evil" and decided to assume his older brother Robert's identity... why it was necessary to imprison Robert and murder their parents just to become the Duke. We never do know if John really did care for Torie (Victoria) or if it was just about her dowry of money and lands. We never do know why John practically bankrupt his holdings - was it just to live the lifestyle he wanted? Or was it to purposefully do things that made his brother's name (Robert, the real Duke) look bad? Besides which, all Robert had to do is what he eventually did: put John in an insane asylum. Why he couldn't bring himself to kill his brother or have him killed is beyond me; yes, that's the mercenary in me. But if Robert really believed (as he had every reason to do) that John would stop at nothing to get his way, only his death would completely resolve the situation, as unpleasant as that might be. But we're to believe that our Hero has more scruples, conscience, and honor in his noble soul, so murder is out of the question.
And those questions without answers or even hints of answers make this book very unsatisfying.
I also felt Robert's sense of honor was overdone. Withholding himself from a true marriage with Torie... OK, so Robert was concerned that Torie had fallen in love with John. But everything Torie said and did pointed otherwise. Without the help of his long-time friend, Weddy (Weddington), would Robert have ever realized that Torie had grown to love and know him, the real Robert?
And I wasn't quite sure what the big deal was about having to prove that he was Robert. I suppose because John had done such a good job of assuming his brother's identity, that Robert felt he had to prove that he was Robert and not John? And at the end of the book, it seemed to make more sense. But even so, to be able to prove that his brother (regardless of WHO he was) had imprisoned his twin without trial or cause for 8 years! Wouldn't that be a sign that whoever that Duke was, he was insane or greedy or something? There's no cause to do that.
And suddenly for John to decide that Robert posed too great a danger to him alive... altogether too convenient. Were we supposed to believe that because John thought Torie really cared for Robert that now John had to kill him?
A sweet story filled with pain and questions... and tragedy. With a few more answers or hints, perhaps I could rate this book higher. I'm almost afraid that the end of the book portends the next in the series, that is, Diana (Torie's sister) falling in love with John, now safely in an insane asylum.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2012
What began as a lark and an initiation into manhood took a terrible turn when young Robert Hawthorne, the Duke of Killingsworth, was unjustly imprisoned by his twin brother, John. For many years, Robert lived in almost complete isolation, cut off from his fellow man in every way possible. Madness beckoned and Robert fought against the beast inside him.
The opportunity to escape finally presented itself and Robert fled. Robert confronts his evil brother, neatly turning the tables on him and imprisoning John instead. Robert has so much catching up to do. The simplest experiences now delight him. What pleasure there is in simply resting his body in his own bed and traveling in a carriage. Breathing the fresh air is pure ambrosia and every morsel of food seems like a banquet.
However, no sooner does Robert arrive home than he suddenly discovers he is to be wed! The lovely Victoria Lambert is beautiful and gracious, the stuff of dreams - apparently, John’s dreams. How can Robert marry her when she’d already apparently fallen in love with his brother, John? Perhaps, Victoria is simply wedding the title. Assuming that must be the case, Robert goes through with the ceremony and they begin their lives together under false pretenses.
Little by little, day by day, Robert falls madly in love with his beautiful wife, but does Tori return his affections? If Robert reveals who he really is, will he lose her? Yet, how long can he continue to live a lie? Ultimately, the decision is taken away from Robert when John suddenly returns, to claim the dukedom to which he is not legally entitled and his lovely bride, as well. In this contest of wills and love, which man shall arise victorious?
The opportunity to escape finally presented itself and Robert fled. Robert confronts his evil brother, neatly turning the tables on him and imprisoning John instead. Robert has so much catching up to do. The simplest experiences now delight him. What pleasure there is in simply resting his body in his own bed and traveling in a carriage. Breathing the fresh air is pure ambrosia and every morsel of food seems like a banquet.
However, no sooner does Robert arrive home than he suddenly discovers he is to be wed! The lovely Victoria Lambert is beautiful and gracious, the stuff of dreams - apparently, John’s dreams. How can Robert marry her when she’d already apparently fallen in love with his brother, John? Perhaps, Victoria is simply wedding the title. Assuming that must be the case, Robert goes through with the ceremony and they begin their lives together under false pretenses.
Little by little, day by day, Robert falls madly in love with his beautiful wife, but does Tori return his affections? If Robert reveals who he really is, will he lose her? Yet, how long can he continue to live a lie? Ultimately, the decision is taken away from Robert when John suddenly returns, to claim the dukedom to which he is not legally entitled and his lovely bride, as well. In this contest of wills and love, which man shall arise victorious?
October 27, 2024
2.5 blurb let down stars
The blurb on the back was not accurate.
It seems to take forever to get into the story and the hero was super rude and disrespectful to the heroine because she was in a situation through no fault of her own. It made it hard to like the hero after this though in the beginning I wanted to love him because the idea of the story was great.
I'd say skip this one, the series is not linked to the others in the series or the other two series that are linked to the first book in this series. Lorraine Heath has much better books out there.
The blurb on the back was not accurate.
It seems to take forever to get into the story and the hero was super rude and disrespectful to the heroine because she was in a situation through no fault of her own. It made it hard to like the hero after this though in the beginning I wanted to love him because the idea of the story was great.
I'd say skip this one, the series is not linked to the others in the series or the other two series that are linked to the first book in this series. Lorraine Heath has much better books out there.
February 6, 2017
This is a super wordy book. With a lot of inner monologue descriptions. The premise for the story has merit, but gets lost in all those words. Also, the end wrapped up a little too quick and tidy, considering the complexity of our hero's situation.
October 29, 2013
Abolutely adored this book. Another winner from Ms Heath - don't be put off by the low average rating and lack of popularity!
June 30, 2020
La historia es preciosa, tiene escenas muy tiernas, además con una argumento original. Lo único que no me ha terminado de gustar, ha sido el final, me ha parecido demasiado rápido todo, pero aun así lo he leído de una sentada.
August 26, 2018
Overall I found this story quite different from the usual plots. The book begins with twin brothers Robert and John having a one sided discussion (as one is bound and gagged) over the others unjust imprisonment for EIGHT years and his brothers subsequent thief of his identity during that time. Very “man in the iron mask”, which I loved.
We also have....a virgin hero!! I do believe this is the first virgin I’ve found as a hero. I do wish it had been done more...virginly though. Yes I’m just totally making up words. But the fact that he was a virgin didn’t seem to change much of anything as the scenes read like many others, in my opinion.
Definitely not an action packed story. Lots of internalizing of feelings, wondering, thinking, lots of guilt...most of the action happens right at the end.
I feel like this could have been such a good heart wrenching love story but it juuuuust didn’t reach it for me. Overall I liked it. 3.75 stars. There were a couple parts that I laughed out loud at but it’s by no means a light hearted, funny story. Enjoyed her writing and will like to try more books by this author.
We also have....a virgin hero!! I do believe this is the first virgin I’ve found as a hero. I do wish it had been done more...virginly though. Yes I’m just totally making up words. But the fact that he was a virgin didn’t seem to change much of anything as the scenes read like many others, in my opinion.
Definitely not an action packed story. Lots of internalizing of feelings, wondering, thinking, lots of guilt...most of the action happens right at the end.
I feel like this could have been such a good heart wrenching love story but it juuuuust didn’t reach it for me. Overall I liked it. 3.75 stars. There were a couple parts that I laughed out loud at but it’s by no means a light hearted, funny story. Enjoyed her writing and will like to try more books by this author.
January 17, 2020
Por qué me haces esto Lorraine... con lo que yo te amo.
Mira de verdad, si queréis amar a la señora Heath ir a leer su saga de Saint James, los padres y los hijos. Son maravillosos. Son una joya.
Ahora, volvamos a este libro y esta saga. Lo siento. No son malos, de verdad, es un libro coherente, con una trama medianamente interesante y bien hilada pero... primero no hay mucha correlación entre el primero y el segundo, teniendo en cuenta lo bien que hila la autora las tramas en sus sagas. Segundo, la relación de amor de los protagonistas se queda bastante pobre y sosa, una de tantas miles que hemos leído en el género. Tercero, el elemento discordante con los gemelos, la posible amenaza, el matrimonio irreal, las mentiras... necesitaba más intensidad, algo que desbordara al lector y realmente te atrapara. Y se queda como muy plano. Lo único que me ha encantado ha sido el momento amigo, con la mujer y de más, que lo he disfrutado muchísimo. Por lo demás... uno de tantos. Y eso a Lorraine es algo que no le perdono.
Mira de verdad, si queréis amar a la señora Heath ir a leer su saga de Saint James, los padres y los hijos. Son maravillosos. Son una joya.
Ahora, volvamos a este libro y esta saga. Lo siento. No son malos, de verdad, es un libro coherente, con una trama medianamente interesante y bien hilada pero... primero no hay mucha correlación entre el primero y el segundo, teniendo en cuenta lo bien que hila la autora las tramas en sus sagas. Segundo, la relación de amor de los protagonistas se queda bastante pobre y sosa, una de tantas miles que hemos leído en el género. Tercero, el elemento discordante con los gemelos, la posible amenaza, el matrimonio irreal, las mentiras... necesitaba más intensidad, algo que desbordara al lector y realmente te atrapara. Y se queda como muy plano. Lo único que me ha encantado ha sido el momento amigo, con la mujer y de más, que lo he disfrutado muchísimo. Por lo demás... uno de tantos. Y eso a Lorraine es algo que no le perdono.
January 4, 2014
No puedo negar que esta autora me engancha y su forma de escribir me gusta mucho. Además, elige temas originales...
Con este libro no ha sido distinto...pero los protagonistas me han parecido demasiado "buenos" teniendo en cuenta la situación, al menos de uno en particular, y el tema de los dos hermanos, para mi gusto está muy desaprovechado, Sobre todo al final, que es como coser y cantar
Con este libro no ha sido distinto...pero los protagonistas me han parecido demasiado "buenos" teniendo en cuenta la situación, al menos de uno en particular, y el tema de los dos hermanos, para mi gusto está muy desaprovechado, Sobre todo al final, que es como coser y cantar
September 2, 2020
3.5 - 3.75 Stars
Lorraine Heath is easily becoming one of my favorite regency romance writers. This book was good, not great. I love the premise of playing off the Man in the Iron Mask. It's a great concept and it was executed pretty well here.
Robert's dilemma is tragic and I could feel how conflicted and affected he was. I couldn't fault him for how he initially handled the marriage and his brother's betrayal. But he was a little bit too generous to his brother in my opinion. I get that he didn't want to steal his brother's love, but his brother stole 8 years of his life and was planning to steal even more. In my opinion, he should've told Torie about his situation much sooner. There were so many opportunities and ways he could've revealed himself. After finishing more than half the book and Robert was still the only one who knew about the switch, I started to get pretty frustrated. John stole his life and Robert doesn't seem appropriately angry to me.
Both Robert and Torie were good characters and I enjoyed watching their relationship and chemistry grow. I liked the way everything wrapped up, and I'm hoping they show up in more stories in the future. While there were some plot holes, I enjoyed the story as a whole.
Lorraine Heath is easily becoming one of my favorite regency romance writers. This book was good, not great. I love the premise of playing off the Man in the Iron Mask. It's a great concept and it was executed pretty well here.
Robert's dilemma is tragic and I could feel how conflicted and affected he was. I couldn't fault him for how he initially handled the marriage and his brother's betrayal. But he was a little bit too generous to his brother in my opinion. I get that he didn't want to steal his brother's love, but his brother stole 8 years of his life and was planning to steal even more. In my opinion, he should've told Torie about his situation much sooner. There were so many opportunities and ways he could've revealed himself. After finishing more than half the book and Robert was still the only one who knew about the switch, I started to get pretty frustrated. John stole his life and Robert doesn't seem appropriately angry to me.
Both Robert and Torie were good characters and I enjoyed watching their relationship and chemistry grow. I liked the way everything wrapped up, and I'm hoping they show up in more stories in the future. While there were some plot holes, I enjoyed the story as a whole.
May 18, 2022
This book, which I swear is a precursor to Ms. Heath’s “GORILLA TWINS” romance, has an evil twin, a good twin, a prison break, and and steamy, swoony romance. She can make any plotline believable. What a phenomenal writer!!
March 18, 2018
trama molto buona come anche la scrittura,protagonisti ben delineati e inusuali.
letto con vivo piacere.
letto con vivo piacere.
April 14, 2021
Ahh historical romance..Always a guilty pleasure of mine. The story was a little too planned out for an insane villain to pull it off alone.
Not the resolution I was hoping for but I got the entertainment that I needed so it’s a win-win situation for me.
Not the resolution I was hoping for but I got the entertainment that I needed so it’s a win-win situation for me.
July 13, 2013
Old fashioned romance with similar plot to the Man in the Iron Mask. Robert, the older twin is drugged, masked, and sent to prison for 8 years, while his younger twin John takes his place as heir. Robert escapes and finds himself getting married to a woman that was previously to be John (acting as Robert). The real Robert struggles with the whole moral dilemma but afraid of being found out goes through with the wedding with plans to not compromise the bride.
I really liked the beginning of the story and the hero and heroine. Robert was a very interesting character and had huge potential. Definitely held my interest early on. But mid to 2/3 through the story things started to fall apart. Robert was not tortured enough.8 years of being a virgin in solitary confinement and making shadow puppets? Yet he is able to hold back sexually and perform wonderfully with a virgin as well!? Oh please! And then having the story try to make John into some tragic figure who is not evil but just insane - yet he clearly is very evil - with no explanation also to his problem or how this change came about..
I felt like the author tired of the story and tried to wrap it up quickly but as a result left many strings dangling resulting in a total lack of suspension of disbelief.
I really liked the beginning of the story and the hero and heroine. Robert was a very interesting character and had huge potential. Definitely held my interest early on. But mid to 2/3 through the story things started to fall apart. Robert was not tortured enough.8 years of being a virgin in solitary confinement and making shadow puppets? Yet he is able to hold back sexually and perform wonderfully with a virgin as well!? Oh please! And then having the story try to make John into some tragic figure who is not evil but just insane - yet he clearly is very evil - with no explanation also to his problem or how this change came about..
I felt like the author tired of the story and tried to wrap it up quickly but as a result left many strings dangling resulting in a total lack of suspension of disbelief.
March 4, 2017
An interesting concept - as Lorraine Heath described it herself, the "Man in the Iron Mask" meets Victorian England. I do wish we'd had a bit more insight into John's reasons for betraying his brother. The book is a good one, I thought the pacing was appropriate and didn't feel like it was too drawn out or too rushed. I feared for a moment that there would be unnecessary angst at the end, but it was delightfully skipped over! Yay!
SPOILER
SPOILER
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2014
For the last eight years, Robert Hawthorne, the Duke of Killingsworth, has been held prisoner by his evil twin brother. Now Robert has escaped and reclaimed his birthright, and no one has even noticed. Waking up on his first day of freedom, Robert is told that he better hurry to the church for a wedding....his wedding...to a woman he has never met. Victoria Lambert has doubts about this marriage but her mother reminds her that it is her duty to marry well. But Victoria is surprised to see her fiancee has changed. He is now very quiet and considerate...and much more appealing.
This book caught my interest from the first chapter. Robert is in a bind. He has no way of proving that he is the real Duke. He is afraid to tell his new wife for fear she has feelings for his brother. Even though I wish Robert would have spilled his secrets earlier in the book, the story flowed well and was very interesting. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This book caught my interest from the first chapter. Robert is in a bind. He has no way of proving that he is the real Duke. He is afraid to tell his new wife for fear she has feelings for his brother. Even though I wish Robert would have spilled his secrets earlier in the book, the story flowed well and was very interesting. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
January 1, 2018
Loved it. As I knew I would. I must admit, though, to being a bit put off at the very beginning with Robert having been unjustly imprisoned for 8 years. I don't really know why I was uncomfortable with it. It just seemed that we hadn't even had the chance to meet him and, here he is, embittered and angry. He begins the book in a fight for his life.
Then we get to see him marry Torie, literally sight unseen. And they are absolutely so right for each other. As the story progresses, I can't even imagine how he will prove his identity which had been stolen by his brother who put him in that prison. But, of course, all ends well. I loved the epilogue! Don't know why I waited so long to read this book. I've just about extinguished her backlist. Just a few more to go. I'm trying to make them last.
Then we get to see him marry Torie, literally sight unseen. And they are absolutely so right for each other. As the story progresses, I can't even imagine how he will prove his identity which had been stolen by his brother who put him in that prison. But, of course, all ends well. I loved the epilogue! Don't know why I waited so long to read this book. I've just about extinguished her backlist. Just a few more to go. I'm trying to make them last.
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