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The House of Rohan #1
Ruthless - Sang Penawan Hati
==Buku 1 Seri The House of Rohan==
Ada desas-desus bahwa di balik tembok Heavenly Host berlangsung kegiatan-kegiatan yang kelam. Karena itu jika bukan demi menjemput sang ibu yang memfoya-foyakan uang keluarga, Elinor Harriman tak akan mungkin bertandang ke sana. Dugaan Elinor benar, Heavenly Host bahkan lebih mengejutkan daripada impian terliarnya sekalipun. Dan puncak segala pesona adalah sang tuan rumah, Viscount Rohan yang misterius.
Tidak seperti wanita-wanita yang selama ini memuja Rohan, Elinor berlian yang belum terasah. Wanita ini kuat dan mandiri, namun sekaligus menyimpan isi rapuh yang mengusik rasa penasaran Rohan. Terlebih saat wanita itu bertekad menjauhinya, Rohan malah semakin berkeras mendekati. Dan ketika kebakaran merenggut sedikit harta yang keluarga Elinor miliki, Rohan-lah yang pertama mengulurkan bantuan, dengan syarat tak terucap…
Ada desas-desus bahwa di balik tembok Heavenly Host berlangsung kegiatan-kegiatan yang kelam. Karena itu jika bukan demi menjemput sang ibu yang memfoya-foyakan uang keluarga, Elinor Harriman tak akan mungkin bertandang ke sana. Dugaan Elinor benar, Heavenly Host bahkan lebih mengejutkan daripada impian terliarnya sekalipun. Dan puncak segala pesona adalah sang tuan rumah, Viscount Rohan yang misterius.
Tidak seperti wanita-wanita yang selama ini memuja Rohan, Elinor berlian yang belum terasah. Wanita ini kuat dan mandiri, namun sekaligus menyimpan isi rapuh yang mengusik rasa penasaran Rohan. Terlebih saat wanita itu bertekad menjauhinya, Rohan malah semakin berkeras mendekati. Dan ketika kebakaran merenggut sedikit harta yang keluarga Elinor miliki, Rohan-lah yang pertama mengulurkan bantuan, dengan syarat tak terucap…
472 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 20, 2010
624 people are currently reading
5791 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
203 books2,062 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 834 reviews
September 20, 2010
Do What Thou Wilt, But Don't Fall in Love!
I don't even know what to say! I loved this book so much. I savored it, stretching it out, not wanting it to end. I was completely immersed in this book. I was no longer in Texas, modern day. I was in France in the 1700s.
I don't know how Ms. Anne Stuart does it. She can take the most objectionable type of hero, and make me fall in love with him. Let me say, I am a devout Christian. I can't even imagine even pretending to worship the devil, or to hold orgies in which one does things that are unspeakable, just because you can. That should have turned me off of Lord Rohan. But, with Ms. Stuart's incredible writing skill, it wasn't even an issue for me. I am very glad that she didn't dwell on those aspects, although they were there in the background. This is a book about a rakehell who was the leader of festivities along the lines of the real Hellfire Club, so that aspect had to be present. But, I didn't have to see him doing any of that. I was fine that I didn't. Now, he definitely did some fornication (even after he met Elinor). I was okay with that, because that was who he was, before he fell in love. Once, he had Elinor in his heart, that was over for him, even if he didn't want to admit it to himself for her. And I was gratified that he didn't allow anything to go on there that wasn't between consensual adults.
No question about it, Elinor and Rohan are one of my favorite couples now. Anne Stuart-wise, and period. There was something so delectable about their interactions, the by-play between them. Even though Francis was sixteen years older than Elinor (old enough to be her father, and he was quite active at that age, in his own words), Elinor was able to hold her own with him. Elinor had some serious pluck. I love a heroine who is strong, and no question about Elinor's strength. She is no Xena, and she didn't have to be, in order to captivate Rohan, and to make me love her. She is true to herself, forthright, and brave (in ways I can't even fathom). Francis was a very bad boy, but he had a core of him that was good and decent. He did things for Elinor that he really had no reason to do. He showed her love even before he knew what the word meant. How could I not love him for that? The sexual tension in this story was off the charts, and the love scenes aren't even until near the end. That's talent to me. I felt the sizzle through every conversation, the exchange of glances, the way Rohan pursued and Elinor fled. It was magic on the page.
Yes, I know. It's clear that I love Anne Stuart so much, that some may doubt my objectivity. But, I will say it if I don't think a book by a favorite author is my favorite. But, with Ruthless, there is no question that this one is a stellar read. I wish that Ms. Stuart released books every year. When she doesn't have books out, I mourn the dearth, and I pine for her books. I have especially longed for her historicals, because she writes them so well, with the dark aspects, the multi-faceted characters, the writing subtlety that conveys so much, the intensity that I crave in a romance story. I am happy to say that this book truly makes me happy. I am still replaying the scenes in my head. The skillfully nuanced courtship of Rohan and Elinor, and the powerful love story here. The sad, heartbreaking things in their pasts. I got choked up a few times. I was touched on such a deep level, I feel it right now as I write this review. I think that readers who enjoy meaty, intense, darker historicals with strong, vibrant characters will be very happy with Ruthless. I foresee myself rereading this book soon and often. Bravo, Ms. Stuart.
I don't even know what to say! I loved this book so much. I savored it, stretching it out, not wanting it to end. I was completely immersed in this book. I was no longer in Texas, modern day. I was in France in the 1700s.
I don't know how Ms. Anne Stuart does it. She can take the most objectionable type of hero, and make me fall in love with him. Let me say, I am a devout Christian. I can't even imagine even pretending to worship the devil, or to hold orgies in which one does things that are unspeakable, just because you can. That should have turned me off of Lord Rohan. But, with Ms. Stuart's incredible writing skill, it wasn't even an issue for me. I am very glad that she didn't dwell on those aspects, although they were there in the background. This is a book about a rakehell who was the leader of festivities along the lines of the real Hellfire Club, so that aspect had to be present. But, I didn't have to see him doing any of that. I was fine that I didn't. Now, he definitely did some fornication (even after he met Elinor). I was okay with that, because that was who he was, before he fell in love. Once, he had Elinor in his heart, that was over for him, even if he didn't want to admit it to himself for her. And I was gratified that he didn't allow anything to go on there that wasn't between consensual adults.
No question about it, Elinor and Rohan are one of my favorite couples now. Anne Stuart-wise, and period. There was something so delectable about their interactions, the by-play between them. Even though Francis was sixteen years older than Elinor (old enough to be her father, and he was quite active at that age, in his own words), Elinor was able to hold her own with him. Elinor had some serious pluck. I love a heroine who is strong, and no question about Elinor's strength. She is no Xena, and she didn't have to be, in order to captivate Rohan, and to make me love her. She is true to herself, forthright, and brave (in ways I can't even fathom). Francis was a very bad boy, but he had a core of him that was good and decent. He did things for Elinor that he really had no reason to do. He showed her love even before he knew what the word meant. How could I not love him for that? The sexual tension in this story was off the charts, and the love scenes aren't even until near the end. That's talent to me. I felt the sizzle through every conversation, the exchange of glances, the way Rohan pursued and Elinor fled. It was magic on the page.
Yes, I know. It's clear that I love Anne Stuart so much, that some may doubt my objectivity. But, I will say it if I don't think a book by a favorite author is my favorite. But, with Ruthless, there is no question that this one is a stellar read. I wish that Ms. Stuart released books every year. When she doesn't have books out, I mourn the dearth, and I pine for her books. I have especially longed for her historicals, because she writes them so well, with the dark aspects, the multi-faceted characters, the writing subtlety that conveys so much, the intensity that I crave in a romance story. I am happy to say that this book truly makes me happy. I am still replaying the scenes in my head. The skillfully nuanced courtship of Rohan and Elinor, and the powerful love story here. The sad, heartbreaking things in their pasts. I got choked up a few times. I was touched on such a deep level, I feel it right now as I write this review. I think that readers who enjoy meaty, intense, darker historicals with strong, vibrant characters will be very happy with Ruthless. I foresee myself rereading this book soon and often. Bravo, Ms. Stuart.
October 19, 2010
What a phenomenally disappointing and supremely crappy romance novel :-/ I have to wonder, if it wasn’t Anne Stuart writing would it really be getting all the accolades it’s been getting? I’m a big Anne Stuart fan as well as a lover of the dark and brooding alpha hero but this story is just plain bad. It has that ‘80s romance “dark” style to it that’s overly dramatic, over the top and overly long. Some serious editing could have helped to tighten up the story to avoid the feeling of repetition and plot stagnation.
The novel takes place primarily in Paris. Stuart does an excellent job of showing the seedy dirty side of the city where the hopelessly poor live, as well as the opulent decadent parties hosted by the rich. It’s the story of the hero and heroine that just doesn’t work. He does nothing but f*ck around and she's poor with a b*tch of a mother. They meet by accident while she's trying to save her mother from gambling away the little money they have left. She intrigues him in a cat and mouse kind of way, and so the story goes.
The hero, Viscount Francis Rohan is a horrible creepy man that has zero redeemable qualities to him. He comes across as a lascivious old pervert who’s only 39 but is shown as someone more like 89 who would probably walk around with his wiener in his hand shouting “come here my pretty” while drooling. He constantly refers to the heroine as “my child” and “my precious” making him appear not in the least bit sexy but more like a pedophile. He’s just plain gross. He’s known to one and all as the King of Hell because he’s the head of this club for aristocrats who like to indulge in the forbidden side of sex. You reach a point in the book where all that “we’re so bad look at us” starts to get silly and annoying. They call their club the Heavenly Host which never worked for me and I thought it sounded dumb from the get-go but I tried (really hard) to like the book nonetheless. Some of the things they do there start off as an illicit look at underbelly of the rich and powerful but then it just got old and felt icky not sexy.
I found Francis’ character to be similar to the disgusting hero in Stuart’s older romance To Love a Dark Lord. These guys aren’t nice –at all--ever. They’re morons. They’re as unlovable as they are unlikeable. He’s a total prick to the heroine from day one and says so many disgusting things to her and about her that it’s very hard to find anything remotely decent or genuine about this guy. He ignores her, treats her like week old trash, bullies her, he’s condescending, rude, and thinks he’s just the cock of the walk when if anything he needs a hard smack upside the head. Why would she see anything in him? Francis makes Bastien from her RS book Black Ice look like a saint. He’s rotten to the core.
The heroine Elinor is just ‘there’. She tries to escape her poverty and protect her family but she never wins and if the heroine is always thrown to the ground and stomped all over well there’s not much to like about her unless you enjoy the non-stop victim/pity party. She dislikes Rohan for nearly ¾ of the book and then suddenly does an about face and she’s all set to the bang the guy (!) Why?! What’s he done to make her want him? He was such a pig to her just before they did the deed. He rams himself into her knowing she had the farthest thing imaginable from a good first time, she gets nothing out of it but she loves him? Why? She’s a masochist at heart?!? The sex scenes are sleazy and she’s gross with her “I want to keep his seed and my blood inside me” –yuck! Then after they sleep together he starts having regrets because **gasp *shock* gasp** he realizes he may be falling in love with her and that won’t do because he’s the bad and nasty King of Hell. It’s ridiculously contrived :-/
There is an okay sub story with Elinor’s sister Lydia and the horribly disfigured Charles Reading but there isn’t much of it. The girls’ mother who was in the last stages of syphilis was well-done. She was a despicable woman and Stuart did a fabulous job showing the horrors she inflicted on Elinor.
Anne Stuart can write some of the best black hearted heroes around with a winning love story attached but this guy and this story are just way too out there. The book is 409 pages of Ooooo he’s so bad, look how bad he is, he has no heart, he’s evil, everyone’s afraid of him, his quiet words are like steel and all around shake and tremble in his presence blah blah blah. Enough already :-/ Yes usually these guys are bad to the bone but they have something redeeming about them that makes you like them in the end and you can forgive them because they’re as good as gold with the heroine, but that’s not the case here. Rohan is an a**hole in the beginning and he’s an a**hole right up to the end. Elinor is an idiot for wanting to have anything to do with him because he treats her like filthy gum at the bottom of your shoe all the time. There is no sexual tension or war of words between these two because he just keeps dishing it and she seems to take it or she yells back at him but he’s so smug that it doesn’t wash well. The rushed “I love you so much” ending isn’t believable and just made me roll my eyes and say with a heavy shot of incredulity, whatever”.
The novel takes place primarily in Paris. Stuart does an excellent job of showing the seedy dirty side of the city where the hopelessly poor live, as well as the opulent decadent parties hosted by the rich. It’s the story of the hero and heroine that just doesn’t work. He does nothing but f*ck around and she's poor with a b*tch of a mother. They meet by accident while she's trying to save her mother from gambling away the little money they have left. She intrigues him in a cat and mouse kind of way, and so the story goes.
The hero, Viscount Francis Rohan is a horrible creepy man that has zero redeemable qualities to him. He comes across as a lascivious old pervert who’s only 39 but is shown as someone more like 89 who would probably walk around with his wiener in his hand shouting “come here my pretty” while drooling. He constantly refers to the heroine as “my child” and “my precious” making him appear not in the least bit sexy but more like a pedophile. He’s just plain gross. He’s known to one and all as the King of Hell because he’s the head of this club for aristocrats who like to indulge in the forbidden side of sex. You reach a point in the book where all that “we’re so bad look at us” starts to get silly and annoying. They call their club the Heavenly Host which never worked for me and I thought it sounded dumb from the get-go but I tried (really hard) to like the book nonetheless. Some of the things they do there start off as an illicit look at underbelly of the rich and powerful but then it just got old and felt icky not sexy.
I found Francis’ character to be similar to the disgusting hero in Stuart’s older romance To Love a Dark Lord. These guys aren’t nice –at all--ever. They’re morons. They’re as unlovable as they are unlikeable. He’s a total prick to the heroine from day one and says so many disgusting things to her and about her that it’s very hard to find anything remotely decent or genuine about this guy. He ignores her, treats her like week old trash, bullies her, he’s condescending, rude, and thinks he’s just the cock of the walk when if anything he needs a hard smack upside the head. Why would she see anything in him? Francis makes Bastien from her RS book Black Ice look like a saint. He’s rotten to the core.
The heroine Elinor is just ‘there’. She tries to escape her poverty and protect her family but she never wins and if the heroine is always thrown to the ground and stomped all over well there’s not much to like about her unless you enjoy the non-stop victim/pity party. She dislikes Rohan for nearly ¾ of the book and then suddenly does an about face and she’s all set to the bang the guy (!) Why?! What’s he done to make her want him? He was such a pig to her just before they did the deed. He rams himself into her knowing she had the farthest thing imaginable from a good first time, she gets nothing out of it but she loves him? Why? She’s a masochist at heart?!? The sex scenes are sleazy and she’s gross with her “I want to keep his seed and my blood inside me” –yuck! Then after they sleep together he starts having regrets because **gasp *shock* gasp** he realizes he may be falling in love with her and that won’t do because he’s the bad and nasty King of Hell. It’s ridiculously contrived :-/
There is an okay sub story with Elinor’s sister Lydia and the horribly disfigured Charles Reading but there isn’t much of it. The girls’ mother who was in the last stages of syphilis was well-done. She was a despicable woman and Stuart did a fabulous job showing the horrors she inflicted on Elinor.
Anne Stuart can write some of the best black hearted heroes around with a winning love story attached but this guy and this story are just way too out there. The book is 409 pages of Ooooo he’s so bad, look how bad he is, he has no heart, he’s evil, everyone’s afraid of him, his quiet words are like steel and all around shake and tremble in his presence blah blah blah. Enough already :-/ Yes usually these guys are bad to the bone but they have something redeeming about them that makes you like them in the end and you can forgive them because they’re as good as gold with the heroine, but that’s not the case here. Rohan is an a**hole in the beginning and he’s an a**hole right up to the end. Elinor is an idiot for wanting to have anything to do with him because he treats her like filthy gum at the bottom of your shoe all the time. There is no sexual tension or war of words between these two because he just keeps dishing it and she seems to take it or she yells back at him but he’s so smug that it doesn’t wash well. The rushed “I love you so much” ending isn’t believable and just made me roll my eyes and say with a heavy shot of incredulity, whatever”.
October 14, 2010
4 stars – Georgian/Historical Romance
Without a doubt, the best thing about Ruthless is dark, captivating, “he’s so bad that you can’t help but love him” Viscount Rohan, who’s the absolute, ultimate depraved rakehell anti-hero. The heroine made me want to slap her for about the first 150 pages, but once her past was revealed, I understood her better, felt sympathy for all that she’d endured, and admired her strength. It was headed for a 4 ½ star rating, but the abrupt ending and lack of a definite, satisfying resolution between the H/h made me knock it down to 4 stars. Still, devilishly beguiling, fiendishly naughty degenerate Viscount Rohan is more than reason enough to read this!
Without a doubt, the best thing about Ruthless is dark, captivating, “he’s so bad that you can’t help but love him” Viscount Rohan, who’s the absolute, ultimate depraved rakehell anti-hero. The heroine made me want to slap her for about the first 150 pages, but once her past was revealed, I understood her better, felt sympathy for all that she’d endured, and admired her strength. It was headed for a 4 ½ star rating, but the abrupt ending and lack of a definite, satisfying resolution between the H/h made me knock it down to 4 stars. Still, devilishly beguiling, fiendishly naughty degenerate Viscount Rohan is more than reason enough to read this!
September 1, 2023
Anne Stuart writes wonderful antiheros. Rohan has a black heart and meets Elinor who is strong and holds her family together. The chemistry between them is notable. The book was written in 2010 and has a lot of triggers with a great story with a lot of twists and turns. The hero is 16 years older than our Elinor and they both have some great lines. The evil characters are truly evil and even the good guys are a mixed bag. I can't wait to read the next in the series.
October 11, 2010
Oh. My. God. This is an extraordinary tour-de-force of a historical romance with a sex-on-a-stick rake hero and an outspoken, plain heroine who goes toe-to-toe with him. Stuart just became an auto-buy for me!
September 4, 2018
4.25/5
Anne Stuart’s historical romance novels are darker than my normal read in the same genre. Most of her works I’ve read have dark, tormented, and dangerous heroes whom we love to hate. And Viscount Rohan was no exception. A real anti-hero he was!
Ruthless was the first book in The House of Rohan series and it was a dark historical romance story with an unmistakable gothic feel to it. The first half was great. I enjoyed it immensely and I found it difficult to stop reading.
But the second half, on the other hand, wasn’t as mind-blowing as I was expecting. Midway through this last half, I started to have mixed feelings about it. I found both main characters fascinating and frustrating in equal measure. The push and pull that went on and on drove me crazy. I really got annoyed with how Rohan kept pushing Elinor away. I have to say that it was too much for my liking. Even so, Rohan managed to make me swoon over him with the way he pretended not to care about her. How he acted as if he didn’t give a damn somehow hit the spot for me. It was kinda cute to see him fight tooth and nail against his own feelings for her. My dear bad boy sure got hard times, huh?
I enjoyed the romance between Rohan and Elinor despite the push and pull. I wouldn’t say there was an earth-shattering romance here, but somehow, it was good enough to satisfy my ‘sweet tooth’. The suspense part was off-the-charts intense. Everyone looked suspicious, and with the story’s dark and eerie atmosphere, it was hard to shake the creeping sense of unease while I was reading this. I liked that though. It just worked for me.
All in all, I liked this book despite its flaws. If you’re looking for a dark gothic feel historical romance with a dangerous anti-hero, then this one is for you.
Anne Stuart’s historical romance novels are darker than my normal read in the same genre. Most of her works I’ve read have dark, tormented, and dangerous heroes whom we love to hate. And Viscount Rohan was no exception. A real anti-hero he was!
Ruthless was the first book in The House of Rohan series and it was a dark historical romance story with an unmistakable gothic feel to it. The first half was great. I enjoyed it immensely and I found it difficult to stop reading.
But the second half, on the other hand, wasn’t as mind-blowing as I was expecting. Midway through this last half, I started to have mixed feelings about it. I found both main characters fascinating and frustrating in equal measure. The push and pull that went on and on drove me crazy. I really got annoyed with how Rohan kept pushing Elinor away. I have to say that it was too much for my liking. Even so, Rohan managed to make me swoon over him with the way he pretended not to care about her. How he acted as if he didn’t give a damn somehow hit the spot for me. It was kinda cute to see him fight tooth and nail against his own feelings for her. My dear bad boy sure got hard times, huh?
I enjoyed the romance between Rohan and Elinor despite the push and pull. I wouldn’t say there was an earth-shattering romance here, but somehow, it was good enough to satisfy my ‘sweet tooth’. The suspense part was off-the-charts intense. Everyone looked suspicious, and with the story’s dark and eerie atmosphere, it was hard to shake the creeping sense of unease while I was reading this. I liked that though. It just worked for me.
All in all, I liked this book despite its flaws. If you’re looking for a dark gothic feel historical romance with a dangerous anti-hero, then this one is for you.
September 5, 2010
This is more like a 3.5 star grade.
For as long as this book was, I really expected the author to spend more time developing the characters. I never felt that we delved very far beneath the surface. I think this book would have been much better with a little depth.
There were some moments in this book where I was very uncomfortable with Rohan's actions. But his character wouldn't have been genuine without them. He was not a very nice man, and he had done many hedonistic things in the pursuit of pleasure. He has no problem with pushing Elinor past her comfort zone and manipulating her into doing what he wants. At times he comes off as more villain than hero, but I kind of liked that. I just wish we would have spent a bit more time on the psychology behind it.
I felt that the transition from Elinor fearing and hating Rohan to loving him came a little too abruptly. I know that she had been hiding her feelings from herself, but I wish it would have felt more gradual and less focused around them finally having sex.
I felt so bad for Elinor for most of the story. At times her deliberate blindness to Rohan's intentions got a little bit irritating, but for the most part I didn't mind. I hated her mother and was so upset when I found out Elinor's past sexual experience. I was so mad and so upset! But I believe it explained very well why she never believed her looks were acceptable and why it was so hard for her to believe Rohan was actually stalking her, not her sister. She had been brainwashed into thinking she had no value.
***SPOILER***
I loved the scene where Elinor told Rohan about her past. He played the role of unaffected and quickly excused himself, but all that changed when he was out of her sight. I was so happy with his response, but so sorry that it was so hard for him. Then when he sees Elinor trying to escape - very affecting. He feared that he had been played and that he had done something he hated for nothing. He was so angry, but I loved when he finally tuned into Elinor's mood and was so sorry for the way he was behaving. *sigh* Very moving.
I also loved the way he ran, not walked, from the room after they made love. The big, bad hedonist was afraid of his feelings.
***END SPOILERS***
I liked getting to see the secondary romance with Elinor's sister, Lydia. Every thing Elinor did was for the good of Lydia, and it was nice to get to see Lydia struggle with doing something repugnant to her just to make things easier for her sister.
I think there will be a few things in this story that will make people hate it right out of the gate. One of them is that fact that the heroine is 23 and the hero is 39. Also, the hero emphasized this by calling her "child" whenever he wanted to mock her or seem superior. Now, those things didn't bother me at all, and I felt the "child" was less of a numerical thing and more of a mindset thing, but I know no matter what, some people will hate it. Also, the hero sleeps with other people while obsessed with the heroine. They are not together, and she is still spurning him, but I know some people will have a problem with it. Elinor knows he is with other people too because he never tries to hide it.
While this wasn't a perfect book and it lacked some of the things I was looking for, I still found it compelling and very readable. I plan to pick up the other two in the trilogy when they come out.
For as long as this book was, I really expected the author to spend more time developing the characters. I never felt that we delved very far beneath the surface. I think this book would have been much better with a little depth.
There were some moments in this book where I was very uncomfortable with Rohan's actions. But his character wouldn't have been genuine without them. He was not a very nice man, and he had done many hedonistic things in the pursuit of pleasure. He has no problem with pushing Elinor past her comfort zone and manipulating her into doing what he wants. At times he comes off as more villain than hero, but I kind of liked that. I just wish we would have spent a bit more time on the psychology behind it.
I felt that the transition from Elinor fearing and hating Rohan to loving him came a little too abruptly. I know that she had been hiding her feelings from herself, but I wish it would have felt more gradual and less focused around them finally having sex.
I felt so bad for Elinor for most of the story. At times her deliberate blindness to Rohan's intentions got a little bit irritating, but for the most part I didn't mind. I hated her mother and was so upset when I found out Elinor's past sexual experience. I was so mad and so upset! But I believe it explained very well why she never believed her looks were acceptable and why it was so hard for her to believe Rohan was actually stalking her, not her sister. She had been brainwashed into thinking she had no value.
***SPOILER***
I loved the scene where Elinor told Rohan about her past. He played the role of unaffected and quickly excused himself, but all that changed when he was out of her sight. I was so happy with his response, but so sorry that it was so hard for him. Then when he sees Elinor trying to escape - very affecting. He feared that he had been played and that he had done something he hated for nothing. He was so angry, but I loved when he finally tuned into Elinor's mood and was so sorry for the way he was behaving. *sigh* Very moving.
I also loved the way he ran, not walked, from the room after they made love. The big, bad hedonist was afraid of his feelings.
***END SPOILERS***
I liked getting to see the secondary romance with Elinor's sister, Lydia. Every thing Elinor did was for the good of Lydia, and it was nice to get to see Lydia struggle with doing something repugnant to her just to make things easier for her sister.
I think there will be a few things in this story that will make people hate it right out of the gate. One of them is that fact that the heroine is 23 and the hero is 39. Also, the hero emphasized this by calling her "child" whenever he wanted to mock her or seem superior. Now, those things didn't bother me at all, and I felt the "child" was less of a numerical thing and more of a mindset thing, but I know no matter what, some people will hate it. Also, the hero sleeps with other people while obsessed with the heroine. They are not together, and she is still spurning him, but I know some people will have a problem with it. Elinor knows he is with other people too because he never tries to hide it.
While this wasn't a perfect book and it lacked some of the things I was looking for, I still found it compelling and very readable. I plan to pick up the other two in the trilogy when they come out.
November 23, 2025
Pretty interesting up to the 75% mark, although it skated close to silly more than a few times.
The MMC is a degenerate leader of a group of Parisian hedonists during the 1760’s calling themselves the “Heavenly Host.” Almost 40, Rohan is so bored with his debauched life that he finds himself inordinately interested in the spitfire that shows up at his latest orgy looking to keep her slatternly mother from gambling away the last coins they have for food.
Elinor, who believes herself too ugly to arouse any man’s interest but knowing her beautiful young sister would definitely be in danger if the depraved Rohan catches sight of her, tries to deflect Rohan’s attention with insults, coldness, and rejection, which predictably only increases his curiosity. When food, firewood, money, and household goods start arriving from the wealthy lord, Elinor fights a losing battle to keep him out of their lives. Food and warmth are heady temptations.
Elinor’s mother, Lady Catherine, deserves the slow, torturous death from syphilis she’s destined for, although her two daughters and two remaining servants don’t. Elinor’s obtuseness gets a little aggravating; she really isn’t the family mastermind she thinks she is and makes poor decisions to the bitter end. Rohan is a bad-boy anti-hero (with a tragic past he’s using debauchery to numb himself to, of course) and keeps bedding women long after he should have realized his interest in Elinor isn’t just a boredom-buster.
He slipped out of bed, away from Juliette, and frowned for a moment. He was totally unacquainted with guilt or regret—they were the emotions of fools. Nevertheless, as pleasantly exhausted as he was, there was the oddest sense that he’d done something wrong. Nonsense. Do what thou wilt. He’d wanted a female, quite badly, and Juliette was more than available. Life was too short to stint on pleasures, and if Elinor Harriman started interfering then he’d simply have to ship her back to England where she belonged. He wasn’t about to let anyone or anything interfere with who and what he was.
Except he does, and things come to a head at the three quarter mark after which this novel turns into a cliché-fest.
***spoilers***
Rohan: Best to dispense with it before it crumbled beneath his touch. She would be far better off without him. His hands and his soul were stained with too much blood, and there was no washing them clean. AKA, I must save her from me! Also, I will not succumb to a woman!
Elinor: He doesn’t want me! Oh God, I need to escape him and the horrible pain of his rejection by agreeing to marry this man I’ve only met once and leaving at once for England where the man I love will never, ever be able to follow me! Yeah, that’ll show him!
Rohan: Oh God, she left me before I could leave her! I’ll smash furniture and shred artwork and stay drunk! Wait, what? She’s in the evil clutches of a man who has tried to kill her several times? Where’s my valet! Bring round the carriage and lease a yacht—I must save her!
And so forth. I’ve read this ending dozens of times in both historicals and contemporaries and I’d like to say it never gets old, but it does.
The MMC is a degenerate leader of a group of Parisian hedonists during the 1760’s calling themselves the “Heavenly Host.” Almost 40, Rohan is so bored with his debauched life that he finds himself inordinately interested in the spitfire that shows up at his latest orgy looking to keep her slatternly mother from gambling away the last coins they have for food.
Elinor, who believes herself too ugly to arouse any man’s interest but knowing her beautiful young sister would definitely be in danger if the depraved Rohan catches sight of her, tries to deflect Rohan’s attention with insults, coldness, and rejection, which predictably only increases his curiosity. When food, firewood, money, and household goods start arriving from the wealthy lord, Elinor fights a losing battle to keep him out of their lives. Food and warmth are heady temptations.
Elinor’s mother, Lady Catherine, deserves the slow, torturous death from syphilis she’s destined for, although her two daughters and two remaining servants don’t. Elinor’s obtuseness gets a little aggravating; she really isn’t the family mastermind she thinks she is and makes poor decisions to the bitter end. Rohan is a bad-boy anti-hero (with a tragic past he’s using debauchery to numb himself to, of course) and keeps bedding women long after he should have realized his interest in Elinor isn’t just a boredom-buster.
He slipped out of bed, away from Juliette, and frowned for a moment. He was totally unacquainted with guilt or regret—they were the emotions of fools. Nevertheless, as pleasantly exhausted as he was, there was the oddest sense that he’d done something wrong. Nonsense. Do what thou wilt. He’d wanted a female, quite badly, and Juliette was more than available. Life was too short to stint on pleasures, and if Elinor Harriman started interfering then he’d simply have to ship her back to England where she belonged. He wasn’t about to let anyone or anything interfere with who and what he was.
Except he does, and things come to a head at the three quarter mark after which this novel turns into a cliché-fest.
***spoilers***
Rohan: Best to dispense with it before it crumbled beneath his touch. She would be far better off without him. His hands and his soul were stained with too much blood, and there was no washing them clean. AKA, I must save her from me! Also, I will not succumb to a woman!
Elinor: He doesn’t want me! Oh God, I need to escape him and the horrible pain of his rejection by agreeing to marry this man I’ve only met once and leaving at once for England where the man I love will never, ever be able to follow me! Yeah, that’ll show him!
Rohan: Oh God, she left me before I could leave her! I’ll smash furniture and shred artwork and stay drunk! Wait, what? She’s in the evil clutches of a man who has tried to kill her several times? Where’s my valet! Bring round the carriage and lease a yacht—I must save her!
And so forth. I’ve read this ending dozens of times in both historicals and contemporaries and I’d like to say it never gets old, but it does.
November 4, 2019
This is my pic for Rohan (but imagine him older):
Less dressed...
God, I love a fit male body! =^.^=
BUT.
I do NOT love this book.
Hardly any chemistry between the MCs. He's a bored, aging aristocrat who loves perverse pleasures (which by 60% hadn't really revealed themselves in any sordid detail). She's a penniless virgin with a mom who's got the pox and a little beauty of a sister. But she herself has an unfortunate nose and believes herself to be plain. She also has an attitude and of course her perverseness attracts the man.
DNF @ 61%.
I wouldn't have come this far if it weren't for the fact that one of GR friends (actually more than one) really like this author. Well... her best was probably not in this book.
I draw the line at reading about the H having sex with another woman while thinking of the h at SIXTY-ONE % into the damn book!
Less dressed...
God, I love a fit male body! =^.^=
BUT.
I do NOT love this book.
Hardly any chemistry between the MCs. He's a bored, aging aristocrat who loves perverse pleasures (which by 60% hadn't really revealed themselves in any sordid detail). She's a penniless virgin with a mom who's got the pox and a little beauty of a sister. But she herself has an unfortunate nose and believes herself to be plain. She also has an attitude and of course her perverseness attracts the man.
DNF @ 61%.
I wouldn't have come this far if it weren't for the fact that one of GR friends (actually more than one) really like this author. Well... her best was probably not in this book.
I draw the line at reading about the H having sex with another woman while thinking of the h at SIXTY-ONE % into the damn book!
June 4, 2018
I so enjoyed this book. ❤
Viscount Rohan was quite the devil! He was ruthless to the core. As you read you so want to hate him but you just cannot. Rohan controlled everything in his life. He wanted for nothing. Until that faithful day Elinor Harriman burst into his life. I adore her and her handling of Rohan was perfection. Their banter was endless and watching the Viscount loose his control was wonderful.
I think many will say that this story line was a bit predictable but you know what, it didn't matter at all. I quickly became enchanted with both Rohan and Elinor as well as two side characters Charles and Lydia. I was drawn into the story from the get go and loved it to the very last page.
A must read if you are a fan of this author.
May 8, 2022
Oh, you need to be in a mood for an anti-hero to enjoy this book. It took me a few months to finally read it. I started it some time ago, then stopped after 3 chapters, realizing it was not the right moment, so this really is a mood kind of book.
So much so that you need to be okay with the hero calling the heroine "my child" like it is not super creepy.
This book was very dark and there are so many warning triggers that i should simply say for you to not read it at all if you are not okay reading any type of violence or bad things. This book starts with the heroine going to look for her mother inside an orgy, a mother that is no batter than the lowest of the drugged prostitutes, and the hero being the host of the orgy. So yeah, you can only imagine the horrible things that you will encounter in their lives.
The heroine has a horrible story and that made her super strong and protective of the people she loves. The hero pretends to be the worst kind of cad to not suffer in his life again... But don't get me wrong, he's still a bad guy.
So you will see a little bit of every bad thing here. You have been warned.
And you might or might not cry a bit.
So much so that you need to be okay with the hero calling the heroine "my child" like it is not super creepy.
This book was very dark and there are so many warning triggers that i should simply say for you to not read it at all if you are not okay reading any type of violence or bad things. This book starts with the heroine going to look for her mother inside an orgy, a mother that is no batter than the lowest of the drugged prostitutes, and the hero being the host of the orgy. So yeah, you can only imagine the horrible things that you will encounter in their lives.
The heroine has a horrible story and that made her super strong and protective of the people she loves. The hero pretends to be the worst kind of cad to not suffer in his life again... But don't get me wrong, he's still a bad guy.
So you will see a little bit of every bad thing here. You have been warned.
And you might or might not cry a bit.
October 19, 2025
This story is set in the Georgian era .
Was wrote back in 2010. So we have a truly dark character in Rohan. Who needs a good woman to bring him back to being a decent human being.
Lots happening, murders, betrayal and humour. A few evil characters about. And a few good ones.
Rohan met his match with Elinor.
Was wrote back in 2010. So we have a truly dark character in Rohan. Who needs a good woman to bring him back to being a decent human being.
Lots happening, murders, betrayal and humour. A few evil characters about. And a few good ones.
Rohan met his match with Elinor.
December 2, 2020
What is there not to love?
I was sucked into this story and I didn’t want to stop. At one point I was in traffic reading and I got honked on twice cause I didn’t move from the green light because I was soooo into this!
I was sucked into this story and I didn’t want to stop. At one point I was in traffic reading and I got honked on twice cause I didn’t move from the green light because I was soooo into this!
July 8, 2018
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Ruthless is a story that I have been meaning to read for YEARS and I don't know why it took me so long to read this book since its definitely a setting that I love reading. And honestly, I can't get enough of seeing this author's incredible talent of penning a anti-hero that you become enamored with yourself.
Ruthless takes place in France, about twenty years before the French Revolution. Our heroine is responsible for her family. Elinor Harriman. When her father divorced their mother and didn't want his two daughters from the marriage, their mother became a mistress to a rich man who brought them to France. But then when their mother lost his "favor" through a series of bad luck, they find themselves in some of the worst parts of Paris. They are barely surviving with a mother who is slowly going mad and losing all of their coin that is for food. When Elinor discovers that her mother has disappeared and gone off to an infamous gathering "Heavenly Hosts" where there are gambling, drinking and lots of sexual orgies, she knows that she has no choice. Elinor might not be a virgin, but she is innocent and the last thing she wants to go is to go looking for their mother, but they can't risk her gambling away all their savings. But then she runs into the prince of sin....Viscount Rohan.
Rohan suffered incredibly when he was younger, losing all of his family and he isn't as heartless as he appears. But he is hard around the edges and is sexually driven in many of his appetites and then a stranger appears at his infamous party demanding he helps her find her mother, a mother than Rohan hates himself. But he finds himself intrigued by Elinor, he has become bored with his life, but her fiery spirit challenges him so he goes again his own reservations and dictates and helps her find her mother. And even though he doesn't want to admit that he has a growing attraction for Elinor, he just can't seem to stay away from her.
But there is a villain unseen, unsuspecting that puts Elinor in danger, but will Rohan be able to figure it out in time to save the only woman who has ever made his feel in years....
What a story and I am so GLAD that I decided to pick this up from Audible's Romance Package....I swear the more I listen to this selection the more I am convinced that this package is perfect for me. I have found so many treasures and Ruthless is at the top of this list of loves. This is a story that at first, I wondered, this is going to be a tough sell especially when some aspects are full on against my own Christian beliefs but honestly for some reason it didn't effect me like I expected it to....didn't bother me much to be honest. Probably because its not a primary focus or anything and the way that Anne Stuart writes this book is phenomenal....like seriously if you are a fan of Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, I highly recommend this to you, because Ruthless may be a bit edgier but it delivers a hero that is so unlikeable and unreachable and you see him become human capable of feeling and being honorable and good at times. When you hear about what he suffered when he was younger though, your heart just breaks for him and you begin to understand why he is so dark at times.
The heroine is simply lovely at times, I truly enjoyed her character immensely. She is a leader and courageous but a bit prideful. She doesn't view herself as important at all. Her sister, however, she will protect at all costs. Elinor sees that her sister is beautiful while Elinor knows that she is plain and she doesn't understand Rohan's fixation on her. At first, she believes its just to get to her sister, but she realizes that he only views her sister as if she was his own sister. I love how she stands on her own principles and even though she is quite stubborn and prideful, I liked that she has some flaws. She is hardworking and has sacrificed quite a bit for her family. She has her own horrors in her past and she finds herself drawn to Rohan because she can understand him in ways no one else can.
The romance is simply pure delight and one of the best I have read in quite some time especially in a historical setting. I found it to be so refreshing and on board with what I was in the mood for. I do love a good bad boy...and Rohan fits this so well. He is definitely a bad boy for sure, rich and makes no apologies. He finds Elinor exciting, she loathes him especially in the beginning and instead of being offended....he is delighted by her treatment of him and it was so hilarious!! I loved their chemistry, it just sizzles off the pages without being too detailed either. I like that this author created such a vibrant connection between the two.
I have to say that I definitely will be reading more of this author...but boy her selection is vast with over 100 novels...where to start....hmm, I think I will finish this series first. Because....oh my!! :)
I don't think I could share my love enough for this story...its tough, sensual, gritty and sweet. It can make you laugh, tense at the edge of your seat and bring a sweet tear to your eye with the poignant emotion that is displayed....MAJESTICALLY WRITTEN!!
[foogallery id="52137"]
Ruthless is a story that I have been meaning to read for YEARS and I don't know why it took me so long to read this book since its definitely a setting that I love reading. And honestly, I can't get enough of seeing this author's incredible talent of penning a anti-hero that you become enamored with yourself.
Ruthless takes place in France, about twenty years before the French Revolution. Our heroine is responsible for her family. Elinor Harriman. When her father divorced their mother and didn't want his two daughters from the marriage, their mother became a mistress to a rich man who brought them to France. But then when their mother lost his "favor" through a series of bad luck, they find themselves in some of the worst parts of Paris. They are barely surviving with a mother who is slowly going mad and losing all of their coin that is for food. When Elinor discovers that her mother has disappeared and gone off to an infamous gathering "Heavenly Hosts" where there are gambling, drinking and lots of sexual orgies, she knows that she has no choice. Elinor might not be a virgin, but she is innocent and the last thing she wants to go is to go looking for their mother, but they can't risk her gambling away all their savings. But then she runs into the prince of sin....Viscount Rohan.
Rohan suffered incredibly when he was younger, losing all of his family and he isn't as heartless as he appears. But he is hard around the edges and is sexually driven in many of his appetites and then a stranger appears at his infamous party demanding he helps her find her mother, a mother than Rohan hates himself. But he finds himself intrigued by Elinor, he has become bored with his life, but her fiery spirit challenges him so he goes again his own reservations and dictates and helps her find her mother. And even though he doesn't want to admit that he has a growing attraction for Elinor, he just can't seem to stay away from her.
But there is a villain unseen, unsuspecting that puts Elinor in danger, but will Rohan be able to figure it out in time to save the only woman who has ever made his feel in years....
What a story and I am so GLAD that I decided to pick this up from Audible's Romance Package....I swear the more I listen to this selection the more I am convinced that this package is perfect for me. I have found so many treasures and Ruthless is at the top of this list of loves. This is a story that at first, I wondered, this is going to be a tough sell especially when some aspects are full on against my own Christian beliefs but honestly for some reason it didn't effect me like I expected it to....didn't bother me much to be honest. Probably because its not a primary focus or anything and the way that Anne Stuart writes this book is phenomenal....like seriously if you are a fan of Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, I highly recommend this to you, because Ruthless may be a bit edgier but it delivers a hero that is so unlikeable and unreachable and you see him become human capable of feeling and being honorable and good at times. When you hear about what he suffered when he was younger though, your heart just breaks for him and you begin to understand why he is so dark at times.
The heroine is simply lovely at times, I truly enjoyed her character immensely. She is a leader and courageous but a bit prideful. She doesn't view herself as important at all. Her sister, however, she will protect at all costs. Elinor sees that her sister is beautiful while Elinor knows that she is plain and she doesn't understand Rohan's fixation on her. At first, she believes its just to get to her sister, but she realizes that he only views her sister as if she was his own sister. I love how she stands on her own principles and even though she is quite stubborn and prideful, I liked that she has some flaws. She is hardworking and has sacrificed quite a bit for her family. She has her own horrors in her past and she finds herself drawn to Rohan because she can understand him in ways no one else can.
The romance is simply pure delight and one of the best I have read in quite some time especially in a historical setting. I found it to be so refreshing and on board with what I was in the mood for. I do love a good bad boy...and Rohan fits this so well. He is definitely a bad boy for sure, rich and makes no apologies. He finds Elinor exciting, she loathes him especially in the beginning and instead of being offended....he is delighted by her treatment of him and it was so hilarious!! I loved their chemistry, it just sizzles off the pages without being too detailed either. I like that this author created such a vibrant connection between the two.
I have to say that I definitely will be reading more of this author...but boy her selection is vast with over 100 novels...where to start....hmm, I think I will finish this series first. Because....oh my!! :)
I don't think I could share my love enough for this story...its tough, sensual, gritty and sweet. It can make you laugh, tense at the edge of your seat and bring a sweet tear to your eye with the poignant emotion that is displayed....MAJESTICALLY WRITTEN!!
[foogallery id="52137"]
November 25, 2017
A great performance.
A rating of 4 stars can be reached in a variety of ways. In this case, the narrator does a fantastic job that I couldn't fault. Her voice was easy to listen to and understand. I could always tell when the characters changed and it was easy to follow. Unfortunately, the storyline was one that I struggled with. It's hard to truly believe in an HEA when the hero professes a desire to use, abuse and discard the heroine for most of the story. I always held hope, but I was sadly disappointed. He "used" other women because of his sexual frustration with the heroine...which sealed his doom.
Ruthless was a little risque with our hero the ruler of debauchery. It does deal with some stomach-turning abuse, though. Not at the hands of the hero but something that happened to the heroine when she was younger. The fact that the abuse happened because of the heroine's mother, made it even more abhorrent to me. It was explained well and I didn't feel a need to discontinue.
Overall, it was an adventure that I mostly enjoyed. I did have times where I was a little frustrated, but in the end, I was satisfied. 5 stars for the narrator and 3 stars for the storyline, balanced out to a 4-star rating.
Another, interesting addition to the Romance Package.
A rating of 4 stars can be reached in a variety of ways. In this case, the narrator does a fantastic job that I couldn't fault. Her voice was easy to listen to and understand. I could always tell when the characters changed and it was easy to follow. Unfortunately, the storyline was one that I struggled with. It's hard to truly believe in an HEA when the hero professes a desire to use, abuse and discard the heroine for most of the story. I always held hope, but I was sadly disappointed. He "used" other women because of his sexual frustration with the heroine...which sealed his doom.
Ruthless was a little risque with our hero the ruler of debauchery. It does deal with some stomach-turning abuse, though. Not at the hands of the hero but something that happened to the heroine when she was younger. The fact that the abuse happened because of the heroine's mother, made it even more abhorrent to me. It was explained well and I didn't feel a need to discontinue.
Overall, it was an adventure that I mostly enjoyed. I did have times where I was a little frustrated, but in the end, I was satisfied. 5 stars for the narrator and 3 stars for the storyline, balanced out to a 4-star rating.
Another, interesting addition to the Romance Package.
January 5, 2019
* Yılın ilk kitabını gerçekten severek okudum. Elimden bırakamıyorsam, başka bir iş yaparken bile "keşke şimdi okuyabilseydim" diyorsam benim için iyi kitaptır. Herkes için kötü de olsa, puanı düşük de olsa... Bırakamıyorsan iyidir :D
* Kitap historical türünde fakat bu türdeki kitapların klasik olay örgüsünden, klasik karakterlerinden de bir o kadar farklı. Belki şu hep okuduğumuz İngiltere ve İskoçya'da geçen bir historical olsaydı, bu konu azıcık sırıtmış sanki yaa, derdim ama Fransa'da geçiyor :D O yüzden kabullenmek daha kolay.
* Karakterleri çok sevdim. Kadın karakterin bir 'karaktere' sahip olmasını, erkek karakterin sahip olduğu özelliklerden bir anda vazgeçilmemesi hoşuma gitti. Adam puştun teki ve kızı görünce bir anda mucizevi bir şekilde düzelmiyor. Çünkü gerçek hayatta da insanlar mucizevi bir şekilde bir anda oldukları kişiyi değiştiremezler.
* Erkek karakterimiz yozlaşmış biri. 17 yaşındayken İngiltere'den sürülmüş, çok zengin, çok zevk sefa düşkünü, sapkınlıklarla dolu partiler düzenliyor. Tek bir kişiye bağlanmaya inanmıyor. Hatta dini inançlarla bile alay eder seviyede. Bu karakterle ilgili yazarın yaptığı şeyi çok beğendim. Cort diye değişmedi kesinlikle, hatta değişimini gözümüze falan da sokmadı. Hatta biz satır aralarından öyle izlenimler aldığımızda bile "yoo yok öyle bir şey, ben tek kadına sadık olacak adam falan değilim" diye düşünüyordu. DEĞİŞMEDİĞİNİ SANAN AMA ASLINDA DEĞİŞİMİNİ BİZİM GÖRDÜĞÜMÜZ KARAKTERLER CANDIR <3
* Kadın karakterimizin kız kardeşiyle, çalışanlarıyla olan ilişkisini çok sevdim. Adama karşı da asla embesil gibi davranmadı. Bir öpücükle her şeyi unutan, her halta "dizlerinin bağı çözülen" bir kız değildi ve bu muhteşemdi :D Gerçekçi düşünceleri vardı, o yüzden okuyucu için okuması keyifliydi.
* Paris modası = İĞRENÇ. Yazar, adamın giydiği ipek çorabı, elmas süslü ceketini, yok efendime söyleyeyim boncuk işlemeli topuklu ayakkabılarını anlatırken kulaklarımı tıkayıp hayıırrr hayal etmeyeceğim bunlarııı diyerek, adamı fıstık gibi takım elbiselerin içinde hayal ettim. Pişman değilim.
* Sonu çok aceleye gelmişti, sanırım en azından bir bölüm daha olabilirdi ve bazı kısımlar böylece havada kalmazdı. Bunun için 4 yıldız verebilirdim ama çok keyifli bir okuma sürecinin sadece son 15 dakikası için bir yıldız kesmek istemedim.
* Kitap historical türünde fakat bu türdeki kitapların klasik olay örgüsünden, klasik karakterlerinden de bir o kadar farklı. Belki şu hep okuduğumuz İngiltere ve İskoçya'da geçen bir historical olsaydı, bu konu azıcık sırıtmış sanki yaa, derdim ama Fransa'da geçiyor :D O yüzden kabullenmek daha kolay.
* Karakterleri çok sevdim. Kadın karakterin bir 'karaktere' sahip olmasını, erkek karakterin sahip olduğu özelliklerden bir anda vazgeçilmemesi hoşuma gitti. Adam puştun teki ve kızı görünce bir anda mucizevi bir şekilde düzelmiyor. Çünkü gerçek hayatta da insanlar mucizevi bir şekilde bir anda oldukları kişiyi değiştiremezler.
* Erkek karakterimiz yozlaşmış biri. 17 yaşındayken İngiltere'den sürülmüş, çok zengin, çok zevk sefa düşkünü, sapkınlıklarla dolu partiler düzenliyor. Tek bir kişiye bağlanmaya inanmıyor. Hatta dini inançlarla bile alay eder seviyede. Bu karakterle ilgili yazarın yaptığı şeyi çok beğendim. Cort diye değişmedi kesinlikle, hatta değişimini gözümüze falan da sokmadı. Hatta biz satır aralarından öyle izlenimler aldığımızda bile "yoo yok öyle bir şey, ben tek kadına sadık olacak adam falan değilim" diye düşünüyordu. DEĞİŞMEDİĞİNİ SANAN AMA ASLINDA DEĞİŞİMİNİ BİZİM GÖRDÜĞÜMÜZ KARAKTERLER CANDIR <3
* Kadın karakterimizin kız kardeşiyle, çalışanlarıyla olan ilişkisini çok sevdim. Adama karşı da asla embesil gibi davranmadı. Bir öpücükle her şeyi unutan, her halta "dizlerinin bağı çözülen" bir kız değildi ve bu muhteşemdi :D Gerçekçi düşünceleri vardı, o yüzden okuyucu için okuması keyifliydi.
* Paris modası = İĞRENÇ. Yazar, adamın giydiği ipek çorabı, elmas süslü ceketini, yok efendime söyleyeyim boncuk işlemeli topuklu ayakkabılarını anlatırken kulaklarımı tıkayıp hayıırrr hayal etmeyeceğim bunlarııı diyerek, adamı fıstık gibi takım elbiselerin içinde hayal ettim. Pişman değilim.
* Sonu çok aceleye gelmişti, sanırım en azından bir bölüm daha olabilirdi ve bazı kısımlar böylece havada kalmazdı. Bunun için 4 yıldız verebilirdim ama çok keyifli bir okuma sürecinin sadece son 15 dakikası için bir yıldız kesmek istemedim.
May 21, 2018
5 STARS
Oh how I loved this one! The characters were fabulous. I am head over heels for the Comte de Giverney the Viscount of Rohan. What a deliciously wicked man. LOVED the guy. And I was just as pleased with the heroine of the story. The verbal banter between them was addicting. The romance was long and drawn out, but the anticipation made it that much better.
The storyline was a bit predictable but I didn't mind it one bit. The interactions between the characters made up for it in my mind. I have already downloaded book two. Can't wait to see what's next.
"Fais ce que tu voudras."
Oh how I loved this one! The characters were fabulous. I am head over heels for the Comte de Giverney the Viscount of Rohan. What a deliciously wicked man. LOVED the guy. And I was just as pleased with the heroine of the story. The verbal banter between them was addicting. The romance was long and drawn out, but the anticipation made it that much better.
The storyline was a bit predictable but I didn't mind it one bit. The interactions between the characters made up for it in my mind. I have already downloaded book two. Can't wait to see what's next.
December 9, 2017
This is the book that made me fall in love with HR. After reading more books of the genre and finding more favorites of mine, I'd decided to re-read it. I loved it even more.
The fearless Elinor Harriman, in searching for her mother, comes to a château where the participants of Heavenly Host are having such a vicious party.
Hmmm... a little bit more...
Well, I think you got the point.
When the host, Viscount Rohan, meets her, he knows Elinor doesn't belong in his sinful place. He helps the woman to find her mother. He holds Elinor, keeps her eyes closed all the way so she can't see anything that might shock her. That was just one of many surprises this book had.
After their first encounter, Francis is never truly away from Elinor. The woman intrigued him with her unique but not-so-pretty face, but most of all, he is fascinated by her strong dislike of him and his depraved lifestyle. Elinor believes the only reason Francis puts attention to her is to have Lidya, her strikingly beautiful younger sister whom she has been protecting since forever. Elinor had succeed to keep Lidya safe from their own heartless mother, and so she wouldn't let the king of hell gets in his way.
A gorgeous rake meets a plain spinster, he's drawn to her because she's somehow different, she has family to protect, he doesn't realize she's changing him, one thing leads to another and they lived happily ever after. Nothing new under the sun, right? So when I read romance with one of the most favorites theme, I don't expect diversities from the story. I can, however, expect it from the characterization.
Some of the most popular HR featuring rake heroes didn't work with me because I simply didn't buy the rakishness. I'm not exactly fond of rake stories, but as well as many romance readers, I adore a good story about a redeemed rake. The problem is, I can't believe the rake hero is redeemed if I never believe in the first place that he was once a rake. We may have various perceptions about the figure of a rake in historical romances. I apply the classic rule: Show, not tell. Francis Rohan had set my golden standard of rake heroes.
Whether you'd like the book or not depends on how you get Rohan. He was different to me in so many ways. He looks different, not because of his physical beauty. The story's set in the georgian period of time, one of the most shining eras of fashion. And Francis is highly fashionable. Shirts with lacy cuffs, embroidered coats with gold and silver buttons, silk stockings, bejeweled high heeled shoes, diamond rings and earrings...
And he prefers not to let his long black hair covered with wig. O yeah...
As extraordinary as it was, his looks wasn't the only one that emphasized his character. It was his thoughts, acts, and words. Rohan was finally getting to a point of boredom when he met Elinor. What made it more compelling was that he doesn't give up his identity as a rake the moment he lays his eyes on her. He doesn't change in a blink. It needs time. And Elinor doesn't succumb to his beauty, his charm, and his seduction instantly. Thank goodness for a heroine who doesn't allow herself to be intimidated and who knows how to give a fight! She could be so stubborn, but she had all the right reasons. They were a perfect match.
Everything between them was full of angst and sensuality. Sometimes, it was incredibly touching. There aren't sweet and romantic words. Francis spoke as a matter a fact, nothing but the truth. But everything he did for Elinor made me wished I was her. One more thing I liked about the book was that I didn't have to wait for the plot to be stunned with surprises.
Ruthless was dark and fascinating. There are murders and dirty games behind the romance. I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Lidya, who was not as naive as her sister thought she was. Charles Reading, who was as best as a friend could be. Even the Harrimans's mother got my full attention because she had my highest level of anger.
Although everything about it worked perfectly with me, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. There are some things to consider, like whether you're comfortable or not with the age difference because Francis is sixteen years older than Elinor, and he's still behaving like a rake after he met her. As for the romance, I felt it was indeed a love scene, not a lust scene.
I hadn't satisfied with the ending, before the author release the epilogue. The first steps... very lovely. So much happiness there. So, really, I have nothing to complain of. It's my first love of HR, it'll always be my favorite, and Francis Alistair St. Claire Dominic Charles Edward Rohan is my true love.
“Do you get pleasure from inflicting pain, my lord?” Her voice was calm and practical, denying the hurt.
There was a moment’s silence. “Occasionally,” he said after a long moment. “There are times when hurting and being hurt are the only way to feel anything at all.”
The fearless Elinor Harriman, in searching for her mother, comes to a château where the participants of Heavenly Host are having such a vicious party.
Hmmm... a little bit more...
Well, I think you got the point.
When the host, Viscount Rohan, meets her, he knows Elinor doesn't belong in his sinful place. He helps the woman to find her mother. He holds Elinor, keeps her eyes closed all the way so she can't see anything that might shock her. That was just one of many surprises this book had.
After their first encounter, Francis is never truly away from Elinor. The woman intrigued him with her unique but not-so-pretty face, but most of all, he is fascinated by her strong dislike of him and his depraved lifestyle. Elinor believes the only reason Francis puts attention to her is to have Lidya, her strikingly beautiful younger sister whom she has been protecting since forever. Elinor had succeed to keep Lidya safe from their own heartless mother, and so she wouldn't let the king of hell gets in his way.
A gorgeous rake meets a plain spinster, he's drawn to her because she's somehow different, she has family to protect, he doesn't realize she's changing him, one thing leads to another and they lived happily ever after. Nothing new under the sun, right? So when I read romance with one of the most favorites theme, I don't expect diversities from the story. I can, however, expect it from the characterization.
Some of the most popular HR featuring rake heroes didn't work with me because I simply didn't buy the rakishness. I'm not exactly fond of rake stories, but as well as many romance readers, I adore a good story about a redeemed rake. The problem is, I can't believe the rake hero is redeemed if I never believe in the first place that he was once a rake. We may have various perceptions about the figure of a rake in historical romances. I apply the classic rule: Show, not tell. Francis Rohan had set my golden standard of rake heroes.
“That’s right,” he said, his voice soft and approving. “Now give me your arm and we’ll give you a taste of damnation.”
“Do you really find blasphemy that entertaining?” she said, trying not to start when he took her hand and placed it on his arm.
“Always.”
Whether you'd like the book or not depends on how you get Rohan. He was different to me in so many ways. He looks different, not because of his physical beauty. The story's set in the georgian period of time, one of the most shining eras of fashion. And Francis is highly fashionable. Shirts with lacy cuffs, embroidered coats with gold and silver buttons, silk stockings, bejeweled high heeled shoes, diamond rings and earrings...
And he prefers not to let his long black hair covered with wig. O yeah...
As extraordinary as it was, his looks wasn't the only one that emphasized his character. It was his thoughts, acts, and words. Rohan was finally getting to a point of boredom when he met Elinor. What made it more compelling was that he doesn't give up his identity as a rake the moment he lays his eyes on her. He doesn't change in a blink. It needs time. And Elinor doesn't succumb to his beauty, his charm, and his seduction instantly. Thank goodness for a heroine who doesn't allow herself to be intimidated and who knows how to give a fight! She could be so stubborn, but she had all the right reasons. They were a perfect match.
Everything between them was full of angst and sensuality. Sometimes, it was incredibly touching. There aren't sweet and romantic words. Francis spoke as a matter a fact, nothing but the truth. But everything he did for Elinor made me wished I was her. One more thing I liked about the book was that I didn't have to wait for the plot to be stunned with surprises.
Ruthless was dark and fascinating. There are murders and dirty games behind the romance. I also enjoyed the secondary characters. Lidya, who was not as naive as her sister thought she was. Charles Reading, who was as best as a friend could be. Even the Harrimans's mother got my full attention because she had my highest level of anger.
Although everything about it worked perfectly with me, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. There are some things to consider, like whether you're comfortable or not with the age difference because Francis is sixteen years older than Elinor, and he's still behaving like a rake after he met her. As for the romance, I felt it was indeed a love scene, not a lust scene.
I hadn't satisfied with the ending, before the author release the epilogue. The first steps... very lovely. So much happiness there. So, really, I have nothing to complain of. It's my first love of HR, it'll always be my favorite, and Francis Alistair St. Claire Dominic Charles Edward Rohan is my true love.
October 1, 2010
This was my first Anne Stuart. I really like her writing and I'm definitely going to read the rest of this series.
If there were the half star option (why is there never a half star option?) I'd give this 4.5. The "hero" is compelling and I can see why the heroine falls for him, but I can't see why she would ever trust him. He's just so good at playing the dissipated rake, I don't see how any woman committed to him wouldn't be looking over her shoulder for the surprise heartbreaking gossip she'll inevitably hear. What we know of him tells us this won't happen (or if it does it will be spiteful and dishonest), but I have a hard time believing the heroine would know and trust this. Which makes the abrupt ending and lack of epilogue dissatisfying.
Naturally I'm hoping this couple will appear again so I can see them living their successful HEA, but I'm still too haunted by doubts to give this the full five stars it might have had if we'd had just that little bit more.
From what I can glean from others Stuart reviews, she seems to write rather disturbing circumstances for her leads. This definitely had a cringe-worthy back story for one of them, so be prepared for that.
As I said, I will definitely be reading the following books in this series. I'll probably go for some of Stuart's backlist as well. I'm glad I gave her a try.
If there were the half star option (why is there never a half star option?) I'd give this 4.5. The "hero" is compelling and I can see why the heroine falls for him, but I can't see why she would ever trust him. He's just so good at playing the dissipated rake, I don't see how any woman committed to him wouldn't be looking over her shoulder for the surprise heartbreaking gossip she'll inevitably hear. What we know of him tells us this won't happen (or if it does it will be spiteful and dishonest), but I have a hard time believing the heroine would know and trust this. Which makes the abrupt ending and lack of epilogue dissatisfying.
Naturally I'm hoping this couple will appear again so I can see them living their successful HEA, but I'm still too haunted by doubts to give this the full five stars it might have had if we'd had just that little bit more.
From what I can glean from others Stuart reviews, she seems to write rather disturbing circumstances for her leads. This definitely had a cringe-worthy back story for one of them, so be prepared for that.
As I said, I will definitely be reading the following books in this series. I'll probably go for some of Stuart's backlist as well. I'm glad I gave her a try.
August 29, 2015
4.5 stars
I am not a fan of Anne Stuart's Ice series. Although admittedly I only read the first, Black Ice, the hero was far too much of a cold bastard for my taste and I found it be absolutely devoid of romance. Having been advised by readers whose opinion I trust that the rest of her heroes were cut from the same cloth, I had no interest in reading further.
Then I saw Ruthless, a historical from the same author getting such good reviews on this site, and my interest was piqued. Given that the author is recognized for writing a certain kind of hero (I think some may refer to them as Gamma?), I was hesitant to invest my time reading about another a-hole. In the thread on Lady Danielle's review of this book, I was encouraged to give it a try.
I am soooo glad I did. I loved this book.
I am finding it very difficult to organize my thoughts here, because Viscount Rohan is a man of contradictions. He lives a depraved lifestyle but in many other ways he holds high standards of conduct and honor. He is a broken man who hides behind a facade of decadence that no longer provides the distraction and amusement he needs to fill the void in his life. Viscount Rohan is wicked, but in a delicious way. I found myself quite drawn to him, which came as some surprise. Perhaps the man himself says it best in this passage:
Her eyes narrowed. "You're a bastard, you know. A heartless, manipulative monster."
"Oh, surely that's too harsh. I'm not a monster. I wouldn't even say I'm a bad man. I'm just not a very good one."
I enjoyed the interactions between Elinor and Rohan, but it was Rohan's actions away from Elinor that spoke more clearly. This is a romance that takes place almost behind the scenes. It was very well written, with the author doing an excellent job of showing, not telling, even when the characters were determined to tell a different story. Both characters have suffered horrible trauma in their past that makes their behavior believable.
This was a book that captured my attention from the outset and didn't let go. I found myself completely immersed in the story - and don't you just love it when that happens? If, like me, you like your romances on the darker side, then I highly recommend you give Ruthless a try, even if the Ice series left you cold.
December 8, 2016
Una ambientación y unos protagonistas muy buenos, pero con muchos altibajos a lo largo de la historia.
Rohan es un libertino con todas las letras. No es el típico que vemos en este tipo de historias, donde tras conocer a la protagonista su actitud cambia totalmente y empieza a dedicarse en cuerpo y alma a velar por ella.
Apodado el Rey del Infierno, es un hombre con un pasado doloroso que ha hecho que lo ùnico que le importe ahora sea el placer. Es por eso que cada cierto tiempo es el anfitrión de una serie de orgías y fiestas disolutas en su mansión durante un tiempo indeterminado. Es en una de esas fiestas que conoce a Elinor, la protagonista, quien va en busca de su madre enferma.
Rohan se siente aburrido y hastiado de hacer y ver siempre lo mismo y cuando conoce a Elinor, ve la oportunidad perfecta de pasar un buen momento, pues es la única mujer que le planta cara.
Elinor es una joven que antaño tuvo todo lo que podía desear, pero debido a que su madre era una mujer de cascos ligeros, abandonó a su padre junto con sus dos hijas y ahora viven en uno de los barrios más peligrosos de París. Elinor junto con dos fieles empleados es la que se encarga de la manutención de su hermana y su madre, ésta última enferma con la denominada "enfermedad española".
Con un pasado también bastante doloroso, parece un alma afin a Rohan, por el que enseguida tiene sentimientos contradictorios.
La primera parte de la novela es muy buena y engancha con facilidad. La segunda parte es más monótona y con unos comportamientos del protagonista que hacían que le odiara con bastante facilidad (y me centré más en la historia paralela de la hermana de Elinor y el mejor amigo de Rohan, que me parecía más interesante, aunque luego también perdió un poco de chispa) y ya hacia el final la historia vuelve a cobrar fuerza y reconozco que no podía despegar los ojos del libro para saber qué ocurría a continuación.
Si tengo que poner un "pero" gordo, es que debido al carácter de libertino redomado del protagonista no me creí mucho ese cambio de actitud tan repentino, al igual que el de ella, que tras la experiencia que tuvo y tras más de medio libro mandando a paseo al protagonista, se echó a sus brazos con una velocidad pasmosa, por lo demás y valorando en conjunto, es una historia que engancha y que te hace pasar un buen rato.
Rohan es un libertino con todas las letras. No es el típico que vemos en este tipo de historias, donde tras conocer a la protagonista su actitud cambia totalmente y empieza a dedicarse en cuerpo y alma a velar por ella.
Apodado el Rey del Infierno, es un hombre con un pasado doloroso que ha hecho que lo ùnico que le importe ahora sea el placer. Es por eso que cada cierto tiempo es el anfitrión de una serie de orgías y fiestas disolutas en su mansión durante un tiempo indeterminado. Es en una de esas fiestas que conoce a Elinor, la protagonista, quien va en busca de su madre enferma.
Rohan se siente aburrido y hastiado de hacer y ver siempre lo mismo y cuando conoce a Elinor, ve la oportunidad perfecta de pasar un buen momento, pues es la única mujer que le planta cara.
Elinor es una joven que antaño tuvo todo lo que podía desear, pero debido a que su madre era una mujer de cascos ligeros, abandonó a su padre junto con sus dos hijas y ahora viven en uno de los barrios más peligrosos de París. Elinor junto con dos fieles empleados es la que se encarga de la manutención de su hermana y su madre, ésta última enferma con la denominada "enfermedad española".
Con un pasado también bastante doloroso, parece un alma afin a Rohan, por el que enseguida tiene sentimientos contradictorios.
La primera parte de la novela es muy buena y engancha con facilidad. La segunda parte es más monótona y con unos comportamientos del protagonista que hacían que le odiara con bastante facilidad (y me centré más en la historia paralela de la hermana de Elinor y el mejor amigo de Rohan, que me parecía más interesante, aunque luego también perdió un poco de chispa) y ya hacia el final la historia vuelve a cobrar fuerza y reconozco que no podía despegar los ojos del libro para saber qué ocurría a continuación.
Si tengo que poner un "pero" gordo, es que debido al carácter de libertino redomado del protagonista no me creí mucho ese cambio de actitud tan repentino, al igual que el de ella, que tras la experiencia que tuvo y tras más de medio libro mandando a paseo al protagonista, se echó a sus brazos con una velocidad pasmosa, por lo demás y valorando en conjunto, es una historia que engancha y que te hace pasar un buen rato.
April 20, 2013
The first book in Anne Stuart's The House of Rohan series. Elinor Harriman is trying to do her best at surviving in Paris in 1768. Her mother is ill and no money is coming in. Her father, in England, has recently died and left his fortune to an unknown cousin. Her beautiful sister is coming of age and there are 2 servants also depending on them for survival. Now her mother has managed to sneak out to gamble the last of their money. Elinor makes her way to the Heavenly Host to bring her mother home and there meets the mysterious and depraved Viscount Rohan. (Francis Alistair St Claire Dominic Charles Edward Rohan, Comte de Giverney, Viscount Rohan, Baron of Glencoe).
Anne Stuart has a way of making me love her anti-heroes but, while I didn't hate Francis Rohan, this was an exception. There was something about him that I never could totally fall in love with. I felt more for Elinor and her plight. As the story unfolds we learn things about her that made me admire her strength. Towards the end I felt Francis was close to redemption and then the story ended.
Anne Stuart has a way of making me love her anti-heroes but, while I didn't hate Francis Rohan, this was an exception. There was something about him that I never could totally fall in love with. I felt more for Elinor and her plight. As the story unfolds we learn things about her that made me admire her strength. Towards the end I felt Francis was close to redemption and then the story ended.
December 9, 2025
64%, when the illusion of obsession crumbled to dust
I was already exasperated since the MCs take an age to meet, spend a few hours together (most of those sleeping) and then... nothing.
Nothing for pages and pages.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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I was already exasperated since the MCs take an age to meet, spend a few hours together (most of those sleeping) and then... nothing.
Nothing for pages and pages.
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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July 25, 2010
Ruthless is the first book in the House of Rohan series by Anne Stuart. A decadently, dark and intriguing tale, Ruthless will leave readers wanting more.
Viscount Rohan runs the mysteriously Heavenly Host, a secret club where people give into their secret desires. Francis Rohan is bored and tired of this lifestyle. Dubbed the King of Hell, he throws himself into the role but there is another side to him.
Elinor Harriman has seen enough of life to know that fairy tales rarely exist. As the oldest, she is viewed as the care giver for her family. So when her mother goes missing again, she sets out to find her and bring her back home, fearing that she will spend the last few dollars that they have. Elinor is not surprised to hear that her mother is at Heavenly Host but she is shocked when she comes face to face with the King of Hell and finds a strong attraction to him. Despite his reputation and sinful ways, Elinor is intrigued by Rohan’s dark ways.
Rohan agrees to help Elinor retrieve her mother. The plain, brown hair beauty is average and dull but there’s something about her that beckons him and he wants nothing more than to find out what passions Elinor keeps hidden. After he returns Elinor’s mother, who is dying of pox, he finds that he have a harder time returning Elinor, for she does not sway easily under his charm.
Though Rohan has a hard reputation, his character demonstrates that he has a soft nature, especially when it comes to Elinor. He takes the task of helping her family out, and though she believes he wants something in return, Elinor is grateful that her family does not have to suffer. A slow relationship builds and neither one is sure what to do with their emotions.
I was rather surprised at how captivating this story was. Both characters are deeply damaged and their road to emotional healing and trust was simply delightful. I couldn’t help but want a HEA for the both of them, despite the fact that it took some time for me to warm up to Rohan. There was also a side romance between Lydia, Elinor’s sister and Rohan’s friend, Charles Reading. The romance was so unlikely because she is seen as a true beauty and he as a physically scarred man but their emotions went way past the physical.
Overall, I found this to be a nice story with plenty of twists that kept me entertained.
Viscount Rohan runs the mysteriously Heavenly Host, a secret club where people give into their secret desires. Francis Rohan is bored and tired of this lifestyle. Dubbed the King of Hell, he throws himself into the role but there is another side to him.
Elinor Harriman has seen enough of life to know that fairy tales rarely exist. As the oldest, she is viewed as the care giver for her family. So when her mother goes missing again, she sets out to find her and bring her back home, fearing that she will spend the last few dollars that they have. Elinor is not surprised to hear that her mother is at Heavenly Host but she is shocked when she comes face to face with the King of Hell and finds a strong attraction to him. Despite his reputation and sinful ways, Elinor is intrigued by Rohan’s dark ways.
Rohan agrees to help Elinor retrieve her mother. The plain, brown hair beauty is average and dull but there’s something about her that beckons him and he wants nothing more than to find out what passions Elinor keeps hidden. After he returns Elinor’s mother, who is dying of pox, he finds that he have a harder time returning Elinor, for she does not sway easily under his charm.
Though Rohan has a hard reputation, his character demonstrates that he has a soft nature, especially when it comes to Elinor. He takes the task of helping her family out, and though she believes he wants something in return, Elinor is grateful that her family does not have to suffer. A slow relationship builds and neither one is sure what to do with their emotions.
I was rather surprised at how captivating this story was. Both characters are deeply damaged and their road to emotional healing and trust was simply delightful. I couldn’t help but want a HEA for the both of them, despite the fact that it took some time for me to warm up to Rohan. There was also a side romance between Lydia, Elinor’s sister and Rohan’s friend, Charles Reading. The romance was so unlikely because she is seen as a true beauty and he as a physically scarred man but their emotions went way past the physical.
Overall, I found this to be a nice story with plenty of twists that kept me entertained.
July 24, 2010
The only other Anne Stuart I've read was her dark Regency THE DEVIL'S WALTZ that came out several years ago, which I really enjoyed. She writes dowdy, spinster-ish heroines paired with baaaaaaaaad boys quite well. This one is quite dark, and the backstory of the heroine, Elinor, is particularly bleak. And the hero, Rohan, aka The King of Hell, is not just a rake in name only. He's jaded for a reason. But because of his genuine badassness, his affection for Elinor seems stronger, more powerful. Even when he's trying his darndest to resist it. Coupled with a sweet secondary romance between Rohan's best friend and Elinor's younger sister, the tale of Elinor and Rohan's love is an often tumultuous one. But by the time it's over, you feel like they've earned their HEA. 4.5 stars.
October 7, 2022
A good story about Rohan, an eccentric exile with plenty of money who throws rather debaucherous parties, and Elinor, a woman who is unhappy because of her delusory mother.
The pace of the story is good; there are interesting mysteries and intrigues, but it was not a...hmm...addictive book.
I found it realistic that Rohan keeps his voracious sexual appetite satisfied with other women. However, this makes the romance with Elinor kind of confusing to me. He shows he likes her by being her protector, keeping her safe and fed, but I don't know if that is enough for me to think they had good chemistry.
The ending ended abruptly.
The pace of the story is good; there are interesting mysteries and intrigues, but it was not a...hmm...addictive book.
I found it realistic that Rohan keeps his voracious sexual appetite satisfied with other women. However, this makes the romance with Elinor kind of confusing to me. He shows he likes her by being her protector, keeping her safe and fed, but I don't know if that is enough for me to think they had good chemistry.
The ending ended abruptly.
September 16, 2021
Very enjoyable story with dark, lust and twists. One head strong woman and one sexual male that makes this story delightful.
4-Stars
4-Stars
July 28, 2025
4.2 stars
Possible TWs: Human trafficking, rape (both not graphical but still on-page)
What a book! It reminded a bit of Lord of Scoundrels which I loved. Here, Francis Rohan, dubbed King of Hell, is no paltry rake. He is the real goods: scandalous, immoral, debauched, dangerous... but also noble at heart and swoony! When he meets Elinor, he is blasé enough with his lifestyle that she appears to be fresh, temporary distraction, but it was evident that all the stars aligned straight for him to reform his ways.
AS's pen was so gripping that it was so easy to believe in the attraction/ UST between Francis and Elinor. And everything from the characters's background, their psychologies, the world building around them (1768 - true Georgian!) felt so vibrant that I just got sucked into the story. I also enjoyed the dry wit and sarcasm of the dialogues between several characters.
On the downside, the lack of epilogue or at least some happier details on the lives of the characters were dearly missing. I needed to know about their child, about what will happen (or not) with Rohan's exile issue, about Elinor's inheritance, about Elinor and Lydia's reunion. So many questions! Also, there was a secondary romance - though Lydia and Charles side-story was on the cute side, it still detracted a lot from the main story.
I have seen reviews for the other books in the series and I understand that they deal with the next generations. At this point, I may continue with the series if it gives me the chance to answer some of my questions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2010
Favorite Quote: “How do you know what color my nipples are?” she said in a raw voice. “It’s dark in here.”
”You know I’m a very bad man, poppet. I may have peeked when you were asleep. Believe me, I’ve suffered for my sins. I haven’t been able to stop thinking of them in days.”
Elinor Harriman has a lot on her plate. A sick mother, both physically and mentally, battling the spanish flu, a gorgeous younger sister, whom she wants to protect her modesty at all costs and scrounging enough money for her family to stay warm and fed in the outskirts to the slums of Paris. Her mother has forced ruin upon the family over the past ten years, and now desperation has set in. With their father, who was not really part of their lives, recently passed away – although the money has gone to a distant cousin, Marcus Harriman, Elinor hopes a little was set aside for them. Things get worse after her mother flees with what little money they have to Viscount Rohan’s house. Rohan, known as The Lord of Hell in his circle, is famous for throwing orgies. Lewd acts in different circles of hell are performed at his estate. But lately, Rohan is bored. Almost 40, he is tired and wants something new in life.
When Elinor shows up demanding to see her mother, Rohan’s interest perks. This woman is not like the other beauties that lay at his feet. She is actually quite plain, with a very pronounced nose and best of all, she stands up to him. Something that rarely, if ever happens. Rohan is intrigued, and suddenly his boredom is a thing of the past. Elinor is terrified he will want to bed her beautiful sister, but Rohan doesn’t want the beauty. He wants the sister with some spunk, although he would never admit it to anyone.
With a mother days away from death, and a sister and elderly nanny to support, Elinor has truly run out of options. Dare she trust Rohan, and his dishonorable reputation?
I love the set-up in Ruthless – the plain, virginal, desolate heroine, and the rakish, cold hearted, dishonorable hero. Anne Stuart, how in earth will you bring these two together and make it believable? Oh, but you do. There is such a fine line between keeping the hero and heroine true to themselves, yet bringing them together romantically and believably. Rohan has to stay in the morally gray area for most of the book for his character to work, yet, there has to be a believable attraction from Elinor to make the romance stand out.
Elinor is a fierce heroine, one who will do anything to keep her sister safe. She has led such a poor life, with a horrible mother who made her do despicable acts. It is actually odd that her sister and herself turned out so proper – although the help from Nanny Maude, gave them a little love that is much deserved. Rohan takes an interest in Elinor, something she has never had. He is so flip and arrogant, he never shows her necessarily a physical interest, or at least doesn’t lead that on. But Elinor is so starved for affection of any kind, she can’t help but be somewhat drawn to this man. And out of character for him, he sees himself financially helping this family. She surprises Rohan – she is so out of character from the normal woman who tries to seduce him, it shocks him. At the same time, Rohan revels in shocking her:
His eyes narrowed, and he yawned. “I assume you aren’t interested in…er…frolicking with me?”
”No!”
”Trifling? We’ve already been flirting…”
”We have not!” she said, aghast.
”Oh yes, child, we most certainly have, even if you don’t recognize it. Why don’t we simply dispense with all the pleasantries and descend into hot, nasty fornication?"
For perhaps the first time in her life Elinor was at a loss for words. And in the end only the most foolish ones escaped her mouth. “In a carriage?”
He laughed. “Oh, most definitely in a carriage.”
Their romance is very slow to bloom, and when it does it is in a very dynamic notion, but I think it unravels in the perfect way.
There is also a murder attempt on Rohan and although I like how things progressed with this at the end, I kind of wish it had played a bigger role throughout the book.
I can’t end the review without mentioning Lydia, Elinor’s sister and her heart-wrenching romance in this book. While Elinor and Rohan’s romance provide for more banter, and games, Lydia and the man she pines for provides excruciating tension and I think it added so much to this book.
”You know I’m a very bad man, poppet. I may have peeked when you were asleep. Believe me, I’ve suffered for my sins. I haven’t been able to stop thinking of them in days.”
Elinor Harriman has a lot on her plate. A sick mother, both physically and mentally, battling the spanish flu, a gorgeous younger sister, whom she wants to protect her modesty at all costs and scrounging enough money for her family to stay warm and fed in the outskirts to the slums of Paris. Her mother has forced ruin upon the family over the past ten years, and now desperation has set in. With their father, who was not really part of their lives, recently passed away – although the money has gone to a distant cousin, Marcus Harriman, Elinor hopes a little was set aside for them. Things get worse after her mother flees with what little money they have to Viscount Rohan’s house. Rohan, known as The Lord of Hell in his circle, is famous for throwing orgies. Lewd acts in different circles of hell are performed at his estate. But lately, Rohan is bored. Almost 40, he is tired and wants something new in life.
When Elinor shows up demanding to see her mother, Rohan’s interest perks. This woman is not like the other beauties that lay at his feet. She is actually quite plain, with a very pronounced nose and best of all, she stands up to him. Something that rarely, if ever happens. Rohan is intrigued, and suddenly his boredom is a thing of the past. Elinor is terrified he will want to bed her beautiful sister, but Rohan doesn’t want the beauty. He wants the sister with some spunk, although he would never admit it to anyone.
With a mother days away from death, and a sister and elderly nanny to support, Elinor has truly run out of options. Dare she trust Rohan, and his dishonorable reputation?
I love the set-up in Ruthless – the plain, virginal, desolate heroine, and the rakish, cold hearted, dishonorable hero. Anne Stuart, how in earth will you bring these two together and make it believable? Oh, but you do. There is such a fine line between keeping the hero and heroine true to themselves, yet bringing them together romantically and believably. Rohan has to stay in the morally gray area for most of the book for his character to work, yet, there has to be a believable attraction from Elinor to make the romance stand out.
Elinor is a fierce heroine, one who will do anything to keep her sister safe. She has led such a poor life, with a horrible mother who made her do despicable acts. It is actually odd that her sister and herself turned out so proper – although the help from Nanny Maude, gave them a little love that is much deserved. Rohan takes an interest in Elinor, something she has never had. He is so flip and arrogant, he never shows her necessarily a physical interest, or at least doesn’t lead that on. But Elinor is so starved for affection of any kind, she can’t help but be somewhat drawn to this man. And out of character for him, he sees himself financially helping this family. She surprises Rohan – she is so out of character from the normal woman who tries to seduce him, it shocks him. At the same time, Rohan revels in shocking her:
His eyes narrowed, and he yawned. “I assume you aren’t interested in…er…frolicking with me?”
”No!”
”Trifling? We’ve already been flirting…”
”We have not!” she said, aghast.
”Oh yes, child, we most certainly have, even if you don’t recognize it. Why don’t we simply dispense with all the pleasantries and descend into hot, nasty fornication?"
For perhaps the first time in her life Elinor was at a loss for words. And in the end only the most foolish ones escaped her mouth. “In a carriage?”
He laughed. “Oh, most definitely in a carriage.”
Their romance is very slow to bloom, and when it does it is in a very dynamic notion, but I think it unravels in the perfect way.
There is also a murder attempt on Rohan and although I like how things progressed with this at the end, I kind of wish it had played a bigger role throughout the book.
I can’t end the review without mentioning Lydia, Elinor’s sister and her heart-wrenching romance in this book. While Elinor and Rohan’s romance provide for more banter, and games, Lydia and the man she pines for provides excruciating tension and I think it added so much to this book.
August 7, 2010
I own and have read Anne Stuart's entire backlist. With the exception of Silver Falls....NONE have ever disappointed. She is really in a league of her own and has put the patent on the "gamma hero". Rohan is cut from the same cloth as many of her heroes. Cynical, jaded, dangerous, cruel, capable of "anything"...Rohan fits all these characteristics. Do I ever tire of her "formula".........NEVER!
I enjoyed every single word of this book. The dialogue is clever and witty, the chemistry between the leads is superb, the secondary romance captivates, and all I can say is "thank goodness I only have to wait a month until the next one!" Elinor is an amazing heroine, strong and capable, but Rohan is what makes this book unforgettable. He is not a kind man, but does incredibly kind things for Elinor. He is capable of great violence, but only to defend Elinor. He is not particularly loving, but learns to love through Elinor. It's definitely a reformation story like only Stuart can pen.
There are parts of this book that made me laugh out loud and parts that brought tears to my eyes. Leave it to Anne Stuart to lead me through a myriad of emotions and leave me wanting more. If you have not read this author before....this is a great place to start. If you are already a fan.....she will NOT disappoint you with this one. Enjoy!
I enjoyed every single word of this book. The dialogue is clever and witty, the chemistry between the leads is superb, the secondary romance captivates, and all I can say is "thank goodness I only have to wait a month until the next one!" Elinor is an amazing heroine, strong and capable, but Rohan is what makes this book unforgettable. He is not a kind man, but does incredibly kind things for Elinor. He is capable of great violence, but only to defend Elinor. He is not particularly loving, but learns to love through Elinor. It's definitely a reformation story like only Stuart can pen.
There are parts of this book that made me laugh out loud and parts that brought tears to my eyes. Leave it to Anne Stuart to lead me through a myriad of emotions and leave me wanting more. If you have not read this author before....this is a great place to start. If you are already a fan.....she will NOT disappoint you with this one. Enjoy!
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