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Never Too Late
Expect the unexpected, especially in a room filled with books. . . Honoria Duchamp is well aware that men often consider widows easy prey for the role of mistress. What else could explain the attentions of handsome Lord Devin, and his visits to her bookshop? The much younger Viscount has even shown interest in the printing press with which she creates pamphlets on London's basest injustices. Yet his chief interest appears to be in her. . . Coerced to investigate Nora's controversial pamphlets, Devin expected to find a bookish matron. Instead, he is taken with Nora's womanly beauty, sharp intellect, and quick wit. Soon, what begins as an unwelcome task becomes a pleasure, and Devin's job becomes more dangerous-for them both. For Nora has no idea of the vicious element she's crossed. Now Devin will risk his reputation to protect her-and much more to win her love. . .
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
84 people are currently reading
1321 people want to read
About the author
Amara Royce
4 books122 followersHappy endings. Historical research. Put me in massive library with my laptop, and I'm in heaven.
I write historical romance set mainly in Victorian Britain. Currently, I'm focusing on the mid-nineteenth century (the 1850s), a period of social, political, industrial, technological and personal transformation.
In my other life, I'm a community college professor of English literature and composition.
And I have a wonderfully supportive family that occasionally reminds me there's more to life than words.
I write historical romance set mainly in Victorian Britain. Currently, I'm focusing on the mid-nineteenth century (the 1850s), a period of social, political, industrial, technological and personal transformation.
In my other life, I'm a community college professor of English literature and composition.
And I have a wonderfully supportive family that occasionally reminds me there's more to life than words.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
July 22, 2016
Never Too Late was one of those books where what could have been a decent premise was ruined by poor execution.
I was initially intrigued by the fact that the more usual gender/age roles were reversed, with the heroine being forty and the hero twenty-six. Even now, a couple in which the woman is considerably older than the man still raises eyebrows. I thought there was potential in the idea of setting an older woman/younger man romance in 1851, to explore the obstacles and prejudices such a couple would have had to overcome.
Running alongside the romance is the secondary plot about the heroine, widowed bookseller Mrs. Honoria Duchamp, stumbling across a child prostitution and pornography racket, and her efforts to expose it and stop more children being abducted and abused.But there are powerful people involved in these horrible activities, people who want to protect their identities and who will go to extreme lengths to do so. When the men in charge realize that Honoria has discovered the house in which the children are kept, one Mr. Withersby instructs Alex, Lord Devin, to spy on her and do whatever is needed to disrupt her business. Devin is told that Honoria is printing seditious pamphlets as a sideline to her business as a bookseller, and as Withersby is blackmailing him (he has incriminating photographs of Devin’s brother with another man) Alex has little choice but to make Honoria’s acquaintance and start snooping around.
Alex is immediately intrigued by Honoria, as is she by him, but he’s too young and too handsome for her and she is suspicious when he begins to pay her compliments and even mores o when he kisses her mere hours after meeting her.
So far, so good – in terms of the plot, at least. The author has seized upon two less common issues encountered in historical romantic fiction, so as I’ve said, the premise was promising.
But the book falls down badly in terms of the writing and tone. The author frequently uses anachronistic language (”Get over yourself”), incorrect terminology (Bach didn’t write any Cello concerti) and poor word choices.
For example, Honoria tells Alex:
”Of course, then we may maintain our acquaintance. You may visit me at the shop as you choose. But I have provisions.”
And then later she says:
“My grandfather held a baronet.”
There is a conversation between Honoria and her three friends who comprise the Needlework for the Needy society, in which one of them says that her “gut” feels unsettled about something. I really can’t imagine a proper Victorian lady using such a term.
There are also situations which stretch plausibility so much that, if it were a piece of elastic, it would never regain its original shape. Alex’s mother, the Dowager Viscountess, is presented as rather a free-thinker, although she is still accepted in society and invitations to her dinners and parties are highly sought after. I imagine the author is trying to account for the fact that Lady Devin invites a woman about whom she knows absolutely nothing to a dinner party which will be attended by (among others) Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning ,and Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and seems to have no concern whatsoever about Alex’s relationship with a woman fourteen years his senior. Not only does she invite this unknown tradeswoman to a prestigious event at her home, but within minutes of making her acquaintance, she offers to lend Honoria a dress suitable for dinner. She doesn’t make an outright offer, instead coming up with a ridiculous story of how she and her now deceased sister used to like playing “dress-up,” so she would deem it a kindness if Honoria were to borrow one of her sister’s dresses. True, she doesn’t say, “That dress you have on is horrible, for God’s sake go and find something else,” but Honoria falls for it anyway.
Then, while Honoria is dressing, her ladyship tells her all about her late husband, how much she loved him, how he met his death etc. All this to a woman she had never met until a few minutes before.
There are so many other implausibilities or things that stretched my credulity past breaking point that it would take too long to list them. Withersby’s incriminating photographs of Alex’s brother are worthless because Andrew is not gay and can provide the names of various courtesans who have obliged him in order to prove it. Alex is desperate to get into Honoria’s knickers – but when she eventually asks him to, he turns her down because he doesn’t want to take advantage. When he finally does get that far, he’s astonished to discover that she’s a virgin (turns out she was never actually married) – and then doesn’t finish what they’ve started.
The sex scenes are fairly tame, but I admit I had to suppress laughter on several occasions. There’s a difficult line to walk between “hot” and “funny” when it comes to writing sex, and sadly too often in this book we’re on the “funny” side of it.
There were also a lot of issues introduced that were never fully explored. Alex is bitter about the fact that his late father seemed to prefer his life as an explorer to being at home with his family; he’s afraid of horses; he’s an accomplished cellist but hasn’t played in years (and despite that is still able to perform some of Bach’s Cello Suites perfectly). I felt I was being bombarded with Alex’s issues as a way of making him a more interesting character, but I’m afraid it didn’t work.
And that brings me to the biggest of my many problems with the book. I had absolutely no idea what Alex and Honoria saw in each other, or, indeed, who they were as people. Alex insists that he loves Honoria for who she is – but neither of them ever felt real to me, and because of that, I was never drawn into the story or brought to care about what actually happened to them.
For me, that’s the greatest deficit I could find in any story. I read romance for the emotional connection between the protagonists and between the characters and the reader, and if that doesn’t happen, then I am unlikely to enjoy the book. But in addition to that, there were numerous failings in terms of the structure and writing – typographical and grammatical errors, as well as many instances of what I can only describe as poor writing. By that I mean that the sentence construction is either tortuous or too simplistic (most often the latter), word choice is awkward, and it just generally feels unpolished.
While it’s the author’s name on the cover, I’m not putting the entirety of the blame for that at her feet, however, because errors in spelling and grammar should be picked up by a good proofreader, and errors in terminology, word-choice, and sentence structure should, surely, be highlighted by the editor and options discussed with the writer. However, none of this was addressed in the editing process, and the result is that a promising plot turned into a dismal read.
As an aside, I remain stunned about the fact that the author teaches English and has a PhD in 19th century English Literature because if a teacher of English is unable to make correct word-choices then I don't hold out much hope for the rest of us.
I also included a couple more quotes in the review I submitted - but because I tend to go on a bit, sometimes, they need editing down! - which I included in order to illustrate how difficult it is to write successful love scenes. Here are two "crossed-the-line-from-hawt-to-hilarious" moments:
Or
*snigger*
ETA - Before anyone reads this and accuses me of being a bitter, failed author, I am going to state categorically that I am no such thing. I proof-read and edit, and have no authorial ambitions.
I was initially intrigued by the fact that the more usual gender/age roles were reversed, with the heroine being forty and the hero twenty-six. Even now, a couple in which the woman is considerably older than the man still raises eyebrows. I thought there was potential in the idea of setting an older woman/younger man romance in 1851, to explore the obstacles and prejudices such a couple would have had to overcome.
Running alongside the romance is the secondary plot about the heroine, widowed bookseller Mrs. Honoria Duchamp, stumbling across a child prostitution and pornography racket, and her efforts to expose it and stop more children being abducted and abused.But there are powerful people involved in these horrible activities, people who want to protect their identities and who will go to extreme lengths to do so. When the men in charge realize that Honoria has discovered the house in which the children are kept, one Mr. Withersby instructs Alex, Lord Devin, to spy on her and do whatever is needed to disrupt her business. Devin is told that Honoria is printing seditious pamphlets as a sideline to her business as a bookseller, and as Withersby is blackmailing him (he has incriminating photographs of Devin’s brother with another man) Alex has little choice but to make Honoria’s acquaintance and start snooping around.
Alex is immediately intrigued by Honoria, as is she by him, but he’s too young and too handsome for her and she is suspicious when he begins to pay her compliments and even mores o when he kisses her mere hours after meeting her.
So far, so good – in terms of the plot, at least. The author has seized upon two less common issues encountered in historical romantic fiction, so as I’ve said, the premise was promising.
But the book falls down badly in terms of the writing and tone. The author frequently uses anachronistic language (”Get over yourself”), incorrect terminology (Bach didn’t write any Cello concerti) and poor word choices.
For example, Honoria tells Alex:
”Of course, then we may maintain our acquaintance. You may visit me at the shop as you choose. But I have provisions.”
And then later she says:
“My grandfather held a baronet.”
There is a conversation between Honoria and her three friends who comprise the Needlework for the Needy society, in which one of them says that her “gut” feels unsettled about something. I really can’t imagine a proper Victorian lady using such a term.
There are also situations which stretch plausibility so much that, if it were a piece of elastic, it would never regain its original shape. Alex’s mother, the Dowager Viscountess, is presented as rather a free-thinker, although she is still accepted in society and invitations to her dinners and parties are highly sought after. I imagine the author is trying to account for the fact that Lady Devin invites a woman about whom she knows absolutely nothing to a dinner party which will be attended by (among others) Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning ,and Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and seems to have no concern whatsoever about Alex’s relationship with a woman fourteen years his senior. Not only does she invite this unknown tradeswoman to a prestigious event at her home, but within minutes of making her acquaintance, she offers to lend Honoria a dress suitable for dinner. She doesn’t make an outright offer, instead coming up with a ridiculous story of how she and her now deceased sister used to like playing “dress-up,” so she would deem it a kindness if Honoria were to borrow one of her sister’s dresses. True, she doesn’t say, “That dress you have on is horrible, for God’s sake go and find something else,” but Honoria falls for it anyway.
Then, while Honoria is dressing, her ladyship tells her all about her late husband, how much she loved him, how he met his death etc. All this to a woman she had never met until a few minutes before.
There are so many other implausibilities or things that stretched my credulity past breaking point that it would take too long to list them. Withersby’s incriminating photographs of Alex’s brother are worthless because Andrew is not gay and can provide the names of various courtesans who have obliged him in order to prove it. Alex is desperate to get into Honoria’s knickers – but when she eventually asks him to, he turns her down because he doesn’t want to take advantage. When he finally does get that far, he’s astonished to discover that she’s a virgin (turns out she was never actually married) – and then doesn’t finish what they’ve started.
The sex scenes are fairly tame, but I admit I had to suppress laughter on several occasions. There’s a difficult line to walk between “hot” and “funny” when it comes to writing sex, and sadly too often in this book we’re on the “funny” side of it.
There were also a lot of issues introduced that were never fully explored. Alex is bitter about the fact that his late father seemed to prefer his life as an explorer to being at home with his family; he’s afraid of horses; he’s an accomplished cellist but hasn’t played in years (and despite that is still able to perform some of Bach’s Cello Suites perfectly). I felt I was being bombarded with Alex’s issues as a way of making him a more interesting character, but I’m afraid it didn’t work.
And that brings me to the biggest of my many problems with the book. I had absolutely no idea what Alex and Honoria saw in each other, or, indeed, who they were as people. Alex insists that he loves Honoria for who she is – but neither of them ever felt real to me, and because of that, I was never drawn into the story or brought to care about what actually happened to them.
For me, that’s the greatest deficit I could find in any story. I read romance for the emotional connection between the protagonists and between the characters and the reader, and if that doesn’t happen, then I am unlikely to enjoy the book. But in addition to that, there were numerous failings in terms of the structure and writing – typographical and grammatical errors, as well as many instances of what I can only describe as poor writing. By that I mean that the sentence construction is either tortuous or too simplistic (most often the latter), word choice is awkward, and it just generally feels unpolished.
While it’s the author’s name on the cover, I’m not putting the entirety of the blame for that at her feet, however, because errors in spelling and grammar should be picked up by a good proofreader, and errors in terminology, word-choice, and sentence structure should, surely, be highlighted by the editor and options discussed with the writer. However, none of this was addressed in the editing process, and the result is that a promising plot turned into a dismal read.
As an aside, I remain stunned about the fact that the author teaches English and has a PhD in 19th century English Literature because if a teacher of English is unable to make correct word-choices then I don't hold out much hope for the rest of us.
I also included a couple more quotes in the review I submitted - but because I tend to go on a bit, sometimes, they need editing down! - which I included in order to illustrate how difficult it is to write successful love scenes. Here are two "crossed-the-line-from-hawt-to-hilarious" moments:
”Damn it, man. I said kiss me.”
Or
”I need you now,” he exclaimed against her lips. “Take me, damn it. Take me into you now!”
*snigger*
ETA - Before anyone reads this and accuses me of being a bitter, failed author, I am going to state categorically that I am no such thing. I proof-read and edit, and have no authorial ambitions.
November 2, 2025
Mrs. Honoria Duchamp is a widowed owner of a book shop in London. So why would Lord Devin have any interest in her.
Lord Devin has been assigned the task of ruining the widow Duchamp, he is being blackmailed with a scandal that will threaten his family. He has to stop Mrs. Duchamp from printing pamphlets about social disgraces she has uncovered. Apparently, one of Mrs. Duchamp’s pamphlets has hit close to home for some very powerful people making her a target with some very dangerous enemies.
As soon as Lord Devin meets Mrs. Duchamp, he is immediately drawn to her, like no other woman before her. He quickly realizes that he must find a way to clear Mrs. Duchamp of this scandal and still save his family’s reputation.
This book grew on me quickly. I found myself emotionally vested in Honoria’s quest as well as her heartache. Surprising revelations, unseen betrayals and character growth made this a fascinating and intriguing read. Amara Royce did a brilliant job, pulling us into this wonderful historical romance.
This ARC copy of Never Too Late was given to me by Kensington Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publications on May 2, 2013.
Lord Devin has been assigned the task of ruining the widow Duchamp, he is being blackmailed with a scandal that will threaten his family. He has to stop Mrs. Duchamp from printing pamphlets about social disgraces she has uncovered. Apparently, one of Mrs. Duchamp’s pamphlets has hit close to home for some very powerful people making her a target with some very dangerous enemies.
As soon as Lord Devin meets Mrs. Duchamp, he is immediately drawn to her, like no other woman before her. He quickly realizes that he must find a way to clear Mrs. Duchamp of this scandal and still save his family’s reputation.
This book grew on me quickly. I found myself emotionally vested in Honoria’s quest as well as her heartache. Surprising revelations, unseen betrayals and character growth made this a fascinating and intriguing read. Amara Royce did a brilliant job, pulling us into this wonderful historical romance.
This ARC copy of Never Too Late was given to me by Kensington Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publications on May 2, 2013.
August 5, 2013
This is one of those books where I'm not quite sure to begin with addressing my feelings towards it. The book starts out with an interesting enough premise, with the heroine being the older one in the relationship as opposed to the usual age gap with the older man pursuing the younger woman. But so much of this book was a disappointment to me that I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. There were times when I would read whole pages and my mind would blank so badly that I had no idea what I had just read. I rarely missed important plot points during this bit, but it was frustrating to have to go back and read it again.
This book is yet another that includes attempted rape as an excuse to save the heroine. I'm sick of seeing this in almost every novel I read anymore. It automatically makes the heroine indebted to the hero in a sexual manner and it just ruins the entire relationship for me because we no longer have a relationship of equals. If we must continue with this trend, why can't a good friend rescue the heroine, or someone who has absolutely no sexual interest in the heroine and never will?
Beyond that complaint, the sex scenes were as forgettable as the rest of the book, and the big secret that Honoria is carrying around is ridiculous. Because of societal standards, she fakes a marriage and subsequently fakes being a widow, all so she can survive under the terms of her benefactor's will. For some reason, this makes her believe that she is a terrible excuse for a human being who does not deserve something as simple as love. Say it with me ladies; doing what is necessary to survive does not make you a terrible person and is not cause for massive angst that ensued from a forty year old woman whose age I forgot most of the time because her maturity level fluctuated as plot dictated.
The book had the potential to get deep with the child prostitution ring Honoria was investigating and the fact that Lord Devin's brother may have participated in homosexual practices. His brother's strong assurances that he was perfectly straight almost made the book seem to scream "No homo!" while ignoring the fact that even the rumor of homosexuality at the time, whether or not it was practiced, would have amounted to a good deal of trouble for all involved. Not to mention the only other time homosexuality is mentioned in the book, it's in conjunction with pedophiles and child prostitution. As for the child prostitution scandal, well, it's quite nicely tied up at the end within five pages and without much conflict. It's almost as if something as damaging and serious as child prostitution was simply a plot device for the hero and heroine to meet.
The book does have it's merits. It does seriously explore the notion of a marriage between a lord and a woman who is older and likely can't bear him any heirs. But then she's pregnant by the end anyway, so any objections to the relationship on account of her age are moot by the end of the book. I can really only recommend it for someone looking for a quick romp in 1851 romances.
This book is yet another that includes attempted rape as an excuse to save the heroine. I'm sick of seeing this in almost every novel I read anymore. It automatically makes the heroine indebted to the hero in a sexual manner and it just ruins the entire relationship for me because we no longer have a relationship of equals. If we must continue with this trend, why can't a good friend rescue the heroine, or someone who has absolutely no sexual interest in the heroine and never will?
Beyond that complaint, the sex scenes were as forgettable as the rest of the book, and the big secret that Honoria is carrying around is ridiculous. Because of societal standards, she fakes a marriage and subsequently fakes being a widow, all so she can survive under the terms of her benefactor's will. For some reason, this makes her believe that she is a terrible excuse for a human being who does not deserve something as simple as love. Say it with me ladies; doing what is necessary to survive does not make you a terrible person and is not cause for massive angst that ensued from a forty year old woman whose age I forgot most of the time because her maturity level fluctuated as plot dictated.
The book had the potential to get deep with the child prostitution ring Honoria was investigating and the fact that Lord Devin's brother may have participated in homosexual practices. His brother's strong assurances that he was perfectly straight almost made the book seem to scream "No homo!" while ignoring the fact that even the rumor of homosexuality at the time, whether or not it was practiced, would have amounted to a good deal of trouble for all involved. Not to mention the only other time homosexuality is mentioned in the book, it's in conjunction with pedophiles and child prostitution. As for the child prostitution scandal, well, it's quite nicely tied up at the end within five pages and without much conflict. It's almost as if something as damaging and serious as child prostitution was simply a plot device for the hero and heroine to meet.
The book does have it's merits. It does seriously explore the notion of a marriage between a lord and a woman who is older and likely can't bear him any heirs. But then she's pregnant by the end anyway, so any objections to the relationship on account of her age are moot by the end of the book. I can really only recommend it for someone looking for a quick romp in 1851 romances.
April 19, 2013
My Rating: 3.5/5
A nice historical romance. Not my favorite, but definitely enjoyable.
I haven't read many historical romances where the heroine is significantly older than the hero, so this was a different experience. It actually got me wondering why most people, even today, don't even blink at an older man and younger woman, but get fussy over an older woman and a younger man. A strange double standard. It was realistic in its portrayal of how people might react.
Nora was a good heroine. My one issue with her is that she was much to self-deprecating. She was 40, which I would consider middle aged, but certainly no senior citizen. She acted as if she was an old crone. But, to everyone else, she was an older woman who had aged very well. And I didn't like how, when she found out that Devin had me asked to ruin her, she had a freak out. She knew that he only did it to save his brother, which seems to be a perfectly reasonable and justifiable explanation to me, but she threw a hissy fit about it. However, one I got past those two things, I did like her. She was a very strong woman who does whatever she needs to do to survive. And she was clever when times called on her to be. She turned out to be a lovely character.
Devin was much better for me. He knew early on that Nora was the one for him and he wasn't about to let something as trivial as age or gossip get in the way of them. It was so sweet how he was so determined to win Nora's heart. I have no complaints about him. He was spectacular.
Nora and Devin had a complicated relationship, since there were so many obstacles between them. But, they were sweet together and the sparks flying between them were very hot.
The plot was okay, though it dragged in a few places. But, for the most part, I was kept interested and the thrills in store had me hooked. The ending was utterly perfect, so sweet and happy.
Never Too Late was a lovely historical romance. I didn't love it, but I really enjoyed it. Romance lovers, you'll want to give this book a try.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for a copy!
A nice historical romance. Not my favorite, but definitely enjoyable.
I haven't read many historical romances where the heroine is significantly older than the hero, so this was a different experience. It actually got me wondering why most people, even today, don't even blink at an older man and younger woman, but get fussy over an older woman and a younger man. A strange double standard. It was realistic in its portrayal of how people might react.
Nora was a good heroine. My one issue with her is that she was much to self-deprecating. She was 40, which I would consider middle aged, but certainly no senior citizen. She acted as if she was an old crone. But, to everyone else, she was an older woman who had aged very well. And I didn't like how, when she found out that Devin had me asked to ruin her, she had a freak out. She knew that he only did it to save his brother, which seems to be a perfectly reasonable and justifiable explanation to me, but she threw a hissy fit about it. However, one I got past those two things, I did like her. She was a very strong woman who does whatever she needs to do to survive. And she was clever when times called on her to be. She turned out to be a lovely character.
Devin was much better for me. He knew early on that Nora was the one for him and he wasn't about to let something as trivial as age or gossip get in the way of them. It was so sweet how he was so determined to win Nora's heart. I have no complaints about him. He was spectacular.
Nora and Devin had a complicated relationship, since there were so many obstacles between them. But, they were sweet together and the sparks flying between them were very hot.
The plot was okay, though it dragged in a few places. But, for the most part, I was kept interested and the thrills in store had me hooked. The ending was utterly perfect, so sweet and happy.
Never Too Late was a lovely historical romance. I didn't love it, but I really enjoyed it. Romance lovers, you'll want to give this book a try.
*Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for a copy!
February 2, 2018
Boring and poorly written. While the plot could have been interesting, the writing did not flow well and the dialogue was stilted and often inane. The h's characterization was all over the place such that I could never get a grasp on her and didn't like her.
It was a struggle to get through this book and not worth the time.
It was a struggle to get through this book and not worth the time.
May 4, 2013
Expect the unexpected, especially in a room filled with books…
Honoria Duchamp is well aware that men often consider widows easy prey for the role of mistress. What else could explain the attentions of handsome Lord Devin, and his visits to her bookshop? The much younger Viscount has even shown interest in the printing press with which she creates pamphlets on London’s basest injustices. Yet his chief interest appears to be in her… Coerced to investigate Nora’s controversial pamphlets, Devin expected to find a bookish matron. Instead, he is taken with Nora’s womanly beauty, sharp intellect, and quick wit. Soon, what begins as an unwelcome task becomes a pleasure, and Devin’s job becomes more dangerous—for them both. For Nora has no idea of the vicious element she’s crossed. Now Devin will risk his reputation to protect her—and much more to win her love…
This lovely book had a twist that I don't think I've seen in an historical romance before. Honoria, Nora, is about 40 and Devin, the Viscount, is 25.
Even though she is attracted to him, she can see the pitfalls of such an association. She's a shopkeeper and he's a Viscount! When she calls him "dear boy" it made me laugh...and him cringe.
While this was a romance, there is a thread of darkness throughout. The injustices that Nora and her interesting group of knitting friends, are trying to bring light to through the various pamphlets that they create is pornography and abuse of women and children. There were some scary moments that may be a trigger for some. Definitely a layer of nitty gritty in this romance.
There were a couple of things that seemed off to me. The fact that "everyone" was out to get her. And the epiphany that maybe she did have friends seemed a bit like trying too hard to tie things up in a tidy bow. Also, we don't ever hear what happened to some of the characters (Minnie? Erich?). That pulled this down from a five to a four for me.
Even so, it was enjoyable. Nora was OLDER! Interesting for sure! And she owned a book store, ah, heaven!
I'm giving this a FOUR BOOKMARK.
A Romance with substance and an older heroine.
Yes, I'd read this one again!
*Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington, for the opportunity to read this book.
This review may also be found at:
Beyond the Squee: Book Reviews
www.beyondthesquee.com
Honoria Duchamp is well aware that men often consider widows easy prey for the role of mistress. What else could explain the attentions of handsome Lord Devin, and his visits to her bookshop? The much younger Viscount has even shown interest in the printing press with which she creates pamphlets on London’s basest injustices. Yet his chief interest appears to be in her… Coerced to investigate Nora’s controversial pamphlets, Devin expected to find a bookish matron. Instead, he is taken with Nora’s womanly beauty, sharp intellect, and quick wit. Soon, what begins as an unwelcome task becomes a pleasure, and Devin’s job becomes more dangerous—for them both. For Nora has no idea of the vicious element she’s crossed. Now Devin will risk his reputation to protect her—and much more to win her love…
This lovely book had a twist that I don't think I've seen in an historical romance before. Honoria, Nora, is about 40 and Devin, the Viscount, is 25.
Even though she is attracted to him, she can see the pitfalls of such an association. She's a shopkeeper and he's a Viscount! When she calls him "dear boy" it made me laugh...and him cringe.
While this was a romance, there is a thread of darkness throughout. The injustices that Nora and her interesting group of knitting friends, are trying to bring light to through the various pamphlets that they create is pornography and abuse of women and children. There were some scary moments that may be a trigger for some. Definitely a layer of nitty gritty in this romance.
There were a couple of things that seemed off to me. The fact that "everyone" was out to get her. And the epiphany that maybe she did have friends seemed a bit like trying too hard to tie things up in a tidy bow. Also, we don't ever hear what happened to some of the characters (Minnie? Erich?). That pulled this down from a five to a four for me.
Even so, it was enjoyable. Nora was OLDER! Interesting for sure! And she owned a book store, ah, heaven!
I'm giving this a FOUR BOOKMARK.
A Romance with substance and an older heroine.
Yes, I'd read this one again!
*Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington, for the opportunity to read this book.
This review may also be found at:
Beyond the Squee: Book Reviews
www.beyondthesquee.com
December 30, 2015
**I would like to thank Kensington Books for providing me with an arc of Never Too Late, via NetGalley**
Lord Devin has been given the job of investigating Honoria Duchamp and the controversial pamphlets she's been printing. Honoria is a widow and the owner of Evans Books, she has also has gotten the attention of those who would like to see these printings come to and end.
Upon being given the assignment, Honoria Duchamp was not at all what Lord Devin expected. She is not at all the bookish matron he envisioned, but a smart and beautiful woman. Now there is more then just her pamphlets he would like to investigate.
I found myself rather taken with both Honoria and Lord Devin. Honoria is a smart older heroine, independent and a lover of books. Lord Devin, slightly cocky used to getting what he wants.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Never Too Late although I do however have some issues. Things get mentioned but nothing comes of it, there is one scene that comes to mind,
But over all a great book, and I am looking forward to reading more things from Amara Royce.
**Never Too Late is expected to be published May 2, 2013**
Lord Devin has been given the job of investigating Honoria Duchamp and the controversial pamphlets she's been printing. Honoria is a widow and the owner of Evans Books, she has also has gotten the attention of those who would like to see these printings come to and end.
Upon being given the assignment, Honoria Duchamp was not at all what Lord Devin expected. She is not at all the bookish matron he envisioned, but a smart and beautiful woman. Now there is more then just her pamphlets he would like to investigate.
I found myself rather taken with both Honoria and Lord Devin. Honoria is a smart older heroine, independent and a lover of books. Lord Devin, slightly cocky used to getting what he wants.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Never Too Late although I do however have some issues. Things get mentioned but nothing comes of it, there is one scene that comes to mind,
But over all a great book, and I am looking forward to reading more things from Amara Royce.
**Never Too Late is expected to be published May 2, 2013**
May 7, 2013
A mature heroine who must work in trade (shock! horror!) to survive, gives this romance some interesting twists that many regencies lack. There is a serious and worthwhile sub-plot, but, of course, there is also romance and, better yet, a series of fascinating characters, some fictional and some real life. Loved the way that Royce wove famous literary and cultural figures of the time into her work.
July 19, 2013
Amara Royce has written a book that does exactly what I love books to do: turned everything about a genre upside down, with political commentary, steamy romance, bluestockings galore, strong female characters, strong female friendships, and, of course, a dashing and handsome young man who is every bit as noble as he is amazing in bed. If you know your Scheherazade from your Shakespeare, or have dreamed about making love in the rain, you should read this book.
September 4, 2020
Review to come. 4.5 🌟
May 17, 2020
This review is of “Never Too Late” by Amara Royce.
The setting is London, 1851, Evans Books. It is here that Honoria-hereafter known as Nora-Evans Duchamp, the heroine of the book and owner of the bookstore-she inherited it from her late father, Sir Samuel Evans-is serving customers. One of them is Lord Alexander Devin, the hero of the book. They become immediately attracted to each other. What Nora doesn’t know is that buying books wasn’t Alexander’s only reason for coming to her store.
Soon after their acquaintance is made, Nora’s bookstore is vandalized. Alexander invites Nora to stay with him and his mother, Rose. It is in Alex’s home that he and Nora become lovers and he learns a shocking secret. Afterwards, they share stories of each other’s lives.
Later, Alexander reveals the real reason he came to Nora’s bookstore. It is also revealed that the vandalism was partially an inside job. Powerful people wanted Nora silenced due to her printing services exposing various illicit and illegal activities. Some, though not all, of the perpetrators are brought to justice. Afterward, Alexander proposes to Nora. She initially refuses, due to differences in their ages-she’s 40, he’s 26-and their social standings. However, she relents and Nora and Alexander marry, are expecting their first child and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: Nora and Alexander are both strong, engaging characters. They show strength when they need to, and both show vulnerability when they need to. It is rare to see someone come from a nuclear family-as Alexander does-and be willing to acknowledge that all was not perfect with his family.
Downside: Even though it is a romance novel, I felt that Ms. Royce could have gone further with Nora’s work helping those that needed it.
Sex: The love scenes are very good, not erotica, but with a lot of emotion that makes them good.
Violence: Nora is threatened with violence and attempted rape. Her bookstore is vandalized. The violence is not graphic.
Bottom Line: A very good first book.
The setting is London, 1851, Evans Books. It is here that Honoria-hereafter known as Nora-Evans Duchamp, the heroine of the book and owner of the bookstore-she inherited it from her late father, Sir Samuel Evans-is serving customers. One of them is Lord Alexander Devin, the hero of the book. They become immediately attracted to each other. What Nora doesn’t know is that buying books wasn’t Alexander’s only reason for coming to her store.
Soon after their acquaintance is made, Nora’s bookstore is vandalized. Alexander invites Nora to stay with him and his mother, Rose. It is in Alex’s home that he and Nora become lovers and he learns a shocking secret. Afterwards, they share stories of each other’s lives.
Later, Alexander reveals the real reason he came to Nora’s bookstore. It is also revealed that the vandalism was partially an inside job. Powerful people wanted Nora silenced due to her printing services exposing various illicit and illegal activities. Some, though not all, of the perpetrators are brought to justice. Afterward, Alexander proposes to Nora. She initially refuses, due to differences in their ages-she’s 40, he’s 26-and their social standings. However, she relents and Nora and Alexander marry, are expecting their first child and have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: Nora and Alexander are both strong, engaging characters. They show strength when they need to, and both show vulnerability when they need to. It is rare to see someone come from a nuclear family-as Alexander does-and be willing to acknowledge that all was not perfect with his family.
Downside: Even though it is a romance novel, I felt that Ms. Royce could have gone further with Nora’s work helping those that needed it.
Sex: The love scenes are very good, not erotica, but with a lot of emotion that makes them good.
Violence: Nora is threatened with violence and attempted rape. Her bookstore is vandalized. The violence is not graphic.
Bottom Line: A very good first book.
August 15, 2014
Never Too Late is an appropriate title for this May-December romance of an older working woman and a younger lord. It is the debut novel for Amara Royce and shows great promise. Her writing style is clever and brings depth to the characters.
Widowed Honoria (Nora) Duchamp is suspicious, but intrigued by the attentions of Lord Devin. He is an attractive young viscount and she is an older bookstore owner and crusader for the mistreated. It makes no sense when he keeps appearing just at the time she most needs help, but his attraction for her seems sincere. What she doesn't know is that Devin has been bribed to investigate her political and social activities. He is faced with a dilemma when he is seriously draw to the subject of his investigation because he finds her to be an intelligent, compassionate and sensual woman. Nora has secrets of her own that prevent her from responding to Devin.
I found this book quite compelling. The large age difference between Nora and Devin, especially with her being fourteen years older, was bothersome through a great deal of the book. But I have to give much credit to Royce's writing – I was completely convinced of the viability of the relationship long before the end of the story. There were some small stumbles in the writing; this is Royce's first published book, after all, but she really drew me into the story and made me care about Nora and Devin. I genuinely enjoyed the book.
Widowed Honoria (Nora) Duchamp is suspicious, but intrigued by the attentions of Lord Devin. He is an attractive young viscount and she is an older bookstore owner and crusader for the mistreated. It makes no sense when he keeps appearing just at the time she most needs help, but his attraction for her seems sincere. What she doesn't know is that Devin has been bribed to investigate her political and social activities. He is faced with a dilemma when he is seriously draw to the subject of his investigation because he finds her to be an intelligent, compassionate and sensual woman. Nora has secrets of her own that prevent her from responding to Devin.
I found this book quite compelling. The large age difference between Nora and Devin, especially with her being fourteen years older, was bothersome through a great deal of the book. But I have to give much credit to Royce's writing – I was completely convinced of the viability of the relationship long before the end of the story. There were some small stumbles in the writing; this is Royce's first published book, after all, but she really drew me into the story and made me care about Nora and Devin. I genuinely enjoyed the book.
May 4, 2013
An unusual Victorian historical romance in as much as the hero Lord Alexander Devin is twenty six and the heroine, Honoria Duchamp is forty. Despite the fact that this was probably not likely to happen in 1851 it is a very readable romance with a mature beyond his years hero and fiesty heroine who investigate some unsavoury aspects of London's underworld together. But both are hiding secrets from each other despite their attraction and it is this as much as their unconventional relationship which may keep them apart.
3.5 - 4 stars.
3.5 - 4 stars.
Read
May 27, 2013DNF. I thought the relationship and emotions started too quickly. The hero was supposed to be spying on her from the beginning, but because of the instant attraction it hadn't gone anywhere by page 100, which is where I gave up. There was nothing at all bad about this story, but it just didn't work for me. The author has a lovely voice and I'll be checking out her future books.
July 11, 2018
This is a great read! NEVER TOO LATE is a rousing romance with a big heart for the social ills of Victorian England. Add a wonderful flip of the usual older hero/younger heroine and it moves into welcome new territory. You need to read this one!
April 25, 2013
This one was too slow for me. Characters were a little too dry. Their romance unfolded nicely but it was hard to get into. Review coming.
September 20, 2020
Age ain't nothing but a number
Nora is widowed and a bookstore owner! Alex Lord Devlin is a wealthy Viscount and several years younger than Nora! Alex reasons for pursuit of Nora are because of blackmail! Salon invites, public outings introduction to his mother all way beyond Alex normal behavior! Alex is an eligible bachelor and ladies single, widowed and otherwise would like to get his attention! Nora and Alex have several things in common other than secrets! Its an unlikely true romance?! When secrets are revealed plots exposed and enemies who were disguised as friends well all bets are off! Suddenly the most important thing is the love of a good man! Will Nora take a leap of faith? Read on....
Nora is widowed and a bookstore owner! Alex Lord Devlin is a wealthy Viscount and several years younger than Nora! Alex reasons for pursuit of Nora are because of blackmail! Salon invites, public outings introduction to his mother all way beyond Alex normal behavior! Alex is an eligible bachelor and ladies single, widowed and otherwise would like to get his attention! Nora and Alex have several things in common other than secrets! Its an unlikely true romance?! When secrets are revealed plots exposed and enemies who were disguised as friends well all bets are off! Suddenly the most important thing is the love of a good man! Will Nora take a leap of faith? Read on....
May 3, 2013
This review may also be found at:
Beyond the Squee: Book Reviews
www.beyondthesquee.com
Expect the unexpected, especially in a room filled with books…
Honoria Duchamp is well aware that men often consider widows easy prey for the role of mistress. What else could explain the attentions of handsome Lord Devin, and his visits to her bookshop? The much younger Viscount has even shown interest in the printing press with which she creates pamphlets on London’s basest injustices. Yet his chief interest appears to be in her… Coerced to investigate Nora’s controversial pamphlets, Devin expected to find a bookish matron. Instead, he is taken with Nora’s womanly beauty, sharp intellect, and quick wit. Soon, what begins as an unwelcome task becomes a pleasure, and Devin’s job becomes more dangerous—for them both. For Nora has no idea of the vicious element she’s crossed. Now Devin will risk his reputation to protect her—and much more to win her love…
This lovely book had a twist that I don't think I've seen in an historical romance before. Honoria, Nora, is about 40 and Devin, the Viscount, is 25.
Even though she is attracted to him, she can see the pitfalls of such an association. She's a shopkeeper and he's a Viscount! When she calls him "dear boy" it made me laugh...and him cringe.
While this was a romance, there is a thread of darkness throughout. The injustices that Nora and her interesting group of knitting friends, are trying to bring light to through the various pamphlets that they create is pornography and abuse of women and children. There were some scary moments that may be a trigger for some. Definitely a layer of nitty gritty in this romance.
There were a couple of things that seemed off to me. The fact that "everyone" was out to get her. And the epiphany that maybe she did have friends seemed a bit like trying too hard to tie things up in a tidy bow. Also, we don't ever hear what happened to some of the characters. That pulled this down from a five to a four for me.
Even so, it was enjoyable. Nora was OLDER! Interesting for sure!
I'm giving this a FOUR BOOKMARK.
A Romance with substance and an older heroine.
Yes, I'd read this one again!
*Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington, for the opportunity to read this book.
Beyond the Squee: Book Reviews
www.beyondthesquee.com
Expect the unexpected, especially in a room filled with books…
Honoria Duchamp is well aware that men often consider widows easy prey for the role of mistress. What else could explain the attentions of handsome Lord Devin, and his visits to her bookshop? The much younger Viscount has even shown interest in the printing press with which she creates pamphlets on London’s basest injustices. Yet his chief interest appears to be in her… Coerced to investigate Nora’s controversial pamphlets, Devin expected to find a bookish matron. Instead, he is taken with Nora’s womanly beauty, sharp intellect, and quick wit. Soon, what begins as an unwelcome task becomes a pleasure, and Devin’s job becomes more dangerous—for them both. For Nora has no idea of the vicious element she’s crossed. Now Devin will risk his reputation to protect her—and much more to win her love…
This lovely book had a twist that I don't think I've seen in an historical romance before. Honoria, Nora, is about 40 and Devin, the Viscount, is 25.
Even though she is attracted to him, she can see the pitfalls of such an association. She's a shopkeeper and he's a Viscount! When she calls him "dear boy" it made me laugh...and him cringe.
While this was a romance, there is a thread of darkness throughout. The injustices that Nora and her interesting group of knitting friends, are trying to bring light to through the various pamphlets that they create is pornography and abuse of women and children. There were some scary moments that may be a trigger for some. Definitely a layer of nitty gritty in this romance.
There were a couple of things that seemed off to me. The fact that "everyone" was out to get her. And the epiphany that maybe she did have friends seemed a bit like trying too hard to tie things up in a tidy bow. Also, we don't ever hear what happened to some of the characters. That pulled this down from a five to a four for me.
Even so, it was enjoyable. Nora was OLDER! Interesting for sure!
I'm giving this a FOUR BOOKMARK.
A Romance with substance and an older heroine.
Yes, I'd read this one again!
*Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington, for the opportunity to read this book.
July 29, 2013
Book source ~ Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for providing a review copy.
Honoria ‘Nora’ Duchamp runs her family’s bookstore and even though she has a Duke in her family tree she’ll never be seen as more than a widow of the merchant class and below the station of her patrons. When Lord Devin stops in to her store one day and then begins to flirt with her, she is taken aback. What could the young and handsome Devin want with her? And why is she suddenly daydreaming of things that could never happen?
Lord Alexander Devin is a Viscount and 14 years younger than Nora. When he is sent to investigate a widowed bookstore owner he expects a dried up old hag. Instead, he gets the intelligent and beautiful Nora and he’s intrigued. Unfortunately, he’s stuck in an impossible situation and must continue to lie to her as to his true intentions. Is there hope for this unusual pairing? What about the lies each are withholding from the other? They seem doomed from the beginning and yet there is hope.
This historical romance was a little different from the usual fair since the heroine is older than the hero by a considerable number of years. Well, what was thought to be considerable then and even to some people today. The age and station difference creates a lot of conflict, but it’s the reason behind Alex’s original visit that is the true problem. Alex, for the most part, is wise beyond his years, but in this one thing he doesn’t really use his head. But then again we’re talking the 1800s, where the man was the head of the household and he was supposed to take care of his family and not worry the females he was responsible for with unpleasant business.
Nora is too stuck on the fact she is older than Alex, but here again, we’re talking the 1800s where it was virtually unheard of for a wife to be older than her husband. A mistress, yes, but not a wife. A wife is expected to provide her husband with an heir and she’s too old for that even if she could buck tradition and marry Alex.
All-in-all a solid historical romance with great characters and an intriguing storyline.
Honoria ‘Nora’ Duchamp runs her family’s bookstore and even though she has a Duke in her family tree she’ll never be seen as more than a widow of the merchant class and below the station of her patrons. When Lord Devin stops in to her store one day and then begins to flirt with her, she is taken aback. What could the young and handsome Devin want with her? And why is she suddenly daydreaming of things that could never happen?
Lord Alexander Devin is a Viscount and 14 years younger than Nora. When he is sent to investigate a widowed bookstore owner he expects a dried up old hag. Instead, he gets the intelligent and beautiful Nora and he’s intrigued. Unfortunately, he’s stuck in an impossible situation and must continue to lie to her as to his true intentions. Is there hope for this unusual pairing? What about the lies each are withholding from the other? They seem doomed from the beginning and yet there is hope.
This historical romance was a little different from the usual fair since the heroine is older than the hero by a considerable number of years. Well, what was thought to be considerable then and even to some people today. The age and station difference creates a lot of conflict, but it’s the reason behind Alex’s original visit that is the true problem. Alex, for the most part, is wise beyond his years, but in this one thing he doesn’t really use his head. But then again we’re talking the 1800s, where the man was the head of the household and he was supposed to take care of his family and not worry the females he was responsible for with unpleasant business.
Nora is too stuck on the fact she is older than Alex, but here again, we’re talking the 1800s where it was virtually unheard of for a wife to be older than her husband. A mistress, yes, but not a wife. A wife is expected to provide her husband with an heir and she’s too old for that even if she could buck tradition and marry Alex.
All-in-all a solid historical romance with great characters and an intriguing storyline.
April 13, 2013
The story had good premise, unfortunately is really dragged too much, in the end if it were not that she worked in a bookstore I would also put a star less. Too bad because you do not often read a book in which the difference in age is underscored and it is the woman to be older.
La storia aveva delle buone premesse, peccato che si é trascinata veramente troppo, alla fine se non fosse che lei lavorava in una libreria le avrei anche messo una stellina in meno. Peccato perché non capita spesso di leggere un buon libro in cui la differenza di etá viene sottolienata ed é la donna ad essere piú grande.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND KENSINGTON BOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW!
La storia aveva delle buone premesse, peccato che si é trascinata veramente troppo, alla fine se non fosse che lei lavorava in una libreria le avrei anche messo una stellina in meno. Peccato perché non capita spesso di leggere un buon libro in cui la differenza di etá viene sottolienata ed é la donna ad essere piú grande.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND KENSINGTON BOOKS FOR THE PREVIEW!
May 17, 2013
I really enjoyed this story; it is a historical romance with an interesting twist on the typical and an excellent plot outside of just the romance as well. The author does an excellent job of giving you a back story of the main characters but not giving so much away in the beginning that you learn more about each character as they learn about each other. I was really impressed about how everything came together, nothing was forced and the story flowed beautifully. I will be looking for more of her books in the very near future.
May 27, 2013
Grade: B-
While I had issues with the rather melodramatic plot and the heroine’s Deep Dark Secret, I loved Royce’s voice and storytelling. The hero and heroine were equally compelling, the relationship-building was spot-on, and the sexy times were hot. I'm looking forward to more from this debut author.
“I will never be done with you,” he said, low and fierce.
While I had issues with the rather melodramatic plot and the heroine’s Deep Dark Secret, I loved Royce’s voice and storytelling. The hero and heroine were equally compelling, the relationship-building was spot-on, and the sexy times were hot. I'm looking forward to more from this debut author.
January 10, 2015
This is one of those books I should have loved -- a bookstore keeping heroine who's been fending for herself her whole life, positive secondary female characters, Victorian era -- but it just never delivered. The chemistry between the main characters was unconvincing, the plot jumped all over the place, and the whole just seemed like it was duct-taped together. Still, I might give Royce another try, because I really did like the setup.
June 12, 2013
Loved it! A fantastic debut from a talented author. Honoria is a lovely heroine, and she has great chemistry with Alex. I particularly enjoyed the way the story put a slight twist on traditional romance tropes. A very enjoyable book!
April 11, 2013
Review pending
May 2, 2013
Please read our full review at www.moonlightreads.com.
May 28, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It is not something I would normally choose to read, however, thanks to Mike Fierro I. gave it a try. loved the characters!
June 4, 2013
A great story I devoured in no time. Enjoyed how different it was in certain aspects (older/spinster widow heroine - younger dashing rake hero).
Loved it, detailed review to be posted soon.
Loved it, detailed review to be posted soon.
July 5, 2013
I loved this story about an older woman/younger man. I want to see more of this kind of historical romance. For my full review: http://bit.ly/12Lg0mY
tbr-later
November 5, 201515 April 2014: $0.00 FREE on Kindle
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