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How to #1-3
The How To Series Boxed Set
From award-winning author Mia Marlowe, three full-length historical romances with sexy alpha heroes and the independent women who figure out “how to” bring them to heel. How to Distract a Duchess, How to Please a Pirate and How to Vex a Viscount in one glorious romp of a book set!
Book 1—How to Distract a Duchess
The widowed Duchess of Southwycke doesn't give two figs for the ton’s opinions on propriety. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, so Artemisia is painting the entire Roman pantheon in glorious nudes. The man who arrived to pose for her is far too muscular and virile to fit her vision of a cherubic Cupid, so she’ll simply turn him into Mars.
Trevelyn Deveridge never expected to pose naked to serve Queen and country, but the trail of the elusive Mr. Beddington leads right to the door of the duchess. Unless Trev retrieves Beddington’s key, a whole string of operatives in India are in danger of discovery. Since he’s convinced that Her Grace can point him in the right direction, he's left with little choice but to play along with her artistic endeavors.
Besides, when a lady asks a gentleman to disrobe, how can he refuse?
Book 2—How to Please a Pirate
When Captain Gabriel Drake earns a royal pardon and comes home to Cornwall, he finds himself elevated to lord of the manor with the added complication of being responsible for his five orphaned nieces.
He's also obliged to wed, bed and breed an heir on a well-born lady as soon as possible to secure the barony or it will be devolved to the Crown. And the fact that he only wants Jacquelyn Wren, the bastard daughter of a courtesan who couldn't possibly satisfy the King's requirements to become his baroness, means he'll have her any way he can.
To protect the orphans in her charge, Jacquelyn has to see the new baron suitably wed to a lady of quality. A few lessons in courting should do the trick nicely. But she forgot one thing.
What a pirate wants, a pirate takes…
Book 3—How to Vex a Viscount
Daisy Drake needs Lucian Beaumont. Tired of being "on the shelf," she craves adventure and Lucian holds all the clues to a long-buried Roman treasure. Too bad the devilishly handsome viscount doesn't want her help.
Until she masquerades as a French courtesan who offers to teach him all she knows of the pleasures of the love couch. Of course, Daisy only knows what she learned from the memoirs of a real courtesan, but she's always been a fast learner.
As children they sparred with wooden swords, and Lucian has the scar to prove it. Now that they're all grown up, the true battle is only beginning...
Book 1—How to Distract a Duchess
The widowed Duchess of Southwycke doesn't give two figs for the ton’s opinions on propriety. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, so Artemisia is painting the entire Roman pantheon in glorious nudes. The man who arrived to pose for her is far too muscular and virile to fit her vision of a cherubic Cupid, so she’ll simply turn him into Mars.
Trevelyn Deveridge never expected to pose naked to serve Queen and country, but the trail of the elusive Mr. Beddington leads right to the door of the duchess. Unless Trev retrieves Beddington’s key, a whole string of operatives in India are in danger of discovery. Since he’s convinced that Her Grace can point him in the right direction, he's left with little choice but to play along with her artistic endeavors.
Besides, when a lady asks a gentleman to disrobe, how can he refuse?
Book 2—How to Please a Pirate
When Captain Gabriel Drake earns a royal pardon and comes home to Cornwall, he finds himself elevated to lord of the manor with the added complication of being responsible for his five orphaned nieces.
He's also obliged to wed, bed and breed an heir on a well-born lady as soon as possible to secure the barony or it will be devolved to the Crown. And the fact that he only wants Jacquelyn Wren, the bastard daughter of a courtesan who couldn't possibly satisfy the King's requirements to become his baroness, means he'll have her any way he can.
To protect the orphans in her charge, Jacquelyn has to see the new baron suitably wed to a lady of quality. A few lessons in courting should do the trick nicely. But she forgot one thing.
What a pirate wants, a pirate takes…
Book 3—How to Vex a Viscount
Daisy Drake needs Lucian Beaumont. Tired of being "on the shelf," she craves adventure and Lucian holds all the clues to a long-buried Roman treasure. Too bad the devilishly handsome viscount doesn't want her help.
Until she masquerades as a French courtesan who offers to teach him all she knows of the pleasures of the love couch. Of course, Daisy only knows what she learned from the memoirs of a real courtesan, but she's always been a fast learner.
As children they sparred with wooden swords, and Lucian has the scar to prove it. Now that they're all grown up, the true battle is only beginning...
812 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2013
19 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Mia Marlowe
34 books387 followersMia's work has been featured in PEOPLE magazine's Best of 2010 edition. One of her books is on display at the Museum of London Docklands next to Johnny Depp memorabilia. Her books have been tapped for numerous awards including RomCon's Reader's Crown, RT Reviewers Choice and Publishers' Weekly named her
Touch of a Rogue
one of their 10 Best Romances!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 7, 2013
I've only read the first installment so far: How To Distract a Duchess. The story is pretty good and tight. The writing is decent, better than most, despite a few quibbles (mainly wrong use of words). Many times, I got the feeling that this story was dictated and someone else typed it, which would explain how some words that sound similar but are nonsense otherwise appear in the sentence. The characters are likeable and oft-times, I understood their reasoning. The story does require some significant suspension off disbelief but the action and writing make that quite easy to achieve.
The biggest quibble, which may be too much for other readers, is the dialogue, primarily the Russian ambassador's and Cuthbert, the butler. The former's dialogue was re-arranged in such a bizarre way, no doubt to make him sound very foreign, he just came off sounding like Yoda. I'm not kidding. His dialogue is exactly Yoda-like. I managed to slough through, but others may end up laughing too much and will not be able to continue. Secondly, the butler. The use of "one" is proper and correct, however, its usage in the butler's dialogue was not. I mentally edited his dialogue as I read, worth it for me because I enjoyed the book. However, for other readers who may be sticklers for accuracy, these quibbles may prove an overwhelming obstacle.
FINAL GRADE: B-/C+
Tl;dr: Approach this book as you would a period action blockbuster with lots of romance (think The Three Musketeers with Kiefer Sutherland) and you will enjoy it.
The biggest quibble, which may be too much for other readers, is the dialogue, primarily the Russian ambassador's and Cuthbert, the butler. The former's dialogue was re-arranged in such a bizarre way, no doubt to make him sound very foreign, he just came off sounding like Yoda. I'm not kidding. His dialogue is exactly Yoda-like. I managed to slough through, but others may end up laughing too much and will not be able to continue. Secondly, the butler. The use of "one" is proper and correct, however, its usage in the butler's dialogue was not. I mentally edited his dialogue as I read, worth it for me because I enjoyed the book. However, for other readers who may be sticklers for accuracy, these quibbles may prove an overwhelming obstacle.
FINAL GRADE: B-/C+
Tl;dr: Approach this book as you would a period action blockbuster with lots of romance (think The Three Musketeers with Kiefer Sutherland) and you will enjoy it.
October 5, 2018
I would give this a weak 4 stars.
While each book was entertaining the first two seemed a little tedious and drawn out. The final book, How to Vex a Viscount, was the best of the 3. Although to completely enjoy it you should read book 1 first. This final book moved at a better pace and kept the story advancing not just maintaining. I did find Daisy very vexing at times so the name suits.
While each book was entertaining the first two seemed a little tedious and drawn out. The final book, How to Vex a Viscount, was the best of the 3. Although to completely enjoy it you should read book 1 first. This final book moved at a better pace and kept the story advancing not just maintaining. I did find Daisy very vexing at times so the name suits.
March 15, 2022
Just not for me Mar 2022
I tried to read this just about managed the first story although I skipped numerous pages only got chapter 5 on the second and had to give up don't like the style of writing particularly as it is so smutty
I tried to read this just about managed the first story although I skipped numerous pages only got chapter 5 on the second and had to give up don't like the style of writing particularly as it is so smutty
November 1, 2017
The How To Series-3 Book Boxed Set
All three of these books had good storylines and characters, and were easy to read . I would definitely recommend them.
All three of these books had good storylines and characters, and were easy to read . I would definitely recommend them.
August 30, 2014
I don't give out five stars too often but this set of books was so much fun to read. I've definitely found a new favorite author. All three are terrific in their own right but share several things. Fun, appealing main characters, lots of sexual tension that had me laughing quite a bit of the time, suspense and romance. Good supporting characters in all three of the books, well done historical aspects and I could go on.
A note for each book: the duchess book didn't have a lot of substance but was really enjoyable to read. The pirate book was probably my favorite. Who couldn't love Uncle Gabriel or Meri? The nieces were extremely funny and added so much to the story. It had a predictable ending, as do most books of this genre. The last book about the viscount had a grown up Daisy, one of the nieces from the pirate book. You don't have to read one to understand the other. The author did an awesome job of explaining things from the pirate book without repeating herself.
I did a bit of research on the author after reading this set. It's part of Rock* It Reads which according to her website "..is made up of New York-published authors who are also self-publishing romances. They've made a commitment to put out only high-quality self-published works. The RiR logo is meant to be a ‘seal of quality,’ because they care as much about writing great stories as you do about reading them."
A note for each book: the duchess book didn't have a lot of substance but was really enjoyable to read. The pirate book was probably my favorite. Who couldn't love Uncle Gabriel or Meri? The nieces were extremely funny and added so much to the story. It had a predictable ending, as do most books of this genre. The last book about the viscount had a grown up Daisy, one of the nieces from the pirate book. You don't have to read one to understand the other. The author did an awesome job of explaining things from the pirate book without repeating herself.
I did a bit of research on the author after reading this set. It's part of Rock* It Reads which according to her website "..is made up of New York-published authors who are also self-publishing romances. They've made a commitment to put out only high-quality self-published works. The RiR logo is meant to be a ‘seal of quality,’ because they care as much about writing great stories as you do about reading them."
April 2, 2014
Absolutely breathtaking!
The rating I gave lives up to the 5 stars! I found the three books to be erotic and exceptionally written. I couldn't stop at the first one and read all three in the span of a few days! I couldn't put it down. Brava for Mia Marlowe!
The rating I gave lives up to the 5 stars! I found the three books to be erotic and exceptionally written. I couldn't stop at the first one and read all three in the span of a few days! I couldn't put it down. Brava for Mia Marlowe!
January 30, 2015
Three excellent reads and a fabulous price!! Well-written and very engaging!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews