What do you think?
Rate this book
Heiress Games #1
Duke of Thorns
A devil who won't be denied...
Too powerful to care for such petty things as morals, the Duke of Thorington lives as he pleases. And it pleases him to be known as a cruel, heartless blackguard—one no sane woman would dare to marry. But when his fortunes unexpectedly crumble, he must find a way to save his family from ruin. To succeed, Thorington needs an heiress. There's only one problem...
A lady who can't be contained...
Bold, daring Callista Briarley has survived riots, plagues, and revolutions while building her own privateering enterprise, but the sharks of English society are an entirely new challenge. It will all be worth it if she wins Maidenstone Abbey—a house her ancestors spent centuries killing each other for. To succeed, Callie needs a powerful ally. There's only one problem...
Two hearts destined to ignite...
During the most infamous house party of the summer, Callie and Thorington have one chance to secure both their futures. But Callie's need for freedom is directly at odds with Thorington's brand of control. When her past puts them both in danger, will their unexpected love be enough to conquer all?
--
Series: Heiress Games #1
Previous books by Sara Ramsey:
Heiress Without A Cause (Muses of Mayfair #1)
Scotsmen Prefer Blondes (Mayfair #2)
The Marquess Who Loved Me (Mayfair #3)
The Earl Who Played With Fire (Mayfair #4)
Genre: Regency Historical
Setting: England, 1813
Length: 88,000 words (full-length novel)
Sensuality: Hot
Too powerful to care for such petty things as morals, the Duke of Thorington lives as he pleases. And it pleases him to be known as a cruel, heartless blackguard—one no sane woman would dare to marry. But when his fortunes unexpectedly crumble, he must find a way to save his family from ruin. To succeed, Thorington needs an heiress. There's only one problem...
A lady who can't be contained...
Bold, daring Callista Briarley has survived riots, plagues, and revolutions while building her own privateering enterprise, but the sharks of English society are an entirely new challenge. It will all be worth it if she wins Maidenstone Abbey—a house her ancestors spent centuries killing each other for. To succeed, Callie needs a powerful ally. There's only one problem...
Two hearts destined to ignite...
During the most infamous house party of the summer, Callie and Thorington have one chance to secure both their futures. But Callie's need for freedom is directly at odds with Thorington's brand of control. When her past puts them both in danger, will their unexpected love be enough to conquer all?
--
Series: Heiress Games #1
Previous books by Sara Ramsey:
Heiress Without A Cause (Muses of Mayfair #1)
Scotsmen Prefer Blondes (Mayfair #2)
The Marquess Who Loved Me (Mayfair #3)
The Earl Who Played With Fire (Mayfair #4)
Genre: Regency Historical
Setting: England, 1813
Length: 88,000 words (full-length novel)
Sensuality: Hot
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2014
118 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Sara Ramsey
9 books289 followersSara Ramsey writes fun, feisty Regency historical romances. She won the prestigious 2009 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® award with her second book, Scotsmen Prefer Blondes. Her first book, Heiress Without A Cause, was a 2011 Golden Heart finalist.
Hopelessly uncool as a child, Sara has overcompensated by becoming obsessed with fashion, shoes, and #regencyworldproblems. She has great taste in Champagne, bad taste in movies, and a penchant for tiaras. She also believes in taking naps, wearing sunglasses at night, and using Oxford commas. Sara currently lives in San Francisco, California, where she can be found drinking overly-artistic lattes and working on her next Regency historical romance.
Hopelessly uncool as a child, Sara has overcompensated by becoming obsessed with fashion, shoes, and #regencyworldproblems. She has great taste in Champagne, bad taste in movies, and a penchant for tiaras. She also believes in taking naps, wearing sunglasses at night, and using Oxford commas. Sara currently lives in San Francisco, California, where she can be found drinking overly-artistic lattes and working on her next Regency historical romance.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
September 7, 2016
I've given this a B at AAR.
Duke of Thorns is the first in a new series from Sara Ramsey, and it is linked to her earlier Muses of Mayfair books by virtue of the fact that the hero, the Duke of Thorington, was the villain in The Earl Who Played With Fire, the final book in that set.
Gavin Emmerson-Fairhurst is a man who takes his family responsibilities very seriously. Known throughout society for being cold and ruthless, he is even strict and forbidding with the siblings he loves very much, insisting his every command is obeyed to the letter and arranging their lives down to the last detail. Of course, he does this precisely because he loves them – but naturally, they don’t always take his interference well, and he doesn’t recognise their need to strike out on their own. At the beginning of the story, Thorington has gathered his family together to impart bad news. Due to a variety of circumstances – none of them good, and all of them frankly, quite preposterous (which is the only real issue I had with the story) – the family fortune is all but gone and they are facing financial ruin. He tells each of them that they need to get married within a month, before the situation reaches rock-bottom and the news leaks out that they’re broke.
He plans to marry his youngest brother, Anthony, to one of the Briarley heiresses, three cousins who stand to inherit a grand property – Maidenstone Abbey - and a substantial fortune. For some strange reason to do with their grandfather’s will, the ladies are being forced to compete for it by making a the most suitable marriage. In order to further his scheme, Thorington has inveigled them all an invitation to the house-party being held at Maidenstone – but Andrew, for almost the first time, is not in the mood to be dictated to and makes it clear he’s not prepared to carry out with his brother’s orders.
Although English, Callista Briarley has lived in America for most of her life. She’s spirited and independent, and owns and runs a successful shipping company which has been granted a Privateer’s license by the American government. At the beginning of the book, Callie is travelling to England from Baltimore, fearing that perhaps an Englishwoman will not be welcome there any longer given the current state of war between England and America. On the way, her ship ends up in the middle of an action which sees the capture of a number of English ships and their valuable cargo.
Her journey is beset by detours and delays and takes twice as long as it should have done, so she arrives at Maidenstone just in time to be present at the start of the house-party. Annoyed at being ignored on her arrival, Callie “borrows” her cousin Lucretia’s horse, in order to pay a visit to the Maidenstone itself, and is surprised when her solitude is broken by the presence of a handsome, but harsh and arrogant man whose flirtatious but superior attitude immediately rubs her up the wrong way.
Returning to the Abbey, Callie is followed almost immediately by the Duke of Thorington and his entourage – and inevitably, this is the same man she met not an hour before.
All Callie wants is a biddable husband who will leave her alone to pursue her business interests and run her shipping company – and she wants Maidenstone as well, which surprises her, as she has no real attachment to the place. But she suddenly realises that she does want somewhere to call home. So she agrees to Thorington’s terms – her fortune in exchange for her freedom.
But while Thorington is immediately taken with Callie’s exuberance and admires her gumption, Anthony is appalled by her lack of sophistication and her forthrightness. The duke insists that once his brother gets to know Callie, he’ll change his mind, but Anthony flat out refuses to marry her, even after Gavin has brokered the deal. He’s so set on getting Anthony comfortably settled, that he can’t see that Anthony is never going to agree – and thinks that if he can make Callie fit for the drawing rooms of the haute ton, his brother will change his mind. So he becomes Callie’s “governess”, tutoring her in behaviour and deportment – which naturally gives them many opportunities to get to know each other better.
Duke of Thorns is, of course a variation on the theme of “stuffy aristocrat is unbent by quirky female” trope, but it’s elevated above the mundane by the quality of the writing, the characterisation of the two leads and the direction the plot takes in the later stages of the story. Callie very quickly detects that beneath Thorington’s stern exterior lurks another man – Gavin – kind, funny, honourable and more importantly, loveable, a man so busily engaged in trying to do the right thing for his siblings and making sure they have comfortable lives that he has lost sight of the fact that he’s just as deserving of a loving relationship and a good life as they are.
I’m not usually a fan of “unconventional” heroines, as I find that sometimes I’m too often hit over the head about it, but Callie proved to be an exception. She’s feisty without being annoyingly so, she’s got a lot of spirit, and she’s clever, tough, and very engaging. There is some very sharp, witty dialogue between them as she crosses swords with Thorington at every opportunity, refusing to call him “your grace” or curtsey, all of which only serves to further the interest the starchy peer is trying hard to ignore. All in all, Callie proves herself to be an admirable prospective bride…just not for Anthony.
Thorington is smitten with Callie from the start, but isn’t prepared to deviate from his plan, no matter how strong the attraction between them. And it’s very strong; the couple has great chemistry and their scenes together simmer with an underlying sexual tension that is very well developed. It’s true that there were times I wanted to hit him for his high-handedness, but his intentions are always good – to protect those he loves – which makes it difficult to dislike him for very long.
I mentioned at the outset that the circumstances surrounding Thorington’s sudden impoverishment are the one aspect of the book that bothered me. Without going into too much detail, the duke has supposedly been under a curse which has, in fact, been responsible for his amassing vast wealth, and now it’s been broken (I haven’t read The Earl Who Played with Fire, so I’m not sure how or why), his run of luck has broken also.
I realise that Thorington needs to be facing financial ruin in order for the rest of the plot to work, but attributing this to bad luck – and the back luck caused by a curse, no less – is flimsy at best. I had to knock off part of a grade for that because it’s so silly: Come on Ms. Ramsey – you’ve done a great job with the rest of the book, so surely you could have come up with something better!
That said, however, if you can get past the daft premise, then Duke of Thorns is a really enjoyable book, and I will be looking out for the next in the series.
Duke of Thorns is the first in a new series from Sara Ramsey, and it is linked to her earlier Muses of Mayfair books by virtue of the fact that the hero, the Duke of Thorington, was the villain in The Earl Who Played With Fire, the final book in that set.
Gavin Emmerson-Fairhurst is a man who takes his family responsibilities very seriously. Known throughout society for being cold and ruthless, he is even strict and forbidding with the siblings he loves very much, insisting his every command is obeyed to the letter and arranging their lives down to the last detail. Of course, he does this precisely because he loves them – but naturally, they don’t always take his interference well, and he doesn’t recognise their need to strike out on their own. At the beginning of the story, Thorington has gathered his family together to impart bad news. Due to a variety of circumstances – none of them good, and all of them frankly, quite preposterous (which is the only real issue I had with the story) – the family fortune is all but gone and they are facing financial ruin. He tells each of them that they need to get married within a month, before the situation reaches rock-bottom and the news leaks out that they’re broke.
He plans to marry his youngest brother, Anthony, to one of the Briarley heiresses, three cousins who stand to inherit a grand property – Maidenstone Abbey - and a substantial fortune. For some strange reason to do with their grandfather’s will, the ladies are being forced to compete for it by making a the most suitable marriage. In order to further his scheme, Thorington has inveigled them all an invitation to the house-party being held at Maidenstone – but Andrew, for almost the first time, is not in the mood to be dictated to and makes it clear he’s not prepared to carry out with his brother’s orders.
Although English, Callista Briarley has lived in America for most of her life. She’s spirited and independent, and owns and runs a successful shipping company which has been granted a Privateer’s license by the American government. At the beginning of the book, Callie is travelling to England from Baltimore, fearing that perhaps an Englishwoman will not be welcome there any longer given the current state of war between England and America. On the way, her ship ends up in the middle of an action which sees the capture of a number of English ships and their valuable cargo.
Her journey is beset by detours and delays and takes twice as long as it should have done, so she arrives at Maidenstone just in time to be present at the start of the house-party. Annoyed at being ignored on her arrival, Callie “borrows” her cousin Lucretia’s horse, in order to pay a visit to the Maidenstone itself, and is surprised when her solitude is broken by the presence of a handsome, but harsh and arrogant man whose flirtatious but superior attitude immediately rubs her up the wrong way.
Returning to the Abbey, Callie is followed almost immediately by the Duke of Thorington and his entourage – and inevitably, this is the same man she met not an hour before.
All Callie wants is a biddable husband who will leave her alone to pursue her business interests and run her shipping company – and she wants Maidenstone as well, which surprises her, as she has no real attachment to the place. But she suddenly realises that she does want somewhere to call home. So she agrees to Thorington’s terms – her fortune in exchange for her freedom.
But while Thorington is immediately taken with Callie’s exuberance and admires her gumption, Anthony is appalled by her lack of sophistication and her forthrightness. The duke insists that once his brother gets to know Callie, he’ll change his mind, but Anthony flat out refuses to marry her, even after Gavin has brokered the deal. He’s so set on getting Anthony comfortably settled, that he can’t see that Anthony is never going to agree – and thinks that if he can make Callie fit for the drawing rooms of the haute ton, his brother will change his mind. So he becomes Callie’s “governess”, tutoring her in behaviour and deportment – which naturally gives them many opportunities to get to know each other better.
Duke of Thorns is, of course a variation on the theme of “stuffy aristocrat is unbent by quirky female” trope, but it’s elevated above the mundane by the quality of the writing, the characterisation of the two leads and the direction the plot takes in the later stages of the story. Callie very quickly detects that beneath Thorington’s stern exterior lurks another man – Gavin – kind, funny, honourable and more importantly, loveable, a man so busily engaged in trying to do the right thing for his siblings and making sure they have comfortable lives that he has lost sight of the fact that he’s just as deserving of a loving relationship and a good life as they are.
I’m not usually a fan of “unconventional” heroines, as I find that sometimes I’m too often hit over the head about it, but Callie proved to be an exception. She’s feisty without being annoyingly so, she’s got a lot of spirit, and she’s clever, tough, and very engaging. There is some very sharp, witty dialogue between them as she crosses swords with Thorington at every opportunity, refusing to call him “your grace” or curtsey, all of which only serves to further the interest the starchy peer is trying hard to ignore. All in all, Callie proves herself to be an admirable prospective bride…just not for Anthony.
Thorington is smitten with Callie from the start, but isn’t prepared to deviate from his plan, no matter how strong the attraction between them. And it’s very strong; the couple has great chemistry and their scenes together simmer with an underlying sexual tension that is very well developed. It’s true that there were times I wanted to hit him for his high-handedness, but his intentions are always good – to protect those he loves – which makes it difficult to dislike him for very long.
I mentioned at the outset that the circumstances surrounding Thorington’s sudden impoverishment are the one aspect of the book that bothered me. Without going into too much detail, the duke has supposedly been under a curse which has, in fact, been responsible for his amassing vast wealth, and now it’s been broken (I haven’t read The Earl Who Played with Fire, so I’m not sure how or why), his run of luck has broken also.
I realise that Thorington needs to be facing financial ruin in order for the rest of the plot to work, but attributing this to bad luck – and the back luck caused by a curse, no less – is flimsy at best. I had to knock off part of a grade for that because it’s so silly: Come on Ms. Ramsey – you’ve done a great job with the rest of the book, so surely you could have come up with something better!
That said, however, if you can get past the daft premise, then Duke of Thorns is a really enjoyable book, and I will be looking out for the next in the series.
August 28, 2019
This was a lovely surprise for me. Sometimes it's great going into a book with no expectations!
Well-written, with layered characters who had hidden depths. While purists might argue that it was not consistently Regency in language and behaviour (you can get pregnant if you have sex, which just didn't rate a mention in this story!) that didn't stop me from enjoying the story itself.
Our heroine, Callie, is great: intelligent, resourceful and unconventional. Not surprising, given her upbringing as the daughter of a British peer who made America his home and trained her in all things shipping and privateering.
Thorington is the hero, a man who has made protecting and saving his family his sole purpose in life. I was a bit confused about a curse he was under, which I think follows on from a previous series by this author, but it was still stand-alone enough for me to get the gist. He was just the right amount of alpha for me- strong, but altruistic in his motivation. I grew to like and admire him.
I will definitely be reading more by this author- the next one in this series is already waiting for me!
Well-written, with layered characters who had hidden depths. While purists might argue that it was not consistently Regency in language and behaviour (you can get pregnant if you have sex, which just didn't rate a mention in this story!) that didn't stop me from enjoying the story itself.
Our heroine, Callie, is great: intelligent, resourceful and unconventional. Not surprising, given her upbringing as the daughter of a British peer who made America his home and trained her in all things shipping and privateering.
Thorington is the hero, a man who has made protecting and saving his family his sole purpose in life. I was a bit confused about a curse he was under, which I think follows on from a previous series by this author, but it was still stand-alone enough for me to get the gist. He was just the right amount of alpha for me- strong, but altruistic in his motivation. I grew to like and admire him.
I will definitely be reading more by this author- the next one in this series is already waiting for me!
August 21, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, provided by the publisher through netgalley. So many historical romances attempt with an arrogant aristo/willful heiress story, and end up failing, either because the hero doesn't set himself apart from The Rest, or the heroine isn't really independent or distinctive enough. In short, either the hero or heroine fails to live up to their billing, or their personalities change over the story.
Well, this is NOT the case with this one!
I loved the bored sarcasm of the hero and the bored frustrations of the heroine. The dialogue really was laugh-out-loud material and, no, none of the characters changed beyond the boundaries of normal human behavior limits, although they do acknowledge realizations about themselves.
So, this is a VERY well-written, amusing and lively story, with well-matched, sparkly protagonists.
I can't wait for the next in the series, quite frankly.
4 stars. I really like it.
Well, this is NOT the case with this one!
I loved the bored sarcasm of the hero and the bored frustrations of the heroine. The dialogue really was laugh-out-loud material and, no, none of the characters changed beyond the boundaries of normal human behavior limits, although they do acknowledge realizations about themselves.
So, this is a VERY well-written, amusing and lively story, with well-matched, sparkly protagonists.
I can't wait for the next in the series, quite frankly.
4 stars. I really like it.
February 4, 2021
At first, I thought it was a good plot but I found out it's lame, unfair and unreasonable. Their own Grandpa wants them to compete with each other by marrying an eligible man. Whoever marry a good catch will inherit the abbey but what about the others? They are all his granddaughters, It's unkind. Ferguson's opinions are subjective and his criteria has no basis. There are nameless fortune hunters and guests at the party which is boring.. Callie should be introduced to other characters but they are nowhere to be found,.
Another thing is that despite Callie's determination to have the full control of her shipping company, She lets her Captain do the monkey business and she continuously accepts her fair share from whatever they got from privateering. I don't buy that scheme. She's not at all what she thinks she is.
On the contrary of the heroine's strong personality and wild nature with the head for business, again she's not at all what she thinks she is in my opinion. She's indecisive, reckless and stubborn. I just simply don't like her.
Well, I like Thorington , he acts like a Duke of course. Condescending , dominating a typical duke.
I'm planning to finish all three books I hope no more disappointments.
Another thing is that despite Callie's determination to have the full control of her shipping company, She lets her Captain do the monkey business and she continuously accepts her fair share from whatever they got from privateering. I don't buy that scheme. She's not at all what she thinks she is.
On the contrary of the heroine's strong personality and wild nature with the head for business, again she's not at all what she thinks she is in my opinion. She's indecisive, reckless and stubborn. I just simply don't like her.
Well, I like Thorington , he acts like a Duke of course. Condescending , dominating a typical duke.
I'm planning to finish all three books I hope no more disappointments.
January 5, 2019
Didn't work for me...
December 3, 2014
After reading a few not so good books I was happy that the latest Sarah Ramsey novel was waiting on my kindle to be read. There are a few writers I could read over and over again and Sarah is one of them beside Jess Michaels, Sylvia Day and Kate Pearce (just to name my favs).
This strong female lead – Callie – isn’t just a normal Regency lady, no, she is first of all American and second the owner of a privateering enterprise she inherited from her father. She hasn’t been in England in ages and received an invitation to Maidenstone Abbey, the family residence, because of her grandfather’s last will. Three cousin shall have a contest about finding a husband – the best one would inherit their grandfather’s estate and everything connected to it. The three Briarley cousins – Callista, Lucretia and Octavia.
She knows that she has to win but she doesn’t do it for the title or the money but because she wants a place for herself, somewhere to come home to.
On the other side is the financially completely broken Duke of Thorington, Gavin, who has four siblings he wants, no he needs to get married off – two brothers and two sisters. But Anthony, who is barely over 20, doesn’t want to get married and Raf, he is no marrying material in Gavin’s eyes. He himself is a widower who was once tricked into marriage.
So the house party shall take a month. But even before he was knowing that she is a Briarley he met her at an opening at the Maidenstone. From the very beginning there is a tension between them, a very intense one but he lets her know quickly that he doesn’t plan to marry her but that he wants Anthony to marry her.
Callista doesn’t know a lot about him but she studies the society parts of the Gazettes and learns about him being a heartless and cruel blackguard. But his luck left him when a very old spell was broken (this connects the book to the Mayfair series!) – he lost his money, his ships and his cargo. But he has no clue that Callista is somehow involved in all this.
In the beginning I wasn’t thrilled it took me about 5 to 10% to really get into this book this time but this can be blamed of my fatigue but Callista was always a very sympatric character. She doesn’t care about the ton, classical British manners or what to wear but when Gavin offers help, she doesn’t refuse and it isn’t like he asked her if she wants his help. Of course things develop.
The love scenes are filled with tension, very romantic but not erotic in my opinion. This is Sara Ramsey’s style. If I want to read a detailed love scene, I personally go for Day or Pearce. Ramsey is more the romantic . Ramsey lets her characters develop, let the rakes be rakes as long as possible before they turn into loving husbands – and exactly this happens to Gavin. He has to find out himself that it’s him and not Anthony or Raf.
I love her books and hope that I do not have to wait too long to get something new by her to read.
Stars: 5*****
This strong female lead – Callie – isn’t just a normal Regency lady, no, she is first of all American and second the owner of a privateering enterprise she inherited from her father. She hasn’t been in England in ages and received an invitation to Maidenstone Abbey, the family residence, because of her grandfather’s last will. Three cousin shall have a contest about finding a husband – the best one would inherit their grandfather’s estate and everything connected to it. The three Briarley cousins – Callista, Lucretia and Octavia.
She knows that she has to win but she doesn’t do it for the title or the money but because she wants a place for herself, somewhere to come home to.
On the other side is the financially completely broken Duke of Thorington, Gavin, who has four siblings he wants, no he needs to get married off – two brothers and two sisters. But Anthony, who is barely over 20, doesn’t want to get married and Raf, he is no marrying material in Gavin’s eyes. He himself is a widower who was once tricked into marriage.
So the house party shall take a month. But even before he was knowing that she is a Briarley he met her at an opening at the Maidenstone. From the very beginning there is a tension between them, a very intense one but he lets her know quickly that he doesn’t plan to marry her but that he wants Anthony to marry her.
Callista doesn’t know a lot about him but she studies the society parts of the Gazettes and learns about him being a heartless and cruel blackguard. But his luck left him when a very old spell was broken (this connects the book to the Mayfair series!) – he lost his money, his ships and his cargo. But he has no clue that Callista is somehow involved in all this.
In the beginning I wasn’t thrilled it took me about 5 to 10% to really get into this book this time but this can be blamed of my fatigue but Callista was always a very sympatric character. She doesn’t care about the ton, classical British manners or what to wear but when Gavin offers help, she doesn’t refuse and it isn’t like he asked her if she wants his help. Of course things develop.
The love scenes are filled with tension, very romantic but not erotic in my opinion. This is Sara Ramsey’s style. If I want to read a detailed love scene, I personally go for Day or Pearce. Ramsey is more the romantic . Ramsey lets her characters develop, let the rakes be rakes as long as possible before they turn into loving husbands – and exactly this happens to Gavin. He has to find out himself that it’s him and not Anthony or Raf.
I love her books and hope that I do not have to wait too long to get something new by her to read.
Stars: 5*****
July 2, 2016
I’ve read every single book Sara Ramsey has ever written and I’ve liked them all, but I have to say Duke of Thorns is her best one yet. It’s got a likable hero who’s been escaping bad luck for as long as he can remember, add to that an independent heroine and you’re in for a roller coaster ride.
The Duke of Thorington has run out of luck, and before all his creditors find him and knock on his door he’s determined to marry off every single one of his siblings. The party being hosted in the country but none other than the Briarley’s promises a great future for his younger brother Anthony. The problem is Anthony doesn’t want to marry, and definitely not Callie. One of the heiresses, who also happens to run a privateering company, which is totally unheard of.
Callie isn’t happy about the turn of events and even though she hasn’t been back in English soil since she was a child, she returns to claim what is rightfully hers. She’s willing to marry so long as her husband lets her be and allows her to continue her endeavors of privateering. After all he need not know what her enterprise is all about.
Her manners in English society are not up to par and Thorington decides that if he wants his brother to marry her, he’d have to teach her all the ins and outs of the ton. Callie on the other hand doesn’t care but plays along. One thing leads to another and before they know it they’re falling in love for each other and all bets are off.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to see what Sara Ramsey writes next.
The Duke of Thorington has run out of luck, and before all his creditors find him and knock on his door he’s determined to marry off every single one of his siblings. The party being hosted in the country but none other than the Briarley’s promises a great future for his younger brother Anthony. The problem is Anthony doesn’t want to marry, and definitely not Callie. One of the heiresses, who also happens to run a privateering company, which is totally unheard of.
Callie isn’t happy about the turn of events and even though she hasn’t been back in English soil since she was a child, she returns to claim what is rightfully hers. She’s willing to marry so long as her husband lets her be and allows her to continue her endeavors of privateering. After all he need not know what her enterprise is all about.
Her manners in English society are not up to par and Thorington decides that if he wants his brother to marry her, he’d have to teach her all the ins and outs of the ton. Callie on the other hand doesn’t care but plays along. One thing leads to another and before they know it they’re falling in love for each other and all bets are off.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to see what Sara Ramsey writes next.
June 7, 2015
40% of the way through; but I'm pretty sure reading the rest wouldn't change the rating I'll give it.
Sara Ramsey's Heroines are top notch. Really.
I don't think the Heroes in other of her books have been so great.
- But here.. I'm reminded of the characters Lord of Scoundrels, but without the ridiculousness.
Aside from H&H, it seems as if Sara has put great thought into each of the characters, as if each and every one could be the main character in a narrative. - I look forward to reading some of these.
- Opening chapter is maybe a tease/taste of whether this author should go onto write stories of naval warfare.
Not the prettiest of covers, though.
---
Update: Indeed, doesn't make any major errors so as to lose a 5-star. :-)
The Hero is like a mix of some of my favourite Heroes, and the author puts depth into a domineering character. I find it's rarer than it should be to see strong+strong H&H done as well as this.
But while I think this author's conflict models are neat, I guess the narrative gets a bit sluggish waiting for the resolution as the characters' internal angsty monologues narrate out.
Sara Ramsey's Heroines are top notch. Really.
I don't think the Heroes in other of her books have been so great.
- But here.. I'm reminded of the characters Lord of Scoundrels, but without the ridiculousness.
Aside from H&H, it seems as if Sara has put great thought into each of the characters, as if each and every one could be the main character in a narrative. - I look forward to reading some of these.
- Opening chapter is maybe a tease/taste of whether this author should go onto write stories of naval warfare.
Not the prettiest of covers, though.
---
Update: Indeed, doesn't make any major errors so as to lose a 5-star. :-)
The Hero is like a mix of some of my favourite Heroes, and the author puts depth into a domineering character. I find it's rarer than it should be to see strong+strong H&H done as well as this.
But while I think this author's conflict models are neat, I guess the narrative gets a bit sluggish waiting for the resolution as the characters' internal angsty monologues narrate out.
September 25, 2020
I have tried to read this twice, this time I got bored around 60%. I'll try again, but struggle with the H. He's arrogant and angsty, the h is American, with a smart mouth. I got tired of them dancing around their issues, and the other characters were all unpleasant. Not for me.
December 15, 2014
ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
By far one of the most captivating and titilating book of 2014!
This book captured me from the first sentence and I soon found myself entrenched in regency era England unable to set the book down on until the final page. It has been a long time since I have found a book that so wholly captured me and made me feel so much emotion and connection to these characters. I didn't want the book to end but at the same time I found a great new author to follow and for that I'm truly grateful.
This book is the story of Gavin, better known as the Duke of Thorington. His past makes him hated and despised by most of England. Upon meeting the travel wary heiress Callista Brarley he knows that she is to goo for him. As much as he wished that he could whisk her away and keep her for himself he arranges her hand in marriage to her unwilling brother in order to save his family. Even if they don't appreciate his domineering attitude.
This book has everything that you could look for in a regency novel. A sexy as hell rake with major alpha protective tendencies and a fiery spicy woman with a take no prisoners attitude and just enough temper to keep said rake on his toes. This book with keep you on the edge of you seat unable to put your kindle down even to sleep until the end. The passion fire and chemistry between Gavin and Olivia is scorching and the writing flows so perfectly that you forget you a reading a story. This is a truly magnificent piece of art and should be appreciated as such.
By far one of the most captivating and titilating book of 2014!
This book captured me from the first sentence and I soon found myself entrenched in regency era England unable to set the book down on until the final page. It has been a long time since I have found a book that so wholly captured me and made me feel so much emotion and connection to these characters. I didn't want the book to end but at the same time I found a great new author to follow and for that I'm truly grateful.
This book is the story of Gavin, better known as the Duke of Thorington. His past makes him hated and despised by most of England. Upon meeting the travel wary heiress Callista Brarley he knows that she is to goo for him. As much as he wished that he could whisk her away and keep her for himself he arranges her hand in marriage to her unwilling brother in order to save his family. Even if they don't appreciate his domineering attitude.
This book has everything that you could look for in a regency novel. A sexy as hell rake with major alpha protective tendencies and a fiery spicy woman with a take no prisoners attitude and just enough temper to keep said rake on his toes. This book with keep you on the edge of you seat unable to put your kindle down even to sleep until the end. The passion fire and chemistry between Gavin and Olivia is scorching and the writing flows so perfectly that you forget you a reading a story. This is a truly magnificent piece of art and should be appreciated as such.
May 21, 2017
Full disclosure:
- I don't read romances. Not for any reason, really. It's just a genre that has not called me.
- I met the author in Venice on a writing retreat, and she was marvelous, so I wanted to support her efforts and read a book of hers.
That all being said? I really enjoyed this book! The story was well crafted and well written, with characters that were both enjoyable to get to know and engaging in their foibles. I was delightfully surprised at how they main protagonists ended up together (this is not a spoiler - that's the whole point of romance novels, is it not?) - they didn't follow the path I had guessed at during the opening of the story.
The ending was very satisfying to me, where in both characters were able to move beyond their own limitations and be brave with one another, which is the crux of most love stories, in real life and in fiction: to be brave and speak the things of one's heart. So when this happened with Callie and Gavin, I was cheering for them and happy to see them evolve and grow.
A delight to read. And I'm totally reading the next one because both Rafe and Ava were riveting characters in this book, so I am excited to read their story next!
- I don't read romances. Not for any reason, really. It's just a genre that has not called me.
- I met the author in Venice on a writing retreat, and she was marvelous, so I wanted to support her efforts and read a book of hers.
That all being said? I really enjoyed this book! The story was well crafted and well written, with characters that were both enjoyable to get to know and engaging in their foibles. I was delightfully surprised at how they main protagonists ended up together (this is not a spoiler - that's the whole point of romance novels, is it not?) - they didn't follow the path I had guessed at during the opening of the story.
The ending was very satisfying to me, where in both characters were able to move beyond their own limitations and be brave with one another, which is the crux of most love stories, in real life and in fiction: to be brave and speak the things of one's heart. So when this happened with Callie and Gavin, I was cheering for them and happy to see them evolve and grow.
A delight to read. And I'm totally reading the next one because both Rafe and Ava were riveting characters in this book, so I am excited to read their story next!
November 20, 2014
Loved, loved, loved this book!
I know Thorington was the villain in Prudence & Alex's book - but even as a villain I liked him. I thought he was cocky and needed to be brought down a few pegs - but I liked him.
In this book, I LOVED him and I couldn't even imagine a better heroine for him than Callie. These two are perfect together and I loved watching them fall in love.
The book is well written and moves at a good clip. It also happens to have one of the best "I love you" scenes I have ever read. I got goosebumps and tears in my eyes. And if all that was not enough, we get to revisit my favorite Ferguson! Although, I would be hard pressed to choose between him and Thorington - to be honest, I think Gavin aka Thorington would win
This was truly one of the best books I have read this year and I highly recommend it! You don't have to read the muses series to enjoy this book, but you might consider them anyway as they are all excellent too.
I know Thorington was the villain in Prudence & Alex's book - but even as a villain I liked him. I thought he was cocky and needed to be brought down a few pegs - but I liked him.
In this book, I LOVED him and I couldn't even imagine a better heroine for him than Callie. These two are perfect together and I loved watching them fall in love.
The book is well written and moves at a good clip. It also happens to have one of the best "I love you" scenes I have ever read. I got goosebumps and tears in my eyes. And if all that was not enough, we get to revisit my favorite Ferguson! Although, I would be hard pressed to choose between him and Thorington - to be honest, I think Gavin aka Thorington would win
This was truly one of the best books I have read this year and I highly recommend it! You don't have to read the muses series to enjoy this book, but you might consider them anyway as they are all excellent too.
December 13, 2014
This was a magnificent read. I loved the way Thorington and Calista are together. Both are strong characters who are not really comfortable in Society as they cannot be who they are. But both have also the ability to let society only see what it wants to see. Callie and Gavin together as a couple are magnificent. Their chemistry, the sparks, their humorous banter, their discussions – everything made me fall for them both and hope for their happy ending.
the secondary characters were as interesting as the Callie and Gavin ,especially Rafe. I want to know his story, which obviousely comes out in 2015.
All in all, this is definitely a keeper. Sara Ramsey is giving her best with this book and I enjoyed every minute with it. I can’t wait to read more about this family and want to visit Callie and Gavin again.
more detailed review to come!
the secondary characters were as interesting as the Callie and Gavin ,especially Rafe. I want to know his story, which obviousely comes out in 2015.
All in all, this is definitely a keeper. Sara Ramsey is giving her best with this book and I enjoyed every minute with it. I can’t wait to read more about this family and want to visit Callie and Gavin again.
more detailed review to come!
November 28, 2014
Thorington and Callie have undeniable chemistry. It is a bit of opposites attract but there's definitely more depth. I enjoyed the dialogue and character development. The loving was super hot. Great read!
December 30, 2015
I cannot say enough about this book. I love the books I have read by Sara Ramsey and this the best so far! I read this book in a day. I could not put it down. I loved the characters and the story plot. I loved how the Duke developed through out the book. This is a great read!!!!
July 2, 2019
After finishing this book I sat for a while thinking about it and wondering how I could describe it and what I would say in my review.
It didn't take long before a word popped into my mind - saga! Yes, this is exactly what it is, a saga ("a long story, account, or sequence of events" Collins English Dictionary).
In it two people fight to survive as best as they can while they try desperately to change the bad cards that life and various characters are throwing at them. As soon as they manage to sort out one thing, something else rears its ugly head.
Along the way they fall in love - Of they do! This is an historical romance story after all!
I loved everything - the characters, the theme, the way the story is written, the cunning or slyness of some of the characters, the anxieties and desperateness in others, the building of trusts and of love.
The story held my attention and had me trying to guess what would happen next and this was pure entertainment for me.
I see there are others in this series and am very keen to read them too.
It didn't take long before a word popped into my mind - saga! Yes, this is exactly what it is, a saga ("a long story, account, or sequence of events" Collins English Dictionary).
In it two people fight to survive as best as they can while they try desperately to change the bad cards that life and various characters are throwing at them. As soon as they manage to sort out one thing, something else rears its ugly head.
Along the way they fall in love - Of they do! This is an historical romance story after all!
I loved everything - the characters, the theme, the way the story is written, the cunning or slyness of some of the characters, the anxieties and desperateness in others, the building of trusts and of love.
The story held my attention and had me trying to guess what would happen next and this was pure entertainment for me.
I see there are others in this series and am very keen to read them too.
January 14, 2021
Good Historical
This is the first of a series of historical romances. Very entertaining and good characters that liked reading about is what I think. I am going to be reading the next volume in the series.
This is the first of a series of historical romances. Very entertaining and good characters that liked reading about is what I think. I am going to be reading the next volume in the series.
January 11, 2015
3.5? Kudos for uniqueness. Never have I encountered a female pirate heroine (I don't think anyway, there was one that came close, but it might have just been that she came from an island and refused to wear a corset... you know how these things go). I tend to steer away from male pirate heroes- the author can never seem to decide whether the hero is wild and mischievous or brooding and dangerous, and so they tend to very back and forth between the two with a dizzying lack of continuity. Ah, but since for some reason there seems to be a consensus that heroines should not be brooding and dangerous (WWWWHHHHHY? Is it that we are the readers and don't consider ourselves brooding and dangerous? I can be brooding and dangerous, darnitt), this is not a problem in a girl-pirate (or, as Callie would have it, "privateer" book. So no wild mood swings on the part of the heroine, or the hero, who is in one of my favorite molds, the repressed, miserable, lonely micromanaging duke with far too much on his plate to cope with feelings. Is that a type? I think so. And where do these delightful forces of nature collide? At a matchmaking house party where the three female attendees compete to marry the best man there. All right, I'm listening, but with skepticism. Best is not clearly defined, and the house party rapidly fades into the background. This would be fine if it were an ordinary house-party. Pirate queens are bored at ordinary house parties, and so are cynical dukes. They would naturally be drawn together. But at this particular house party, where the stakes are so high and frankly bizarre, the stakes and the side characters should probably be flushed out. Instead, they remain perplexingly at the periphery. The character development thus lovingly unfolds page by page, while the plot moves behind the principle actors like a rolling painted backdrop in a movie. Kind of like watching people have a really interesting conversation in a car for an entire movie, with a fake backdrop of space behind them, which they glance at on occasion to make sure they aren't being followed by the space police. They aren't.
June 22, 2016
First, a head's up that the Heiress Games contains characters from another series, the Muses of Mayfair. Heiress Without a Cause is the first in the Muses of Mayfair series and is about the Duke, Ferguson, whom hosts the house party in Duke Of Thorns. It wasn't critical that I hadn't read the Muses of Mayfair series to understand the story but I did have this feeling that there had been a party that I hadn't been invited to when several characters were introduced. I was able to deduce that the hero in DoT was a villain from one or more of the Muses of Mayfair books. I thought it worth mentioning in case his transformation in DoT is even more exhilarating if one reads the others first.
I loved Duke of Thorns (DoT) although the first couple of chapters had my panties in a bunch because the heroine encountered so many annoying characters and I wanted her to blast them. The next few dragged on a bit slower than I liked but not enough for me to give up, especially when I had read such great reviews! In a way it was a necessary evil because it gave the story the slow burn that catapulted the H/h into ultra romantic and steamy territory when things started coming together. I had a solid batch of butterflies in several parts of the book and the Hero earned hunky-hotty status once they started drinking whisky together. Basically, from the tea test on, I was enthralled!
The sub characters in this book are fabulous! I can't wait to read the next installments which will cover Callie's cousins. I hope there is also a series dedicated to the Thorington siblings as they are a colorful bunch as well. I am going to backtrack to the Muses of Mayfair next to find out what I missed. Then I'll go on to book 2 in the Heiress Games series, Lord Of Deceit, which is due to be released this summer (2016)
I loved Duke of Thorns (DoT) although the first couple of chapters had my panties in a bunch because the heroine encountered so many annoying characters and I wanted her to blast them. The next few dragged on a bit slower than I liked but not enough for me to give up, especially when I had read such great reviews! In a way it was a necessary evil because it gave the story the slow burn that catapulted the H/h into ultra romantic and steamy territory when things started coming together. I had a solid batch of butterflies in several parts of the book and the Hero earned hunky-hotty status once they started drinking whisky together. Basically, from the tea test on, I was enthralled!
The sub characters in this book are fabulous! I can't wait to read the next installments which will cover Callie's cousins. I hope there is also a series dedicated to the Thorington siblings as they are a colorful bunch as well. I am going to backtrack to the Muses of Mayfair next to find out what I missed. Then I'll go on to book 2 in the Heiress Games series, Lord Of Deceit, which is due to be released this summer (2016)
February 8, 2015
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2015/02...
OK, this is easily the most hilarious romance I've read so far, but I can't tell whether or not it's on purpose! Our girl is British but has mostly lived in Baltimore, when her father (the youngest son of an Earl) dies, leaving her in charge of his shipping business--which she quickly converts to privateering (semi-legal pirates!!). Then she decides to return to England to find a husband (for reasons that weren't entirely clear to me, something about her pirate captain not respecting her), and also there's a whole thing where her dead grandfather's will leaves everything to whichever granddaughter marries the best dude she meets at a random month-long garden party (?????). Of course, there she meets our dude (and the title here is WAY too on-the-nose, since he's the Duke of Thorington, that's just TERRIBLE), and HIS deal is even crazier--he's the oldest of a TON of siblings (and the younger bunch may or may not be illegitimate), and he somehow got cursed by an Egyptian curse that made him super rich, except now his friend has BROKEN the curse and he's lost everything and needs to marry off his sibs, stat. And that's just the first twenty pages! So she's looking for someone meek who won't interfere with her business, and he's determined to marry her off to his youngest brother (who is appalled by her American manners) and obviously they are super into each other and all other plans go by the wayside. Things get somewhat less crazy/entertaining toward the end, but I liked all these characters a lot and will probably read more books by Ramsey. B+.
OK, this is easily the most hilarious romance I've read so far, but I can't tell whether or not it's on purpose! Our girl is British but has mostly lived in Baltimore, when her father (the youngest son of an Earl) dies, leaving her in charge of his shipping business--which she quickly converts to privateering (semi-legal pirates!!). Then she decides to return to England to find a husband (for reasons that weren't entirely clear to me, something about her pirate captain not respecting her), and also there's a whole thing where her dead grandfather's will leaves everything to whichever granddaughter marries the best dude she meets at a random month-long garden party (?????). Of course, there she meets our dude (and the title here is WAY too on-the-nose, since he's the Duke of Thorington, that's just TERRIBLE), and HIS deal is even crazier--he's the oldest of a TON of siblings (and the younger bunch may or may not be illegitimate), and he somehow got cursed by an Egyptian curse that made him super rich, except now his friend has BROKEN the curse and he's lost everything and needs to marry off his sibs, stat. And that's just the first twenty pages! So she's looking for someone meek who won't interfere with her business, and he's determined to marry her off to his youngest brother (who is appalled by her American manners) and obviously they are super into each other and all other plans go by the wayside. Things get somewhat less crazy/entertaining toward the end, but I liked all these characters a lot and will probably read more books by Ramsey. B+.
August 11, 2015
The storyline was quite addleheaded: the old duke dies without a male heir, the daughters of his three deceased sons are to pick a husband during a month long house party and the girl who picked the best will get the estate and the money. The referee to decide which is the best husband ( no explanation of the criteria) is a duke from a former novel.
The youngest son’s daughter lives in Baltimore heading a shipping company turned priveteer, quite wealthy on her own but suddenly longing for an estate in good old England. She sets off for Europe and after SIX MONTHS of travelling arrives just in time for the party.
Another grand-daughter living in a far corner of the estate does not get the invitation and apparently had no idea of her grandfather’s will and arrives later.
The third granddaughter organizes the party and gets to decide whom to invite although her stepmother is still in residence.
There are no proper chaperones, no entertainments characteristic of a houseparty in Regency time, no descriptions of the aspiring fortune hunters.
The hero is just another duke who feels cursed although the curse was broken recently. He is accompagnied by two brothers and two sisters, three of them are his halfsiblings as their father was cuckolded until he finally kicked out his wife. The youngest brother is to woo the American heiress but he despises “the colonist”, the sisters have to lend her their dresses because she didn’t have time for shopping in London while rushing to the party.
The whole book is hillarious.
The youngest son’s daughter lives in Baltimore heading a shipping company turned priveteer, quite wealthy on her own but suddenly longing for an estate in good old England. She sets off for Europe and after SIX MONTHS of travelling arrives just in time for the party.
Another grand-daughter living in a far corner of the estate does not get the invitation and apparently had no idea of her grandfather’s will and arrives later.
The third granddaughter organizes the party and gets to decide whom to invite although her stepmother is still in residence.
There are no proper chaperones, no entertainments characteristic of a houseparty in Regency time, no descriptions of the aspiring fortune hunters.
The hero is just another duke who feels cursed although the curse was broken recently. He is accompagnied by two brothers and two sisters, three of them are his halfsiblings as their father was cuckolded until he finally kicked out his wife. The youngest brother is to woo the American heiress but he despises “the colonist”, the sisters have to lend her their dresses because she didn’t have time for shopping in London while rushing to the party.
The whole book is hillarious.
June 5, 2019
Wow! The first half of the book had me wondering "why am I reading about these rather unlikeable people and this boring house party?" but the second half blew me away. Both Callie/Callista the heroine and Gavin Duke of Thorington, the hero, are great characters and their story was a terrific character-driven romance. Can't wait for Rafe and Octavia's story, which is the next in this series about the three heiresses to the estate of Maidenstone and which one of them is going to win the prize of the "games", i.e. the estate. Callie didn't win the estate, but she ended up with something a lot better for her.
December 23, 2014
i thought it was just a romantic novela but eventually there is a book of its own time. it travels you to 1813 and describes the decadence of a penniless english high class and it's arrangements of loveless marriages of convenience either for the title or for money.
great book
great book
December 23, 2014
I didn't expect to like Thorington after he was a bit of a villain in the Muses of Mayfair Book 4, but I definitely fell in love with him through Callie's eyes.
This book swept me away and wouldn't let me put it down.
This book swept me away and wouldn't let me put it down.
July 16, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved Callie and Gavin. Great storyline.
Can't wait for Rafe's story.
Can't wait for Rafe's story.
December 7, 2014
I liked how the heroine isn't the traditional character in an English romance novel. Please read my full review at my blog: http://letague.blogspot.com/2014/12/d...
December 14, 2014
It was really great. I loved the main characters. Review soon.
November 20, 2014
Duke of Thorns (Heiress Book #1) by Sara Ramsey
You know what’s really great? When you read back to back to back books that are great! It’s an awesome feeling when you start reading another book and get SO excited because you know that you are about to be swept away by a story that is perfect. This book is a wonderful story. I fell in love with the characters, the witty dialogue, the intriguing plot and a story that fully engages all of your emotions.
Callie has been living in Baltimore running her deceased father’s shipping business, but has turned to privateering against her misgivings. She decides to head to England to reunite with her titled family there. There is an unusual arrangement happening – the Maidenstone Abbey is being given to one of the three female relatives who makes the best marriage match. She has nothing holding her to Baltimore, so she decided to head to England and possibly find a marriage of convenience with a man who won’t interfere with her shipping business.
When she reaches Maidenstone after a delayed voyage, she meets cousin Lucretia (and competition) who is not pleased to see her. She thinks Callie is a wild colonial and is desperate to keep Maidenstone for herself. Her rude arrival spurs Callie to steal a horse and explore the estate. She finds the Maiden Stone, part of the family history and feels the magic of the place. While she is exploring she meets a man in the clearing. He intrigues her and yet mocks her lack of manners and ability to fit into the ton. It’s an introduction that clearly will stay with both of them.
Thorington thinks Callie is wild and spirited. When he meets her in the clearing, he is taken with her. He has invited himself and his family to the party for the ladies hands. He is flat broke, the duchy in dire straits and he wants his family taken care of. He is widowed after a marriage of convenience and doesn’t think of Callie for himself, but his baby brother Lord Anthony. He has instructed his siblings that they must marry within a month or they will be left destitute. His sisters and brothers are astounded, as Thorington had turned around the failing duchy after his father’s death, yet it seems his good luck was due to a curse from an Egyptian dagger, and now that the spell is broken, so is every venture he has money invested in.
The house party begins and immediately Callie is warned away from Thorington by pretty much everyone at the party. They call him the devil and the way he taunts Callie, she has to agree. However, there is something about him that is alluring and calls to her. It’s like a moth to a flame, she can’t keep away – even when his manners are horrible and he makes her resort to childish antics.
After getting to know Callie for a day or two, he decides she is the perfect match for Anthony and approaches her with a proposition. Marriage to Anthony and she can maintain her interest in her shipping company. Thorington expects some reluctance on Anthony’s part, but he is downright rude and horrified at the prospect of marrying her. Granted he is only 19 and in a world with money, he should be a young buck around town and going on his Grand Tour. He appalling lists all of Callie’s faults and says that she will never cut it in society. So Thorington becomes her ‘governess’ to teach her all she needs to know.
I loved this plot line. It gave Callie and Thorington a reason to be together. Although they are chaperoned by his family most of the time, it allows them time to get to know each other. Callie is not the horrible ragamuffin Anthony makes her out to be, she has some decorum from society in Baltimore, but not enough polish to rub noses with dukes and earls. I loved how Thorington puts her through her paces and teaches her about English society. Callie takes his tutelage, but also thumbs her nose at him as often as she can. Every time she calls him sirrah instead of your grace, it brought a smile to my face.
As the days pass by, Thorington has fallen under her spell. He starts to imagine kissing her, undressing her, being in bed with her, but he has nothing to offer her as his financial situation gets worse every day. On top of that Ferguson, the other duke at the party, has been given the roll of judge of who gets the estate. He has made it abundantly clear that Callie will never win Maidenstone if she marries into Thorington’s family.
Thorington has also started to make inquiries into her shipping interests, as the Terror of the Caribbean has been menacing English ships and he wants to know what happened to his own ships as well as Callie’s involvement in privateering.
Things take a turn between the two when Thorington asks her to tea. It’s like no tea party I’ve ever been to and you get the feeling that his family is trying to set them up and spare Anthony who has been missing every time Callie is around. They drink tea and then whisky while playing cards. This was one of those really fun scenes to read. Something memorable that will stick with you for a long time. They play cards, betting on each hand for an honestly answered question. I adored how they get a little drunk in an abandoned room and tell each other the truth. There is no denying the attraction between the two and Callie forces him to admit that his brother isn’t interested. She also asks for a kiss, her first kiss. Thorington gives into his raging impulses regarding Callie and gives her what she wants. It was such a memorable scene and I loved how they spar and interact with each other.
The next couple of days get intense, the third cousin shows up, Callie has lost contact with her captain and is seriously worried about her fleet, Thorington gets word that his ships were lost to a privateer ship Nero and suspect Callie and worst of all, a disgraced sea captain is invited to the ball. All of these things force reactions by all. Callie and Thorington can’t continue in secret anymore – there is too much at stake, including her life.
I loved how he took charge of the situation. Even though Callie was spitting mad about how he handled things, she shouldn’t have been surprised as Thorington (or Gavin as she is getting to know him as), is an alpha male and taking command is as natural as breathing to him. He turns out not to be the devil everyone thinks he is and shows that he is deeply capable of doing good for others. His resolve to help Callie is so amazing. You see the man you knew was hidden deep the whole time. As a reward his bad luck run seems to be balancing out.
I adored the relationship between Thorington and Callie. I loved how she but this autocratic duke on his heels. For a man used to getting everything he wants and making others bend to his will, being with Callie is a life altering experience. He thinks she is magnificent and realizes how much he wants her.
This was such a great book. I don’t know if I am doing it justice as the story was so well written. It’s a five star book for sure. It captivates you and takes you to the mysterious Maidenstone to the strangest house party. You want to smack Thorington at times and yet you want him to sweep Callie off her feet. It’s a book that is full of emotions and energy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Reviewed by www.kiltsandswords.com
You know what’s really great? When you read back to back to back books that are great! It’s an awesome feeling when you start reading another book and get SO excited because you know that you are about to be swept away by a story that is perfect. This book is a wonderful story. I fell in love with the characters, the witty dialogue, the intriguing plot and a story that fully engages all of your emotions.
Callie has been living in Baltimore running her deceased father’s shipping business, but has turned to privateering against her misgivings. She decides to head to England to reunite with her titled family there. There is an unusual arrangement happening – the Maidenstone Abbey is being given to one of the three female relatives who makes the best marriage match. She has nothing holding her to Baltimore, so she decided to head to England and possibly find a marriage of convenience with a man who won’t interfere with her shipping business.
When she reaches Maidenstone after a delayed voyage, she meets cousin Lucretia (and competition) who is not pleased to see her. She thinks Callie is a wild colonial and is desperate to keep Maidenstone for herself. Her rude arrival spurs Callie to steal a horse and explore the estate. She finds the Maiden Stone, part of the family history and feels the magic of the place. While she is exploring she meets a man in the clearing. He intrigues her and yet mocks her lack of manners and ability to fit into the ton. It’s an introduction that clearly will stay with both of them.
Thorington thinks Callie is wild and spirited. When he meets her in the clearing, he is taken with her. He has invited himself and his family to the party for the ladies hands. He is flat broke, the duchy in dire straits and he wants his family taken care of. He is widowed after a marriage of convenience and doesn’t think of Callie for himself, but his baby brother Lord Anthony. He has instructed his siblings that they must marry within a month or they will be left destitute. His sisters and brothers are astounded, as Thorington had turned around the failing duchy after his father’s death, yet it seems his good luck was due to a curse from an Egyptian dagger, and now that the spell is broken, so is every venture he has money invested in.
The house party begins and immediately Callie is warned away from Thorington by pretty much everyone at the party. They call him the devil and the way he taunts Callie, she has to agree. However, there is something about him that is alluring and calls to her. It’s like a moth to a flame, she can’t keep away – even when his manners are horrible and he makes her resort to childish antics.
After getting to know Callie for a day or two, he decides she is the perfect match for Anthony and approaches her with a proposition. Marriage to Anthony and she can maintain her interest in her shipping company. Thorington expects some reluctance on Anthony’s part, but he is downright rude and horrified at the prospect of marrying her. Granted he is only 19 and in a world with money, he should be a young buck around town and going on his Grand Tour. He appalling lists all of Callie’s faults and says that she will never cut it in society. So Thorington becomes her ‘governess’ to teach her all she needs to know.
I loved this plot line. It gave Callie and Thorington a reason to be together. Although they are chaperoned by his family most of the time, it allows them time to get to know each other. Callie is not the horrible ragamuffin Anthony makes her out to be, she has some decorum from society in Baltimore, but not enough polish to rub noses with dukes and earls. I loved how Thorington puts her through her paces and teaches her about English society. Callie takes his tutelage, but also thumbs her nose at him as often as she can. Every time she calls him sirrah instead of your grace, it brought a smile to my face.
As the days pass by, Thorington has fallen under her spell. He starts to imagine kissing her, undressing her, being in bed with her, but he has nothing to offer her as his financial situation gets worse every day. On top of that Ferguson, the other duke at the party, has been given the roll of judge of who gets the estate. He has made it abundantly clear that Callie will never win Maidenstone if she marries into Thorington’s family.
Thorington has also started to make inquiries into her shipping interests, as the Terror of the Caribbean has been menacing English ships and he wants to know what happened to his own ships as well as Callie’s involvement in privateering.
Things take a turn between the two when Thorington asks her to tea. It’s like no tea party I’ve ever been to and you get the feeling that his family is trying to set them up and spare Anthony who has been missing every time Callie is around. They drink tea and then whisky while playing cards. This was one of those really fun scenes to read. Something memorable that will stick with you for a long time. They play cards, betting on each hand for an honestly answered question. I adored how they get a little drunk in an abandoned room and tell each other the truth. There is no denying the attraction between the two and Callie forces him to admit that his brother isn’t interested. She also asks for a kiss, her first kiss. Thorington gives into his raging impulses regarding Callie and gives her what she wants. It was such a memorable scene and I loved how they spar and interact with each other.
The next couple of days get intense, the third cousin shows up, Callie has lost contact with her captain and is seriously worried about her fleet, Thorington gets word that his ships were lost to a privateer ship Nero and suspect Callie and worst of all, a disgraced sea captain is invited to the ball. All of these things force reactions by all. Callie and Thorington can’t continue in secret anymore – there is too much at stake, including her life.
I loved how he took charge of the situation. Even though Callie was spitting mad about how he handled things, she shouldn’t have been surprised as Thorington (or Gavin as she is getting to know him as), is an alpha male and taking command is as natural as breathing to him. He turns out not to be the devil everyone thinks he is and shows that he is deeply capable of doing good for others. His resolve to help Callie is so amazing. You see the man you knew was hidden deep the whole time. As a reward his bad luck run seems to be balancing out.
I adored the relationship between Thorington and Callie. I loved how she but this autocratic duke on his heels. For a man used to getting everything he wants and making others bend to his will, being with Callie is a life altering experience. He thinks she is magnificent and realizes how much he wants her.
This was such a great book. I don’t know if I am doing it justice as the story was so well written. It’s a five star book for sure. It captivates you and takes you to the mysterious Maidenstone to the strangest house party. You want to smack Thorington at times and yet you want him to sweep Callie off her feet. It’s a book that is full of emotions and energy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Reviewed by www.kiltsandswords.com
December 17, 2014
Amazing book! And I sincerely believe Sara Ramsey is one of the best among the regency romances authors.
Her stories are never trivial, her heroines unpredictable and unusual for the time, strong, smart and funny and her male protagonists are absolutely magnificent.
Every time I fall in love with her stories and every time I find myself thinking about how much this author's books are beautiful and about her talent.
Callista is accustomed to live an adventurous life, following in the footsteps of his father, who abandoned the English high society, to travel and build his own merchant fleet. Lost both parents she didn't hesitate to take over the reins of the business, daring even the unthinkable for a British woman: to be in charge of American privateering ships, attacking and capturing English ships and their precious loads.
She discover a new challenge, which will take place in an environment totally unknown to her, she could inherit Maidenstone Abbey, the home of her ancestors, the people so hated by his father, but that is something that she has never had in her life: a House, a place only for her, which can become her refuge.
Actually she could win it in a weird contest against her cousins: who of the three will choose a husband in the party considered the more interesting by judge Lord Ferguson, will have the home.
Callista wants to win at all costs, but it is also necessary to find the ideal candidate, one man facade, so she can manage her affairs.
A protagonist conventional and truly beautiful, but the Duke do Thorington is her worthy counterpart.
Full of charm and capable to use at best the importance and the awe that his title can arouse in people. He is on the brink of ruin, but before his creditors make everything public, Thorington wants to put his brothers and sisters in the best conditions, and what better occasion to find a rich heiress to one of them? The show he manages to put in motion and how he can dominate the scene is truly spectacular to read, but the unexpected meeting with Callista detract from the safety devices and the projects of this man so self-confident.
Together the two make fireworks, their exchanges of ideas are full of irony and sarcasm and the attraction that arises between them inevitable.
I loved both and reading their story has flown the pages, a story full of passion but also very romantic.
Callista sometimes manages to bring out the man hidden behind the facade of the Duke's ice, and he is so wonderful tender, a sweet man, passionate and protective. A man who is not afraid to give the right space to his woman, but at the same time he can become absolutely dominant if he thinks she can be in danger.
Duke of Thorns is the first book in the new series by Sara Ramsey Heiress Games and I can't wait to read the next book on Octavia, Callie's cousin, and Rafe, brother of Duke.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author Sara Ramsey for the book
RATING: 5 stars
TITLE: Duke of Thorns
AUTHORS: Sara Ramsey
SERIES: Heiress Games #1
Bellissimo libro! E credo sinceramente che al momento Sara Ramsey sia una delle migliori tra le scrittrici di romanzi regency.
Le sue storie non sono mai banali, le sue eroine donne imprevedibili e inusuali per quell'epoca, forti, intelligenti e divertenti e i suoi protagonisti maschili assolutamente magnifici.
Ogni volta mi innamoro delle sue storie e ogni volta mi ritrovo a pensare quanto questa autrice scriva bene e abbia talento.
Callista è abituata a vivere una vita avventurosa, seguendo le orme del padre, che ha abbandonato l'Alta Società inglese, per viaggiare e costruire la sua flotta navale mercantile privata. Persi entrambi i genitori non ha esitato a prendere in mano le redini degli affari, osando anche l'impensabile per una donna di origine britannica: essere a capo di navi pirata americane che assaltano e conquistano navi inglesi e i loro preziosi carichi.
Si presenta a lei una nuova sfida, che avrà luogo in un'ambiente a lei totalmente sconosciuto, ereditare Maidenstone Abbey, la casa dei suoi antenati, la casa tanto odiata dal padre, ma che per lei rappresenta qualcosa che non ha mai avuto in vita sua: una casa, un posto suo concreto, che possa diventare il suo rifugio.
In realtà deve proprio vincerla in una farà bizzarra contro le sue cugine: chi delle tre sceglierà come marito il partito ritenuto più interessante dal giudice Lord Ferguson, avrà la casa.
Callista vuole vincere a tutti i costi, ma si rende anche conto di dover trovare il candidato ideale, un uomo di facciata, che poi le faccia gestire autonomamente i suoi affari.
Una protagonista anti convenzionale e veramente splendida, ma il Duca do Thorington è la sua degna controparte.
Pieno di fascino e abituato a usare al meglio l'importanza e il timore reverenziale che il suo titolo sa suscitare nella gente. È sull'orlo della rovina, ma prima che i suoi creditori rendano tutto pubblico, Thorington vuole sistemare i suoi fratelli e le sue sorelle, e quale migliore occasione di trovare una ricca ereditiera per uno di loro? Lo show che riesce a mettere in moto e dome riesce a dominare la scena è veramente spettacolare da leggere, ma l'incontro inaspettato con Callista scalfisce le sicurezze e i progetti di quest'uomo così sicuro di sé.
Insieme i due fanno scintille, i loro scambi di idee sono pieni di ironia e sarcasmo e l'attrazione che nasce tra di loro inevitabile.
Ho amato entrambi e leggere la loro storia ha fatto volare le pagine, una storia piena di passione ma anche molto romantica.
Callista a volte riesce a far emergere l'uomo nascosto dietro la facciata del Duca glaciale, ed è un uomo stupendo tenero, dolce, passionale e protettivo. Un uomo che non ha paura a concedere il giusto spazio alla sua donna, ma che al tempo stesso diventa assolutamente dominante se pensa che possa essere in pericolo.
The Duke of Thorns è il primo libro nella nuova serie di Sara Ramsey Heiress Games e non vedo l'ora di poter leggere il prossimo libro su Octavia, cugina di Callie, e Rafe, fratello del Duca.TFR
July 26, 2017
*I received from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I was grabbed from the start on the ship and knew it was going to be interesting! Their first meet was nothing like you would expect and I didn't know how it would play out from there. They both liked being in control but needed to let go a bit to help each other. I loved their lessons and how they were sometimes at odd other things. I loved how they got engaged her with her cousins.
Callie was not a lady to be messed with. I loved that she was in charge of her own ships and her terms for a marriage. Her reasons for wanting to win were understandable and made a lot of sense. She wasn't out for blood like her family has been known for.
Gavin comes off as a very cold hearted most of the time, but he really isn't. I loved how much he cares about his siblings and that he didn't realize how protective he was. His background explains a lot about him and made sense to why he was the way he was.
They were perfect for each other.
I was grabbed from the start on the ship and knew it was going to be interesting! Their first meet was nothing like you would expect and I didn't know how it would play out from there. They both liked being in control but needed to let go a bit to help each other. I loved their lessons and how they were sometimes at odd other things. I loved how they got engaged her with her cousins.
Callie was not a lady to be messed with. I loved that she was in charge of her own ships and her terms for a marriage. Her reasons for wanting to win were understandable and made a lot of sense. She wasn't out for blood like her family has been known for.
Gavin comes off as a very cold hearted most of the time, but he really isn't. I loved how much he cares about his siblings and that he didn't realize how protective he was. His background explains a lot about him and made sense to why he was the way he was.
They were perfect for each other.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews