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The Scandalous Spinsters #1
The Trouble with Being Wicked
HE PUT HER ON A PEDESTAL When Celeste Gray arrives in the sleepy village of Brixcombe-on-the-Bay, she thinks she’s one step closer to leaving her notorious past behind. She even suspects the deliciously handsome—if somewhat stuffy—viscount next door is developing a tendre for her. That is, until the day Ashlin Lancester learns she’s not the unassuming spinster she’s pretending to be. NOW SHE HAS FARTHER TO FALL After a decade of proving he is nothing like his profligate father, Ash is horrified to have given his heart to a Cyprian. He launches a campaign to prove his attraction is nothing more than a sordid reaction he can’t control. But he soon learns that unlike his father, he can’t find comfort in the arms of just any woman. He needs Celeste. When he takes her as his mistress, he’s still not satisfied, and the many late nights in her arms only make him want more…
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 9, 2012
541 people are currently reading
1099 people want to read
About the author
Emma Locke
16 books92 followersEmma Locke is a USA Today Bestselling Author of smart, sensual Regency romances. Her current books make up the Scandalous Spinsters series, a double trilogy featuring three courtesans and three country hoydens who marry into the notorious Alexander family. She is also an engineer living in the Pacific Northwest, where she loves hiking with her dog, hot yoga and riding out the annual 330 days of rain.
You can Like Emma on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuthorEmmaLocke, follow her on Twitter @EmmaLocke_ or check out her books and appearances at www.emmalocke.com.
You can Like Emma on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuthorEmmaLocke, follow her on Twitter @EmmaLocke_ or check out her books and appearances at www.emmalocke.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
December 16, 2012
Celeste Gray is ready for a fresh start after eighteen years of being a courtesan. She is the most desired woman in London but she is ready to be done and settle down in the quiet country with her friend and find some peace. When she meets the dashing viscount next door, she is stunned by the first true stirrings of attraction that she has felt. But Ashlin Lancester is as proper as they come and she knows that if he were to learn the truth of her background he would never spare her another glance. Ash has been the guardian to his two younger sisters for the past seven years, determined to shield them from the scandal that rocked his family when his determined to have pleasure, no matter the cost, father ends up dying in a most shocking way. He wants a nice proper young lady to be his wife...certainly not the flame haired beauty that just showed up and with two younger sisters always trying to scheme, he can sense that Celeste is hiding something. Her past is revealed and it causes Ash to rethink his plan for his life...could he actually be happy with a former courtesan? But when Celeste hides yet another scandal from him, this time involving his sister, can he forgive her and see what is in his heart?
Emma Locke is a debut author and I was initially drawn to her lovely covers and then her blurbs intrigued me as I really enjoy a courtesan falling in love story and this one really delivered. Celeste grew up with a mother who did not care for her, she was the result of a scheme by her mother to keep her protector, and as a result, had no love growing up...and really no place else to turn when her mother died. When you grow up in the business, it can be your only choice of business. Still, Celeste has achieved top status and wealth among the courtesans but at thirty three she still longs to find hope and love, things she has long sense given up the ability to feel. So when she starts to actually feel for Ash, it leaves her devastated because she knows that their relationship can never be more. Ash is determined to be nothing like his father, consumed by desire for a woman, and he has spent the past seven years making sure that does not happen. He portrays himself as indifferent, critical and controlling yet underneath he is a passionate man who just wants the best for his family. I loved the inclusion of his sisters and Celeste's friend as their stories were set up very well and I am very eager to read them! For a debut, the writing was smooth and enjoyable but overall the story felt a little long. I can not pin point it exactly, but it just seemed that way to me. I really enjoyed watching this couple find the love they were both longing for together. It is a fun, heated, romantic story about hope, family and love and is a wonderful set up to what looks to be a very promising series from an author to keep an eye one! I know from the preview for the next book, I can't wait! 4 stars
eARC provided by author
Emma Locke is a debut author and I was initially drawn to her lovely covers and then her blurbs intrigued me as I really enjoy a courtesan falling in love story and this one really delivered. Celeste grew up with a mother who did not care for her, she was the result of a scheme by her mother to keep her protector, and as a result, had no love growing up...and really no place else to turn when her mother died. When you grow up in the business, it can be your only choice of business. Still, Celeste has achieved top status and wealth among the courtesans but at thirty three she still longs to find hope and love, things she has long sense given up the ability to feel. So when she starts to actually feel for Ash, it leaves her devastated because she knows that their relationship can never be more. Ash is determined to be nothing like his father, consumed by desire for a woman, and he has spent the past seven years making sure that does not happen. He portrays himself as indifferent, critical and controlling yet underneath he is a passionate man who just wants the best for his family. I loved the inclusion of his sisters and Celeste's friend as their stories were set up very well and I am very eager to read them! For a debut, the writing was smooth and enjoyable but overall the story felt a little long. I can not pin point it exactly, but it just seemed that way to me. I really enjoyed watching this couple find the love they were both longing for together. It is a fun, heated, romantic story about hope, family and love and is a wonderful set up to what looks to be a very promising series from an author to keep an eye one! I know from the preview for the next book, I can't wait! 4 stars
eARC provided by author
March 5, 2015
When Celeste Gray arrives in Brixcombe to take care of a friend who is about to go into confinement and have a baby, she plans on leaving her old past behind. A notorious courtesan, Celeste hopes the country life will keep her past where it needs to stay, in the past. Until she meets Ashlin Lancester and his wonderful sisters and suddenly her past might just come biting her back.
Interesting enough read, I did enjoy it. I liked Celeste for her tenacity and boldness. I had a hard time with Ashlin once he found out about Celeste profession and the fact that he goes out of his way to hire the woman he has feelings for to have as his mistress just because he cannot come to terms with his feelings and figures that is the only way due to her profession. He does grow on me over time by the end of the book.
The chemistry between the two was palatable, it was there and that's all that matters. The storyline flowed well enough with some slow snags here and there, but overall I did enjoy the book.
I got a copy of this book through netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Interesting enough read, I did enjoy it. I liked Celeste for her tenacity and boldness. I had a hard time with Ashlin once he found out about Celeste profession and the fact that he goes out of his way to hire the woman he has feelings for to have as his mistress just because he cannot come to terms with his feelings and figures that is the only way due to her profession. He does grow on me over time by the end of the book.
The chemistry between the two was palatable, it was there and that's all that matters. The storyline flowed well enough with some slow snags here and there, but overall I did enjoy the book.
I got a copy of this book through netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
January 7, 2016
This was a pretty hard book to like....it was also a book I couldn't help but like. The emotional moments are written so well and the vulnerability of the heroine are presented in such a poignant way you can't help but feel for her. It was also really good at presenting the really unflattering thoughts we usually have about people or ourselves. It was very realistic in that sense. There were however moments when I was very aware I am reading a fictional story which is a sign of unrealistic or farfetched scenarios. Nonetheless I loved the writing and liked the story.
July 7, 2024
Review from 2016
B+ for narration; D for content. 3 stars overall is probably generous, but the narrator deserves some recognition for her excellent work!
I decided to review The Trouble with Being Wicked solely on the strength of narrator Marian Hussey whose work has impressed me in the past. I was also quite intrigued by the book synopsis, which tells of a romance between an ex-courtesan and an uptight, very proper young viscount who is so desperate to put his tragic family history behind him that he has become a complete killjoy and is gradually suffocating his sisters with his over-protectiveness.
Celeste Gray is the most sought after courtesan in London but, at thirty-three, is tired of that life and wants to leave it behind. Having amassed herself a considerable fortune over the past eighteen years, she purchases a cottage in a small village called Brixcombe-on-the-Bay in Devon and travels there with her very pregnant friend, Elizabeth, with a view to making her home there. The cottage’s former owner, Ashlin Lancester, Viscount Trestin, comes over to see how the ladies are settling in and immediately senses that not all is as it seems. I have no idea how, but he determines that Elizabeth is not a respectable married lady and is extremely disgruntled because of the lustful thoughts Celeste inspires. Because of course it’s her fault for being so shaggable, and nothing to do with Ash at all.
The sinful imaginings are not one-sided however, and Ash and Celeste very quickly fall into lust with each other – which is certainly not surprising on Ash’s part given he has been celibate for the past seven years in the attempt to prove that he’s nothing like his late father, a man who lifted more skirts than he had hot dinners. Ash is a stickler for propriety because the tragedy surrounding his parents – his mother shot his father and then turned the gun on herself – caused a massive scandal which dragged the family name through the mud and badly affected his sisters’ marriage prospects. The three of them – Ash, Lucy and Delilah – have lived a secluded life in the country for years, and his sisters are restless and reckless. Lucy insists she isn’t going to get married and wants to open a girls’ school while Delilah is in love with the local blacksmith.
Ash has no idea of Celeste’s true identity or profession, and of course when he does find out he’s livid, says nasty things to her and storms off. Hurt, but doing her best not to show it, Celeste goes back to London, shortly followed by Ash who tries to throw himself into an endless round of debauchery, but can’t quite manage it – he only wants Celeste. (I had to ask myself at this point how a bloke who hasn’t had any nookie in seven years and who was intent on getting some could have had trouble in the trouser department simply because “she wasn’t the right woman.”) Eventually, he seeks Celeste out and asks her to become his mistress, and even though she has misgivings (because she loves him but he can’t possibly love her) –she agrees.
I had a number of problems with this audiobook, all of which were to do with the story. For one thing, it is very slow to start, and I will be completely honest and own up to the fact that I was bored. Nothing much happens for around the first third of the book, and while I often say I like stories in which the romance is the story and there is no extraneous action or mystery, there has to be something else to hold my interest, and here there just wasn’t. The central characters aren’t particularly likeable or interesting and there’s no chemistry between them so their encounters are dull. And I could quite happily have locked Ash’s sisters in the cellar and thrown away the key. At some point during this first part of the book, Celeste and Ash admit (to themselves, not each other) that they’ve fallen for one another, and I did a metaphorical double-take, because I’d heard nothing up to that point to suggest it. In fact, there’s nothing in the entire book which suggests a couple falling in love or who share a strong emotional connection.
Adding to those issues is the fact that on a number of occasions, the author stretched my credulity so far that it broke. I could cite numerous examples, but I’ll content myself with two. One is when Elizabeth goes into labour and she is attended by a physician. I couldn’t understand why two ex-courtesans who must, of necessity, be familiar with the mechanics of reproduction, wouldn’t have known that back then, babies were almost always delivered by midwives and not physicians. And then why, when the labour accelerates, they don’t send for the bloody midwife. Well, actually I did understand it. It’s just a plot device to get Ash involved.
Another plot thread sees Lucy asking Celeste to help her to seduce the man she’s fancied for years (who happens to be Ash’s best friend) so that she can have a taste of passion before she sets up as a respectable headmistress. Um – no. A woman in that situation would have to be of spotless reputation; the faintest whiff of scandal (like having had sex outside of marriage) and the whole enterprise would have been doomed. Even though Lucy is sure nobody will ever find out, it’s completely ridiculous and I wasn’t buying. Worse, though, is that, even though Celeste knows it’s a bad idea and how furious Ash would be if he found out – she agrees! *headdesk*
I was about to give a D- grade for content when, in the last hour or so came the best scenes in the entire book, which are between Ash and Delilah’s new husband, and those bumped it up a bit.
Marian Hussey is a highly accomplished narrator who I’ve enjoyed listening to in the past and have rated highly, but even she couldn’t save this audiobook from being less than mediocre. Her pacing, whether when reading dialogue or narrative, is excellent and she differentiates extremely well, voicing every character according to gender, age and station. Her male characters always sound masculine and she even manages to make the stuffy, wooden Ash sound attractive, so kudos to her for that. She adds a husky note to Celeste’s voice which works well and also makes it easy to distinguish between her and the other female characters. Lucy and Delilah are easy to tell apart from each other in their scenes together, and Ms Hussey’s portrayal of Elizabeth strongly conveys the character’s selfishness and the fact that she really has no idea what she is facing in the near future in terms of childbirth and having a child out of wedlock.
As is obvious, I can’t recommend The Trouble with Being Wicked in spite of an excellent performance from Marian Hussey, who really deserves better material. The pacing of the story is uneven, the characters are barely two-dimensional, there is little romantic spark between the principals and the book is littered with so many historical inaccuracies and implausibilities that, had I not received a review copy, I would have stopped listening and returned it. Emma Locke isn’t a terrible writer by any means, but if you like the even the tiniest nod to historical accuracy in your historical romances, then this isn’t the book for you.
B+ for narration; D for content. 3 stars overall is probably generous, but the narrator deserves some recognition for her excellent work!
I decided to review The Trouble with Being Wicked solely on the strength of narrator Marian Hussey whose work has impressed me in the past. I was also quite intrigued by the book synopsis, which tells of a romance between an ex-courtesan and an uptight, very proper young viscount who is so desperate to put his tragic family history behind him that he has become a complete killjoy and is gradually suffocating his sisters with his over-protectiveness.
Celeste Gray is the most sought after courtesan in London but, at thirty-three, is tired of that life and wants to leave it behind. Having amassed herself a considerable fortune over the past eighteen years, she purchases a cottage in a small village called Brixcombe-on-the-Bay in Devon and travels there with her very pregnant friend, Elizabeth, with a view to making her home there. The cottage’s former owner, Ashlin Lancester, Viscount Trestin, comes over to see how the ladies are settling in and immediately senses that not all is as it seems. I have no idea how, but he determines that Elizabeth is not a respectable married lady and is extremely disgruntled because of the lustful thoughts Celeste inspires. Because of course it’s her fault for being so shaggable, and nothing to do with Ash at all.
The sinful imaginings are not one-sided however, and Ash and Celeste very quickly fall into lust with each other – which is certainly not surprising on Ash’s part given he has been celibate for the past seven years in the attempt to prove that he’s nothing like his late father, a man who lifted more skirts than he had hot dinners. Ash is a stickler for propriety because the tragedy surrounding his parents – his mother shot his father and then turned the gun on herself – caused a massive scandal which dragged the family name through the mud and badly affected his sisters’ marriage prospects. The three of them – Ash, Lucy and Delilah – have lived a secluded life in the country for years, and his sisters are restless and reckless. Lucy insists she isn’t going to get married and wants to open a girls’ school while Delilah is in love with the local blacksmith.
Ash has no idea of Celeste’s true identity or profession, and of course when he does find out he’s livid, says nasty things to her and storms off. Hurt, but doing her best not to show it, Celeste goes back to London, shortly followed by Ash who tries to throw himself into an endless round of debauchery, but can’t quite manage it – he only wants Celeste. (I had to ask myself at this point how a bloke who hasn’t had any nookie in seven years and who was intent on getting some could have had trouble in the trouser department simply because “she wasn’t the right woman.”) Eventually, he seeks Celeste out and asks her to become his mistress, and even though she has misgivings (because she loves him but he can’t possibly love her) –she agrees.
I had a number of problems with this audiobook, all of which were to do with the story. For one thing, it is very slow to start, and I will be completely honest and own up to the fact that I was bored. Nothing much happens for around the first third of the book, and while I often say I like stories in which the romance is the story and there is no extraneous action or mystery, there has to be something else to hold my interest, and here there just wasn’t. The central characters aren’t particularly likeable or interesting and there’s no chemistry between them so their encounters are dull. And I could quite happily have locked Ash’s sisters in the cellar and thrown away the key. At some point during this first part of the book, Celeste and Ash admit (to themselves, not each other) that they’ve fallen for one another, and I did a metaphorical double-take, because I’d heard nothing up to that point to suggest it. In fact, there’s nothing in the entire book which suggests a couple falling in love or who share a strong emotional connection.
Adding to those issues is the fact that on a number of occasions, the author stretched my credulity so far that it broke. I could cite numerous examples, but I’ll content myself with two. One is when Elizabeth goes into labour and she is attended by a physician. I couldn’t understand why two ex-courtesans who must, of necessity, be familiar with the mechanics of reproduction, wouldn’t have known that back then, babies were almost always delivered by midwives and not physicians. And then why, when the labour accelerates, they don’t send for the bloody midwife. Well, actually I did understand it. It’s just a plot device to get Ash involved.
Another plot thread sees Lucy asking Celeste to help her to seduce the man she’s fancied for years (who happens to be Ash’s best friend) so that she can have a taste of passion before she sets up as a respectable headmistress. Um – no. A woman in that situation would have to be of spotless reputation; the faintest whiff of scandal (like having had sex outside of marriage) and the whole enterprise would have been doomed. Even though Lucy is sure nobody will ever find out, it’s completely ridiculous and I wasn’t buying. Worse, though, is that, even though Celeste knows it’s a bad idea and how furious Ash would be if he found out – she agrees! *headdesk*
I was about to give a D- grade for content when, in the last hour or so came the best scenes in the entire book, which are between Ash and Delilah’s new husband, and those bumped it up a bit.
Marian Hussey is a highly accomplished narrator who I’ve enjoyed listening to in the past and have rated highly, but even she couldn’t save this audiobook from being less than mediocre. Her pacing, whether when reading dialogue or narrative, is excellent and she differentiates extremely well, voicing every character according to gender, age and station. Her male characters always sound masculine and she even manages to make the stuffy, wooden Ash sound attractive, so kudos to her for that. She adds a husky note to Celeste’s voice which works well and also makes it easy to distinguish between her and the other female characters. Lucy and Delilah are easy to tell apart from each other in their scenes together, and Ms Hussey’s portrayal of Elizabeth strongly conveys the character’s selfishness and the fact that she really has no idea what she is facing in the near future in terms of childbirth and having a child out of wedlock.
As is obvious, I can’t recommend The Trouble with Being Wicked in spite of an excellent performance from Marian Hussey, who really deserves better material. The pacing of the story is uneven, the characters are barely two-dimensional, there is little romantic spark between the principals and the book is littered with so many historical inaccuracies and implausibilities that, had I not received a review copy, I would have stopped listening and returned it. Emma Locke isn’t a terrible writer by any means, but if you like the even the tiniest nod to historical accuracy in your historical romances, then this isn’t the book for you.
January 9, 2013
Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews
It is a tricky thing, writing a historical romance novel where the heroine is a courtesan, it doesn't always work. The story has to be somewhat realistic. Society in 1814 wasn't terribly forgiving or accepting of courtesans as anything more than what they were. Much less in London, among people of rank and strict social rules. It takes more than just making the heroine likable, it takes some real thought and effort.
Emma Locke's novel The Trouble with Being Wicked gives readers two great characters who really shouldn't fall in love, but as all great characters often do, they find themselves yearning to be with each other while struggling to find a place in a society that doesn't fully welcome either one of them.
Ashlin Lancester is a good man, a little stuffy but he has his reasons and they're not as easy to dismiss as one might think. Ash's parents were involved in a scandal that has defined his life. Years ago, his mother murdered his father and then committed suicide in what appeared to be a fit of jealous rage. Because of that, Ash is determined to walk a straight and proper line, not just for his own sake but for the sake of his sisters Delilah and Lucy.
Celeste is a caring, intelligent woman who just happens to be a courtesan, masquerading as a lady's companion. Very poorly I might add. Celeste is used to being direct and not bowing down to anyone, which is what makes Ash suspicious of her and her friend Elizabeth from the beginning. Despite having been a courtesan for many years and acquiring vast wealth, Celeste still longs for the things money cannot buy: A family with a good man that she loves and who loves her in return.
The Trouble with Being Wicked mostly takes place in the country side, an unusual place to find courtesans and the drama that inevitably follows them but it works for this story. The setting allows for less outside interference and more time for Ash and Celeste to develop and nurture feelings for one another. The Trouble with Being Wicked has a slow pace that can become tedious at times, with too many descriptive phrases and interruptions from the issue at hand: Ash and Celeste's forbidden romance.
There's quite a supporting cast in The Trouble with Being Wicked as well. Ash's two younger sisters may at first seem like spoiled girls seeking attention but the truth is, they know what they want out of life and resent Ash treating them as if he knows what is best for them. Delilah and Lucy do take rather drastic measures to secure their goals though and don't give much of a thought as to how it would affect Ash's life or his marriage prospects. That was rather selfish that their brother would be so willing to give up what would make him happy in order to secure good matches for his sisters but his sisters do not have the same consideration for him.
There's also Celeste's friend Elizabeth who will get her chance at love in the second book in the series and Ashlin's friend Lord Montbourne who seems more like my kind of hero. The haunted kind that has lived a life he now regrets and has become a victim of his own reputation. He is the hero of the third book in this series and I honestly cannot wait until it is released.
The Trouble with Being Wicked is a passionate, angst filled story that adult fans of historical romance will appreciate and want to add to their TBR lists.
It is a tricky thing, writing a historical romance novel where the heroine is a courtesan, it doesn't always work. The story has to be somewhat realistic. Society in 1814 wasn't terribly forgiving or accepting of courtesans as anything more than what they were. Much less in London, among people of rank and strict social rules. It takes more than just making the heroine likable, it takes some real thought and effort.
Emma Locke's novel The Trouble with Being Wicked gives readers two great characters who really shouldn't fall in love, but as all great characters often do, they find themselves yearning to be with each other while struggling to find a place in a society that doesn't fully welcome either one of them.
Ashlin Lancester is a good man, a little stuffy but he has his reasons and they're not as easy to dismiss as one might think. Ash's parents were involved in a scandal that has defined his life. Years ago, his mother murdered his father and then committed suicide in what appeared to be a fit of jealous rage. Because of that, Ash is determined to walk a straight and proper line, not just for his own sake but for the sake of his sisters Delilah and Lucy.
Celeste is a caring, intelligent woman who just happens to be a courtesan, masquerading as a lady's companion. Very poorly I might add. Celeste is used to being direct and not bowing down to anyone, which is what makes Ash suspicious of her and her friend Elizabeth from the beginning. Despite having been a courtesan for many years and acquiring vast wealth, Celeste still longs for the things money cannot buy: A family with a good man that she loves and who loves her in return.
The Trouble with Being Wicked mostly takes place in the country side, an unusual place to find courtesans and the drama that inevitably follows them but it works for this story. The setting allows for less outside interference and more time for Ash and Celeste to develop and nurture feelings for one another. The Trouble with Being Wicked has a slow pace that can become tedious at times, with too many descriptive phrases and interruptions from the issue at hand: Ash and Celeste's forbidden romance.
There's quite a supporting cast in The Trouble with Being Wicked as well. Ash's two younger sisters may at first seem like spoiled girls seeking attention but the truth is, they know what they want out of life and resent Ash treating them as if he knows what is best for them. Delilah and Lucy do take rather drastic measures to secure their goals though and don't give much of a thought as to how it would affect Ash's life or his marriage prospects. That was rather selfish that their brother would be so willing to give up what would make him happy in order to secure good matches for his sisters but his sisters do not have the same consideration for him.
There's also Celeste's friend Elizabeth who will get her chance at love in the second book in the series and Ashlin's friend Lord Montbourne who seems more like my kind of hero. The haunted kind that has lived a life he now regrets and has become a victim of his own reputation. He is the hero of the third book in this series and I honestly cannot wait until it is released.
The Trouble with Being Wicked is a passionate, angst filled story that adult fans of historical romance will appreciate and want to add to their TBR lists.
March 26, 2016
2 star story at best. 10 star narration by Marian Hussey (audible review)
Where to start? I am not a big fan of a heroine being a courtesan and that is what she was. This book would have been a better story had Celeste not been one and her past was something different. It's hard to like a book with the heroine is basically a hooker. She was a great character and the author sort of ruined it. Sorry.
The hero, Ash was a bit too stuffy and indecisive. His character needed something, he was sort of dull to be honest. His best friend Montborne was a better character for sure.
The chemistry was good to a point but felt a bit forced from the beginning. There were a couple of hot and steamy sex scenes that were very well written though, so there is that.
Oh, I did love his sisters though, they were great.
As for the narration, it was absolutely fantastic! I am a huge fan of Marian Hussey! Love her. All the men sound like men, sexy men at that. The women have lovely voices and everyone gets their own distinct voice. She reads with emotion and at a perfect speed. She has a very nice reading voice.
Where to start? I am not a big fan of a heroine being a courtesan and that is what she was. This book would have been a better story had Celeste not been one and her past was something different. It's hard to like a book with the heroine is basically a hooker. She was a great character and the author sort of ruined it. Sorry.
The hero, Ash was a bit too stuffy and indecisive. His character needed something, he was sort of dull to be honest. His best friend Montborne was a better character for sure.
The chemistry was good to a point but felt a bit forced from the beginning. There were a couple of hot and steamy sex scenes that were very well written though, so there is that.
Oh, I did love his sisters though, they were great.
As for the narration, it was absolutely fantastic! I am a huge fan of Marian Hussey! Love her. All the men sound like men, sexy men at that. The women have lovely voices and everyone gets their own distinct voice. She reads with emotion and at a perfect speed. She has a very nice reading voice.
June 21, 2017
The Trouble with Being Wicked is the first book in The Naughty Girls series by Emma Locke.
Celeste Gray is a much sought after courtesan in London, but she wants to retire, leaving her past behind her. With that in mind, she sets up home in a cottage in Devon with her friend and fellow courtesan Elizabeth. The latter is pregnant and needed to be away from London for her confinement.
Ashlin Lancaster (Ash) is a Viscount and Celeste's closest neighbour. He lives with his two wilful sisters, both whom he wants to see married sooner rather than later. Unfortunately one of them says she won't marry at all, and the other wants to marry a man beneath her social station which Ash can't allow. He too needs to marry, and knows he won't find a wife in Devon. They plan to go to London for a season in which he hopes all three of them will find suitable, proper spouses.
Before the London trip, Ash and Celeste meet. She under a false name because her reputation precedes her. It's pretty much lust at first sight between them. Something that horrifies Ash. His father broke his mother's heart because he was a philanderer, one that slept with countless courtesans in London with not a care about his wife. Ash has been celibate for years because he fears that he will show signs of being a whore-monger like his father. When he marries it will be to a proper lady, one who will provide him with heirs, and one who he will love but certainly not lust after. He fears that Celeste will push him to his limits, and could also be a bad influence on his sisters. Not because she doesn't seem proper enough, but because she she seems too confident, too independent, the kind of women his sisters want to be. He vows to keep them apart, but as always, his sisters don't listen to him and they invite Celeste on many visits, or for walks, and he feels he needs to accompany them to make sure nothing untoward happens.
Unfortunately for him, Ash finds himself feeling more and more besotted with Celeste, but when the inevitable happens and he finds out who she really is, he is furious. She is the type of woman that his father dallied with which broke his mother. He is angry that he has feelings for her, and angry that her kind were around his sisters.
Celeste is distraught when Ash finds out about her and she realises she will never be able to live down her past. With that in mind she runs back to London. She doesn't immediately start seeing other men, but she needs to lick her wounds.
Ash and his sisters travel to London for their 'season' where Ash still hopes the girls will find husbands. He can't keep his mind off Celeste and sees her, asking her to be his mistress. It kills him that he can't keep away from her. He can't marry her, he can't love her, but at least he can bed her. Which makes him just like his father doesn't it?? He's very confused.
So do his sisters find men that he approves of, can he keep his heart safe from the type of woman he definitely cannot marry. Will his relationship with her be the ruin of his family's good name? He hates the thought that Celeste is his mistress, but there is no other option.
The passionate scenes between Celeste and Ash were steamy hot, not for those that like a nice staid read with fade to black sex. Their relationship was fraught with angst but between the sheets, or against the wall etc, they were perfectly matched.
The sisters were a delight to get to know, Lucy, well I certainly enjoyed the plot twist where she was concerned. Delilah, despite her name, was the more proper of the sisters, and her story is lovely. I enjoyed how we didn't just have the main couple's story, but that also a lot was happening with the sisters which kept the book exciting.
Poor Ash, well he gets a shock or two, and ends up questioning a lot about his life and beliefs. He is a loveable character even when he's being an utter snob.
I actually really enjoyed this story, despite some of the outcomes being something I think would never have happened in real regency times. But that's what I loved so much about it, it was like a fantasy, feel good, story where it all comes good in the end for all except perhaps one character. I assume his story will be next in the series. At least I hope it will be because he's a darling, if somewhat scandalous man.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read the next in the series.
Celeste Gray is a much sought after courtesan in London, but she wants to retire, leaving her past behind her. With that in mind, she sets up home in a cottage in Devon with her friend and fellow courtesan Elizabeth. The latter is pregnant and needed to be away from London for her confinement.
Ashlin Lancaster (Ash) is a Viscount and Celeste's closest neighbour. He lives with his two wilful sisters, both whom he wants to see married sooner rather than later. Unfortunately one of them says she won't marry at all, and the other wants to marry a man beneath her social station which Ash can't allow. He too needs to marry, and knows he won't find a wife in Devon. They plan to go to London for a season in which he hopes all three of them will find suitable, proper spouses.
Before the London trip, Ash and Celeste meet. She under a false name because her reputation precedes her. It's pretty much lust at first sight between them. Something that horrifies Ash. His father broke his mother's heart because he was a philanderer, one that slept with countless courtesans in London with not a care about his wife. Ash has been celibate for years because he fears that he will show signs of being a whore-monger like his father. When he marries it will be to a proper lady, one who will provide him with heirs, and one who he will love but certainly not lust after. He fears that Celeste will push him to his limits, and could also be a bad influence on his sisters. Not because she doesn't seem proper enough, but because she she seems too confident, too independent, the kind of women his sisters want to be. He vows to keep them apart, but as always, his sisters don't listen to him and they invite Celeste on many visits, or for walks, and he feels he needs to accompany them to make sure nothing untoward happens.
Unfortunately for him, Ash finds himself feeling more and more besotted with Celeste, but when the inevitable happens and he finds out who she really is, he is furious. She is the type of woman that his father dallied with which broke his mother. He is angry that he has feelings for her, and angry that her kind were around his sisters.
Celeste is distraught when Ash finds out about her and she realises she will never be able to live down her past. With that in mind she runs back to London. She doesn't immediately start seeing other men, but she needs to lick her wounds.
Ash and his sisters travel to London for their 'season' where Ash still hopes the girls will find husbands. He can't keep his mind off Celeste and sees her, asking her to be his mistress. It kills him that he can't keep away from her. He can't marry her, he can't love her, but at least he can bed her. Which makes him just like his father doesn't it?? He's very confused.
So do his sisters find men that he approves of, can he keep his heart safe from the type of woman he definitely cannot marry. Will his relationship with her be the ruin of his family's good name? He hates the thought that Celeste is his mistress, but there is no other option.
The passionate scenes between Celeste and Ash were steamy hot, not for those that like a nice staid read with fade to black sex. Their relationship was fraught with angst but between the sheets, or against the wall etc, they were perfectly matched.
The sisters were a delight to get to know, Lucy, well I certainly enjoyed the plot twist where she was concerned. Delilah, despite her name, was the more proper of the sisters, and her story is lovely. I enjoyed how we didn't just have the main couple's story, but that also a lot was happening with the sisters which kept the book exciting.
Poor Ash, well he gets a shock or two, and ends up questioning a lot about his life and beliefs. He is a loveable character even when he's being an utter snob.
I actually really enjoyed this story, despite some of the outcomes being something I think would never have happened in real regency times. But that's what I loved so much about it, it was like a fantasy, feel good, story where it all comes good in the end for all except perhaps one character. I assume his story will be next in the series. At least I hope it will be because he's a darling, if somewhat scandalous man.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read the next in the series.
June 3, 2017
Celeste Gray arrives in Brixcombe to help her friend who is expecting, she believes she can start anew and leave her past behind. When she meets Ashlin Lancester, he believes she is the companion to her friend and becomes interested in her. However when Ashlin finds out she was a courtesan he makes an offer to her that threatens to tear apart the feelings they have one another even though he wants more.
This was different than what I was thinking. Ashlin I had a bit of a problem connecting with initially but he grew on me. The story is fast paced and full of surprises, grappled with the Celeste/Ashlin dilemma even though I understood where he was coming from with his fathers history. Would check out the next book in this series.
This was different than what I was thinking. Ashlin I had a bit of a problem connecting with initially but he grew on me. The story is fast paced and full of surprises, grappled with the Celeste/Ashlin dilemma even though I understood where he was coming from with his fathers history. Would check out the next book in this series.
June 11, 2013
The Trouble with Being Wicked was a nice light historical romance. I go for the more passionate novels so this one didn't really sit well with me. I disliked how the the hero treated Celeste. Celeste was nice because for once a courtesan was trying to turn her life around. Ashlin however never quite redeemed himself in my eyes.
Just my 2 cents,
Karen
*arc provided for an honest opinion by netgalley*
Just my 2 cents,
Karen
*arc provided for an honest opinion by netgalley*
April 4, 2013
After eighteen years of working, Celeste Gray has finally reached the pinnacle and is the foremost courtesan in London. But, after eighteen years of working, Celeste has grown tired of the shallow connections and empty attachments and yearns for something more.
The last straw for Celeste was when her friend, Elizabeth, falls pregnant as a last ditch effort to keep her current protector. Celeste saw this as an opportunity to leave London and start fresh. Opportunity came in the form of a small cottage being sold by Lord Trestin in Devon. Far enough from any sort of distraction, isolated enough from people who might know of her -- Celeste loved the idea and quickly bought the property and whisked her friend and their small staff to the country.
What Celeste doesn't count on is finding distraction in the form of her new neighbor, Lord Trestin.
One look at Celeste, and Trestin knows his carefully-held principles of propriety and morality are in danger. Trestin also knows that Celeste's story doesn't add up -- a companion to Elizabeth? A Miss Smythe and Mrs Inglewood, with Captain Inglewood away on duty? Trestin knows they are lying. What Trestin doesn't know is why.
When Lord Montborne, a man Celeste knows quite well, arrives in Devon, and he turns out to be very good friends with Trestin and his family, the image that Celeste has worked to cultivate threatens to crumble around her.
I enjoyed seeing Celeste and Lord Trestin's first meeting from Celeste's point of view, where she openly assesses his "potential" -- it's very refreshing to have a heroine who isn't so squeamish about her body or her desires. I thought Celeste was a remarkable heroine. A woman who did what was necessary in order to survive. I love how she is able to adapt to the many twists and curves that life throws her way.
Celeste wants a fresh start -- a chance to live a life that she never had the chance to live when she was younger. Now she has the money and means to do so and to enjoy it. But therein lies a fundamental problem: is such a change possible? Can one really walk away from one's past and reinvent one's self?
The ideal vs The real -- The pursuit of perfection is central to the story. Trestin is pre-occupied with marrying a paragon and gaining acceptance into society. Surrounding himself with schedules and rules to ensure that he becomes nothing like his father.
Celeste and Trestin try to run away from the past that shaped them. Both of them struggle to contain their true selves, trying so hard to conform with society's standard of propriety but, instead of being happy in that "ideal" life, they are both miserable. In Lord Trestin's case, he also makes the lives of his sisters miserable.
The arrival of Lord Montborne changes the dynamic between Celeste and Trestin. For Celeste, Montborne is the rude awakening, the slap in the face, that painful yet honest reminder of who she is.
I loved Lord Montborne (and secretly wanted him to end up with Celeste but I'm glad he has someone he loves) -- I think he represents a man who knows who he is and makes no excuses for it. He is very self-assured and confident -- and Trestin yearns to enjoy that same kind of freedom and nonchalance that Montborne has.
What makes this story interesting? The characters -- all representative of the human condition: a woman who seeks love (Celeste), a man who seeks acceptance (Lord Trestin), a mother yearning for a family (Elizabeth), etc. This was a very enjoyable read and I'm definitely reading the next book. (I already have it on my e-reader.)
The last straw for Celeste was when her friend, Elizabeth, falls pregnant as a last ditch effort to keep her current protector. Celeste saw this as an opportunity to leave London and start fresh. Opportunity came in the form of a small cottage being sold by Lord Trestin in Devon. Far enough from any sort of distraction, isolated enough from people who might know of her -- Celeste loved the idea and quickly bought the property and whisked her friend and their small staff to the country.
What Celeste doesn't count on is finding distraction in the form of her new neighbor, Lord Trestin.
One look at Celeste, and Trestin knows his carefully-held principles of propriety and morality are in danger. Trestin also knows that Celeste's story doesn't add up -- a companion to Elizabeth? A Miss Smythe and Mrs Inglewood, with Captain Inglewood away on duty? Trestin knows they are lying. What Trestin doesn't know is why.
When Lord Montborne, a man Celeste knows quite well, arrives in Devon, and he turns out to be very good friends with Trestin and his family, the image that Celeste has worked to cultivate threatens to crumble around her.
I enjoyed seeing Celeste and Lord Trestin's first meeting from Celeste's point of view, where she openly assesses his "potential" -- it's very refreshing to have a heroine who isn't so squeamish about her body or her desires. I thought Celeste was a remarkable heroine. A woman who did what was necessary in order to survive. I love how she is able to adapt to the many twists and curves that life throws her way.
Celeste wants a fresh start -- a chance to live a life that she never had the chance to live when she was younger. Now she has the money and means to do so and to enjoy it. But therein lies a fundamental problem: is such a change possible? Can one really walk away from one's past and reinvent one's self?
She took his arm again. Her heart raced as they entered a long, cream-colored hallway. Centuries-old paintings hung from the walls, stone-faced ancestors frowning at her intrusion. Her belly became leaden again. His resplendent estate was flawless. She was a soiled splotch contaminating it.
- p. 53
The ideal vs The real -- The pursuit of perfection is central to the story. Trestin is pre-occupied with marrying a paragon and gaining acceptance into society. Surrounding himself with schedules and rules to ensure that he becomes nothing like his father.
Celeste and Trestin try to run away from the past that shaped them. Both of them struggle to contain their true selves, trying so hard to conform with society's standard of propriety but, instead of being happy in that "ideal" life, they are both miserable. In Lord Trestin's case, he also makes the lives of his sisters miserable.
The arrival of Lord Montborne changes the dynamic between Celeste and Trestin. For Celeste, Montborne is the rude awakening, the slap in the face, that painful yet honest reminder of who she is.
His eyes searched her face. "But that's because you and I are of a kind. Not quite worthy of the rest of the world. A dalliance with Trestin, on the other hand, can only cause pain. Yours and his. You must end this before it becomes anything more." His eyes steeled, but they couldn't cut her as deeply as his words just had.
She wasn't worthy.
- p. 103
I loved Lord Montborne (and secretly wanted him to end up with Celeste but I'm glad he has someone he loves) -- I think he represents a man who knows who he is and makes no excuses for it. He is very self-assured and confident -- and Trestin yearns to enjoy that same kind of freedom and nonchalance that Montborne has.
What makes this story interesting? The characters -- all representative of the human condition: a woman who seeks love (Celeste), a man who seeks acceptance (Lord Trestin), a mother yearning for a family (Elizabeth), etc. This was a very enjoyable read and I'm definitely reading the next book. (I already have it on my e-reader.)
June 7, 2013
After starting a bit slowly as we are getting to know Celeste and Elizabeth as they have set out to start a new life, free from notoriety in the country far from London. These two former courtesans to the ton of London society have chucked it all in and are looking to become the new doyennes of the social set in the Devon countryside.
Celeste is delightful with a sense of seeing things from a slightly jaded eye, although she still manages to, despite her past; keep a sense of hopefulness and belief in love and family. The revelations of the realities of those situations, far from rose-tinted and as perfect as she had dreamed provide many interesting asides from her point of view.
Of course, there has to be a man: and he arrives in all of his ‘stuffed shirt propriety’ in the form of Ashlin Lancester, Viscount. Ash is a good man, far less ‘stuffy’ than he appears, after being thrust into the role of master of the house and guardian of his two younger, marriageable aged sisters when his family was destroyed in a scandal caused by his father’s profligate and spendthrift ways.
From here, the story takes off to become a delicate waltz. Since it is set away from the flurry of action that accompany the London social scene, characters need to (and do) stand wholly on their own and drive the storyline forward as the relationship between Ash and Celeste grows.
With a cast of secondary characters that are delightfully different from the constraint one would expect, we are treated to the source of Ash’s worries: his sisters. One who refuses to attend the required season to find a husband, the other already professing love for a local boy, and refusing to take her brother’s no for an answer. Delilah and Lucy are treated like spoiled children without a clue by their brother and guardian, but both are solid and intelligent young women with clear plans for their own futures: with or without his permission and acceptance. This could, and does, jeopardize Ash’s chances for a happy union: and their lack of foresight into the difficulties their behavior could cause him was my only difficulty with the two.
While this is not a “grab you by the ears” and demand you read it in one sitting, this book is a great read with characters that both drive the story and infiltrate your senses. As the start of a series from a debut author, this is a good and fun read that will leave you curious for more. Described and detailed with care, incorporating the often ridiculous (to modern eyes) mores and restrictions of the age, and written with a sense that the author truly enjoyed each character – you will want to read this book and series.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Celeste is delightful with a sense of seeing things from a slightly jaded eye, although she still manages to, despite her past; keep a sense of hopefulness and belief in love and family. The revelations of the realities of those situations, far from rose-tinted and as perfect as she had dreamed provide many interesting asides from her point of view.
Of course, there has to be a man: and he arrives in all of his ‘stuffed shirt propriety’ in the form of Ashlin Lancester, Viscount. Ash is a good man, far less ‘stuffy’ than he appears, after being thrust into the role of master of the house and guardian of his two younger, marriageable aged sisters when his family was destroyed in a scandal caused by his father’s profligate and spendthrift ways.
From here, the story takes off to become a delicate waltz. Since it is set away from the flurry of action that accompany the London social scene, characters need to (and do) stand wholly on their own and drive the storyline forward as the relationship between Ash and Celeste grows.
With a cast of secondary characters that are delightfully different from the constraint one would expect, we are treated to the source of Ash’s worries: his sisters. One who refuses to attend the required season to find a husband, the other already professing love for a local boy, and refusing to take her brother’s no for an answer. Delilah and Lucy are treated like spoiled children without a clue by their brother and guardian, but both are solid and intelligent young women with clear plans for their own futures: with or without his permission and acceptance. This could, and does, jeopardize Ash’s chances for a happy union: and their lack of foresight into the difficulties their behavior could cause him was my only difficulty with the two.
While this is not a “grab you by the ears” and demand you read it in one sitting, this book is a great read with characters that both drive the story and infiltrate your senses. As the start of a series from a debut author, this is a good and fun read that will leave you curious for more. Described and detailed with care, incorporating the often ridiculous (to modern eyes) mores and restrictions of the age, and written with a sense that the author truly enjoyed each character – you will want to read this book and series.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
March 7, 2016
I listened to the audio version of this book and it was excellently done. The narrator, Marian Hussey, did an excellent job. The voice for the characters were defined and you always knew which character was speaking while you were listening. The narrator also had a lovely accent.
What can I say -- you REALLY had to suspend your belief while reading this book. That said, I still liked the book -- I just couldn't give it a 4 or 5 star rating.
You just had to sort of love the hero -- Ashlin, a Viscount, because he is one messed up idiot. He is full of self-doubt and blames himself every time anything happens (even the fact that his footprints show up in the grass when he walks across it). He is also very, very rigid and constantly tries to control his sister's every move. He does it from love and he's trying to protect them from further scandals that he fears the family cannot survive. He is just a real insufferable jackass -- but -- there seems to be something endearing about him. I guess that is why the sisters didn't put arsenic in his porridge.
The heroine, Celeste Gray, decides to escape London and leave her old life behind. She's very rich and just wants to start over. She has purchased a cottage from Ashlin -- although he thinks he's sold it to a male sea captain.
Celeste and Ashlin fall into instant lust -- but try to fight it. One nice thing about this book is that it takes place over a longer period of time, so you can picture the attraction and then love happening over time rather than attraction/love/marriage all within a few days as you see in some books.
Anyway -- everybody seems to get a HEA except the hero's best friend. I can only assume there will be another book with him as the hero. Hopefully, the whole story will be a little more believable.
I did like the book -- but I also I did have to suspend belief.
What can I say -- you REALLY had to suspend your belief while reading this book. That said, I still liked the book -- I just couldn't give it a 4 or 5 star rating.
You just had to sort of love the hero -- Ashlin, a Viscount, because he is one messed up idiot. He is full of self-doubt and blames himself every time anything happens (even the fact that his footprints show up in the grass when he walks across it). He is also very, very rigid and constantly tries to control his sister's every move. He does it from love and he's trying to protect them from further scandals that he fears the family cannot survive. He is just a real insufferable jackass -- but -- there seems to be something endearing about him. I guess that is why the sisters didn't put arsenic in his porridge.
The heroine, Celeste Gray, decides to escape London and leave her old life behind. She's very rich and just wants to start over. She has purchased a cottage from Ashlin -- although he thinks he's sold it to a male sea captain.
Celeste and Ashlin fall into instant lust -- but try to fight it. One nice thing about this book is that it takes place over a longer period of time, so you can picture the attraction and then love happening over time rather than attraction/love/marriage all within a few days as you see in some books.
Anyway -- everybody seems to get a HEA except the hero's best friend. I can only assume there will be another book with him as the hero. Hopefully, the whole story will be a little more believable.
I did like the book -- but I also I did have to suspend belief.
February 20, 2015
Every once in awhile, I discover a new author whose voice I just love, who has a way of telling a really good story in an elegant and believable way. And more often than not, they are not the blockbuster big name authors in the historical romance world. Emma Locke is one such writer. I first read her charming and quirky holiday novella, “The Cheer in Charming an Earl,” but this is the first full length novel I’ve read by her, and it’s wonderful.
Celeste Gray is a well-known, extremely rich, and very successful courtesan in London’s glittering demimonde. At the beginning of the novel, she has purchased a small but ramshackle cottage on Viscount Trenton’s estate in the quiet countryside of Devon, the same county where the Dashwood ladies’ make their new home in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Along with her close friend, Elizabeth, a fellow courtesan, who is about to give birth, Celeste becomes Miss Smythe to Elizabeth’s Mrs. Inglewood to lend some respectability to their questionable appearance without male escort.
For my full review on my historical romance & history blog: http://bit.ly/1CT8k7E
Celeste Gray is a well-known, extremely rich, and very successful courtesan in London’s glittering demimonde. At the beginning of the novel, she has purchased a small but ramshackle cottage on Viscount Trenton’s estate in the quiet countryside of Devon, the same county where the Dashwood ladies’ make their new home in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Along with her close friend, Elizabeth, a fellow courtesan, who is about to give birth, Celeste becomes Miss Smythe to Elizabeth’s Mrs. Inglewood to lend some respectability to their questionable appearance without male escort.
For my full review on my historical romance & history blog: http://bit.ly/1CT8k7E
May 22, 2013
I absolutely adored this book. I thought the writing was perfect to the setting and that Celeste and Ashlin were both strong and independent together and separately. Celeste didn't compromise herself like so many heroines do when the hero pushes. And the subplots were engaging as well. Watching things progress with Ashlin's sisters was a fun addition. I quite look forward in reading more of this series.
July 2, 2017
Enjoyable.
March 28, 2016
The Trouble With Being Wicked by Emma Locke is Book One of a Regency Romance which introduces the reader to some of the main characters who will dominate the Naughty Girl Series. First is Lord Ashlin Lancester, Viscount Trestin and his unmarried sisters Lucy and Delilah who have been hiding away for seven years at their country estate, Brixcombe-on-the-Bay in the Devon area, after the scandalous death of both their parents (a murder-suicide where their deranged mother shot her philandering husband). Trestin realizes that they all must attend a London Season in order to secure good matches, yet 23 year old Lucy has vowed to remain a spinster while 21 year old Delilah is in love with Gavin Conley, a blacksmith from a nearby town. Trestin has remained celibate, afraid that he has the decadent tendencies of his father. When Miss Celeste Gray and the very pregnant Lady Elizabeth Spencer buy the broken down rectory on the Viscount's estate, (money Ash plans to use in order to provide dowries and a season for his sisters), Ashlin is put to the test. The instant attraction between these two is almost impossible to resist. Unfortunately, Celeste is a renowned courtesan, totally unsuitable for any sort of relationship besides a mistress to the Earl. Of course, she's moved to the country incognito (posing as Miss Smythe) to start over in order to provide a more honorable life for her best friend's bastard child. Despite her 18 years as a hard-hearted, high class prostitute, she discovers she is still capable of falling in love with her handsome neighbor. The more Ash resists her charms, the more attractive he becomes. Then a familiar face turns up to interfere with the budding romance.
Lord Roman Alexander, the Marquis of Montbourne is Ashlin's neighbor and close friend. Roman, a kindred spirit and a member of The Ton, is well aware of Celeste's checkered past and a lifestyle in which he, too, indulges. Montbourne warns her that Tristan will never accept her once he knows the truth, since Ash is too upright to forgive her former occupation and must also consider the fragile reputations of his sisters if they are to wed.
Yet Celeste cannot stay away. She begs Roman to keep her secret, but he finds it impossible to remain silent and deceive his childhood pal. Ash, horrified to discover he is attracted to the demimonde, just like his father, rejects Celeste who escapes back to London. Yet love is not that easy to dismiss. The push-pull of an impossible relationship is a theme which weaves throughout the story.
Locke sets the stage to give an understanding of events to follow. If this book is somewhat plodding, there is still a lot of romance and some erotic sex scenes when Ash and Celeste finally consummate their inevitable relationship. However, the true romance is between the irascible Roman and the allusive Lucy, who wants one night of passion with the only man she will ever love, but one she refuses to marry. Lucy is not a classic beauty but has an undefinable allure brought to the forefront through lessons of attraction from the knowledgable Celeste. By helping Lucy discover her sensuality, Celeste breaks Trestin's trust, once again dashing any hopes of a future between the two lovers, leaving them both miserably dealing with what-might-have-beens.
The blossoming attraction which Roman feels towards Miss Lucy, is more fully developed in novella (2.5) A Game of Persuasion and Book 3, The Art of Ruining a Rake. The very pregnant but still alluring Lady Elizabeth, has her own story to explore in Book 2, The Problem With Seduction. There are also the other four Montbourne brothers whose lives are featured throughout the various books.
Lots of romance with a promise of even more, Locke has an easy style with clever dialogue and likable, although flawed, characters. There is slightly too much repetition and a little too much of a roundabout before she gets to the crux of the story, but we must give her a pass since she is setting the tone for the entire series. I would have liked a little more about the secondary characters, especially Roman and Lucy, but I know they'll have their own story told in depth in future tales.
Three and a half stars.
Lord Roman Alexander, the Marquis of Montbourne is Ashlin's neighbor and close friend. Roman, a kindred spirit and a member of The Ton, is well aware of Celeste's checkered past and a lifestyle in which he, too, indulges. Montbourne warns her that Tristan will never accept her once he knows the truth, since Ash is too upright to forgive her former occupation and must also consider the fragile reputations of his sisters if they are to wed.
Yet Celeste cannot stay away. She begs Roman to keep her secret, but he finds it impossible to remain silent and deceive his childhood pal. Ash, horrified to discover he is attracted to the demimonde, just like his father, rejects Celeste who escapes back to London. Yet love is not that easy to dismiss. The push-pull of an impossible relationship is a theme which weaves throughout the story.
Locke sets the stage to give an understanding of events to follow. If this book is somewhat plodding, there is still a lot of romance and some erotic sex scenes when Ash and Celeste finally consummate their inevitable relationship. However, the true romance is between the irascible Roman and the allusive Lucy, who wants one night of passion with the only man she will ever love, but one she refuses to marry. Lucy is not a classic beauty but has an undefinable allure brought to the forefront through lessons of attraction from the knowledgable Celeste. By helping Lucy discover her sensuality, Celeste breaks Trestin's trust, once again dashing any hopes of a future between the two lovers, leaving them both miserably dealing with what-might-have-beens.
The blossoming attraction which Roman feels towards Miss Lucy, is more fully developed in novella (2.5) A Game of Persuasion and Book 3, The Art of Ruining a Rake. The very pregnant but still alluring Lady Elizabeth, has her own story to explore in Book 2, The Problem With Seduction. There are also the other four Montbourne brothers whose lives are featured throughout the various books.
Lots of romance with a promise of even more, Locke has an easy style with clever dialogue and likable, although flawed, characters. There is slightly too much repetition and a little too much of a roundabout before she gets to the crux of the story, but we must give her a pass since she is setting the tone for the entire series. I would have liked a little more about the secondary characters, especially Roman and Lucy, but I know they'll have their own story told in depth in future tales.
Three and a half stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2013
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a lot of good things going for it but it is very uneven. It starts off rather slow and it took a while to grab my interest. Celeste did not start out as a very sympathetic character, which was one of the reasons it didn't draw me in right away, but the author does a good job of revealing Celeste's vulnerable side as the book goes on making her more likable.
Ash could easily be a one-note character. He's an uptight nobleman concerned with being proper and respectable at all times. He wants a proper, upstanding wife for himself and proper husbands for his two sisters. Ash's obsession with respectable behavior stems from the scandal of his father's infamous infidelities and the murder/suicide of his parents. Locke does a good job of showing just how lonely Ash is. His parents died when he was quite young and his sisters chafe under his guardianship and thereby aren't as close to him as he would like. He is desperately trying to hold on to his sisters to help ward off the loneliness but it just causes them to want to create more distance.
Celeste was forced into the life of a courtesan at about fifteen. She had an indifferent mother and absent father. She hasn't been genuinely attracted to a man for a long time before meeting Ash. There's an instant attraction but she is also drawn to his caring for the welfare of herself, her pregnant friend and his sisters. She isn't used to men taking an interest in her well-being. Like Ash, Celeste is very lonely and trying desperately to hold on to the people she loves. Specifically, her friend Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's son once he is born. She wants someone to love her for who she is as a person and not for her skills as a courtesan. All of this is pretty standard in stories where a courtesan is the heroine but it worked for me.
Most of the conflict comes from Ash being obsessed with his version of what is right and respectable which grew old. It just isn't a conflict that can sustain an entire book for me. He starts an affair with Celeste but never plans on marrying her. Celeste decides she needs more from him specifically marriage and full acceptance from him. There is also a conflict involving what Ash sees as Celeste's bad influence on his sisters. I did have a problem with Celeste's relationship with Ash's sister, Lucy. While I don't feel Celeste was a bad influence on her I did feel like she gave into Lucy and helped her with something she shouldn't have. That causes a lot of problems for both of their relationships with Ash.
I found Ash's sisters rather unlikeable. Most of my view of them is a testament to how much the author got me to empathize with Ash. He has sacrificed so much for them and they don't seem to realize it or appreciate him. If I look at it more objectively, I can understand that his sisters would want their independence and would have problems with his overprotectiveness. Another reason I didn't warm up to them is because their behavior is obviously supposed to be seen as plucky, spirited independence but it came off more as immaturity and brattiness.
The pacing of this book is problematic. It starts off slow, picks up pace then becomes slow again during the times Ash and Celeste are separated. Also, there were times when the story sticks with Celeste's pov too long and I was impatient to see what was going on in Ash's brain. I also thought the ending was a bit ridiculous. Despite my problems, I really enjoyed parts of this book and I'm interested in checking out the rest of the series.
This book has a lot of good things going for it but it is very uneven. It starts off rather slow and it took a while to grab my interest. Celeste did not start out as a very sympathetic character, which was one of the reasons it didn't draw me in right away, but the author does a good job of revealing Celeste's vulnerable side as the book goes on making her more likable.
Ash could easily be a one-note character. He's an uptight nobleman concerned with being proper and respectable at all times. He wants a proper, upstanding wife for himself and proper husbands for his two sisters. Ash's obsession with respectable behavior stems from the scandal of his father's infamous infidelities and the murder/suicide of his parents. Locke does a good job of showing just how lonely Ash is. His parents died when he was quite young and his sisters chafe under his guardianship and thereby aren't as close to him as he would like. He is desperately trying to hold on to his sisters to help ward off the loneliness but it just causes them to want to create more distance.
Celeste was forced into the life of a courtesan at about fifteen. She had an indifferent mother and absent father. She hasn't been genuinely attracted to a man for a long time before meeting Ash. There's an instant attraction but she is also drawn to his caring for the welfare of herself, her pregnant friend and his sisters. She isn't used to men taking an interest in her well-being. Like Ash, Celeste is very lonely and trying desperately to hold on to the people she loves. Specifically, her friend Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's son once he is born. She wants someone to love her for who she is as a person and not for her skills as a courtesan. All of this is pretty standard in stories where a courtesan is the heroine but it worked for me.
Most of the conflict comes from Ash being obsessed with his version of what is right and respectable which grew old. It just isn't a conflict that can sustain an entire book for me. He starts an affair with Celeste but never plans on marrying her. Celeste decides she needs more from him specifically marriage and full acceptance from him. There is also a conflict involving what Ash sees as Celeste's bad influence on his sisters. I did have a problem with Celeste's relationship with Ash's sister, Lucy. While I don't feel Celeste was a bad influence on her I did feel like she gave into Lucy and helped her with something she shouldn't have. That causes a lot of problems for both of their relationships with Ash.
I found Ash's sisters rather unlikeable. Most of my view of them is a testament to how much the author got me to empathize with Ash. He has sacrificed so much for them and they don't seem to realize it or appreciate him. If I look at it more objectively, I can understand that his sisters would want their independence and would have problems with his overprotectiveness. Another reason I didn't warm up to them is because their behavior is obviously supposed to be seen as plucky, spirited independence but it came off more as immaturity and brattiness.
The pacing of this book is problematic. It starts off slow, picks up pace then becomes slow again during the times Ash and Celeste are separated. Also, there were times when the story sticks with Celeste's pov too long and I was impatient to see what was going on in Ash's brain. I also thought the ending was a bit ridiculous. Despite my problems, I really enjoyed parts of this book and I'm interested in checking out the rest of the series.
July 21, 2013
Think about a man who likes to act all just right. Who, wanting to prove his point of view, just smothering her younger sisters to do what they want and feel compelled to be a good example in absolutely everything.
A man like that would be boring, right?
Well, that's how Ashlin Lancester rather be.
Since his parents had that horrible death which reflected the image of the family, Ash decided it would be the exact opposite of his rake`s father.
With that, seven years ago he had a mistress, and his only concern was to find good marriages for his two sisters. One was in love with a man without possessions, and the other, despite saying loud and clear that not score intended to marry, in secret she was in love with best brother`s friend, Montborne, a marquis who lived getting in trouble because of women's skirt .
Celeste Smyth, alas Celeste Gray , as was known in London, was a famous and expensive courtesan. Her plans now that reached the age of 33 years and was very rich, was drawn up in a beautiful house in the country, in Devon, and has a new life. Two things came to spoil her plans: one was the presence of Montborne, who lived in the neighborhood, and she had forgotten this detail. The other was the former owner of her new home, Ashlin.
Even being an experienced woman, Celeste was attracted by the way of Ash stubborn, and more by his sisters, who accepted her since the beginning.
But her secret, her past, should be maintained at all costs.
When something else goes wrong, and Ash finally discovers who she was, he tries in every way to prove to himself that he did not feel for her nothing more than a physical attraction, she was a beautiful woman. To go to London to find a lover (which man could be able to think straight for 7 years without a lover?), It falls himself even hard he tried, none of them would replace the inner glow of Celeste.
What to do now? After so much work to be different from his father, Ash would fall into the same error ruining his family to fall in love with a courtesan?
It's fun to see all the trials that Ash submits to keep away from Celeste. She was a plague in disguise and he could not allow a woman who dressed that way and taught her sisters to climb trees, get near them!
But as Ash was stubborn, Celeste was also.
And even being famous - and good - as it was, she found herself in love with the man who would never accept the way of her life.
When he asks her to be his mistress, she accepts for a while, just in order to experience the warmth, but she knew they would not have future together.
Ash's sisters are also some great characters, especially Lucy, with her modern ideas of wanting to open her own school for girls, and as she was approaching 30 and would not have it any more chance of finding a good match, at least they deliver the debauched man she loved in secret. And ask for help from Celeste for this.
The book is entertaining, with characters that end up surprising.
The pace of the story is good.
The cover is beautiful.
Positive point: the descriptions of the scenes are accurate, without being boring or too detailed, but just right. The love scene is one of the most beautiful of the book.
Negative point: I wanted to see Montborne suffering more after what he did to Celeste!
Good to know there will be more books in the series. As a reader we cling to good characters and want to know more about the "after-the-happy-ever-after."
5 STARS!!!!
A man like that would be boring, right?
Well, that's how Ashlin Lancester rather be.
Since his parents had that horrible death which reflected the image of the family, Ash decided it would be the exact opposite of his rake`s father.
With that, seven years ago he had a mistress, and his only concern was to find good marriages for his two sisters. One was in love with a man without possessions, and the other, despite saying loud and clear that not score intended to marry, in secret she was in love with best brother`s friend, Montborne, a marquis who lived getting in trouble because of women's skirt .
Celeste Smyth, alas Celeste Gray , as was known in London, was a famous and expensive courtesan. Her plans now that reached the age of 33 years and was very rich, was drawn up in a beautiful house in the country, in Devon, and has a new life. Two things came to spoil her plans: one was the presence of Montborne, who lived in the neighborhood, and she had forgotten this detail. The other was the former owner of her new home, Ashlin.
Even being an experienced woman, Celeste was attracted by the way of Ash stubborn, and more by his sisters, who accepted her since the beginning.
But her secret, her past, should be maintained at all costs.
When something else goes wrong, and Ash finally discovers who she was, he tries in every way to prove to himself that he did not feel for her nothing more than a physical attraction, she was a beautiful woman. To go to London to find a lover (which man could be able to think straight for 7 years without a lover?), It falls himself even hard he tried, none of them would replace the inner glow of Celeste.
What to do now? After so much work to be different from his father, Ash would fall into the same error ruining his family to fall in love with a courtesan?
It's fun to see all the trials that Ash submits to keep away from Celeste. She was a plague in disguise and he could not allow a woman who dressed that way and taught her sisters to climb trees, get near them!
But as Ash was stubborn, Celeste was also.
And even being famous - and good - as it was, she found herself in love with the man who would never accept the way of her life.
When he asks her to be his mistress, she accepts for a while, just in order to experience the warmth, but she knew they would not have future together.
Ash's sisters are also some great characters, especially Lucy, with her modern ideas of wanting to open her own school for girls, and as she was approaching 30 and would not have it any more chance of finding a good match, at least they deliver the debauched man she loved in secret. And ask for help from Celeste for this.
The book is entertaining, with characters that end up surprising.
The pace of the story is good.
The cover is beautiful.
Positive point: the descriptions of the scenes are accurate, without being boring or too detailed, but just right. The love scene is one of the most beautiful of the book.
Negative point: I wanted to see Montborne suffering more after what he did to Celeste!
Good to know there will be more books in the series. As a reader we cling to good characters and want to know more about the "after-the-happy-ever-after."
5 STARS!!!!
May 5, 2017
Lost me towards the end, but overall, it was a nice change from the prim and proper ladies you usually find in Victorian romances.
February 1, 2014
This review is also posted at The Bawdy Book Blog
I received the book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review and you were not compensated with money.
My favorite book genre is Historical Fiction. Add romance and ole’ English and I melt like butter. I giggled and sighed during the whole book. It has been such a long time since I have read such a fun book. The characters are charming and you can’t help but fall in-love with each one. The book centers on Celeste, London’s most notorious courtesan and Ashlin, a prudish recluse that lives in the country.
It’s 1814 England, were vice is still strong among the rich and royal. Men marry for money or power and women are slaves to society or their husbands. Ashlin Lancester is Lord Trestin of Worston Heights Estates in Devon. His parents died when Ashlin was in his early twenties and he has spent several years being lord of the manor and raising his two younger sisters. Celeste moves to the country to retire from her life in London. Accompanying her is her very pregnant best friend, Elizabeth Spencer. Celeste has purchased a small country cottage outside of Devon called Brixcombe-on-the-bay. No one in the town knows anything about who Celeste and Elizabeth really are, as they try to pass themselves off as gentry folk.
Ashlin and Celeste play an intricate game of Cat and Mouse, in which the cat and the mouse change from Ashlin to Celeste all through the book.
I thought this book was really well written. The author has a very good way of bringing back the ole’ English without losing the reader in the language. It definitely added to the story and in my opinion made the book amazing. I also liked how in-depth the character development was on the main characters and each supporting characters. I really felt like I knew them personally and could easily relate to them. The way London and Devon were described had me smelling the sea air, feeling the beautiful dresses russling my legs and the rooms come alive in my mind. While reading this book, it felt more like watching a movie then reading words on a page. That is my kind of book and the ones I enjoy reading. With writing like this, will have me reading every book this author writes.
All in all, the book reminded me of an adult Disney romance. Were the girl with the dark past still gets her prince charming. The process of getting her prince charming is rich with colorful humor that brings two unlikely people together. I would definitely recommend this book to my fellow romance readers. You have no clue how happy I am that this is part of a series and not a stand-alone book. I can’t wait to read the other two books in the Naughty Girls Series.
4 Stars
I received the book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review and you were not compensated with money.
My favorite book genre is Historical Fiction. Add romance and ole’ English and I melt like butter. I giggled and sighed during the whole book. It has been such a long time since I have read such a fun book. The characters are charming and you can’t help but fall in-love with each one. The book centers on Celeste, London’s most notorious courtesan and Ashlin, a prudish recluse that lives in the country.
It’s 1814 England, were vice is still strong among the rich and royal. Men marry for money or power and women are slaves to society or their husbands. Ashlin Lancester is Lord Trestin of Worston Heights Estates in Devon. His parents died when Ashlin was in his early twenties and he has spent several years being lord of the manor and raising his two younger sisters. Celeste moves to the country to retire from her life in London. Accompanying her is her very pregnant best friend, Elizabeth Spencer. Celeste has purchased a small country cottage outside of Devon called Brixcombe-on-the-bay. No one in the town knows anything about who Celeste and Elizabeth really are, as they try to pass themselves off as gentry folk.
Ashlin and Celeste play an intricate game of Cat and Mouse, in which the cat and the mouse change from Ashlin to Celeste all through the book.
I thought this book was really well written. The author has a very good way of bringing back the ole’ English without losing the reader in the language. It definitely added to the story and in my opinion made the book amazing. I also liked how in-depth the character development was on the main characters and each supporting characters. I really felt like I knew them personally and could easily relate to them. The way London and Devon were described had me smelling the sea air, feeling the beautiful dresses russling my legs and the rooms come alive in my mind. While reading this book, it felt more like watching a movie then reading words on a page. That is my kind of book and the ones I enjoy reading. With writing like this, will have me reading every book this author writes.
All in all, the book reminded me of an adult Disney romance. Were the girl with the dark past still gets her prince charming. The process of getting her prince charming is rich with colorful humor that brings two unlikely people together. I would definitely recommend this book to my fellow romance readers. You have no clue how happy I am that this is part of a series and not a stand-alone book. I can’t wait to read the other two books in the Naughty Girls Series.
4 Stars
December 23, 2012
Also on http://sillymelody.blogspot.com
For the past few days I have been reading an imaginative debut read by Emma Locke, which is The Trouble With Being Wicked. So, let me share with you the story and my thoughts of this sensational read.
Celeste Gray has been a courtesan for approximately 18 years. However, she's been looking for a change, especially when her friend Elizabeth Spencer is pregnant and need a place to give birth to her child. They headed to Brixcombe-on-the-Bay in the Devon area.
Ready start there new life, they meet Ashlin Lancester, Viscount Trestin. Celeste feels something she has never felt before when she encounters Lord Trestin. Which can only spell trouble. At the same time Ash is drawn to Celeste, yet he feels that she wouldn't fit into her sober lifestyle. He also feels he needs to keep his sisters away from Celeste. However, Ash's sisters seem to search out trouble themselves.
Ok my thoughts: The first couple of chapters I found a little slow. Sometimes when you are starting a new story to a series you need to have a build up for future story, so I found it was worth the time to get to know the characters in the story. I love how the heroine is courtesan. I found her intriguing. A girl force into being a courtesan, and wanting to make a change in her life. Sometimes it can be a challenge to write a character like Celeste, yet I really enjoyed her character.
Since Ms. Locke has one extreme, might as well make the hero the polar opposite, which makes the story more interesting. Especially when he wants to be the exact opposite of his father who was know for womanizing and making the rounds of the demimonde. I also love how Ash takes on a lot of responsibility for his family to make sure scandal doesn't touch them. Yet somehow scandal does find them.
Overall, I found the story well written and has me eager to read more about Elizabeth and Ash's sisters. I must say that this is a great start for the Naughty Girl series. Once the storyline got moving I found myself that I couldn't put it down. Plus, I had to know if Ash could get past the fact that Celeste was courtesan or if he found a woman with a pristine character. So, I hope that you might get a chance to checkout The Trouble With Being Wicked. I hope you are having a wonderful day and I will see y'all later.
For the past few days I have been reading an imaginative debut read by Emma Locke, which is The Trouble With Being Wicked. So, let me share with you the story and my thoughts of this sensational read.
Celeste Gray has been a courtesan for approximately 18 years. However, she's been looking for a change, especially when her friend Elizabeth Spencer is pregnant and need a place to give birth to her child. They headed to Brixcombe-on-the-Bay in the Devon area.
Ready start there new life, they meet Ashlin Lancester, Viscount Trestin. Celeste feels something she has never felt before when she encounters Lord Trestin. Which can only spell trouble. At the same time Ash is drawn to Celeste, yet he feels that she wouldn't fit into her sober lifestyle. He also feels he needs to keep his sisters away from Celeste. However, Ash's sisters seem to search out trouble themselves.
Ok my thoughts: The first couple of chapters I found a little slow. Sometimes when you are starting a new story to a series you need to have a build up for future story, so I found it was worth the time to get to know the characters in the story. I love how the heroine is courtesan. I found her intriguing. A girl force into being a courtesan, and wanting to make a change in her life. Sometimes it can be a challenge to write a character like Celeste, yet I really enjoyed her character.
Since Ms. Locke has one extreme, might as well make the hero the polar opposite, which makes the story more interesting. Especially when he wants to be the exact opposite of his father who was know for womanizing and making the rounds of the demimonde. I also love how Ash takes on a lot of responsibility for his family to make sure scandal doesn't touch them. Yet somehow scandal does find them.
Overall, I found the story well written and has me eager to read more about Elizabeth and Ash's sisters. I must say that this is a great start for the Naughty Girl series. Once the storyline got moving I found myself that I couldn't put it down. Plus, I had to know if Ash could get past the fact that Celeste was courtesan or if he found a woman with a pristine character. So, I hope that you might get a chance to checkout The Trouble With Being Wicked. I hope you are having a wonderful day and I will see y'all later.
June 27, 2013
HE PUT HER ON A PEDESTAL
When Celeste Gray arrives in the sleepy village of Brixcombe-on-the-Bay, she thinks she's one step closer to leaving her notorious past behind. She even suspects the deliciously handsome--if somewhat stuffy--viscount next door is developing a tendre for her. That is, until the day Ashlin Lancester learns she's not the unassuming spinster she's pretending to be.
NOW SHE HAS FARTHER TO FALL
After a decade of proving he is nothing like his profligate father, Ash is horrified to have given his heart to a Cyprian. He launches a campaign to prove his attraction is nothing more than a sordid reaction he can't control. But he soon learns that unlike his father, he can't find comfort in the arms of just any woman. He needs Celeste. When he takes her as his mistress, he's still not satisfied, and the many late nights in her arms only make him want more..
The book starts with Celeste retiring to the country with her friend Elizabeth, having retired from being a courtesan (associated with the “Cypriots”)
The local landed gentry - Ash - sells her her new cottage. It is not long before she realises that he is the son of an aristocrat with a reputation for sleeping around and who was shot dead by his wife after one too many affairs. As a result Ash doesn't want the same reputation as his father so has remained celibate and trying to protect his sisters’ reputations whilst rebuilding the dowries that his father had squandered away.
When confronted with Celeste however all his planning and resistance is for naught, and he enters into a relationship with her when back in London, even knowing her sordid past. The relationship is short, but reality soon breaks through, especially when his two sisters take matters, and their own lives, into their own hands.
I agree with other reviewers that say it was slow to get started. I'm not entirely convinced of the Elizabeth character beyond being a bit of a mcguffin at the beginning - Celeste is willing to give up her London life for her at the beginning, but their relationship soon dropped after Elizabeth goes back to London, only briefly reappearing later in the book when she needs Celeste’s help.
When Celeste Gray arrives in the sleepy village of Brixcombe-on-the-Bay, she thinks she's one step closer to leaving her notorious past behind. She even suspects the deliciously handsome--if somewhat stuffy--viscount next door is developing a tendre for her. That is, until the day Ashlin Lancester learns she's not the unassuming spinster she's pretending to be.
NOW SHE HAS FARTHER TO FALL
After a decade of proving he is nothing like his profligate father, Ash is horrified to have given his heart to a Cyprian. He launches a campaign to prove his attraction is nothing more than a sordid reaction he can't control. But he soon learns that unlike his father, he can't find comfort in the arms of just any woman. He needs Celeste. When he takes her as his mistress, he's still not satisfied, and the many late nights in her arms only make him want more..
The book starts with Celeste retiring to the country with her friend Elizabeth, having retired from being a courtesan (associated with the “Cypriots”)
The local landed gentry - Ash - sells her her new cottage. It is not long before she realises that he is the son of an aristocrat with a reputation for sleeping around and who was shot dead by his wife after one too many affairs. As a result Ash doesn't want the same reputation as his father so has remained celibate and trying to protect his sisters’ reputations whilst rebuilding the dowries that his father had squandered away.
When confronted with Celeste however all his planning and resistance is for naught, and he enters into a relationship with her when back in London, even knowing her sordid past. The relationship is short, but reality soon breaks through, especially when his two sisters take matters, and their own lives, into their own hands.
I agree with other reviewers that say it was slow to get started. I'm not entirely convinced of the Elizabeth character beyond being a bit of a mcguffin at the beginning - Celeste is willing to give up her London life for her at the beginning, but their relationship soon dropped after Elizabeth goes back to London, only briefly reappearing later in the book when she needs Celeste’s help.
Read
January 7, 2016DNF at 65%
I really tried, but I never liked the H.
Pros:
The Writing - Ms. Locke is a skilled writer. No issues there.
Celeste -
- older female
- not a virgin
- kind to her very pregnant friend (goes as far as buying a house to protect her friend)
- is rich and not immediately looking for marriage
- a tree is climbed
I liked all of that.
Cons:
Ash -
- clearly cares for his spirited sisters, but is sort of a jerk about it
- thinks his instant attraction to Celeste is her fault
- is adverse to having female neighbors, one of which is pregnant (Mrs. Inglewood) and about to give birth, and he instantly--and I mean within minutes--has doubts about their being a Captain Inglewood. It doesn't matter that he's correct, the fact that he immediately thinks it (given the fact that Navy Captains are FREQUENTLY at sea) nauseated me.
- continues to find Celeste beautiful, starts to fall for her, but CONTINUES to blame HER for his attraction--she's the problem, not him, as if being attracted to a beautiful woman is somehow bad
- lives in the shade of his dead father's infamy, allowing it to define not only himself, but his sisters to the point were no one in the Lancester family is remotely happy
I gave up once Ash -I put the book down.
No doubt everything ended up well for our two lovers, and Ms. Locke is so good a writer that I stuck with it, even with my dislikes, until the 60-65% mark. But unfortunately I was unable to see past Ash's behavior, and I had trouble believing Celeste felt anything stronger than friendship with a man who clearly found fault with her.
I really tried, but I never liked the H.
Pros:
The Writing - Ms. Locke is a skilled writer. No issues there.
Celeste -
- older female
- not a virgin
- kind to her very pregnant friend (goes as far as buying a house to protect her friend)
- is rich and not immediately looking for marriage
- a tree is climbed
I liked all of that.
Cons:
Ash -
- clearly cares for his spirited sisters, but is sort of a jerk about it
- thinks his instant attraction to Celeste is her fault
- is adverse to having female neighbors, one of which is pregnant (Mrs. Inglewood) and about to give birth, and he instantly--and I mean within minutes--has doubts about their being a Captain Inglewood. It doesn't matter that he's correct, the fact that he immediately thinks it (given the fact that Navy Captains are FREQUENTLY at sea) nauseated me.
- continues to find Celeste beautiful, starts to fall for her, but CONTINUES to blame HER for his attraction--she's the problem, not him, as if being attracted to a beautiful woman is somehow bad
- lives in the shade of his dead father's infamy, allowing it to define not only himself, but his sisters to the point were no one in the Lancester family is remotely happy
I gave up once Ash -I put the book down.
No doubt everything ended up well for our two lovers, and Ms. Locke is so good a writer that I stuck with it, even with my dislikes, until the 60-65% mark. But unfortunately I was unable to see past Ash's behavior, and I had trouble believing Celeste felt anything stronger than friendship with a man who clearly found fault with her.
January 7, 2017
Very twisted
Twist and turns everywhere you go and lot of heartbreaking, and heart mending. That basically makes you wonder how times have changed. For better or worse. Not for sure . Depends on your views.
Twist and turns everywhere you go and lot of heartbreaking, and heart mending. That basically makes you wonder how times have changed. For better or worse. Not for sure . Depends on your views.
March 19, 2017
Enjoyable
What problems this family has. Sisters who don't behave, friends who are not nice, and can't keep secrets. What a mess. But it made for a great read. I am glad I spent the time to enjoy it. I hope you do to.
What problems this family has. Sisters who don't behave, friends who are not nice, and can't keep secrets. What a mess. But it made for a great read. I am glad I spent the time to enjoy it. I hope you do to.
October 23, 2021
This book is annoying. Mainly because it's bad, but not in the way you'd expect it to be bad, and that makes it immensely frustrating. I get the feeling, from the other comments, that the audio version of this book would have made it more palatable, but since I was a happy owner of the Kindle edition, I had to do with the voices in my head.
The thing about this book is that it's not badly written. And that's where the rub comes from. I did have a few doubts about the author's repeated use of the word "bluestocking", which she could have clarified with a Google search, but for the most part, the writing is pretty good, and the story flows.
Once you get past the writing style to the plot, you have a veritable disaster. First things first: you cannot set up your entire plot on a drama that you choose to ignore at the end. The fact that Celeste had been a courtesan was the main reason for the two characters not having a proper relationship. It did not seem natural to ignore that at the end because it served the plot for Lord Trestin to finally not care about it anymore.
Next up, except Celeste and Elizabeth, who were somewhat relatable and understandable, the better part of the character cast was unbearable. Lucy and Delilah are spoiled, insupportable brats in unrealistic ways for the sheltered, country upbringing they were supposed to have had. Furthermore, Roman and Ashlin were absolute assholes. Roman is supposedly a friend of Celeste - yet, he refers to her in horrible terms such as "tart", "lightskirt," and worse. Ashlin himself has entirely weird transitions between hating the woman and being desperately enamoured because of his attraction for her. Um. Not okay? How, exactly, is Roman supposed to become a hero in a later novel when I can't stand his episodic appearances in this novel?
And speaking of characters with episodic appearances, how exactly was Lucy going to open a school for ladies and actually attract students when her brother married a Cyprian? Who in their right mind would send their impressionable child to a place that was associated with scandal? We won't go into her odd character transitions where she's suddenly a charming woman that has plenty of suitors flocking around her, but only at parties and never paying her calls at home so Ashlin never notices it. Um? That's not how things work in Regency times?!
On another note about those lovely sisters, how exactly was a poor blacksmith going to keep his wife in even a semblance of the gentle upbringing she expected from life? Surely, the author spent a bit of time looking into the usual activities of a woman who married below her rank, and what a blacksmith's wife (in a family with several unmarried daughters!) would end up doing. I assure you that some wear to her favourite dress and gloves would be the least of her concerns.
I can't help feeling that, in trying to come up with a novel idea for her work, the author bit off more than she could chew and tried too hard to make a story happen with a bunch of very random ideas put together. The plot doesn't work, and it doesn't take into account... well, it doesn't take into account a lot of things. More research needed. That said, Ms. Locke is a decent writer, so if the fallacies in research can be remedied, her writing would be quite passable. For me, however, she's an author on the shelf until another reviewer I trust can convince me otherwise.
The thing about this book is that it's not badly written. And that's where the rub comes from. I did have a few doubts about the author's repeated use of the word "bluestocking", which she could have clarified with a Google search, but for the most part, the writing is pretty good, and the story flows.
Once you get past the writing style to the plot, you have a veritable disaster. First things first: you cannot set up your entire plot on a drama that you choose to ignore at the end. The fact that Celeste had been a courtesan was the main reason for the two characters not having a proper relationship. It did not seem natural to ignore that at the end because it served the plot for Lord Trestin to finally not care about it anymore.
Next up, except Celeste and Elizabeth, who were somewhat relatable and understandable, the better part of the character cast was unbearable. Lucy and Delilah are spoiled, insupportable brats in unrealistic ways for the sheltered, country upbringing they were supposed to have had. Furthermore, Roman and Ashlin were absolute assholes. Roman is supposedly a friend of Celeste - yet, he refers to her in horrible terms such as "tart", "lightskirt," and worse. Ashlin himself has entirely weird transitions between hating the woman and being desperately enamoured because of his attraction for her. Um. Not okay? How, exactly, is Roman supposed to become a hero in a later novel when I can't stand his episodic appearances in this novel?
And speaking of characters with episodic appearances, how exactly was Lucy going to open a school for ladies and actually attract students when her brother married a Cyprian? Who in their right mind would send their impressionable child to a place that was associated with scandal? We won't go into her odd character transitions where she's suddenly a charming woman that has plenty of suitors flocking around her, but only at parties and never paying her calls at home so Ashlin never notices it. Um? That's not how things work in Regency times?!
On another note about those lovely sisters, how exactly was a poor blacksmith going to keep his wife in even a semblance of the gentle upbringing she expected from life? Surely, the author spent a bit of time looking into the usual activities of a woman who married below her rank, and what a blacksmith's wife (in a family with several unmarried daughters!) would end up doing. I assure you that some wear to her favourite dress and gloves would be the least of her concerns.
I can't help feeling that, in trying to come up with a novel idea for her work, the author bit off more than she could chew and tried too hard to make a story happen with a bunch of very random ideas put together. The plot doesn't work, and it doesn't take into account... well, it doesn't take into account a lot of things. More research needed. That said, Ms. Locke is a decent writer, so if the fallacies in research can be remedied, her writing would be quite passable. For me, however, she's an author on the shelf until another reviewer I trust can convince me otherwise.
October 25, 2024
4.5 stars
I’m surprised this author does not have a cult following. Great book, very well written prose and character development! Most of the cast of characters are complex, which might be tough to read if you’re looking for something light. Really well thought out plot and structure. Character convos and reactions felt very realistic to me. Seems from other reviews that this didn’t translate well to audiobooks?
The first part of the book was a slower pace, and I was starting to get bored but in hindsight it was critical for setting up the MMC Ashlin as a sweet and caring hero. The next part takes place in London and there is a tone and pacing shift. Both main characters behave differently (but not out of character). Loved that a lot of this part was only told through FMC’s perspective. MMC is a jerk (but hot) during this part, and the only thing redeeming him (for both FMC and readers) was the initial setup.
The resolution was really satisfying because it took place over many weeks and required self-reflection. The speeches that required him to change his perspective were delivered by supporting characters, which was perfect.
Still digesting how I feel about some of the misogynistic language used since multiple characters are sex workers. I do feel the author was careful with how she framed things (framed as a character thinking something rather than the author making a judgement).
Only thing I wished for was more angst and the characters coming to a deeper understanding of each other in the first slow part of the book. They went straight from resisting physical attraction to love.
I’m surprised this author does not have a cult following. Great book, very well written prose and character development! Most of the cast of characters are complex, which might be tough to read if you’re looking for something light. Really well thought out plot and structure. Character convos and reactions felt very realistic to me. Seems from other reviews that this didn’t translate well to audiobooks?
The first part of the book was a slower pace, and I was starting to get bored but in hindsight it was critical for setting up the MMC Ashlin as a sweet and caring hero. The next part takes place in London and there is a tone and pacing shift. Both main characters behave differently (but not out of character). Loved that a lot of this part was only told through FMC’s perspective. MMC is a jerk (but hot) during this part, and the only thing redeeming him (for both FMC and readers) was the initial setup.
The resolution was really satisfying because it took place over many weeks and required self-reflection. The speeches that required him to change his perspective were delivered by supporting characters, which was perfect.
Still digesting how I feel about some of the misogynistic language used since multiple characters are sex workers. I do feel the author was careful with how she framed things (framed as a character thinking something rather than the author making a judgement).
Only thing I wished for was more angst and the characters coming to a deeper understanding of each other in the first slow part of the book. They went straight from resisting physical attraction to love.
June 7, 2017
Love Tristan!
A courtesan, who has made her fortune, wants to retire. Her best friend Lady Elizabeth is pregnant, and due anytime. Celeste decides to buy a cottage in a small town, so that Elizabeth can give birth, and they can have a family, something that she has never experienced. Then she meets Viscount of Lancaster his two grown unmarried sisters, Lucy, and Delilah. For the first time she feels a true attraction for a man.
Celeste wants very much to keep her past where it belongs, in the past. However, a Marquis, who she has known for years, also lives in the neighborhood. She has never been with him, except as a friend, yet he is best friends with Ashlin, Viscount. Her secrecy, and her blooming romance with the Viscount goes up in smoke!
She returns to London, after the birth of Elizabeth's baby, and Elizabeth returns with the married father of her child to London. This is a very involved story, it is well written, not that I like the choices Celeste has made to make money, after the death of her mother, also a courtesan. There is a HEA. I feel very torn about the book, the book matter is not something that I would normally buy, or read, I don't care for the world of courtesans. loved the couple, loved the ending. I recommend. Thanks!
carolintallahassee 👒
A courtesan, who has made her fortune, wants to retire. Her best friend Lady Elizabeth is pregnant, and due anytime. Celeste decides to buy a cottage in a small town, so that Elizabeth can give birth, and they can have a family, something that she has never experienced. Then she meets Viscount of Lancaster his two grown unmarried sisters, Lucy, and Delilah. For the first time she feels a true attraction for a man.
Celeste wants very much to keep her past where it belongs, in the past. However, a Marquis, who she has known for years, also lives in the neighborhood. She has never been with him, except as a friend, yet he is best friends with Ashlin, Viscount. Her secrecy, and her blooming romance with the Viscount goes up in smoke!
She returns to London, after the birth of Elizabeth's baby, and Elizabeth returns with the married father of her child to London. This is a very involved story, it is well written, not that I like the choices Celeste has made to make money, after the death of her mother, also a courtesan. There is a HEA. I feel very torn about the book, the book matter is not something that I would normally buy, or read, I don't care for the world of courtesans. loved the couple, loved the ending. I recommend. Thanks!
carolintallahassee 👒
March 23, 2018
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
I felt so emotional reading this book .
It was a story of Ashlin Lancester, a big brother trying to bring his two younger sisters up and enter them into society ,to get them married.
They have other plans however and really give him a run for his money .
Notwithstanding these problems he tries to keep body and soul together in the shadow of his family’s Ruin ,due to the actions of his parents.
Enter the delectable Celeste , a Cyprus, a woman who has never really known love or the touch of a man who wants her for anything other than her body .
She moves into a small cottage with her very pregnant friend and there meets Ash for the first time.
The two spark immediately, she trying to keep from him her past and he not sure but suspecting anyway .
The two characters really made me think , of how hard the lives of the Cyprians must have been , a living , not always of their choice but maybe of necessity.
And Ash struggling to accept the inevitable when he discovers the truth .
This is a wonderfully grounding book , it really makes you glad for the things you have , and I loved it so much .
Emma made me think and feel and cry ,
The fact this book drew these emotions from me shows how good it is .
I received an advanced copy of this book and chose to submit a review
💋💋
I felt so emotional reading this book .
It was a story of Ashlin Lancester, a big brother trying to bring his two younger sisters up and enter them into society ,to get them married.
They have other plans however and really give him a run for his money .
Notwithstanding these problems he tries to keep body and soul together in the shadow of his family’s Ruin ,due to the actions of his parents.
Enter the delectable Celeste , a Cyprus, a woman who has never really known love or the touch of a man who wants her for anything other than her body .
She moves into a small cottage with her very pregnant friend and there meets Ash for the first time.
The two spark immediately, she trying to keep from him her past and he not sure but suspecting anyway .
The two characters really made me think , of how hard the lives of the Cyprians must have been , a living , not always of their choice but maybe of necessity.
And Ash struggling to accept the inevitable when he discovers the truth .
This is a wonderfully grounding book , it really makes you glad for the things you have , and I loved it so much .
Emma made me think and feel and cry ,
The fact this book drew these emotions from me shows how good it is .
I received an advanced copy of this book and chose to submit a review
July 8, 2018
SOMETIMES WE ARE FORCED TO BE WHO WE AREN'T
4 STARS to Emma Locke for this first book into her new Regency Historical Romance Series that is based on the Cyprians and the actions of being one, becoming one, and leaving the world of them. This is a well written storyline that has a great reading rythmn that makes it easy to read the wonderful deep soul searching of a man and how much of a woman's past is going to matter in the long run considering he has a title, sisters on the marriage market, he needs a wife and a heir and could he really love & trust a woman who has had more than 1 man before him; and besides him what about the Ton, and the other Lord's, any future child and just could he really deal with all of it with the gossip of the past against him & his sisters. Not forgetting in all of this tasteful deliberations the lovely Cyprian's feelings, is she playing him. These emotions grip you and don't let go until you have felt what the characters did but that's ok because they are so we'll done. Don't miss out.
WARNING: 18 & UP SEXUAL CONTENT: yes
Sexual Intercourse & Oral Sex
4 STARS to Emma Locke for this first book into her new Regency Historical Romance Series that is based on the Cyprians and the actions of being one, becoming one, and leaving the world of them. This is a well written storyline that has a great reading rythmn that makes it easy to read the wonderful deep soul searching of a man and how much of a woman's past is going to matter in the long run considering he has a title, sisters on the marriage market, he needs a wife and a heir and could he really love & trust a woman who has had more than 1 man before him; and besides him what about the Ton, and the other Lord's, any future child and just could he really deal with all of it with the gossip of the past against him & his sisters. Not forgetting in all of this tasteful deliberations the lovely Cyprian's feelings, is she playing him. These emotions grip you and don't let go until you have felt what the characters did but that's ok because they are so we'll done. Don't miss out.
WARNING: 18 & UP SEXUAL CONTENT: yes
Sexual Intercourse & Oral Sex
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