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Those Very Bad Fairbanks #8
Dear Mr. Fairbanks
Opposites Attract, Older Brother Best Friend, Secret IdentityLady Persephone Blagrove owns a secret tendre for Mr. Richard Fairbanks, a man society has labeled a rogue. Often unnoticed and called a wallflower by the ton, she dares to break the bounds of propriety by writing an anonymous letter to him, sparking correspondences that lead to passionate and scandalous encounters. Despite knowing Mr. Fairbanks is a gentleman determined never to marry, Persephone finds herself increasingly drawn to him. Every wicked encounter is a gamble of the highest stakes, which may leave her in ruined shambles with a shattered heart.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2022
271 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Clarke
155 books319 followersAlyssa Clarke writes steamy Regency Historical Romances featuring swoon-worthy heroes and sassy, sometimes unconventional heroines! Her debut novel, Love Me, If You Dare, came to her in a dream as a hot, fun enemy to lover romance where she played the leading lady who fell in love with a duke who looked remarkably like Henry Cavill.
When not writing, Alyssa enjoys hiking, games/movie night, with her husband and two beautiful children, and her Siberian Husky, Cronus. She is a lover of wine, cheesecake, and more wine.
When not writing, Alyssa enjoys hiking, games/movie night, with her husband and two beautiful children, and her Siberian Husky, Cronus. She is a lover of wine, cheesecake, and more wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 15, 2024
Nice friends to lovers story. Both are nice characters , with a caring nature’s
4.5 stars ⭐️
4.5 stars ⭐️
January 7, 2024
I have read over 20 books by Alyssa Clarke. I just started her in April, 2021 and she quickly became a favorite. I love her stories and she writes such good sex scenes. The only thing I hate is all her release dates get pushed. I always look forward for her new books to come out but they never come out the day they are supposed to. :(
I loved Persephone and Richard. They were such a great couple. So cute together. I wish the ending would of had an epilogue but still a good read.
I loved Persephone and Richard. They were such a great couple. So cute together. I wish the ending would of had an epilogue but still a good read.
February 11, 2025
Not as good as the other books in the series.
February 9, 2024
Lady Persephone, Poppy to her friends, had a ghastly accident with her legs. She has admired Mr. Richard Fairbanks. Poppy gets to know him and falls in love with Richard.
It's a love story, which I really enjoyed reading. A very sexy story. 5☆
It's a love story, which I really enjoyed reading. A very sexy story. 5☆
January 4, 2024
Lady Persephone Blagrove has had a secret tendre for Mr. Richard Fairbanks, he’s a friend of her brothers & known as a rake. Poppy suffered an accident & wasn’t expected to live but she’s recovered although now often unnoticed and called a wallflower by the ton, she dares to break the bounds of propriety by writing an anonymous letter to Richard. Richard has no plans to marry but is intrigued by a letter he receives & he’s also intrigued by Poppy.
A quick but delicious romance, I loved the chemistry between Richard & Poppy & also how he falls for two ladies but pretty quickly realises they are in fact Poppy. I loved that he saw her for herself not her injury. Things don’t go smoothly especially when Poppy’s former betrothed makes an appearance but t’s just the nudge Richard needs to fully realise his feelings. A well written engrossing romance, which I read in a sitting
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
A quick but delicious romance, I loved the chemistry between Richard & Poppy & also how he falls for two ladies but pretty quickly realises they are in fact Poppy. I loved that he saw her for herself not her injury. Things don’t go smoothly especially when Poppy’s former betrothed makes an appearance but t’s just the nudge Richard needs to fully realise his feelings. A well written engrossing romance, which I read in a sitting
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
January 5, 2024
Solid instalment in the series. I relate to Persephone a lot and thought Richard was an excellent counterpart. For a shorter story it didn’t feel rushed or incomplete. I’m now intrigued by James and Sarah’s story.
August 28, 2024
This was fantastic. I’m reading them all out of order, but it doesn’t matter, they are all great. I’m so happy to have found a good writer.
May 5, 2024
This is a short book that will pleasantly pass away an afternoon. I liked the plot: it’s “You’ve Got Mail” set in Regency times. Interesting sidebar: I’ve read that the movie, “You’ve Got Mail,” was not only a remake of a previous movie and play, but it was influenced by Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, so here we are, back in Regency times.
Lady Persephone Blasgrove is our heroine who, because of a near-death experience six months ago, has decided to lead a life of her own choosing. There are limitations. She has a limp and experiences immense pain when she overuses her leg – this is after the accident that led to her near death. She has a scar on her chin that nobody seems to notice, except her. She also struggles with weight issues which seem extraordinarily far-fetched since our hero carries her piggyback (oh! the scandal!) without mishap and he finds her memorably voluptuous.
Richard Fairbanks is our hero. He is a self-admitted rogue who loves the ladies up to a point, then he disappears from their lives. He is uninterested in marriage and seems to enjoy his single life. He is an extremely likeable fellow. As a matter of fact, the writer paints a much better picture of the hero than she does of the heroine.
One reason why our heroine, “Poppy” to her friends, is less intriguing might be because the writer can’t seem to make up her mind about how to portray Lady Poppy. During part of the book, she is a fearless heroine, with a bucket list of things to try out because she looks at life differently after meeting and eschewing death – she has a lot of pluck…until…she doesn’t. She seems to sink into her mounting insecurities as the story moves along. I could have done without all that angst; truly, it did not become Poppy.
The letter writing is mostly one-sided, and I would have enjoyed a bit more back-and-forth between the two lovers. Lady Poppy does the writing and dear Mr. Fairbanks gets to react. I’d like to have seem him take a more active role in the letter sending. The one time he does respond, the letter reads like Lady Poppy’s, and the writer is apparent, as well. His letter includes the ellipses the writer is inordinately fond of using.
It does not take long for readers to discover that Mr. Fairbanks is a gentleman in rogue’s clothing. He has a warm heart and he plays on a reader’s heartstrings because his behavior is genuinely charming. He is affable, courteous, attentive when he must be, and aware of others’ thoughts and feelings. He is a creditable hero.
There are some problems:
Poppy’s family is dense as a concrete wall. Poppy’s mother snipes at her to dance and is oblivious to Poppy’s physical pain when she does dance, which is a rare occurrence (and the why of that is not explained very well by the writer). Both her mother and brother leave Poppy alone at the various balls they attend, forgetting all about her. They profess to want her to find true happiness, yet they throw her at a viscount who is after her dowry and who behaved badly when he broke off their engagement after her accident. She tells them over and over and over that she does not want him, will not marry him, and her mother and brother keep thrusting her at him. They appear to have a part in a ruse to force Poppy into marriage with the n’er-do-well viscount. And if they did not have a hand in it, they are amenable to it and insist she marry the blighter. They seem to be a terrible family.
Our hero, Mr. Fairbanks, is interested in Poppy and has spent time with her, yet he does not recognize her voice or her scent (which he finds enticing) when they meet again in the dark. This is in a garden in London during the Season; it would not have been so dark that features could not have been discernable. He would have remembered her voice. The whole scene seemed contrived and unbelievable.
Lady Poppy goes off to a bookstore, looking for a reply from her crush. She goes alone, unchaperoned, and this behavior from a Lady of the peerage would not have been condoned. She is inculcated into Society’s strict rules and would not disobey them when she would be so easily caught. However, the writer needs her to go to that bookstore to move the plot along.
The book suddenly ends. It simply stops. In fewer than two pages, everything is made right, true love is declared, and all’s right with the world. It was unsatisfying.
There are also some intrusive problems that impact the enjoyment of the book:
Punctuation errors irritate. For instance, “And if he did know it was her…, would he be repulsed?” The comma is superfluous and should be removed, or the ellipsis could be left out.
The writer loves her ellipses and inserts them throughout the book. Ellipses should be used discriminately because they call attention to themselves and their surrounding words. They are a handy device, but overused, they become annoying.
The wrong verb is employed: “…[a manor] sitting on fifty acres….” Animate objects (people, animals) sit; inanimate objects (books, manors) set. This should read, “…[a manor] setting on fifty acres….”
A baby seems to have a name change in chapter 7. On one page he is referred to as “Daniel” and on the next page he has become “George.” The names appear only on these two pages without further reference.
The writer uses the phrase, “…much laughter and conversations…” often, but doesn’t show us what the laughter is all about or what the conversations entail. I’d like to know what these cheerful characters are laughing at and talking about.
There is an oddly worded sentence that makes the reader pause: “What have you so out of sorts, Richard?” Perhaps the writer meant the speaker to say something like, “What has you so out of sorts, Richard?”
On occasion, the writer appears to misplace her prepositions. For example, “Persephone wondered which beauty with lofty connection her mother had set her snares.” This sentence doesn’t make sense in or out of context. Perhaps, “…on which beauty with lofty connections her mother had set her snares?”
I believe the wrong verb is used here: “There are too many in society who comprise to force a marriage…” The verb, comprise, means to be made up of; I think the writer means “conspire,” as in “There are too many in society who conspire to force a marriage…”
I rated this book 3-stars. I loved the premise but found the delivery to be a little lacking. The book felt rushed, and Poppy’s character wants smoothing out. There was a wonderful sweetness in the relationship that developed between Lady Persephone and Mr. Fairbanks. The spice was a part of the storyline and did not seem prurient, although I’d like to have seen the sweetness develop into a deeper friendship before sex was brought in. As a novella, there is not a lot of room for development, but it is entirely possible to show a deepening relationship in few words with careful writing and equally careful editing. I look forward to reading a longer book by Ms. Clarke. It may be that the longer format will allow for the sweetness of beginning love to be showcased before sex is introduced. We’ll see…
Lady Persephone Blasgrove is our heroine who, because of a near-death experience six months ago, has decided to lead a life of her own choosing. There are limitations. She has a limp and experiences immense pain when she overuses her leg – this is after the accident that led to her near death. She has a scar on her chin that nobody seems to notice, except her. She also struggles with weight issues which seem extraordinarily far-fetched since our hero carries her piggyback (oh! the scandal!) without mishap and he finds her memorably voluptuous.
Richard Fairbanks is our hero. He is a self-admitted rogue who loves the ladies up to a point, then he disappears from their lives. He is uninterested in marriage and seems to enjoy his single life. He is an extremely likeable fellow. As a matter of fact, the writer paints a much better picture of the hero than she does of the heroine.
One reason why our heroine, “Poppy” to her friends, is less intriguing might be because the writer can’t seem to make up her mind about how to portray Lady Poppy. During part of the book, she is a fearless heroine, with a bucket list of things to try out because she looks at life differently after meeting and eschewing death – she has a lot of pluck…until…she doesn’t. She seems to sink into her mounting insecurities as the story moves along. I could have done without all that angst; truly, it did not become Poppy.
The letter writing is mostly one-sided, and I would have enjoyed a bit more back-and-forth between the two lovers. Lady Poppy does the writing and dear Mr. Fairbanks gets to react. I’d like to have seem him take a more active role in the letter sending. The one time he does respond, the letter reads like Lady Poppy’s, and the writer is apparent, as well. His letter includes the ellipses the writer is inordinately fond of using.
It does not take long for readers to discover that Mr. Fairbanks is a gentleman in rogue’s clothing. He has a warm heart and he plays on a reader’s heartstrings because his behavior is genuinely charming. He is affable, courteous, attentive when he must be, and aware of others’ thoughts and feelings. He is a creditable hero.
There are some problems:
Poppy’s family is dense as a concrete wall. Poppy’s mother snipes at her to dance and is oblivious to Poppy’s physical pain when she does dance, which is a rare occurrence (and the why of that is not explained very well by the writer). Both her mother and brother leave Poppy alone at the various balls they attend, forgetting all about her. They profess to want her to find true happiness, yet they throw her at a viscount who is after her dowry and who behaved badly when he broke off their engagement after her accident. She tells them over and over and over that she does not want him, will not marry him, and her mother and brother keep thrusting her at him. They appear to have a part in a ruse to force Poppy into marriage with the n’er-do-well viscount. And if they did not have a hand in it, they are amenable to it and insist she marry the blighter. They seem to be a terrible family.
Our hero, Mr. Fairbanks, is interested in Poppy and has spent time with her, yet he does not recognize her voice or her scent (which he finds enticing) when they meet again in the dark. This is in a garden in London during the Season; it would not have been so dark that features could not have been discernable. He would have remembered her voice. The whole scene seemed contrived and unbelievable.
Lady Poppy goes off to a bookstore, looking for a reply from her crush. She goes alone, unchaperoned, and this behavior from a Lady of the peerage would not have been condoned. She is inculcated into Society’s strict rules and would not disobey them when she would be so easily caught. However, the writer needs her to go to that bookstore to move the plot along.
The book suddenly ends. It simply stops. In fewer than two pages, everything is made right, true love is declared, and all’s right with the world. It was unsatisfying.
There are also some intrusive problems that impact the enjoyment of the book:
Punctuation errors irritate. For instance, “And if he did know it was her…, would he be repulsed?” The comma is superfluous and should be removed, or the ellipsis could be left out.
The writer loves her ellipses and inserts them throughout the book. Ellipses should be used discriminately because they call attention to themselves and their surrounding words. They are a handy device, but overused, they become annoying.
The wrong verb is employed: “…[a manor] sitting on fifty acres….” Animate objects (people, animals) sit; inanimate objects (books, manors) set. This should read, “…[a manor] setting on fifty acres….”
A baby seems to have a name change in chapter 7. On one page he is referred to as “Daniel” and on the next page he has become “George.” The names appear only on these two pages without further reference.
The writer uses the phrase, “…much laughter and conversations…” often, but doesn’t show us what the laughter is all about or what the conversations entail. I’d like to know what these cheerful characters are laughing at and talking about.
There is an oddly worded sentence that makes the reader pause: “What have you so out of sorts, Richard?” Perhaps the writer meant the speaker to say something like, “What has you so out of sorts, Richard?”
On occasion, the writer appears to misplace her prepositions. For example, “Persephone wondered which beauty with lofty connection her mother had set her snares.” This sentence doesn’t make sense in or out of context. Perhaps, “…on which beauty with lofty connections her mother had set her snares?”
I believe the wrong verb is used here: “There are too many in society who comprise to force a marriage…” The verb, comprise, means to be made up of; I think the writer means “conspire,” as in “There are too many in society who conspire to force a marriage…”
I rated this book 3-stars. I loved the premise but found the delivery to be a little lacking. The book felt rushed, and Poppy’s character wants smoothing out. There was a wonderful sweetness in the relationship that developed between Lady Persephone and Mr. Fairbanks. The spice was a part of the storyline and did not seem prurient, although I’d like to have seen the sweetness develop into a deeper friendship before sex was brought in. As a novella, there is not a lot of room for development, but it is entirely possible to show a deepening relationship in few words with careful writing and equally careful editing. I look forward to reading a longer book by Ms. Clarke. It may be that the longer format will allow for the sweetness of beginning love to be showcased before sex is introduced. We’ll see…
January 12, 2024
It wasn’t my favorite book. I quickly got tired of all the talk about Poppy’s weight. What was interesting to me was her limp and how she was dealing with it, the pain that it caused, and her insecurities about it. I couldn't have cared less about her weight. It also made no sense to me that Richard took so long to recognize Poppy as his mystery lady. Even with her disguising her voice, I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t recognize her voice enough, or her build. He didn’t seem too bright for a while. And I felt as if I was getting mixed signals about Poppy. On the one hand, the book kept saying that Poppy had grown a backbone over the last several months. On the other, she was constantly scared of having Richard find out who she was. Now, granted, Richard told her he didn’t want to get married, but she saw how kind and thoughtful he was toward her, including dancing with her when no one else would. I just thought she kept up the charade for too long, and after a while they seemed to be dancing around each other unnecessarily.
But, all that being said, the book wasn’t bad. There were moments between them that were very nice, such as when they danced together and when he massaged her pain away. I did like their attraction to each other, and how Richard never looked down on her despite her physical issues. Their relationship grew at a pretty good pace and I did buy their love in the end. But my favorite parts were probably when he would carry her around to spare her as much physical pain as possible.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
But, all that being said, the book wasn’t bad. There were moments between them that were very nice, such as when they danced together and when he massaged her pain away. I did like their attraction to each other, and how Richard never looked down on her despite her physical issues. Their relationship grew at a pretty good pace and I did buy their love in the end. But my favorite parts were probably when he would carry her around to spare her as much physical pain as possible.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 17, 2024
A secret admirer
After having nearly died as a result of an accident, Poppy Balgrove was discarded by her fiancée. Since then her mother and brother are dragging her to balls despite her limp. They have become so desperate to find her a new suitor that her brother has resorted to bartering a dance with his sister instead of a debt repayment. Richard Fairbanks of the “scandalous” Fairbanks is a friend of her brother and owes him for a wager. Rather than pay what he owes, Richard entertains a dance with Frederick’s sister, Poppy, instead. Arrested by her beauty, Richard finds himself in murky waters…he is intrigued by this young lady, rathering than suffering his usual ennui. Keenly aware that her limp is paining her, Richard secretly escorts Poppy to an empty room where he massages her lower leg…positively shocking 😳! Little does he know that she is the same lady that sent him a letter of admiration.
The author does a fabulous job of keeping us on the edge of our seats with their secret assignations. What will happen when the lady who wants to do daring things interests a man who has sworn not to marry? And what will happen when her ex fiance offers for her…again? Will she accept? Enjoy this lovely, heartwarming romance 💝 for it will do just that. I’m ready to read about Poppy’s friend Sarah. Is another Fairbanks involved?
I have received an ARC from Booksprout and I am leaving an unbiased review voluntarily.
After having nearly died as a result of an accident, Poppy Balgrove was discarded by her fiancée. Since then her mother and brother are dragging her to balls despite her limp. They have become so desperate to find her a new suitor that her brother has resorted to bartering a dance with his sister instead of a debt repayment. Richard Fairbanks of the “scandalous” Fairbanks is a friend of her brother and owes him for a wager. Rather than pay what he owes, Richard entertains a dance with Frederick’s sister, Poppy, instead. Arrested by her beauty, Richard finds himself in murky waters…he is intrigued by this young lady, rathering than suffering his usual ennui. Keenly aware that her limp is paining her, Richard secretly escorts Poppy to an empty room where he massages her lower leg…positively shocking 😳! Little does he know that she is the same lady that sent him a letter of admiration.
The author does a fabulous job of keeping us on the edge of our seats with their secret assignations. What will happen when the lady who wants to do daring things interests a man who has sworn not to marry? And what will happen when her ex fiance offers for her…again? Will she accept? Enjoy this lovely, heartwarming romance 💝 for it will do just that. I’m ready to read about Poppy’s friend Sarah. Is another Fairbanks involved?
I have received an ARC from Booksprout and I am leaving an unbiased review voluntarily.
January 19, 2024
Lady Persephone was injured in an accident and then caught an infection nearly dying before she had truly lived. Now, armed with a bucket list and ever-growing confidence, she wants to live life on her terms, and first up, she wants to experience passion. So she sets her sights on Richard Fairbanks, a notorious rake, and boldly sends him a letter of admiration.
Richard Fairbanks is amused by the letter he receives from an anonymous lady but also owes a debt to his friend which is to dance with his sister Persephone. He finds her breathtaking and develops a care for her, especially after seeing how the ton treats her with her limp. Soon he finds himself in a bind because the mystery lady intrigues him, yet he is falling for Persephone. Will he put them both together?
A great short story about going for what one wants in life. I loved how bold Persephone was and how tender Richard was with her. Friends to lovers, best friend's sister, secret identity, a good amount of steam that fits the story, good chemistry between characters. Eventually, the truth comes out and there is hurt but when her ex-fiance shows up again, Richard has to decide if he's upset enough to let her go or go after what his heart wants.
I received a free copy of this book t and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Richard Fairbanks is amused by the letter he receives from an anonymous lady but also owes a debt to his friend which is to dance with his sister Persephone. He finds her breathtaking and develops a care for her, especially after seeing how the ton treats her with her limp. Soon he finds himself in a bind because the mystery lady intrigues him, yet he is falling for Persephone. Will he put them both together?
A great short story about going for what one wants in life. I loved how bold Persephone was and how tender Richard was with her. Friends to lovers, best friend's sister, secret identity, a good amount of steam that fits the story, good chemistry between characters. Eventually, the truth comes out and there is hurt but when her ex-fiance shows up again, Richard has to decide if he's upset enough to let her go or go after what his heart wants.
I received a free copy of this book t and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 9, 2024
Richard Fairbanks is the twin brother of Nicholas, and from the previous books in the series we know he is a rake through and through. Lady Persephone (Poppy) almost died from a terrible carriage accident which left her with scarring, a limp, and intense pain in her leg. Her betrothed Viscount Dennison broke off their engagement and her mother and brother try to get her married off by insisting she attends balls and upping her dowry. Poppy, determined to live her life after almost losing it, boldly pens a letter to Richard to declare her admiration for him. I liked how Richard’s past rakish behaviour was not written about in detail, I know reformed rake is a popular trope, but I don’t like when a hero’s profligacy is so blatantly shown on the page, it is off-putting, so I was happy that this was not present. Indeed, since he first noticed Poppy, he has not had a lover. I also liked how he showed such care for Poppy. A sweet story with some spicy heated sex scenes. 4.5 stars rounded up
January 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this wonderful romance with its funny, tender, heartwarming and steamy moments! The characters of Poppy and Richard are very likeable and it was lovely to see their relationship develop to friendship and lovers over the course of the book.
After being confronted with her mortality in a carriage accident, wallflower Persephone "Poppy" decides to be bold and enjoy her life. She writes a secret letter of admiration to Richard Fairbanks, her brother's friend and the man she has been in infatuated with for some time.
Richard Fairbanks is twenty-eight, a rake and already bored of life. He has no intention of falling in love or getting married like his siblings. When he receives a letter of admiration from a secret admirer, he is flattered and intrigued. At the same time, however, he is also fascinated by Poppy, without realising that she is the one who has been writing to him...
A wonderful read that will leave you smiling and fuzzy. I am happy to recommend it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
After being confronted with her mortality in a carriage accident, wallflower Persephone "Poppy" decides to be bold and enjoy her life. She writes a secret letter of admiration to Richard Fairbanks, her brother's friend and the man she has been in infatuated with for some time.
Richard Fairbanks is twenty-eight, a rake and already bored of life. He has no intention of falling in love or getting married like his siblings. When he receives a letter of admiration from a secret admirer, he is flattered and intrigued. At the same time, however, he is also fascinated by Poppy, without realising that she is the one who has been writing to him...
A wonderful read that will leave you smiling and fuzzy. I am happy to recommend it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 7, 2024
Starring Lady Persephone “Poppy” Belgrove and Mr Richard Fairbanks
Tropes: Hidden Identity, Friends to Lovers, Brother’s Best Friend, Secret Lovers, Letters, Scarred Heroine
I know I’m about to dive into a beautiful pool of feels every time I pick up a Alyssa Clarke book… and I was all in for Dear Mr Fairbanks.
We have Persephone, who went through a life altering incident that almost killed her and left her physically scarred. So she has broken out of her wallflower shell and promised herself to live and go for what she wants. And the one thing she really wants is Richard Fairbanks. Through secret letters, she finally gets his attention… but happens when he finds out the fascinating Lady Mystery is his friend’s sister?
Omg so much love for this book!! Poppy and Richard’s road to HEA was so much min. I enjoyed every second I spent between the pages of this story. Once again Alyssa Clarke knocked it outta the park.
Tropes: Hidden Identity, Friends to Lovers, Brother’s Best Friend, Secret Lovers, Letters, Scarred Heroine
I know I’m about to dive into a beautiful pool of feels every time I pick up a Alyssa Clarke book… and I was all in for Dear Mr Fairbanks.
We have Persephone, who went through a life altering incident that almost killed her and left her physically scarred. So she has broken out of her wallflower shell and promised herself to live and go for what she wants. And the one thing she really wants is Richard Fairbanks. Through secret letters, she finally gets his attention… but happens when he finds out the fascinating Lady Mystery is his friend’s sister?
Omg so much love for this book!! Poppy and Richard’s road to HEA was so much min. I enjoyed every second I spent between the pages of this story. Once again Alyssa Clarke knocked it outta the park.
January 8, 2024
I just love the Fairbanks, especially the brothers. They are just so charming and honest and deep-down good men. This book is about Lady Persephone (Poppy) and Richard Fairbanks. Poppy was in a terrible accident which made her want to live her life to the fullest. To achieve that she decides to write an anonymous letter to Richard. At a ball, Richard asks Poppy to dance, because he owes her brother a debit and Poppy is now a wallflower. The way Richard treats her is so nice and respectful. Then Richard meets the woman who wrote the anonymous letter to him, and he is very attracted to her. I don’t want to tell you anymore because I don’t want to ruin the love story for you. You will really enjoy this story about another Fairbanks.
I received an ARC of this book from Booksprout and I am leaving my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this book from Booksprout and I am leaving my honest opinion.
January 6, 2024
Meet Poppy a voluptuous young woman who met with a life threatening accident that gives her the courage to live on her terms. And then there is Richard Fairbanks, handsome and terrific and Poppys brothers friend. She has a crush on him. He does not even know that she exists (or so we think).
She writes to him just at a stage when he is feeling the ennui and he is intrigued. So Richard falls for the mysterious woman writing to him and the wonderful Poppy that he sees in front of him. But he does realize that they are one and the same. Can she change his mind about marriage and commitment?
Hot, steamy, and a fun book. There is a good degree of emotional depth too for a novella.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She writes to him just at a stage when he is feeling the ennui and he is intrigued. So Richard falls for the mysterious woman writing to him and the wonderful Poppy that he sees in front of him. But he does realize that they are one and the same. Can she change his mind about marriage and commitment?
Hot, steamy, and a fun book. There is a good degree of emotional depth too for a novella.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 18, 2024
When she finally recovered from a near fatal accident, Poppy decided to be a bit more daring. She has long had a crush on her brother’s friend Richard Fairbanks. The daring new Poppy decides to write him an anonymous letter expressing her feelings. That letter starts a delightful romp that leads to a close friendship and hopefully a lot more. Richard doesn’t want to marry. Poppy wants to change his mind. The result of an unpleasant incident (for Poppy) at a ball lights a fire under Richard. This is a wonderful friends-to-lovers story. The characters - Poppy and Richard, the Fairbanks family, Sarah, and even Tobias are charming and entertaining. Lovely addition to the series.
I received an ARC of this book via BookSprout and voluntarily reviewed it.
I received an ARC of this book via BookSprout and voluntarily reviewed it.
January 4, 2024
After a near death experience, Persephone has decided to live her life and to try things she had always wanted to do. The first was to write an anonymous letter to Richard Fairbanks and tell him how much she admires him. Richard has been bored with the ton and when he started to receive letters from a secret admirer, he was intrigues by the letter writer. However, he was growing a friendship with Persephone. This was a really adorable story. I just want more of the Fairbanks! They are just a loving family.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 5, 2024
Richard & Persephone
Another very sweet and romantic story by Alyssa Clarke, one that I was waiting for so long. I'm glad you took your time and published it when it was ready because the book is amazing. I love a courtship that involves letters and dares.
Poppy had an accident that left her limp. Her betrothed broke the engagement. After almost dying, Persephone decided to live life to the fullest and Richard Fairbanks is the man to help her, so she starts to write anonymous letters that pique his interest and soon enough they fall irremediable in love with each other.
Another very sweet and romantic story by Alyssa Clarke, one that I was waiting for so long. I'm glad you took your time and published it when it was ready because the book is amazing. I love a courtship that involves letters and dares.
Poppy had an accident that left her limp. Her betrothed broke the engagement. After almost dying, Persephone decided to live life to the fullest and Richard Fairbanks is the man to help her, so she starts to write anonymous letters that pique his interest and soon enough they fall irremediable in love with each other.
January 10, 2024
Dear Mr. Fairbanks is the 8th book in the Those Very Bad Fairbanks series. The novella-length entertaining story features a very courageous heroine who surprises and shocks even herself at times and a not-so-bad hero who comes to adore her as he should! There are plenty of emotions in this story, including anger at how Poppy is treated by her own family as well as some spicy sexy times. The happy ending could have been expanded on, but I'm sure we'll meet the couple again in future additions to the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 12, 2024
Richard Fairbanks is the naughty rake of the Fairbanks Family and Lady Persephone is fascinated with him to the point that she wrote him a letter telling him of her feelings. She knows she will not marry as she is a little plump and she suffered a terrible accident leaving her leg badly scarred so she only wants to feel passion and pleasure at his hands which he agrees. By the time he has sorted out his true feelings for her another has compromised her so he can get her dowry but can Richard stop the wedding to get the love of his life. Loved this spicy sweet romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 6, 2024
A quick, adorable story!
I loved the beginning of the book with Poppy’s letter. It gives such a great introduction moment and piques our interest in what comes next. Poppy is a determined woman who will go to any length to live fully. Richard is known as a rake. He is not pretentious. He is a cheerful man who only seeks to have fun without stressing out. We like him right away. Together, Poppy and Richard lead us into a relationship that will amaze us.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved the beginning of the book with Poppy’s letter. It gives such a great introduction moment and piques our interest in what comes next. Poppy is a determined woman who will go to any length to live fully. Richard is known as a rake. He is not pretentious. He is a cheerful man who only seeks to have fun without stressing out. We like him right away. Together, Poppy and Richard lead us into a relationship that will amaze us.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 13, 2024
3.5 rounded up because I loved Persephone the most out of all other FLs except Fanny and Lizzy. But my God, there are so many issues with this one.
Richard is completely interchangeable with any of the other brothers.
Also, the letters are completely irrelevant to the story. Take them out and nothing changes whatsoever. She could still dance with him at the behest of her brother, wince in pain and be taken care of by Richard and go on from there.
Also, I hate when authors can't keep character names straight. Colin's son is described as Daniel and then George (correct name as described in other novels).
Richard is completely interchangeable with any of the other brothers.
Also, the letters are completely irrelevant to the story. Take them out and nothing changes whatsoever. She could still dance with him at the behest of her brother, wince in pain and be taken care of by Richard and go on from there.
Also, I hate when authors can't keep character names straight. Colin's son is described as Daniel and then George (correct name as described in other novels).
January 16, 2024
Absolutely loved reading this wonderful story about Persephone and Richard. Perennial wants romance, adventure and passion. Persephone is a wallflower who despite being jilted still wants love, romance and passion and the man she hopes to have this from is Richard her brother's best friend a friend that doesn't even know she exists. That is until she sends him a letter from his would be midnight lover, this starts a series of rendezvous, letters and midnight rides. Will Richard still want her when he discovers who his midnight lover really is.
February 19, 2024
Excellent storyline and steamy
Alyssa Clarke never disappoints as she tells a story that makes you feel you are right there. Her characters are relatable and you will recognize how well she tells their story as she draws you into the plot.
You will cheer for Poppy and Richard as they slowly discover they are in love with each other. The steamy bits were descriptive and could melt a Kindle App, so be warned if you aren’t into steamy hot love scenes and prefer something more tepid.
Loved this novel and the author. Read it. You won’t be disappointed.
Alyssa Clarke never disappoints as she tells a story that makes you feel you are right there. Her characters are relatable and you will recognize how well she tells their story as she draws you into the plot.
You will cheer for Poppy and Richard as they slowly discover they are in love with each other. The steamy bits were descriptive and could melt a Kindle App, so be warned if you aren’t into steamy hot love scenes and prefer something more tepid.
Loved this novel and the author. Read it. You won’t be disappointed.
January 2, 2025
Romance tropes: wallflower/rake, secret identity, brother’s best friend, shotgun wedding
Persephone was in a bad carriage accident and now walks with a limp, so her fiancé dumped her and she’s a wallflower. She has a crush on her brother’s best friend, rakish Richard, so she writes anonymous love letters to him to instigate a tryst.
I wanted the letters to be a bigger part of the plot and more passionate than they were. I also felt like they really got forced into their HEA, and I wish it had been more of a choice for them.
Persephone was in a bad carriage accident and now walks with a limp, so her fiancé dumped her and she’s a wallflower. She has a crush on her brother’s best friend, rakish Richard, so she writes anonymous love letters to him to instigate a tryst.
I wanted the letters to be a bigger part of the plot and more passionate than they were. I also felt like they really got forced into their HEA, and I wish it had been more of a choice for them.
January 14, 2024
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I like how Persephone is determined to live as she wished and when Richard catches her eye, she pursues him secretly. Without expectations, she give herself freely to him in secret while maintaining a friendship publicly. I liked that she won his heart by being the woman he fell for and he proved it by how he proposed to her.
January 20, 2024
What a delightful storyline! I loved Persephone and Richard’s romance. After surviving a near fatal accident , Persephone decides she is no longer going to be the shy, quiet girl she was before. With full speed ahead she boldly writes anonymous letters to the man she loves from a far. Such an enjoyable read, as this charming, forceful little lady wins the heart of her good hearted, notorious rake ! Gotta love those Fairbanks men! This is a great series!
January 6, 2024
A beautiful story about a beautiful girl who finds love by putting herself out there and the boy who understands and loves her. I don’t really know what to say but that I was blown away by the emotions in this book and how lovely both of these characters are and how they make their way to an HEA.
I received a complimentary copy.
I received a complimentary copy.
January 8, 2024
After a near death experience, she found the strength and courage to break free of societal prison. He would give it to her as he accepts and support her in every way. Enjoyable read with admirable characters who deserve their HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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