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Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous #1
Secrets Of A Gentleman Escort (Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous, Book 1)
HE’S THE TALK OF THE TOWN –
FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS!
Society’s most outrageous – and popular! – escort Nicholas D’Arcy is renowned for his utmost discretion. So when he suddenly finds himself named and shamed by a jealous husband he reluctantly accepts a summons to the countryside…a fate worse than death!
Annorah Price-Ellis isn’t what Nick is used to – she’s innocent, feisty, and decidedly uncomfortable with the spontaneous heat between them! Suddenly London’s most audacious lover is out of his depth, and in danger of revealing the real man behind the polished façade...
Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous
Only London’s best lovers need apply!
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 17, 2013
19 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Bronwyn Scott
348 books169 followersBronwyn Scott writes historical romances for Harlequin, Mills and Boon. She has 50 titles currently in print with them.
Bronwyn's 2018 release, Dancing with the Duke's Heir was RITA finalist.
Bronwyn's 2009 novel, The Viscount Claims His Bride was a RomCon finalist for best short historical, as was her 2011 release, A Thoroughly Compromised Lady.
Bronwyn's 2018 release, Dancing with the Duke's Heir was RITA finalist.
Bronwyn's 2009 novel, The Viscount Claims His Bride was a RomCon finalist for best short historical, as was her 2011 release, A Thoroughly Compromised Lady.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 44 reviews
July 24, 2016
I seem to have read a number of books over the last year in which the hero has been a man who is paid for sexual services, either as a way of making his living, or for some other reason, such as getting the heroine pregnant, as in Cecilia Grant’s A Lady Awakened.
In Secrets of a Gentleman Escort, Nicholas D’Arcy is the former, a man who, for the past few years, has made his living as a high-class, highly paid prostitute. For the most part, he enjoys his life in the hurly-burly of London, although it seems that his job isn’t quite as satisfying as it once was, even though he’s extremely good at it.
Along with a number of other men – some of whom are down-on-their-luck gentlemen of good birth, some of whom are in it for the kicks – Nicholas is a member of the League of Discreet Gentlemen, an agency which provides male companionship mostly to bored wives and widows, for a fat fee. The existence of the League is a rumour in society and nothing more. The husbands of the straying wives may suspect that such a thing exists, but there is no proof and the League’s founder, Channing Deveril, wants to keep it that way. After all, their clientele come to them because they want to have a little fun on the side without being found out; the men involved want to preserve a degree of anonymity – mutual discretion is ensured.
Nicholas is one of the agency’s most sought-after escorts. He’s gorgeous, charming and witty, and – naturally – knows what women want and how to provide it. The trouble is, he provides it too well, and one night is almost caught on the job by a client’s husband. He manages to evade exposure by the skin of his teeth. A jealous husband on the warpath is a threat not only to Nicholas, but to the League’s very existence, so Deveril sends Nicholas on a five-day assignment out of London to give things time to cool off.
But Nick is dismayed. For one thing, he grew up in the country and has too many unhappy memories for him to feel comfortable at spending time away from the city; and for another he feels like he’s being punished for a situation over which he had no control. But he has little alternative other than to accept the job and head off into Sussex post haste.
His client, Miss Annorah Price-Ellis is incredibly wealthy, but will not remain so if she remains unmarried. The terms of her father’s will state that if she is unwed on her thirty-third birthday, the bulk of the fortune she inherited will be given to charitable organizations, allowing Annorah a small property in the north of England and just enough money to live on. Having been relentlessly pursued for her fortune and suffered the humiliation of discovering that the men who expressed an interest in her were just after her money, she eventually withdrew from society, unwilling to risk that sort of hurt and mortification again. Her avaricious aunt repeatedly throws suitors at her, obviously expecting to reap some of the financial rewards should Annorah marry one of them; and time has slipped by, leaving Annorah with Hobson’s Choice. She can marry a man she does not love who just wants her money, or she can eke out a meagre existence far from the home she has lived in all her life.
But before she does either of those things, she has decided it’s time to live a little. Reasoning that, if she’s to give herself to a man she doesn’t know or love, it should be a man of her choosing who will at the very least ensure she finds pleasure in the experience, she writes to the League of Discreet Gentlemen requesting a companion for five nights.
I thought the way the relationship between Annorah and Nicholas developed was very well done, even though they spend only a few days together. The romance is tender and very sensual – there are a number of love scenes, none of which is especially graphic – and I really felt that here was a relationship that was about much more than the lust which had been its impetus. While Annorah had thought all she wanted was a few days of sex-without-strings, Nicholas is perceptive enough to realize that what she really wants (as well as the sex) is romance. He’s good at both things – when women want to enact out a Prince Charming fantasy, he’s the one they send for – but it’s immediately clear to him that his “usual routine” isn’t going to be enough to provide what Annorah wants. Doing that, however, is going to cost him the detachment he holds dear – because in his line of work, emotional involvement is something he can’t afford.
Annorah too is very torn. She knows that when Nick flirts with her, she’s getting what she’s paid for. But she’s spent a lifetime avoiding the superficial compliments of fortune hunters and soon realizes that she doesn’t want empty words and meaningless sex from this man, despite his reasons for being with her. On the other hand, she’s tempted to surrender to the fiction he’s offering her – a fiction which Nick is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain, because he’s finding something with Annorah that he’s never before experienced with a woman; friendship and possibly something more.
Annorah has hidden from society for years in an attempt at self-protection while Nicholas lives in the social whirl of London and keeps his true self well hidden, preferring instead to inhabit his persona of “every woman’s dream man”. I really liked the way Ms Scott had both characters gradually emerge from their respective shells under the tutelage of the other. Nick, especially, begins to reveal more and more of himself, and what we see is a decent and honorable man who, for reasons of his own, has embarked upon this particular way of life because there were few alternatives. And while Annorah helps Nick to “find” himself again, he helps her to rediscover many of the simple joys of life that, in her isolation, she had forgotten.
I enjoyed the book very much, but there was one thing about the plotline that bothered me somewhat. Almost from the outset, it’s clear that Nick harbors a sense of worthlessness and guilt over an event which devastated his family, and that the reason he embarked on his current course of employment is because he needs to be able both to support them, and to stay as far away from them as possible. When Nick’s reasons for running away and staying away were made clear, I couldn’t help thinking they were somewhat anti-climactic.
But that aside, Secrets of A Gentleman Escort is well-written and the two leads are very engaging and well-matched. It’s also one of the most sensually romantic stories I’ve read in a while, and one I’d certainly recommend for one of those dull winter afternoons which could do with a bit of warming up!
Also - I think this is one of the loveliest covers I've seen recently. Someone over at the We Love Stepback Covers group (I think it was) posted the cover photo a few days back, so I hope they'll forgive me for stealing it to post here.
In Secrets of a Gentleman Escort, Nicholas D’Arcy is the former, a man who, for the past few years, has made his living as a high-class, highly paid prostitute. For the most part, he enjoys his life in the hurly-burly of London, although it seems that his job isn’t quite as satisfying as it once was, even though he’s extremely good at it.
Along with a number of other men – some of whom are down-on-their-luck gentlemen of good birth, some of whom are in it for the kicks – Nicholas is a member of the League of Discreet Gentlemen, an agency which provides male companionship mostly to bored wives and widows, for a fat fee. The existence of the League is a rumour in society and nothing more. The husbands of the straying wives may suspect that such a thing exists, but there is no proof and the League’s founder, Channing Deveril, wants to keep it that way. After all, their clientele come to them because they want to have a little fun on the side without being found out; the men involved want to preserve a degree of anonymity – mutual discretion is ensured.
Nicholas is one of the agency’s most sought-after escorts. He’s gorgeous, charming and witty, and – naturally – knows what women want and how to provide it. The trouble is, he provides it too well, and one night is almost caught on the job by a client’s husband. He manages to evade exposure by the skin of his teeth. A jealous husband on the warpath is a threat not only to Nicholas, but to the League’s very existence, so Deveril sends Nicholas on a five-day assignment out of London to give things time to cool off.
But Nick is dismayed. For one thing, he grew up in the country and has too many unhappy memories for him to feel comfortable at spending time away from the city; and for another he feels like he’s being punished for a situation over which he had no control. But he has little alternative other than to accept the job and head off into Sussex post haste.
His client, Miss Annorah Price-Ellis is incredibly wealthy, but will not remain so if she remains unmarried. The terms of her father’s will state that if she is unwed on her thirty-third birthday, the bulk of the fortune she inherited will be given to charitable organizations, allowing Annorah a small property in the north of England and just enough money to live on. Having been relentlessly pursued for her fortune and suffered the humiliation of discovering that the men who expressed an interest in her were just after her money, she eventually withdrew from society, unwilling to risk that sort of hurt and mortification again. Her avaricious aunt repeatedly throws suitors at her, obviously expecting to reap some of the financial rewards should Annorah marry one of them; and time has slipped by, leaving Annorah with Hobson’s Choice. She can marry a man she does not love who just wants her money, or she can eke out a meagre existence far from the home she has lived in all her life.
But before she does either of those things, she has decided it’s time to live a little. Reasoning that, if she’s to give herself to a man she doesn’t know or love, it should be a man of her choosing who will at the very least ensure she finds pleasure in the experience, she writes to the League of Discreet Gentlemen requesting a companion for five nights.
I thought the way the relationship between Annorah and Nicholas developed was very well done, even though they spend only a few days together. The romance is tender and very sensual – there are a number of love scenes, none of which is especially graphic – and I really felt that here was a relationship that was about much more than the lust which had been its impetus. While Annorah had thought all she wanted was a few days of sex-without-strings, Nicholas is perceptive enough to realize that what she really wants (as well as the sex) is romance. He’s good at both things – when women want to enact out a Prince Charming fantasy, he’s the one they send for – but it’s immediately clear to him that his “usual routine” isn’t going to be enough to provide what Annorah wants. Doing that, however, is going to cost him the detachment he holds dear – because in his line of work, emotional involvement is something he can’t afford.
Annorah too is very torn. She knows that when Nick flirts with her, she’s getting what she’s paid for. But she’s spent a lifetime avoiding the superficial compliments of fortune hunters and soon realizes that she doesn’t want empty words and meaningless sex from this man, despite his reasons for being with her. On the other hand, she’s tempted to surrender to the fiction he’s offering her – a fiction which Nick is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain, because he’s finding something with Annorah that he’s never before experienced with a woman; friendship and possibly something more.
Annorah has hidden from society for years in an attempt at self-protection while Nicholas lives in the social whirl of London and keeps his true self well hidden, preferring instead to inhabit his persona of “every woman’s dream man”. I really liked the way Ms Scott had both characters gradually emerge from their respective shells under the tutelage of the other. Nick, especially, begins to reveal more and more of himself, and what we see is a decent and honorable man who, for reasons of his own, has embarked upon this particular way of life because there were few alternatives. And while Annorah helps Nick to “find” himself again, he helps her to rediscover many of the simple joys of life that, in her isolation, she had forgotten.
I enjoyed the book very much, but there was one thing about the plotline that bothered me somewhat. Almost from the outset, it’s clear that Nick harbors a sense of worthlessness and guilt over an event which devastated his family, and that the reason he embarked on his current course of employment is because he needs to be able both to support them, and to stay as far away from them as possible. When Nick’s reasons for running away and staying away were made clear, I couldn’t help thinking they were somewhat anti-climactic.
But that aside, Secrets of A Gentleman Escort is well-written and the two leads are very engaging and well-matched. It’s also one of the most sensually romantic stories I’ve read in a while, and one I’d certainly recommend for one of those dull winter afternoons which could do with a bit of warming up!
Also - I think this is one of the loveliest covers I've seen recently. Someone over at the We Love Stepback Covers group (I think it was) posted the cover photo a few days back, so I hope they'll forgive me for stealing it to post here.
December 8, 2024
The story is all over the place and anti-climatic.
March 7, 2014
Setting: Victorian England
Steam factor: Med-Hot
Annorah Price-Ellis has just a few weeks to enjoy herself until she is then forced to marry in order to save her fortune. So thinking she can somehow outwit her greedy family, she seeks the company of a discreet professional lover who she then can convince to act temporally as her fiance only.
Thinking later her "hired" bedmate will be easy to dismiss once his job is over becomes her first mistake. The second...actually falling in love with him. Now for Nick D'Arcy when it comes to women he has a very practiced hand in this field and this assignment should be easy, plus it will get him out of London for awhile and away from his last client's vengeful husband. What Nick doesn't expect is while playing this roll is how Annorah"s plight and passion have him thinking along the lines of having a normal life. But exposure of what he does will ruin her and publicly reveal his unsavoury past. These two must fight for their happy ending in this story or risk losing everything.
This was a delicious and sexy tale as the story lets the reader in on the secret life of Victorian male escorts. Who knew there were these "gentlemen" back then? Whether there was or not, the author did a great job of creating a tale of high adventure and steamy passion as well as creating nicely developed characters with also a depth of emotion, and a delectable dialogue which made this unconventional plotline work.
Steam factor: Med-Hot
Annorah Price-Ellis has just a few weeks to enjoy herself until she is then forced to marry in order to save her fortune. So thinking she can somehow outwit her greedy family, she seeks the company of a discreet professional lover who she then can convince to act temporally as her fiance only.
Thinking later her "hired" bedmate will be easy to dismiss once his job is over becomes her first mistake. The second...actually falling in love with him. Now for Nick D'Arcy when it comes to women he has a very practiced hand in this field and this assignment should be easy, plus it will get him out of London for awhile and away from his last client's vengeful husband. What Nick doesn't expect is while playing this roll is how Annorah"s plight and passion have him thinking along the lines of having a normal life. But exposure of what he does will ruin her and publicly reveal his unsavoury past. These two must fight for their happy ending in this story or risk losing everything.
This was a delicious and sexy tale as the story lets the reader in on the secret life of Victorian male escorts. Who knew there were these "gentlemen" back then? Whether there was or not, the author did a great job of creating a tale of high adventure and steamy passion as well as creating nicely developed characters with also a depth of emotion, and a delectable dialogue which made this unconventional plotline work.
June 17, 2014
Two-and-a-half stars is more accurate. Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is precisely what you'd expect from the title--an outlandish romp filled with absurd innuendo (including a phallic flower), purple sex scenes, and the threat of duels. Nicholas and Annorah never rise above the cliché trappings, but I hardly expected them to. I would've been content if even one of the threats materialized, but despite all the fuss, they never quite manage to. After an anti-climactic confrontation with Nicholas, .
It would've been enough for me if there'd been a real scandal, but a) Bronwyn Scott has no apparent interest in the consequences of her characters' actions and b) any real conflict would've taken more than two chapters to conclude. Frankly, the facsimile of conflict in Secrets of a Gentleman Escort would've benefited from a longer conclusion and the story as a whole would've been more interesting for me if Scott had spent a little more time on plot and a little (or a lot) less time on trite romantic or sexual interludes. As it is, Scott undermines both her hero and to a much lesser extent, her heroine's growth when she most needed to convince me of it. When Nicholas , Nicholas looks like a man of feeble convictions and fleeting sentiments and Annorah looks like she's still entirely out-of-touch with reality. Better pacing might've made the novel more effective and a conclusion would've seemed more complete, but I suspect asking for more plot from a book called Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is like ordering whipped cream and expecting a cupcake.
If you like charming heroes, precocious (but innocent!) maidens, and (rather flowery) sex, then this novel is probably for you. It's fun, fluffy, and (tooth-achingly) sweet and it obviously has no shortage of fans.
It would've been enough for me if there'd been a real scandal, but a) Bronwyn Scott has no apparent interest in the consequences of her characters' actions and b) any real conflict would've taken more than two chapters to conclude. Frankly, the facsimile of conflict in Secrets of a Gentleman Escort would've benefited from a longer conclusion and the story as a whole would've been more interesting for me if Scott had spent a little more time on plot and a little (or a lot) less time on trite romantic or sexual interludes. As it is, Scott undermines both her hero and to a much lesser extent, her heroine's growth when she most needed to convince me of it. When Nicholas , Nicholas looks like a man of feeble convictions and fleeting sentiments and Annorah looks like she's still entirely out-of-touch with reality. Better pacing might've made the novel more effective and a conclusion would've seemed more complete, but I suspect asking for more plot from a book called Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is like ordering whipped cream and expecting a cupcake.
If you like charming heroes, precocious (but innocent!) maidens, and (rather flowery) sex, then this novel is probably for you. It's fun, fluffy, and (tooth-achingly) sweet and it obviously has no shortage of fans.
November 13, 2013
Sweet, hot, and a lovely romance. Secrets of a Gentleman Escort was a fantastic historical romance read. I absolutely loved this book!
Annorah was a heroine in a desperate situation. She's a wealthy heiress, but only until her 30th birthday, at which point she loses all her money. The only way to avoid that was to get married by her birthday. She resigned herself to either having to marry someone she doesn't like or having to live without her inheritance and hired a male escort so that she could at least have 5 nights of passion before living the rest of her life in unhappiness. Until they fell in love, she proposed marriage, and things got complicated. I liked Annorah. She was a genuinely kind, likable character. She was strong in a quiet, dignified way, determined to live her life for herself and no one else. And, nothing was going to stop her from getting what she really wanted. I really liked her. I thought she was a lovely heroine.
Nicholas was wonderful hero. He felt enormously guilty for his brother's accident that left him in a wheelchair, seeing the whole things as his fault, which led him to leave to London and began mading his living as a male escort, working with a group of several rakes who fulfill society ladies' every desire. Until he was caught by a husband and had to flee London, taking a job in the country to avoid being called out and ruining the secrecy of the other rakes. When he got to the country, he started to loosen up, remembering his ideal country childhood with his family. He became sweet, lighthearted, and vulnerable, no longer seeing the 5 nights as an act. He was very devoted to Annorah, determined to protect her, no matter the cost to him. He was absolutely wonderful and I adored him.
The romance was lovely. Annorah and Nicholas were so sweet together. Their feelings for each other were always clear and they didn't bother to deny them, though their insecurities caused a few obstacles. And, the heat between them was off the charts. Their were some steamy scenes that had me fanning my face. I thought they were perfect together.
The plot was fast paced. I was hooked the entire way through. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect. I don't know if this will be a series, but I hope it will because I would love to see the other rakes get their happy endings. Fingers crossed!
Secrets of a Gentleman Escort was a brilliant historical romance. I absolutely loved it and truly enjoyed reading it. The romance was sweet and steamy, the story was engaging, and it was perfect all around. Lovers of romance, you have to read this book.
*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Annorah was a heroine in a desperate situation. She's a wealthy heiress, but only until her 30th birthday, at which point she loses all her money. The only way to avoid that was to get married by her birthday. She resigned herself to either having to marry someone she doesn't like or having to live without her inheritance and hired a male escort so that she could at least have 5 nights of passion before living the rest of her life in unhappiness. Until they fell in love, she proposed marriage, and things got complicated. I liked Annorah. She was a genuinely kind, likable character. She was strong in a quiet, dignified way, determined to live her life for herself and no one else. And, nothing was going to stop her from getting what she really wanted. I really liked her. I thought she was a lovely heroine.
Nicholas was wonderful hero. He felt enormously guilty for his brother's accident that left him in a wheelchair, seeing the whole things as his fault, which led him to leave to London and began mading his living as a male escort, working with a group of several rakes who fulfill society ladies' every desire. Until he was caught by a husband and had to flee London, taking a job in the country to avoid being called out and ruining the secrecy of the other rakes. When he got to the country, he started to loosen up, remembering his ideal country childhood with his family. He became sweet, lighthearted, and vulnerable, no longer seeing the 5 nights as an act. He was very devoted to Annorah, determined to protect her, no matter the cost to him. He was absolutely wonderful and I adored him.
The romance was lovely. Annorah and Nicholas were so sweet together. Their feelings for each other were always clear and they didn't bother to deny them, though their insecurities caused a few obstacles. And, the heat between them was off the charts. Their were some steamy scenes that had me fanning my face. I thought they were perfect together.
The plot was fast paced. I was hooked the entire way through. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect. I don't know if this will be a series, but I hope it will because I would love to see the other rakes get their happy endings. Fingers crossed!
Secrets of a Gentleman Escort was a brilliant historical romance. I absolutely loved it and truly enjoyed reading it. The romance was sweet and steamy, the story was engaging, and it was perfect all around. Lovers of romance, you have to read this book.
*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
March 27, 2014
Anachronistic. Americanisms.
January 15, 2014
I really, really enjoyed this one, provided by the publisher through netgalley. It's pitched perfectly with likable characters (and not too many of them..), strong premise, a little bit of humor, plenty of well-written hunt-the-cucumber (but not too much of that either) and enough plot development to keep the emotions engaged.
I rather like the male escort as a romance theme. I tend to think it's a far more enticing trope than the female prostitute/mistress made-good, for the majority of romance readers. After all, what's not to like about a wonderful, gorgeous, skilled lover, whose only job is to satisfy the woman in charge, who just happens to fall in love? And this author is writing a whole SERIES of them!!! Like a whole roomful of eye-candy.. Mm-mm.
concentrate, concentrate..
Anyway, I've read one book by this author Secret Life of a Scandalous Debutante and it didn't really do it for me. It was OK, but nothing special, and I didn't really pick up any others by this author for a while, but this one really encouraged me to seek out others by her. And I absolutely can't wait to read the others in the series...
4 stars. I really liked it.
I rather like the male escort as a romance theme. I tend to think it's a far more enticing trope than the female prostitute/mistress made-good, for the majority of romance readers. After all, what's not to like about a wonderful, gorgeous, skilled lover, whose only job is to satisfy the woman in charge, who just happens to fall in love? And this author is writing a whole SERIES of them!!! Like a whole roomful of eye-candy.. Mm-mm.
concentrate, concentrate..
Anyway, I've read one book by this author Secret Life of a Scandalous Debutante and it didn't really do it for me. It was OK, but nothing special, and I didn't really pick up any others by this author for a while, but this one really encouraged me to seek out others by her. And I absolutely can't wait to read the others in the series...
4 stars. I really liked it.
September 13, 2016
I'm rarely disappointed by Bronwyn Scott's books and this one is no exception. The premise of a gentleman escort service caught my attention and I happily read through a really good story. What I liked was that the interactions between the two were genuine. Yes, Annorah solicited a temporary liaison, but she was still characteristically uncomfortable with the intimacy when it came time to actually participate. Nicholas was well developed as a character. Though he was a male escort, he was not a rake. He was not emotionally intimate, but he knew women and what pleasured them. He utilizes romance for seduction and this book details the romance instead of detailing the sexual act itself. I liked that. It left me breathless at times and lots of room for my imagination.
There was only one instance where Annorah held back vital information from Nicholas that I felt spoiled the plot. I don't mind characters having secrets that they keep to themselves within reason but she asked for his assistance and then withheld information. I don't like when stories utilize this type of set-up to add to the tension. Luckily it did not derail the story.
I gave five stars, not because it was amazing. It was very, very good. But because I will re-read it.
There was only one instance where Annorah held back vital information from Nicholas that I felt spoiled the plot. I don't mind characters having secrets that they keep to themselves within reason but she asked for his assistance and then withheld information. I don't like when stories utilize this type of set-up to add to the tension. Luckily it did not derail the story.
I gave five stars, not because it was amazing. It was very, very good. But because I will re-read it.
February 16, 2016
Annorah need to marry or she will lose her fortune. Deciding for one last adventure before marrying someone she does not love, she hires an escort for 5 days. Nick is being harassed by a client's husband so Annorah's request is perfect. They spend time together, being cute and laughing with children then fall into bed. After 5 days Annorah proposes to make their contract permanent, by preposing a marriage of convenience. Reluctantly Nick agrees and they meet her awful family. Drama galore and secrets are revealed. Annorah and Nick stuck together through all the strife, which was nice. His family didn't question where all the money he kept sending them, came from. Nick's relationship with his family was glossed over. There is a HEA but I didn't buy it.
January 12, 2014
I forgot how much more explicit Bronwyn Scott is, in her love scenes. But, apart from a few blushes, it did make me wish for a man like that to sweep me off my feet. I was disappointed in the cover picture, as the artist obviously did not read the description of the main character. He is supposed to have long hair, which is what appeals to me, but the cover portrays a short-haired man.
Rant over.
I still enjoyed the story, & now am looking forward to reading the others in the series.
Rant over.
I still enjoyed the story, & now am looking forward to reading the others in the series.
January 22, 2014
I liked this one. It was different than the usual historical romance. The story kept me interested, the characters were likable, and even though most of the story took place in just a week, it didn't feel like insta-love. Insta-lust, yes. There wasn't the usual refusal to admit their feelings, that you can find in a lot of the books in this genre. This was a refreshing read, and restored my faith in historical romances.
Read
January 12, 2016"Scott's fans get another delicious, sexy plum when she lets readers in on the secret life of Victorian male escorts. In her expertly honed style, Scott crafts a tale of high adventure and steamy passion as her well-developed characters, depth of emotion, delectable dialogue and unconventional plotline charm readers." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
Miniseries: Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous
Miniseries: Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous
December 12, 2013
Very cute, lighthearted and steamy. While the righting could've been a little tighter, it was still a fun, easy read.
4/5
4/5
March 26, 2018
No es habitual leer novelas históricas cuyo protagonista sea un escort (acompañante, y algo más, pago). Tanto sean masculinos como cortesanas, esas historias suelen estar cubiertas de una tristeza y vacío emocional importante, no sé si por el tema en sí o por el modo en que lo suelen tratar las autoras.
Digamos que raramente leí una novela de ese tema en la que sus protagonistas ejercieran alegremente su oficio. Sería bueno, como en la película italiana "Paprika".
Pero dejando de lado esas divagaciones, vayamos a esta novela.
Consta de dos partes. Una en la que Annorah es una mujer adinerada de 32 años que contrata a un escort porque quiere conocer la pasión (Sí, puede sonar a "Irrestistible" de Kleypas o a "El amante" de Schone). Esta parte es bastante real porque surge no solo el placer que le da Nick sino las dudas y el vacío que genera una relación paga.
Y una segunda parte en la que aparecen una serie de problemas que tiene Annorah por los que puede perder su fortuna y en las que Nick entrará como una especie de caballero andante que la ayudará a resolver sus problemas. Además se desarrollarán los sentimientos mutuos. Esta parte me resultó un poco confusa y tratada muy por arriba, sobre todo los problemas familiares que tiene ella. No terminé de entender y creo que hubiera dado para mucho más.
Así que la cosa se desinfló un poco, a mi parecer y quedó en un meh.
La parejita estuvo bien y hay bastante sexo.
Promedio: 2 y medio
Digamos que raramente leí una novela de ese tema en la que sus protagonistas ejercieran alegremente su oficio. Sería bueno, como en la película italiana "Paprika".
Pero dejando de lado esas divagaciones, vayamos a esta novela.
Consta de dos partes. Una en la que Annorah es una mujer adinerada de 32 años que contrata a un escort porque quiere conocer la pasión (Sí, puede sonar a "Irrestistible" de Kleypas o a "El amante" de Schone). Esta parte es bastante real porque surge no solo el placer que le da Nick sino las dudas y el vacío que genera una relación paga.
Y una segunda parte en la que aparecen una serie de problemas que tiene Annorah por los que puede perder su fortuna y en las que Nick entrará como una especie de caballero andante que la ayudará a resolver sus problemas. Además se desarrollarán los sentimientos mutuos. Esta parte me resultó un poco confusa y tratada muy por arriba, sobre todo los problemas familiares que tiene ella. No terminé de entender y creo que hubiera dado para mucho más.
Así que la cosa se desinfló un poco, a mi parecer y quedó en un meh.
La parejita estuvo bien y hay bastante sexo.
Promedio: 2 y medio
January 31, 2015
Good book. Nick is a very popular escort because he knows what women want and is very good at delivering it. When he is nearly caught by a jealous husband he has to get out of town for awhile. He is sent to Annorah, who has asked for someone who can give her five nights of pleasure. She is looking to live a little before either marrying a man she doesn't love or losing her home and the life she is used to.
I liked Nick and Annorah more than I thought I would at first. Nick has been working as an escort for several years because it pays very well. He uses the money to support his mother, brother and two sisters. Their lives had been changed when Nick's father was killed during a storm and his brother was paralyzed at the same time. Nick feels that he is responsible so taking care of them is what he must do. Being an escort gives him the money he needs, but also a reason to stay away from them since he doesn't want them knowing what he does. He has a talent for pleasing women and he has been doing so with great enjoyment. He's not happy when his latest job gets him banished to the country until the furor dies down. Meeting Annorah starts out as just another job to him, but there's something about her that starts to change him. Usually he is able to do what he must but stay detached, not allowing his emotions to get involved. With her he is developing a closeness, even friendship, that threatens that detachment. I really liked seeing the London rake start to disappear and the real Nick come to the surface. I loved the fishing scene where he and Annorah had quite the competition going that had nothing to do with why he was really there. He also showed some of his true self when he and Annorah were reading to the village children. I also enjoyed seeing all the really romantic things he did for her that were well beyond what he would have done for anyone else. Nick's growing feelings for her led him to agree to pose as her fiance during a visit to her aunt's home in order to protect her from an especially nasty fortune hunter that her aunt is encouraging. The entire house party scene shows even more what an honorable man Nick is at his core. I loved the ending and seeing Nick become a part of his family again.
Annorah is quite a wealthy woman, but that may not last. Her father's will stated that she must be married by her thirty-third birthday or everything would go to charity and she would be left with a small cottage and enough money to live on. As a result, she has been pestered with fortune hunters. She was deceived a couple times by men who made her think they really cared, and as a result she has withdrawn from almost all contact with society. Now her deadline is almost upon her and she wants to live a little before she loses it all. So she hires Nick to show her the passion she doesn't expect to find for real. She is very nervous about it, especially when she sees how handsome Nick is. She soon realizes that she doesn't want the same empty words that she has experienced all her life, she wants a real connection with Nick. I loved seeing the way that Nick brought her out of her shell and she started having fun again. I also enjoyed the way that she and Nick found a passion together that neither of them had ever expected. Annorah also discovered that what started out as a paid transaction quickly became one of true caring. I loved the way that she saw the real Nick and how she tried to help him see that he had no need to feel guilty about his family. One of the things I liked about Annorah was the way that she went after what she wanted. First when she hired Nick to begin with but also when she asked him to become her fiance to delay the terms of the will and give her more time to find a way out of it. I especially liked seeing her try to track Nick down in London and then find her way to his family. She wasn't going to give him up without a fight.
I thought all the characters were very well done and easy to relate to. Both Nick and Annorah had issues to overcome, but it was very easy to want them to succeed. The bad guys were also suitably unlikable without being over the top. The fortune hunter was nasty and I really would have liked to see Nick pop him one. I detested Annorah's aunt and felt that she deserved whatever she got.
The whole premise of the series is very interesting and I am looking forward to reading the other stories.
I liked Nick and Annorah more than I thought I would at first. Nick has been working as an escort for several years because it pays very well. He uses the money to support his mother, brother and two sisters. Their lives had been changed when Nick's father was killed during a storm and his brother was paralyzed at the same time. Nick feels that he is responsible so taking care of them is what he must do. Being an escort gives him the money he needs, but also a reason to stay away from them since he doesn't want them knowing what he does. He has a talent for pleasing women and he has been doing so with great enjoyment. He's not happy when his latest job gets him banished to the country until the furor dies down. Meeting Annorah starts out as just another job to him, but there's something about her that starts to change him. Usually he is able to do what he must but stay detached, not allowing his emotions to get involved. With her he is developing a closeness, even friendship, that threatens that detachment. I really liked seeing the London rake start to disappear and the real Nick come to the surface. I loved the fishing scene where he and Annorah had quite the competition going that had nothing to do with why he was really there. He also showed some of his true self when he and Annorah were reading to the village children. I also enjoyed seeing all the really romantic things he did for her that were well beyond what he would have done for anyone else. Nick's growing feelings for her led him to agree to pose as her fiance during a visit to her aunt's home in order to protect her from an especially nasty fortune hunter that her aunt is encouraging. The entire house party scene shows even more what an honorable man Nick is at his core. I loved the ending and seeing Nick become a part of his family again.
Annorah is quite a wealthy woman, but that may not last. Her father's will stated that she must be married by her thirty-third birthday or everything would go to charity and she would be left with a small cottage and enough money to live on. As a result, she has been pestered with fortune hunters. She was deceived a couple times by men who made her think they really cared, and as a result she has withdrawn from almost all contact with society. Now her deadline is almost upon her and she wants to live a little before she loses it all. So she hires Nick to show her the passion she doesn't expect to find for real. She is very nervous about it, especially when she sees how handsome Nick is. She soon realizes that she doesn't want the same empty words that she has experienced all her life, she wants a real connection with Nick. I loved seeing the way that Nick brought her out of her shell and she started having fun again. I also enjoyed the way that she and Nick found a passion together that neither of them had ever expected. Annorah also discovered that what started out as a paid transaction quickly became one of true caring. I loved the way that she saw the real Nick and how she tried to help him see that he had no need to feel guilty about his family. One of the things I liked about Annorah was the way that she went after what she wanted. First when she hired Nick to begin with but also when she asked him to become her fiance to delay the terms of the will and give her more time to find a way out of it. I especially liked seeing her try to track Nick down in London and then find her way to his family. She wasn't going to give him up without a fight.
I thought all the characters were very well done and easy to relate to. Both Nick and Annorah had issues to overcome, but it was very easy to want them to succeed. The bad guys were also suitably unlikable without being over the top. The fortune hunter was nasty and I really would have liked to see Nick pop him one. I detested Annorah's aunt and felt that she deserved whatever she got.
The whole premise of the series is very interesting and I am looking forward to reading the other stories.
July 21, 2014
Bronwyn Scott kicks off her delicious quartet Rakes who Make Husbands Jealous with Secrets of a Gentleman Escort, a steamy tale of danger, debauchery and desire guaranteed to make readers’ hearts race!
When a tragic twist of fate had left Nicholas D’Arcy as his family’s sole breadwinner, he had been forced to leave his life in the countryside behind for London. Determined to ensure that his family doesn’t go without, Nicholas had been determined to make as much money as he possibly can to atone for his lack of responsibility. However, on his arrival, he had soon realized that he was never going to make his fortune as a shipping clerk, but a chance encounter with Channing Deverill, founder of The League of Discreet Gentlemen, soon changes his life. Nicholas goes from ledgers and lading bills to one of the most sought after escorts in London! Seducing bored society wives and accompanying them to the opera and parties provides Nicholas with more money than he’s ever dreamed of. However, when he is almost caught seducing somebody’s wife by her less than pleased husband, Nicholas is informed by Channing that he needs to leave London for a while and let the dust settle for a couple of weeks. When the League is contacted by a Miss Annorah Price-Ellis, who is requesting a gentleman companion for a week, Channing realizes that Nicholas is the perfect candidate for the job. Having vowed to stay away from the British countryside, Nicholas is not exactly overjoyed to be spending the week in a rural idyll, but that soon changes when he claps eyes on the innocent Miss Price-Ellis…
Annorah had realized from a very early age that romantic attachments weren’t on the cards for her. Having had her heart broken on more than one occasion, Annorah had built a wall around herself, retired from society and vowed to spend the rest of her life living a life of solitude at her country estate. Unfortunately for Annorah, her avaricious family are desperate to get their hands on the house she loves with all her heart – and it seems that all their plotting and evil machinations have succeeded! With a limited time left for Annorah to be truly independent, she decides to spend her last week of freedom in the house she loves so much and to enjoy herself by engaging the services of a delectable gentleman escort to keep her company. When Nicholas D’Arcy turns up on her doorstep, Annorah cannot help but be intrigued. However, what begins as a mere practical arrangement quickly gives way to something more…
Nicholas had never imagined that he would find himself falling in love with a client, but the more time he spends with Annorah, the more he finds himself unable to contemplate the thought of spending the rest of his life without her. But with his checkered past and devastating secrets, does their love stand a chance of triumphing against all this adversity? Or is their relationship destined to be a purely cold-hearted business transaction?
A poignant, passionate and powerful story about two damaged souls united by a love that simply cannot be denied, Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is a historical romance that is not for the faint-hearted!
Bronwyn Scott writes with great panache, humor and gusto about scandal in high society, the ties that bind and the pain and pleasure of unrequited love.
Bronwyn Scott has created a world that is so real and vivid that readers will be reluctant to leave once they reach the end of the narrative. I loved Annorah and Nicholas who were wonderfully written and deliciously realized characters. Annorah’s strength of character and generosity of spirit were to be admired and Nicholas’ humor, charisma, charm and vulnerability will make women everywhere go weak at the knees.
A sumptuous historical romance from a talented writer who is always willing to take risks and who delivers time and time again, Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is another stellar tale from Bronwyn Scott!
This review was originally published on Cataromance
When a tragic twist of fate had left Nicholas D’Arcy as his family’s sole breadwinner, he had been forced to leave his life in the countryside behind for London. Determined to ensure that his family doesn’t go without, Nicholas had been determined to make as much money as he possibly can to atone for his lack of responsibility. However, on his arrival, he had soon realized that he was never going to make his fortune as a shipping clerk, but a chance encounter with Channing Deverill, founder of The League of Discreet Gentlemen, soon changes his life. Nicholas goes from ledgers and lading bills to one of the most sought after escorts in London! Seducing bored society wives and accompanying them to the opera and parties provides Nicholas with more money than he’s ever dreamed of. However, when he is almost caught seducing somebody’s wife by her less than pleased husband, Nicholas is informed by Channing that he needs to leave London for a while and let the dust settle for a couple of weeks. When the League is contacted by a Miss Annorah Price-Ellis, who is requesting a gentleman companion for a week, Channing realizes that Nicholas is the perfect candidate for the job. Having vowed to stay away from the British countryside, Nicholas is not exactly overjoyed to be spending the week in a rural idyll, but that soon changes when he claps eyes on the innocent Miss Price-Ellis…
Annorah had realized from a very early age that romantic attachments weren’t on the cards for her. Having had her heart broken on more than one occasion, Annorah had built a wall around herself, retired from society and vowed to spend the rest of her life living a life of solitude at her country estate. Unfortunately for Annorah, her avaricious family are desperate to get their hands on the house she loves with all her heart – and it seems that all their plotting and evil machinations have succeeded! With a limited time left for Annorah to be truly independent, she decides to spend her last week of freedom in the house she loves so much and to enjoy herself by engaging the services of a delectable gentleman escort to keep her company. When Nicholas D’Arcy turns up on her doorstep, Annorah cannot help but be intrigued. However, what begins as a mere practical arrangement quickly gives way to something more…
Nicholas had never imagined that he would find himself falling in love with a client, but the more time he spends with Annorah, the more he finds himself unable to contemplate the thought of spending the rest of his life without her. But with his checkered past and devastating secrets, does their love stand a chance of triumphing against all this adversity? Or is their relationship destined to be a purely cold-hearted business transaction?
A poignant, passionate and powerful story about two damaged souls united by a love that simply cannot be denied, Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is a historical romance that is not for the faint-hearted!
Bronwyn Scott writes with great panache, humor and gusto about scandal in high society, the ties that bind and the pain and pleasure of unrequited love.
Bronwyn Scott has created a world that is so real and vivid that readers will be reluctant to leave once they reach the end of the narrative. I loved Annorah and Nicholas who were wonderfully written and deliciously realized characters. Annorah’s strength of character and generosity of spirit were to be admired and Nicholas’ humor, charisma, charm and vulnerability will make women everywhere go weak at the knees.
A sumptuous historical romance from a talented writer who is always willing to take risks and who delivers time and time again, Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is another stellar tale from Bronwyn Scott!
This review was originally published on Cataromance
September 2, 2025
I haven't read too many historical romances in my life. This book was such a lovely, gentle story about a wealthy woman who hires a male escort to in order to experience true physical passion before she's forced to marry in order to save her fortune.
The story turns from this initial escort for hire into a fake engagement, which then turns into something more between Nick and Annorah.
I wasn't sure what to expect going in, as it was an old freebie from years back, and I hadn't had much luck with the last few freebies I've read recently. I was pleasantly surprised with this story, and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
The story turns from this initial escort for hire into a fake engagement, which then turns into something more between Nick and Annorah.
I wasn't sure what to expect going in, as it was an old freebie from years back, and I hadn't had much luck with the last few freebies I've read recently. I was pleasantly surprised with this story, and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
April 2, 2015
My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2015/04...
Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is a lovely combination of sensual and sweet, thanks to the book’s endearing protagonists. Annorah is a woman who feels like she hasn’t yet truly lived. She’s fast approaching the deadline where she must marry or lose most of her inheritance, and therefore she decides it’s time to take charge and do one thing for herself before she makes her choice. So she hires one of London’s most talented prostitutes for five nights. Only Nick is more than just a handsome escort. The more time he and Annorah are around one another, the more she sees the smart, likeable man beneath the polished exterior. Their romance is charming, pure and simple.
While Annorah and Nick are a heroine and hero you can become invested in, Secrets of a Gentleman Escort does falter outside these two. The story is filled with historical anachronisms that are so blatant they hampered my enjoyment of the story. There’s also the matter of the villains Annorah must face, namely her scheming aunt and a would-be suitor determined not to take “no” for an answer. These villains are black-hatted, rather irritating characters who never rise above one-dimensionality and whose interference in Annorah’s life is never suitably handled. Indeed, the entire ending of Secrets of a Gentleman Escort felt rushed, which is a pity because a bit of fleshing out could have taken the book to the next level – all the elements were there.
Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is the first book in the Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous series. I’m still conflicted about Annorah and Nick’s story – I truly liked the main characters but am frustrated by the lack of development in every other aspect of the book. That being said, I do want to see where Bronwyn Scott takes Nick’s fellow escorts in future stories so I’ll be back for more Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous tales.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is a lovely combination of sensual and sweet, thanks to the book’s endearing protagonists. Annorah is a woman who feels like she hasn’t yet truly lived. She’s fast approaching the deadline where she must marry or lose most of her inheritance, and therefore she decides it’s time to take charge and do one thing for herself before she makes her choice. So she hires one of London’s most talented prostitutes for five nights. Only Nick is more than just a handsome escort. The more time he and Annorah are around one another, the more she sees the smart, likeable man beneath the polished exterior. Their romance is charming, pure and simple.
While Annorah and Nick are a heroine and hero you can become invested in, Secrets of a Gentleman Escort does falter outside these two. The story is filled with historical anachronisms that are so blatant they hampered my enjoyment of the story. There’s also the matter of the villains Annorah must face, namely her scheming aunt and a would-be suitor determined not to take “no” for an answer. These villains are black-hatted, rather irritating characters who never rise above one-dimensionality and whose interference in Annorah’s life is never suitably handled. Indeed, the entire ending of Secrets of a Gentleman Escort felt rushed, which is a pity because a bit of fleshing out could have taken the book to the next level – all the elements were there.
Secrets of a Gentleman Escort is the first book in the Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous series. I’m still conflicted about Annorah and Nick’s story – I truly liked the main characters but am frustrated by the lack of development in every other aspect of the book. That being said, I do want to see where Bronwyn Scott takes Nick’s fellow escorts in future stories so I’ll be back for more Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous tales.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 21, 2014
I picked this up mainly because the premise intrigued me. It's rare to find a Regency that doesn't feature some titled gent, preferably a Duke. That…was a nice change.
However, I feel let down. The first chapter seems to be the highlight of the whole book. The rest of it is…cerebral and not really in a good way. Dull maybe. How did the author manage that? I dunno. Well, first off, there was the whole foreshadowing of how bad he was. with his occupation just being a minor inconvenience. Eh? So what was he - did he eat small children for breakfast or something? Eh, no. Just his somewhat immature self hadn't done some repair work he was supposed to, a storm came, lightning struck a tree next to the barn, and caved in the roof. Yeah. That's it?!?! "Oh get over yourself." said with much dignified irritation.
Then there's the h who, at the ripe old age of 32 is cornered into either marrying someone whose last 2 wives died under mysterious circumstances or…giving up her fortune and retiring even further to the country. If you were being stalked by fortune hunters, were not forced to live under a relative's roof (say whaaa? again.), and had the freedom to live by yourself, why on earth would you remain where they could find you? Really? Why not grab a hoss and take off into the night, get on a ship, and oh…sail the 7 seas or something? Why make it easy for them? Or…give your fortune to charity before the due date. Gees; do I have to think of everything?
So while I'm curious as to What Happens Next (uh oh…), I don't think I'm enough of a masochist to follow a series where it took me 3 days to read a less than 300 page book. I've got enough books, some of which are bound to hold my interest better, that I don't need the aggravation.
However, I feel let down. The first chapter seems to be the highlight of the whole book. The rest of it is…cerebral and not really in a good way. Dull maybe. How did the author manage that? I dunno. Well, first off, there was the whole foreshadowing of how bad he was. with his occupation just being a minor inconvenience. Eh? So what was he - did he eat small children for breakfast or something? Eh, no. Just his somewhat immature self hadn't done some repair work he was supposed to, a storm came, lightning struck a tree next to the barn, and caved in the roof. Yeah. That's it?!?! "Oh get over yourself." said with much dignified irritation.
Then there's the h who, at the ripe old age of 32 is cornered into either marrying someone whose last 2 wives died under mysterious circumstances or…giving up her fortune and retiring even further to the country. If you were being stalked by fortune hunters, were not forced to live under a relative's roof (say whaaa? again.), and had the freedom to live by yourself, why on earth would you remain where they could find you? Really? Why not grab a hoss and take off into the night, get on a ship, and oh…sail the 7 seas or something? Why make it easy for them? Or…give your fortune to charity before the due date. Gees; do I have to think of everything?
So while I'm curious as to What Happens Next (uh oh…), I don't think I'm enough of a masochist to follow a series where it took me 3 days to read a less than 300 page book. I've got enough books, some of which are bound to hold my interest better, that I don't need the aggravation.
September 19, 2016
Me ha gustado. Lo he disfrutado y me he reído. Y lo que más he agradecido ha sido no encontrarme con escenas eróticas a cada paso, a pesar de lo que pudiera intuirse a través del título o el argumento.
March 24, 2016
I found it very hard to belive that a young clerk would be so cavlier about seling himself to strange women. The concept was not romantic at all.
April 21, 2020
Ms. Scott signed herself up for a not-so-easy writing assignment with her series (Rakes Who Make Husbands Jealous) featuring a group of male escorts as heroes. I am like everyone else who has a certain prejudice against men like these. My prejudice is not so pronounced. I accept and respect these men’s choices as long as they do not abuse and take advantage of others (a standard that I also apply to everyone else). But I do admit that my prejudice affects my appreciation of heroes such as Nicholas D’Arcy who are paid to escort and have sex with women. Despite my claim to intelligence, I am as susceptible to the standards of swoon-worthiness of romantic heroes and heroines (their “purity”). Ms. Scott thankfully succeeded with Nick. He is handsome, charming, and most of all, sympathetic. His “falling” for heiress, Annorah, is believable. He is attracted to her innocence and goodness (as well as her complications), which are the things that he does not encounter a lot in his line of work. The moments that they spend together (aside from their sexual encounters which are sizzling indeed for a short romance novel) are heartwarming and bittersweet. You feel the same quiet urgency that they do – that their time is a bubble waiting to be burst. When the bubble does indeed burst, you expect a bang, but it is actually manageable. It feels a bit anti-climactic but I think Ms. Scott prioritized realism over drama. She could not have pushed the ballroom confrontation further. Annorah would have been ruined, as well as Nick, which would have realistically meant something socially serious in that era. This dose of realism makes the novel refreshing for me, as well as the pronounced lack of dramatic pronouncements of love from hero and heroine. They end up together, they have their happy ending, but they do not utter “I love yous” in the book (though the fact that they do love each other is clearly stated) which is a curious fact. It makes me want to call up the writer and ask why.
I do think that Nick’s guilt over his past (taking responsibility for his father’s death and brother’s paralysis even though it was an accident) is too flimsy a burden to carry all those years. It isn’t clear as well if he tried hard enough to look for another way to support his family. Though I do understand that guilt could have pushed him to look for a fast solution to his financial woes. Guilt wanted him to help his brother immediately. And I do know that choices were not varied for gentlemen’s sons like Nick in those times.
This is a good book, not a heady, I’ve-got-to-get-to-the-next-page kind, but one that makes you think and reflect while still offering quiet heart palpitations. I immediately looked for another Bronwyn Scott novel; and it has made me curious about the rough-mannered Westmore (an ex-soldier escort)’s story.
I do think that Nick’s guilt over his past (taking responsibility for his father’s death and brother’s paralysis even though it was an accident) is too flimsy a burden to carry all those years. It isn’t clear as well if he tried hard enough to look for another way to support his family. Though I do understand that guilt could have pushed him to look for a fast solution to his financial woes. Guilt wanted him to help his brother immediately. And I do know that choices were not varied for gentlemen’s sons like Nick in those times.
This is a good book, not a heady, I’ve-got-to-get-to-the-next-page kind, but one that makes you think and reflect while still offering quiet heart palpitations. I immediately looked for another Bronwyn Scott novel; and it has made me curious about the rough-mannered Westmore (an ex-soldier escort)’s story.
June 12, 2019
05 dias, una propuesta, que tanto el dinero puede comprar que estas dispuesto a vender—Las peores mentiras son las que nos decimos a nosotros mismos.
October 2, 2025
i really enjoyed this book. i like the hero and heroine they get on really really well together. i hope the next one is as good.
August 13, 2016
Gorgeous, restless gentleman Nicholas D'Arcy became an escort 6 years ago after tragic circumstances forced him to begin earning a lot of money to support his mother and siblings---tragedies which still haunt him. Wealthy Annorah may lose everything if she doesn't marry quickly, something she has foreworn to do because all of the men who have pursued her betrayed her heart by wanting only her money. Before she loses everything she hires Nick for five nights of pleasure.
Well, you can see where things are leading. I liked that the twists and turns keep the story interesting. I liked Nick, who was a dream lover, and Annorah. I liked the magic between them. I liked that Nick wanted marriage and Annorah, rather than hating the idea of settling down, but he just didn't think he was deserving of it.
The thing I liked least was that too much of the story is in their heads rather than in scenes. By the second half of the novel I was skimming over a lot of their thoughts.
I also didn't like that the author sometimes referred back to things that we might have guessed they talked about or did but the author never explicitly told us they talked about or did. I found it disconcerting.
Finally, the writing was a little heavy handed, that is, I was "aware" of the writing and where it might have been better. Unlike authors like Julie Anne Long or Grace Burrowes who sweep you up so effectively you forget you're reading the story and not living it.
Overall, pretty good. I might read another in this series. But just not great.
Well, you can see where things are leading. I liked that the twists and turns keep the story interesting. I liked Nick, who was a dream lover, and Annorah. I liked the magic between them. I liked that Nick wanted marriage and Annorah, rather than hating the idea of settling down, but he just didn't think he was deserving of it.
The thing I liked least was that too much of the story is in their heads rather than in scenes. By the second half of the novel I was skimming over a lot of their thoughts.
I also didn't like that the author sometimes referred back to things that we might have guessed they talked about or did but the author never explicitly told us they talked about or did. I found it disconcerting.
Finally, the writing was a little heavy handed, that is, I was "aware" of the writing and where it might have been better. Unlike authors like Julie Anne Long or Grace Burrowes who sweep you up so effectively you forget you're reading the story and not living it.
Overall, pretty good. I might read another in this series. But just not great.
March 15, 2014
This isn’t the first time I’ve read a historical book about a male escort (I’m not sure why the sudden popularity or if they were always this plentiful and I just didn’t notice) and I think that it holds up pretty well. Nick has his reasons for doing what he does and Scott does a great job of making him complicated and compelling. I anxiously turned pages trying to get to the bottom of why he is the man he is and whether he can let things go to grab his change at a happy ever after.
I really loved him with Annorah and was rooting for them from their first meeting. It’s interesting to have a hero be so overt in his motivation for the things he says and does – usually they either aren’t as aware or they don’t acknowledge their end game but as a professional escort Nick is more up front about his seductive tricks. It’s actually quite fascinating to read about his thought process. He’s charming, sexy and witty ... and plots every move he makes to come across that way.
It’s not going to be for everyone – I don’t know why we are OK with our heroes being rakes but as soon as they start taking money for it they are a turn-off – but I highly recommend it. It’s the first of a series and I’m intrigued by the idea of finding out more about the other men in the League of Discreet Gentlemen.
(Complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review)
I really loved him with Annorah and was rooting for them from their first meeting. It’s interesting to have a hero be so overt in his motivation for the things he says and does – usually they either aren’t as aware or they don’t acknowledge their end game but as a professional escort Nick is more up front about his seductive tricks. It’s actually quite fascinating to read about his thought process. He’s charming, sexy and witty ... and plots every move he makes to come across that way.
It’s not going to be for everyone – I don’t know why we are OK with our heroes being rakes but as soon as they start taking money for it they are a turn-off – but I highly recommend it. It’s the first of a series and I’m intrigued by the idea of finding out more about the other men in the League of Discreet Gentlemen.
(Complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review)
October 21, 2017
The best book by this author I've read. Ridiculous premise but the characters pull it off somehow.
June 17, 2017
Despite some serious cheese at the onset of this book (look at that title, look at the name of the series - fine grade A Harlequin cheese right there), this was a really good book. I definitely rooted for the couple (Annorah and Nick). Seriously, this couple had conversations, comparing notes on how the villains were trying to break them up, and then believed in each other and their relationship so they didn't fall for such transparent schemes. Nick made sure to use "French letters" (aka condoms) every time they had sex and assured the heroine it was no big deal - ergo not a hint of secret baby plot line. Adults being adults is always fun to read! The villains were typical (greedy relations of heroine and a creepy suitor from heroine's past), but the relationship was sweet with decent sex scenes. Although I enjoyed Annorah and Nick's story, I didn't really feel the urge to read the other two stories in the series.
September 1, 2014
Can't say that I was overly keen on this one, though I quite liked the plot as something different to our usual regency fluff.
I found Nicholas to be too smooth and practiced and right through the novel I felt that he was playing Annorah so couldn't warm to him. Similarly I felt that Annorah was too simpering and "Oh my isn't he beautiful!" to really get behind either.
The obstacles in their romance were a series of secrets that once revealed turned out to be quite dull and totally flat considering the build-up and the length of time it took to get around to them.
It was okay, but I kept finding myself leaving it alone for hours at a time which is always a sign that I'm not enjoying a book.
I found Nicholas to be too smooth and practiced and right through the novel I felt that he was playing Annorah so couldn't warm to him. Similarly I felt that Annorah was too simpering and "Oh my isn't he beautiful!" to really get behind either.
The obstacles in their romance were a series of secrets that once revealed turned out to be quite dull and totally flat considering the build-up and the length of time it took to get around to them.
It was okay, but I kept finding myself leaving it alone for hours at a time which is always a sign that I'm not enjoying a book.
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