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Harcastle Inheritance #2
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones
Alex Stanton just inherited a dukedom, but his true passion is uncovering charlatans and frauds wherever he finds them. Spiritualist and medium Evangeline "Evie" Jones is the biggest fake of all, and he's determined to expose her lies for all of London to see. Her prim manner and ladylike airs don't fool him. He sees the hunger beneath and recognizes a worthy opponent. He can't deny the dark undercurrents of lust between them.
Evie worked her way up from the gutter, and she's not about to abandon the life she's built for fear of this aristocratic dilettante. She knows his type. She sees the attraction simmering beneath his animosity, and she knows how to use it to keep him off balance. They strike a bargain. He has one week to prove she's a fake. If he fails, he has to abandon all further attempts. If he succeeds, she'll not only retire but make a public statement explaining all her tricks.
Neither expects to find anything in common, not to mention anything to love, in the other. Both are blindsided by the affinity and blossoming tenderness between them. But even if it were possible for a lowly charlatan to live happily ever after with a duke, more is going on than either suspects. Someone else has brought them together for a sinister purpose of his own.
Evie worked her way up from the gutter, and she's not about to abandon the life she's built for fear of this aristocratic dilettante. She knows his type. She sees the attraction simmering beneath his animosity, and she knows how to use it to keep him off balance. They strike a bargain. He has one week to prove she's a fake. If he fails, he has to abandon all further attempts. If he succeeds, she'll not only retire but make a public statement explaining all her tricks.
Neither expects to find anything in common, not to mention anything to love, in the other. Both are blindsided by the affinity and blossoming tenderness between them. But even if it were possible for a lowly charlatan to live happily ever after with a duke, more is going on than either suspects. Someone else has brought them together for a sinister purpose of his own.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2020
24 people are currently reading
869 people want to read
About the author
Julia Bennet
3 books124 followersJulia writes historical romance with passion, intrigue, dark humor and the occasional animal sidekick. A tea-sodden English woman, she’s the only girl in a house of boys and yearns for all things pink and fluffy. If she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading everything she can get her hands on, spending time with her boys or procrastinating on the internet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
March 31, 2020
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones is a revelation. Sexy, smart, and almost unbearably intimate, The Ruin of Evangeline is the best historical romance I've read in years. Julia Bennet is an author to watch!
October 19, 2023
Interesting premise but lost momentum at the end
Overall this was good, but it dragged in the middle and the ending was too melodramatic. This had a very gothic feel and the setting was perfect for spooky season; she’s a medium and shister and he’s a tortured Duke overcoming an abusive childhood and years of alcoholism, but this was so dark and dour and lacked any levity at all. It got to be too much for me in the middle, but then it became all about sex and the ending felt like an afterthought. So the first half of the book was compelling and exciting but it kind of withered a bit and became like all other class-difference romances featuring a tortured Duke.
It wasn’t bad, the writing was very good and I loved the FMC and the imbedded commentary on privilege and class but I think it could have been better planned out. Great to see Helen and Carter from the first book and all the elements about mediums and seances were deliciously Victorian, which I love. 3.5 stars rounded up because of the original premise.
Overall this was good, but it dragged in the middle and the ending was too melodramatic. This had a very gothic feel and the setting was perfect for spooky season; she’s a medium and shister and he’s a tortured Duke overcoming an abusive childhood and years of alcoholism, but this was so dark and dour and lacked any levity at all. It got to be too much for me in the middle, but then it became all about sex and the ending felt like an afterthought. So the first half of the book was compelling and exciting but it kind of withered a bit and became like all other class-difference romances featuring a tortured Duke.
It wasn’t bad, the writing was very good and I loved the FMC and the imbedded commentary on privilege and class but I think it could have been better planned out. Great to see Helen and Carter from the first book and all the elements about mediums and seances were deliciously Victorian, which I love. 3.5 stars rounded up because of the original premise.
July 29, 2024
If you're looking for a complex female protagonist, detailed and interesting insights into the spiritualist profession, and simmering sexual tension, this book is for you. And the ending really delivers! This book is the second in the Harcastle Inheritance series (the first of which, The Madness of Miss Grey, we have already reviewed). It employs several of our favorite romance tropes in new and interesting ways - including the Carriage Hookup, the Impoverished Nobleman who Must Marry an Heiress, the Secret Goodbye Hookup (we have to get a better name for that one), and more.
31-Word Summaries:
Laine: Duke dedicated to exposing mediums finds a photo of Evangeline ... exposed, and her photographer sends him more ... exposures. Their chemistry is unthwarted by her projectile ectoplasm, but can they expose ... feelings?
Meg: You know he’s a sexual match when he thinks your Resting Bitch Face is hot. You know he’s a keeper when he still wants to kiss you after you vomit ectoplasm.
This review is based on a complimentary copy of the the rerelease.
31-Word Summaries:
Laine: Duke dedicated to exposing mediums finds a photo of Evangeline ... exposed, and her photographer sends him more ... exposures. Their chemistry is unthwarted by her projectile ectoplasm, but can they expose ... feelings?
Meg: You know he’s a sexual match when he thinks your Resting Bitch Face is hot. You know he’s a keeper when he still wants to kiss you after you vomit ectoplasm.
This review is based on a complimentary copy of the the rerelease.
March 19, 2023
Amazing! I loved this so much and I would like to buy a physical copy. Such a great cover!
The setup is something that I've seen a few times (but it's a setup I love! And also why I picked up this book in the first place.): Evangeline Jones is a talented medium, and the new Duke of Harcastle, Alex, wants to prove that she's a fraud. She is a fraud, but she's a very good one, and unfortunately for Alex, his obsession with proving Evie false is quickly replaced with an obsession for Evie. Evie and Alex come to an agreement: he has one week to prove she's a fraud, and if he can't, he'll leave her alone.
That is the set up. The sexual tension was off the charts, and Julia Bennet made a few unconventional choices that reminded me of Scarlett Peckham's work. *chef's kiss*
The setup is something that I've seen a few times (but it's a setup I love! And also why I picked up this book in the first place.): Evangeline Jones is a talented medium, and the new Duke of Harcastle, Alex, wants to prove that she's a fraud. She is a fraud, but she's a very good one, and unfortunately for Alex, his obsession with proving Evie false is quickly replaced with an obsession for Evie. Evie and Alex come to an agreement: he has one week to prove she's a fraud, and if he can't, he'll leave her alone.
That is the set up. The sexual tension was off the charts, and Julia Bennet made a few unconventional choices that reminded me of Scarlett Peckham's work. *chef's kiss*
April 27, 2020
*3.5 stars*
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones was my first read by Julia Bennet, and though my attention wandered while reading at times, I thought it was a very promising, interesting read. Though it is the second in a series, it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
I've read a few books where the MC is a medium or spiritualist charlatan and the love interest is the person trying to figure out if they are a fraud, my favorite of which is An Unnatural Vice, so this book had big shoes to fill. I was pleased by the grim, darker tone of the story and tense feeling of the writing. I thought that the author delivered in a lot of ways with the overall atmosphere of the story. The couple was also interesting together, though I struggled with the attraction from the female MC.
However, I feel like something was a bit off with the pacing. The story felt very long, and it took me five days to finish, which is a long time for me. I also didn't quite buy that Evie was into Alex. I felt like she was a very vulnerable character, and her attraction came out of nowhere. I was more fearful for her, and I don't think romance would have been at the forefront of her mind.
I was intrigued by the side characters, and I will be very interested in reading book 3, which will probably feature Alex's cousin. I think the author did a lot right with this story, and I could see myself falling in love with her writing in the future.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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The Ruin of Evangeline Jones was my first read by Julia Bennet, and though my attention wandered while reading at times, I thought it was a very promising, interesting read. Though it is the second in a series, it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
I've read a few books where the MC is a medium or spiritualist charlatan and the love interest is the person trying to figure out if they are a fraud, my favorite of which is An Unnatural Vice, so this book had big shoes to fill. I was pleased by the grim, darker tone of the story and tense feeling of the writing. I thought that the author delivered in a lot of ways with the overall atmosphere of the story. The couple was also interesting together, though I struggled with the attraction from the female MC.
However, I feel like something was a bit off with the pacing. The story felt very long, and it took me five days to finish, which is a long time for me. I also didn't quite buy that Evie was into Alex. I felt like she was a very vulnerable character, and her attraction came out of nowhere. I was more fearful for her, and I don't think romance would have been at the forefront of her mind.
I was intrigued by the side characters, and I will be very interested in reading book 3, which will probably feature Alex's cousin. I think the author did a lot right with this story, and I could see myself falling in love with her writing in the future.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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April 30, 2020
This is a good story and the writing is actually better than that in most newly-released HRs I read. Although the author did succumb to that apparent need to have a duke as the hero, the heroine is less typical than usual, with a woman orphaned in early childhood and taken into a brothel to be groomed for prostitution. Rescued by a man who took her in to raise and groom instead as a flimflam partner, she is a charlatan medium or spiritualist who gives fake seances for the gullible upper-class public hungry for a connection to lost loved ones.
Our hero, the duke, doesn't like fakers, fraudsters, and charlatans, or dishonesty in general and has been on a crusade to expose such chicanery. Miss Evangeline Jones, our heroine, is his latest target. And there you have it. Our duke, BTW, has the usual HR duke problems: (1) a childhood with a really nasty daddy, and (2) the need to marry an upper-class wealthy woman. It would be super unhandy for him to fall in love with a lower-class flimflam artist.
But, then again, this is a romance. And not only a romance but one with a bit of mystery/intrigue and a fair amount of tidbits about 1800s spiritualists and seances with special effects, early photography, and more. It has its entertaining moments and its romantic ones.
Bennet writes well. I would have given this 4 stars but for the fact that the whole story was too dramatic and earnest for me. The whole lust-love thing, which developed very quickly, seemed melodramatic and flowery in its description. I'm all for love and even angst in romances, but I like it leavened with a touch of humor too. This story took itself much too seriously. I wasn't in the mood for its tone. I did appreciate, however, the resolution to the lovers' quandary, although even it was not unique. I'd read similar ways to make a social-divide romance work.
BTW, Bennet's debut novel, THE MADNESS OF MISS GREY, features this duke's illegitimate half sister Helen. Her story is bleaker than his, but I felt its topic and plot made it deservedly so. This second novel had me wanting to tell the main characters to get over themselves. The cup can be half full.
Our hero, the duke, doesn't like fakers, fraudsters, and charlatans, or dishonesty in general and has been on a crusade to expose such chicanery. Miss Evangeline Jones, our heroine, is his latest target. And there you have it. Our duke, BTW, has the usual HR duke problems: (1) a childhood with a really nasty daddy, and (2) the need to marry an upper-class wealthy woman. It would be super unhandy for him to fall in love with a lower-class flimflam artist.
But, then again, this is a romance. And not only a romance but one with a bit of mystery/intrigue and a fair amount of tidbits about 1800s spiritualists and seances with special effects, early photography, and more. It has its entertaining moments and its romantic ones.
Bennet writes well. I would have given this 4 stars but for the fact that the whole story was too dramatic and earnest for me. The whole lust-love thing, which developed very quickly, seemed melodramatic and flowery in its description. I'm all for love and even angst in romances, but I like it leavened with a touch of humor too. This story took itself much too seriously. I wasn't in the mood for its tone. I did appreciate, however, the resolution to the lovers' quandary, although even it was not unique. I'd read similar ways to make a social-divide romance work.
BTW, Bennet's debut novel, THE MADNESS OF MISS GREY, features this duke's illegitimate half sister Helen. Her story is bleaker than his, but I felt its topic and plot made it deservedly so. This second novel had me wanting to tell the main characters to get over themselves. The cup can be half full.
April 16, 2020
This semi-gothic, quietly feminist, erotic romance exceeded my expectations. Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and HF Virtual Book Tours for hooking me up with such a lovely read. I can’t wait to go back and read Book 1 (though this book functioned well as a “stand alone”) and I look forward to a Book 3. (Do NOT leave me hanging on Ellis!) Look out for my full review on bitchbookshelf.com on 4/30!
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May 28, 2023Entertaining romance with a woman spiritualist, ie con artist, and a duke. Obviously romances with fake spiritualists are my happy place. I liked this though I regretted that Evie's best effects come about by luck rather than planning (happening to guess a telling phrase) but there is some great ectoplasm work.
The romance is a bit underpowered though the terrific carriage scene saves the day early on. I think it's down to the Duke being a bit...passive isn't quite the word, maybe just a bit disengaged. We feels he's rather standing back from life in general and I didn't quite buy into his eventual resolution of the romance dilemma. Evie is great though, determined and loyal and doing her best with a bad hand.
It looks like the intention is to have a book about the cousin, which I would be there for.
The romance is a bit underpowered though the terrific carriage scene saves the day early on. I think it's down to the Duke being a bit...passive isn't quite the word, maybe just a bit disengaged. We feels he's rather standing back from life in general and I didn't quite buy into his eventual resolution of the romance dilemma. Evie is great though, determined and loyal and doing her best with a bad hand.
It looks like the intention is to have a book about the cousin, which I would be there for.
May 4, 2023
This book just wasn’t for me.
The author is clearly taking one sided point of view of total skepticism towards all spiritualists professions while at the same time trying to be compassionate saying they have to lie because they are poor and lack privilege.
Never once does the author allow for even an idea that there is something beyond what is visible and that translates into actually writing not very good romance.
I like romance because it makes me believe in the invisible magic between two people. Unfortunately, Evie and Alex were not allowed to feel the magic and love.
Yes, we get masturbation, yes, we get a sexy scene but I didn’t know why these two people liked each other at all. At one point, very early in their “relationship”, if we can call it that, they sounded like a bored couple who have been together for years.
The scenes in the book were clearly distinguished into spiritualists action scenes and scenes when MCs were sexy together. The relationship is not progressed when plot is progressing and plot is not progressing when they are doing their sexy bits.
Needless to say, I could not buy into their romance or relationship. There was no invisible link and no spiritual connection between these two. They were like two cold fishes who for the romance reasons need to sleep together.
Their characters didn’t make any sense to me.
The first sexy scene in the coach even though very titillating, came way too early and didn’t make any sense. Why would she be so into him?
To summarize. The book wasn’t bad, I can see how people can like it. But once I started to see how all scenes were neatly compartmentalized according to their category and also once I realized these MCs don’t have any emotions (no matter that they proclaim the necessary ‘I love yous’) even their horniness for each other was questionable, it was hard to be pulled into the story.
The author is clearly taking one sided point of view of total skepticism towards all spiritualists professions while at the same time trying to be compassionate saying they have to lie because they are poor and lack privilege.
Never once does the author allow for even an idea that there is something beyond what is visible and that translates into actually writing not very good romance.
I like romance because it makes me believe in the invisible magic between two people. Unfortunately, Evie and Alex were not allowed to feel the magic and love.
Yes, we get masturbation, yes, we get a sexy scene but I didn’t know why these two people liked each other at all. At one point, very early in their “relationship”, if we can call it that, they sounded like a bored couple who have been together for years.
The scenes in the book were clearly distinguished into spiritualists action scenes and scenes when MCs were sexy together. The relationship is not progressed when plot is progressing and plot is not progressing when they are doing their sexy bits.
Needless to say, I could not buy into their romance or relationship. There was no invisible link and no spiritual connection between these two. They were like two cold fishes who for the romance reasons need to sleep together.
Their characters didn’t make any sense to me.
The first sexy scene in the coach even though very titillating, came way too early and didn’t make any sense. Why would she be so into him?
To summarize. The book wasn’t bad, I can see how people can like it. But once I started to see how all scenes were neatly compartmentalized according to their category and also once I realized these MCs don’t have any emotions (no matter that they proclaim the necessary ‘I love yous’) even their horniness for each other was questionable, it was hard to be pulled into the story.
October 26, 2022
This started out AMAZING. But sadly didn't finish as strong.
Will be in my next vlog
Will be in my next vlog
October 13, 2023
Starchy meets starchy but it’s dark and horny as hell!
This was great, and reminded me of a Laura Kinsale book, or even Cecilia Grant. I really enjoyed “The Madness of Miss Grey” and here Bennet continues to explore themes of power imbalance, privilege, wealth, and two people who are used to manipulating and/or being manipulated learning to trust each other.
Evie is a spiritualist or something (if you don’t know, spiritualism was a movement that began in the 19th century, it was big with the Victorians, our own Mary Todd Lincoln was super into it) and is very good at spooking people into giving her money, and Alex is a bored self-hating Duke who’s made it his mission to uncover charlatans like Evie. But he’s secretly very into Evie.
Spoilers!
I’ve seen some reviews saying it takes itself too seriously, and to that I say, are romance novels not allowed to take themselves seriously? Ya this isn’t necessarily a “fun” book but that’s not the point. It, like the first book, is an interesting look at two people who should not be into each other but are, and the lengths they have to take to make it happen. Not all romance novels are cute and fluffy, contrary to popular belief- romance is a diverse genre with many different kinds of stories to tell y’all!
And these two people are super interesting to learn and read about. Like in the first book, there is an inherent power imbalance- Alex is a duke who could ruin Evie’s livelihood for the fun of it, and Evie is a woman raised in a brothel (but has somehow remained a virgin) and could lose everything . She calls him out on this, showing Alex’s ignorance to the struggles of the working class. There’s a lot of depth and pain with both of these characters.
Some minor plot things that made me ???? There’s this whole thing with Evie really *seeing* Ellis, the Duke’s cousin, which I thought was him turning out to be a bad guy, but then nothing happens with it, although now I wonder if it’s just setting him up for the next book, if there’s going to be one? Maybe a second chance romance with his wife, as Alex alluded to?
I did not get that Nightingale and Captain were the same person for a while lmao so when they create this whole plot to get back at him, I was very confused.
Again both these books are a bit bleak, more so the first one, so if that’s not your vibe move along, but HR is allowed to be dark and serious sometimes, so if it’s not your thing move along! Romance does not automatically equal “cute, fluffy, guilty pleasure, etc.” a huge pet peeve of mine lol!
This was great, and reminded me of a Laura Kinsale book, or even Cecilia Grant. I really enjoyed “The Madness of Miss Grey” and here Bennet continues to explore themes of power imbalance, privilege, wealth, and two people who are used to manipulating and/or being manipulated learning to trust each other.
Evie is a spiritualist or something (if you don’t know, spiritualism was a movement that began in the 19th century, it was big with the Victorians, our own Mary Todd Lincoln was super into it) and is very good at spooking people into giving her money, and Alex is a bored self-hating Duke who’s made it his mission to uncover charlatans like Evie. But he’s secretly very into Evie.
Spoilers!
I’ve seen some reviews saying it takes itself too seriously, and to that I say, are romance novels not allowed to take themselves seriously? Ya this isn’t necessarily a “fun” book but that’s not the point. It, like the first book, is an interesting look at two people who should not be into each other but are, and the lengths they have to take to make it happen. Not all romance novels are cute and fluffy, contrary to popular belief- romance is a diverse genre with many different kinds of stories to tell y’all!
And these two people are super interesting to learn and read about. Like in the first book, there is an inherent power imbalance- Alex is a duke who could ruin Evie’s livelihood for the fun of it, and Evie is a woman raised in a brothel (but has somehow remained a virgin) and could lose everything . She calls him out on this, showing Alex’s ignorance to the struggles of the working class. There’s a lot of depth and pain with both of these characters.
Some minor plot things that made me ???? There’s this whole thing with Evie really *seeing* Ellis, the Duke’s cousin, which I thought was him turning out to be a bad guy, but then nothing happens with it, although now I wonder if it’s just setting him up for the next book, if there’s going to be one? Maybe a second chance romance with his wife, as Alex alluded to?
I did not get that Nightingale and Captain were the same person for a while lmao so when they create this whole plot to get back at him, I was very confused.
Again both these books are a bit bleak, more so the first one, so if that’s not your vibe move along, but HR is allowed to be dark and serious sometimes, so if it’s not your thing move along! Romance does not automatically equal “cute, fluffy, guilty pleasure, etc.” a huge pet peeve of mine lol!
July 3, 2021
Read for the #hrreadathon 2021.
Loved the premise. Bit confused by the plot.
Had the mistress trope for a bit, which I don't like, but it ended strong.
4/5 stars
Loved the premise. Bit confused by the plot.
Had the mistress trope for a bit, which I don't like, but it ended strong.
4/5 stars
April 29, 2020
I gave The Ruin of Evangeline Jones a B at All About Romance.
In her biography, Julia Bennet says she writes historical romance with passion, intrigue, dark humor and the occasional animal sidekick. She does! The Ruin of Evangeline Jones has passion and intrigue in spades. Not so much the humor, but we do get a memorable cat. I like all of these things, and I hoped to love them in this book. Unfortunately, what starts out as a compelling thriller-esque historical romance with dark undercurrents, gives way to one too many plot conveniences and characters behaving contrary to their early characterizations. I kept hoping the author would rediscover the tension and foreboding that marked the terrific first half, but alas, she didn’t. The Ruin of Evangeline Jones is sexy and suspenseful and entertaining. But a disappointing second half left this reader wishing for more.
Alex Stanton, Duke of Harcastle, is what one would call a disinterested duke. Six months earlier, he inherited the dukedom from a father who put his half-sister in an insane asylum to keep her a secret (The Madness of Miss Grey), and treated him like he was little better than a piece of rubbish. After spending several years drinking away his misery, Alex has recovered from his addiction and has turned his passion for drink towards a new pursuit: exposing charlatans and frauds who prey on innocent victims. He’s handed the task of sorting out the Harcastle estate to the much more capable Jude Ellis, his cousin many times removed. They tolerate each other – one could even call them friends – but essentially they’re strangers.
When the story begins, Jude has made Alex aware that the estate is deeply in debt, and although he has suggested several possible ways to turn things around, Alex can barely focus on the problem or its possible solutions – he’s too fixated on spiritualist and medium Evangeline Jones. After a recent experience with Ms. Jones left him shaken to his core, he’s determined to figure out her tricks. His early investigations into her origins turn up a photo of a scantily clad woman named Sally Harper, a dead ringer for Evangeline, and since then he’s struggled to keep his mind on anything but her. He keeps the photo on him at all times, and the image is never far from his thoughts.
Evie prides herself on her skill as a spiritualist and medium. After she was ‘rescued,’ from a brothel as a young girl (shortly before she would have had to begin whoring), she spent the intervening years honing and learning her craft, mastering her role as the fastidious and talented mesmerist Evangeline Jones. She owes everything to the Captain, the man who plucked her out of the brothel and gave her a chance at something better, and although she chafes under his control, she’s grateful to him, too. And while her circumstances may be a source of derision to the haughty and condescending Duke of Harcastle, she’s not about to lose everything because he has nothing better to do than ruin her life. He might have fled in fear from her séance, but she knows he’ll be back.
She’s right. Before long, Alex surprises Evie at home – but his visit doesn’t go the way either of them expect. After an intense confrontation – he accusing her of being a fraud who dupes innocent victims; Evie accusing him of being out of touch with the struggles of those outside his wealthy, aristocratic bubble – they come to an agreement.
From the opening sequence wherein Evangeline and Hardcastle are pitted as enemies fighting the strong frisson of attraction they feel everytime they’re near each other, to the moment they strike their devil’s bargain, I was wholly on board with this love/hate, enemies-to-lovers premise. He’s a lecherous, intoxicated moth to Evie’s flame; she’s an enchantress who doesn’t understand or recognize the depth of Alex’s affection for EVERYTHING about her – her toughness, resilience, intelligence, beauty. It all works. The added layer of hidden menace lurking just off page whenever Captain makes one his sinister appearances adds a nice kick of foreboding to the story. But post-bargain… the novel loses its way.
Obviously, these two can only fight their attraction for so long. I liked the pseudo-sensual haze that descends on Alex and Evie whenever they’re close to each other, and the pace of their physical relationship, in which their scrambled thoughts are analogous to their frantic, wild sexual encounters. Neither can control how they feel or the depth of their longing for each other, despite the very real obstacles to any long term relationship between them, and it’s all reflected in the compromises they make once they strike their bargain. All of this works – until Alex starts behaving like he can’t make mature decisions because of his dick, and Evie softens so much that she loses all of the hard edges and cool-headed thinking that are her trademarks. There’s pining and whining (Alex is a DUKE folks! Cue the world’s tiniest violin), borderline silly cameos from Alex’s half-sister Helen and her husband, and all sorts of plot conveniences (especially the one that involves Helen) that negate the danger and thrill of the first half. By the time we reach the ending, and the deus-ex-machina that neatly ties up all our loose ends, I’d had enough.
Despite my very real problems with all the plot contrivances, Bennet shows a deft hand for building tension, mood, and ambiance, and her early characterization of the principal pair had me wholly invested in the story. I spent a good part of this novel trying and failing to figure out how they could possibly wind up together despite all the obstacles in their path. Sure, I was disappointed in the ending – and honestly, I predicted a much different resolution – but I’m all in with the Harcastle family. I’ll definitely go back and read Helen’s horrific backstory (and Will seems like a beta dreamboat), and Bennet drops some tantalizing hints about Jude, who clearly has secrets of his own. I’ll be keeping my eye out for his book. Although the author misses out...
The rest of my review is here: All About Romance.
In her biography, Julia Bennet says she writes historical romance with passion, intrigue, dark humor and the occasional animal sidekick. She does! The Ruin of Evangeline Jones has passion and intrigue in spades. Not so much the humor, but we do get a memorable cat. I like all of these things, and I hoped to love them in this book. Unfortunately, what starts out as a compelling thriller-esque historical romance with dark undercurrents, gives way to one too many plot conveniences and characters behaving contrary to their early characterizations. I kept hoping the author would rediscover the tension and foreboding that marked the terrific first half, but alas, she didn’t. The Ruin of Evangeline Jones is sexy and suspenseful and entertaining. But a disappointing second half left this reader wishing for more.
Alex Stanton, Duke of Harcastle, is what one would call a disinterested duke. Six months earlier, he inherited the dukedom from a father who put his half-sister in an insane asylum to keep her a secret (The Madness of Miss Grey), and treated him like he was little better than a piece of rubbish. After spending several years drinking away his misery, Alex has recovered from his addiction and has turned his passion for drink towards a new pursuit: exposing charlatans and frauds who prey on innocent victims. He’s handed the task of sorting out the Harcastle estate to the much more capable Jude Ellis, his cousin many times removed. They tolerate each other – one could even call them friends – but essentially they’re strangers.
When the story begins, Jude has made Alex aware that the estate is deeply in debt, and although he has suggested several possible ways to turn things around, Alex can barely focus on the problem or its possible solutions – he’s too fixated on spiritualist and medium Evangeline Jones. After a recent experience with Ms. Jones left him shaken to his core, he’s determined to figure out her tricks. His early investigations into her origins turn up a photo of a scantily clad woman named Sally Harper, a dead ringer for Evangeline, and since then he’s struggled to keep his mind on anything but her. He keeps the photo on him at all times, and the image is never far from his thoughts.
Evie prides herself on her skill as a spiritualist and medium. After she was ‘rescued,’ from a brothel as a young girl (shortly before she would have had to begin whoring), she spent the intervening years honing and learning her craft, mastering her role as the fastidious and talented mesmerist Evangeline Jones. She owes everything to the Captain, the man who plucked her out of the brothel and gave her a chance at something better, and although she chafes under his control, she’s grateful to him, too. And while her circumstances may be a source of derision to the haughty and condescending Duke of Harcastle, she’s not about to lose everything because he has nothing better to do than ruin her life. He might have fled in fear from her séance, but she knows he’ll be back.
She’s right. Before long, Alex surprises Evie at home – but his visit doesn’t go the way either of them expect. After an intense confrontation – he accusing her of being a fraud who dupes innocent victims; Evie accusing him of being out of touch with the struggles of those outside his wealthy, aristocratic bubble – they come to an agreement.
He has one week to prove she’s a fake. If he fails, he has to abandon all further attempts. If he succeeds, she’ll not only retire but make a public statement explaining all her tricks.He also offers her the promise of money and opportunity to get free of the Captain – and Evie can’t resist saying yes, even as she worries about the dangerous attraction that sparks between her and Hardcastle every time they meet.
From the opening sequence wherein Evangeline and Hardcastle are pitted as enemies fighting the strong frisson of attraction they feel everytime they’re near each other, to the moment they strike their devil’s bargain, I was wholly on board with this love/hate, enemies-to-lovers premise. He’s a lecherous, intoxicated moth to Evie’s flame; she’s an enchantress who doesn’t understand or recognize the depth of Alex’s affection for EVERYTHING about her – her toughness, resilience, intelligence, beauty. It all works. The added layer of hidden menace lurking just off page whenever Captain makes one his sinister appearances adds a nice kick of foreboding to the story. But post-bargain… the novel loses its way.
Obviously, these two can only fight their attraction for so long. I liked the pseudo-sensual haze that descends on Alex and Evie whenever they’re close to each other, and the pace of their physical relationship, in which their scrambled thoughts are analogous to their frantic, wild sexual encounters. Neither can control how they feel or the depth of their longing for each other, despite the very real obstacles to any long term relationship between them, and it’s all reflected in the compromises they make once they strike their bargain. All of this works – until Alex starts behaving like he can’t make mature decisions because of his dick, and Evie softens so much that she loses all of the hard edges and cool-headed thinking that are her trademarks. There’s pining and whining (Alex is a DUKE folks! Cue the world’s tiniest violin), borderline silly cameos from Alex’s half-sister Helen and her husband, and all sorts of plot conveniences (especially the one that involves Helen) that negate the danger and thrill of the first half. By the time we reach the ending, and the deus-ex-machina that neatly ties up all our loose ends, I’d had enough.
Despite my very real problems with all the plot contrivances, Bennet shows a deft hand for building tension, mood, and ambiance, and her early characterization of the principal pair had me wholly invested in the story. I spent a good part of this novel trying and failing to figure out how they could possibly wind up together despite all the obstacles in their path. Sure, I was disappointed in the ending – and honestly, I predicted a much different resolution – but I’m all in with the Harcastle family. I’ll definitely go back and read Helen’s horrific backstory (and Will seems like a beta dreamboat), and Bennet drops some tantalizing hints about Jude, who clearly has secrets of his own. I’ll be keeping my eye out for his book. Although the author misses out...
The rest of my review is here: All About Romance.
April 14, 2020
I am so so happy I was allowed to read this book on netgalley. It seriously blew me away and I have a new author I am keeping a close eye on. When I finished this, I immediately bought the first book of the series and will be following her for other releases.
Alex, our hero, is a new duke. While his properties aren't making enough to maintain themselves and the dukedom is slowly going under and he knows he must marry and heiress, that's not his main concern. He's become obsessed with calling out frauds and his focus has landed on Evangeline who is a spiritualist and medium. She was brought to his attention from a photograph that haunts him.
Evie has worked her way up from the bottom of the London streets. She's a successful medium entertaining society, hardworking, but trapped in a life she doesn't love. When she meets Alex, he presents a wager. He can prove she's a fraud within one week. If not, he leaves her alone forever. If he's successful then she must publicly announce she's a fraud.
I adored the writing in this book. It just totally sucked me in. I thought the plot was pretty unique and I really couldn't predict what was going to happen. Or at least I thought I knew what would happen but it was totally different, especially the end.
I enjoyed both characters. I enjoyed the medium aspect to Evie's character but I think it could change depending on how you feel about that stuff. I thought Evie was really strong. But, Alex made this story for me. I loved Alex. So much. He's a cold, arrogant duke with some serious father issues. I know that doesn't sound unique, but I thought his character was really well done. I think that is my favorite hero type. The moment they crack for their heroine, the pain and worry they feel when they are in danger, the passion that burns beneath that utter contempt for the world. I loved it.
This book had a similar feel to me as some of Kerrigan Byrne books. It's a little dark, though not as dark as hers. There's plenty of language that people might find offensive, like the f*** word (used in a sexual context, not only in anger). It's not a light and fluffy romance. The sex can be rather raw and it's explicit and there's at least 3 scenes I believe. But I love all that stuff, so that brought up the rating for me.
There was a part towards the middle that I felt really dragged and I was starting to get a little bored. But overall I really enjoyed this story, the characters, the world that Julia Bennet created. Also the first book has me really intrigued. Alex's half sister is the heroine and she was locked in an insane asylum for 10 years. Can't wait to start that one soon.
Thanks netgalley for the ARC. These opinions and feelings are completely my own.
Alex, our hero, is a new duke. While his properties aren't making enough to maintain themselves and the dukedom is slowly going under and he knows he must marry and heiress, that's not his main concern. He's become obsessed with calling out frauds and his focus has landed on Evangeline who is a spiritualist and medium. She was brought to his attention from a photograph that haunts him.
Evie has worked her way up from the bottom of the London streets. She's a successful medium entertaining society, hardworking, but trapped in a life she doesn't love. When she meets Alex, he presents a wager. He can prove she's a fraud within one week. If not, he leaves her alone forever. If he's successful then she must publicly announce she's a fraud.
I adored the writing in this book. It just totally sucked me in. I thought the plot was pretty unique and I really couldn't predict what was going to happen. Or at least I thought I knew what would happen but it was totally different, especially the end.
I enjoyed both characters. I enjoyed the medium aspect to Evie's character but I think it could change depending on how you feel about that stuff. I thought Evie was really strong. But, Alex made this story for me. I loved Alex. So much. He's a cold, arrogant duke with some serious father issues. I know that doesn't sound unique, but I thought his character was really well done. I think that is my favorite hero type. The moment they crack for their heroine, the pain and worry they feel when they are in danger, the passion that burns beneath that utter contempt for the world. I loved it.
This book had a similar feel to me as some of Kerrigan Byrne books. It's a little dark, though not as dark as hers. There's plenty of language that people might find offensive, like the f*** word (used in a sexual context, not only in anger). It's not a light and fluffy romance. The sex can be rather raw and it's explicit and there's at least 3 scenes I believe. But I love all that stuff, so that brought up the rating for me.
There was a part towards the middle that I felt really dragged and I was starting to get a little bored. But overall I really enjoyed this story, the characters, the world that Julia Bennet created. Also the first book has me really intrigued. Alex's half sister is the heroine and she was locked in an insane asylum for 10 years. Can't wait to start that one soon.
Thanks netgalley for the ARC. These opinions and feelings are completely my own.
September 30, 2024
4.25 stars
Julia Bennet is one of the best new historical romance writers out there. This was (I think) her second book, which has been rereleased with a new cover. I read Julia Bennet for excellent writing, cerebral characters and wry humor, and The Ruin of Evangeline Jones delivers all of these.
It picks up with a character from the preceding book, Alex, Lord Hardcastle (formerly Lord Somerset) -- who, it turns out, is a raging prude. I love this. Historical romance is full of MMCs who are either sexually voracious or at least highly confident in their bedroom skills, so it's nice to hang with a guy who is uncomfortable with the "crude" thoughts he has about our FMC, Evangeline Jones, a spiritualist who he's determined to uncover for the fraud she is.
"He wanted to expose her lies. He wanted to take her to bed. Those two desires could not coexist." OH YES THEY CAN, ALEX.
Sadly for Alex (and happily for us), their chemistry becomes undeniable, even as he continues to investigate her paranormal talents. There is an extremely hot carriage scene ("The entire exchange had been depraved and he wanted to do it again as soon as possible."), an extremely hot scene in the theatre, and an extremely hot scene in an alleyway.
There are some thrilling bits, to do with Evangeline's keeper, who is known only as Captain and who sees her as his possession. He provides much of the tension throughout, and the rest comes from the fact that Alex's estate is worth practically nothing and he needs to marry an heiress, which Evangeline is not.
This novel, like her others, helps her rise to the top of the historical romance class. The best word I can use to describe Bennet's writing is "smart."
I took .75 stars off because I think one of the sex scenes toward the end could have been replaced with a little more development of their relationship (as opposed to their attraction t0 each other). But it's a minor quibble.
Julia Bennet is one of the best new historical romance writers out there. This was (I think) her second book, which has been rereleased with a new cover. I read Julia Bennet for excellent writing, cerebral characters and wry humor, and The Ruin of Evangeline Jones delivers all of these.
It picks up with a character from the preceding book, Alex, Lord Hardcastle (formerly Lord Somerset) -- who, it turns out, is a raging prude. I love this. Historical romance is full of MMCs who are either sexually voracious or at least highly confident in their bedroom skills, so it's nice to hang with a guy who is uncomfortable with the "crude" thoughts he has about our FMC, Evangeline Jones, a spiritualist who he's determined to uncover for the fraud she is.
"He wanted to expose her lies. He wanted to take her to bed. Those two desires could not coexist." OH YES THEY CAN, ALEX.
Sadly for Alex (and happily for us), their chemistry becomes undeniable, even as he continues to investigate her paranormal talents. There is an extremely hot carriage scene ("The entire exchange had been depraved and he wanted to do it again as soon as possible."), an extremely hot scene in the theatre, and an extremely hot scene in an alleyway.
There are some thrilling bits, to do with Evangeline's keeper, who is known only as Captain and who sees her as his possession. He provides much of the tension throughout, and the rest comes from the fact that Alex's estate is worth practically nothing and he needs to marry an heiress, which Evangeline is not.
This novel, like her others, helps her rise to the top of the historical romance class. The best word I can use to describe Bennet's writing is "smart."
I took .75 stars off because I think one of the sex scenes toward the end could have been replaced with a little more development of their relationship (as opposed to their attraction t0 each other). But it's a minor quibble.
November 8, 2020
Julia Bennet’s book, The Ruin of Evangeline Jones, set in 1888 London, sounded like something I would enjoy so I took a chance and bought it. The story starts with a séance. The titular heroine is a “medium” while the hero, Alex (a duke), has a passion for unmasking con artists. He is particularly interested in Evie; before meeting her he stumbled on an erotic picture of her at a printer’s shop and bought it. He is obsessed with the photograph and he carries it in his pocket. Alex is also broke; his father was a wastrel who got them into debt before he died so Alex has to marry for money.
Since the age of twelve, Evie has been working for “Captain,” a mysterious Svengali figure. Captain rescued Evie when she was a child. She was a servant at a brothel has recently turned twelve, so she would soon have been working on her back had Captain not found her. Captain masterminds their cons and takes the majority of her earnings. Evie knows he’s bad news, but she still feels some gratitude and does not know how to extricate herself from their connection.
At the séance, Alex tries to expose Evie but can’t figure out how she pulls off her tricks. She makes a good guess at what his late father might have said to him and for a moment he buys into it. Alex is freaked out at first, but after leaving he pulls himself together and wants more than ever to ruin her. So Alex offers Evie a wager. She will allow him to shadow her as during each of her supposed contacts with the dead for a week. If he can prove she’s not a medium, she will publicly repudiate herself and her work. If he can’t, he’ll pay her a hefty sum.
Captain tells Evie to take the bet but she is concerned that Alex is not stupid and the closer he gets, the more likely he is to catch her out. But Captain insists that she accept the wager anyhow and since displeasing Captain is also dangerous she caves.
The more time they spend together the hotter Alex’s attraction to Evie burns. When, during a carriage ride, she discovers he has her semi-nude photo and carries it with him, she insists that he get himself off while she watches. And he does.
Evie soon realizes that the photo didn’t find its way to Alex randomly; Captain made certain of it. Captain wants to throw them together, wants for Evie to entice Alex for some nefarious purpose. But Evie begins to have feelings for Alex and he for her. If Captain’s motives are sinister, as Evie senses, will she comply with his orders where Alex is concerned?
This book showed a lot of potential at first. Evie is an intriguing and unusual character, streetwise but not cynical, deceptive but honorable in her own way. She does not con people who are grieving for long and she tries to comfort them; it’s the people who attend seances as a lark or for titillation that she squeezes most of the money from.
I liked her and at first she captured my attention. Her relationship with Captain was one of the most interesting aspects of her character—I don’t remember ever reading about a heroine who had a male mentor/manager in the art of running cons. Evie didn’t set out to be a con artist and would not have become one if Captain hadn’t insisted.
This is a partial review. The entire review can be found here:
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/d...
Since the age of twelve, Evie has been working for “Captain,” a mysterious Svengali figure. Captain rescued Evie when she was a child. She was a servant at a brothel has recently turned twelve, so she would soon have been working on her back had Captain not found her. Captain masterminds their cons and takes the majority of her earnings. Evie knows he’s bad news, but she still feels some gratitude and does not know how to extricate herself from their connection.
At the séance, Alex tries to expose Evie but can’t figure out how she pulls off her tricks. She makes a good guess at what his late father might have said to him and for a moment he buys into it. Alex is freaked out at first, but after leaving he pulls himself together and wants more than ever to ruin her. So Alex offers Evie a wager. She will allow him to shadow her as during each of her supposed contacts with the dead for a week. If he can prove she’s not a medium, she will publicly repudiate herself and her work. If he can’t, he’ll pay her a hefty sum.
Captain tells Evie to take the bet but she is concerned that Alex is not stupid and the closer he gets, the more likely he is to catch her out. But Captain insists that she accept the wager anyhow and since displeasing Captain is also dangerous she caves.
The more time they spend together the hotter Alex’s attraction to Evie burns. When, during a carriage ride, she discovers he has her semi-nude photo and carries it with him, she insists that he get himself off while she watches. And he does.
Evie soon realizes that the photo didn’t find its way to Alex randomly; Captain made certain of it. Captain wants to throw them together, wants for Evie to entice Alex for some nefarious purpose. But Evie begins to have feelings for Alex and he for her. If Captain’s motives are sinister, as Evie senses, will she comply with his orders where Alex is concerned?
This book showed a lot of potential at first. Evie is an intriguing and unusual character, streetwise but not cynical, deceptive but honorable in her own way. She does not con people who are grieving for long and she tries to comfort them; it’s the people who attend seances as a lark or for titillation that she squeezes most of the money from.
I liked her and at first she captured my attention. Her relationship with Captain was one of the most interesting aspects of her character—I don’t remember ever reading about a heroine who had a male mentor/manager in the art of running cons. Evie didn’t set out to be a con artist and would not have become one if Captain hadn’t insisted.
This is a partial review. The entire review can be found here:
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/d...
June 6, 2020
3.5 stars
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones is book 2 in the Harcastle Inheritance series and although I didn't read book 1 it read fine as a standalone. Evangeline Jones is a young woman with a sad past trained to do cons as a medium. Alex is a Duke who just inherited his dukedom but has no interest in it because his passion is uncovering frauds and he has set his eyes on Evie. This was definitely an insta love/lust type of situation which worked fine for me. I thought some of the language felt more like a contemporary romance but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. There were times that I found myself bored but overall I thought it was an enjoyable read.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones is book 2 in the Harcastle Inheritance series and although I didn't read book 1 it read fine as a standalone. Evangeline Jones is a young woman with a sad past trained to do cons as a medium. Alex is a Duke who just inherited his dukedom but has no interest in it because his passion is uncovering frauds and he has set his eyes on Evie. This was definitely an insta love/lust type of situation which worked fine for me. I thought some of the language felt more like a contemporary romance but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. There were times that I found myself bored but overall I thought it was an enjoyable read.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
April 23, 2024
3.5 stars
Definitely a different kind of HR book. Much more anchored in the bleak reality of its times. And for that, JB deserves to be lauded. The writing was very good but the plot took a bit too much time to take form. The first 44% of the plot felt nebulous (what with the incoherent wager) and the character of the H, Alex, not particularly appealing with his lusty, high-handed/aggressive manner. The h, Evie, was much more sympathetic, exuding inner strength, smartness and grit, as well as being well-grounded in her reality. At that point, I was wondering where the romance was and if the book was not instead a social commentary on the status of women in Victorian times.
The plot started to get more interesting after this (note: the revenge plot was incoherent but at least it livened things up), when the whole rigmarole of the medium business was laid aside to focus on the inescapable feelings between the leads and the heartbreaking future of their star crossed romance. That was when the chemistry between them became more real, deep and bittersweet. The ending was surprising but given their context, the only possible solution. However, I resented the lack of a satisfying epilogue to tie the story with a bow. After all the hopelessness they felt, I needed to see Evie and Alex at last happy and free in their new life. Rounding GR rating down as a result.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 19, 2023"The test of a round character is whether it is capable of surprising in a convincing way. If it never surprises it is flat." EM Forster
I have made TikToks and written before about flat and round characters (in my Dickens Era™). Forster is careful in Aspects of the Novel to not say that "flat" is bad and "round" is good, though he does seem to have a penchant for round characters (Forster is first and foremost, a Jane Austen girlie).
I posed the question once about the utility of this understanding in romance novels. I think most people would say they want round characters! But I would put many of my favorite books on the flat side--again, speaking neutrally. The narrowness of the conflict of the genre, these interpersonal dynamics, seems to require a flattening of sorts at times.
Tessa Dare books are fun to read, but she writes the hell out of flat rake--the whole book is often centered on the heroine discovering his singular, underlying motivation that explains away every decision he makes. Even a more elevated example is Dain in Lord of Scoundrels. Every decision that Dain makes, even after he falls in love and realizes he is capable of love and transforms his life, can be explained away with: "I am difficult to love and find it difficult to love." Nothing is More True to Dain and even Jessica's love, that he learns to accept, is colored by that truth. Similarly I will put Jessica's in the flat category: "I will provoke." Every decision either character brings us back to these truths.
Evie and Alex in The Ruin of Evangeline Jones are so round. Not only did I not know what was going to happen--so much of the plot of this book seems to introducing things that would be the central conflict in any other romance that gets addressed, if not resolved, much earlier than I anticipated, but Evie and Alex were constantly surprising me. In ways that made sense! Alex is defined by his addiction, his father's abuse, his skepticism, his sister's institutionalization, his duty to his role as Duke, his antipathy toward sex (until Evie arrives on the scene). These motivating factors swirl and interact and affect each new situation he is in as he is making decisions how to react. Evie similarly considers her background of being raised in a brothel, her loyalty to her benefactor, her compassion her friends, her class struggle, her relationship to her body.
This could easily make these characters come across as scattered, which is annoyance of my mine in a romance novel ("why would they do that!! you didn't set it up at all!!), but Bennet reminded me the most of the experience of reading Laura Kinsale, where you are just sort of dropped into a whole to meet two people for a little bit, and then get escorted away. They make those decisions because they are people and they are intaking the situation and processing in the real time of the reader.
Maybe there is something to Laura Kinsale's pants-ing style of writing and round characters? I wonder what Bennet's process is there.
I have made TikToks and written before about flat and round characters (in my Dickens Era™). Forster is careful in Aspects of the Novel to not say that "flat" is bad and "round" is good, though he does seem to have a penchant for round characters (Forster is first and foremost, a Jane Austen girlie).
I posed the question once about the utility of this understanding in romance novels. I think most people would say they want round characters! But I would put many of my favorite books on the flat side--again, speaking neutrally. The narrowness of the conflict of the genre, these interpersonal dynamics, seems to require a flattening of sorts at times.
Tessa Dare books are fun to read, but she writes the hell out of flat rake--the whole book is often centered on the heroine discovering his singular, underlying motivation that explains away every decision he makes. Even a more elevated example is Dain in Lord of Scoundrels. Every decision that Dain makes, even after he falls in love and realizes he is capable of love and transforms his life, can be explained away with: "I am difficult to love and find it difficult to love." Nothing is More True to Dain and even Jessica's love, that he learns to accept, is colored by that truth. Similarly I will put Jessica's in the flat category: "I will provoke." Every decision either character brings us back to these truths.
Evie and Alex in The Ruin of Evangeline Jones are so round. Not only did I not know what was going to happen--so much of the plot of this book seems to introducing things that would be the central conflict in any other romance that gets addressed, if not resolved, much earlier than I anticipated, but Evie and Alex were constantly surprising me. In ways that made sense! Alex is defined by his addiction, his father's abuse, his skepticism, his sister's institutionalization, his duty to his role as Duke, his antipathy toward sex (until Evie arrives on the scene). These motivating factors swirl and interact and affect each new situation he is in as he is making decisions how to react. Evie similarly considers her background of being raised in a brothel, her loyalty to her benefactor, her compassion her friends, her class struggle, her relationship to her body.
This could easily make these characters come across as scattered, which is annoyance of my mine in a romance novel ("why would they do that!! you didn't set it up at all!!), but Bennet reminded me the most of the experience of reading Laura Kinsale, where you are just sort of dropped into a whole to meet two people for a little bit, and then get escorted away. They make those decisions because they are people and they are intaking the situation and processing in the real time of the reader.
Maybe there is something to Laura Kinsale's pants-ing style of writing and round characters? I wonder what Bennet's process is there.
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June 18, 2024A new edition with a beautiful Bailey McGinn cover releases on September 24th.
It has...
Enemies to Lovers romance, a working class spiritualist heroine, a sceptical duke, carriage spice, seances, spirit photography, and a grumpy cat.
It has...
Enemies to Lovers romance, a working class spiritualist heroine, a sceptical duke, carriage spice, seances, spirit photography, and a grumpy cat.
Want to read
April 2, 2020Well if Elizabeth Hoyt recommends... 🙋🏻♀️
June 11, 2023
*4.5*
seedy, dark, I loved it
seedy, dark, I loved it
Read
October 22, 2023DNF.
Kindle clean-out review:
I quite like this plot and like to read more of them. I first read this type of pairing and plot in Lydia Joyce's Wicked Intentions, a very confusing book to follow but erotically hot and from the start.
Hero is a skeptic in a Victorian wonderland booming with psychics. Heroine is one such psychic. I couldn't get into this. If you are into this trope, recommend Lydia Joyce mentioned above. I also know Jennifer Ashley did a take on this in her Mackenzies & McBrides series with The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie.
Kindle clean-out review:
I quite like this plot and like to read more of them. I first read this type of pairing and plot in Lydia Joyce's Wicked Intentions, a very confusing book to follow but erotically hot and from the start.
Hero is a skeptic in a Victorian wonderland booming with psychics. Heroine is one such psychic. I couldn't get into this. If you are into this trope, recommend Lydia Joyce mentioned above. I also know Jennifer Ashley did a take on this in her Mackenzies & McBrides series with The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie.
September 22, 2024
“He didn’t believe in spirits. Otherwise, he might be tempted to say this woman had the devil in her.”
Evangeline Jones has worked her way up from nothing, she’s built a life as a spiritualist and a medium, and she’s not ready to let it all go just because a bore duke is determined to uncover her.
Alex Staton may have a dukedom to save but what he’s really looking forward to is spending more time with the charlatan that’s made him lose his sleep, not only because he wants her to accept she’s a fraud, but also because he knows what’s behind that cold exterior.
What they do not know is that having them together is what someone else has planned and what it will mean for both their lives.
I hadn’t read historical romance in a while, and this is the first book I’ve had the chance to read from this author, so I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was greatly surprised.
From the beginning I found Evangeline's life interesting. Like the duke, I was intrigued by her trickery. Both, Evie and Alex stole my heart, they made me laugh, they made me want to cry, also made me blush, and made me want to fall in love.
I wish we could’ve had a longer ending, left me hanging with how they lost the enemy and what will happen once they start again, but I enjoyed the writing a lot, its pace and how simple it was to follow the line.
This is my first ARC in Netgalley, got me really excited and now I'm grateful I got the chance to read this story!
If you are like me and want to explore this genre a little more, please give this story a try, it’ll not disappoint!
This book is a rerelease, it will be out in two days! Available September 24th! 🖤
Evangeline Jones has worked her way up from nothing, she’s built a life as a spiritualist and a medium, and she’s not ready to let it all go just because a bore duke is determined to uncover her.
Alex Staton may have a dukedom to save but what he’s really looking forward to is spending more time with the charlatan that’s made him lose his sleep, not only because he wants her to accept she’s a fraud, but also because he knows what’s behind that cold exterior.
What they do not know is that having them together is what someone else has planned and what it will mean for both their lives.
I hadn’t read historical romance in a while, and this is the first book I’ve had the chance to read from this author, so I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was greatly surprised.
From the beginning I found Evangeline's life interesting. Like the duke, I was intrigued by her trickery. Both, Evie and Alex stole my heart, they made me laugh, they made me want to cry, also made me blush, and made me want to fall in love.
I wish we could’ve had a longer ending, left me hanging with how they lost the enemy and what will happen once they start again, but I enjoyed the writing a lot, its pace and how simple it was to follow the line.
This is my first ARC in Netgalley, got me really excited and now I'm grateful I got the chance to read this story!
If you are like me and want to explore this genre a little more, please give this story a try, it’ll not disappoint!
This book is a rerelease, it will be out in two days! Available September 24th! 🖤
September 13, 2024
2.5 stars
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones had a very interesting premise, which is why I picked it up in the first place. A cankerous Duke determined to unveil all mediums as frauds sets his sights on the titular MC, and the two of them engage in a battle of will and wit. Excellent. Great. Sign me up.
Unfortunately, like most books in the modern romance genre, this didn't do very much with that interesting set-up. Sure, the wager remained a pivotal plot point right up until the 70% mark, but while it should have been furthering Alex and Evangeline's romance arc it instead felt like the wager was just happening in the background of their romance. Which, if I'm being honest, is FAR less interesting and doesn't make for a romance I particularly care about.
If you put aside the interesting premise, then this is your standard romance novel. Man meets woman, they have minor antagonistic encounter, they fall in love/lust in the very next chapter, and everything else that happens is in service to their eventual boinking, and there's some plot in the middle. It's gotten to the point where I don't even mind insta-love in romance anymore, just WRITE A COUPLE THAT HAS CHEMISTRY. PLEASE. ANYONE.
Anyway, if you've been following my updates on this book and are wondering if you're imaging my last update for this book; Yes, I did originally DNF this at 27%. But I couldn't get the sour taste out of my mouth, and it was affecting my opinion of everything else I tried to pick up and my only course of action was to come back to this and see if it got better.
Which, I'm happy to report, it kinda did? Alex stopped giving me the ick, and I had a much easier time with this from there on out. It didn't wow me, and overall I feel like this book was alright, at best. The writing was extremely competent, but I couldn't really buy Evangeline and Alex as a couple. Their attraction to each other had little to no foundation, and the narrative didn't lean into the medium elements hard enough to make an impact on me.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
____
6th September 2024
The writing was a lot more competent than books in this same vein usually boast, but the MMC talked about the FMCs nipples, like, three times in the first fucking chapter and then continued to give me the ick for the next five.
There's only so much a girl can take, ya know?
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones had a very interesting premise, which is why I picked it up in the first place. A cankerous Duke determined to unveil all mediums as frauds sets his sights on the titular MC, and the two of them engage in a battle of will and wit. Excellent. Great. Sign me up.
Unfortunately, like most books in the modern romance genre, this didn't do very much with that interesting set-up. Sure, the wager remained a pivotal plot point right up until the 70% mark, but while it should have been furthering Alex and Evangeline's romance arc it instead felt like the wager was just happening in the background of their romance. Which, if I'm being honest, is FAR less interesting and doesn't make for a romance I particularly care about.
If you put aside the interesting premise, then this is your standard romance novel. Man meets woman, they have minor antagonistic encounter, they fall in love/lust in the very next chapter, and everything else that happens is in service to their eventual boinking, and there's some plot in the middle. It's gotten to the point where I don't even mind insta-love in romance anymore, just WRITE A COUPLE THAT HAS CHEMISTRY. PLEASE. ANYONE.
Anyway, if you've been following my updates on this book and are wondering if you're imaging my last update for this book; Yes, I did originally DNF this at 27%. But I couldn't get the sour taste out of my mouth, and it was affecting my opinion of everything else I tried to pick up and my only course of action was to come back to this and see if it got better.
Which, I'm happy to report, it kinda did? Alex stopped giving me the ick, and I had a much easier time with this from there on out. It didn't wow me, and overall I feel like this book was alright, at best. The writing was extremely competent, but I couldn't really buy Evangeline and Alex as a couple. Their attraction to each other had little to no foundation, and the narrative didn't lean into the medium elements hard enough to make an impact on me.
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
____
6th September 2024
The writing was a lot more competent than books in this same vein usually boast, but the MMC talked about the FMCs nipples, like, three times in the first fucking chapter and then continued to give me the ick for the next five.
There's only so much a girl can take, ya know?
May 15, 2020
Historical romance is one of my favorite genres and I love finding stories that are a little bit different. Granted this one had the main character being a duke. Lord, there just aren't that many dukes out there, but I understand in romance fantasy land all handsome main male characters are dukes, just as in contemporary romance they are all billionaires.
This story is great mixture of romance and suspense, at least for the first part. I found the last half dragged a bit. OK it dragged a lot.
The story is set in 1888 and our hero is a duke that enjoys exposing mediums and the like as frauds. So you can only guess what Evie is? I loved the seances and whatnot that Alex was out to expose.
However once you get to middle of the book where, a good portion of Evie's job isn't as important, well the book loses something. It switches focus to the man who shaped Evie into the charlatan that she is.
It makes the story interesting but it also takes so long to get to fruition, and in between its just a whole lot of sex with Alex and Evie and their romance isn't very exciting, because they are really a couple that shouldn't be.
The way the get their HEA was unique though. I won't give it away because it really is different for a historical romance.
This book is part of a series, but is definite able to be read as a stand alone.
Both main characters were interesting, though I almost wish they would have remain friends because their romance was the lackluster part. However I loved getting to know Alex's sister Helen, and I will definitely go back and read her book, which was the first in the series.
Definitely recommended!
This story is great mixture of romance and suspense, at least for the first part. I found the last half dragged a bit. OK it dragged a lot.
The story is set in 1888 and our hero is a duke that enjoys exposing mediums and the like as frauds. So you can only guess what Evie is? I loved the seances and whatnot that Alex was out to expose.
However once you get to middle of the book where, a good portion of Evie's job isn't as important, well the book loses something. It switches focus to the man who shaped Evie into the charlatan that she is.
It makes the story interesting but it also takes so long to get to fruition, and in between its just a whole lot of sex with Alex and Evie and their romance isn't very exciting, because they are really a couple that shouldn't be.
The way the get their HEA was unique though. I won't give it away because it really is different for a historical romance.
This book is part of a series, but is definite able to be read as a stand alone.
Both main characters were interesting, though I almost wish they would have remain friends because their romance was the lackluster part. However I loved getting to know Alex's sister Helen, and I will definitely go back and read her book, which was the first in the series.
Definitely recommended!
April 27, 2020
THE RUIN OF EVANGELINE JONES by Julia Bennet is book 2 in the Harcastle Inheritance Series. This is the story of Evangeline 'Evie' Jones and Alex Stanton. I have read the previous book but felt it can be a standalone book if you wish to do so. Alex although a Duke, he prefers to stop fraudsters. This leads him to strike a deal with Evie. If he can prove her a fraud within the week then she has to come clean to everyone but he will give her money for doing so. If she wins then he will gladly leave her alone. But what neither counted on would be that they would start to have feeling for each other. Maybe they will both end up winning. Enjoyed their story.
May 9, 2020
A very different plot that was entertaining and educational. I found myself really liking Evangeline and empathising with her path in life. Alex felt a little eh for me due to his attitude, but he grew on me. Overall, good read with lots of passion and interesting tidbits.
May 4, 2020
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Madness of Miss Grey, was such an enjoyable book, that when the opportunity to read the next book in series I jumped at it.
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones by Julia Bennet, is the second installment in the the Harcastle Inheritance Series.
London, 1888
Alex Stanton, the Duke of Harcastle, has made it a personal mission to unveil spiritualists and mediums for the frauds that they are. He has seen them pry on the grieving, and the next one on his list is Miss Evangeline Jones.
Seeking her out at “The Nimble Rabbit”, will be the first time he has laid on eyes her in person. Even though he carries two photographs of her, one a proper cabinet card. The other one is a rare photograph, that he keeps inside the pocket of his coat. That photo is her in a provocative pose, with the name “Sally Harper” printed across the bottom. His famous skepticism doesn’t prepare for the night’s outcome.
Miss Evangeline Jones, “Evie” profession is a Spiritualist and Medium, conducting séances and manifesting spirits. What she really is…a resourceful charlatan. In 1888, London the spiritual movement had really taken off. Having not been born into wealth, she capitalized on the Spiritualist craze. Along with the help of, The Captain, who saved her from a deferent line of work.
This “Evie” gave her means to support herself during a time when unmarried woman struggled to survive. Usually a lot resorted to prostitution our backbreaking work and both sent you to an early grave.
Alex presents Evie with a wager, she cannot refuse. This where this captivating book really takes off. With engaging characters and interesting villain. This was a terrific enjoyable read from start to finish. Chemistry, Romance, along with some intriguing twist to the storyline. I was immersed, and vested into the characters and plot line, the writing flows and the banter between Alex and Evie, was lively. The ending was incredible, and had me wanting more from the wonderful author.
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones, can be read as a stand-alone, or you can read it the Julia Bennet very engaging book series. The Madness of Miss Grey, is the first book in this series
The Madness of Miss Grey, was such an enjoyable book, that when the opportunity to read the next book in series I jumped at it.
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones by Julia Bennet, is the second installment in the the Harcastle Inheritance Series.
London, 1888
Alex Stanton, the Duke of Harcastle, has made it a personal mission to unveil spiritualists and mediums for the frauds that they are. He has seen them pry on the grieving, and the next one on his list is Miss Evangeline Jones.
Seeking her out at “The Nimble Rabbit”, will be the first time he has laid on eyes her in person. Even though he carries two photographs of her, one a proper cabinet card. The other one is a rare photograph, that he keeps inside the pocket of his coat. That photo is her in a provocative pose, with the name “Sally Harper” printed across the bottom. His famous skepticism doesn’t prepare for the night’s outcome.
Miss Evangeline Jones, “Evie” profession is a Spiritualist and Medium, conducting séances and manifesting spirits. What she really is…a resourceful charlatan. In 1888, London the spiritual movement had really taken off. Having not been born into wealth, she capitalized on the Spiritualist craze. Along with the help of, The Captain, who saved her from a deferent line of work.
This “Evie” gave her means to support herself during a time when unmarried woman struggled to survive. Usually a lot resorted to prostitution our backbreaking work and both sent you to an early grave.
Alex presents Evie with a wager, she cannot refuse. This where this captivating book really takes off. With engaging characters and interesting villain. This was a terrific enjoyable read from start to finish. Chemistry, Romance, along with some intriguing twist to the storyline. I was immersed, and vested into the characters and plot line, the writing flows and the banter between Alex and Evie, was lively. The ending was incredible, and had me wanting more from the wonderful author.
The Ruin of Evangeline Jones, can be read as a stand-alone, or you can read it the Julia Bennet very engaging book series. The Madness of Miss Grey, is the first book in this series
September 23, 2024
I enjoyed reading this. It wasn’t quite what I expected but not in a bad way. It’s quite dark and twisty and I loved the way spiritualism was worked into the plot. This was definitely a book where the external plot mattered just as much as the romance, and I was fascinated to see how it all pieced together.
The romance, though, was very solid. Alex and Evie were very likable characters who were easy to root for. They had great chemistry; the sexual tension was so delicious in parts. The sex scenes were short but very well-written and steamy. But there was also a really nice emotional side to this book and I liked how their feelings developed from lust to love. The ending of the romance felt very satisfactory to me; it was an ending I wished more historical romance books took.
That said, I found the conclusion of the external plotline a bit underwhelming and, at times, hard to follow. I’m still not quite sure about the motivations of a particular character; I felt like it could have been fleshed out more as I found the explanation a bit vague. The final confrontation also didn’t quite work for me, but it did lead to the ending of the romance that I liked, so I can’t fully complain!
Overall I found this to be a really entertaining and refreshing historical romance. I liked the characters, the plot felt different, and the chemistry was great. I’d definitely read more from this author again and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical romance with a bit of spookiness thrown in. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Hate-to-love, bargains/deals/wagers.
Warnings:
Other: .
The romance, though, was very solid. Alex and Evie were very likable characters who were easy to root for. They had great chemistry; the sexual tension was so delicious in parts. The sex scenes were short but very well-written and steamy. But there was also a really nice emotional side to this book and I liked how their feelings developed from lust to love. The ending of the romance felt very satisfactory to me; it was an ending I wished more historical romance books took.
That said, I found the conclusion of the external plotline a bit underwhelming and, at times, hard to follow. I’m still not quite sure about the motivations of a particular character; I felt like it could have been fleshed out more as I found the explanation a bit vague. The final confrontation also didn’t quite work for me, but it did lead to the ending of the romance that I liked, so I can’t fully complain!
Overall I found this to be a really entertaining and refreshing historical romance. I liked the characters, the plot felt different, and the chemistry was great. I’d definitely read more from this author again and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a historical romance with a bit of spookiness thrown in. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.
Content Notes: Hate-to-love, bargains/deals/wagers.
Warnings:
Other: .
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