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Holiday Pleasures #4
Season for Desire
Properly Wicked
Like her four sisters, Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry a duke, lead fashion, and behave with propriety. Consequently, Audrina pursues mischief with gusto, attending scandalous parties and indulging in illicit affairs. But when an erstwhile lover threatens to ruin her reputation, Audrina has no choice but to find a respectable husband at once.
Who would guess that her search would lead her to Giles Rutherford, a blunt-spoken American on a treasure hunt of his own? When a Christmas snowstorm strands the pair at a country inn, more secrets are traded than gifts—along with kisses that require no mistletoe—and Audrina discovers even proper gentlemen have their wicked side…
Like her four sisters, Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry a duke, lead fashion, and behave with propriety. Consequently, Audrina pursues mischief with gusto, attending scandalous parties and indulging in illicit affairs. But when an erstwhile lover threatens to ruin her reputation, Audrina has no choice but to find a respectable husband at once.
Who would guess that her search would lead her to Giles Rutherford, a blunt-spoken American on a treasure hunt of his own? When a Christmas snowstorm strands the pair at a country inn, more secrets are traded than gifts—along with kisses that require no mistletoe—and Audrina discovers even proper gentlemen have their wicked side…
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
22 people are currently reading
834 people want to read
About the author
Theresa Romain
41 books661 followersTheresa Romain is the bestselling author of more than 20 historical romances, including the Holiday Pleasures series, the Matchmaker trilogy, the Royal Rewards series, and the Romance of the Turf series. Praised as “one of the rising stars of Regency historical romance” (Booklist), her books have finaled for the RITA® award, received starred reviews from Booklist, and been named to the Best Books of the Year list by NPR. Theresa is hard at work on her next book from her home in the Midwestern USA.
To keep up with all her book-release news, please visit her online at theresaromain.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or find her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/there....
To keep up with all her book-release news, please visit her online at theresaromain.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or find her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/there....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
December 22, 2014
In this, the final book in her
Holiday Pleasures
series, Theresa Romain has skilfully melded together a tender and insightful romance and an intriguing mystery which takes her hero and heroine on a journey across a England at Christmastide - and on a journey of personal discovery.
Lady Audrina Bradleigh, the fifth and youngest daughter of the Earl of Alleyneham, has, since her début, cultivated a slightly scandalous reputation as an act of rebellion against her autocratic and uncaring father. Unfortunately for her, what has hitherto been little more than a series of excursions into dark, secluded corners with her dance partners has turned into something far more dangerous. One of her suitors has decided his debts won’t wait any longer, and has drugged and kidnapped her with a view to marrying her in order to get his hands on her dowry.
Giles Rutherford and his father, Richard, have left their home in Philadelphia in order to search for a set of valuable jewels that belonged to his late mother, the daughter of a marquess. When she fell in love with an American jeweller’s apprentice, her family took away everything of value that she owned – with the exception of this set, which she hid before running away with her lover. Giles has travelled to England with Richard in order to fulfil his mother’s dying request – that her jewellery be found and used to the benefit of her family.
Father and son have been travelling around the country and have recently arrived at The Goat and Gauntlet inn in York when they receive an unexpected – and odd - message from the Earl of Alleyneham, more or less ordering them to put a stop to his youngest daughter’s flight and to detain the couple until he arrives.
Giles takes umbrage at the earl’s high-handedness and is reluctant to get involved, but Richard, never one to pass on “an adventure” is only too pleased to be offer their assistance.
When the earl arrives, he is absolutely furious – but with Audrina rather than her unscrupulous abductor. She is to remain with the Rutherfords and Lady Ingram (an old friend of the family) until after her sister’s wedding, in case the scandal that threatens to surround her causes the prospective bridegroom – a duke – to call off the nuptuals.
Once her father has left, Audrina has no alternative but to join the Rutherfords’ quest for the missing jewels – and to embark upon an adventure that will change her life.
Season for Desire is a thoroughly enjoyable story which brings the traditions of a Regency Christmastide vividly to life. Of course, the path of true love is never without its pot-holes, and there are a few bumps along the way for Giles and Audrina. She is perhaps a little too quick to act first and think later, but as the story progresses and she begins to rediscover her sense of self-esteem, she realises that she no longer needs to fulfil anyone’s low expectations. Giles is a lovely hero – kind, perceptive and reliable - but he fails to see that he’s living his life for everyone except himself. He’s taken on the responsibility of looking after his younger siblings while he also tries to make sure his father’s flights of fancy don’t get too out of hand. This - coupled with the fact that he has eschewed his desire to become an architect so as not to disappoint Richard, who dreams of setting up shop as a maker and designer of jewellery, and his concern that he has inherited an arthritic condition from his mother which renders him unsuitable for marriage to anyone - weighs very heavily on Giles’ admittedly broad shoulders. He can’t abandon the family that needs him in order to remain in England with Audrina, and he certainly can’t ask an earl’s daughter to cross an ocean to an uncertain future.
The relationship between the two principals is tender, passionate and written with a great deal of warmth and humour. It’s clear they belong together, but before that can happen they have to confront the fact that they have been living with false perceptions of themselves which they have to adjust before they can become the person they are meant to be, and be with the person they are meant to be with. I enjoyed the way Giles and Audrina are able to help each other with that adjustment, but ultimately, these are decisions and choices they have to make for themselves, and I was particularly impressed with the way Ms Romain dealt with that aspect of their respective journeys.
There is a strong and quite large cast of secondary characters in the book, many of whom get to narrate the story at certain points, which I admit, I did find a little jarring. It’s usual in a romance to have the story told from both the hero and heroine’s point of view, but in this book, the POV jumps around a bit, which did detract a little at times from the principal story. That said, the characters themselves are all very well rounded out, especially the waspish, be-turbanned Lady Irving, who is one of those terrific, sharp-tongued mature ladies one often finds in the pages of historical romances – a lady with an opinion on everything who isn’t afraid to voice it but who is, underneath, a little lonely and not at all as dragon-like as she seems.
Theresa Romain has become a favourite author of mine over the past couple of years. Her stories are intelligently written, strongly characterised and show her to be a talented storyteller, all traits exhibited in Season for Desire. I enjoyed the slow-burn romance and was thoroughly drawn in by the mystery surrounding the puzzle boxes. If I have a criticism, it’s that the book is perhaps a little “busy” – the large number of secondary characters and secondary storylines did distract me sometimes – but overall, I was captivated by the mystery and by the two central characters and their story.
Lady Audrina Bradleigh, the fifth and youngest daughter of the Earl of Alleyneham, has, since her début, cultivated a slightly scandalous reputation as an act of rebellion against her autocratic and uncaring father. Unfortunately for her, what has hitherto been little more than a series of excursions into dark, secluded corners with her dance partners has turned into something far more dangerous. One of her suitors has decided his debts won’t wait any longer, and has drugged and kidnapped her with a view to marrying her in order to get his hands on her dowry.
Giles Rutherford and his father, Richard, have left their home in Philadelphia in order to search for a set of valuable jewels that belonged to his late mother, the daughter of a marquess. When she fell in love with an American jeweller’s apprentice, her family took away everything of value that she owned – with the exception of this set, which she hid before running away with her lover. Giles has travelled to England with Richard in order to fulfil his mother’s dying request – that her jewellery be found and used to the benefit of her family.
Father and son have been travelling around the country and have recently arrived at The Goat and Gauntlet inn in York when they receive an unexpected – and odd - message from the Earl of Alleyneham, more or less ordering them to put a stop to his youngest daughter’s flight and to detain the couple until he arrives.
Giles takes umbrage at the earl’s high-handedness and is reluctant to get involved, but Richard, never one to pass on “an adventure” is only too pleased to be offer their assistance.
When the earl arrives, he is absolutely furious – but with Audrina rather than her unscrupulous abductor. She is to remain with the Rutherfords and Lady Ingram (an old friend of the family) until after her sister’s wedding, in case the scandal that threatens to surround her causes the prospective bridegroom – a duke – to call off the nuptuals.
Once her father has left, Audrina has no alternative but to join the Rutherfords’ quest for the missing jewels – and to embark upon an adventure that will change her life.
Season for Desire is a thoroughly enjoyable story which brings the traditions of a Regency Christmastide vividly to life. Of course, the path of true love is never without its pot-holes, and there are a few bumps along the way for Giles and Audrina. She is perhaps a little too quick to act first and think later, but as the story progresses and she begins to rediscover her sense of self-esteem, she realises that she no longer needs to fulfil anyone’s low expectations. Giles is a lovely hero – kind, perceptive and reliable - but he fails to see that he’s living his life for everyone except himself. He’s taken on the responsibility of looking after his younger siblings while he also tries to make sure his father’s flights of fancy don’t get too out of hand. This - coupled with the fact that he has eschewed his desire to become an architect so as not to disappoint Richard, who dreams of setting up shop as a maker and designer of jewellery, and his concern that he has inherited an arthritic condition from his mother which renders him unsuitable for marriage to anyone - weighs very heavily on Giles’ admittedly broad shoulders. He can’t abandon the family that needs him in order to remain in England with Audrina, and he certainly can’t ask an earl’s daughter to cross an ocean to an uncertain future.
The relationship between the two principals is tender, passionate and written with a great deal of warmth and humour. It’s clear they belong together, but before that can happen they have to confront the fact that they have been living with false perceptions of themselves which they have to adjust before they can become the person they are meant to be, and be with the person they are meant to be with. I enjoyed the way Giles and Audrina are able to help each other with that adjustment, but ultimately, these are decisions and choices they have to make for themselves, and I was particularly impressed with the way Ms Romain dealt with that aspect of their respective journeys.
There is a strong and quite large cast of secondary characters in the book, many of whom get to narrate the story at certain points, which I admit, I did find a little jarring. It’s usual in a romance to have the story told from both the hero and heroine’s point of view, but in this book, the POV jumps around a bit, which did detract a little at times from the principal story. That said, the characters themselves are all very well rounded out, especially the waspish, be-turbanned Lady Irving, who is one of those terrific, sharp-tongued mature ladies one often finds in the pages of historical romances – a lady with an opinion on everything who isn’t afraid to voice it but who is, underneath, a little lonely and not at all as dragon-like as she seems.
Theresa Romain has become a favourite author of mine over the past couple of years. Her stories are intelligently written, strongly characterised and show her to be a talented storyteller, all traits exhibited in Season for Desire. I enjoyed the slow-burn romance and was thoroughly drawn in by the mystery surrounding the puzzle boxes. If I have a criticism, it’s that the book is perhaps a little “busy” – the large number of secondary characters and secondary storylines did distract me sometimes – but overall, I was captivated by the mystery and by the two central characters and their story.
November 30, 2017
I've had Season for Desire languishing on my shelf for a while now since I wanted to read it during the holidays but I often find myself drawn to novellas instead of full-length novels. Since I love most of Romain's work, I was determined to give this one a try this year.
I found this book very difficult to rate. On the one hand, there were some excellent elements. I really liked the beginning and found both characters to be intriguing and their interactions left something to the imagination. Then, there were a lot of good secondary characters with well sketched characterization. However, mid-way through the book, it almost seemed to collapse and get lost because there were too many elements.
Audrina has not exactly been everything that is proper for the daughter of an earl. However, a suitor turned villain decides to use her for his own gains so he kidnaps and drugs her so he can either extort money from her father or marry her for the dowry. Giles is an American who happens to be in England with his father pursuing a rich legacy of his deceased English mother. They are roped into the rescue of Audrina by the formidable, yet secretly vulnerable, Lady Irving in exchange for information about the treasure. It is hard to explain, but everything did make sense while I was reading.
However, then the group went to York to a lonely lord's estate with an astrology obsessed daughter in law and a wife with progressing dementia. While the group had not met, it was for the purposes of keeping the ruined Audrina out of London so she didn't ruin her sister's upcoming marriage to a duke. And this is where the story derailed. I was for a time enjoying the chaos and quirkiness because it was still about the main couple with glimmers of the other characters to add nice story trimmings. However, once at the estate, everyone does a lot of internal reflection (lots of talking and thinking in circles) and instead of finding out new information about the main couple, the bulk of discovery shifts to the astrology daughter in law who had a tragic marriage and there were pretty heavy hints that she was gay. She ended up being attracted to another traveler who just happened to show up on their doorstep, conveniently with another piece to the treasure hunting puzzle. Combine this thread with a budding romance with the elder Rutherford and Lady Irving and the sad interactions of Lord Dudley and his fading wife, and there was just too much going on. I think Romain couldn't fit in more actual scenes with the main couple except to have them think because there was so many other threads. I am all for unique secondary romances, but pick one. Don't force in a main romance, then have a gay secondary romance, a widow secondary romance, and an end of life secondary romance all rolled in. With not to mention a blackmail plot, a mention of Audrina's sister's romance with the duke, and the puzzle/treasure adventure line. Oh, and a thread with a pregnant young woman. Can you see where I'm going here? It was just so chock full of stuff that I couldn't get emotionally invested. There were so many side threads that the main romance, after a solid start, became too introspective because it was all there was time for in a very busy novel.
Everything wrapped up pretty nicely and I liked the surprise with the duke very much, but overall, the reading experience was slow going as I struggled to make sense of everything. I decided to rate this as 3 stars. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but the writing is still great, and the beginning and end were good. It was just the meandering middle where I didn't understand why the main leads couldn't be a couple, I got lost in the secondary character plot lines, and my emotional connection with the story faded.
This was not Romain's best. The only book I recommend from this particular series is Season for Surrender. All the others I found disappointing. I've found I enjoy her more recent work a little better since the central romance remains just that, central.
I did win this book in a Facebook giveaway from the author. I appreciated that I got the chance to read and review.
I found this book very difficult to rate. On the one hand, there were some excellent elements. I really liked the beginning and found both characters to be intriguing and their interactions left something to the imagination. Then, there were a lot of good secondary characters with well sketched characterization. However, mid-way through the book, it almost seemed to collapse and get lost because there were too many elements.
Audrina has not exactly been everything that is proper for the daughter of an earl. However, a suitor turned villain decides to use her for his own gains so he kidnaps and drugs her so he can either extort money from her father or marry her for the dowry. Giles is an American who happens to be in England with his father pursuing a rich legacy of his deceased English mother. They are roped into the rescue of Audrina by the formidable, yet secretly vulnerable, Lady Irving in exchange for information about the treasure. It is hard to explain, but everything did make sense while I was reading.
However, then the group went to York to a lonely lord's estate with an astrology obsessed daughter in law and a wife with progressing dementia. While the group had not met, it was for the purposes of keeping the ruined Audrina out of London so she didn't ruin her sister's upcoming marriage to a duke. And this is where the story derailed. I was for a time enjoying the chaos and quirkiness because it was still about the main couple with glimmers of the other characters to add nice story trimmings. However, once at the estate, everyone does a lot of internal reflection (lots of talking and thinking in circles) and instead of finding out new information about the main couple, the bulk of discovery shifts to the astrology daughter in law who had a tragic marriage and there were pretty heavy hints that she was gay. She ended up being attracted to another traveler who just happened to show up on their doorstep, conveniently with another piece to the treasure hunting puzzle. Combine this thread with a budding romance with the elder Rutherford and Lady Irving and the sad interactions of Lord Dudley and his fading wife, and there was just too much going on. I think Romain couldn't fit in more actual scenes with the main couple except to have them think because there was so many other threads. I am all for unique secondary romances, but pick one. Don't force in a main romance, then have a gay secondary romance, a widow secondary romance, and an end of life secondary romance all rolled in. With not to mention a blackmail plot, a mention of Audrina's sister's romance with the duke, and the puzzle/treasure adventure line. Oh, and a thread with a pregnant young woman. Can you see where I'm going here? It was just so chock full of stuff that I couldn't get emotionally invested. There were so many side threads that the main romance, after a solid start, became too introspective because it was all there was time for in a very busy novel.
Everything wrapped up pretty nicely and I liked the surprise with the duke very much, but overall, the reading experience was slow going as I struggled to make sense of everything. I decided to rate this as 3 stars. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but the writing is still great, and the beginning and end were good. It was just the meandering middle where I didn't understand why the main leads couldn't be a couple, I got lost in the secondary character plot lines, and my emotional connection with the story faded.
This was not Romain's best. The only book I recommend from this particular series is Season for Surrender. All the others I found disappointing. I've found I enjoy her more recent work a little better since the central romance remains just that, central.
I did win this book in a Facebook giveaway from the author. I appreciated that I got the chance to read and review.
September 23, 2014
This is my first read by this author, but I like her style. She has a good voice and her characters are distinctive, not the cardboard historical romance characters that can make books seem samey. I'll definitely read more of her books.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
December 24, 2022
A romance of surprising depth, though lacking in chemistry.
February 7, 2017
Lady Audriana Bradleigh is the daughter of an Earl and is Scandalous. Giles Rutherford is American and not adventurous. Plot, treasure hunt, talk, plot, talk, talk, boners, plot, talk, talk, talk.
1. If you cannot tell, I was not very impressed with this book?? It was just--thick. So much talking. And thinking. And considering. And talking again. While I want to appreciate this book for the character study it truly was--an examining of self in the face of what seems to be impossible--the execution did not carry this for me. It was so mired in that cycle of self-examination that it never got up and ran. I honestly did not care if Giles and Audriana ended up together--as long as it stopped the constant questioning and talking, it was whatever.
2. Makeouts in the library, though: that's some ++ material right there. TOO BAD IT WAS HALF A CHAPTER.
3. I was into basically every other secondary character more than I was into the leads. Sophia's struggle to be herself in a world that had no room for who she was and who she loved--YES. Lady Irving's mask of irritation to hide her deep loneliness and depression--MORE. Charissa Bradleight loving her duke wildly while wearing only the most proper of expressions--GIVE IT TO ME NOW. Any of these--all of these were more intriguing, more fascinating than the beautiful daughter of an earl who does not know who she is.
(This seems like a contradiction to many of my earlier reviews: Give me heroines who don't have their shit figured out!, I demanded!! Now I clarify: Give me heroines who don't have their shit figured out and who have more to their identity than 'trapped in a glass case of privilege' because that shit gets old fast.)
4. I honestly skimmed so much of this book.
5. Can anyone tell me, honestly, what was keeping the hero/ine apart? Other than the talking? And the pride? Like, Giles thinks he's about to face a life of crippling pain and even though he has the stellar example of his parents loving and taking care of one another through his mother's crippling pain he....refuses to consider the possibility of a future with anyone because Man Pain? Pride? A need for plot?
And Audriana feels trapped by her world until she meets Giles and suddenly her world is huge and she can't be with him because....something emotional? I THINK she needed to determine whether she loved him or needed him but honestly who can be sure any more? I CAN'T.
6. THIS TREASURE PLOT WAS ANTICLIMATIC.
7. Meh.
1. If you cannot tell, I was not very impressed with this book?? It was just--thick. So much talking. And thinking. And considering. And talking again. While I want to appreciate this book for the character study it truly was--an examining of self in the face of what seems to be impossible--the execution did not carry this for me. It was so mired in that cycle of self-examination that it never got up and ran. I honestly did not care if Giles and Audriana ended up together--as long as it stopped the constant questioning and talking, it was whatever.
2. Makeouts in the library, though: that's some ++ material right there. TOO BAD IT WAS HALF A CHAPTER.
3. I was into basically every other secondary character more than I was into the leads. Sophia's struggle to be herself in a world that had no room for who she was and who she loved--YES. Lady Irving's mask of irritation to hide her deep loneliness and depression--MORE. Charissa Bradleight loving her duke wildly while wearing only the most proper of expressions--GIVE IT TO ME NOW. Any of these--all of these were more intriguing, more fascinating than the beautiful daughter of an earl who does not know who she is.
(This seems like a contradiction to many of my earlier reviews: Give me heroines who don't have their shit figured out!, I demanded!! Now I clarify: Give me heroines who don't have their shit figured out and who have more to their identity than 'trapped in a glass case of privilege' because that shit gets old fast.)
4. I honestly skimmed so much of this book.
5. Can anyone tell me, honestly, what was keeping the hero/ine apart? Other than the talking? And the pride? Like, Giles thinks he's about to face a life of crippling pain and even though he has the stellar example of his parents loving and taking care of one another through his mother's crippling pain he....refuses to consider the possibility of a future with anyone because Man Pain? Pride? A need for plot?
And Audriana feels trapped by her world until she meets Giles and suddenly her world is huge and she can't be with him because....something emotional? I THINK she needed to determine whether she loved him or needed him but honestly who can be sure any more? I CAN'T.
6. THIS TREASURE PLOT WAS ANTICLIMATIC.
7. Meh.
April 18, 2016
3.9 stars
Season for Desire was nothing like I expected and that's a very good thing. Instead of just the opposites attract story I thought it would be, there was a treasure hunt, a road tip, a freckled ginger haired American hero, a very colorful (especially when referring to Lady Irving's turbans) supporting cast and a lot of dogs, all of which added up to a worthy finale to a fantastic series.
I loved the combination of the somewhat stuffy but ultimately charming Giles and the rebellious yet vulnerable Audrina. Giles and Audrina's attraction was warm, full of understanding and camaraderie despite their various differences. The moments they shared filled me with such joy. From star gazing to baking apple tarts together, this was just an all around beautiful couple from beginning to end.
While the romance between Audrina and Giles was at the forefront, the story also took the time to focus on one of the best characters of the series: Lady Irving. Finally being able to read her innermost thoughts was such a gift. And her own blossoming love story with Giles's flighty but kind father Richard was a bright spot. Other characters' perspectives were also introduced and weaved throughout. Usually when this happens it's a huge distraction, but with Romain's steady and able hand guiding the way, these diversions never once felt our of place and in fact enhanced the depth and overall feel of the story. I really loved the cameos of past characters as well, specifically Louisa and Alex as well.
Season for Desire was nothing like I expected and that's a very good thing. Instead of just the opposites attract story I thought it would be, there was a treasure hunt, a road tip, a freckled ginger haired American hero, a very colorful (especially when referring to Lady Irving's turbans) supporting cast and a lot of dogs, all of which added up to a worthy finale to a fantastic series.
I loved the combination of the somewhat stuffy but ultimately charming Giles and the rebellious yet vulnerable Audrina. Giles and Audrina's attraction was warm, full of understanding and camaraderie despite their various differences. The moments they shared filled me with such joy. From star gazing to baking apple tarts together, this was just an all around beautiful couple from beginning to end.
While the romance between Audrina and Giles was at the forefront, the story also took the time to focus on one of the best characters of the series: Lady Irving. Finally being able to read her innermost thoughts was such a gift. And her own blossoming love story with Giles's flighty but kind father Richard was a bright spot. Other characters' perspectives were also introduced and weaved throughout. Usually when this happens it's a huge distraction, but with Romain's steady and able hand guiding the way, these diversions never once felt our of place and in fact enhanced the depth and overall feel of the story. I really loved the cameos of past characters as well, specifically Louisa and Alex as well.
August 6, 2014
So good! This series is one of my favorite things in the world and this book was soooo gooood. Giles was my favorite thing in the world, an oldest child with a happy-go-lucky parent and an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, and Audrina was an acting-out rich girl with a mean dad and a big heart, and I always love that too. There was a scene when they were looking at the stars together, and this happened:
"The telescope found the moon, sudden and large and glowing[...]What seemed silver from afar was dull and gray up close, a steely pockmarked half-pie of scarred rock.
Something within him gave a lurch of painful feeling. 'It's not the way I thought it would be.' He straightened, tugging his arm from her grasp. 'Go ahead, look some more if you want to.'"
Oh. My heart.
"The telescope found the moon, sudden and large and glowing[...]What seemed silver from afar was dull and gray up close, a steely pockmarked half-pie of scarred rock.
Something within him gave a lurch of painful feeling. 'It's not the way I thought it would be.' He straightened, tugging his arm from her grasp. 'Go ahead, look some more if you want to.'"
Oh. My heart.
April 7, 2016
After loving Louisa's book and the other recent ones from other series I was a little underwhelmed with Season for Desire. It took me some time to warm up to both our protagonists and for once I didn't feel a connection between them. I guess it felt like they went from bickering to smooching pretty fast. Yes, we did have tender moments like the stargazing, baking or trying to open puzzle boxes, but there was something missing for me.
I did love Lady Irving and Richard's secondary romance. It was so casual & lovely. She so deserved a second chance at love (vulgar!).
It was a nice ending for the series, though to be honest I only really liked one book in the end. That's why I was so glad we got some cameos from the other characters, especially Lord and Lady Xavier ;)
I did love Lady Irving and Richard's secondary romance. It was so casual & lovely. She so deserved a second chance at love (vulgar!).
It was a nice ending for the series, though to be honest I only really liked one book in the end. That's why I was so glad we got some cameos from the other characters, especially Lord and Lady Xavier ;)
September 6, 2014
A Season for Desire by Theresa Romain
Overview by Amazon:
Like her four sisters, Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry a duke, lead fashion, and behave with propriety. Consequently, Audrina pursues mischief with gusto, attending scandalous parties and indulging in illicit affairs. But when an erstwhile lover threatens to ruin her reputation, Audrina has no choice but to find a respectable husband at once.
Who would guess that her search would lead her to Giles Rutherford, a blunt-spoken American on a treasure hunt of his own? When a Christmas snowstorm strands the pair at a country inn, more secrets are traded than gifts--along with kisses that require no mistletoe--and Audrina discovers even proper gentlemen have their wicked side. . .
The story begins with Giles and Richard Rutherford being pressed into helping stop the runaway Lady Audrina. Her family suspects she is eloping with a bounder. Richard readily agrees as he lives for adventure. Giles, his son, is less inclined to help, but nonetheless they will help if they happen upon the pair.
It turns out that Audrina is not eloping by choice. David Llewellyn has actually drugged her, kidnapped her and is heading for Scotland to marry her for her dowry. It doesn’t help matters that she has given him her virginity in a pique of rebellion. She realized after that it was the adventure and scandalous nature of their liaison that thrilled her - not the man.
They are stopped at the Goose and Gauntlet in York. Her father, mother and Lady Irving have appeared as well. Her father the Earl is disgusted with her behaviour and banishes her from the family home until after her sister’s splendid wedding to the Duke of Walpole over Christmas. Unless she comes back engaged to a respectable man, she is to be buried away and not to cause scandal that would give the proper Duke a reason to cry off the best match five sisters have managed to make.
Hurt and spurned by her family, she is thrown in with the Rutherford’s and Lady Irving. The Rutherford’s are on a specific mission in England. They hail from Philadelphia and have come to England to find jewel treasures that the late Lady Beatrix hid before she eloped with Richard to a new life in America. Giles is reluctant to join this adventure, but comes along to keep tabs on his thrill seeking widowed father. Giles is not the typical English man that Audrina would be in the company of. He has worked in trade, is not titled (although the grandson of a Marques) and plans to continue to live a life of work. He taunts Audrina by calling her ‘princess’ for all the trouble she has caused, but is one of the only ones who believes she was betrayed by her maid and taken against her will.
In search of the treasure, they must locate three puzzle boxes left behind by Lady Beatrix. The first box takes them to Lady and Lord Dudley in the wilds of York. They are an eccentric couple who live with their daughter in law. The group camps out here for a good portion of time. This allows Giles and Audrina to get to know one another. Barbs and sharp words, eventually give to soft looks and stolen kisses. However their romance in not the only one blooming. Richard and Lady Irving are having a great time getting to know one another. They take childish delight in decorating the house for Christmas. The author describes Regency English Christmas traditions thoroughly and it made the story feel warm and festive.
All the secondary characters in this book are truly characters! Full of funny quirks, sad tales, longing for fresh starts and unconventional lives. I enjoyed the cast of many, but sometimes it took away from the romance budding between Giles and Audrina. However, all these characters are their allies and work had to ensure that the two spend time together.
The first puzzle box can’t be opened, until a second box is unexpectedly delivered to the group by another child Beatrix knew before she left. It turns out there is a code to decipher and there is a third box to find. The group set off on an adventure again. This time instead of slinking away in shame to the Dudley’s, Audrina relishes the time she has to be herself, spend time with people she enjoys and who feel the same about her.
The end up with the final box and travel to London to solve the final coded message. Through the whole book you really wonder if there is a treasure. It is elemental to the life that Richard wants to live as a jeweller in London. More interesting characters, more rushing around historical buildings and Beatrix’s secrets are revealed. Just in time for Christmas. A perfect present.
Audrina is no longer fighting her attraction to Giles. The two consummate their relationship and open up to each other about their faults and weaknesses. Audrina is being blackmailed by her would be kidnapper. Giles fears that he has arthritis and will be useless in trade as the pain in his hands paralyzes him with fear. After watching his mother die from arthritis, he doesn’t dare to dream of a future as he is sure he knows how his life will end. The relationship between the two includes some steamy scenes, but it more than that. They get to know one another, appreciate the differences between them and come to a compromise on what they want out of the future.
Christmas looks a little different in Regency England, but with a wedding, baby, engagement(s) and reunions the Christmas spirit is alive and well in this story.
Reviewed for www.kiltsandswords.com
Overview by Amazon:
Like her four sisters, Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry a duke, lead fashion, and behave with propriety. Consequently, Audrina pursues mischief with gusto, attending scandalous parties and indulging in illicit affairs. But when an erstwhile lover threatens to ruin her reputation, Audrina has no choice but to find a respectable husband at once.
Who would guess that her search would lead her to Giles Rutherford, a blunt-spoken American on a treasure hunt of his own? When a Christmas snowstorm strands the pair at a country inn, more secrets are traded than gifts--along with kisses that require no mistletoe--and Audrina discovers even proper gentlemen have their wicked side. . .
The story begins with Giles and Richard Rutherford being pressed into helping stop the runaway Lady Audrina. Her family suspects she is eloping with a bounder. Richard readily agrees as he lives for adventure. Giles, his son, is less inclined to help, but nonetheless they will help if they happen upon the pair.
It turns out that Audrina is not eloping by choice. David Llewellyn has actually drugged her, kidnapped her and is heading for Scotland to marry her for her dowry. It doesn’t help matters that she has given him her virginity in a pique of rebellion. She realized after that it was the adventure and scandalous nature of their liaison that thrilled her - not the man.
They are stopped at the Goose and Gauntlet in York. Her father, mother and Lady Irving have appeared as well. Her father the Earl is disgusted with her behaviour and banishes her from the family home until after her sister’s splendid wedding to the Duke of Walpole over Christmas. Unless she comes back engaged to a respectable man, she is to be buried away and not to cause scandal that would give the proper Duke a reason to cry off the best match five sisters have managed to make.
Hurt and spurned by her family, she is thrown in with the Rutherford’s and Lady Irving. The Rutherford’s are on a specific mission in England. They hail from Philadelphia and have come to England to find jewel treasures that the late Lady Beatrix hid before she eloped with Richard to a new life in America. Giles is reluctant to join this adventure, but comes along to keep tabs on his thrill seeking widowed father. Giles is not the typical English man that Audrina would be in the company of. He has worked in trade, is not titled (although the grandson of a Marques) and plans to continue to live a life of work. He taunts Audrina by calling her ‘princess’ for all the trouble she has caused, but is one of the only ones who believes she was betrayed by her maid and taken against her will.
In search of the treasure, they must locate three puzzle boxes left behind by Lady Beatrix. The first box takes them to Lady and Lord Dudley in the wilds of York. They are an eccentric couple who live with their daughter in law. The group camps out here for a good portion of time. This allows Giles and Audrina to get to know one another. Barbs and sharp words, eventually give to soft looks and stolen kisses. However their romance in not the only one blooming. Richard and Lady Irving are having a great time getting to know one another. They take childish delight in decorating the house for Christmas. The author describes Regency English Christmas traditions thoroughly and it made the story feel warm and festive.
All the secondary characters in this book are truly characters! Full of funny quirks, sad tales, longing for fresh starts and unconventional lives. I enjoyed the cast of many, but sometimes it took away from the romance budding between Giles and Audrina. However, all these characters are their allies and work had to ensure that the two spend time together.
The first puzzle box can’t be opened, until a second box is unexpectedly delivered to the group by another child Beatrix knew before she left. It turns out there is a code to decipher and there is a third box to find. The group set off on an adventure again. This time instead of slinking away in shame to the Dudley’s, Audrina relishes the time she has to be herself, spend time with people she enjoys and who feel the same about her.
The end up with the final box and travel to London to solve the final coded message. Through the whole book you really wonder if there is a treasure. It is elemental to the life that Richard wants to live as a jeweller in London. More interesting characters, more rushing around historical buildings and Beatrix’s secrets are revealed. Just in time for Christmas. A perfect present.
Audrina is no longer fighting her attraction to Giles. The two consummate their relationship and open up to each other about their faults and weaknesses. Audrina is being blackmailed by her would be kidnapper. Giles fears that he has arthritis and will be useless in trade as the pain in his hands paralyzes him with fear. After watching his mother die from arthritis, he doesn’t dare to dream of a future as he is sure he knows how his life will end. The relationship between the two includes some steamy scenes, but it more than that. They get to know one another, appreciate the differences between them and come to a compromise on what they want out of the future.
Christmas looks a little different in Regency England, but with a wedding, baby, engagement(s) and reunions the Christmas spirit is alive and well in this story.
Reviewed for www.kiltsandswords.com
October 20, 2014
Also posted
HERE
.
Theresa Romain has written some brilliant books. Her style is definitely one the more light-hearted side of the historical romance spectrum, but she tackles serious issues at the same time.
Some of her books are too fluffy and wallpapery for my tastes, and Season For Desire verges on being like that. If you’re a fan of the less accurate, more “fun” Regency romances, then this will be right up your alley. Personally, I prefer her other series (the Matchmaker Trilogy).
There are a lot of positives in this book. I love how the author’s characters are flawed, normal. Our hero is a freckled redhead, which is not something you’ll see most authors doing. We have lots of entertainingly flawed secondary characters, too. The writing is lively and sometimes funny. We have a lot of very real heartache in amongst all the fluffiness.
The story is told from many perspectives. More than half a dozen, if I counted correctly. Secondary characters feature almost as heavily as the main characters.
Much of the book is preoccupied with solving a decades-old mystery involving puzzle boxes. It was interesting, but after a while I became tired of reading about manoeuvres and secret codes.
I did struggle with the fact the characters don’t speak or act at all like 19th century English people. It was distracting some of the time. People singing Christmas carol lyrics that weren’t written until fifty years after the book is set. People saying things like “junk shop” – an American term from the mid-20th century! People are also very lax with the social rules of the era.
I do really like this author’s style, and if I want a lighter read, she’s a pretty good bet. Some of her books have been five star reads for me, but this one – unfortunately – was not.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
Theresa Romain has written some brilliant books. Her style is definitely one the more light-hearted side of the historical romance spectrum, but she tackles serious issues at the same time.
Some of her books are too fluffy and wallpapery for my tastes, and Season For Desire verges on being like that. If you’re a fan of the less accurate, more “fun” Regency romances, then this will be right up your alley. Personally, I prefer her other series (the Matchmaker Trilogy).
There are a lot of positives in this book. I love how the author’s characters are flawed, normal. Our hero is a freckled redhead, which is not something you’ll see most authors doing. We have lots of entertainingly flawed secondary characters, too. The writing is lively and sometimes funny. We have a lot of very real heartache in amongst all the fluffiness.
The story is told from many perspectives. More than half a dozen, if I counted correctly. Secondary characters feature almost as heavily as the main characters.
Much of the book is preoccupied with solving a decades-old mystery involving puzzle boxes. It was interesting, but after a while I became tired of reading about manoeuvres and secret codes.
I did struggle with the fact the characters don’t speak or act at all like 19th century English people. It was distracting some of the time. People singing Christmas carol lyrics that weren’t written until fifty years after the book is set. People saying things like “junk shop” – an American term from the mid-20th century! People are also very lax with the social rules of the era.
I do really like this author’s style, and if I want a lighter read, she’s a pretty good bet. Some of her books have been five star reads for me, but this one – unfortunately – was not.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
June 13, 2015
Romain’s thoughtful, eloquent writing style sets readers up to be drawn back in time with this fantastic story. This author paints a brilliant picture of the world surrounding her characters, taking readers on a journey across England. This was an exciting and adventurous story. Romain really had me thinking and trying to figure out the riddle. I had so much fun with this. It all played right in to the romance and intrinsically close-knit aura of the novel.
Romain has some quite intricate character development in this novel. I loved how well we got to know not only the main characters, but their immediate family and friends as well. The pace of this novel does slow down a bit when the author goes into background information on the characters. It is pertinent to the story at hand and is quite interesting but there is a definite shift in the pace of the story when she does this. It’s almost as if you’re having a one on one moment with the character in question. It was quite unique.
This was a very intriguing look at the lives and relationships of Romain’s main characters that can easily be read as a standalone, even though it is the 4th novel in the series. It was a very enjoyable novel that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to others.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
Romain has some quite intricate character development in this novel. I loved how well we got to know not only the main characters, but their immediate family and friends as well. The pace of this novel does slow down a bit when the author goes into background information on the characters. It is pertinent to the story at hand and is quite interesting but there is a definite shift in the pace of the story when she does this. It’s almost as if you’re having a one on one moment with the character in question. It was quite unique.
This was a very intriguing look at the lives and relationships of Romain’s main characters that can easily be read as a standalone, even though it is the 4th novel in the series. It was a very enjoyable novel that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to others.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2019
This book was... fine? Like, it was fine! I didn't have any strong feelings about it either way -- both of the main characters, despite their pretty cool backstories (an unmarried woman who has an affair just for fun! a disabled man with a solid family background!), just... came off somewhat milquetoast, but there was nothing going on here that really actively irritated or offended me? The relationship was just fine; the story was pretty convoluted, with too much going on to really grab me in almost any aspect of it, but it was also just fine, for the most part. I'm very happy that Lady Irving got a happy ending of her own, and I'm THRILLED that we got a little lesbian cameo (even though I could have dealt with it being even more explicit, damn, Theresa, why did you break off right before the best bit!!). The ending also wrapped up pretty nicely -- I'm very glad the duke ended up being so chill! But overall, again, basically no strong feelings evoked by this book. A very mediocre ending to a very mediocre series (two books I was just okay about, one I loved, and one I hated!), on the whole.
December 26, 2019
A fun regency romance read, although I did think about setting it aside. It took me a really long time to come around to getting one of the character's senses of humor. The plot was fun and clever, but I had honestly been hoping for more sexy times.
November 9, 2015
Theresa Romain's Season for Desire takes a very different approach to the other three books in the series. The first three books are very straightforward romances and focus on the interaction between the hero and heroine, but, in Season for Desire, Romain's plot involves the following:
1. The Quest for lost treasure
2. The Love Stories (yes, plural)
3. The interaction between the main hero and heroine
4. A villain
5. Lots of interesting side characters
Giles Rutherford and his father are in England to find his mother's jewels, which disappeared without a trace before her elopement to Giles's father. With no leads, except for his father's blind faith in his wife's final words, they've cut a trail through London and nearby towns, and now they've found themselves in an inn in York and recruited by the angry Earl of Alleyneham who is chasing after his youngest daughter, whom he believes has eloped.
Except Audrina hadn't actually eloped -- she had been kidnapped by her former lover, David Llewelyn, who has designs on her dowry, and plans to gain it by fair means or fowl.
It gets a bit confusing at this point, but Audrina's father orchestrates a deal with the Rutherfords: allow Audrina to accompany them (and Lady Irving), and he would tell them about a clue to Giles's mother's jewels. The clue is a jewel box, gifted by the late Mrs Rutherford to Lady Sophy Parr. It's unclear to me whether the treasure hunters were unexpected guests or not, but the Parrs are a strange and very casual family, that everyone was welcomed anyway. The story shifts slightly as the author focuses on the idiosyncrasies of the Parrs, especially Lady Sarah, who married the Viscount of Dudley's late son, Jack.
Lady Sophy is interesting -- slightly odd, and thoroughly enamored with astronomy. She received the Japanese puzzle box from Giles's mother, and never thought to try to open it. Now, Giles, his father, and Audrina try to figure it out. Sarah doesn't really get involved, content to sit and either reminisce about the late Mrs Rutherford's kindness to her, or to hide away in her observatory and look out at the stars. But the author takes time to delve into her backstory and the strange circumstances of her marriage. (She gets her own love story as the story progresses.)
When it was revealed that the clue was a Japanese puzzle box (himitsu bako), I really did wonder whether Giles or Audrina could get it open, because, as mentioned in the story, these boxes are very difficult to solve. And it does take Giled and Audrina chapter upon chapter of figuring out the combination, but they never really make any headway. While tedious, and a bit plodding, these captors did succeeding furthering Giles and Audrina's friendship. While they met on strange circumstances, and thrust together in stranger terms, Giles and Audrina discover a kinship -- they're able to share their thoughts and feelings about their families to one another.
Giles is the oldest, and knows he must look after his sisters. His father is a bit flaky, so it's all on Giles to make sure everything is running smoothly. He worries for his father, and he worries for his sisters, and he worries for himself -- but he has never said all this out loud, until Audrina.
But the connection between the wasn't instant: Giles initially thought Audrina was spoiled and entitled, and Audrina thought Giles was too ... American.
As the youngest, Audrina has had to live in the shadows of her older sisters all her life, and then she has had to live up to her father's very high expectations of her. It's been a suffocating and restricted life for Audrina, and this stint in the countryside proves to be liberating.
The leap between loathing to love is a bit big -- I don't recall Audrina being attracted to Giles, and, while Giles thought Audrina was beautiful, there wasn't really any strong, or compelling desire. Perhaps that is the author's point? To show that love doesn't have to be intense, and passionate, but that it can grow quietly?
There are three other relationships tackled in the story:
1. Giles's father and Lady Irving
2. Audrina's sister, Charissa, and the Duke of Walpole
3. Lady Sophy and Millicent Corning
Add to the quest for the missing jewels, Giles and Audrina must contend with Audrina's kidnapper and ex-lover, who is threatening blackmail. Taken individually, or even two at a time, these combinations of love stories and villains and treasure hunt could make for a strong and memorable story, but, tackled all at once, it diluted a lot of this novel's potency.
1. The Quest for lost treasure
2. The Love Stories (yes, plural)
3. The interaction between the main hero and heroine
4. A villain
5. Lots of interesting side characters
Giles Rutherford and his father are in England to find his mother's jewels, which disappeared without a trace before her elopement to Giles's father. With no leads, except for his father's blind faith in his wife's final words, they've cut a trail through London and nearby towns, and now they've found themselves in an inn in York and recruited by the angry Earl of Alleyneham who is chasing after his youngest daughter, whom he believes has eloped.
Except Audrina hadn't actually eloped -- she had been kidnapped by her former lover, David Llewelyn, who has designs on her dowry, and plans to gain it by fair means or fowl.
It gets a bit confusing at this point, but Audrina's father orchestrates a deal with the Rutherfords: allow Audrina to accompany them (and Lady Irving), and he would tell them about a clue to Giles's mother's jewels. The clue is a jewel box, gifted by the late Mrs Rutherford to Lady Sophy Parr. It's unclear to me whether the treasure hunters were unexpected guests or not, but the Parrs are a strange and very casual family, that everyone was welcomed anyway. The story shifts slightly as the author focuses on the idiosyncrasies of the Parrs, especially Lady Sarah, who married the Viscount of Dudley's late son, Jack.
Lady Sophy is interesting -- slightly odd, and thoroughly enamored with astronomy. She received the Japanese puzzle box from Giles's mother, and never thought to try to open it. Now, Giles, his father, and Audrina try to figure it out. Sarah doesn't really get involved, content to sit and either reminisce about the late Mrs Rutherford's kindness to her, or to hide away in her observatory and look out at the stars. But the author takes time to delve into her backstory and the strange circumstances of her marriage. (She gets her own love story as the story progresses.)
When it was revealed that the clue was a Japanese puzzle box (himitsu bako), I really did wonder whether Giles or Audrina could get it open, because, as mentioned in the story, these boxes are very difficult to solve. And it does take Giled and Audrina chapter upon chapter of figuring out the combination, but they never really make any headway. While tedious, and a bit plodding, these captors did succeeding furthering Giles and Audrina's friendship. While they met on strange circumstances, and thrust together in stranger terms, Giles and Audrina discover a kinship -- they're able to share their thoughts and feelings about their families to one another.
Giles is the oldest, and knows he must look after his sisters. His father is a bit flaky, so it's all on Giles to make sure everything is running smoothly. He worries for his father, and he worries for his sisters, and he worries for himself -- but he has never said all this out loud, until Audrina.
Giles wanted to throttle whoever had coined the word adventure. Everything was an adventure to Richard Rutherford, from days on sleet-sludgy roads to his grandiose plan to establish a London jewelry firm to rival Rundell and Bridge.
- p. 10
But the connection between the wasn't instant: Giles initially thought Audrina was spoiled and entitled, and Audrina thought Giles was too ... American.
As the youngest, Audrina has had to live in the shadows of her older sisters all her life, and then she has had to live up to her father's very high expectations of her. It's been a suffocating and restricted life for Audrina, and this stint in the countryside proves to be liberating.
"...There are five of me within my own family. I could do nothing that had not already been done first or better. So I could only do things last and worst."
- p. 255
The leap between loathing to love is a bit big -- I don't recall Audrina being attracted to Giles, and, while Giles thought Audrina was beautiful, there wasn't really any strong, or compelling desire. Perhaps that is the author's point? To show that love doesn't have to be intense, and passionate, but that it can grow quietly?
There are three other relationships tackled in the story:
1. Giles's father and Lady Irving
2. Audrina's sister, Charissa, and the Duke of Walpole
3. Lady Sophy and Millicent Corning
Add to the quest for the missing jewels, Giles and Audrina must contend with Audrina's kidnapper and ex-lover, who is threatening blackmail. Taken individually, or even two at a time, these combinations of love stories and villains and treasure hunt could make for a strong and memorable story, but, tackled all at once, it diluted a lot of this novel's potency.
August 27, 2014
A charming, sweet holiday read, Season for Desire was a lovely historical romance. With a varied, interesting cast of characters, a mystery to solve, and a blackmailer trying to ruin the fun, this book was great and I really enjoyed reading it.
Audrina was a lovely heroine. She was independently minded and determined to find her own way to happiness. My one issue with her was that she seemed to act first, think about consequences later. But, that was more of a problem at the beginning and she grew up over the course of the book. Overall, I thought she was great.
Giles was a total sweetie. He tended to think less of himself because he didn't exactly fit the mold of an attractive society gentleman. But, he was, first and foremost, a genuinely good man. He was very loyal to his loved ones, determined to take care of his family, and impeccably honorable. He was just adorable and I really liked him.
The romance was very sweet. Audrina and Giles seemed to simply understand each other, no need for misunderstanding or pretenses. There was some heat between them, but this was a mostly sweet romance. I thought they were a lovely couple.
The secondary characters played a fairly large part in the book, particularly Giles's father and Lady Irving, who had a romance of their own. They were both great characters, with Mr. Rutherford's charm and irreverence and Lady Irving's sense and sharp wit. I liked them both.
The plot was well paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. They mystery of the puzzle boxes kept me engaged, as well the the constant threat that a certain blackmailer posed. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was lovely.
Season for Desire was a light, sweet, delightful read that I really enjoyed. Romance lovers, this is a book worth checking out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Audrina was a lovely heroine. She was independently minded and determined to find her own way to happiness. My one issue with her was that she seemed to act first, think about consequences later. But, that was more of a problem at the beginning and she grew up over the course of the book. Overall, I thought she was great.
Giles was a total sweetie. He tended to think less of himself because he didn't exactly fit the mold of an attractive society gentleman. But, he was, first and foremost, a genuinely good man. He was very loyal to his loved ones, determined to take care of his family, and impeccably honorable. He was just adorable and I really liked him.
The romance was very sweet. Audrina and Giles seemed to simply understand each other, no need for misunderstanding or pretenses. There was some heat between them, but this was a mostly sweet romance. I thought they were a lovely couple.
The secondary characters played a fairly large part in the book, particularly Giles's father and Lady Irving, who had a romance of their own. They were both great characters, with Mr. Rutherford's charm and irreverence and Lady Irving's sense and sharp wit. I liked them both.
The plot was well paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. They mystery of the puzzle boxes kept me engaged, as well the the constant threat that a certain blackmailer posed. I really enjoyed the story and the ending was lovely.
Season for Desire was a light, sweet, delightful read that I really enjoyed. Romance lovers, this is a book worth checking out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
October 18, 2014
This is book 4 in the Holiday Pleasures series.
Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry well and behave with propriety. Since she is not one to follow the rules, this leads her to do outrageous things including indulging in illicit affairs. One of her cohorts decides to take things a little far and kidnaps Audrina thinking to marry her to get her dowry which he desperately needs. Lucky for Audrina, her father has help in finding her and saves her from disgrace. Wanting to keep her out of trouble, Audrina's father has her go with Giles Rutherford, his father and Lady Irving to find a long lost family heirloom.
Giles Rutherford is indulging his father in a quest to find the long lost jewels that his mother left behind when she married her husband and moved to America. He needs to make sure that his father doesn't make any unwise decisions that would affect the whole family. Thinking to never marry because of debilitating arthritis he inherited from his mother, Giles is surprised to find himself so attracted to Audrina.
Over the course of solving the mystery of the missing jewels, Giles and Audrina develop feelings for each other. Can those feeling overcome the difference in their stations and what they thought they wanted out of life?
I really, really enjoyed this story. The secondary characters were just as entertaining as the H/H. Romain did something with this novel that I haven't seen much of before. The point of view changed multiple times between the H/H as well as the secondary characters. I thought this was a refreshing change and added a lot to the enjoyment of the story.
The interactions between all the characters was so enjoyable. It was like watching a well written comedy that had me laughing out loud throughout the story. Bravo, Theresa Romain!!
Thanks go out to Kensington Books for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry well and behave with propriety. Since she is not one to follow the rules, this leads her to do outrageous things including indulging in illicit affairs. One of her cohorts decides to take things a little far and kidnaps Audrina thinking to marry her to get her dowry which he desperately needs. Lucky for Audrina, her father has help in finding her and saves her from disgrace. Wanting to keep her out of trouble, Audrina's father has her go with Giles Rutherford, his father and Lady Irving to find a long lost family heirloom.
Giles Rutherford is indulging his father in a quest to find the long lost jewels that his mother left behind when she married her husband and moved to America. He needs to make sure that his father doesn't make any unwise decisions that would affect the whole family. Thinking to never marry because of debilitating arthritis he inherited from his mother, Giles is surprised to find himself so attracted to Audrina.
Over the course of solving the mystery of the missing jewels, Giles and Audrina develop feelings for each other. Can those feeling overcome the difference in their stations and what they thought they wanted out of life?
I really, really enjoyed this story. The secondary characters were just as entertaining as the H/H. Romain did something with this novel that I haven't seen much of before. The point of view changed multiple times between the H/H as well as the secondary characters. I thought this was a refreshing change and added a lot to the enjoyment of the story.
The interactions between all the characters was so enjoyable. It was like watching a well written comedy that had me laughing out loud throughout the story. Bravo, Theresa Romain!!
Thanks go out to Kensington Books for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
October 21, 2014
Theresa Romain’s Christmas books have become an anticipated part of my winter holiday reading, and Season for Desire may turn out to be my favorite in the series. I love American-in-England heroes, and Romain gives readers an exceptional one in the upright, responsible Giles, and the quick-witted Audrina is a perfect match for him. The quest for the jewels adds just the right touch of adventure without overpowering the romance, and the secondary characters are so superbly drawn that they almost steal the book. Another plus was the appearance of characters from earlier books. This was a deliciously satisfying read in every respect. I’m sad to see the series end, but I am delighted that it ends with a winner. Romain’s Holiday Pleasures quartet will add pleasure to my holiday reading for years to come.
December 20, 2014
Audrina has tried to be bad, and yes she has succeed. (smexy times and not married! *gasps for air* Bad bad girl ;) But her wicked ways have caught up with her, it's not just her reputation on the line, her sister's impending marriage too.
But I did like her. She has spirit.
Then there is Giles, the American who with his father is searching for something that belonged to his mother. Obviously they will fall in love. But class is in between, an ocean is in between and something else. But love will conquer, this is a romance after all.
And I did like him too. He said things he should not say.
There is these two falling in love. Fun other characters. A mystery with boxes and a bit of drama cos of Audrina's mistake.
And in the end, her sister Petra's book totally needs to be written.
A fun holiday book :D
But I did like her. She has spirit.
Then there is Giles, the American who with his father is searching for something that belonged to his mother. Obviously they will fall in love. But class is in between, an ocean is in between and something else. But love will conquer, this is a romance after all.
And I did like him too. He said things he should not say.
There is these two falling in love. Fun other characters. A mystery with boxes and a bit of drama cos of Audrina's mistake.
And in the end, her sister Petra's book totally needs to be written.
A fun holiday book :D
December 3, 2014
I can't say that I embraced this romance novel. I found the reading slow-going and the central couple, though not unappealing, spend so little time together than I didn't care to see through to their HEA. A family mystery involving the hero's family runs throughout the novel and some readers may enjoy the working out of that central dilemma. There are many secondary characters as well. They and the mystery's convoluted plot took away from the hero and heroine as well. If you'd like to read a more extensive response why the novel left me cold, please follow the link:
http://missbatesreadsromance.com/2014...
Please note that I received an e-ARC from Kensington Zebra books via Netgalley.
http://missbatesreadsromance.com/2014...
Please note that I received an e-ARC from Kensington Zebra books via Netgalley.
September 30, 2014
Even though I really wanted to enjoy this one, I had the hardest time getting into it. And after trying it for three days, I decided to let it go. I was asked by Netgalley and Kensington books to give a honest review. I only got about a fourth of the way through, but in the beginning of the story I really had a hard time following the story line, and after that I just couldn't get myself to really like it. I do plan on reading other books by this author, and I might just come back and read this again one day. I did like the characters somewhat, but even though I didn't get a chance to finish it, I did see potential I just couldn't connect with them.
August 14, 2017
Theresa Romain is an excellent writer. She always adds depth and reality to her stories so there is always more to the story than it appears. This particular holiday installment, however, just didn't work as well as the previous one for me. I had trouble grasping the whole situation at the beginning. The characters were certainly quirky, maybe a little too much. I think that there were too many characters involved and too many jumps to different points of view. Still, I enjoyed the story and once again Romain delves into the characters insecurities and lets them emerge triumphantly.
October 4, 2014
I liked this part of the Holiday Pleasures series. There were so many unusual characters, that I was never bored. There was always something going on that would make you either want to pummel the character (mostly her father and sometime his) and other times wish you could share a drink with them. And though the main characters themeselves weren't the most colorful, they needed to be able to create a commentary on the others, which is what made the novel so good in the end.
Of course treasure hunting always helps!
Of course treasure hunting always helps!
October 24, 2018
2.5 estrellas. La idea era buena, podría haber salido un libro decente (como el segundo de esta saga, que, en mi opinión, es el único que merece la pena leer), pero han empezado a aparecer tramas secundarias (no resueltas) que me han desconectado de la trama principal (búsqueda de diamantes) y de la historia de amor de los protagonistas. Al haberle dedicado tiempo a esas tramas, la relación de los protas ha sido muy precipitada y superficial. De las tramas secundarias solo habría mantenido la de lady Irving y Richard.
October 7, 2014
If it were possible to rate SEASON FOR DESIRE on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it a 15! And for those who like lots of sex and groping, rogues and rakes: don’t bother; there are no broad shoulders, slim waists, long legs, muscular thighs nor big hands. It’s a beautifully written story, a great suspense, it has superb characters, and it’s oh so romantic. Do not miss this fantastic book!
Thank you, Ms. Romain, for this holiday gift!
Thank you, Ms. Romain, for this holiday gift!
December 19, 2017
It's a terrible shame that this is the last book in the series, because you can tell Romain was trying to cram a lot of ideas into it. There are any number of sub-couples here, some mere mentions and others supporting characters, and in the end none of them really get a fair treatment. I loved the disability themes, and although for a while I was worried we were headed for some kind of magic cure, the resolution kept those themes in mind. I wasn't into the main two characters otherwise, I didn't feel like they had much chemistry, but that's partly because there are too many plot elements that have nothing to do with them. I was pleasantly surprised that Lady Irving gets matched up (and satisfactorily!), although again I wish there had been more time. We see her considering it, and the next thing we hear from them is that he's proposed. Perusing other reviews, I'm glad I'm not the only one picking up major queer subtext from Sophy -- how amazing would it have been to have a lesbian romance as book 5?? Lady Irving and Audrina could have held this book down together since their husbands are related, and the rest of the stuff could've been moved to future books. I was glad to see Louisa and Xavier again from the second book... The other previous couples make cameos, but honestly I didn't remember much about their books.
I really wish there were more, but as it is, Season for Surrender is the only one that's amazing. These others are worth reading as companions to that, but not as great on their own.
I really wish there were more, but as it is, Season for Surrender is the only one that's amazing. These others are worth reading as companions to that, but not as great on their own.
December 25, 2018
Giles, an American on a quest with his father to find his late mother's jewels hidden when his parents eloped and fled to Amerca, finds himself in an inn in wet and freezing cold York just before Christmas. Homesick, Giles gets pulled into assisting the Earl of Alleyneham stop his eloping youngest daughter. Only Audriana, who is not as proper as she looks, was kidnapped by a scoundrel looking to get her dowry if not through marriage then through blackmail. You see, her elder sister is about to marry a very starchy duke, whose wealth will save the family from penury whike escalating their social standing, and scandal could put the kibosh on it all.
Thus opens the very enjoyable final chapter of Romain's Christmas Season quartet. The quest involves finding Japanese puzzle boxes and solving the codes hidden inside. Saving Audriana leads to more than one romance (including the suggestion of an unconventional one), reconnecting with a few characters from the rest of the series, and a number of twists, turns, likeable new characters, decking a Hall of Antiquity with holiday greenery, and many revelations.
Romain has a way of writing contemporary stories in Regency England settings, and while bothersome for some readers, I find it refreshing. Not all heroine's are virgins, most characters ultimately choose to live their lives as they wish and not according to 1820's conventions, and there is always both pathos and humor in the various stories intertwined
Thus opens the very enjoyable final chapter of Romain's Christmas Season quartet. The quest involves finding Japanese puzzle boxes and solving the codes hidden inside. Saving Audriana leads to more than one romance (including the suggestion of an unconventional one), reconnecting with a few characters from the rest of the series, and a number of twists, turns, likeable new characters, decking a Hall of Antiquity with holiday greenery, and many revelations.
Romain has a way of writing contemporary stories in Regency England settings, and while bothersome for some readers, I find it refreshing. Not all heroine's are virgins, most characters ultimately choose to live their lives as they wish and not according to 1820's conventions, and there is always both pathos and humor in the various stories intertwined
December 22, 2022
I pulled this off the library shelf as it was the only Regency Holiday romance they had, and I’m so glad I did!
This was a surprisingly delightful book. The traditional live story wasn’t so traditional, but was very satisfying.
Audrina and Giles (trust me that the only bad part of the book are those names!) are well developed and relatable characters who actually grow during the story. They alone would make it a fun read, but Romain has added in an eclectic and lovable set of side characters, a nasty blackmailer and a treasure hunt.
I especially enjoyed that the story highlights different types and stages of love — dedication to family, devotion to a fading spouse, non-traditional, newlyweds and second chances.
I’d like to spend a holiday at Castle Parr and hope the hodgepodge gathering becomes an annual tradition for Audrina.
The ending has clear references to books I’ve not read, but I will definitely be adding Theresa Romain to my list of authors to follow.
While a romance, the book is truly about accepting and embracing your authentic self and only then will you be open to love.
This was a surprisingly delightful book. The traditional live story wasn’t so traditional, but was very satisfying.
Audrina and Giles (trust me that the only bad part of the book are those names!) are well developed and relatable characters who actually grow during the story. They alone would make it a fun read, but Romain has added in an eclectic and lovable set of side characters, a nasty blackmailer and a treasure hunt.
I especially enjoyed that the story highlights different types and stages of love — dedication to family, devotion to a fading spouse, non-traditional, newlyweds and second chances.
I’d like to spend a holiday at Castle Parr and hope the hodgepodge gathering becomes an annual tradition for Audrina.
The ending has clear references to books I’ve not read, but I will definitely be adding Theresa Romain to my list of authors to follow.
While a romance, the book is truly about accepting and embracing your authentic self and only then will you be open to love.
December 29, 2014
Season for Desire by Theresa Romain
Giles Rutherford is a dutiful and devoted son, tagging along after his father Richard as he searches for his late wife’s lost diamonds. Giles has left behind in life Philadelphia to make sure his father’s treasure hunting adventure doesn’t beggar their family. Giles is unhappy to be an ocean away from his siblings. Through a mutual acquaintance, Lady Irving, the Rutherfords are enlisted to help track down a missing young woman, Lady Audrina, who is thought to be eloping with suitor and they are ask to apprehend the couple should they come upon them.
Lady Audrina, has thrived on mischief and scandalous behavior since her debut. She has found her thrills sneaking off to dark corners and scandalous parties without getting caught. But caught she is now. A former lover, David Llewellyn has decided he could use her dowry and has drugged and abducted her, planning into forcing her into eloping at Gretna Green. I immediately liked the heroine. She is worried, angry and cynical which I think is what I would feel in her situation.
Lady Audrina & Giles paths intersect at coaching inn in York, where the groggy Audrina has to face her father’s deep disappointment. To cover Lady Audrina’s unplanned absence from London, and reward the Rutherfords for the assistance, Lord Alleyneham, Lady Audrina’s father arranges for Lady Irving and Audrina to join the Rutherfords on their treasure hunt and travel further into Yorkshire to the home of Lord and Lady Dudley, who have in their possession a puzzle box once owned by the Richard’s late wife. The trip is meant to insure that this or any further misadventures does not derail her sister’s wedding to a Duke. Lady Audrina sees it for what it truly is, a father opportunistically abandoning a difficult and inconvenient daughter.
Thrown together, Giles and Audrina are essentially exiled from their normal lives and are forced to get to know each other. They also feel keenly that under regular circumstances they would have little to do with each other. I liked that Giles, even as an American in particular is very aware of their difference in social rank, alluding to whenever makes he teasingly calls Audrina, Princess. The social and familial costs of his mother’s, a Marquis’s daughter, elopement with an apprentice jeweler are well know to him. It allows him be compassionate and understanding, surprising Audrina.
I really liked that Romain took the time to develop Giles and Audrina’s relationship. They start off as antagonists, then grudging companions, and eventually unlikely confidants. The admiration they develop for each other goes beyond admiring each other’s eyes or bodies, although they do that too but is grounded in growing knowledge of each other’s character.
Romain crafted a delightful illusion of slow burn romance. The sexual tension and their feelings of confusion and uncertainty they feel were appropriately messy, without feeling irrational or unfounded. The way they come to view each other, and how it challenges what they think of themselves, transforms them. Transformations are not comfortable or tidy, and neither is how they feel for each other.
The Audrina and Giles must confront complicated identity crises. Both have embraced false beliefs about themselves, letting situations and people define them and they have undervalued their own worth.I really liked that while they help change each other’s mind about their value and future, they make the crucial choices, realizations and transformations on their own. When they finally give themselves to each other they do so knowing their own worth.
This was the first Theresa Romain I’ve read and although Season of Desire is the 4th book in her Holiday Pleasures series I was very happy to report that I was able to enjoy it fully despite not having read any of the previous books in the series. Some of the heroes and heroines from the previous books do appear in the last half of the book but they don’t pull attention away from the main characters.
I really appreciated her treatment of secondary characters. They richly drawn and distinct. Richard and Lady Irving, Sophy & the Dudley’s do more than exist for the benefit of providing conversational partners for the main characters. Richard is a dreamer without being foolish. He uses his good-humor to benefit all around him. He is not simply a foil for his realist son. Caustic Lady Irving’s backstory and hidden vulnerabilities humanizes her, and I loved how feelings of incredulity and pleasure war in her as she realizes Richard is flirting with her. The Dudleys, their widowed blue-stocking daughter-in-law Sophy & Miss Corning have their own motivations for aiding the Rutherfords in their treasure hunt. Like everyone else who walks in and out of the story they have pains and history, even if we only know them for a little while. Personally, I would have loved to have read a whole novel centered on Sophy and Miss Corning.
As a whole I found Season For Desire to be highly enjoyable. It was funny, witty, while not sacrificing emotional weight. I thought all the characters were given time to develop and both the pacing and the plot worked for me. As holiday-themed novel, I thought it did a great job weaving in the holiday setting, without being cloying or artificial. I will certainly seek out other novels by Theresa Romain.
4 out 5 stars to Season for Desire by Theresa Romain
Season for Desire has been available at all the usual places since Oct 7, 2014
I received a review copy of Season for Desire from its publisher Zebra Books, Kensington Publishing Group via NetGalley.
an expanded version of this review is available on my blog.
Giles Rutherford is a dutiful and devoted son, tagging along after his father Richard as he searches for his late wife’s lost diamonds. Giles has left behind in life Philadelphia to make sure his father’s treasure hunting adventure doesn’t beggar their family. Giles is unhappy to be an ocean away from his siblings. Through a mutual acquaintance, Lady Irving, the Rutherfords are enlisted to help track down a missing young woman, Lady Audrina, who is thought to be eloping with suitor and they are ask to apprehend the couple should they come upon them.
Lady Audrina, has thrived on mischief and scandalous behavior since her debut. She has found her thrills sneaking off to dark corners and scandalous parties without getting caught. But caught she is now. A former lover, David Llewellyn has decided he could use her dowry and has drugged and abducted her, planning into forcing her into eloping at Gretna Green. I immediately liked the heroine. She is worried, angry and cynical which I think is what I would feel in her situation.
Lady Audrina & Giles paths intersect at coaching inn in York, where the groggy Audrina has to face her father’s deep disappointment. To cover Lady Audrina’s unplanned absence from London, and reward the Rutherfords for the assistance, Lord Alleyneham, Lady Audrina’s father arranges for Lady Irving and Audrina to join the Rutherfords on their treasure hunt and travel further into Yorkshire to the home of Lord and Lady Dudley, who have in their possession a puzzle box once owned by the Richard’s late wife. The trip is meant to insure that this or any further misadventures does not derail her sister’s wedding to a Duke. Lady Audrina sees it for what it truly is, a father opportunistically abandoning a difficult and inconvenient daughter.
Thrown together, Giles and Audrina are essentially exiled from their normal lives and are forced to get to know each other. They also feel keenly that under regular circumstances they would have little to do with each other. I liked that Giles, even as an American in particular is very aware of their difference in social rank, alluding to whenever makes he teasingly calls Audrina, Princess. The social and familial costs of his mother’s, a Marquis’s daughter, elopement with an apprentice jeweler are well know to him. It allows him be compassionate and understanding, surprising Audrina.
I really liked that Romain took the time to develop Giles and Audrina’s relationship. They start off as antagonists, then grudging companions, and eventually unlikely confidants. The admiration they develop for each other goes beyond admiring each other’s eyes or bodies, although they do that too but is grounded in growing knowledge of each other’s character.
Romain crafted a delightful illusion of slow burn romance. The sexual tension and their feelings of confusion and uncertainty they feel were appropriately messy, without feeling irrational or unfounded. The way they come to view each other, and how it challenges what they think of themselves, transforms them. Transformations are not comfortable or tidy, and neither is how they feel for each other.
The Audrina and Giles must confront complicated identity crises. Both have embraced false beliefs about themselves, letting situations and people define them and they have undervalued their own worth.I really liked that while they help change each other’s mind about their value and future, they make the crucial choices, realizations and transformations on their own. When they finally give themselves to each other they do so knowing their own worth.
This was the first Theresa Romain I’ve read and although Season of Desire is the 4th book in her Holiday Pleasures series I was very happy to report that I was able to enjoy it fully despite not having read any of the previous books in the series. Some of the heroes and heroines from the previous books do appear in the last half of the book but they don’t pull attention away from the main characters.
I really appreciated her treatment of secondary characters. They richly drawn and distinct. Richard and Lady Irving, Sophy & the Dudley’s do more than exist for the benefit of providing conversational partners for the main characters. Richard is a dreamer without being foolish. He uses his good-humor to benefit all around him. He is not simply a foil for his realist son. Caustic Lady Irving’s backstory and hidden vulnerabilities humanizes her, and I loved how feelings of incredulity and pleasure war in her as she realizes Richard is flirting with her. The Dudleys, their widowed blue-stocking daughter-in-law Sophy & Miss Corning have their own motivations for aiding the Rutherfords in their treasure hunt. Like everyone else who walks in and out of the story they have pains and history, even if we only know them for a little while. Personally, I would have loved to have read a whole novel centered on Sophy and Miss Corning.
As a whole I found Season For Desire to be highly enjoyable. It was funny, witty, while not sacrificing emotional weight. I thought all the characters were given time to develop and both the pacing and the plot worked for me. As holiday-themed novel, I thought it did a great job weaving in the holiday setting, without being cloying or artificial. I will certainly seek out other novels by Theresa Romain.
4 out 5 stars to Season for Desire by Theresa Romain
Season for Desire has been available at all the usual places since Oct 7, 2014
I received a review copy of Season for Desire from its publisher Zebra Books, Kensington Publishing Group via NetGalley.
an expanded version of this review is available on my blog.
September 2, 2019
This is one of my favorite authors. She leads you on an adventure with very unique characters and a creative plot.
These two sweethearts come from very different backgrounds and the struggle is heartbreaking.
The heroin likes to set aside the rules of nobility and enjoy some freedom which leads her into scandal.
In contrast, the hero is one who takes responsibility seriously and puts his dreams in the background.
I found the story was slow reading through the middle but that's probably do to my own love life distractions that day.
I learn something from every book I read and I collect "aha" moments for my own life. I was reminded that something may appear bright and shiny but it may be a disguise for sadness covered in paste.
These two sweethearts come from very different backgrounds and the struggle is heartbreaking.
The heroin likes to set aside the rules of nobility and enjoy some freedom which leads her into scandal.
In contrast, the hero is one who takes responsibility seriously and puts his dreams in the background.
I found the story was slow reading through the middle but that's probably do to my own love life distractions that day.
I learn something from every book I read and I collect "aha" moments for my own life. I was reminded that something may appear bright and shiny but it may be a disguise for sadness covered in paste.
February 1, 2017
Great series
The entire series was fun to read. What happens when a troublemaking daughter of an Earl meets an American on an adventure?
Even though there are several classes between them they find a way to find their way to each ours heart.
The entire series was fun to read. What happens when a troublemaking daughter of an Earl meets an American on an adventure?
Even though there are several classes between them they find a way to find their way to each ours heart.
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