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Educating Caroline: A Novel
Lady Caroline Linford is horrified to discover...
her fiancé, the Marquis of Winchilsea, in the arms of another woman. Unfortunately, Victorian society considers such masculine peccadilloes a trifle; canceling their imminent wedding would be unthinkable. But Caroline's wish is for the man she is to marry to desire only her... and she seeks lessons in the art of romance from the best teacher: London's most notorious rake.
Braden Granville may be a famous lover...
but he has no intention of taking part in Caroline's scheme — until he learns she has something he wants: the name of his own unfaithful fiancée's lover. As their passionate tutelage begins, sparks fly — and the lines between teacher and student fall away. Now there is just one last lesson to learn: on the subject of true love, the heart chooses its own unpredictable ways.
her fiancé, the Marquis of Winchilsea, in the arms of another woman. Unfortunately, Victorian society considers such masculine peccadilloes a trifle; canceling their imminent wedding would be unthinkable. But Caroline's wish is for the man she is to marry to desire only her... and she seeks lessons in the art of romance from the best teacher: London's most notorious rake.
Braden Granville may be a famous lover...
but he has no intention of taking part in Caroline's scheme — until he learns she has something he wants: the name of his own unfaithful fiancée's lover. As their passionate tutelage begins, sparks fly — and the lines between teacher and student fall away. Now there is just one last lesson to learn: on the subject of true love, the heart chooses its own unpredictable ways.
638 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2001
171 people are currently reading
15870 people want to read
About the author
Meg Cabot
232 books35.4k followersLibrarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 503 reviews
May 5, 2015
This was one of my first books in the romance genre and I was a little bit skeptical – but the rage reviews convinced me to give it a try. I'm so glad - it was wonderful! One of my favorite books ever!
Lady Caroline Linford is a great heroine and I suspect that she’s drawn generic so that the reader can see herself as Caroline. Caroline is engaged to the Marquis of Winchilsea and in the first chapter Caroline walks in on him and another woman. Unfortunately, Victorian society do not allow for a broken engagement over such a trifle. Determined to win his heart Caroline seeks out London’s most notorious rake. Braden Granville is determined to find out the name of his fiancées lover – a name Caroline holds.
The story is set in 1890’s London and it’s told from several of the characters perspective. The teller knows it all and allows us to see the thoughts of several characters, only one at each instant. I really liked this story telling, especially that we get to follow both Caroline and Braden through their struggles.
The main plot is the tutelage between Braden and Caroline and this plot is wonderful. Their chemistry is to die for and the romance incredibly hot. However, all is not easy when it comes to true love. There is an interesting subplot, which opens the book and that involves Caroline’s brother, her fiancé and a mysterious “Duke”. Both stories unfold beautifully and intertwine in the end of the book.
I’m completely hooked on this (for me) new genre. The love story was the very best – I truly cared for both Caroline and Braden wishing them both a very happy ending. Their love connection was smoking hot and totally absorbed me from reality. The characters developed nicely during the book and as I learned more and more about them I loved the more and more. The book was fast-paced, sparkling and excited and I just wanted to read on – but at the same time I didn’t want it to end.
Lady Caroline Linford is a great heroine and I suspect that she’s drawn generic so that the reader can see herself as Caroline. Caroline is engaged to the Marquis of Winchilsea and in the first chapter Caroline walks in on him and another woman. Unfortunately, Victorian society do not allow for a broken engagement over such a trifle. Determined to win his heart Caroline seeks out London’s most notorious rake. Braden Granville is determined to find out the name of his fiancées lover – a name Caroline holds.
The story is set in 1890’s London and it’s told from several of the characters perspective. The teller knows it all and allows us to see the thoughts of several characters, only one at each instant. I really liked this story telling, especially that we get to follow both Caroline and Braden through their struggles.
The main plot is the tutelage between Braden and Caroline and this plot is wonderful. Their chemistry is to die for and the romance incredibly hot. However, all is not easy when it comes to true love. There is an interesting subplot, which opens the book and that involves Caroline’s brother, her fiancé and a mysterious “Duke”. Both stories unfold beautifully and intertwine in the end of the book.
I’m completely hooked on this (for me) new genre. The love story was the very best – I truly cared for both Caroline and Braden wishing them both a very happy ending. Their love connection was smoking hot and totally absorbed me from reality. The characters developed nicely during the book and as I learned more and more about them I loved the more and more. The book was fast-paced, sparkling and excited and I just wanted to read on – but at the same time I didn’t want it to end.
September 11, 2011
I'm rereading some old favourites because there aren't many new releases that appeal at the moment. Long before author Meg Cabot became a famous YA author of books like The Princess Diaries, she wrote sexy adult historical romances under the pseudonym Patricia Cabot. Educating Caroline is a hidden gem which deserves to be a lot better known than it is.
Lady Caroline Linford is an intelligent but naive society Miss who has recently become engaged to the man who saved her brother's life. But at a ball she discovers her fiance ravishing another woman and everything she believed about love and marriage is upturned. Her mother offers no sympathy and instead castigates Caroline for not making herself attractive enough to her fiance. Caroline turns to Braden Granville, the Lothario of London (whose own fiance was the other woman) for theoretical 'lessons' on love and desire.
Braden Granville is a boy from the streets made good. His business has made him wealthy and given him entree into the upper echelons of society. Now 31 he has decided to marry and affianced himself to the delectable but morally challenged Lady Jacqueline. He soon realises his fiance is cheating on him and only after his money but is reluctant to break the engagement and have to pay a large breach of contract suit. Instead he is trying to catch her red-handed with one of her paramours and prove that she is the guilty party in the breakup. It is at one of these moments that he spies Lady Caroline who has just witnessed the two guilty fiancees together.
Caroline and Granville subsequently form a business deal to help them both get what they desire but what starts out to be all about their partners soon becomes all about their own new feelings. Caroline is adorably susceptible to Granville's "lessons". When he kisses her she forgets everything and everyone around her and afterwards can't believe or even understand how he got so far. The author writes this part so well. You can really feel how amazed Caroline is by the newness and previously unimaginable passion of her responses.
There is an ongoing thread in the story where Granville notices that Caroline is becoming more and more beautiful each time he sees her. He is totally befuddled by this and can't understand how he didn't see it from the beginning. Of course we as the readers know it's because he's falling in love with her but watching his bemusement is both amusing and endearing.
The plot involving Caroline's brother and an evil underworld figure adds suspense and action to the story and it's a great vehicle for Granville to come and save the day and win the girl. The secondary characters are delightful, the servants, Tommy and Emily. Even the bad guys are well fleshed out and given some comic moments of their own. Caroline's pragmatic view of the suffrage movement is hilarious.
I love every word of this novel and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a witty and charming historical romance.
Lady Caroline Linford is an intelligent but naive society Miss who has recently become engaged to the man who saved her brother's life. But at a ball she discovers her fiance ravishing another woman and everything she believed about love and marriage is upturned. Her mother offers no sympathy and instead castigates Caroline for not making herself attractive enough to her fiance. Caroline turns to Braden Granville, the Lothario of London (whose own fiance was the other woman) for theoretical 'lessons' on love and desire.
Braden Granville is a boy from the streets made good. His business has made him wealthy and given him entree into the upper echelons of society. Now 31 he has decided to marry and affianced himself to the delectable but morally challenged Lady Jacqueline. He soon realises his fiance is cheating on him and only after his money but is reluctant to break the engagement and have to pay a large breach of contract suit. Instead he is trying to catch her red-handed with one of her paramours and prove that she is the guilty party in the breakup. It is at one of these moments that he spies Lady Caroline who has just witnessed the two guilty fiancees together.
Caroline and Granville subsequently form a business deal to help them both get what they desire but what starts out to be all about their partners soon becomes all about their own new feelings. Caroline is adorably susceptible to Granville's "lessons". When he kisses her she forgets everything and everyone around her and afterwards can't believe or even understand how he got so far. The author writes this part so well. You can really feel how amazed Caroline is by the newness and previously unimaginable passion of her responses.
There is an ongoing thread in the story where Granville notices that Caroline is becoming more and more beautiful each time he sees her. He is totally befuddled by this and can't understand how he didn't see it from the beginning. Of course we as the readers know it's because he's falling in love with her but watching his bemusement is both amusing and endearing.
The plot involving Caroline's brother and an evil underworld figure adds suspense and action to the story and it's a great vehicle for Granville to come and save the day and win the girl. The secondary characters are delightful, the servants, Tommy and Emily. Even the bad guys are well fleshed out and given some comic moments of their own. Caroline's pragmatic view of the suffrage movement is hilarious.
I love every word of this novel and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a witty and charming historical romance.
August 15, 2015
A long time ago, I liked to collect books written by my favorite authors. Consequently I bought this book along with two others, because I love Meg Cabot.
SO my review of this book, Where Roses Grow Wild and Kiss the Bride . Which is ok, because these three historical romances have pretty much the same plot anyway.
These books really pissed me off. Like to the point where I'm done with historical romances, (except I'll still read Georgette Heyer.)
I am just so SO sick and tired of this trope.
Man meets woman, they kiss. He knows he shouldn't have because it's inappropriate but he just couldn't help himself. THAT'S RIGHT, HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF. She was just too (beautiful, alluring, interesting, naive, frustrating, etc.)
And then the woman is all "How dare you?!" but secretly she's like that was so wonderful. He's so (handsome, commanding, masterful, manly, strong, etc.) I'm suddenly in love with him but I don't want to be with him.
They meet again. He kisses her again. She says (No, Stop, Don't)
BUT HE KEEPS DOING IT, because. This is the part that really pisses me off. BECAUSE HE KNOWS SHE LIKES IT.
Oh, no. SHe can't REALLY mean No, because I can tell she's aroused. I can tell she's really enjoying it. (Even though she doesn't know what's happening to her body, she's already said no, she knows it's inappropriate and doesn't want to be ruined before marriage.) And then the kissing gets more and more intense and beyond kissing. And she keeps protesting, but eventually accepts it.
And then the man thinks, I would stop if she said no. I'm like HELLO! SHE JUST SAID NO, LIKE 5 TIMES. Well, I would stop if she said NO and really wanted me to stop.
UGH! I hate that stupid bull crap. Who the heck would think that's ok?
These woman are just super lucky they end up marrying these men. (Or are they?)
So, I'm just done in general, with the whole genre.
(This was my favorite of the 3 because I liked the stuff about the women's suffrage movement. And of the three male leads I liked this one the best.)
SO my review of this book, Where Roses Grow Wild and Kiss the Bride . Which is ok, because these three historical romances have pretty much the same plot anyway.
These books really pissed me off. Like to the point where I'm done with historical romances, (except I'll still read Georgette Heyer.)
I am just so SO sick and tired of this trope.
Man meets woman, they kiss. He knows he shouldn't have because it's inappropriate but he just couldn't help himself. THAT'S RIGHT, HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF. She was just too (beautiful, alluring, interesting, naive, frustrating, etc.)
And then the woman is all "How dare you?!" but secretly she's like that was so wonderful. He's so (handsome, commanding, masterful, manly, strong, etc.) I'm suddenly in love with him but I don't want to be with him.
They meet again. He kisses her again. She says (No, Stop, Don't)
BUT HE KEEPS DOING IT, because. This is the part that really pisses me off. BECAUSE HE KNOWS SHE LIKES IT.
Oh, no. SHe can't REALLY mean No, because I can tell she's aroused. I can tell she's really enjoying it. (Even though she doesn't know what's happening to her body, she's already said no, she knows it's inappropriate and doesn't want to be ruined before marriage.) And then the kissing gets more and more intense and beyond kissing. And she keeps protesting, but eventually accepts it.
And then the man thinks, I would stop if she said no. I'm like HELLO! SHE JUST SAID NO, LIKE 5 TIMES. Well, I would stop if she said NO and really wanted me to stop.
UGH! I hate that stupid bull crap. Who the heck would think that's ok?
These woman are just super lucky they end up marrying these men. (Or are they?)
So, I'm just done in general, with the whole genre.
(This was my favorite of the 3 because I liked the stuff about the women's suffrage movement. And of the three male leads I liked this one the best.)
July 25, 2025
First read in 2007: *****
Latest "read" (as an audiobook) in July 2025: *****
Again, all the stars for this charming festival of absurdity!
I just love this book, and the audiobook version, narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown, is also a delight.
Not a delight but totally absurd is the pricing of this 24-year-old book. The Kindle edition is 13.84 € in Germany (13.99 $ in the US). WHY???
____
(Original review from 2010)
In 2007, "Educating Caroline" was one of my very first historical romance reads and it got me excited about the genre. The plot is just one of many love-lesson stories, and it's not particularly sensational, but the realization is. That is, if you don't take the book too seriously. I can't remember ever having so much fun with a romance novel or laughing so much while reading. Patricia Cabot (a pseudonym of Meg Cabot, who has published eight historical romances under this name) exaggerates excessively and shamelessly but I enjoyed her humor and the comical situations. I also loved her witty, charming main characters, Braden and Caroline.
Caroline in particular is simply adorable. At the advanced age of 21 years, she's the epitome of innocence, at least when it comes to love affairs. She hasn't the slightest idea about sexual matters and reveals her boundless naivety in the first scene already, when she watches and comments the shocking frivolities between her fiancé, Hurst, and her former schoolmate, Lady Jacquelyn, with stunned amazement:
She rather wished she would faint, because then she might at least have been spared the sight of the Lady Jacquelyn inserting her finger into Hurst's mouth.
Now why, Caroline wondered, did she do that? Did men enjoy having women's fingers shoved into their mouths?
Evidently they did, because the marquis began at once to suck noisily upon it.
Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned this to her? If the marquis had wanted Caroline to put her finger into his mouth, she most certainly would have done so, if it would have made him happy. Really, it was completely unnecessary for him to turn to Lady Jacquelyn—with whom he was barely acquainted, let alone engaged —for something as simple as that.
Although her sexual naivety is stretched to the point of implausibility, Caroline is a wonderful character. She is warm-hearted, compassionate, unbiased, loyal, and reliable. Her thoughts tend to meander but she's also practical and always tries to face life with optimism. For example, she finds her schooling useful because now she can say, "Please stop beating your horse" in five different languages. And after discovering her fiancé with Lady Jacquelyn, her main concern is the least elaborate way to uninvite the wedding guests instead of writing five hundred letters. "Five hundred letters. That was a bit much. Her hand usually cramped up after only two or three. […] Perhaps she could merely put an announcement in the paper." She also consoles herself, reasoning: "It could have been worse. She couldn't think how, but she supposed it could."
Because her mother insists that it's normal for men like Hurst to have mistresses, Caroline agrees to marry the Marquis despite his unfaithfulness and the fact that he'll marry her only for her money, not for love. To change that and win him over, she decides to fight for him and learn the "unpleasant" things mistresses do and wives don't. She needs someone to teach her these things, however, and that's when Braden Granville comes into play.
Gunsmith Braden Granville, formerly known as "Dead Eye", is the exact opposite of Caroline. Coming from the poorest of backgrounds, the upstart has made a fortune in the firearms business and is considered a master marksman. He has seen and experienced it all. He continues to surround himself with a rather illustrious company, including his more or less helpful secretary, Ronnie "Weasel" Ambrose, an old friend from Seven Dials, and his father, Sylvester, who became "half mad" since his wife's death.
In both his business and private life, Braden is said to be ruthless, and he is called "the Lothario of London", who allegedly slept with more women than any other man in the city. Hardly anything surprises him–except Caroline with her request for love lessons and her little blackmail. Caroline's extraordinarily naivety repeatedly leaves him stunned, and he tries to organize his tutoring accordingly, talking about harmless topics like romantic atmosphere. However, the inquisitive Caroline, armed with spectacles, a notebook and a pen, won't settle for that.
"Could we perhaps save this discussion on atmosphere—which is fascinating, believe me—for another time, and go straight into kissing?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Kissing?"
"Yes," Caroline said. "Kissing. And then I should like to discuss that thing you did last night, with your finger."
He coughed. So much for impersonal. […]
"All right, then," he said. "Kissing. Very well. One hears, of course, about kissing all the time, but what one may not know is that kissing is a very important part of the—"
Lady Caroline interrupted him. "There is a particular kind of kiss I'd like to discuss, one that I've had occasion to observe. It is the kind in which the persons engaged in it stick their tongues into one another's mouth."
He could not help staring at her own mouth as she said this. It was a very pretty mouth, rosebud pink and imminently kissable. He dragged his gaze from it with an effort. "You've observed this."
She nodded emphatically. "Oh, yes. There is certainly such a thing. I've seen it done."
He wondered if he had ever, even in his childhood, been as absurdly innocent, and then decided that it was unlikely. He cleared his throat. "Yes. Well, that particular kind of kissing you've described is rather . . ."
"Disgusting," she finished for him, with a knowing look.
Braden blinked at her. He couldn't help it. Really, what was wrong with that fiancé of hers? Was he more than just a fop? Was he, Braden couldn't help wondering, one of those? Braden had always rather thought he might be. It was certainly the only reason he could think of why the fellow had yet to bed Lady Caroline. He was either fey or a fool, or possibly some combination of both.
Since words don't help overcome Caroline's prejudices, Braden has no choice but to resort to practical persuasion. This is not at all difficult for him, despite her eccentricities. He finds her endearing from the moment she shows up in his office with her strange proposal and falls head over heels in love with the weird girl. He just knows that they belong together and does everything he can to win her over, without forgetting his honor.
In stark contrast to the two main characters are their respective fiancés, Jacquelyn and Hurst. Hailing from impoverished old nobility, they are pretty one-dimensional, characterized above all by their lack of loyalty, their slyness and calculation. They both marry only for financial reasons and will do anything to achieve their goals, especially Lady Jacquelyn, who is beautiful yet malicious. Her lover, the Marquis, has an angelic, albeit unmanly appearance, but is quite the airhead. Caroline admits that he's "much more of an outdoorsman than an intellectual [and] had never written anything longer than a check". Even Hurst is "impressed with himself and his newly discovered insight" at one point, because he's "unused to ever having inspirations of any kind".
And it's not just the two of them, the other supporting characters are little but valuable assets to the plot as well. This is especially true for Emily, Caroline's friend, who also houses Caroline's rescued horses. Emily is quite progressive: She's dedicated to the women's suffrage movement. Caroline has to bail her out of prison several times because Emily has been arrested for chaining herself to the carriage wheels of various members of Parliament. When it comes to sexuality, though, Emily is as clueless as Caroline herself, so their conversations and speculations are priceless.
This romance novel is a real gem – if you're a fan of Cabot's humor and writing style. If you don't, you probably won't like the book.
Latest "read" (as an audiobook) in July 2025: *****
Again, all the stars for this charming festival of absurdity!
I just love this book, and the audiobook version, narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown, is also a delight.
Not a delight but totally absurd is the pricing of this 24-year-old book. The Kindle edition is 13.84 € in Germany (13.99 $ in the US). WHY???
____
(Original review from 2010)
In 2007, "Educating Caroline" was one of my very first historical romance reads and it got me excited about the genre. The plot is just one of many love-lesson stories, and it's not particularly sensational, but the realization is. That is, if you don't take the book too seriously. I can't remember ever having so much fun with a romance novel or laughing so much while reading. Patricia Cabot (a pseudonym of Meg Cabot, who has published eight historical romances under this name) exaggerates excessively and shamelessly but I enjoyed her humor and the comical situations. I also loved her witty, charming main characters, Braden and Caroline.
Caroline in particular is simply adorable. At the advanced age of 21 years, she's the epitome of innocence, at least when it comes to love affairs. She hasn't the slightest idea about sexual matters and reveals her boundless naivety in the first scene already, when she watches and comments the shocking frivolities between her fiancé, Hurst, and her former schoolmate, Lady Jacquelyn, with stunned amazement:
She rather wished she would faint, because then she might at least have been spared the sight of the Lady Jacquelyn inserting her finger into Hurst's mouth.
Now why, Caroline wondered, did she do that? Did men enjoy having women's fingers shoved into their mouths?
Evidently they did, because the marquis began at once to suck noisily upon it.
Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned this to her? If the marquis had wanted Caroline to put her finger into his mouth, she most certainly would have done so, if it would have made him happy. Really, it was completely unnecessary for him to turn to Lady Jacquelyn—with whom he was barely acquainted, let alone engaged —for something as simple as that.
Although her sexual naivety is stretched to the point of implausibility, Caroline is a wonderful character. She is warm-hearted, compassionate, unbiased, loyal, and reliable. Her thoughts tend to meander but she's also practical and always tries to face life with optimism. For example, she finds her schooling useful because now she can say, "Please stop beating your horse" in five different languages. And after discovering her fiancé with Lady Jacquelyn, her main concern is the least elaborate way to uninvite the wedding guests instead of writing five hundred letters. "Five hundred letters. That was a bit much. Her hand usually cramped up after only two or three. […] Perhaps she could merely put an announcement in the paper." She also consoles herself, reasoning: "It could have been worse. She couldn't think how, but she supposed it could."
Because her mother insists that it's normal for men like Hurst to have mistresses, Caroline agrees to marry the Marquis despite his unfaithfulness and the fact that he'll marry her only for her money, not for love. To change that and win him over, she decides to fight for him and learn the "unpleasant" things mistresses do and wives don't. She needs someone to teach her these things, however, and that's when Braden Granville comes into play.
Gunsmith Braden Granville, formerly known as "Dead Eye", is the exact opposite of Caroline. Coming from the poorest of backgrounds, the upstart has made a fortune in the firearms business and is considered a master marksman. He has seen and experienced it all. He continues to surround himself with a rather illustrious company, including his more or less helpful secretary, Ronnie "Weasel" Ambrose, an old friend from Seven Dials, and his father, Sylvester, who became "half mad" since his wife's death.
In both his business and private life, Braden is said to be ruthless, and he is called "the Lothario of London", who allegedly slept with more women than any other man in the city. Hardly anything surprises him–except Caroline with her request for love lessons and her little blackmail. Caroline's extraordinarily naivety repeatedly leaves him stunned, and he tries to organize his tutoring accordingly, talking about harmless topics like romantic atmosphere. However, the inquisitive Caroline, armed with spectacles, a notebook and a pen, won't settle for that.
"Could we perhaps save this discussion on atmosphere—which is fascinating, believe me—for another time, and go straight into kissing?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Kissing?"
"Yes," Caroline said. "Kissing. And then I should like to discuss that thing you did last night, with your finger."
He coughed. So much for impersonal. […]
"All right, then," he said. "Kissing. Very well. One hears, of course, about kissing all the time, but what one may not know is that kissing is a very important part of the—"
Lady Caroline interrupted him. "There is a particular kind of kiss I'd like to discuss, one that I've had occasion to observe. It is the kind in which the persons engaged in it stick their tongues into one another's mouth."
He could not help staring at her own mouth as she said this. It was a very pretty mouth, rosebud pink and imminently kissable. He dragged his gaze from it with an effort. "You've observed this."
She nodded emphatically. "Oh, yes. There is certainly such a thing. I've seen it done."
He wondered if he had ever, even in his childhood, been as absurdly innocent, and then decided that it was unlikely. He cleared his throat. "Yes. Well, that particular kind of kissing you've described is rather . . ."
"Disgusting," she finished for him, with a knowing look.
Braden blinked at her. He couldn't help it. Really, what was wrong with that fiancé of hers? Was he more than just a fop? Was he, Braden couldn't help wondering, one of those? Braden had always rather thought he might be. It was certainly the only reason he could think of why the fellow had yet to bed Lady Caroline. He was either fey or a fool, or possibly some combination of both.
Since words don't help overcome Caroline's prejudices, Braden has no choice but to resort to practical persuasion. This is not at all difficult for him, despite her eccentricities. He finds her endearing from the moment she shows up in his office with her strange proposal and falls head over heels in love with the weird girl. He just knows that they belong together and does everything he can to win her over, without forgetting his honor.
In stark contrast to the two main characters are their respective fiancés, Jacquelyn and Hurst. Hailing from impoverished old nobility, they are pretty one-dimensional, characterized above all by their lack of loyalty, their slyness and calculation. They both marry only for financial reasons and will do anything to achieve their goals, especially Lady Jacquelyn, who is beautiful yet malicious. Her lover, the Marquis, has an angelic, albeit unmanly appearance, but is quite the airhead. Caroline admits that he's "much more of an outdoorsman than an intellectual [and] had never written anything longer than a check". Even Hurst is "impressed with himself and his newly discovered insight" at one point, because he's "unused to ever having inspirations of any kind".
And it's not just the two of them, the other supporting characters are little but valuable assets to the plot as well. This is especially true for Emily, Caroline's friend, who also houses Caroline's rescued horses. Emily is quite progressive: She's dedicated to the women's suffrage movement. Caroline has to bail her out of prison several times because Emily has been arrested for chaining herself to the carriage wheels of various members of Parliament. When it comes to sexuality, though, Emily is as clueless as Caroline herself, so their conversations and speculations are priceless.
This romance novel is a real gem – if you're a fan of Cabot's humor and writing style. If you don't, you probably won't like the book.
July 5, 2016
I am going to start with what worked and what did not work before I do my plot rehash.
The two major characters are well done. Caroline is spunky, smart and quite curious when it comes to sex as long as it isn't her fiancee, the rather pretty and boring Marquis. Braden, the H, is a fish out of Victorian water, a self made man, he is a big, huge bruiser who falls for Caroline's sweetness and sense of honor. The writing is light but not frothy. For some reason, the book did not catch for me, but that could be just me as I have had some sad family stuff that is taking precedent so take the review/rating with a grain of salt.
The story starts with a bang, literally. Poor Caroline sees her fiancee in flagrante delicto with the beautiful but despicable Lady Jacqueline. Lady J happens to be engaged to the supremely attractive, supremely wealthy but baseborn Seven Dials survivor, Braden Granville (awesome name) who is doing his best to find out who Lady J is trysting with. And so, just outside the little den of iniquity, our H and h meet.
While Caroline is only engaged to the cheating Marquis as he saved her brother from dying from a gunshot wound, her mother is supremely unsympathetic over Caroline's desire to cancel the engagement. It just isn't done and no one will marry her. Can't have a spinster! Braden has his own problems. If he cancels HIS engagement, the proud but poverty stricken Jacqueline will take him for all he's worth over the broken contract.
To make a long story short, Caroline extends the meet cute into an opportunity to be schooled by Braden in the art of love and seduction hence the Educating portion of the title. Caroline comes armed with spectacles and notepaper but Braden has a more empirical experience planned. The sex/love scenes are...hmmmm...quite nicely done. Despite his experience, the H is known as the Lothario of London, he is quite smitten with little miss innocent. One might almost call it love.
The rest of the plot unfolds as Caroline is drawn more and more to Braden and his awesome physicality while Lady J plot with the Marquis to keep the affair alive and marry Braden for money.
There is a parallel plotline regarding the Marquis and his involvement with the man that shot Caroline's brother, but I skimmed it.
Bottom line, we have a HEA folks, but Lady J ends up with another which I found disappointing. She is such an entitled and titled pill, she certainly deserves more of a comeuppance that having to marry an older man rather than a lover worthy of the name "Lothario of London". Nice epilogue.
The two major characters are well done. Caroline is spunky, smart and quite curious when it comes to sex as long as it isn't her fiancee, the rather pretty and boring Marquis. Braden, the H, is a fish out of Victorian water, a self made man, he is a big, huge bruiser who falls for Caroline's sweetness and sense of honor. The writing is light but not frothy. For some reason, the book did not catch for me, but that could be just me as I have had some sad family stuff that is taking precedent so take the review/rating with a grain of salt.
The story starts with a bang, literally. Poor Caroline sees her fiancee in flagrante delicto with the beautiful but despicable Lady Jacqueline. Lady J happens to be engaged to the supremely attractive, supremely wealthy but baseborn Seven Dials survivor, Braden Granville (awesome name) who is doing his best to find out who Lady J is trysting with. And so, just outside the little den of iniquity, our H and h meet.
While Caroline is only engaged to the cheating Marquis as he saved her brother from dying from a gunshot wound, her mother is supremely unsympathetic over Caroline's desire to cancel the engagement. It just isn't done and no one will marry her. Can't have a spinster! Braden has his own problems. If he cancels HIS engagement, the proud but poverty stricken Jacqueline will take him for all he's worth over the broken contract.
To make a long story short, Caroline extends the meet cute into an opportunity to be schooled by Braden in the art of love and seduction hence the Educating portion of the title. Caroline comes armed with spectacles and notepaper but Braden has a more empirical experience planned. The sex/love scenes are...hmmmm...quite nicely done. Despite his experience, the H is known as the Lothario of London, he is quite smitten with little miss innocent. One might almost call it love.
The rest of the plot unfolds as Caroline is drawn more and more to Braden and his awesome physicality while Lady J plot with the Marquis to keep the affair alive and marry Braden for money.
There is a parallel plotline regarding the Marquis and his involvement with the man that shot Caroline's brother, but I skimmed it.
Bottom line, we have a HEA folks, but Lady J ends up with another which I found disappointing. She is such an entitled and titled pill, she certainly deserves more of a comeuppance that having to marry an older man rather than a lover worthy of the name "Lothario of London". Nice epilogue.
October 4, 2022
to the person on tiktok who shared this book because you wanted to stop gatekeeping, you should’ve just kept gatekeeping this
October 15, 2024
₊⊹⁀➴ 5 stars
educating caroline is CRIMINALLY underrated.
educating caroline is CRIMINALLY underrated.
August 12, 2025
My first book by this writer. It was OK but in the end I didn't love it. *shrug*
It's a reprint of a book published over 20 years ago. Not the typical HR writing style I'm used to - it has a very specific, light-hearted kind of tone, and at first I didn't mind it. But for me the book was too long, and it began to drag. I got tired of the author's distinctive voice and tone. It became a little grating- it felt a little artificial and forced. For those who can just go with it though, I'm sure the book would be much more enjoyable than it was for me.
I initially felt the MMC's name of 'Braden' was way too modern, but I had to eat my words when I googled it, to find it's an ancient English/Saxon name. Oops. OK, point to Ms Cabot. LOL.
The plot was decent, although there were a couple of annoying/ridiculous points that had me rolling my eyes a little.
A somewhat dated aspect of the book was the number of times that Braden kissed (or petted) Caroline when she said no, but he just kept right on going. Because actually, she really wants it, right? Yeah, no. That trope doesn't work anymore in 2025. (Thank goodness).
So, the read started off well, but as I read on, I grew a bit tired of the writing style and of a couple of weak plot points. I may well be an outlier here, as there are many, many fans of this writer and this book. Perhaps if I'd read it as an uncritical teen, I might have enjoyed it more. It does have a bit of a YA feel, actually, although there are definitely some adult scenes. But I don't think I'll be hunting down and reading anything more by this author. Just not my cup of tea.
It's a reprint of a book published over 20 years ago. Not the typical HR writing style I'm used to - it has a very specific, light-hearted kind of tone, and at first I didn't mind it. But for me the book was too long, and it began to drag. I got tired of the author's distinctive voice and tone. It became a little grating- it felt a little artificial and forced. For those who can just go with it though, I'm sure the book would be much more enjoyable than it was for me.
I initially felt the MMC's name of 'Braden' was way too modern, but I had to eat my words when I googled it, to find it's an ancient English/Saxon name. Oops. OK, point to Ms Cabot. LOL.
The plot was decent, although there were a couple of annoying/ridiculous points that had me rolling my eyes a little.
A somewhat dated aspect of the book was the number of times that Braden kissed (or petted) Caroline when she said no, but he just kept right on going. Because actually, she really wants it, right? Yeah, no. That trope doesn't work anymore in 2025. (Thank goodness).
So, the read started off well, but as I read on, I grew a bit tired of the writing style and of a couple of weak plot points. I may well be an outlier here, as there are many, many fans of this writer and this book. Perhaps if I'd read it as an uncritical teen, I might have enjoyed it more. It does have a bit of a YA feel, actually, although there are definitely some adult scenes. But I don't think I'll be hunting down and reading anything more by this author. Just not my cup of tea.
May 1, 2022
The book sets off with Caroline, catching her fiancé, Hurst, sleeping with another woman at a party. But when the suspicious Braden, a famous rake and gunsmith, comes along searching for his fiancée, which happens to be the woman sleeping with Caroline’s fiancé, Caroline freaks out and tries to divert Braden for fear that he will shoot Hurst.
Caroline decides that Hurst cheated on her because she’s unexperienced so now she has questions about the art of seduction, and when no one can give her the answers that she needs, she approaches Braden with a deal: she will testify that she saw his fiancée cheating on him, if he will give her lessons on seduction.
I really enjoyed this one! The chemistry between Caroline and Branden it’s amazing and I liked that their relationship was slow and evolved gradually, it made more believable to me.
The subplot and secondary characters are good, I loved Emmy and I wish there was a book with her as the heroine. All the characters are well-defined, they are not included in the story just to play their role in the life of the heroine. You have the feeling that they are well-rounded people, which I loved!
It was also quite funny, I found myself laughing out loud more than once.
Caroline decides that Hurst cheated on her because she’s unexperienced so now she has questions about the art of seduction, and when no one can give her the answers that she needs, she approaches Braden with a deal: she will testify that she saw his fiancée cheating on him, if he will give her lessons on seduction.
I really enjoyed this one! The chemistry between Caroline and Branden it’s amazing and I liked that their relationship was slow and evolved gradually, it made more believable to me.
The subplot and secondary characters are good, I loved Emmy and I wish there was a book with her as the heroine. All the characters are well-defined, they are not included in the story just to play their role in the life of the heroine. You have the feeling that they are well-rounded people, which I loved!
It was also quite funny, I found myself laughing out loud more than once.
May 5, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this little shit show!
While there was way too many things going on in this book, I was still engaged all the way until the end. It was witty, romantic, and cute. Again, a bit too much happening, and it wasn’t exactly what I would call realistic, but the writing was so good that I didn’t care. I liked all of the characters, but Emily was the BEST side character ever and she deserves her own book!
While there was way too many things going on in this book, I was still engaged all the way until the end. It was witty, romantic, and cute. Again, a bit too much happening, and it wasn’t exactly what I would call realistic, but the writing was so good that I didn’t care. I liked all of the characters, but Emily was the BEST side character ever and she deserves her own book!
October 16, 2016
I felt like some chick lit, and spotted a Meg Cabot novel on the iBooks sale list - it was a light, fluffy, funny thing I'd already read in high school. Some stalking in the same vein on my recommended reads list unearthed this and, seed planted, I decided to go with it. Surely, I thought, the Cabot must mean this was written under one of Meg's pen names.
I was right, because I am a genius, but assumed this book would be a witty, plot-driven romance that was less Fifty Shades and more Ten Things I Hate About You, because I am an idiot. The plot of this book is as follows:
Caroline: Crap, that's my fiance, totally banging some other chick - quick, what should I do?
Audience: Call it off! Punch him in the face! Storm in and make a scene!
Caroline: Guess I'll just wait here in this hallway then. Look, here comes Braden, looking angry
Braden: I'm always angry.
Caroline: I guess my fiance cheated on me because I'm no good at kissing. Wait, I know!
*Some days later*
Caroline: Braden, you're a huge slut, will you give me sex lessons?
Braden: What, this is legit how we meet? You want sex lessons?
Caroline: Yes, that is the plotline here
Braden: WTF no
*Some days later*
Braden: Changed my mind because of some boring crap at the opera. Time for your sex lessons
Caroline: Oh awkward, I don't want them now
Braden: Too bad, I'm going to stalk you until you let me teach you about sex, purely theoretically though obvs
*Some days later*
Caroline: Oops we made out
Braden: Damn
Caroline: That was a bad idea, no more of that
*Some days later*
Caroline: Oops we made out again
Braden: I got to second base!
Caroline: Is that what that's called? Definitely no more of that
*Some days later*
Braden: Well, here we are, in an abandoned country house, on a bear skin rug. Better not do anything
Caroline: Yeah, better not, even though I'm wearing this slutty nightgown
*Some hours later*
Caroline: We totally banged. I am 100% still maybe going to marry my fiance though
Braden: Really? That guy sucks. I had a fiance too and I ditched her. Also, your brother got shot oops should have told you that sooner
*The end. Epilogue*
Braden: I'm so glad we got married thanks to some super complicated crap that got skipped over
Caroline: Yeah too bad you guys didn't get to hear much about that it was pretty interesting! Also, my brother got shot twice and it's like the nineteenth century but somehow he's still alive
There, now you don't have to read it.
Also, you might think all the make outs and sexy bits would make this book interesting, but they somehow don't. About halfway through I sought out and bought a book about changing habits to read instead. Like seriously THE SEX BOOK was less interesting than a book about EATING MORE KALE AND THROWING OUT OLD SOCKS. Like maybe I'm just getting old but damn, that ain't right.
I was right, because I am a genius, but assumed this book would be a witty, plot-driven romance that was less Fifty Shades and more Ten Things I Hate About You, because I am an idiot. The plot of this book is as follows:
Caroline: Crap, that's my fiance, totally banging some other chick - quick, what should I do?
Audience: Call it off! Punch him in the face! Storm in and make a scene!
Caroline: Guess I'll just wait here in this hallway then. Look, here comes Braden, looking angry
Braden: I'm always angry.
Caroline: I guess my fiance cheated on me because I'm no good at kissing. Wait, I know!
*Some days later*
Caroline: Braden, you're a huge slut, will you give me sex lessons?
Braden: What, this is legit how we meet? You want sex lessons?
Caroline: Yes, that is the plotline here
Braden: WTF no
*Some days later*
Braden: Changed my mind because of some boring crap at the opera. Time for your sex lessons
Caroline: Oh awkward, I don't want them now
Braden: Too bad, I'm going to stalk you until you let me teach you about sex, purely theoretically though obvs
*Some days later*
Caroline: Oops we made out
Braden: Damn
Caroline: That was a bad idea, no more of that
*Some days later*
Caroline: Oops we made out again
Braden: I got to second base!
Caroline: Is that what that's called? Definitely no more of that
*Some days later*
Braden: Well, here we are, in an abandoned country house, on a bear skin rug. Better not do anything
Caroline: Yeah, better not, even though I'm wearing this slutty nightgown
*Some hours later*
Caroline: We totally banged. I am 100% still maybe going to marry my fiance though
Braden: Really? That guy sucks. I had a fiance too and I ditched her. Also, your brother got shot oops should have told you that sooner
*The end. Epilogue*
Braden: I'm so glad we got married thanks to some super complicated crap that got skipped over
Caroline: Yeah too bad you guys didn't get to hear much about that it was pretty interesting! Also, my brother got shot twice and it's like the nineteenth century but somehow he's still alive
There, now you don't have to read it.
Also, you might think all the make outs and sexy bits would make this book interesting, but they somehow don't. About halfway through I sought out and bought a book about changing habits to read instead. Like seriously THE SEX BOOK was less interesting than a book about EATING MORE KALE AND THROWING OUT OLD SOCKS. Like maybe I'm just getting old but damn, that ain't right.
December 27, 2012
I read Regency romances avidly. This is among the most delightful I've read this year. You must read this book. The characters are charming, well-defined and believable. The plot has depth and substance, but is not gratuitously intricate. You read on to find out what happens next page after page. The interactions between hero and heroine are delightful, unexpected, revealing and endearing. And, ladies, Ms. Cabot can write a blistering love scene that is altogether proportionate and natural, not just heavy breathing, pointy nipples and shattering into tiny bits over and over ad nauseam. This is a novel more about relationships between people than it is a heavily contexualized, historically-detailed tale with all sorts of tidbits about the time 200 years ago. The language is natural, not overly arch or interlarded with Regency slang. But there is accuracy and enough detail to give the narrative a sense of reality. I know I appreciate reading what everyone else says when choosing books, so that's I why I want to add my voice to the chorus of praise: the previous reviewer is 100% right! Cabot has written a romance to read and reread. I didn't come across a single cringe-worthy, eye-roll-inducing trite thing, not a one. Yes, the conventions of the genre are there but done in fresh ways I enjoyed. I did wonder, for instance, if the whole bargaining-with-the-rake-for-love-lessons thing was going to go over. But I think it really did with Cabot's deft handling and in the context of the plot. The H/H are meant for one another but not in the one-look-and-they're-struck-stupid way, but with a slow, evolving understanding that was believable and allowed for truly wonderful scenes throughout. The secondary characters are quite good, well-drawn and in the case of villain/villanesses deliciously detestable.
March 25, 2018
I think perhaps Meg Cabot's style doesn't transition well into historicals. She doesn't seem to care very much about writing in anachronic expressions or behaviours.
Also I couldn't handle the tired sexist tropes. "Oh the hero has slept with more women than any other man in London"... charming. I'm sure his dick isn't rotten with syphilis at all. "Oh the heroine is such a virginal princess, and it's her innocence that finally dazzles the rake". YAWN. Plus all those internal monologues where the hero compares the heroine to some sort of fruit, like a "ripe peach" or a "delectable nectarine" (barf).
DNF @ 30%
Also I couldn't handle the tired sexist tropes. "Oh the hero has slept with more women than any other man in London"... charming. I'm sure his dick isn't rotten with syphilis at all. "Oh the heroine is such a virginal princess, and it's her innocence that finally dazzles the rake". YAWN. Plus all those internal monologues where the hero compares the heroine to some sort of fruit, like a "ripe peach" or a "delectable nectarine" (barf).
DNF @ 30%
June 27, 2022
similar vibe to ‘storm and silence’ and the film adaption of ‘emma’! really cute :)
May 14, 2022
There was no education to be had in this, by either the reader or Caroline.
October 10, 2019
Might have read and re-read about four times in the last week.
May 14, 2022
2.3? I dont know man, i hate skipping chapters or scenes but with this one i just had to. I skipped so many chapters at the end its so unusual for me.
It was fine in the beginning, i suppose. It was slow paced, around 200+ pages we finally get their "educative hours" to begin, and well, they hardly continue, not to mention the fact that she was barely taught anything (just had him all over her). The tension? Barely there. And for Gods sake the miscommunation trope!!!!!! Drives me wild every time. It was annoying. I was disappointed.
Some positives:
•The writing is not that bad, its quite nice actually.
•We have character development, which is also nice.
•Carolines description is nice,
•actually their description for each other is really nice as well (her being called plain but he still finds charm in her, and him being called ugly yet she also finds charm in him).
And honestly my brain hurts just trying to gather any other information it stored from this book so youll have to bear with me.
Id say the main reason I hated it so much was because i thought it would be something else. I expected tension, a dark main love interes thats confident and serious and approaches things more carefully (i guess?), and certainly not her brothers gambling problem (which caused him bad blood with the one he lost money to) to be such a big part of the plot!! And most importantly her freaking fiance to be there almost till the end. She shouldve broken it off with him since she caught him cheating, or at least made some vocal protest on how she (shouldve) despises him!
small SPOILER: especially when she has intimate moments with the main love interest. shes "fighting" it all the time while still doing intimate acts which makes it all the more unpleasant. Like come on now she literally stooped to the level of her cheating fiance while feeling guilty through it all. Its underwhelming and super duper annoying.
Overall? Kind of a waste of time. I blame that one tik tok that claimed to have gate kept this book because of how good it was. At least I hope it helped my reading pace to become quicker, as it should with each read. (cuz you know, the more you read the faster you learn to read)
I literally dont even wanna reread my review to check for mistakes, thats how done im with this book. Im so drained right now Ill go eat something.
Good luck if you decide to read it! Remember: my taste might not match yours so take this review with a grain of salt.
It was fine in the beginning, i suppose. It was slow paced, around 200+ pages we finally get their "educative hours" to begin, and well, they hardly continue, not to mention the fact that she was barely taught anything (just had him all over her). The tension? Barely there. And for Gods sake the miscommunation trope!!!!!! Drives me wild every time. It was annoying. I was disappointed.
Some positives:
•The writing is not that bad, its quite nice actually.
•We have character development, which is also nice.
•Carolines description is nice,
•actually their description for each other is really nice as well (her being called plain but he still finds charm in her, and him being called ugly yet she also finds charm in him).
And honestly my brain hurts just trying to gather any other information it stored from this book so youll have to bear with me.
Id say the main reason I hated it so much was because i thought it would be something else. I expected tension, a dark main love interes thats confident and serious and approaches things more carefully (i guess?), and certainly not her brothers gambling problem (which caused him bad blood with the one he lost money to) to be such a big part of the plot!! And most importantly her freaking fiance to be there almost till the end. She shouldve broken it off with him since she caught him cheating, or at least made some vocal protest on how she (shouldve) despises him!
small SPOILER: especially when she has intimate moments with the main love interest. shes "fighting" it all the time while still doing intimate acts which makes it all the more unpleasant. Like come on now she literally stooped to the level of her cheating fiance while feeling guilty through it all. Its underwhelming and super duper annoying.
Overall? Kind of a waste of time. I blame that one tik tok that claimed to have gate kept this book because of how good it was. At least I hope it helped my reading pace to become quicker, as it should with each read. (cuz you know, the more you read the faster you learn to read)
I literally dont even wanna reread my review to check for mistakes, thats how done im with this book. Im so drained right now Ill go eat something.
Good luck if you decide to read it! Remember: my taste might not match yours so take this review with a grain of salt.
August 31, 2011
Wow, wow, oh wow!! This was the best historical romance read by Patricia Cabot (Meg Cabot) evah!!
Story goes...Caroline saw her fiance in another woman's arms. Unlike any other woman freaking out, instead she finds herself lacking and therefore decides to seek help from an expert...Braden Granville. He teaches her how to seduce a man, keep a man and saddle that man for life...but throughout the times they spent together, there's no denying the attraction between them. Braden also feels strongly for her and a man in love is a man in pursuit!
My thoughts...great, great, great! Absolutely funny, wonderful and damn, I couldn't help giggling and laughing through it all! I haven't slept a wink since I read all three historical books by Patricia Cabot (Meg Cabot) A Little Scandal and Lady of Skye adn then there's An Improper Proposaland damn! But after I read Educating Caroline I knew I found a love for historical romance. Patricia Cabot and Brenda Joyce were two of my first historical romance reads...
Story goes...Caroline saw her fiance in another woman's arms. Unlike any other woman freaking out, instead she finds herself lacking and therefore decides to seek help from an expert...Braden Granville. He teaches her how to seduce a man, keep a man and saddle that man for life...but throughout the times they spent together, there's no denying the attraction between them. Braden also feels strongly for her and a man in love is a man in pursuit!
My thoughts...great, great, great! Absolutely funny, wonderful and damn, I couldn't help giggling and laughing through it all! I haven't slept a wink since I read all three historical books by Patricia Cabot (Meg Cabot) A Little Scandal and Lady of Skye adn then there's An Improper Proposaland damn! But after I read Educating Caroline I knew I found a love for historical romance. Patricia Cabot and Brenda Joyce were two of my first historical romance reads...
March 20, 2016
Before reading this book, I never realized that Patricia Cabot was Meg Cabot (author of Nicola and the Viscount and Victoria and the Rogue, which, while YA, I totally enjoyed..). I was therefore really excited to read Educating Caroline, and although it's pretty predictable, you can't help but love the chemistry between Caroline and Braden: I found it lighthearted and sweet, and thoroughly enjoyable... Definitely not my last book by Patricia Cabot!
July 7, 2022
(2.5) what is it with my romance reads in 2022? this will probably explain my previous stream of thriller after thriller. anyways, this was an escape at best, and confusing at worst.
and what do i mean by confusing? it’s like there was a fog between me and the book that prevented me from becoming fully immersed. i think this was largely due to the fact that this is a historical romance which simultaneously failed to bring to life the nuances of the later 1800s. a large portion of the characters’ motivations in this novel are reliant on certain practices that are special to that time. and i couldn’t really get a grasp on the atmosphere in which they existed, i wanted it to feel richer if that makes sense. and i don’t mean that the author has to be overly specific and do a tumultuous amount of research, but, aspects such as getting a deeper feel on the “london society” that they so very much talk about it. i felt as if the characters we met just existed in a bubble of their own, which may work for some.
character-wise, caroline was a likable mc to follow. i just loved how her first “lesson” consisted of her putting on her spectacles and taking out a notepad. while sometimes making questionable decisions, she’s still very sweet and has spurts of passion regarding things she cares about.
in regards to the romance, it was a fun, and i actually do like the plot of “experienced H teaching an inexperienced h the act of seduction” IF ITS DONE WELL (before jamaica lane has this trope and it’s one of my favorites). but some aspects didn’t fuuuully work for me here because (a) insta-love. why oh why. the love realizations felt so out of place because i felt as if they barely got to know each other & (b) i didn’t like how repetitive a certain type of scene was. they’d meet up and he’d try to kiss her and she’d refuse and he’d do it anyway and she’d melt in his arms. he knew she wouldn’t be able to resist him and yet pursued her despite her efforts to sustain a ‘non-guilty’ conscious.
overall? it’s a quick read that could get you out of a slump, but it didn’t give what i wanted it to give.
and what do i mean by confusing? it’s like there was a fog between me and the book that prevented me from becoming fully immersed. i think this was largely due to the fact that this is a historical romance which simultaneously failed to bring to life the nuances of the later 1800s. a large portion of the characters’ motivations in this novel are reliant on certain practices that are special to that time. and i couldn’t really get a grasp on the atmosphere in which they existed, i wanted it to feel richer if that makes sense. and i don’t mean that the author has to be overly specific and do a tumultuous amount of research, but, aspects such as getting a deeper feel on the “london society” that they so very much talk about it. i felt as if the characters we met just existed in a bubble of their own, which may work for some.
character-wise, caroline was a likable mc to follow. i just loved how her first “lesson” consisted of her putting on her spectacles and taking out a notepad. while sometimes making questionable decisions, she’s still very sweet and has spurts of passion regarding things she cares about.
in regards to the romance, it was a fun, and i actually do like the plot of “experienced H teaching an inexperienced h the act of seduction” IF ITS DONE WELL (before jamaica lane has this trope and it’s one of my favorites). but some aspects didn’t fuuuully work for me here because (a) insta-love. why oh why. the love realizations felt so out of place because i felt as if they barely got to know each other & (b) i didn’t like how repetitive a certain type of scene was. they’d meet up and he’d try to kiss her and she’d refuse and he’d do it anyway and she’d melt in his arms. he knew she wouldn’t be able to resist him and yet pursued her despite her efforts to sustain a ‘non-guilty’ conscious.
overall? it’s a quick read that could get you out of a slump, but it didn’t give what i wanted it to give.
June 24, 2023
2.5 stars
November 18, 2024
3.5- much cuter than I expected and a very enjoyable read!
July 21, 2022
For having been written in 2001 this book has aged surprisingly well. There were certain parts that I could see as being questionable but this book was so cute and made me happy so 5 stars 😌
December 19, 2015
The story line had a lot of cliches but since I read it because it had most of my popular tropes, I'm not complaining. A few things were very noteworthy like how Caroline had enough moral fibre to feel guilty about wanting to be with Braden even when she really loved him and she actually ran away to make sure she didn't succumb to her desires. That was not only highly mature of her but showed her sense of compassion and selflessness, even though I could argue that Hurst deserved to be cuckolded. Barden won my very reluctant admiration by sticking to his word even when his happiness was at stake though I don't agree with his stance in those extenuating circumstances.
I particularly dislike those parents for whom their children's happiness, security and self-esteem is not a high priority so I really hated Caroline's mother. She was ready to sacrifice her daughter's future to repay the debt her family owed. Nothing, absolutely no favour or debt in the world can compel a loving parent to actively and consciously ruin their child's life. And someone who wants a favour in return from you has not really done you a good turn, rather, they have started a series of transactions with you and hence, they should be treated as business acquaintances, not saviours. Another reason for loathing her was that she wanted her daughter to put up with a philandering jerk just because that was the norm. Any parent who does not strive for or at least want better for their child than they have had but perversely (whether consciously or not) wants them to put up with the same trials and unhappiness, is not worthy of being called a parent.
The main conflict in the story also hinged on escalation of commitment, any expenses, however large, should not stop us from changing our minds regarding life-changing decisions, especially is there is valid cause. In addition, honour or reputation will not save you from a miserable future and are very cold bedfellows so they should not be used as excuses when faced with difficult decisions.
I particularly dislike those parents for whom their children's happiness, security and self-esteem is not a high priority so I really hated Caroline's mother. She was ready to sacrifice her daughter's future to repay the debt her family owed. Nothing, absolutely no favour or debt in the world can compel a loving parent to actively and consciously ruin their child's life. And someone who wants a favour in return from you has not really done you a good turn, rather, they have started a series of transactions with you and hence, they should be treated as business acquaintances, not saviours. Another reason for loathing her was that she wanted her daughter to put up with a philandering jerk just because that was the norm. Any parent who does not strive for or at least want better for their child than they have had but perversely (whether consciously or not) wants them to put up with the same trials and unhappiness, is not worthy of being called a parent.
The main conflict in the story also hinged on escalation of commitment, any expenses, however large, should not stop us from changing our minds regarding life-changing decisions, especially is there is valid cause. In addition, honour or reputation will not save you from a miserable future and are very cold bedfellows so they should not be used as excuses when faced with difficult decisions.
April 2, 2009
This story had a cute premise, and was nicely written. The rich but low-born hero knows his daughter-of-a-duke fiancee is cheating on him, but he can't find out who, so he can break off the engagement without getting sued for breach of contract and losing wads of money. The heroine discovers her fiance the marquis shagging the duke's daughter, but won't tell the hero who his fiancee is cheating with because she's afraid the hero will shoot him. (The hero is a dead shot and an up-from-the-gutters manufacturer of firearms.) The heroine decides to ask the hero for seduction lessons--and the hero finds himself helpless to keep from seducing her. It's a cute story. BUT--there are some Huge Research Fauxpas's. The book is set in 1870, and her females are wearing Scarlett O'Hara-style hoop skirts. By 1870, the beginnings of the bustle were being seen. No more steel hoops... The worst of it, though is the ease with which the hero moves through society, and the fact that the heroine's father, who was a plumber who invented a hot water system, was made an earl. He might have been knighted, but he certainly wouldn't have been made an earl. Not in 1870, and not by Victoria. (I told my Brit friend, who nearly choked, and doubted he'd even have made knighthood...) Plus, while the "villainess" of the piece was a duke's daughter, daddy had apparently died--and there was no mention of who the current duke was, whether brother, cousin, or whoever--who would certainly have been in control of the family. Anyway--while the story was a cute one, I kept stumbling over these raggedy wrong historical elements, which kept jerking me out of the story. So--an okay read, if you can get past the bad research. I stumbled over it a lot, but lots of other people probably wouldn't.
March 18, 2017
So this story did not do it for me. My sister told me she gave up after the first couple chapters and honestly I almost did as well. I need a skimmed through it shelf because this book was not one I wanted to sit down and devour. Basically Caroline is engaged to Hurst (I think he is a viscount). Hurst is screwing lady Jaquline every chance he gets. And Lady Jacqueline is engaged to marry Braden a rich gun maker whose competition is Colt. Anywho, Braden knows Jaqueline is stepping out but he has no proof, wants to break the engagement and not get sued. Caroline walks in on Hurst and Jaqueline banging it out, and then sits outside to not cause a scandal, keeps Braden from finding out. Later she goes to Braden to learn how to be sexy in return for testifying in court about Jaqueline infidelity without naming her fiancé. Is this convoluted enough yet? Let's also mention the reason she is engaged to Hurst, (I'm not even sure that's his name) is because he saved her brothers life. Her brother the Earl named Tommy, was tricked into a high stakes poker game by his pal Hurst aka slater and then accused the cheat running it of being a cheat, well then slater saves the Earl out of guilt. then the cheat at cards comes back tells slater to kill the Earl, whole book climaxes (I faked it) with no one actually getting their just desserts. Slater heads to the good ole USOf A a free man, Jaqueline attaches herself to a new rich guy, and Braden and Caroline are HEA. This book sucked so much just reiterating it made me take a star off my review, one star for wasting my flipping time!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2013
It had been way too long since I had read a Meg Cabot novel, and I'd all but given up on ever reading her works again. Her books for young adults have influences me so much, they remain in me always. So consider my surpise when I choose this book and see that it is written by the lovely Meg herself! I was excited to read it, knowing just well that I would definitely have fun, having read her historical romances for the YA readership. And disappoint me she didn't. This book had the signature Meg Cabot heroine, strong, smart and beguiling. Yet Meg always manages to bring something fresh and different about each one of her characters.
Caroline Linford, having found out that her fiance is cheating on her with the soon-to-be wife of the rich and notorious, Braden Granville a man famous for his various conquests. She keeps it to herself (WHY?) and in return for helping Braden find who his fiancee's lover is, she askss Braden to give her lessons on lovemaking (Theoretical) so that she may keep her fiance faithful to her. Braden agrees to this.
Sparks, as you know, fly, and punches are initiated, guns shot and people hear weird laughter coming from my room. I loved this novel! This book was funny, romantic, witty and entertaining. Fantastic read, looking forward to reading more from Patricia Cabot.
Caroline Linford, having found out that her fiance is cheating on her with the soon-to-be wife of the rich and notorious, Braden Granville a man famous for his various conquests. She keeps it to herself (WHY?) and in return for helping Braden find who his fiancee's lover is, she askss Braden to give her lessons on lovemaking (Theoretical) so that she may keep her fiance faithful to her. Braden agrees to this.
Sparks, as you know, fly, and punches are initiated, guns shot and people hear weird laughter coming from my room. I loved this novel! This book was funny, romantic, witty and entertaining. Fantastic read, looking forward to reading more from Patricia Cabot.
August 17, 2024
3 stars ⭐️
read the entire book in a british accent (& for reference, im not british🧍♀️)..
i thought this book would be a 10/10 but tbh it didn’t really capture the essence of an 1870’s london high society romance, which is what i was expecting going into this book
its the same as every other contemporary romance book, except its not, its “historical”
the story was kind of bland & the romance way too fast-paced
like how did they immediately have feelings for each other at first sight, just no.
not to mention, their entire relationship was based on lust and “making love”
istg if i hear the words ‘lothario of london’ one more time, i will break something.
would’ve given it a 2.5 but it’s the first book i haven’t dnf’d this year so im giving it a little more credit🫥
read the entire book in a british accent (& for reference, im not british🧍♀️)..
i thought this book would be a 10/10 but tbh it didn’t really capture the essence of an 1870’s london high society romance, which is what i was expecting going into this book
its the same as every other contemporary romance book, except its not, its “historical”
the story was kind of bland & the romance way too fast-paced
like how did they immediately have feelings for each other at first sight, just no.
not to mention, their entire relationship was based on lust and “making love”
istg if i hear the words ‘lothario of london’ one more time, i will break something.
would’ve given it a 2.5 but it’s the first book i haven’t dnf’d this year so im giving it a little more credit🫥
April 24, 2024
This was truly delightful oh my god - such a fun read. I did not have high expectations but the characters were so good and there was so much more than just the romance. I loved the writing, the word choices were amazing I laughed so much. Caroline is my hero, I love her development and how her true character comes through over the course of the book and her thoughts are simply hysterical! Brandon is so sweet as well (“aren’t we?” 🥹 I died)Even better: all of the side characters are so interesting, well developed and have such distinguished personalities. 10/10 romance book. Obsessed
August 19, 2025
this guy yearned like no one ever before. every single chapter of him was just him being absolutely head over heels. this was great. thank you to Z library💗
reread
got the physical copy bc i loved this book so much. i need braden so bad. was he a rake? yes. but did he readily and easily admit he was in love with her? also yes!!! unheard of in the rake genre
reread
got the physical copy bc i loved this book so much. i need braden so bad. was he a rake? yes. but did he readily and easily admit he was in love with her? also yes!!! unheard of in the rake genre
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