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Ladies of Lantern Street #3
Otherwise Engaged
The New York Times Bestseller!
Miss Amity Doncaster, world traveler, is accustomed to adventure and risk. Benedict Stanbridge, a man of science and a spy for the Crown, has faced danger in the darker corners of foreign lands. Now they are about to face a threat that is shockingly close to home…
One does not expect to be kidnapped on a London street in broad daylight. Yet Amity Doncaster barely escapes with her life after she is trapped in a carriage with the killer known in the press as the Bridegroom. He is unwholesomely obsessed by her scandalous connection to Benedict Stanbridge—gossip about their hours alone in a ship’s stateroom seems to have crossed the Atlantic faster than any sailing vessel could. Benedict refuses to let this resourceful, daring woman suffer for her romantic link to him—as tenuous as it may be.
For a man and woman so skilled at disappearing, so at home in the exotic reaches of the globe, escape is always an option. But each intends to end the Bridegroom’s reign of terror in London. And as they join forces and prepare to confront an unbalanced criminal in the heart of the city they love, they must also face feelings that neither can run from...
Miss Amity Doncaster, world traveler, is accustomed to adventure and risk. Benedict Stanbridge, a man of science and a spy for the Crown, has faced danger in the darker corners of foreign lands. Now they are about to face a threat that is shockingly close to home…
One does not expect to be kidnapped on a London street in broad daylight. Yet Amity Doncaster barely escapes with her life after she is trapped in a carriage with the killer known in the press as the Bridegroom. He is unwholesomely obsessed by her scandalous connection to Benedict Stanbridge—gossip about their hours alone in a ship’s stateroom seems to have crossed the Atlantic faster than any sailing vessel could. Benedict refuses to let this resourceful, daring woman suffer for her romantic link to him—as tenuous as it may be.
For a man and woman so skilled at disappearing, so at home in the exotic reaches of the globe, escape is always an option. But each intends to end the Bridegroom’s reign of terror in London. And as they join forces and prepare to confront an unbalanced criminal in the heart of the city they love, they must also face feelings that neither can run from...
Audio CD
First published April 22, 2014
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About the author
Amanda Quick
93 books5,493 followersPseudonym of Jayne Ann Krentz
The author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonym(s):
Jayne Ann Krentz
Jayne Castle
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
The author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.
She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.
Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.
Pseudonym(s):
Jayne Ann Krentz
Jayne Castle
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 772 reviews
June 16, 2018
Unlike the author's long winded style, I can sum up what is wrong with this book in two words ... Endless repetition. It could have been cut down significantly for greater readability.
Saying "As I said", or "as I mentioned before" does not (I repeat, does not, lol) give a character license to repeat things.
For example, often characters would mention, over and over again how very well connected with the Polite world they or their families were. In every single chapter. In the midst of the book's generally very awkward stilted conversations, they kept talking about their connections to the Polite World. But we were never actually shown this.
It gets to be practically half way through the story before anyone of high rank is even introduced, and it takes forever before any one goes to any kind of high society event. Yep... for all their supposed connections.
“It was a relief to escape the ballroom, Amity thought. “I am not cut out for this sort of thing,” she said. “Neither am I,” Benedict said. It occurred to her that they did not need to explain the meaning of those statements to each other. They both understood.”
Exactly! Yes! We too as readers understood. Please stop endlessly explaining the (completely non hidden) meaning of everything. There is no need to do so. This book is padded with irrelevant explanations and unnecessary paragraphs, characters repeating the exact things said previously ... sometimes right after someone in the same room said it!
At one point they took turns all three of them calling the heroine's sister brilliant (for making quite an obvious suggestion), one after the other, forming an irritating chorus of redundant praise. Surely every character need not repeat the same silly compliment?
“Logan looked impressed. “That is a very intriguing observation, Mrs. (Penny) Marsden.”
Amity turned toward Penny. “It’s positively brilliant.” ... Amity concluded. Enthusiasm splashed through her. “Brilliant, Penny.” Logan smiled at Penny. “Yes, quite brilliant.” ....
- “I am very impressed with your investigative talents, Mrs. Marsden.” Inspector Logan.
Amity smiled proudly. “You are brilliant, Penny. You managed to provide some information on every single gentleman” They were gathered in the drawing room. Logan had arrived shortly after Benedict. The two men had immediately set themselves to studying Penny’s annotated list of guests. “Excellent work, Mrs. Marsden,” Benedict said.
All in all, I have never seen the word 'brilliant' so very used and abused. It was worn to a frazzle by the end of the book.
It is the author's go to word to describe everything I swear “foreign landscapes are positively brilliant” “your photographs are quite brilliant,” “You are quite brilliant with a camera, sir,” “it seemed like a profoundly brilliant notion” "a brilliant engineer" "a brilliant move" "brilliant jewels" and here's the clincher “her eyes brilliant with love”.
I officially hate the word 'Brilliant' now. So thank you for that.
“The wound is still a little tender but you did not hurt me. When you touched me there, I was reminded of the night I awoke from the fever to see you curled up in a chair, watching over me. I knew then that you had saved my life.” She smiled. “The first thing you wanted to know after you concluded that you were not dead was if the letter was safe.” “And you assured me that it was still hidden in your satchel.”
We were present for all this! We heard/read when this conversation took place the first time. We do not need a recap of past events that are still quite fresh in our minds. Especially when no new angle or information is presented. This isn't even a romantic memory to say it needs rehashing. Argh!
And so it goes for most of the book. Not even getting into the weak logic of the mysteries they all ran around like headless chickens solving or the scattered and far fetched elements of the plot. In fact the parallel mysteries were tied together in the most improbable, illogical way possible at the end, in what seemed like a time saving measure for the author.
Seriously though how can you possibly connect a Russian Spy plot and a Serial Killer in any way, form, or fashion? Wait until you see how THAT was handled. And the incredibly unlikely ransom demand of a famous necklace that would probably have been impossible to pawn due to its fame for something useful, you know, like cash.
And Cornelious has to be the least effective, least intimidating spy master I have ever come across in a novel. Talk about incompetence. I don't think he ever even got around to questioning her about the day the Hero got stabbed.
The book started well. It was dramatic and drew you in. It had some remnants of Quick/Krentz's earlier classics like Ravished. I had hope. The shipboard romance was cute up until the H/h parted. But it was the usual painful struggle to finish that most of her latest stuff has been. Honestly, maybe the H/h should have stayed on the boat.
Saying "As I said", or "as I mentioned before" does not (I repeat, does not, lol) give a character license to repeat things.
For example, often characters would mention, over and over again how very well connected with the Polite world they or their families were. In every single chapter. In the midst of the book's generally very awkward stilted conversations, they kept talking about their connections to the Polite World. But we were never actually shown this.
It gets to be practically half way through the story before anyone of high rank is even introduced, and it takes forever before any one goes to any kind of high society event. Yep... for all their supposed connections.
“It was a relief to escape the ballroom, Amity thought. “I am not cut out for this sort of thing,” she said. “Neither am I,” Benedict said. It occurred to her that they did not need to explain the meaning of those statements to each other. They both understood.”
Exactly! Yes! We too as readers understood. Please stop endlessly explaining the (completely non hidden) meaning of everything. There is no need to do so. This book is padded with irrelevant explanations and unnecessary paragraphs, characters repeating the exact things said previously ... sometimes right after someone in the same room said it!
At one point they took turns all three of them calling the heroine's sister brilliant (for making quite an obvious suggestion), one after the other, forming an irritating chorus of redundant praise. Surely every character need not repeat the same silly compliment?
“Logan looked impressed. “That is a very intriguing observation, Mrs. (Penny) Marsden.”
Amity turned toward Penny. “It’s positively brilliant.” ... Amity concluded. Enthusiasm splashed through her. “Brilliant, Penny.” Logan smiled at Penny. “Yes, quite brilliant.” ....
- “I am very impressed with your investigative talents, Mrs. Marsden.” Inspector Logan.
Amity smiled proudly. “You are brilliant, Penny. You managed to provide some information on every single gentleman” They were gathered in the drawing room. Logan had arrived shortly after Benedict. The two men had immediately set themselves to studying Penny’s annotated list of guests. “Excellent work, Mrs. Marsden,” Benedict said.
All in all, I have never seen the word 'brilliant' so very used and abused. It was worn to a frazzle by the end of the book.
It is the author's go to word to describe everything I swear “foreign landscapes are positively brilliant” “your photographs are quite brilliant,” “You are quite brilliant with a camera, sir,” “it seemed like a profoundly brilliant notion” "a brilliant engineer" "a brilliant move" "brilliant jewels" and here's the clincher “her eyes brilliant with love”.
I officially hate the word 'Brilliant' now. So thank you for that.
“The wound is still a little tender but you did not hurt me. When you touched me there, I was reminded of the night I awoke from the fever to see you curled up in a chair, watching over me. I knew then that you had saved my life.” She smiled. “The first thing you wanted to know after you concluded that you were not dead was if the letter was safe.” “And you assured me that it was still hidden in your satchel.”
We were present for all this! We heard/read when this conversation took place the first time. We do not need a recap of past events that are still quite fresh in our minds. Especially when no new angle or information is presented. This isn't even a romantic memory to say it needs rehashing. Argh!
And so it goes for most of the book. Not even getting into the weak logic of the mysteries they all ran around like headless chickens solving or the scattered and far fetched elements of the plot. In fact the parallel mysteries were tied together in the most improbable, illogical way possible at the end, in what seemed like a time saving measure for the author.
Seriously though how can you possibly connect a Russian Spy plot and a Serial Killer in any way, form, or fashion? Wait until you see how THAT was handled. And the incredibly unlikely ransom demand of a famous necklace that would probably have been impossible to pawn due to its fame for something useful, you know, like cash.
And Cornelious has to be the least effective, least intimidating spy master I have ever come across in a novel. Talk about incompetence. I don't think he ever even got around to questioning her about the day the Hero got stabbed.
The book started well. It was dramatic and drew you in. It had some remnants of Quick/Krentz's earlier classics like Ravished. I had hope. The shipboard romance was cute up until the H/h parted. But it was the usual painful struggle to finish that most of her latest stuff has been. Honestly, maybe the H/h should have stayed on the boat.
August 14, 2015
I listened to this on audio, and I enjoyed it. I didn't get quite as into this as other reads by this author on audio. I felt that the romance wasn't as well-developed. It seemed almost arbitrary, whereas the mystery was much stronger. The Bridegroom storyline was dark and twisted, and well-thought out. The Bridegroom was one creepy piece of work.
One thing I really liked was that Benedict felt awkward about himself as a romantic prospect. He felt that he might be too boring for a woman to want to be married to him, and that he wasn't romantic enough. I kind of get sick for the uber-confident hero who knows everything about love and romance. Benedict was sweet and adorable. He made me root for him in that regard. I liked Amity. She was independent and thoughtful. I liked that she had found her niche as a travel writer. Seeing Benedict and Amity's close bonds with their siblings added another level to the story. I also appreciated her sister's budding relationship with the Scotland Yard investigator they were working with on the Bridegroom case. It's tie-in with the industrial espionage aspect was a bit thin though.
I think I was disappointed because I liked the past few books on audio by Quick I've listened to. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I was hoping.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
One thing I really liked was that Benedict felt awkward about himself as a romantic prospect. He felt that he might be too boring for a woman to want to be married to him, and that he wasn't romantic enough. I kind of get sick for the uber-confident hero who knows everything about love and romance. Benedict was sweet and adorable. He made me root for him in that regard. I liked Amity. She was independent and thoughtful. I liked that she had found her niche as a travel writer. Seeing Benedict and Amity's close bonds with their siblings added another level to the story. I also appreciated her sister's budding relationship with the Scotland Yard investigator they were working with on the Bridegroom case. It's tie-in with the industrial espionage aspect was a bit thin though.
I think I was disappointed because I liked the past few books on audio by Quick I've listened to. It wasn't bad, just not as good as I was hoping.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
November 21, 2019
Another great murder/mystery
I'm a fan of listening to Amanda Quick's murder/mysteries. The characters are engaging, the storyline keeps me riveted from start to finish and the love story has depth and believability. Otherwise Engaged did have a very modern feel to it, with a heroine who is independent, strong and very savvy.
The narrator does a great job portraying all of the characters and I never struggled to tell when a character changed.
I will definitely be back for more from this author and I would happily listen to this narrator again.
I'm a fan of listening to Amanda Quick's murder/mysteries. The characters are engaging, the storyline keeps me riveted from start to finish and the love story has depth and believability. Otherwise Engaged did have a very modern feel to it, with a heroine who is independent, strong and very savvy.
The narrator does a great job portraying all of the characters and I never struggled to tell when a character changed.
I will definitely be back for more from this author and I would happily listen to this narrator again.
February 6, 2020
↠2-
This was a cringefest.
I honestly don’t remember ever reading and despising an Amanda Quick book. A good part of the book was spent by me cringing and rolling my eyes because things went over the top with unbelievable.
The plot was all over the place, the writing repetitive and the characters so unbelievably idiotic.
This was a cringefest.
I honestly don’t remember ever reading and despising an Amanda Quick book. A good part of the book was spent by me cringing and rolling my eyes because things went over the top with unbelievable.
The plot was all over the place, the writing repetitive and the characters so unbelievably idiotic.
May 5, 2016
3.5
Porque hasta el último momento no he desmenuzado todo el qué de la historia.
Amanda quick repite esquema, un esquema que funciona, asi que supongo que para qué cambiarlo.
Protagonistas que se encuentran, ella moderna e independiente él suele ser un hombre al que le gusta la ciencia y con una opinión moderna sobre las mujeres, a la que tratará como una igual.
Un misterio que resolver y ya tenemos la trama.
Amanda en esta novela juega con más de un frente abierto, al final todo queda bien atado y coherente, nada queda al azar y desde un principio la historia está trazada, a medida que los protagonistas, junto con unos secundarios casi tan atrayentes como ellos, irás tirando del hilo y desvelando pistas.
Me gustan sus novelas, me atrapan en el misterio, y en este caso, la historia del asesino resulta, a la vez que macabra, interesante.
La única pega que le he visto es que las escenas de cama están un poco metidas con calcador. No eran necesarias, aunque si la memoria no me falla, suelen aparecer en sus novelas y con un mismo sentido.
Si os gusta esta autora disfrutaréis de la lectura, sino, una lectura muy entretenida para una tarde agradable
Reseña completa: http://masromance.blogspot.com.es/201...
Porque hasta el último momento no he desmenuzado todo el qué de la historia.
Amanda quick repite esquema, un esquema que funciona, asi que supongo que para qué cambiarlo.
Protagonistas que se encuentran, ella moderna e independiente él suele ser un hombre al que le gusta la ciencia y con una opinión moderna sobre las mujeres, a la que tratará como una igual.
Un misterio que resolver y ya tenemos la trama.
Amanda en esta novela juega con más de un frente abierto, al final todo queda bien atado y coherente, nada queda al azar y desde un principio la historia está trazada, a medida que los protagonistas, junto con unos secundarios casi tan atrayentes como ellos, irás tirando del hilo y desvelando pistas.
Me gustan sus novelas, me atrapan en el misterio, y en este caso, la historia del asesino resulta, a la vez que macabra, interesante.
La única pega que le he visto es que las escenas de cama están un poco metidas con calcador. No eran necesarias, aunque si la memoria no me falla, suelen aparecer en sus novelas y con un mismo sentido.
Si os gusta esta autora disfrutaréis de la lectura, sino, una lectura muy entretenida para una tarde agradable
Reseña completa: http://masromance.blogspot.com.es/201...
May 4, 2022
It's been years since I read this book. Still, it's AQ and she rarely writes a bad book.
Can be read as a standalone
Can be read as a standalone
November 24, 2015
The first thing to know about this book is that despite how many lists have it as part of the Lantern Street series, this is a standalone with absolutely no paranormal element. And it was nice to go back a more traditional historical story.
Amity Doncaster is a globe trotting adventuress who is writing a lady's travel book and has learned a variety of useful skills. During her time on one island she finds a man shot in an alley. He asks her a favor of getting a letter to his Uncle in London. While she does take the letter, she also takes Mr. Benedict Stanbridge and manages to save his life.
He levered himself partway up on one elbow. Pain tightened the corners of his eyes. "Do not tell anyone else about the letter-not any of the passengers or any members of the crew. It is vitally important that you not trust anyone who is on board now or who may come aboard between here and New York. Is that clear?"
"Quite clear." She gripped the doorknob. "I must say, you are certainly a man of mystery, Mr. Stanbridge."
He sank wearily back onto the pillow. "Not at all Miss Doncaster. I'm an engineer."
Unfortunately for Amity, saving Benedict doesn't come without some risk, namely a lot of gossip of an illicit nature, which brings her to the attention of a serial killer, the Bridegroom. Fortunately, Amity is intrepid and skilled so the bridegroom seriously underestimates her and manages to escape.
I love how Krentz's books are so intricate and this one is no exception. There are several well crafted sub plots and a cast of secondary characters that are portrayed realistically and have their own relationships and lives separate from the hero and heroine. I also love how researched Krentz's novels tend to be, she usually slips in some interesting tidbit or historical fact. In this case what seems to be an anachronistic bit of whimsy is actually a historic fact. Photovoltaic cells and solar power were around for the 1800's. Granted, Krentz has written so many books at this point and her writing style is so very distinctive that it is hard to stop comparing her current books to previous ones, but in my opinion this one holds up on its own merits and was a fun historical romp with hilarious characters.
Cross-posted http://erinsburnsbookshelf.blogspot.c...
Amity Doncaster is a globe trotting adventuress who is writing a lady's travel book and has learned a variety of useful skills. During her time on one island she finds a man shot in an alley. He asks her a favor of getting a letter to his Uncle in London. While she does take the letter, she also takes Mr. Benedict Stanbridge and manages to save his life.
He levered himself partway up on one elbow. Pain tightened the corners of his eyes. "Do not tell anyone else about the letter-not any of the passengers or any members of the crew. It is vitally important that you not trust anyone who is on board now or who may come aboard between here and New York. Is that clear?"
"Quite clear." She gripped the doorknob. "I must say, you are certainly a man of mystery, Mr. Stanbridge."
He sank wearily back onto the pillow. "Not at all Miss Doncaster. I'm an engineer."
Unfortunately for Amity, saving Benedict doesn't come without some risk, namely a lot of gossip of an illicit nature, which brings her to the attention of a serial killer, the Bridegroom. Fortunately, Amity is intrepid and skilled so the bridegroom seriously underestimates her and manages to escape.
I love how Krentz's books are so intricate and this one is no exception. There are several well crafted sub plots and a cast of secondary characters that are portrayed realistically and have their own relationships and lives separate from the hero and heroine. I also love how researched Krentz's novels tend to be, she usually slips in some interesting tidbit or historical fact. In this case what seems to be an anachronistic bit of whimsy is actually a historic fact. Photovoltaic cells and solar power were around for the 1800's. Granted, Krentz has written so many books at this point and her writing style is so very distinctive that it is hard to stop comparing her current books to previous ones, but in my opinion this one holds up on its own merits and was a fun historical romp with hilarious characters.
Cross-posted http://erinsburnsbookshelf.blogspot.c...
March 1, 2019
The Bridegroom's idea was great, I liked the originality in the killer's character and the way he kills.
August 31, 2016
3.5 Stars
“I think that you are the kind of woman who is able to cope with unforeseen circumstances.”
This is my first Amanda Quick novel but it probably will not be my last. I liked the writing style and the blend of the romance and mystery enough of both but not too much of either. My normal issue with some Historical Romance/Fiction is that most of the angst is in the non-communication of feeling due to the stringent speak and properness of the culture of the time. It becomes incredibly frustrating to me generally as a reader. Thank goodness that this book did not follow that stereotype and while there was some angst romantically it was not due to non-communication.
Amity is my kind of girl. She is a world traveler and in a sense, not your sit and pine sort of lady of the time. She is more than capable of taking care of herself and is an adventurer at heart. I liked her right away when she took charge of the situation when she comes across a man who has been shot and decides to use the training she received from her father growing up to take care of him. As Benedict recovers they grow close to one another, she is different than anyone he has known before.
“You were meant to be out in the world, not trapped in the prison that is London Society.”
“Yes,” she said. She sounded pleased that he understood. “I am, indeed, a woman of the world. I cannot live my life by Society’s rules.”
Benedict had to leave for a while to pursue a prior commitment and is shocked to learn that because of his time with Amity she has been socially compromised and come to the attention of a serial killer in London from whom she barely escapes. To help her and himself he offers an engagement to save her reputation and search for the killer. Amity is not especially excited about this prospect but with a little cajoling from her sister agrees to the arrangement.
He realized he liked announcing that he was engaged to Amity. It was as if the more frequently he made the statement, the more real it became.
I’m in this one for the romance because that is my favorite part of books like this. I found I enjoyed the mystery too. I liked the search for the Bridegroom and trying to figure out who he could be. There is also a second mystery involving Russian spies, solar power and the Great Game. I was interested in the way the author tied all of the arcs together and the who-dun-it portion of the story almost as much as the romance between Amity and Benedict.
This is an enjoyable read if you want to take a little step back in time and play a little game of Sherlock Holmes with a dash of romance on the side.
“I think that you are the kind of woman who is able to cope with unforeseen circumstances.”
This is my first Amanda Quick novel but it probably will not be my last. I liked the writing style and the blend of the romance and mystery enough of both but not too much of either. My normal issue with some Historical Romance/Fiction is that most of the angst is in the non-communication of feeling due to the stringent speak and properness of the culture of the time. It becomes incredibly frustrating to me generally as a reader. Thank goodness that this book did not follow that stereotype and while there was some angst romantically it was not due to non-communication.
Amity is my kind of girl. She is a world traveler and in a sense, not your sit and pine sort of lady of the time. She is more than capable of taking care of herself and is an adventurer at heart. I liked her right away when she took charge of the situation when she comes across a man who has been shot and decides to use the training she received from her father growing up to take care of him. As Benedict recovers they grow close to one another, she is different than anyone he has known before.
“You were meant to be out in the world, not trapped in the prison that is London Society.”
“Yes,” she said. She sounded pleased that he understood. “I am, indeed, a woman of the world. I cannot live my life by Society’s rules.”
Benedict had to leave for a while to pursue a prior commitment and is shocked to learn that because of his time with Amity she has been socially compromised and come to the attention of a serial killer in London from whom she barely escapes. To help her and himself he offers an engagement to save her reputation and search for the killer. Amity is not especially excited about this prospect but with a little cajoling from her sister agrees to the arrangement.
He realized he liked announcing that he was engaged to Amity. It was as if the more frequently he made the statement, the more real it became.
I’m in this one for the romance because that is my favorite part of books like this. I found I enjoyed the mystery too. I liked the search for the Bridegroom and trying to figure out who he could be. There is also a second mystery involving Russian spies, solar power and the Great Game. I was interested in the way the author tied all of the arcs together and the who-dun-it portion of the story almost as much as the romance between Amity and Benedict.
This is an enjoyable read if you want to take a little step back in time and play a little game of Sherlock Holmes with a dash of romance on the side.
Read
April 21, 2015When I saw this on the bookstore shelf, I got excited. I usually favor stories that date prior to the Georgian era, since books from the later periods are, IMO, over-represented in historical romance.
Seriously.
But I have a weakness for Victorian/Edwardian romantic thrillers. Otherwise Engaged pits intrepid travel writer Amity Doncaster and amateur spy Benedict Stanbridge against deadly Russian spies, AND a serial killer known as the Bridegroom. Toss in a pool of excellent suspects, add in some generally good detective work, despite one
…and you have a pretty good story. I wouldn't put it up there with Brenda Joyce's Deadly series, but I do recommend it. 3.5 stars.
Seriously.
But I have a weakness for Victorian/Edwardian romantic thrillers. Otherwise Engaged pits intrepid travel writer Amity Doncaster and amateur spy Benedict Stanbridge against deadly Russian spies, AND a serial killer known as the Bridegroom. Toss in a pool of excellent suspects, add in some generally good detective work, despite one
…and you have a pretty good story. I wouldn't put it up there with Brenda Joyce's Deadly series, but I do recommend it. 3.5 stars.
June 3, 2015
DNF: page 177
I feel bad not finishing this book but when I realized I was only only reading this to finish it, that I wasn't enjoying myself at all, I knew I had to stop.
Otherwise Engaged is a predictable novel, if you've read JAK before then you already read this book. Even the characters are typical JAK, nothing new there. Usually that doesn't bother me, but this time it felt like there was too much going on. There was a russian spy, a serial killer, a american investigator, an abused spouse, etc etc.
Not to mention JAK tendency to explain everything seemed more apparent in this book. Maybe it's because there was so much going on but usually everything gets explained in detail at the end of the book, here everything was getting explained each chapter (it felt). There was just so much unnecessary dialogue explaining everything.
But mostly it was just how complicated the plot seemed to be that made this a boring read. I was in the mode for simplicity, for a typical JAK that relaxed me, instead I got a story about solar power and politics (sort of).
I feel bad not finishing this book but when I realized I was only only reading this to finish it, that I wasn't enjoying myself at all, I knew I had to stop.
Otherwise Engaged is a predictable novel, if you've read JAK before then you already read this book. Even the characters are typical JAK, nothing new there. Usually that doesn't bother me, but this time it felt like there was too much going on. There was a russian spy, a serial killer, a american investigator, an abused spouse, etc etc.
Not to mention JAK tendency to explain everything seemed more apparent in this book. Maybe it's because there was so much going on but usually everything gets explained in detail at the end of the book, here everything was getting explained each chapter (it felt). There was just so much unnecessary dialogue explaining everything.
But mostly it was just how complicated the plot seemed to be that made this a boring read. I was in the mode for simplicity, for a typical JAK that relaxed me, instead I got a story about solar power and politics (sort of).
August 11, 2018
2018 - Our Heroine is a travel writer, for women, in the days of cross-the-US trains and horse-drawn carriages. Late 1800s, therefore, we can guess. She meets Our Hero when she finds him shot and bleeding in an alley in a Caribbean island and sews him up, saving his life (her father was a doctor). She has a fascinating weapon, a Japanese war fan, called a *tessen* (http://www.historyrundown.com/4-stran...), which she uses to save herself from a serial killer.
2015 - This started out pretty well, then rather stalled out for a bit. Not quite 4 stars. I did like the characters, and they could certainly come back in further adventures.
2015 - This started out pretty well, then rather stalled out for a bit. Not quite 4 stars. I did like the characters, and they could certainly come back in further adventures.
August 23, 2016
Hacía mucho tiempo que no leía nada de Amanda y me he reencontrado con una gran autora...
El libro se lee muy bien , es ágil , rápida y la historia consigue atraparte sin problema y con ganas de seguir leyendo...
Me ha encantado que no solo sea una novela romántica más si no que haya misterio, asesinatos , espías y acción ... Qué ellas sean fuertes y resolutivas y que ellos tengan puntos débiles y los muestren ...
Es una lectura que merece la pena!!!
El libro se lee muy bien , es ágil , rápida y la historia consigue atraparte sin problema y con ganas de seguir leyendo...
Me ha encantado que no solo sea una novela romántica más si no que haya misterio, asesinatos , espías y acción ... Qué ellas sean fuertes y resolutivas y que ellos tengan puntos débiles y los muestren ...
Es una lectura que merece la pena!!!
August 31, 2016
it pains me to say this because Amanda Quick is one of my favourite authors but everything about this book is just so lukewarm
September 21, 2022
This was a tragedy! I have most of Amanda quicks books from the 90s, when I fell in love with her quirky heroines and stern, stoic heroes. This one was such a let down! It was boring, for one. And it failed in the steam with the use of condoms. Condoms in an historical romance!! Why?!!??? It destroyed any sense of intimacy and trust and commitment they might feel towards one another. I don’t want a barrier between the oneness of the MCs—physical or otherwise. I hate it in contemporary romance but it’s inexcusable in a historical. And to top it off, a pathetic unsatisfying ending with no babies and barely an epilogue. GTFOH. thankfully I read this within a week after purchasing from Amazon so I was able to return for a full refund.
August 2, 2022
Amanda Quick (Jayne Ann Krentz) scores again with this entertaining romantic suspense novel set in Victorian-era London. The first scenes are set in the Caribbean, where Amity Doncaster stumbles across a gentleman in an alley, bleeding from a gunshot wound. A doctor's daughter, Amity quickly staunches the wound, summons help, and proceeds to nurse her patient back to health as they sail for New York.
Cut to London, to which Amity has returned after several years away. A soon-to-be-published author of a guide to globetrotting, the seasoned traveller is is shocked but resourceful when kidnapped by the notorious Bridegroom, a serial killer who leaves his upper-class victims with a plain gold ring on their finger. I got a kick out of Amity's secret weapon, which helps her fight and escape from the Bridegroom.
On hearing of Amity's brush with death, Benedict Stanbridge rushes back to London, and the two team up to try to locate the Bridegroom. Joining them are Amity's widowed sister Penny, with whom she is living, and Inspector Logan of Scotland Yard, newly assigned to the case. Matters are complicated (of course!) by a second mystery having to do with Benedict's covert mission and the question of who shot him and why. The plot becomes almost impossibly convoluted, in fact, but Quick/Krentz is always good at making the implausible seem believable, and the twin mysteries were complex enough to keep me guessing for a long time.
I liked Amity very much; her courage, curiosity, practicality and confidence as a traveler contrast nicely with her relative inexperience in matters of the heart. She's certainly no fainting violet! Benedict is a refreshingly normal hero. An engineer, he's intelligent and scientifically-minded, not given to romantic speeches. He's quick to see and plan for possibilities, which is critical to the plot on more than one occasion. He's a perfect match for Amity, and there's surprisingly little tension between them beyond the attraction they both feel. This leaves the mysteries to carry most of the suspense, but with two puzzles and at least two threats to deal with, there's more than enough to keep you turning the pages.
Interwoven with the main story is a sweet but quiet secondary romance between Penny and the quiet, handsome, well-spoken Inspector Logan. Penny is forthright -- one of her conversations with Benedict is shockingly open for the time period -- but there are hints that all was not well in her marriage. She's protective of Amity, but understands her very well and doesn't try to restrict her in any way. I enjoyed both Penny and Logan, and could easily see them as main characters in their own book. There's nothing in the novel's ending that suggests a sequel, but conversely, there's nothing preventing one, so it's not completely out of the question. Still, the book works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
Jayne Ann Krentz is one of my auto-read authors -- I read everything she puts out. Otherwise Engaged may lack a little of the heat and tension of her very best books, but it's engaging (if you'll pardon the pun!) and satisfying nonetheless.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy romantic suspense in a historical setting.
Cut to London, to which Amity has returned after several years away. A soon-to-be-published author of a guide to globetrotting, the seasoned traveller is is shocked but resourceful when kidnapped by the notorious Bridegroom, a serial killer who leaves his upper-class victims with a plain gold ring on their finger. I got a kick out of Amity's secret weapon, which helps her fight and escape from the Bridegroom.
On hearing of Amity's brush with death, Benedict Stanbridge rushes back to London, and the two team up to try to locate the Bridegroom. Joining them are Amity's widowed sister Penny, with whom she is living, and Inspector Logan of Scotland Yard, newly assigned to the case. Matters are complicated (of course!) by a second mystery having to do with Benedict's covert mission and the question of who shot him and why. The plot becomes almost impossibly convoluted, in fact, but Quick/Krentz is always good at making the implausible seem believable, and the twin mysteries were complex enough to keep me guessing for a long time.
I liked Amity very much; her courage, curiosity, practicality and confidence as a traveler contrast nicely with her relative inexperience in matters of the heart. She's certainly no fainting violet! Benedict is a refreshingly normal hero. An engineer, he's intelligent and scientifically-minded, not given to romantic speeches. He's quick to see and plan for possibilities, which is critical to the plot on more than one occasion. He's a perfect match for Amity, and there's surprisingly little tension between them beyond the attraction they both feel. This leaves the mysteries to carry most of the suspense, but with two puzzles and at least two threats to deal with, there's more than enough to keep you turning the pages.
Interwoven with the main story is a sweet but quiet secondary romance between Penny and the quiet, handsome, well-spoken Inspector Logan. Penny is forthright -- one of her conversations with Benedict is shockingly open for the time period -- but there are hints that all was not well in her marriage. She's protective of Amity, but understands her very well and doesn't try to restrict her in any way. I enjoyed both Penny and Logan, and could easily see them as main characters in their own book. There's nothing in the novel's ending that suggests a sequel, but conversely, there's nothing preventing one, so it's not completely out of the question. Still, the book works perfectly well as a stand-alone.
Jayne Ann Krentz is one of my auto-read authors -- I read everything she puts out. Otherwise Engaged may lack a little of the heat and tension of her very best books, but it's engaging (if you'll pardon the pun!) and satisfying nonetheless.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy romantic suspense in a historical setting.
June 3, 2014
First of all, the beginning chapters - probably the first six or seven - were absolutely the most disjointed, jumbled, abrupt chapters of any book I've ever read. Each chapter held a different scene with no lead-in, no introduction, no segue, nothing. One chapter, our dear heroine was on an island. The next, on a boat. The next, in London. I found it a bit confusing, to the point where I kept checking the page numbers because I thought there were missing pages.
Then there were the characters. We've seen ALL these characters before. This batch were like lite versions of the ones we've read about before. The practical, assertive, bookish woman who's not particularly pretty but draws the eye and can be counted upon to be dependable and assertive in scary situations. The unemotional, handsome man who nonetheless falls hard for Our Heroine, but stays wary as he has had disastrous romances in his past where he Just Wasn't Appreciated. The pretty sidekick (in this case, sister) who contributes valuable advice once or twice but otherwise is a placeholder. The male sidekick (here, two: a Scotland Yard inspector and an American), who can be counted upon to show interest in the female sidekick [how convenient]. It felt like a retread of every Quick I've ever read, just less well characterized. Almost as though we are assumed to know the drill so well that the author can just pickup halfway through and we can follow along from there. Oh, I almost forgot: a stock villain, more than slightly insane, hiding in plain sight.
The (over)use of some adjectives was annoying but not in and of itself the deal breaker for me. Neither was the reiteration of plot points, both in narration and by the characters themselves. Annoying, but not the worst thing. The deal breaker for me was the canyon-sized rut that the author seems to have fallen into when writing these novels. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE FIND A NEW CHARACTER TYPE!
The positives? e.g., why 2 stars and not 1? Well, I did and do appreciate the movement AWAY from the "psychical" (her word, not mine) aspects that the author had introduced to her, oh, last five or six historicals. I also liked a couple of the plot elements, particularly the mother (very realistic portrayal of a parent in denial, as far as I'm concerned) and the fairly true-to-life depiction of espionage motivated by financial/economic reasons. I'm super tired of the war-time spy theme in historical romance, and this usage of the old trope seemed both more accurate and more believable. (You could practically plunk it down in a contemporary scenario, given the world politics at the moment, and it would be believable.) For this reason I'm going to go ahead and award that second star.
IMHO, if the author would spend a little more QT on these books instead of churning them out - I mean, new characterization, fresh verbiage, and a little higher opinion of the native intelligence of your readers (I do not need to have my hand held or plot points repeated multiple times for me to fully grasp the concept) - then they could be truly great again. Back to the Amanda Quick novels that I remember fondly.
Then there were the characters. We've seen ALL these characters before. This batch were like lite versions of the ones we've read about before. The practical, assertive, bookish woman who's not particularly pretty but draws the eye and can be counted upon to be dependable and assertive in scary situations. The unemotional, handsome man who nonetheless falls hard for Our Heroine, but stays wary as he has had disastrous romances in his past where he Just Wasn't Appreciated. The pretty sidekick (in this case, sister) who contributes valuable advice once or twice but otherwise is a placeholder. The male sidekick (here, two: a Scotland Yard inspector and an American), who can be counted upon to show interest in the female sidekick [how convenient]. It felt like a retread of every Quick I've ever read, just less well characterized. Almost as though we are assumed to know the drill so well that the author can just pickup halfway through and we can follow along from there. Oh, I almost forgot: a stock villain, more than slightly insane, hiding in plain sight.
The (over)use of some adjectives was annoying but not in and of itself the deal breaker for me. Neither was the reiteration of plot points, both in narration and by the characters themselves. Annoying, but not the worst thing. The deal breaker for me was the canyon-sized rut that the author seems to have fallen into when writing these novels. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE FIND A NEW CHARACTER TYPE!
The positives? e.g., why 2 stars and not 1? Well, I did and do appreciate the movement AWAY from the "psychical" (her word, not mine) aspects that the author had introduced to her, oh, last five or six historicals. I also liked a couple of the plot elements, particularly the mother (very realistic portrayal of a parent in denial, as far as I'm concerned) and the fairly true-to-life depiction of espionage motivated by financial/economic reasons. I'm super tired of the war-time spy theme in historical romance, and this usage of the old trope seemed both more accurate and more believable. (You could practically plunk it down in a contemporary scenario, given the world politics at the moment, and it would be believable.) For this reason I'm going to go ahead and award that second star.
IMHO, if the author would spend a little more QT on these books instead of churning them out - I mean, new characterization, fresh verbiage, and a little higher opinion of the native intelligence of your readers (I do not need to have my hand held or plot points repeated multiple times for me to fully grasp the concept) - then they could be truly great again. Back to the Amanda Quick novels that I remember fondly.
May 6, 2018
3.75
Couldn't decide between 3.5 and 4 stars. The plot is interesting and there are actually two mysteries going along side-by-side. As with most of Quick's books that have an underlying mystery, it's quite compelling and in this instance very morbid—reminded me a bit of her book, 'Til Death Do Us Part .
Amity and Benedict are a great leading couple and have the similar dynamic that Quick's couples normally do. Her heroines always have a lot of gumption and I love that; these women are smart and tough and are often quite unusual for the times. That was the case here, with Amity being a world traveler who writes about her travels and is putting a guidebook for lady's. She and Benedict first meet in the Caribbean when he's shot and she saves his life; they reunite about a month later in London amid quite crazy circumstances—there are now rumors going around that they had a love affair in the Caribbean when they met and Amity has just recently escaped the clutches of the Bridegroom, a crazed psycho killer (super, SUPER crazed).
My defining line between 3.5 and 4 stars (for romances) is whether I would reread it or not—3.5 stars means I'm glad that I read it and would recommend it, but it won't be a reread for me. With this one, I'm not really sure. The mystery was compelling, the leading and supporting characters interesting, but there was just a certain spark missing to push it over the edge into really fantastic territory. Definitely worth reading though!
Couldn't decide between 3.5 and 4 stars. The plot is interesting and there are actually two mysteries going along side-by-side. As with most of Quick's books that have an underlying mystery, it's quite compelling and in this instance very morbid—reminded me a bit of her book, 'Til Death Do Us Part .
Amity and Benedict are a great leading couple and have the similar dynamic that Quick's couples normally do. Her heroines always have a lot of gumption and I love that; these women are smart and tough and are often quite unusual for the times. That was the case here, with Amity being a world traveler who writes about her travels and is putting a guidebook for lady's. She and Benedict first meet in the Caribbean when he's shot and she saves his life; they reunite about a month later in London amid quite crazy circumstances—there are now rumors going around that they had a love affair in the Caribbean when they met and Amity has just recently escaped the clutches of the Bridegroom, a crazed psycho killer (super, SUPER crazed).
My defining line between 3.5 and 4 stars (for romances) is whether I would reread it or not—3.5 stars means I'm glad that I read it and would recommend it, but it won't be a reread for me. With this one, I'm not really sure. The mystery was compelling, the leading and supporting characters interesting, but there was just a certain spark missing to push it over the edge into really fantastic territory. Definitely worth reading though!
March 29, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyable. Good story line with enough mystery and romance to keep me reading. The heroine, Amity, is a very modern free thinking woman in London. She also travels the world and is writing a book for 'globetrotting' women. While on a Caribbean island she comes upon a man who has been shot and ends up stitching him up and saving his life.
They travel by ship to New York, then he continues on to California while she returns to London.
When they are reunited a few weeks later, they are thrown into the midst of a murder mystery. They join with the police in trying to help find the killer. As always, I enjoyed this book by Amanda Quick.
It was well written, easy to read and follow, but didn't give away all the surprises - it leaves that for you to try to figure out.
They travel by ship to New York, then he continues on to California while she returns to London.
When they are reunited a few weeks later, they are thrown into the midst of a murder mystery. They join with the police in trying to help find the killer. As always, I enjoyed this book by Amanda Quick.
It was well written, easy to read and follow, but didn't give away all the surprises - it leaves that for you to try to figure out.
January 16, 2024
Ši dalis iš visų trijų geriausia. 👌 ir vientinelė, kurioje nebuvo visiškai jokių mistinių elementų. Patiko pagrindinė veikėja, och, kieta mergina ir keliautoja!🤩 buvo ir 🔥 vietų, kurios man atrodo irgi geriausiai skambėjo iš visų trijų dalių. 😊 ir ši istorija labiausiai priminė detektyvą, plius su politiniais (šnipinėjimo) elementais. 😅
July 25, 2016
I've given this a B at AAR, so 4 stars.
For some reason, although I’ve listened to a number of Amanda Quick’s books in audio format, I’ve never actually read one, so I decided to rectify that situation by reading the author’s latest release. Otherwise Engaged is an enjoyable romantic mystery which displays many of Ms Quick’s hallmarks – an adventurous and independently-minded heroine, a highly intelligent, slightly quirky hero, romance, danger, and an intriguing mystery.
Miss Amity Doncaster is a rather unconventional young lady who is known for the travel articles she writes for The Flying Intelligencier and who is currently writing a travel guide for ladies. She had travelled the world with her father, a doctor, until his recent death; since then, she has continued her travels alone. On the eve of her departure from the Caribbean island of Saint Claire, she stumbles across a man who has been shot, and who entreats her to carry a letter for him, to be delivered in the event of his death. Amity agrees, but is determined not to let the man die. She binds his wounds as best she can and helps him back to their ship where she nurses him back to health during their voyage to New York.
The man is Benedict Stanbridge, a wealthy gentleman and engineer, who had travelled to the island to gather information about a new kind of weapon which the British government is keen to acquire - a solar-powered device which could revolutionise the armament of battleships. But the inventor was killed before Benedict’s arrival, and he suspects that the person responsible – most likely a Russian spy - is also the person responsible for the attack on him.
During the journey, Benedict and Amity become closer and spend a considerable amount of time together, but he has business to take care of in California and Amity must head back to London. They part in New York, but not before Benedict has asked permission to call on her when he returns to England.
Amity hasn’t been back in London long when she is bundled into an unmarked carriage and threatened at knifepoint by a masked man known as “The Bridegroom”, a man who has killed three women. All of them were whores, he tells her, and that is why he has singled her out – she seduced Benedict on their recent voyage in order to trap him into marriage, and he needs to be rescued from her clutches.
Barely escaping with her life, Amity finds herself the favoured subject of London gossip – not just because of the rumours that have begun to circulate about her relationship with Benedict, but also as the one woman to have evaded death at the hands of a notorious killer.
Benedict’s timely return to London enables them to put a stop to the gossip by announcing their (fake) engagement and to work together to find the killer, who continues to stalk Amity. As a betrothed couple, they are allowed to spend more time together than a single man and woman would be, which means that Benedict can protect Amity as they pursue their enquiries through the ballrooms and salons of London society.
At the same time, Benedict is still working to track down the Russian spy who shot him and making sure that the notes and plans for the weapon are secure. Thus, our intrepid investigators are on the trail of not one mystery, but two – or so it seems, until Ms Quick begins to skilfully weave the two different plot strands together.
I enjoyed reading Otherwise Engaged, but it’s definitely a book in which the romance takes second place to the mystery. If you’ve read other books by this author, then you’ll have an idea of what to expect – and I did actually notice some strong similarities between this and some of her other books (The Paid Companion in particular, to which I re-listened recently). But I don’t mean that as a heavy criticism because I don’t mind formulaic provided it’s done well, as is the case here. The pacing is good, and Ben and Amity are a good match for each other in terms of intelligence, humor, and quirkiness. Ben exudes a rather sexy aura of quiet competence and Amity is thankfully free of the TSTL traits so often found in the heroines of mystery stories. The progress of the investigation is full of twists and turns, and there is a rather sweet romance brewing between Amity’s widowed sister and the police inspector who has been assigned to capture and bring “The Bridegroom” to justice.
My main criticism in terms of the plot is that the identity of the Russian spy seemed to come out of left field somewhat, but otherwise, everything was nicely tied up by the end. No exact date is given for the setting of the book, but much mention is made of photography, so we’re definitely in the second half of the nineteenth century. Even so, I was rather surprised at the fact that Amity was able to travel alone, as I don’t recall any mention of a companion or chaperone, and there was certainly a modern feel to the story and to the characters’ actions.
But with all that said, Otherwise Engaged is a fun, fast-paced page-turner and is sure to appeal both to Ms Quick’s many fans and newcomers to her work in equal measure.
For some reason, although I’ve listened to a number of Amanda Quick’s books in audio format, I’ve never actually read one, so I decided to rectify that situation by reading the author’s latest release. Otherwise Engaged is an enjoyable romantic mystery which displays many of Ms Quick’s hallmarks – an adventurous and independently-minded heroine, a highly intelligent, slightly quirky hero, romance, danger, and an intriguing mystery.
Miss Amity Doncaster is a rather unconventional young lady who is known for the travel articles she writes for The Flying Intelligencier and who is currently writing a travel guide for ladies. She had travelled the world with her father, a doctor, until his recent death; since then, she has continued her travels alone. On the eve of her departure from the Caribbean island of Saint Claire, she stumbles across a man who has been shot, and who entreats her to carry a letter for him, to be delivered in the event of his death. Amity agrees, but is determined not to let the man die. She binds his wounds as best she can and helps him back to their ship where she nurses him back to health during their voyage to New York.
The man is Benedict Stanbridge, a wealthy gentleman and engineer, who had travelled to the island to gather information about a new kind of weapon which the British government is keen to acquire - a solar-powered device which could revolutionise the armament of battleships. But the inventor was killed before Benedict’s arrival, and he suspects that the person responsible – most likely a Russian spy - is also the person responsible for the attack on him.
During the journey, Benedict and Amity become closer and spend a considerable amount of time together, but he has business to take care of in California and Amity must head back to London. They part in New York, but not before Benedict has asked permission to call on her when he returns to England.
Amity hasn’t been back in London long when she is bundled into an unmarked carriage and threatened at knifepoint by a masked man known as “The Bridegroom”, a man who has killed three women. All of them were whores, he tells her, and that is why he has singled her out – she seduced Benedict on their recent voyage in order to trap him into marriage, and he needs to be rescued from her clutches.
Barely escaping with her life, Amity finds herself the favoured subject of London gossip – not just because of the rumours that have begun to circulate about her relationship with Benedict, but also as the one woman to have evaded death at the hands of a notorious killer.
Benedict’s timely return to London enables them to put a stop to the gossip by announcing their (fake) engagement and to work together to find the killer, who continues to stalk Amity. As a betrothed couple, they are allowed to spend more time together than a single man and woman would be, which means that Benedict can protect Amity as they pursue their enquiries through the ballrooms and salons of London society.
At the same time, Benedict is still working to track down the Russian spy who shot him and making sure that the notes and plans for the weapon are secure. Thus, our intrepid investigators are on the trail of not one mystery, but two – or so it seems, until Ms Quick begins to skilfully weave the two different plot strands together.
I enjoyed reading Otherwise Engaged, but it’s definitely a book in which the romance takes second place to the mystery. If you’ve read other books by this author, then you’ll have an idea of what to expect – and I did actually notice some strong similarities between this and some of her other books (The Paid Companion in particular, to which I re-listened recently). But I don’t mean that as a heavy criticism because I don’t mind formulaic provided it’s done well, as is the case here. The pacing is good, and Ben and Amity are a good match for each other in terms of intelligence, humor, and quirkiness. Ben exudes a rather sexy aura of quiet competence and Amity is thankfully free of the TSTL traits so often found in the heroines of mystery stories. The progress of the investigation is full of twists and turns, and there is a rather sweet romance brewing between Amity’s widowed sister and the police inspector who has been assigned to capture and bring “The Bridegroom” to justice.
My main criticism in terms of the plot is that the identity of the Russian spy seemed to come out of left field somewhat, but otherwise, everything was nicely tied up by the end. No exact date is given for the setting of the book, but much mention is made of photography, so we’re definitely in the second half of the nineteenth century. Even so, I was rather surprised at the fact that Amity was able to travel alone, as I don’t recall any mention of a companion or chaperone, and there was certainly a modern feel to the story and to the characters’ actions.
But with all that said, Otherwise Engaged is a fun, fast-paced page-turner and is sure to appeal both to Ms Quick’s many fans and newcomers to her work in equal measure.
August 16, 2018
Very rare for me to read a historical romance and I know why. They kill me! Slow and agonizing with the repetition and lack of communication. So this was okay for me - nothing memorable or inspiring.
May 29, 2014
This book was a hot mess. The plot was so convoluted it made my head spin. At first I was amused by the fast paced drama, but as the book wore on and the plot kept twisting and developing it became clear that there was no way the action would all be resolved in a manner that would be even remotely logical.
However, there were a few things I enjoyed and I wished I had tracked during my reading. Below are a few things you might want to tally if you do venture forth into reading this story:
1. Skirt gathering – Mind you, this could be skirts, underskirts, cloaks or other bulky form of clothing, regardless of what term is used, it is constantly being gathered. Sometimes the skirts are being gathered to run. Other times, the skirts are merely being gathered to get out of a coach. No matter what might prompt it, there is a lot of skirt moving in the text. I am sure if all of the passages about the bulky clothing being moved were removed this book would lose a few pages. It is that prevalent.
2. Plan making – Engineers should always have a plan. I do believe they might even have a plan at hand for when they do not have an immediate plan. That plan should have a contingency plan too. There needs to be a plan for everything the engineer does because engineers plan.
3. Brilliant! – Yup, everything is brilliant. Every time I read the word in the story the voice from the old Guinness commercials yelled, “Brilliant!” in my head and this was far more amusing than the book.
However, there were a few things I enjoyed and I wished I had tracked during my reading. Below are a few things you might want to tally if you do venture forth into reading this story:
1. Skirt gathering – Mind you, this could be skirts, underskirts, cloaks or other bulky form of clothing, regardless of what term is used, it is constantly being gathered. Sometimes the skirts are being gathered to run. Other times, the skirts are merely being gathered to get out of a coach. No matter what might prompt it, there is a lot of skirt moving in the text. I am sure if all of the passages about the bulky clothing being moved were removed this book would lose a few pages. It is that prevalent.
2. Plan making – Engineers should always have a plan. I do believe they might even have a plan at hand for when they do not have an immediate plan. That plan should have a contingency plan too. There needs to be a plan for everything the engineer does because engineers plan.
3. Brilliant! – Yup, everything is brilliant. Every time I read the word in the story the voice from the old Guinness commercials yelled, “Brilliant!” in my head and this was far more amusing than the book.
April 14, 2016
Otherwise Engaged
4 Stars
When Amity Doncaster saves the life of Benedict Stanbridge, she unwittingly becomes the target of a deranged serial killer known only as The Bridegroom. Narrowly escaping the madman’s clutches, Amity must join forces with Benedict to stop the killer’s reign of terror before he strikes closer to home...
Anyone expecting something innovative and original from JAK is bound to be disappointed as Otherwise Engaged follows the same formula as the majority of her historical romances written under the pseudonym Amanda Quick. That said, readers interested in a light and entertaining book with enchanting characters and a touch of suspense are in for a treat.
Reader’s familiar with Quick’s books, will rapidly recognize the characters. Amity is a well-educated, independent woman with a yen for world travel and Benedict is the sexy yet slighty bookish Alpha male on the trail of a Russian spy. While their chemistry isn’t exactly off the charts, it is subtle and engaging.
The serial killer plot is gripping with an action packed climax and a satisfying resolution. The secondary plot involving the Russian spy is, unfortunately, not as good and the book would have been better without the unnecessary complexity.
All in all, Quick demonstrates that predictability is not necessarily a bad thing in this delightful historical romance.
4 Stars
When Amity Doncaster saves the life of Benedict Stanbridge, she unwittingly becomes the target of a deranged serial killer known only as The Bridegroom. Narrowly escaping the madman’s clutches, Amity must join forces with Benedict to stop the killer’s reign of terror before he strikes closer to home...
Anyone expecting something innovative and original from JAK is bound to be disappointed as Otherwise Engaged follows the same formula as the majority of her historical romances written under the pseudonym Amanda Quick. That said, readers interested in a light and entertaining book with enchanting characters and a touch of suspense are in for a treat.
Reader’s familiar with Quick’s books, will rapidly recognize the characters. Amity is a well-educated, independent woman with a yen for world travel and Benedict is the sexy yet slighty bookish Alpha male on the trail of a Russian spy. While their chemistry isn’t exactly off the charts, it is subtle and engaging.
The serial killer plot is gripping with an action packed climax and a satisfying resolution. The secondary plot involving the Russian spy is, unfortunately, not as good and the book would have been better without the unnecessary complexity.
All in all, Quick demonstrates that predictability is not necessarily a bad thing in this delightful historical romance.
August 8, 2015
It is nice to read a non-paranormal romance from Quick for a change. It has all her standard characteristics - original and independent h with limited family and a unusual and steady H that like each other from first meeting.
What I enjoyed:
* Amity could really take care of herself. I really want her fan.
* Benedict
* Wasn't insta-love as Amity and Benedict had plenty of time to get to know each other during the voyage.
* Inspector Logan was great
*
What could have been better:
* The villain being
What I enjoyed:
* Amity could really take care of herself. I really want her fan.
* Benedict
* Wasn't insta-love as Amity and Benedict had plenty of time to get to know each other during the voyage.
* Inspector Logan was great
*
What could have been better:
* The villain being
February 28, 2017
¡¡¡Bieeeeeeennnn!!! *dando saltitos de alegría* Por fin una novela nueva de Amanda Quick de ambientación histórica sin un solo elemento paranormal :DD
Por lo demás, los protagonistas no es que tuvieran mucho feeling pero me sigue gustando que no sean los típicos personajes de clase alta sin nada que hacer. Y sobre todo me encanta que sus personajes femeninos sean mujeres independientes y modernas, feministas (un ejemplo claro el hecho de militar en una Sociedad que defiende un uso racional de la vestimenta, como es que la ropa interior sólo pese tres kilos o_O ).
Si te gusta Amanda Quick te gustará esta novela.
Por lo demás, los protagonistas no es que tuvieran mucho feeling pero me sigue gustando que no sean los típicos personajes de clase alta sin nada que hacer. Y sobre todo me encanta que sus personajes femeninos sean mujeres independientes y modernas, feministas (un ejemplo claro el hecho de militar en una Sociedad que defiende un uso racional de la vestimenta, como es que la ropa interior sólo pese tres kilos o_O ).
Si te gusta Amanda Quick te gustará esta novela.
February 4, 2017
Story reminds me a little bit of Tess Gerritsen and her The Surgeon because of murderer`s creepy madness. I like Otherwise Engaged more than Quick`s another paranormal series and her female and male characters are strong, independent and intelligent (I absolutely approve that!).
May 18, 2014
I’ve been looking forward to reading a non-paranormal book by Amanda Quick for a while now, and Otherwise Engaged is a good one. It starts out with our heroine, Amity Doncaster, saving the life of the hero, Benedict Stanbridge, in an alley on a tropical island. The intrigue starts immediately when he asks her to deliver a letter to his uncle in London as he is dying … But Amity is not a timid miss, her father was a doctor and he thought her a few things. She patches up his knife wound, and takes care of him while on board the ship that will bring them to New York, and then to London.
When Benedict leaves the ship in New York to go on to California, he is almost completely healed thanks to Amity’s tender care. And they have become quite close, close enough that Amity hopes for something more. But when she is finally back in London, and he does not send her a letter or anything to let her know how he is doing, she is very disappointed. Someone has been spreading gossip about her and Ben on board the ship, and her reputation is in tatters. How will that affect the publishing of her new book, Travelling the world for ladies? And not only that, Amity becomes the target of a deranged serial killer. Only her quick wits and the use of her special fan, safe her life.
So when Benedict Stanbridge suddenly interrupts Amity’s breakfast and that of her sister Penny, who is recently widowed. On his way from the docks he heard all about Amity’s narrow escape from the Bridegroom’s clutches, and he is worried sick, he needs to find out if she is allright. Amity is not very happy to see him, to his own surprise, and when he offers to safe her reputation by pretending to be engaged to her, he is even more surprised that she doesn’t jump at the chance. He really likes Amity and admires her, and he hasn’t stopped thinking about her all those weeks. But Amity has been badly burned by a man when she was 19, he was actually the reason she started travelling the world. First to find her father who was in Japan at the time, and then just to see and experience it all. And she really does not need a man to safe her.
But Penny and Ben leave her little choice to accept his offer, to be escorted about town. The police that interrogated her did not seem very competent, so when a new police officer arrives to question her some more, the four of them decide to investigate together. As Amity thinks that the murderer is someone from the aristocracy, the inspector has little chance to get access in those ranks. And Penny sure can, and so can Ben, who will then take Amity with him.
I enjoyed this book so very much, I read it in one day. I loved how the relationship between Amity and Ben was not rushed, although they are very much attracted to each other. Amity was not very impressed with their first sexual interlude, and that was fun too. Although Amanda Quick has used that plot before, I like it. The first time just is not good. The hero has to work hard for his second chance and to redeem himself in the heroine’s eyes.
Amity had already figured out that Ben was working as a spy when she met him, and that was why he asked her to deliver a letter to his uncle in secret. And now she wants in on the intrigue, and know what it was all about. The worlds colemines are on the verge of running low, and the major countries in the world are rushing to find the next cheap energy source. Will that be oil, as the Americans hope, or solar energy? Ben is an engineer by trade and certainly not a spy, but his uncle who is one, asked him to visit a certain inventor and ascertain of his solar powered cannon would really turn the tables at sea. But before Ben arrived, the inventor was found murdered, and all his notes stolen. They think the Russians behind it all, and so the plot thickens, trying to find out who the Russian spy is, and even more important perhaps, his master.
So, a spy plot with an invention that might still be good today, a creepy killer to find and apprehend, a romance between Amity and Ben, and a secondary romance between Penny and the Inspector. A lot happened, action, humor and suspense. Everything that makes for a good Amanda Quick novel. I recommend it.
9 stars.
When Benedict leaves the ship in New York to go on to California, he is almost completely healed thanks to Amity’s tender care. And they have become quite close, close enough that Amity hopes for something more. But when she is finally back in London, and he does not send her a letter or anything to let her know how he is doing, she is very disappointed. Someone has been spreading gossip about her and Ben on board the ship, and her reputation is in tatters. How will that affect the publishing of her new book, Travelling the world for ladies? And not only that, Amity becomes the target of a deranged serial killer. Only her quick wits and the use of her special fan, safe her life.
So when Benedict Stanbridge suddenly interrupts Amity’s breakfast and that of her sister Penny, who is recently widowed. On his way from the docks he heard all about Amity’s narrow escape from the Bridegroom’s clutches, and he is worried sick, he needs to find out if she is allright. Amity is not very happy to see him, to his own surprise, and when he offers to safe her reputation by pretending to be engaged to her, he is even more surprised that she doesn’t jump at the chance. He really likes Amity and admires her, and he hasn’t stopped thinking about her all those weeks. But Amity has been badly burned by a man when she was 19, he was actually the reason she started travelling the world. First to find her father who was in Japan at the time, and then just to see and experience it all. And she really does not need a man to safe her.
But Penny and Ben leave her little choice to accept his offer, to be escorted about town. The police that interrogated her did not seem very competent, so when a new police officer arrives to question her some more, the four of them decide to investigate together. As Amity thinks that the murderer is someone from the aristocracy, the inspector has little chance to get access in those ranks. And Penny sure can, and so can Ben, who will then take Amity with him.
I enjoyed this book so very much, I read it in one day. I loved how the relationship between Amity and Ben was not rushed, although they are very much attracted to each other. Amity was not very impressed with their first sexual interlude, and that was fun too. Although Amanda Quick has used that plot before, I like it. The first time just is not good. The hero has to work hard for his second chance and to redeem himself in the heroine’s eyes.
Amity had already figured out that Ben was working as a spy when she met him, and that was why he asked her to deliver a letter to his uncle in secret. And now she wants in on the intrigue, and know what it was all about. The worlds colemines are on the verge of running low, and the major countries in the world are rushing to find the next cheap energy source. Will that be oil, as the Americans hope, or solar energy? Ben is an engineer by trade and certainly not a spy, but his uncle who is one, asked him to visit a certain inventor and ascertain of his solar powered cannon would really turn the tables at sea. But before Ben arrived, the inventor was found murdered, and all his notes stolen. They think the Russians behind it all, and so the plot thickens, trying to find out who the Russian spy is, and even more important perhaps, his master.
So, a spy plot with an invention that might still be good today, a creepy killer to find and apprehend, a romance between Amity and Ben, and a secondary romance between Penny and the Inspector. A lot happened, action, humor and suspense. Everything that makes for a good Amanda Quick novel. I recommend it.
9 stars.
© 2014 Reviews by Aurian
April 30, 2014
As a fan of Ms. Quick’s books (no matter what name she is writing under) I knew what I was getting into when I read her latest book Otherwise Engaged. A lovely romance/ mystery set in the Victorian times in England and one I would enjoy no matter what. I was right and am so happy I read it!
Amity Doncaster is a unique woman for her time. She is a world traveler and on one of her journeys she comes across a man who has been shot and needs help. Since she has had a little medical training due to her father, she ends up caring for him and protecting a letter that he has given her. After the time they spent together on their voyage Amity comes to have feelings for him and believes he might have feelings for her. Unfortunately they must part ways for a time but he has assured her he will contact her once he is back in London.
Benedict Stanbridge is helping his uncle (and his country) by doing a little spy work and gathering information on a solar weapon. It was his good luck that Miss Doncaster came across him and saved his life. Now back in London he is dismayed that she has been attacked by the monster known as the Bridegroom. Now Benedict will go out of his way to protect Amity and at the same time hopefully show her how strong his feelings are for her.
Otherwise Engaged is the third book in the Ladies of Lantern Street series. I absolutely loved it and had a hard time putting it down. The story has such an easy flow to it with wonderful, captivating characters and a plot that keeps you hooked. I hope that there will be more books in this series.
Amity Doncaster is a unique woman for her time. She is a world traveler and on one of her journeys she comes across a man who has been shot and needs help. Since she has had a little medical training due to her father, she ends up caring for him and protecting a letter that he has given her. After the time they spent together on their voyage Amity comes to have feelings for him and believes he might have feelings for her. Unfortunately they must part ways for a time but he has assured her he will contact her once he is back in London.
Benedict Stanbridge is helping his uncle (and his country) by doing a little spy work and gathering information on a solar weapon. It was his good luck that Miss Doncaster came across him and saved his life. Now back in London he is dismayed that she has been attacked by the monster known as the Bridegroom. Now Benedict will go out of his way to protect Amity and at the same time hopefully show her how strong his feelings are for her.
Otherwise Engaged is the third book in the Ladies of Lantern Street series. I absolutely loved it and had a hard time putting it down. The story has such an easy flow to it with wonderful, captivating characters and a plot that keeps you hooked. I hope that there will be more books in this series.
May 8, 2014
hhhmmm, well the story-line was fun and fast paced. I like both principal characters along with most of the secondary's. I was excited by the prospect of the 2 mysteries contained in the book, but wasn't too pleased when they came together. The concept was good though the execution not so much.
It really could have been that I listened rather than read the book, but it seemed to straggle along a bit towards disc 7 and I found that the sentence structure was a bit rough . . too many "he said" to end a sentence. Of course this was made much more noticeable by the narrator's pause after each sentence before she concluded with the inevitable "he said" or "Benedict said".
I thought this narrator was a poor choice. While good with minor characters, she didn't do justice to the main ones and it really interfered with my overall enjoyment of the book.
But honestly, that cover is quite beautiful!
It really could have been that I listened rather than read the book, but it seemed to straggle along a bit towards disc 7 and I found that the sentence structure was a bit rough . . too many "he said" to end a sentence. Of course this was made much more noticeable by the narrator's pause after each sentence before she concluded with the inevitable "he said" or "Benedict said".
I thought this narrator was a poor choice. While good with minor characters, she didn't do justice to the main ones and it really interfered with my overall enjoyment of the book.
But honestly, that cover is quite beautiful!
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