Soldier of Fortune

Rakes and Rogues of the Restoration #2

by Judith James

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00MRMWYNA

I am pleased to release an enhanced version of the King's Courtesan, now titled Soldier of Fortune in the form and length that was originally intended. Readers who enjoyed Libertine's Kiss can find out what happened to Captain Nichols and catch up with Lizzy, Charlie and Will.

Soldier of Fortune tells the story of Hope Mathews, a character inspired by Nell Gwynn, and Captain Robert Nichols, a war-weary Parliamentarian captain first introduced to readers in Libertine’s Kiss. Haunted by his past, hardened by years of fighting and consumed by a quest for revenge, Robert Nichols’ honor is a fading memory. When Charles II confiscates his lands to reward one of his backers it seems life as a mercenary is all that’s left, until the king makes him an offer. Marry his mistress, a beautiful courtesan with humble beginnings and he will keep his lands and be richly rewarded.

To Hope, who dreams of independence it’s a crushing betrayal and for Robert it represents a new low. Bitter, disillusioned, trapped in a marriage neither of them want, their clash is inevitable. Can these two wounded souls realize the answer to all their dreams might lie in each other's arms?

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adult, Marriage Of Convenience

384 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Judith James, is an avid reader and history buff who grew up in Montreal Quebec. She is also a bit of an adventure junkie and has travelled, worked and lived many places, including the Arctic and several of the places she writes about. Variously employed as a trail guide, horse trainer, and clinical psychologist, she's had the opportunity to live out many of her dreams. She’s even found the perfect place to settle on the East Coast, with a view of the ocean from her window. Judith’s writing combines her love of history, romance and adventure with her keen interest in the complexities of human nature, and the heart’s capacity to heal. Ms James is always pleased to hear from fellow readers and writers and invites you to visit her at www.Judithjamesauthor.com, or join her on face book at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?i... or her fan page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?i...

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This review is going to be really tricky to write, because I LOVED this book. Very often (sadly) when I read historical romances, there are one or two niggling little historical inaccuracies. Now, I've learned to tune them out and just enjoy the stories and characters, but every now and then I yearn for a book which has a credible, compelling romance, two interesting, complex characters, set in a period which isn't Regency (nothing wrong with Regency, but it is rather over-populated) and with enough historical fact to make it feel realistic. Well, this book has all that.

It is set after the Restoration, although pertinent events happened during the Civil War. It makes good use both of the incredible chaos of the Civil War, and the colorful, loud, witty, but also cynical and shallow, Court which surrounded Charles II. The Wars of the Roses is another era with the same possibilities for HRs IMO, with ever-changing loyalties, swift changes of fortune and mindless and pointless death and destruction, but that's another topic..

The heroine and hero are both likable. He is complex, dark and angst-ridden, but he doesn't appear as some of over-tragic actor, but as a real person. Yes, he has a horrible dark secret (and it is pretty nasty), but he also lives enough in the present to be honorable, generous and maintain some perspective on life. The heroine also represents contrasts. She is the King's Whore, gloriously based on aspects of Nell Gwynne's life, but with her character quite different. Despite her life and experiences, she is essentially a kind, optimistic person, not a cynical, grasping jade, and her desire for the simple things in life is really touching. She also cries when upset, which is refreshing. Too many heroines struggle with keeping their tears inside, so as not to upset their heroes, when most women don't really behave that way.

The plot is absolutely superb, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is, partially at least, based on real facts. The desire for revenge on the part of the hero, and the heroine's desire to, at last, take at least some choices for herself both sit well with me. Charles II plays an important role, and the author uses him well, taking those pieces of his character and physical appearance which are well-known, stretching them a very, very small amount to fit the needs of the book, but no further, and I appreciate that restraint.

In summary, this was a great, great book for those who love a generous dose of (accessible) history in their historical romances, all pulled together by some excellent writing. The paragraphs flow beautifully, descriptions are lush and paint the scenery incredibly well, without droning on and on with useless tripe about colors of clothes etc. You feel how close one could fall from the highest pinnacle of Court to despair and destitution, and how far one could climb in the other direction - something not unique to this period, but perhaps more common then than now. And the dialogue is just excellent. No gushing declarations of love within 20 pages from the hero, and it, authentically, takes the hero ages to warm up to the heroine enough to tell her his dark secret. They keep their emotions to themselves and struggle to communicate, just as normal people really do.

Apparently I learned this book is part of a series, but, honestly, not knowing that did absolutely nothing to impair my pleasure in this one.

In short, if you love history, love romances, and love well-written books, then just read this, will you?

5 stars, I totally loved it, provided by netgalley, published last week. I even went out and bought the author's backlist five minutes after finishing this, I loved it so much.

[Dinjolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited about this book. I wanted it with a passion!
But you know what tends to happen when you have really high hopes?
It never is that spectacular in the end.

I have not read the first book from these series but I have read another book by this author and it was also about a …prostitute. I loved it. When I combined this with the blurb I wanted to be blown away.

I was not.
Do not get me wrong. It was a fairly good book.
It was nicely written.
Sure, the whole adventure of falling in love was decent. The supporting characters form book one and the household staff were very well developed. But the love itself was not. Also, the loose end of the living last perpetrator of the heroe's sister's death is still hanging there left unfinished. It made me ask myself- would I still buy this book?
Yes, I would.
Is it a favorite of mine?
No, sadly it is not.
A spark was missing from all character involvements. If this was a play it was a play that had a good writer but a bad director because the scenes themselves were very poor. It made the whole thing 2 instead of 3 dimensional.
I do not really know how this happened. JJ is a good writer and we obviously see she has an imagination.
I guess everybody has their ups and downs.

But when all is said and done, would I tell other people to try reading this?
Yes. Why not? It is far better than other historical romances out there.
There is sex, but it is not in your face.
There are obstacles but they never grow in to the big misunderstanding.
There is love, and even thou it does not really shine and there is no epilogue you will be happy for the characters HEA.

The only thing I really do not get when it comes to this book is one sentence. The one where the King thinks about how he loves Blanshe the most even thou it is a cold and calculated love.
Ermmm…even if this sentence was a stand alone I would have been baffled. He loves her? Why? He talks trash about her! And he likes the heroine best!
I just kind of think that even if I was a man, and even if I had mistresses up on mistresses I do not think I would love this person. And I most assuredly think the author made a blotch here. If he said the best sex, or the most fun… or what ever. Love? The word just does not fit.
But this sentence was linked to one other thing in my mind-The authors note in the end.
If her character was inspired by a real life character that really had the kings devotion (even in a sick and twisted way) I think it was even more appropriate that this fictional king should have mourned the heroine a bit more.
But this is just me.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley.

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first JJ's book and was not expecting much, being that it's about the King's mistress. I mean, I was pretty sure that I'll hate the heroine and I was bracing myself for the slutty part. But surprisingly, 30% into the book, I was pulled in and was pretty much blown away.

Captain Nichols was ordered by the King to wed Hope, his favorite mistress. The marriage was just a front for his new Queen and also to bound her to him and nobody else. Little did he expect the Captain to sweep Hope off her feet with his brooding charm and dark past. Hope and the Captain (I just love it when she called him that) were very adorable together even with their fights and bickering.

I would definitely check out some other books by JJ.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

***This book was provided to me via NetGalley***

Hope Matthews has dreamed of being rescued by a knight for as long as she can remember. She fantasizes of a handsome man, galloping in on a horse and taking her away from her tower to live happily ever-after. One day, as she leans out of her mother’s home watching the kings army return from battle in a parade, Hope falls from the window right into the path of the returning soldiers. Certain she has met her death, she curls into a ball only to be scooped up by a handsome soldier her places her within his arms while riding on his horse. Hope cannot believe it, a true shining knight that rescued her. She never wants the feeling to end, and the dashing soldier carries her all the way to the gates of Whitehall Palace before dropping her safely to the ground. He dazzles her with his charming words and friendly smile and Hope is determined that their fate is sealed. This is the beginning of something both magical and wonderful.

Hope returns home with a hop in her step. Even though her mother, and the ladies who live in their home, have quite the reputation for “entertaining” men, Hope loves them dearly. They have taught her many life lessons and tutored her on beauty regimens. As she comes in from her afternoon, her happiness ends abruptly when her mother informs her she’s of an age now to work and earn her keep within the home. The ladies and her mother prepare her for her first audience with a man despite her young age. Her feelings of bliss from her magical encounter earlier are all but forgotten.

Robert Nichols is a haunted man. As a child, Robert witnessed the tragic murder of his younger sister, Caroline. After immersing himself into the king’s army for many years, he has returned to his childhood home, Cressley, where he has made it his life goal to see all of her attackers brought to the justice they deserve; their death by his hand. Robert enjoys his peaceful quiet life in the country and is quite disturbed when he learns that the King intends to remove him from his own lands, giving them to none other than the only remaining attacker of Caroline’s he’s yet to encounter.

King Charles is a man full of life. He enjoys the theater, large feasts, and beautiful women. Little Hope Matthews is all grown up now, and has found herself in none other than the King’s bed. The King provides a lovely townhome, servants, money, and any possession she could desire. Hope is smart and classy, having only been bound to three men in all the years of her “services”. The King finds her simply irresistible and can’t help but really like her. Unfortunately, because she’s not of noble blood, he cannot officially recognize her in court as a mistress of his. Now that he is betrothed to marry the queen from Spain, he fears he does not know what to do with her. Hope asks him to let her disappear quietly, not even asking for any further assistance. It baffles King Charles how easily she would leave him. If only he could find her a suitable husband within the court, then he could keep her close by to use at his leisure.

After a mutual friend of both King Charles and Robert’s discovers that the King means to take Robert’s lands away from him, she has an audience with the King himself, begging that Robert be allowed to remain in his home. King Charles sees an opportunity when it presents itself and convinces Robert Nichols to marry Hope Matthews, making Robert an Earl and Hope officially a lady of the court.

The marriage is a surprise to both Hope and Robert. Robert cannot deny he is extremely attracted to the raven haired, violet eyed beauty. He is drawn to her and watches her happiness infect other people; including him. Hope is furious with Charles for tricking her into marrying this man, but she can’t help but notice how handsome this quiet man is.

Hope encounters all types of hardships when she arrives at Cressly. The home has such potential, yet seems dark like it hides a secret. The servants give her a hard time immediately having heard of her reputation, but soon, even they cannot help but be infected by her presence. Slowly, Hope turns the ghost of a house into a warm and inviting home.

Neither Hope nor Robert expect to develop feelings for the other, and when they do, it becomes obvious that they are quite perfect for one another. Hope desperately wishes for Robert to open up to her about what haunts him so, even going as far as to reveal her past to him. As the two begin to fall in love, the worry that the King will send the summons for Hope to return to court constantly lingers. It doesn’t help, that Robert has learned his sister’s sole surviving attacker dwells not far from where he is.

As Robert prepares to head out for revenge against his sister, Hope receives the summons the two of them have been dreading. As she goes to him, she is convinced he will accompany her to court and stand beside her; as her husband. It becomes obvious that Robert is torn between is final act of revenge, and standing beside the woman he comes to love.

This book was outstanding. I loved every page of it. It had such a beautiful mix of fairy-tale, history, and romance. Right away I was grabbed when reading this.
I couldn’t help but feel the heroine’s pain as she’s forced to service men at such a young age. The author did a spectacular job of capturing the moment of when Hope’s childhood innocence was stripped away. Hope was a heroine you couldn’t help but admire. She rose from a less than stellar upbringing into a classy King’s courtesan. Hope’s beauty is fantasy-like, magical even. Her combination of dark hair and purple hued are unique in itself and Hope loves nature and anything green. In fact, Robert even gives her the nickname “elf”. Not only is Hope beautiful, she’s strong and well spoken. When she first arrives at Cressly and is met with disrespect, she quickly puts people in their place and demands respect that she deserves. When Hope falls in love with Robert, I think I started to also. Her feelings were written so vividly and realistically that the hero came to life right off the page.

Robert is dashingly handsome and oh so sexy in his quietness. He is every bit the tortured hero and it is absolutely beautiful to see him break down the walls around himself as Hope gets him to open up to her. His skills as an avid swordsman and former member of the military are HAWT, and his skills with a woman’s body are S I Z Z L I N G!

“She imagined it was her standing toe-to-toe with him, eyes intent, joined with his in a thrilling challenge, her movements matching his as they danced back and forth, anticipating, responding, thrusting, parrying, beaded with perspiration, aching….As his supple body powered each twist and thrust she felt herself grow warmer. His half-opened shirt clung to his body and an errant strand of hair has escaped its queue. She watched in fascination, her breath quickening and her lips parted as if preparing to receive a kiss-.”

“Watching his muscles flex and his body move with fluid power as she stood but feet away caused a fluttering feeling inside her that didn’t help her concentration. She licked her lips as he whirled his blade, jumping high off the ground and twisting. He landed on one knee with his sword thrust into an invisible body. His sandy hair, almost blond from the sun, hung loose about his bronzed shoulders, and his stomach rippled with muscle as, tossing and catching twirling the sword, he strode toward her. Dear Lord, how I want him.”

“Groaning, he eased her from his aching lap before she made him spend like an untried youth. She whimpered as he laid her down in the bed of moss and violets carpeting the earth beneath the tree. Silencing her murmured protest with a lush kiss, he covered her body with his own. “I have long wanted to kiss you just like this, in a bed of flowers under the stars.” he said in a husky whisper. “I’ve wanted it ever since I saw you dancing barefoot in the park. Even when we argued, when we were angry and not speaking, I couldn’t get that picture from my mind.”

Judith James writes in such a sensual way and I cannot wait to read her next story that she sets up within this one. Very enjoyable read. Four and a half stars!

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it turns out I really liked this book. I have to say that the ending did a lot to satisfy my need for more romance and add an extra half star to my overall rating.

This was an emotional, well-written book with depth and rich background. The characters were very likable, even though Hope was a courtesan and I usually have little love for them, and Robert was a strong, decisive, honorable and tortured hero, the kind I love to read about. Those two got married against their will by the King's orders and though the attraction was there from the first time, it took them a lot of time for the trust and caring to develop. I really appreciated that, since I always dislike plots that confuse lust with love and have the heroes unable to fight their attraction and jumping to bed before they're on a first name basis. The slow development of their feelings made their relationship seem all the more realistic and interesting. The whole story is deeply emotional, and we really get to know those two people and come to care for them. So, when the sweet ending came, it was almost swoon worthy.

On the other hand, it took way too long to get those two together. Almost one half of the book was spent just to lay the background and build the main characters, time that made the story seem too slow in the beginning. Also, for the most part, this seemed more like a historical novel than a romance per se; the focus seems to rest on the hero's past and its import in his present, rather than the romance. That alone was a bit disconcerting for me.

Still, I enjoyed reading it and never felt the urge to skim though it (which I sometimes do with more average novels). Readers who like their historical romances filled with rich period details, will probably appreciate this one. I'm definitely going to give Ms James another try and if the next book's about the young boy we saw in the end, I'll be sure to pick it up.

ARC received by NetGalley

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The King's Courtesan was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Harlequin.

I’ve never read anything by Judith James so I went in to this not sure what to expect. About halfway through I found out that this is actually a follow-up novel to ‘Libertine’s Kiss’ but ‘The Kings Courtesan’ still held its own as a stand-alone novel. I love a good historical romance novel every now and again; however, this one wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped it would be. It took me FOREVER to read because I could not get into it for some reason… I kept putting it back on my to-read shelf and coming back to it on various occasions.

Hope Matthews is the courtesan to King Charles; however, that will be ending soon as the King has agreed to marry the Queen of Spain and it would not be in his best interest to continue to keep his courtesan around. Knowing this, Hope asks Charles for a little place of her own so that she can leave court with her dignity intact. Charles, failing to understand how she could be willing to leave so quietly, decides to make a deal with Robert Nichols and forces him into marriage with Hope in order to still keep her close by. Naturally, the two are unable to get along at first, especially since Hope thought it was all a joke rather than a real marriage. As the two grow closer and love develops between them, Robert is forced to make a choice between his wife and an old vendetta that has eaten at him since he was a child.

Not my favorite romance novel but nonetheless enjoyable.

Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Nichols tidak kuasa utk menolak memperistri Hope Matthews, simpanan Raja Charles, karena Robert memiliki misi balas dendam yg terselubung. Hope yg awalnya berang krn merasa "dijual" dan dilempar oleh Charles, lambat laun dia menyadari kualitas-kualitas kebaikan suaminya dan belajar mencintai dan memahami kepribadian suaminya yg sulit dan keras ini. Namun pada saat Charles kembali memanggil Hope ke istana, Robert bimbang antara menuntaskan dendamnya atau mengantar istrinya ke London dan mengklaimnya sbg miliknya.

Ini pertama kali saya membaca karya author dan saya sangat puas dgn karyanya ini. Walaupun tulisannya bergelimang kata-kata puitis namun tidak membuat pening mengartikan makna sebenarnya. Selain itu, novel ini juga lumayan sarat historis-nya ttg kehidupan percintaan Raja Charles II yg terkenal playboy tsb.

Ada banyak kalimat2 bagus di buku ini, sayangnya quotes-nya tidak ada di goodreads (tampaknya saya hrs membaca versi Inggrisnya jika ingin mencatat quote2 dr buku ini). Author bukan hanya menulis dgn background sejarah yg kental, author juga kuat dlm psikologis & permainan kata-kata. Lihat saja balasan kata2 Hope yg menyerang kepada Robert maupun Charles, sangat tepat sasaran, menohok tapi tidak vulgar. Ini mencerminkan bhw kepribadian Hope sudah dewasa dan berkelas, dan Hope tidak sudi merendahkan dirinya walaupun dirinya terlahir sbg pelacur.

Sedangkan Robert laksana ksatria yg datang dgn baju zirah dan kuda putih utk menyelamatkan sang putri, itu kiasannya. Robert adalah gambaran pria penuh martabat dan sangat gentleman. Walaupun terkesan dingin dan tertutup, namun dgn Hope pelan2 dia bisa membuka luka lamanya. Saya suka tipe pria yg tidak malu mengakui kekurangannya setelah kebersamaan. Ini menandakan Robert percaya kepada Hope. Bagi saya romansa yang indah bukanlah adegan sex yg menggebu-gebu, melainkan kepercayaan dan kesetiaan satu sama lain. Mau belajar ttg pasangannya masing2.

[Lisa Novita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elf 🧚🏻‍♀️

[Lisa Novita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elf 🧚🏻‍♀️

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance


Rating: 3.5 out of 5


I was excited to receive Judith James’ The King’s Courtesan for review, because I’ve been trying to read more historical romance that isn’t set in Regency England. The King’s Courtesan is set in England during the Restoration of King Charles II, so I was really looking forward to reading it, and Ms. James did not disappoint! I loved the historical setting, which is depicted fairly accurately, as far as I can tell through my limited recollection of the Restoration and a few searches on the internet. Ms. James’ novel is a pleasant and engaging read, although I never felt the connection with the characters that I would have liked.

The premise of the novel intrigued me, as I wasn’t sure how the author would depict a romance between a courtesan and a nobleman forced to marry her purely for the King’s purposes. Hope Meadows is one of Charles II’s several mistresses, but as Charles’ fiancée approaches London, Hope begins to worry about her future, since she is not highly born and therefore will not be able to remain at court when the new Queen arrives. Charles’ solution is a bit of a stunner: he marries her off to Robert Nichols, a former captain who served under Cromwell. By marrying Hope, Robert will retain possession of his family lands, Cressly. Unfortunately for Hope, Charles never informs her of his plan, and he actually tricks her into marriage with Robert. Her new husband is convinced that she was in on the plot from the beginning, so it’s not the most auspicious start to their marriage. Charles assumes that by marrying Hope into the nobility, she’ll be able to return to court on his command and continue as his mistress, making Robert a cuckold. Not surprisingly, Robert isn’t thrilled with the situation, but soon Hope’s irrepressible nature begins to win him over, leaving the two to worry about how to deal with the King when his summons to court arrives.

For me, the historical context is the highlight of this novel. Ms. James does an excellent job of portraying the bawdy court of Charles II and the complicated politics inherent in a system dependent upon patronage and the King’s favor. She depicts “Charlie” as a charming womanizer, easy to anger but just as easy to laugh. In spite of his many faults, he is quite personable, which I enjoyed immensely and believe to be a rather accurate depiction of the king. There’s plenty of detail to keep you engaged without distracting you from the romance, which is tricky to accomplish, yet Ms. James manages to incorporate much of the history seamlessly.

I did enjoy the characters of Robert and Hope, but I felt a bit distanced from their romance, partly because the two are apart so frequently in the novel. At times it felt as though Hope spent most of her days winning the household staff over rather than her husband, because he was away so often. The reason for his absences is twofold: first, he’s trying to resist falling for the former prostitute because of the circumstances surrounding his marriage, and, second, he’s searching for information concerning one of his sister’s murderers in a plot for revenge. Unfortunately, the subplot surrounding his long-sought revenge is at times more interesting than his marriage to Hope.

Hope, we are told, is a charming, beautiful woman, who despite her past still manages to convey a sense of innocence, and therein lies my main difficulty with this novel. In the prologue her mother sells Hope’s virginity off to the highest bidder, yet we learn that Hope had only been with three other men before her marriage to Robert Nichols . I felt that in order to make her a likeable character, Ms. James repeatedly described her as “innocent” and practically virginal, which I find disturbing. The trope of experienced male lover, virginal woman remains popular, and the author appears to be trying to fit this novel into that trope, despite the female protagonist’s role as prostitute. I’m bothered that the author minimized Hope’s experience as a prostitute in an apparent attempt to make her more appealing to the reader. It’s clear from the beginning of the novel that Hope’s survival depends upon her livelihood as a prostitute, and the lack of work options for women during the Restoration is well known. This in of itself makes her a sympathetic character, so minimizing her sexual experience seems unnecessary.

However, the writing was smooth and well-executed, and I found the novel to be a compelling read. I’ve seen more favorable reviews of Ms. James’ novel Libertine’s Kiss, which is also set in the Restoration and whose hero and heroine appear in The King’s Courtesan, so I’ll definitely be reading her other books. This one, while enjoyable, probably won’t make my keeper shelf.

I received this book for review from the Publisher through NetGalley.

[Elizajane40 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d say 4.5. I just really appreciate the setting of these books a lot. Such a rich time period for romance, but rarely used. This kind of lost some steam at the end, but I loved the characters. I’m sad James has stopped writing.

[rameau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just read the blurb. I'll wait.

Lady libertine, judgmental lord.

HER BODY IS A BATTLEGROUND

Sensuous, beautiful and determined, Hope Matthews is a favored mistress of the king. Her many charms have helped her rise from the gutter to the king’s bed. But with the new queen’s impending arrival, her nights in the royal chamber— and her hopes for security—will swiftly come to an end.

HIS HONOR A DISTANT MEMORY

Haunted by his past, hardened by the recent civil war, Captain Robert Nichols lives only for revenge. When told he must marry the king’s courtesan to provide a cover for their affair, he’s faced with a new low. Both are pawns of a great man, but married to their dreams of independence, their clash is inevitable. Can these two wounded souls realize the answer to all their dreams might lie in each other’s arms?

Do you see that? It has it all. A debauched woman, a tortured man, and a King who wants what he wants and has the power to make it happen. It has the marriage of convenience and an inbuilt threat to the lovers to be. It has the premise of a life time.

And it's all wasted.

How rare is it to find a believable reason for a country gentleman to marry a whore? Very. Yet here it is. A libertine King without anyone holding him back has the power and the will to make his common whore a noblewoman. He exercises that power and makes a deal with a minor baronet who isn't in the position to refuse his sovereign.

Can you imagine it? Two very different people brought together on a monarch's whim and forced to live together in a pretend marriage. And let's not forget the household staff. Here, James actually surprises positively. Captain Nichols' loyal servants don't make it easy for their new mistress to slip into that role. It's just another way to keep up the pretence and show how alone Hope and Robert are in this mess. The antagonism makes the sparks fly.

And again, it's lost.

What we have here is a collection of occasionally lovely moments without a real thread to hold them together. If I skip read the weaker parts, squint, and tilt my head just so I can almost see a great story under there, but only if I try very hard. All the good is buried under characterisations I can't agree with and inconsistencies that tear apart what little plot there was. As for the plot, it feels congested. I can see the reasoning for all the twists but shoddy pacing destroys what little sense I saw there.

Still, I didn't hate it. The premise saved a lot.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Maqluba · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I had a lot of reserves going into this book because I normally don't like my historical heroines to be 'experienced' so I was hesitant about reading a book where the she was a courtesan. So I guess if you're in that boat then I'd say don't bother with this one, but if you're okay with that then you might like this more than I did cuz that was still the biggest problem for me after finishing it.

The author tried to make her less prostitute-y by telling us she's only been with 3 men faithfully *eye-roll* but when you hear the rest of her story you realize, yeah, no she's basically a mistress for multiple men. Again, I'm not a fan of mistress-type books so that didn't help. The fact that she lived in a grand house with servants and clothes and nice things made her more mistress-y to me than like a girlfriend-type. She was obviously in it for the money and not for love or companionship, she could have taken what she had and moved on but she wanted the higher status, she wanted to be seen and known so she's the only one to blame for her position. I had compassion for her in the prologue because she was cruelly initiated into this lifestyle but then she tells us what happens after and I basically lost the pity for her. the fact that she stayed with that pedophilic creepo for years afterward defies all reasoning for me- she didn't feel stuck there, she seriously could have left after a while but she STAYED.. I dont understand
The hero was haunted by his memories and so he was dark and dreary for a little bit but he was also stodgy and wound tight but around the heroine he lets loose. His actions made sense, but then confused me, but then made sense, but then confused me again. I don't know what it was but he never felt truly haunted to me and he never felt truly stodgy so I think I just needed more angst in that department.

I didn't hate it but I didn't like the characters so even though the storyline was good and the love between them was nicely written I just didn't like the characters so that makes it just "okay" which here I'd say is 2.5 stars.

You don't need to read the first one to read this but you will be spoiled if you plan on ever reading the first one.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child, Hope had dreams of love and her very own knight in shining armor to sweep her off her feet.

Those dreams died the day her mother forced her sell her virginity to the highest bidder. Since then, Hope has done the best she could with her lot in life. She is a mistress to King Charles, but now that he is getting married, her days at court are numbered.

Charles isn't willing to give up his lover, so he tricks her into marrying Robert. He offers the country gentleman a title and more land to become her husband. Charles figures that after a few months, Hope can come back and they can resume their affair with her as a noblewoman. Robert accepts once he realizes that refusal would put his family home into the hands of his greatest enemy. Hope has no idea that she is being married off until the deed is already done.

It's hard not sympathize with poor Hope. She's never been able to live down a past that was not of her own making. She's been betrayed by anyone she has ever loved. And she is treated like dirt by just about everyone. But she has managed to hold on to a good heart and a determination to make a life for herself. It is hard to watch Charles break her heart, followed by Robert's cool distain. Even his servants act as though she is beneath them. Yet, as Robert gets to know her, he can't help but want her... this despite the very real threat that he'll have to give her back to the king.

Robert has issues of his own. He's a man driven by revenge and it's apparent early on that he'll have to choose between that and happiness before all is said and done. Those issues notwithstanding, I really enjoyed watching Hope and Robert fall in love. It was surprisingly sweet. The love scenes were sexy, though not as sweltering as I might have expected with a courtesan as the heroine. The plot progression is a bit predictable, but it was still an enjoyable ride to the inevitable conclusion.

This book is a follow up to Libertine's Kiss and we get a peek at the backstory from that novel. But this is read easily as a stand-alone. 4 stars.

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

[MisskTarsis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nunca había visto un personaje tan egoísta como en este caso Carlos Estuardo. Hope, es una de las amantes de rey, pero con el arribo de Catalina y el próximo matrimonio del monarca, deben buscar una solución. Ella sólo quiere su libertad pero él tiene planes distintos para ella, no está dispuesto a dejarla marchar de su cama. Al menos no definitivamente. Allí es donde entra Robert en escena, un ex-militar con un título de baronet al que él le hace una propuesta, sus tierras y un título a cambio de casarse con su preciosa amante y devolverla a la corte en cuanto él la llame de nuevo a sus aposentos.

Es una historia con muchos sentimientos. Desde el inicio de sorprenden las decisiones que están obligados a tomar los personajes. Son fuertes y supervivientes. Es normal que se odien mutuamente presos del engaño de Carlos, pero, cuando logran hablar... se dan cuenta que son lo que cada uno estuvo esperando.

PD: Escena que me gusta, cuando Hope llega a esa casa, el enfrentamiento con la ama de llaves es épico jajaja.

[Anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Judith James balanced a life of the young women born in a brothel sold at the age of 14, and her third protector of the king himself!! She has managed to caprure Charles Stuart the merry monarch as an intelligent vulnerable king who actually cares for his mistresses. The H, Captain Robert Nichols is splendid, a pawn in the kings game which ends up to his advantage. The characters are great, Will and Elizabeth from book 1 and again the fun court of Charles 2 is a chapter on its own. Must read for historical fans.

The authors writing is authentic and the characters seem to come alive. I wish there were audiobooks and a splendid narrators like a Jenny Sterling, Rosalyn Landor, S Deudren or K Reading will bring the book Alive:)

[Caroline The HEA Lover]

(This review was originally posted on Book Lovers Inc)

Judith James won me over last year with a fantastic Libertine's Kiss. I loved it so much that I've been counting the days 'till the release of The King's Courtesan. To be honest I think this book is responsible for my Netgalley addiction. Why? Because I've been checking the website everyday for the last 5 months in hope of seeing The King's Courtesan up for request. As you can imagine I might have stumbled on a few other books in the process ;) (<== bad excuse I know!!)

But back to the book! Captain Robert Nichols was first introduced in Libertine's Kiss. I felt pretty bad for him and I wanted him to get his HEA after all. He's a reasonable man (well most of the time), a no-nonsense kind of man. He's also driven by revenge. His only goal in life is to finally be able to get his revenge. Robert is haunted by the past and he can't let go.

One thing I love about this book is that it's set in a time period that is not often depicted in books. We get to be completely immersed in the Civil War and Charles II's reign. I learned a lot about this historical period while reading Judith James' books. Robert was on the wrong side of the war now he has to deal with the consequences. And in this case the consequences are pretty bittersweet. He is ordered to marry the King's Courtesan, Hope.

Hope Matthews is a courtesan. She could have ended up a street-whore but she has wits and she's very courageous. She turned her situation into something very positive. Right now she's the king's mistress...well one of them. I absolutely adored the scenes between Hope and Charles. Their relationship is based on friendship and honesty.Well to be completely honest, I just loved Charles, he's a fascinating king. I loved how he could change from a very nice and easy person to his ruthless King's persona in a second. He already fascinated me in Libertine's Kiss and I'm glad we got to see him a bit more.

Charles is soon to be married, he can't have an unmarried mistress at Court. He doesn't want to part with Hope so he engineers a way to have her at Court...married! Charles really is a wicked man, he's very manipulative and won't stop at anything to get what he wants.

Hope and Robert's relationship starts off. They were both manipulated in a wedding they didn't want. Robert has to accept that his 'wife' will be the King's mistress. He'll be officially cuckold in front of the whole Court. Hope on the other end feels like she's been cast off. All she wanted was to be free...to be her own master. Judith James made me root for them, I wanted them to fall for each other. I wanted them to fight their demons and finally be happy. I was scared I wouldn't like the whole 'courtesan' thing but it turn out very well. *g* . I loved how they fought and how passionate they were.

An added bonus is that we get to see the main characters from Libertine's Kiss once again. It was a very good surprise. *g*

The King's Courtesan is a beautiful love story set in a rich historical period. Court Intrigues, War, Revenge those are a few of the things our heroes will have to overcome to finally get their HEA. Judith James gives us a story about how love can heal the scars from the past. If you love Historical romances with a bit of Court intrigues then this is for you. One of the main appeal of this book is how it makes you learn so much about this historical period. I will be impatiently awaiting Judith James' next book!



I give The King's Courtesan 4 1/2 Bookies

[Kristiej · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this one didn’t blow me away like her debut book, Broken Wing did, it’s certainly in the upper levels of books I read in 2011. Robert Nichols, a character in the previous book, Libertine’s Kiss was a rather dour, severe kind of character; of course any one would be after the larger than life persona of William.

I might have worried, but this is Judith James who writes such wonderful, multidimensional characters. And I just adore the setting and time period.

Although it’s England, this book as well as Libertine’s Kiss is set during the Restoration period. I’ve been so intrigued and wanting to know more about this underwritten time in English history.

As I said, while Robert comes across as stern, much of that can be attributed to the fact that he was on Cromwell’s side during the civil war and those Puritans weren’t know to be party animals. But the fact that he fought for Cromwell was more that it was expedient then the fact that he followed their beliefs. His lands had been stolen and he wanted them back. He is a good and honourable man and I liked him a lot.

But it’s Hope who is the one full of life here. In Broken Wing, it was Gabriel who was the stand out character; in The King’s Courtesan, for me, it’s Hope. What a wonderfully written character she is. She’s grown up in a brothel, her mother the Madam who sells her young daughter, Hope still manages to maintain certain innocence about her. She first meets Robert when she is young and quite literally falls into his lap during a march of the soldiers. She’s smitten with him and sees him as someone who will rescue her from her sad circumstances only to be sold later that same day. The book then moves forward in time to when Charles II has taken the crown and Hope as one of his

mistresses. He is about to be married and Hope realizes that he can’t keep her because of her low birth. All she wants from Charles is her freedom to live her life the way she wants to. Instead, like so many other people in her life, he ‘sells’ her to Robert for the price of Robert’s land back. Charles thinks once the newness of

marriage wears off, he will want Hope back again and Robert will be a compliant cuckold. But things don’t turn out quite that way. Once they get past their initial misunderstandings, they begin to truly care about the other and fall in love. And now it hangs over their head – what do they do when the King wants her back

And while Hope is more of a stand out character, Robert is no slouch himself. He never holds Hope’s past against her, realizing she did what she had to do in order to survive.

He is smitten with the dichotomy of her being the King’s mistress on one hand and so seemingly naive and innocent on the other hand.

The setting is also such an attraction for me with this book. There are so few in this setting and I know so little, that a few times while reading, I went back and did a bit of research on the time. As history was one of my favourite subjects in school, I simply loved that I had this reaction.

I love everything about Ms. James writing, her characters, her settings, her detail to history, you name it and I give it a thumbs up. As I think I mentioned earlier this one didn’t quite come up to Broken Wing, but since I gave that book higher than a 5 out of 5, this one does get a 5.

[SidneyKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning! Cover rant coming!

Let's get this over with, shall we. The cover has some lovely colors, and some sumptuous clothing. Nice layout. However, what's with the Grace Kelly outfit the woman has on? This outfit is so Edith Head. It could have been worn in Rear Window. This outfit is not something any self-respecting restoration woman would wear. Not even to bed! So, then I looked at the guy - ah, a lace shirt. That's sort of restoration. Wait a minute! It's open down the front! Akkk! Didn't men slip those shirts over their heads because shirts didn't open in the front? I may be wrong, but I think I'm right. Nice try with the lace though, you almost fooled me. And, one more little tiny nit-picking thing. What's with the finger on the red lips? I think I know exactly what it means, because I think I know what scene this is supposed to be from. So, I think she needs to get up and rinse.

Now, to the inside. Judith James is writing some really interesting books, in time periods that are usually overlooked. The King's Courtesan takes place in one of my favorite times, Restoration England. This time in history had so much going on; I'm always surprised that there isn't more out there on it. What a lush time. However, on top of all that lushness was some pretty gritty dirt. And Ms. James does not disappoint in her description of what is going on around the protagonists who inhabit The King's Courtesan. I loved the visions she evoked.

So, you would think with a time period I love, vision evoking, and a king who I've always found fascinating, I'd be happy with this book. You'd think. Well, here's the problem. The couple. By their third fight, I just wanted to reach into those pages and smack them. It was one of those let's-have-wonderful-orgasmic-sex-and-then - what, you like white? How dare you like white! I hate you, I hate you! Blacks better and I'm never going to speak to you again! Oh, let's tumble down this hill. OOH! You're wonderful! Ahhhhh! What, now you like black! You cretin! I'll never speak to you again! And, I'm not going to tell you any of my secrets! So there!

Now, I might have exaggerated just a tad, but you get the point. Our couple, a real whore, not a fake one, and a hero bent on revenge might have been wonderful. At least, the heroine was different and the hero had to deal with the fact that maybe someday in the future his wife would have to go back to the bed of King Charles. So, just that part of the story would have made for some great dynamics. But the constant bickering just got on every one of my nerves, causing many an eye-rolling moment. I do like books that are semi-old school; however, some things are better left with Steve and Ginny (Sweet Savage Love.) I just don't see a HEA with hate you, hate you, couples.

So, in the end, I was disappointed in The King's Courtesan. Maybe I was expecting too much after The Libertine Kiss, which I liked a lot. Even though I was disappointed in this read, I will be keeping my eyes out for the next in the series. I'm not sure when it's coming out, but I think it's about the young boy that Robert rescued.

[Bekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hope Matthews has brought herself up from out of the gutter and become the King’s courtesan. She lives lavishly as one of his favored mistresses and enjoys his attentions immensely. However the King is soon to be married and as an unmarried mistress she must be sent away from court to avoid offending the King’s new wife. The King finds Captain Robert Nichols to wed Hope and this begins a sweet love story of a couple who are very much in need of one another.

This is a very romantic and sweet novel. Hope Matthews has fought and struggled and lived through some of the most horrific things a woman can live through and yet through it all she has managed to maintain her love of life, her dreams and her hopes of a home and a knight in shining armor. She finds her knight in Robert. Though he is a very troubled man, burdened with ghosts from his past and driven by a need for vengeance, he immediately finds it impossible to resist Hope. Despite the pain that fills him he cannot help but smile and even laugh when he is around her. To Hope he gives a home, a castle to call her own, and the freedom to live out her dreams once and for all. He even finds it within himself to open up about his past and let her see his weaknesses and let go of a bit of the pain and horror he’s held within for so long. To Robert she gives a confidant, a safe harbor to come home to and a loving, willing companion who helps to banish all his torturous nightmares. With Hope, Robert is finally able to live a happy and free life.

“You have come to mean so much to me. I don’t know how or why, but even in the midst of anger, even when I’ve felt sore pressed, almost from the beginning, I have felt an ease with you, and a comfort I feel with none other. When I am with you, I feel I’m home.”
She pressed her forehead to his. “I feel the same. In some ways you have always felt familiar to me. You make me feel safe and protected…among other things.” She grinned and kissed his cheek. “When I saw you standing in my home, towering over the crowd, my heart almost stopped. It was as if you’d stepped straight from a childhood fantasy. My fierce protector and shining knight.”

Judith James writes a very scintillating, erotic and passionate love story for Hope and Robert and the romance is very spicy indeed. There is just enough sweetness in the story to make you sigh just a bit and an ending that makes you believe in fairytales all over again. Definitely read this one with a nice tall glass of ice water close by!

**provided to me for review by netgalley

Find my reviews at page 317.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very pleasant surprise! I normally gravitate to Regency romances when I read HRs, but this one, set in the Restoration period of England's rich history was an absolute breath of fresh air! With rich, descriptive prose and just kissing this side of accuracy in terms of historical reference, not to mention the absolutely romantic rags to riches theme of the heroine, Hope, Judith James' The King's Courtesan pulled me in and kept me intrigued from start to finish. My only regret is that I wasn't able to just sit and absorb this whole book in one sitting (being a holiday weekend, real life got in the way!)
James' characters were a direct and indirect nod to historical figures, including King Charles II and several members of his court. Hope Matthews, the heroine was born in a brothel. Even so, she is a dreamer and a lover of fairy tales. The sweet story of her knight in shining armor and then the bitter fall to reality in the same day really set the stage for a powerful tale of this heroine's absolute resolve to not just survive, but to thrive. Her virginity is sold by her own mother to a lord of the realm and then she raises herself up to courtesan to the king himself. All this happens during the corrupt and bloody civil war and the beginnings of the Restoration.
Enter our hero, Robert Nichols, a heartthrob if ever there was one. Right away, James gives a visual of the tragedy of Robert's youth that makes him the man he is. He is a hardened soldier and a ruthless avenger.
In preparation for the arrival of the King's bride, Catherine of Braganza of Portugal, Charles II had Hope married to Robert by ultimatum so that she, as a wife and countess could return to court and continue as his mistress. This is the meat of the story, how Hope and Robert dealt with their forced marriage. And it is a wonderfully, toe-curlingly satisfying story!
There are lots of accurate historical references throughout the book, including references to the introduction of tea drinking (from Queen Catherine), pineapple growing in England, Robin Hood and his merry men and plenty of danger and treasonous plotting with nods to actual events. Hope's character is based loosely on one of Charles' known mistresses, Lucy Walter.
I resonated with Hope in her love of fairy tales and stories such as Robin Hood and her never-ending optimistic joy in nature and life, which ultimately pulled Robert from himself and saved him from a disastrous situation.
Absolutely wonderful story and I intend to read the 1st and 3rd novels in the series as soon as I can acquire them!

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not see it being mentioned, but this is a series. I tried to read the book before this one and gave up for the moment because it was so jumpy. Then I moved on to this one and it was so much better. It works well as a stand alone novel but the couple from book 1 is around now and again.

I do not know what it was that made me fall for it; I do think it was the story in itself. The king’s courtesan is married off so that she can come back with a title and pick up her duties again. You just have to like a story like that.

Hope is a commoner who is now the King’s mistress. But he is getting married and she can’t stay. She does care for him and is not happy when she is married to someone she does not know. Ok that is an understatement, she is furious! And I do like her, she has taken what she got and tried to make a future for herself. Mostly she just wants to be her own mistress and not depend on any man. And I do get her fury and everything else she is feeling.

Robert then, well he is about to lose everything so he takes this “deal”. He is honorable and he has his own demons from his past to deal with. He is not happy about the situation but then he does what he has to do. And again I do like his reasons to why.

And of course these two will fall for each other. What else can they do? She is angry, he fancies her, and they are far from everything. So lots of passion promised. But also drama since this is not the best of situations and they have a lot to deal with before they can get that HEA.

Conclusion:
I liked this one and much sure has to do with the premise of the story.

[Terra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one really hot delicious book that you won't be able to put down. Two characters aching for something they can't have and they both carry enough baggage of hurt and sorrow that your heart can't help but open up for them.

Hope Matthews comes from a poor background but as if that isn't bad enough her mother sells poor Hope to the highest bidder at the tender age of fourteen to live in a life of sexual servitatude that is sure to scar her forever. Will she find a wealthy powerful benefactor?

Hope's chances at marriage are slim to none and she knows the best she can hope for is a bit of kindness here and there if she's extremely lucky.

Robert Nichols is a man of war and that is what has ruled his life since the tender age of fifteen. Having lost his family this is his only chance at becoming a man of means. His need to hunt down certain characters for their dastardly murderous behavior sets him in places at the right time to take his revenge. But what Robert doesn't know is that a whispered word to the King will cause him enormous confusion and will upset his life and vengeful vow to the point that he may just loose his quarry.

Our couple is deviously thrown together at an innocent May Day party that starts out so enjoyable but turns out so traitorous. Locked together for life will they be able to sort through their hurts, fears and memories and possibly be able to trust each when the getting gets rough? Hmm....this is a tale you won't want to miss just for this last sentence alone.

[Christy B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Due to his impending marriage, Charles II marries off his mistress Hope Matthews to Captain Robert Nichols, unless the Captain would like to lose his home and land. Neither have a choice and are wed the day they meet.

Robert is your typical hero haunted by events of his past, while Hope has had not such an easy life before becoming mistress to the king. Both are stuck in this limbo relationship: a farce marriage. Legally bound, but not really belonging to each other.

I really like Libertine's Kiss, which comes before The King's Courtesan, which is why I picked this up. I liked it just as much as Libertine's Kiss, and de Veres and Elizabeth even pop up every now and again, and they are delightful.

The relationship between Robert and Hope was intriguing and was a different scenario that I've never encountered before. Their set-up was complicated. At first, all they did was argue, mostly due to Hope being hurt that Charles deceived her into marrying, but they eventually find a common ground and grow to like each other all with the possibility that Hope could be summoned back to court hanging over their heads.

I definitely recommend both this and the Libertine's Kiss if you're tired of regencies and are looking for something different. The unique storyline and time period had my attention from the beginning. It was a fast read that I finished in a day. I look forward to the next book.

[Wendy-Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2*** ~~ The Kings Courtesan by Judith James is loaded with drama and romance with a rich historical background. It's the year of our lord 1662. Hope Matthews (a whore like her mother) is mistress to King Charles Stuart. The reigning Queen is returning to Whitehall. To hide their affair, the King marries Hope off to Captain Robert Nichols in return for the lands he lost in the War. They both are thrust into the deceit and deception of the King. Just when they start to fall in love, King Charles summons Hope back to court. Will their love sustain? This novel was certainly entertaining, but the premise was something seen before in other restoration romances. Received courtesy of Net Galley.

[Angela]

3 October 2014: $0.00 FREE on Kindle

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...] · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...

Well, I was disappointed with many things in The King's Courtesan, which is a follow-up of Libertine's Kiss. The biggest trouble for me was, I couldn’t get over the fact that Hope was Charles’s mistress once and she had this starry-eyed infatuation for a fickle womanizer like him. She being a courtesan for such long years, it was so unbelievable (among other things) that I found myself rolling my eyes more often than not. Then, she and Robert’s chemistry was lacking, their communication felt forced, when not distant. It was sad because the book started with a beautiful scene and I was anticipating the moment when they get to relive it at some point of the story... *sigh*

Hope’s character was loosely based on Nell Gwyn, Charles II’s longtime mistress. Hope grew up in a brothel. Her mother was the owner of it. She never really knew love or affection. It was another thing, that Hope’s background wasn’t explored well. I mean, I was confused about her part as an orange girl or an actress in Covent Garden later. Or whatever she did in between the 2 men she’s been with before Charles. Was JJ expecting us to read Nell Gwyn’s background and link things because I know she used some of the real life dialogues between her and Charles in the story? Anyway, Hope was 14 when Cromwell’s army came marching in from a war which they won. People were gathering on the street to have a look. Hope had a dream of a savior, a knight in shining armor who would rescue her from this place she’s been living since her birth. When Hope went out to have a look too, she notices this young soldier on a horse and instantly infatuated by him. I know it sounds unbelievable but I wasn’t bothered by it. I liked this. As she was too close to the procession, she almost had an accident but someone saves her from the horse’s hooves. When she takes a look, she sees it’s the same soldier. She loved his smile and knew from whatever she could see behind his hat that he’s a handsome man. Hope really wanted to see his eyes but she was too mesmerized by him and his kind words. The soldier compliments her beauty, rides her into safely, making her feel like a princess, safe in his arms. When he rides away, Hope is wistful, thinking she must’ve met her knight after all.

Ah, but fate won’t let it happen. That day, she learns that her virginity has been auctioned off. Her mother, the cold b*tch, expects her to resign to her fate. A young girl without any help or rescue, Hope does just that, weathering all the humiliation of bartering away like cattle. After that, Hope stayed with the man who bought her virginity for a long time, till he married. But that man helped her acquire some knowledge and deportation of a courtly lady should have. According to Hope, she’s a good mimic and so, when she was out of that arrangement, she found her way into Covent Garden. She met people there as an orange girl and as a part time actress. There she had another short affair with an actor. After that, one day, she met Charles. If you read NG’s life from the link above, most of it is taken from there. I had already had a look before reading this book so I could recognize the similarities. As I’ve already mentioned, these aren’t explored well enough but mostly from Hope recounting them to Robert later on. When the story starts, Hope has been with Charles for about a year and has gained his favor. I was disturbed by her possessive attitude where Charles was concerned. I mean I understand she couldn’t deny the lure of becoming the King’s mistress but she KNEW what kind of a man Charles really was. It felt funny, really, her trust and faith in a fickle man like him. Also, her being faithful to him? Positively asinine IMO! And he pays Hope back, tenfold, by marrying her off without her knowledge. I thought it served her right, though the catch she was married to, aka Robert, was really yum!

Robert has a demon plaguing him since his teenage years. It is of revenge, and it haunts him, day and night. He saw his younger sister Caroline being murdered in front of her eyes by some of Charles’s I’s men. He tried saving her, killing one of the 5 men but in the end, it was all in vain. Robert blames himself for this. And he’s been after revenge all these years. He’s been a good soldier, who believed in Cromwell’s cause, as a part of his vendetta against the Stuarts; something totally understandable. His parents passed away soon after, together, leaving him all alone. Robert had nothing to look back to and so, he made it his personal quest to search and kill the rest of the men and letting them know that it’s for Caroline before he makes the final thrust of his blade. So far, he’s caught all of them, except one. This one is proving to be slippery and getting out of his hand. After Robert came home from war after a long time, he was determined to find this man out. He met Elizabeth or Lizzy again and wanted to marry her (story in Libertine's Kiss). He had genuine affection for her but it didn’t work out that way. After Lizzy married her poet husband, as Charles II got back his throne, Robert retired to his country estate as a lowly baron. But his ultimate goal is one, to find Harris and kill him. Among all these, he gets this missive from the King that his estate has been forfeited by the monarchy. He can take things of sentimental value and so on. It was tough of Robert because Cressly was a place where Caroline was happily alive. But he had no other options open. Robert writes to Lizzy about the latest development as a reply to one of her letters. Lizzy has become a good friend of Charles through her husband, William’s association. It was great revisiting these two I so loved from Libertine's Kiss. Lizzy also holds Robert in deep affection and so, she’s furious at Charles. When Charles summons them to the court for his upcoming marriage, Lizzy asks William to help her fight for Robert’s lands. Needless to say, Robert knew nothing of this.

Now, Charles has a plan. He can’t let Hope stay at the court as an unmarried mistress while he awaits his bride but he doesn’t want to part with her either, despite Hope’s ardent wish that he let her go. Keeping someone from a low background and unmarried would offend his new queen. Umm, I have no idea how cheating with married mistresses doesn’t offend but that’s the case. Charles plans to marry Hope off to someone; this ‘someone’ turns out to be Robert. As Lizzy and William arrive and Lizzy states her case, Charles knew that the Captain has his hands tied. He worked for Cromwell, so he can’t say ‘no’ if he has to survive. And his lands are important to him. So he’d marry Hope off to Robert, giving them new titles and letting Robert keep his lands. After a respectable time, he’d call Hope back to court and continue from where he left off. Hope, of course, has no idea about Charles’s Machiavellian plans. It was painfully odd to see her building castles out in the wind, with Charles as her lover and husband (?). Yes she did that. She lived in the house where Charles set her up and thought herself as the mistress of the house and possibly Charles’s life. It was just too silly for words and bugged me even when she was with Robert. Anyway, Charles calls Robert to the court to discuss his terms with him.

Robert, after hearing it, was stunned for a while. He has to marry the King’s whore in order to keep his lands?! It made him feel really inept and small. Afterwards, Charles takes him in a May Day party thrown by Hope. Poor Hope, she was all festive, trying to impress Charles with all sorts of things. She was happy to make him happy!! *eye roll here, loads of it* As they arrive, both Robert and Hope take notice of each-other, though she throws herself at Charles’s arms. Robert is totally smitten with her over the ceremony and Charles keeps manipulating him by pointing out how pretty she is and so on. When the ceremony was coming to an end, Hope was chosen as the May Queen by Charles, who then brought a priest and ‘married’ her to her consort, Robert, also chosen by Charles. So, yes, Hope was manipulated thus to marry Robert without even knowing it. What followed afterwards left a bitter taste in my mouth. As Hope realized Charles’s treachery, she is dumbfounded. Charles humiliates her further by bringing in his older, most notorious mistress (with the French title from Libertine's Kiss, the b*tch I barfed on so eagerly!) and flaunting her in front of Hope. The b*tch doesn’t pass the opportunity to demean her. Hope is hurt, angry and totally in shock. I could feel her hurt but couldn’t help rolling my eyes too... Why are you so shocked Hope? You should’ve known better where Charles was concerned! Now, she’s mad at Robert too, thinking he also had a hand in it, not knowing Robert was also manipulated. She is very rude to him. Robert also doesn’t know that Hope was manipulated and so, he’s angry at her don’t-touch-me-you-lowlife attitude. You see the mess? And I couldn’t really get over this mess for the entire story.

That same day they journey to Nottinghamshire where Cressly Manor is situated. On their day, they were blowing all hot and cold. Robert used to be a soldier so he isn’t good with words and he made mess with them. Hope, she’s in denial at first, angry, then she was *learning to* accept it since she had no other option left. For better or worse, she’s now saddled with a husband and on the King’s machination no less! They would try to have civil conversation, once even having a nice outing before arriving to Cressly, where Robert takes her on a tour of Nottingham as Hope was fascinated with the story of Robin Hood. But soon thereafter, the matter of their marriage would come up and both would be rude to each-other. I didn’t like these ups and downs, their volatile relationship. TBH, it grew old after sometimes and I was bored. I already said Hope being Charles’s mistress was always on my mind (I do have trouble connecting with mistress/courtesan heroines), then their hot and cold relationship hindered any chemistry I might feel between them. The story itself felt dragging without much happening. Both of them were too stubborn about what they wanted. Hope wanted nothing to do with her husband, even though she was thoroughly attracted to him. She also thought Robert is disgusted by her station in life. His drinking, which was brought on by the nightmares, was another reason she kept her distance from him. Robert also wanted nothing to do with Hope, knowing she’ll only cuckold him soon. As long as he doesn’t consummate the marriage, he can at least have some control over this situation. She’d be a wife in name only.

The servants were very rude to Hope, knowing all about her from the gossips. She is quite famous (or infamous) in her role it seems. Robert doesn’t help her much on this situation since he wasn’t feeling very charitable towards her. I wanted to slap him here, because I knew him to be a nice guy. Hope tries her best to stand her ground however she could, with only one maid who accepted her as she was. I liked that Hope didn’t care what the longtime housekeeper thought about her and started exploring the house herself. She knew no help would be coming from Robert, who was busy with the arrangement of finding Harris as he already knew it was him who wanted Cressly from Charles. On her exploration, Hope finds some stuff like closed rooms and wings, some haunted stories about the house itself. She finds Robert’s parents’ portraits and also Caroline’s. She still didn’t know about the tragedy and how deep the scar runs within Robert. Without knowledge, Hope opened up some of the rooms which were obviously occupied by Caroline when she was alive or her favorite place; places Robert kept shut until now. Hope also finds this abandoned garden, and gardening being her favorite hobby, she decides to take care of this too.

Since both Robert and Hope were attracted to each-other, it doesn’t take long to consummate the marriage in a hasty lovemaking. It was basically Hope’s idea, she already made up her mind to put Charles behind and never picking up where she left off before marrying Robert. And she loves this place, hoping to make it a home, something she’d never known. Also, she knew her prickly husband can be really charming if he wills it and somehow, it made Hope want to get past his barrier to find out the real man within. I liked that Hope didn’t reply any of Charles’s personal missives but she knew when he summons her with a Royal one, she can’t ignore it. I would’ve liked their relationship to have some balance but Charles’s specter and the background of their marriage hindered any little development they might make over and over again. As I said before, while this time they were nice to each-other, talking and sharing, the next they're on a full-throttle argument. I found it immensely frustrating to say the least. But whenever they were trying to make some development, they find that they can’t help falling for one another a little bit. Robert and Hope both knew this is going to be serious trouble later but they can’t help it. In between we do get to see Robert’s softer side, like when Hope got herself into a little accident, how he takes care of her and so concerned and how he couldn’t help taking notice of Hope, no matter what. Even though, after the consummation they didn’t have sex for a while but as their intimacy grew, they were at it. Robert begins loosening up and speaks a little of his own background, the war but not much about Caroline. Ok, here it is, I know he was hurting and blamed himself for Caroline’s death but I thought the whole issue of her death dragged on for too long. I couldn’t help feeling this way and how all these issues kept them from being together.

Charles sends a messenger to check up on Hope and she does the right thing by telling the man that she’s happy here. Robert likes her stance, though he was skeptic about her intentions at first. When Robert makes it clear to the servant that they would have to show Hope the respect they deserve, the servants, who are very loyal to him, begin to soften towards her. It wasn’t really hard to love her because Hope wasn’t some uppity b*tch. It was apparent that she has wrought some very positive changes in Cressly and in Robert’s life after all these years. Robert was also making progress about the Harris case, taking William’s help. Now, there came a time when Hope and Robert totally understood that their lives are now shaped in a way that they can’t deny their feelings anymore. There was this nice scene where they talk about a lot of things, Hope’s past and all, Robert about his life as a soldier and more about Caroline. He finally confesses to Hope about his guilt, which she tries to soothe away with kisses and tears. It was a very emotional scene. I was finally hopeful about this relationship. Then came that scene I’ve been waiting for from the prologue, when they finally revisit their first meeting. Oh well, I knew it was Robert, kinda obvious but still, the recounting and then dawning understanding from both sides... it was purely magical! I.LOVED.IT!!! I couldn’t help grinning broadly when Hope was so stunned and then overjoyed and kissed Robert all over knowing she has actually married her knight! Robert was dumbstruck too and it was all very nice, they make crazy love and says ILU, I was very happy... until the next morning, when I went WTF??? Robert was still bent on perusing Harris alone to act on his revenge, something Hope was trying to thwart before this beautiful scene. She wanted him to let this revenge go; let Caroline find peace and in the process, let himself be in peace. I didn’t think her argument was illogical. Charles’s Royal missive came, incidentally, before and Hope was expecting Robert would accompany her as he’d promise, as her husband, to support her. Now that I think back, their argument over to wait to see Charles and Robert’s visiting Harris first never really resolved. But the next morning, wow, I was so sorely disappointed by the scene that followed. It was one of the lamest arguments I’ve ever read, where all I heard was ‘me, me, me, me, me’... Both were still stubborn to have their own way. I actually supported Hope here. I was sooo frustrated with this scene, can’t even explain. It was just that bad!! I couldn’t believe JJ just ruined that beautiful scene for me by this!!!!!

Robert did confront Harris at last, who was a disgusting man. Hope left alone to meet Charles since she can’t leave the King to wait on her but she returned, being scared of Robert’s life. It doesn’t go very well and the blood-lust in Robert’s eyes scares Hope away. Not something I expected from her, at all. Robert, belatedly, but finally realizes that life with Hope is what he wants and the cold bed he made with revenge won’t ever let him be happy. I did like the scene where William, who was a notorious rake before his Lizzy, helps out the poor, clueless Robert with ‘directions’ as to what to do with his woman. The ending was very nice and all that but I was still unhappy from the uneven read throughout the book. Also, I JUST DON’T CARE what Charles did to forget Hope. That part was wholly unnecessary and pissed me really! He was already an annoying distraction throughout the book. I wanted to rate this book at least a 4 star but sadly, I couldn’t. 3.5 stars.

FYI: The upcoming book by JJ is about the bastard son of Colonel Harris. He was a little boy in this book, had a small but prominent role in the final confrontation scene. We don’t even get to know his name, until I read the blurb of Hers at Midnight... Jack. Somehow I knew he’d get a chance tell his own story and I’m totally looking forward to that one!

[Nabilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The courtesan trope is my catnip; however, this book didn't quite meet my expectations. The historical vibes were good, but the constant internal struggles of the main characters got tiresome halfway through.

Hope, the central character, left me yearning for more depth. I thought her mood was too mercurial and her naivety out of place considering her background of being raised in a brothel and having spent almost half her life as a mistress. On the other hand, Robert was your typical tormented hero. The dialogue, though occasionally modern, surprisingly felt authentic.

I'd give it 3.5 stars. I might check out more from the author, but this one didn't fully hit the mark for me.

[☂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy soiled dove heroines perhaps you’ll enjoy Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase.

❤❤❤

I loved the first book in this series, Libertine's Kiss and though I don’t remember specifics (it was before I started writing reviews) I do recall sobbing my eyes out and my heart breaking and loving every incredible, miserable second. It's one of my favorite books to date so naturally I anticipated enjoying The King's Courtesan. Comparatively, some aspects of this story are similar to the first book. It’s more to do with the author’s style and some to do with plot elements, but it's definitely its own book. All the more reason for me to love it, right? Well, not exactly.

The first stumbling block was the heroine‘s place as one of the King‘s several mistresses. I always seem to resist the idea of the heroine being a whore (courtesan, prostitute, strumpet, whatever). Even though these types of heroine's don't come along often in historical romance, I balk every time. Frankly, I like my virginal heroine's even though, arguably, it‘s always the same idea over and over. I know it’s a double standard, unfair, judgmental and I'm a total hypocrite for it for so many reasons (one being I love a good rake), but I’ll confess that the courtesan aspect actually worked for me in this book. So I quickly overcame stumbling block #1.

Here’s the second problem. I was able to overcome the courtesan aspect, in part, because her lack of partners greatly diminishes the effect. I say, if you’re heroine is going to be a whore, then allow her to be just as experience as any rake, and don’t apologize. Perhaps this portrayal goes to show that, most readers (or authors) still aren't ready for a truly experienced heroine. But, sometimes this historical romances emerge from an often time unfair and polluted society which is why I like the fiction world with HEAs, virginal heroines and honorable (in the end) men.

My third issue is the one that really encompasses my overall feelings on the book. From the beginning there was no spark between the hero, Captain Robert Nichols and the heroine Hope Mathews. Granted, the pair is untied under manipulation and they both have dark pasts, presents and potentially futures, but more times than not they were simply unhappy so I was unhappy. It took so many pages for them to be civil and the slightest thing would ruin that peacefulness. When the spark finally lit it still felt tentative and it doesn‘t come until 200 pages in. The hero and heroine are barely together and there’s no real time to invest into nurturing this relationship. It takes 250 pages for the hero to confess that he appreciates and is wooing now. It takes another 25 before they pour their hearts out to one another. If this were a 500 page book it might have worked but by this point there were just 73 pages left.

Here are the things I did like. Just after page 300 there‘s this magic moment. The same type of moment happened in Libertine‘s Kiss and this was the part of that book that snared me. In this book it‘s nearly as good. It’s the moment I hoped for and have now come to expect in a Judith James novel. Honestly, it might have been worth the long wait, but it couldn’t save the book as a whole.

Here’s a miscellany of aspects I also liked. Robert’s nickname (I love nicknames!) for Hope is Elf. I just thought it was the cutest thing. Robert has a few moments when he sees this innocent, wide-eyed, carefree side of Hope and he’s immensely charmed by it and her. Those few moments were sweet and the moniker really enhance his fondness.

There is a kitten! I freaking love kittens!

William de Veres (hero in Libertine’s Kiss) has a small role in this book as well (his wife Elizabeth too). Though I love de Veres, I did think he was in it too often. Time better spent on the couple I thought, but I was still thrilled to revisit him.

The book takes place after the English Civil War/Restoration which is a period I’ve never read about until James’s books. The research and history of these novels is remarkable and entertaining and so very fun. James’s passion for history is always very apparent in her books and I always enjoy the afterword which explains a little about who or what events and characters are based on.

The Robin Hood references.

King Charles II is one of those characters that sometimes I love and sometimes I hate. He’s quite the character though.

This Churchillesque quote:

"I swear, if I'd known you were going to be my husband I would have been sorely tempted to put poison in your May Day wine!"

"Madam, if I knew you were to be my wife I would have been sorely tempted to drink it."

In the end there were a few things I really liked and I think this is a great book for many reason and for many readers. But from a romance aspect there wasn’t nearly enough and I was disappointed. I can’t deny that the book is a good one so it gets 3 stars and I'm filled with anticipation for book #3, THE HIGHWAYMAN (per author's website 02/21/13).