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The Bargain
A scientifically minded nobleman
Lord Alan Gresham is the sixth son of the Duke of Langford and, as such, has been allowed to remain at Oxford to pursue his scientific studies. When the prince regent asks him to debunk the "ghost" of a dead actress haunting Carlton House, he cannot refuse, and is forced back to the Society he deplores. But upon meeting the daughter of the alleged ghost, his calm, logical investigation is disrupted.
Learns the breathless chemistry of desire
Ariel Harding doesn't believe in ghosts, but she's determined to investigate this haunting. Her mother recently committed suicide, and Ariel is desperate to find the reason. She'll work with Alan because he has access to Prinny's resources, but she never dreamed she'd make a perilous bargain with a man who's as maddeningly arrogant as he is confoundedly attractive...
Lord Alan Gresham is the sixth son of the Duke of Langford and, as such, has been allowed to remain at Oxford to pursue his scientific studies. When the prince regent asks him to debunk the "ghost" of a dead actress haunting Carlton House, he cannot refuse, and is forced back to the Society he deplores. But upon meeting the daughter of the alleged ghost, his calm, logical investigation is disrupted.
Learns the breathless chemistry of desire
Ariel Harding doesn't believe in ghosts, but she's determined to investigate this haunting. Her mother recently committed suicide, and Ariel is desperate to find the reason. She'll work with Alan because he has access to Prinny's resources, but she never dreamed she'd make a perilous bargain with a man who's as maddeningly arrogant as he is confoundedly attractive...
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 1997
146 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Jane Ashford
52 books401 followersJane Ashford has written historical and contemporary romances. Her books have been published in England, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, Denmark, Russia, and Latvia, Croatia and Slovenia as well as the U.S. She was nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. Her latest book, Lost Time, is romantic suspense with a touch of magic.
Her website is https://www.janeashford.com/ and her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/JaneAshfordW... If you'd like to subscribe to Jane's monthly newsletter go to www.eepurl.com/cd-O7r and sign up.
Her website is https://www.janeashford.com/ and her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/JaneAshfordW... If you'd like to subscribe to Jane's monthly newsletter go to www.eepurl.com/cd-O7r and sign up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
April 28, 2020
When I need to read a romance for a Challenge I always turn to Regency fiction. Somehow the settings help me cope with the romantic parts and I can always count on some humour as well.
I have not read anything by Jane Ashford before, and it turns out that she writes a very competent Regency romance. The male MC is a bit wooden but the female one makes up for him. The comedy is supplied by the brothers who have some very entertaining conversations. Each one of them was actually much more interesting than the MC!
It was all nicely done and very readable. I will look this author up again in the future.
I have not read anything by Jane Ashford before, and it turns out that she writes a very competent Regency romance. The male MC is a bit wooden but the female one makes up for him. The comedy is supplied by the brothers who have some very entertaining conversations. Each one of them was actually much more interesting than the MC!
It was all nicely done and very readable. I will look this author up again in the future.
Want to read
December 15, 201512/15/15: Free on Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Bargain-Jane-As...
January 25, 2016
If you enjoy a well written Regency that is layered with well developed characters who make you laugh and feel good; this is the story to read.
Jane Asford is a new author for me and this was the first, but not the last, of her stories I've read. She writes an involving story with a nod to modern readers of Regency while keeping with the mores of the times. I liked that. Sometimes I feel that too many regency authors pack way too much sex into their stories at the expense of the story and totally disregarding the morals of the time. I understand why--today's readers demand hotter sex but Ashford creates a layered story with two well developed main characters that you can care about and when Alan Gresham steps over the line he does the right thing. Of course the heroine doesn't agree due to the manner in which the offer was made and this added some fun to the story. Especially Alan Gresham's reaction.
The central mystery is who or what is haunting Carlton House but there is another layer of mystery about who is Ariel Harding and did her mother actually commit suicide? Then there is Alan who is a man of science, logic and order with some peculiar notions about women and their reasoning abilities. That made me laugh and look forward to his justly deserved comeupance which he got in spades at the hands of Ariel.
All in all, this was a satisfying story which left me with a smile on my face and wishing the story wasn't over. I can tell you I will be reading more from this gifted storyteller!
Jane Asford is a new author for me and this was the first, but not the last, of her stories I've read. She writes an involving story with a nod to modern readers of Regency while keeping with the mores of the times. I liked that. Sometimes I feel that too many regency authors pack way too much sex into their stories at the expense of the story and totally disregarding the morals of the time. I understand why--today's readers demand hotter sex but Ashford creates a layered story with two well developed main characters that you can care about and when Alan Gresham steps over the line he does the right thing. Of course the heroine doesn't agree due to the manner in which the offer was made and this added some fun to the story. Especially Alan Gresham's reaction.
The central mystery is who or what is haunting Carlton House but there is another layer of mystery about who is Ariel Harding and did her mother actually commit suicide? Then there is Alan who is a man of science, logic and order with some peculiar notions about women and their reasoning abilities. That made me laugh and look forward to his justly deserved comeupance which he got in spades at the hands of Ariel.
All in all, this was a satisfying story which left me with a smile on my face and wishing the story wasn't over. I can tell you I will be reading more from this gifted storyteller!
October 6, 2015
Alan maybe a smart man, but to be honest where his woman is concerned the boy is stupid, and never says the right thing, "he turned from the fire, checked slightly at the sight of her, then said, “Good day. You know why I am here, I imagine.” She allowed her brows to rise a little higher. “I thought we would marry next week,” he went on. “I have inquired about a special license, and it seems easy enough to procure. Under the circumstances, I don’t think banns are really—” I enjoyed this book it kept my attention.
December 5, 2015
This review is of “The Bargain” by Jane Ashford, a book I won in a Goodreads contest.
The Story: The book begins at a party at the home of George Augustus Frederick, the Prince Regent of England and Ireland. Among the guests at the party is Lord Alan Gresham, the sixth son of the Duke of Langford, a fellow of science at Balliol College and the hero of the book. Gresham has been summoned to the house by “Prinny” to investigate the “ghost” that is haunting the house; the “ghost” is believed to be Tess Harding, an actress and former paramour of “Prinny’s”. Also attending the party is Ariel Harding, the heroine of the book and Tess’ daughter. Ariel wants to know the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. Due to the fact that both have access to information and knowledge that the other doesn’t possess, Gresham and Ariel become-very-reluctant partners in the investigation.
As the investigation goes on Ariel befriends three of Alan’s five brothers, and helps them with their relationship issues, and finds out the identity of her father, whom she never knew. Ariel begins a relationship with her father, Daniel Bolton, who also does a little matchmaking to help his newfound daughter with her relationship with Alan. Eventually, three of Alan’s brothers find love, the mystery is solved, Alan discovers he loves Ariel and they have their Happily Ever After.
Positives: This is a typical Regency romance novel. It has a very sweet core at its center. The characters of Alan and Ariel are well written and there are likeable supporting characters. It is very believable that these two people would fall in love.
Negatives: The book lacks pepper and passion; this is not a hot, steamy romance, but more of a slow burn, develop over time type romance. While I do appreciate having three of Alan’s brothers find romance in this book, it would have been nicer from my perspective for Ms. Ashford-real name Jane LeCompte-to have given each Gresham brother his own story. The resolution of the mystery comes from out of the blue and is not set up in any way, which from my perspective makes it feel a bit tacked-on. We never find out entirely why Bess Harding committed suicide.
Sex: Two love scenes that are pretty mild.
Violence: At the end of the book, Ariel and others are assaulted and tied up. A murder takes place. None of the violence is graphic.
Bottom Line: Not the best Regency I’ve ever read-there are too many holes for that-but “The Bargain” is a very good book.
The Story: The book begins at a party at the home of George Augustus Frederick, the Prince Regent of England and Ireland. Among the guests at the party is Lord Alan Gresham, the sixth son of the Duke of Langford, a fellow of science at Balliol College and the hero of the book. Gresham has been summoned to the house by “Prinny” to investigate the “ghost” that is haunting the house; the “ghost” is believed to be Tess Harding, an actress and former paramour of “Prinny’s”. Also attending the party is Ariel Harding, the heroine of the book and Tess’ daughter. Ariel wants to know the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death. Due to the fact that both have access to information and knowledge that the other doesn’t possess, Gresham and Ariel become-very-reluctant partners in the investigation.
As the investigation goes on Ariel befriends three of Alan’s five brothers, and helps them with their relationship issues, and finds out the identity of her father, whom she never knew. Ariel begins a relationship with her father, Daniel Bolton, who also does a little matchmaking to help his newfound daughter with her relationship with Alan. Eventually, three of Alan’s brothers find love, the mystery is solved, Alan discovers he loves Ariel and they have their Happily Ever After.
Positives: This is a typical Regency romance novel. It has a very sweet core at its center. The characters of Alan and Ariel are well written and there are likeable supporting characters. It is very believable that these two people would fall in love.
Negatives: The book lacks pepper and passion; this is not a hot, steamy romance, but more of a slow burn, develop over time type romance. While I do appreciate having three of Alan’s brothers find romance in this book, it would have been nicer from my perspective for Ms. Ashford-real name Jane LeCompte-to have given each Gresham brother his own story. The resolution of the mystery comes from out of the blue and is not set up in any way, which from my perspective makes it feel a bit tacked-on. We never find out entirely why Bess Harding committed suicide.
Sex: Two love scenes that are pretty mild.
Violence: At the end of the book, Ariel and others are assaulted and tied up. A murder takes place. None of the violence is graphic.
Bottom Line: Not the best Regency I’ve ever read-there are too many holes for that-but “The Bargain” is a very good book.
January 28, 2016
ARC REVIEW
The Bargain was originally released in 1997 and was re-released 2014. It's nothing what I expected and was pleasantly surprised by it. I haven't read Jane Ashford before and really enjoyed it. It has a little bit of everything I like romance, mystery, adventure. It's a tantalizing misadventure between an unconventional couple, the youngest son of a Duke and the daughter of an actress. It was an amusing read it's not everyday you read a romance where they are hunting ghosts at the request of the Prince Regent.
The youngest son of the Duke of Langford is the black sheep of the family. Lord Alan Gresham is the scholar of the family a scientist studying the properties of light; and as much as he hates London and socializing he must answer the Prince Regent summons. What the Prince Regent wants is preposterous, he wants Alan to find the ghost of a recently deceased actress. The ghost has inevitable crashed every party the Regent has thrown and is making him a laughing stock. The first party Alan attends the ghost shows up but he's not the only one chasing it. Ariel Harding was away at school when her mother committed suicide, she has come to London to deal with what is left of her mother's things and with the whisperings of her mother haunting the Regent she herself sneeks in to try and and see her mother. Ariel makes a bargain with Alan that she will help him in his search of the ghost if he helps her find out what really happened to her mother. But their investigation reveals more about Ariel's past then just what happened to her mother, and brings together the stuffy scholar and the daughter of an actress. Ariel does more than just win over Alan's heart but his families as well, with her wisdom from plays she advises Alan's older brothers and helps them with their love life problems.
Overall it was an entertaining and enjoyable read.
The Bargain was originally released in 1997 and was re-released 2014. It's nothing what I expected and was pleasantly surprised by it. I haven't read Jane Ashford before and really enjoyed it. It has a little bit of everything I like romance, mystery, adventure. It's a tantalizing misadventure between an unconventional couple, the youngest son of a Duke and the daughter of an actress. It was an amusing read it's not everyday you read a romance where they are hunting ghosts at the request of the Prince Regent.
The youngest son of the Duke of Langford is the black sheep of the family. Lord Alan Gresham is the scholar of the family a scientist studying the properties of light; and as much as he hates London and socializing he must answer the Prince Regent summons. What the Prince Regent wants is preposterous, he wants Alan to find the ghost of a recently deceased actress. The ghost has inevitable crashed every party the Regent has thrown and is making him a laughing stock. The first party Alan attends the ghost shows up but he's not the only one chasing it. Ariel Harding was away at school when her mother committed suicide, she has come to London to deal with what is left of her mother's things and with the whisperings of her mother haunting the Regent she herself sneeks in to try and and see her mother. Ariel makes a bargain with Alan that she will help him in his search of the ghost if he helps her find out what really happened to her mother. But their investigation reveals more about Ariel's past then just what happened to her mother, and brings together the stuffy scholar and the daughter of an actress. Ariel does more than just win over Alan's heart but his families as well, with her wisdom from plays she advises Alan's older brothers and helps them with their love life problems.
Overall it was an entertaining and enjoyable read.
July 11, 2016
I'm not entirely sure how I found this book - maybe through a goodreads recommendation or a giveaway that I didn't win. It was in my "to be read" list from my local library and the blurb about the book sounded interesting (a ghost! Woo!), so I decided to give it a whirl. And, wow. Kinda wish I hadn't.
The premise of the book is the best thing about it: a ghost haunting Prinny's home, a scientist and the ghost's daughter out to discover what is going on. It sounds fun, right? Except that the hero, Lord Alan, is a giant friggin a-hole: very sexist, very elitist (even though he says he isn't), and an overall prig. The heroine, Ariel, is rather blah, but does show a bit of pluck. All in all, the story isn't sure where it wants to go: we never get major answers to questions, a lot of action happens off scene, and there are all of these pointless side stories that are rather mundane. Not to mention that the entire "ghost" comes to a VERY unfulfilling end with no justice to speak of.
But, again, the main reason for the one star is that I truly did not like Lord Alan and was actively rooting for Ariel to end up with a different brother. So, no, I can't recommend it.
The premise of the book is the best thing about it: a ghost haunting Prinny's home, a scientist and the ghost's daughter out to discover what is going on. It sounds fun, right? Except that the hero, Lord Alan, is a giant friggin a-hole: very sexist, very elitist (even though he says he isn't), and an overall prig. The heroine, Ariel, is rather blah, but does show a bit of pluck. All in all, the story isn't sure where it wants to go: we never get major answers to questions, a lot of action happens off scene, and there are all of these pointless side stories that are rather mundane. Not to mention that the entire "ghost" comes to a VERY unfulfilling end with no justice to speak of.
But, again, the main reason for the one star is that I truly did not like Lord Alan and was actively rooting for Ariel to end up with a different brother. So, no, I can't recommend it.
October 15, 2015
"The Bargain" By Jane Ashford is an intriguing, suspense-filled historical romance filled with unexpected twists and turns throughout which made it difficult for me to pry myself from between the pages! I absolutely loved these characters. Ariel Harding is a very determined and persistent heroine with a strong sense of independence and a need to uncover the truth behind her mother's death. Lord Alan Gresham is a man of science and reason but certainly has no clue about romance and emotions of the heart. However, his overall impression of women is quickly diminished when he encounters Ariel Harding. Will he ever come to terms with his new found emotions? Jane Ashford is a very talented storyteller with a special gift of creating a romance that has just enough "spice" that doesn't overpower the story itself. Fans of Historical Romance are sure to be delighted! "The Bargain" is a prequel to Ashford's new Regency Romance "The Duke's Sons" series with the first installment "Heir To The Duke" scheduled for release on January 5th, 2016 and is certainly on my list of books to be read.
January 14, 2016
Immensely enjoyable.
A pleasure to read, this prequel to the Duke's Sons series begins with the Duke's youngest son of the Duke of Langford, Lord Alan Gresham, a reputed scientist, being called by the Prince Regent to Carlton House to put an end to the embarrassing appearances of the ghost of a leading actress, Tess Harding, and the Prince's past mistress. Gresham responds to the Prince's demand, but is nevertheless annoyed to be pulled away from his precious experiments.
Ariel Harding has her own reasons for wanting to learn the truth of the hauntings. What she does discover is the very attractiveness of the reticent Lord. Between the hauntings and watching Ariel dispense advice to his brothers, Gresham is not sure whether to be amused, annoyed or beguiled by the vivacious Ariel.
A pleasing Regency Romance and a fun read!
A NetGalley ARC
A pleasure to read, this prequel to the Duke's Sons series begins with the Duke's youngest son of the Duke of Langford, Lord Alan Gresham, a reputed scientist, being called by the Prince Regent to Carlton House to put an end to the embarrassing appearances of the ghost of a leading actress, Tess Harding, and the Prince's past mistress. Gresham responds to the Prince's demand, but is nevertheless annoyed to be pulled away from his precious experiments.
Ariel Harding has her own reasons for wanting to learn the truth of the hauntings. What she does discover is the very attractiveness of the reticent Lord. Between the hauntings and watching Ariel dispense advice to his brothers, Gresham is not sure whether to be amused, annoyed or beguiled by the vivacious Ariel.
A pleasing Regency Romance and a fun read!
A NetGalley ARC
October 5, 2010
THE BARGAIN starts out great, it's funny, sexy and has an intriguing premise. Because he has a serious scientific mind, the hero's services have been requested to find the culprits behind a very annoying ghost. Ariel is also determined to unmask the ghost because it has been rumored it may be her recently deceased Mom's spirit and she wants to find out the truth behind her Mom's death. It's not long before these two bump into each other, get locked in a cupboard together, experience all kinds of new tingly feelings and decide that two heads are better than one and join together to complete their investigation. Even though THE BARGAIN did have it's humorous moments, and the heroine was very likable, the plot moved too slow and it was not an emotional read for me.
February 6, 2022
I seem to have read this book twice and not written a review. It has now been renamed and published as the 6th book in a series about the Gresham brothers.
Alan is the youngest son of a Duke with 5 older brothers, but he is the first to marry and shows up in all the subsequent books. He is a brilliant scientist, brought in by the Prince of Wales to find a ghost.
Alan is the youngest son of a Duke with 5 older brothers, but he is the first to marry and shows up in all the subsequent books. He is a brilliant scientist, brought in by the Prince of Wales to find a ghost.
October 23, 2011
Parts of the plot are, well, glaringly absent. But it IS a romance, after all. However, the combination of all the minor characters makes the work hang together, and I'll grant it three stars for that alone.
December 13, 2017
Cover: The cover is pretty standard for a Regency romance. I always love the dresses they show on the covers. They are downright beautiful.
Title: I love the title. It fits the book well. Of course, the bargain was pretty specific but plans don't always go the way we plan, do they?
Characters: I love Ariel! She is definitely a strong independent heroine and those are my favorites. Alan is a bit pigheaded and really doesn't understand women at all. Of course, this provided me with amusement throughout the book. His brother are also quite clueless about women and poor Ariel has her hands full with this bunch. Just think, these are only some of the men in the family... maybe an idea for a sequel.
Plot: I love the story line. They are brought together by a ghost. Yes, I said ghost. Her dead mother, to be precise.
Overall: I loved this book. The characters make you laugh. Of course, they all got more than they bargained for. I absolutely loved how clueless the Gresham brothers were. The ghost was an interesting way to bring the characters together. I would love to read more by this author.
Title: I love the title. It fits the book well. Of course, the bargain was pretty specific but plans don't always go the way we plan, do they?
Characters: I love Ariel! She is definitely a strong independent heroine and those are my favorites. Alan is a bit pigheaded and really doesn't understand women at all. Of course, this provided me with amusement throughout the book. His brother are also quite clueless about women and poor Ariel has her hands full with this bunch. Just think, these are only some of the men in the family... maybe an idea for a sequel.
Plot: I love the story line. They are brought together by a ghost. Yes, I said ghost. Her dead mother, to be precise.
Overall: I loved this book. The characters make you laugh. Of course, they all got more than they bargained for. I absolutely loved how clueless the Gresham brothers were. The ghost was an interesting way to bring the characters together. I would love to read more by this author.
September 27, 2017
I would have rated it higher (especially since I really enjoy Ariel as a character), but I felt like Alan didn't really change his views on women. I think it would have been a lot more interesting if each interaction he had with the many different women in the book taught him about how wrong his convictions about women really were; if he'd learned how diverse and varied people of the female sex can be, instead of just admitting that there are exceptions to his stereotypes (those exceptions being pretty much ALL of the women he knows).
Otherwise, it was definitely a fun read. I admired that the book tackled something as heavy as depression/bipolar disorder and suicide and treated it well. Bess is never considered lesser for her suffering, nor is Ariel in her quest for closure. It's not something you come across very often in this genre and I find it extremely admirable for the Ms. Ashford to have done it.
Otherwise, it was definitely a fun read. I admired that the book tackled something as heavy as depression/bipolar disorder and suicide and treated it well. Bess is never considered lesser for her suffering, nor is Ariel in her quest for closure. It's not something you come across very often in this genre and I find it extremely admirable for the Ms. Ashford to have done it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2021
This book isn't want I expected, famous actress' Bess Harding's daughter comes back from school to find her Mother dead, and Lord Allen ( seriously Allen?) was in charge of finding out the haunting in the Castle.
Ariel, and Lord Allen together want to find the ghost, and Ariel the truth about her mother's death since in her mind it can't be suicide. In all of this, Lord Allen gets attracted to her and kisses her and disappears sleeps with her disappears then offers marriage because the proper ( honestly it was more like a one night stand)
I honestly despised Lord Allen's character. It wasn't the regency romance I had expected.
Ariel in the mean time gets close to Lord Allens brothers and solves their romantic problems based on plays she's read.
All ends well Lord Allen and Ariel and end of married the scientist and his wife return to Oxford.
I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinions and reviews.
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Ariel, and Lord Allen together want to find the ghost, and Ariel the truth about her mother's death since in her mind it can't be suicide. In all of this, Lord Allen gets attracted to her and kisses her and disappears sleeps with her disappears then offers marriage because the proper ( honestly it was more like a one night stand)
I honestly despised Lord Allen's character. It wasn't the regency romance I had expected.
Ariel in the mean time gets close to Lord Allens brothers and solves their romantic problems based on plays she's read.
All ends well Lord Allen and Ariel and end of married the scientist and his wife return to Oxford.
I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for my honest opinions and reviews.
.
August 6, 2022
The book was inconsistent. The characters and the plot were all over the place.
The heroine was a blank slate that changed scene to scene depending on what the plot needed.
We were told that the hero was super smart, but nothing in the book actually backed that up. I thought the author was going to use his academic interest in the properties of light to investigate the light tricks used in the fake haunting, but nope. The mystery is barely in the story and they really spend the whole time trying to learn about her mother. (In the end it's still never really established why her mother died)
I also don't understand why the hero was a massive chauvinist and didn't believe in love based on his background. He was raised around strong intelligent women that he respected and his parents have a loving marriage.
The mystery was weak as well. It was barely explored in the book and the motives just flat out didn't make sense.
The heroine was a blank slate that changed scene to scene depending on what the plot needed.
We were told that the hero was super smart, but nothing in the book actually backed that up. I thought the author was going to use his academic interest in the properties of light to investigate the light tricks used in the fake haunting, but nope. The mystery is barely in the story and they really spend the whole time trying to learn about her mother. (In the end it's still never really established why her mother died)
I also don't understand why the hero was a massive chauvinist and didn't believe in love based on his background. He was raised around strong intelligent women that he respected and his parents have a loving marriage.
The mystery was weak as well. It was barely explored in the book and the motives just flat out didn't make sense.
March 16, 2017
The Bargain by Jane Ashford is a very entertaining historical romance with well-developed characters and an intriguing plot set during the Regency period. Not only is there romance, but there are a few mysteries to solve and several perilous situations for our heroes. This was my first Jane Ashford novel and it will not be last!
The story centers around Lord Alan Gresham after he is summoned to Carlton House in London by the Prince Regent to get rid of a ghost that haunts Carlton House. Gresham is a light scientist at Oxford University who should be able to debunk the ghost quickly. The ghost appears to be the Prince's past mistress, Tess Harding, a famous actress who committed suicide a few weeks earlier. Lord Gresham teams up with Tess’s daughter, Ariel Harding, who is determined to uncover the truth behind her mother's death.
I can’t adequately express how much I loved these characters. Ariel is a very determined and persistent heroine with a strong sense of independence. She also has the gift of communication and ability to get information out of people who are otherwise reluctant to talk. Alan on the other hand is a man of science and reason who believes emotions and love are irrational. And of course, Ariel falls in love with him, despite Alan not having a clue about romance.
I listened to the Audible version of this audiobook narrated by Nicola Barber. She did a great job and really brought the characters to life, giving each character their own distinct voice. In short, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and definitely recommend it!
The story centers around Lord Alan Gresham after he is summoned to Carlton House in London by the Prince Regent to get rid of a ghost that haunts Carlton House. Gresham is a light scientist at Oxford University who should be able to debunk the ghost quickly. The ghost appears to be the Prince's past mistress, Tess Harding, a famous actress who committed suicide a few weeks earlier. Lord Gresham teams up with Tess’s daughter, Ariel Harding, who is determined to uncover the truth behind her mother's death.
I can’t adequately express how much I loved these characters. Ariel is a very determined and persistent heroine with a strong sense of independence. She also has the gift of communication and ability to get information out of people who are otherwise reluctant to talk. Alan on the other hand is a man of science and reason who believes emotions and love are irrational. And of course, Ariel falls in love with him, despite Alan not having a clue about romance.
I listened to the Audible version of this audiobook narrated by Nicola Barber. She did a great job and really brought the characters to life, giving each character their own distinct voice. In short, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and definitely recommend it!
May 11, 2021
I mean... it was okay, I guess! Tolerable for sure, I just didn't really like either main character (especially not Alan, something about a man who thinks all women are imbeciles just doesn't sit right with me, I wonder why...) and I couldn't really believe their chemistry. The book states that they're friends a few times but I couldn't see it, they just seem to not really be close or anything, I got the same vibe from their relationship as I would get from a pair of work acquaintances so just not really the book for me!!!
June 10, 2018
Pretty average regency romance. I picked it up because I was interested in the sort of supernatural mystery that was mentioned in the description. It ended up being somewhat disappointing to me in several respects, including the mystery, but also the all too frequent sexual interlude preceding marriage, with no apparent concern of consequences to that event.
September 25, 2017
What a Bargain
I loved the heroine, she is not subdued by any man. Her advice to the brothers, regarding women, was funny and direct. I felt her sorrow about her mom's passing and the circumstances around it. Can't wait to read more of her books.
I loved the heroine, she is not subdued by any man. Her advice to the brothers, regarding women, was funny and direct. I felt her sorrow about her mom's passing and the circumstances around it. Can't wait to read more of her books.
April 15, 2019
Lord Allen has been asked by the king to find our why there is a ghost running around his court. He meets the daughter of this ghost and together they head out to learn the truth about what happened to her mother and solve the mystery. But will they find other things together as well??
August 12, 2019
This was a good book.
Ariel wants to find out what happened to her mother.
Allen Gresham is helping her because the Prince want him to.
They work together and they also argue.
They has sparks and then as they work to find out what happen they fall in love.
They never expected this to happen.
Ariel wants to find out what happened to her mother.
Allen Gresham is helping her because the Prince want him to.
They work together and they also argue.
They has sparks and then as they work to find out what happen they fall in love.
They never expected this to happen.
September 5, 2020
This book really needs to be the first in the author's Duke's sons series. For some reason it isn't identified that way and I ended up reading it last. I would have enjoyed the whole series better of I had started with this book.
October 23, 2017
3.5 stars will read more more by author
April 3, 2018
Fun read, with some sizzle although not with the tension I relish. Still worth the stars!
April 4, 2018
Excellent. Magnificently unique. If you are reading the Duke's Son's series, read this as this is the youngest son's Alan's book. It was fun to read Definitely put on your reading list.
July 24, 2019
It was.... forgettable.
March 16, 2020
richly satisfying
August 4, 2020
Enjoyed this read
March 13, 2021
3.5 stars
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