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School For Heiresses #4
Let Sleeping Rogues Lie - Mengelabui Sang Viscount
“Pria brengsek jarang bisa setia kepada satu wanita!” – Mrs. Charlotte Harris, Kepala Sekolah.
Madeline Prescott, selalu percaya bahwa perasaan tertarik adalah hal ilmiah yang mudah dikategorikan dan dikendalikan. Lalu ia bertemu dengan Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, yang tampan sekaligus liar.
Pria itu memberikan “pelajaran tentang pria brengsek” supaya para murid di Sekolah untuk Wanita Muda milik Mrs. Harris bisa belajar tentang cara menghindari lelaki tak bermoral.
Madeline tahu bahwa mempertaruhkan semuanya untuk gairah yang berkobar-kobar adalah perbuatan yang tidak masuk akal. Namun hal itu sangat menggoda...
Madeline Prescott, selalu percaya bahwa perasaan tertarik adalah hal ilmiah yang mudah dikategorikan dan dikendalikan. Lalu ia bertemu dengan Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, yang tampan sekaligus liar.
Pria itu memberikan “pelajaran tentang pria brengsek” supaya para murid di Sekolah untuk Wanita Muda milik Mrs. Harris bisa belajar tentang cara menghindari lelaki tak bermoral.
Madeline tahu bahwa mempertaruhkan semuanya untuk gairah yang berkobar-kobar adalah perbuatan yang tidak masuk akal. Namun hal itu sangat menggoda...
472 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
176 people are currently reading
1806 people want to read
About the author
Sabrina Jeffries
85 books4,794 followersSabrina Jeffries is the NYT bestselling author of over 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent writing in a coffee-fueled haze of dreams and madness is spent traveling with her husband and adult autistic son or indulging in one of her passions—jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, and music. With over 11 million books published in print and electronically in 25 different languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction, and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world.
She always dreams big.
She always dreams big.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
May 12, 2023
This is one of those books that spends the first half telling us how dirty, depraved and unmanageable the hero’s sexual proclivities are and then spends the second half giving us half-hearted vanilla sex scenes. Colour-me underwhelmed.
Side note: The hero calls his dick his ‘bad boy’ and I puked a bit in my mouth each time.
Side note: The hero calls his dick his ‘bad boy’ and I puked a bit in my mouth each time.
September 17, 2016
After her father loses his job, Madeline Prescott must take a mathematics teaching position at Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies. This will bring in enough money to keep them afloat until she can contact Sir Humphry Davey to help clear her father's name. Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, is trying to gain custody of his niece. He needs to get her away from his evil Aunt and Uncle and believes enrolling her in Mrs. Harris's school is the key. His reputation as a rake is well known. He wants to show that he can change is ways in order to take care of Tessa. Madeline comes up with a plan that could both help her father and let Tessa attend the school. If Anthony will give the girls "Rake Lessons", she will support Tessa's application to the school and he can introduce her to Sir Humphry.
This is a cute story. Anthony and Madeline were both interesting characters that you couldn't help rooting for. The story suffers from the hero and heroine keeping too many secrets from each other. There were several misunderstandings in this book, but at least they were resolved quickly. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is a cute story. Anthony and Madeline were both interesting characters that you couldn't help rooting for. The story suffers from the hero and heroine keeping too many secrets from each other. There were several misunderstandings in this book, but at least they were resolved quickly. My rating: 4 Stars.
October 22, 2018
I really liked the hero but the book got really exhausting especially when the drama was dragged out. The first half was great, but the second half could have been cut by like half its length. otherwise, i enjoyed it pretty well. But, I will say this isn't really a series I'll re-read anytime soon. I like Sabrina Jeffries, but so far I haven't read a book by her except for a couple that I truly loved.
Excited for Ms. Harris's book!
Excited for Ms. Harris's book!
September 2, 2017
Story translated in my native language. Anthony and Madeline were simply cute together and their verbal banters were just awsome. Light and nice!
January 29, 2022
Let Sleeping Rogues Lie
4 Stars
This series has been very hit and miss with books #2, #3 and #5 just not working for me. That said books #1, #4 and #6 are very entertaining.
Anthony and Madeline's romance is sweet and sexy, and they are both very likable as well. Madeline's matter-of-fact personality and her interest in natural history lead to some hilarious moments as she has virtually no verbal filter. While her determination to help restore her father's reputation is admirable, her plan to achieve this is not all that realistic or believable.
Although Anthony is a typical reformed rake, one cannot help but admire his desire to protect his niece. Moreover, the fact that he respects and admires Madeline for her intelligence only adds to his appeal.
The story is well-paced with some interesting historical detail on the nitrous oxide (laughing gas) party fad. The only minor issue with the writing is Jeffries penchant for referring to Anthony's , which is just downright strange.
Overall, a light and entertaining read that made me want to read Mrs. Harris's book immediately.
4 Stars
This series has been very hit and miss with books #2, #3 and #5 just not working for me. That said books #1, #4 and #6 are very entertaining.
Anthony and Madeline's romance is sweet and sexy, and they are both very likable as well. Madeline's matter-of-fact personality and her interest in natural history lead to some hilarious moments as she has virtually no verbal filter. While her determination to help restore her father's reputation is admirable, her plan to achieve this is not all that realistic or believable.
Although Anthony is a typical reformed rake, one cannot help but admire his desire to protect his niece. Moreover, the fact that he respects and admires Madeline for her intelligence only adds to his appeal.
The story is well-paced with some interesting historical detail on the nitrous oxide (laughing gas) party fad. The only minor issue with the writing is Jeffries penchant for referring to Anthony's , which is just downright strange.
Overall, a light and entertaining read that made me want to read Mrs. Harris's book immediately.
June 5, 2008
The story lacks originality and the characters, though they have potential--as does the story's premise--, aren't all that interesting. The way the romance plays out makes you think that you've seen it all before to the point of it almost being a cookie cutter romance.
Viscount Norcourt, the rogue, isn't all that bad and Madeline Prescott, the virginal teacher, isn't all that goody goody either. No real sparks here. You get the feeling you know what's going to happen and eventually it all comes to pass. The secondary story about child abuse seemed out of place almost, as if the author was trying to add something to the mundane story but it just left a bad taste for me. The letter exchange between the owner of the school, Mrs Harris, (an irritaing woman who acts like she's 70 instead of 30 something)with her cousin Michael is weird and annoying. It didn't really fit with the rest of the story some how.
It's a fluffy ho-hum read over all.
Viscount Norcourt, the rogue, isn't all that bad and Madeline Prescott, the virginal teacher, isn't all that goody goody either. No real sparks here. You get the feeling you know what's going to happen and eventually it all comes to pass. The secondary story about child abuse seemed out of place almost, as if the author was trying to add something to the mundane story but it just left a bad taste for me. The letter exchange between the owner of the school, Mrs Harris, (an irritaing woman who acts like she's 70 instead of 30 something)with her cousin Michael is weird and annoying. It didn't really fit with the rest of the story some how.
It's a fluffy ho-hum read over all.
September 3, 2017
- 4, 5 stars -
Lovely,
witty,
bitter sweet
and
clever written historical romance!
Lovely,
witty,
bitter sweet
and
clever written historical romance!
January 26, 2018
leído en Mayo 2014
Me gustó.... buena historia y excelentes protagonistas
Me gustó.... buena historia y excelentes protagonistas
August 14, 2022
I want more of Anthony and Madeline 😭💔
September 12, 2017
A mi me fascinó
Madeleine es una prota muy inteligente y decidida a tomar el destino en sus manos.
Él, por Dios!!!, mucha energía sexualllllllllllllllllll que debe ser encausada.
Yo creo que a pesar de tener cierto tono de comedia, no es tan liviana, profundiza bastante los traumas de él que no son demasiado cliché
Madeleine es una prota muy inteligente y decidida a tomar el destino en sus manos.
Él, por Dios!!!, mucha energía sexualllllllllllllllllll que debe ser encausada.
Yo creo que a pesar de tener cierto tono de comedia, no es tan liviana, profundiza bastante los traumas de él que no son demasiado cliché
May 2, 2022
Disappointing…
For about 85 percent of this story, I didn’t like it. Almost DNF. I was forcing myself to continue. I disliked Madeline so much. The misandry gets old and her constant distrust of men was tedious. Madeline was conniving, dishonest, and judgmental. Being a liar is not a good character trait for a heroine. She never grew on me. The last 15 percent… the story wrapped up, but I still didn’t care much for the plot. It’s surprising because I usually really like Sabrina Jeffries books. This story would have been a 1 star, but I made it a 2 star read because of Anthony. He was sweet.
For about 85 percent of this story, I didn’t like it. Almost DNF. I was forcing myself to continue. I disliked Madeline so much. The misandry gets old and her constant distrust of men was tedious. Madeline was conniving, dishonest, and judgmental. Being a liar is not a good character trait for a heroine. She never grew on me. The last 15 percent… the story wrapped up, but I still didn’t care much for the plot. It’s surprising because I usually really like Sabrina Jeffries books. This story would have been a 1 star, but I made it a 2 star read because of Anthony. He was sweet.
January 2, 2016
Is it hot in the room or what?
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Whew I had to get that out of my system. The two characters were just scorching hot in the book.
Let’s get down to the story shall we?
The hero’s father, unwilling to keep him for whatever reason after his beloved wife’s death, sends him to his aunt’s and uncle’s where he faces a lot of psychological and physical abuse for indulging in masturbation. Totally a WTF moment and definitely incites the reader to jump into the story and beat the pulp out those two devils. The hero of course grows up to have a lot of emotional scars and freely participates in the same activities that led him to be abused as a child. Tragedy strikes and his older brother dies and he’s now the new Viscount of Norcourt Hall, and has the guardianship of his 14 year old niece. Unfortunately, the diabolical aunt and uncle pair too are pursuing her guardianship and have a strong chance of winning. Desperately wishing that it doesn’t happen, he approaches the reputed school for heiresses but wait!…there are no vacancies. A timid teacher (the heroine) comes to his rescue but clearly has her own secret motives. And thus starts the extremely romantic (sigh!) and heartwarming story.
This book is a must read. the storytelling is smooth, the pace doesn’t lack at any instant, and the leads rarely seem like fools. Thankfully, it depends little on the previous books in the series, so I had a grand time reading it. Thoroughly enjoyed my time even if the lead pair left me like this.
![]()
Whew I had to get that out of my system. The two characters were just scorching hot in the book.
Let’s get down to the story shall we?
The hero’s father, unwilling to keep him for whatever reason after his beloved wife’s death, sends him to his aunt’s and uncle’s where he faces a lot of psychological and physical abuse for indulging in masturbation. Totally a WTF moment and definitely incites the reader to jump into the story and beat the pulp out those two devils. The hero of course grows up to have a lot of emotional scars and freely participates in the same activities that led him to be abused as a child. Tragedy strikes and his older brother dies and he’s now the new Viscount of Norcourt Hall, and has the guardianship of his 14 year old niece. Unfortunately, the diabolical aunt and uncle pair too are pursuing her guardianship and have a strong chance of winning. Desperately wishing that it doesn’t happen, he approaches the reputed school for heiresses but wait!…there are no vacancies. A timid teacher (the heroine) comes to his rescue but clearly has her own secret motives. And thus starts the extremely romantic (sigh!) and heartwarming story.
This book is a must read. the storytelling is smooth, the pace doesn’t lack at any instant, and the leads rarely seem like fools. Thankfully, it depends little on the previous books in the series, so I had a grand time reading it. Thoroughly enjoyed my time even if the lead pair left me like this.
January 11, 2020
Ik heb de Nederlands talige uitgave gelezen : Lessen van een losbol - Candlelight Historische roman 860 .
Verhaallijn overgenomen van de achterzijde kaft - Anthony Dalton , burggraaf Norcourt , wil heel graag de voogdij over zijn nichtje , maar zijn imago als losbol speelt hem parten . Om zijn reputatie bij te schaven probeert hij het meisje in te schrijven op de keurige School voor Jongedames . Wat hij niet weet is dat juf Madeline Prescott , om haar vader te rehabiliteren , graag geintroduceerd wil worden in adellijke kringen . Zij wil Anthony's verzoek best ondersteunen , maar eist wel een bijzondere tegenprestatie . Niet alleen moet hij haar meenemen naar een uitspatting van de elite , ook moet de burggraaf de meisjes op school leren hoe ze de verleiding van een losbol kunnen weerstaan .
Wat Madeline echter niet kon bevroeden is dat Anthony's lessen een latente begeerte in haar wakker zouden roepen .
Ook in dit verhaal heeft de schrijfster weer een interessant feitje uit die tijd verweven , nl. dat er in de hogere kringen het een tijd in de mode was om een stikstofoxidule = lachgas feestje te houden waarbij natuurlijk voor die tijd heel wat onbetamelijke dingen gebeurden .
Ik vond dit een onderhoudend en leuk verhaal maar qua romantiek schoot het toch wat te kort , ik zou het 3 en een halve sterren geven als het mogelijk was .
Verhaallijn overgenomen van de achterzijde kaft - Anthony Dalton , burggraaf Norcourt , wil heel graag de voogdij over zijn nichtje , maar zijn imago als losbol speelt hem parten . Om zijn reputatie bij te schaven probeert hij het meisje in te schrijven op de keurige School voor Jongedames . Wat hij niet weet is dat juf Madeline Prescott , om haar vader te rehabiliteren , graag geintroduceerd wil worden in adellijke kringen . Zij wil Anthony's verzoek best ondersteunen , maar eist wel een bijzondere tegenprestatie . Niet alleen moet hij haar meenemen naar een uitspatting van de elite , ook moet de burggraaf de meisjes op school leren hoe ze de verleiding van een losbol kunnen weerstaan .
Wat Madeline echter niet kon bevroeden is dat Anthony's lessen een latente begeerte in haar wakker zouden roepen .
Ook in dit verhaal heeft de schrijfster weer een interessant feitje uit die tijd verweven , nl. dat er in de hogere kringen het een tijd in de mode was om een stikstofoxidule = lachgas feestje te houden waarbij natuurlijk voor die tijd heel wat onbetamelijke dingen gebeurden .
Ik vond dit een onderhoudend en leuk verhaal maar qua romantiek schoot het toch wat te kort , ik zou het 3 en een halve sterren geven als het mogelijk was .
May 7, 2008
Despite this being the kind of romance where you want to bash the hero and heroine's heads together, I couldn't help enjoying this installment in Jeffries' School for Heiresses series. For one thing, we get to see the inner workings of the school. Teacher Madeline Prescott is scientifically curious about human nature, and naturally her interest in notorious rake Anthony is strictly scientific. Well, actually she needs his help to clear her father's name, and her attempts to get it without actually revealing anything to our hero keeps the plot going. Madeline is an appealingly intelligent character, although she suffers from plot-induced stupidity. The book is saved by the hilarous scenes of Anthony instructing the students of Mrs. Harris' school on how to avoid rakes.
August 23, 2016
It's alright; not great, but not horrible either.
Annoying phrase: "his bad boy"
Annoying phrase: "his bad boy"
August 3, 2023
Madeline and Anthony are really just TOO good. Like they are good people, who are both self sacrificing for the people that they care about. It's silly how much Anthony thinks he's this beast of a man and that Madeline things she is unwanted.
Anyways... their story is cute. I enjoyed them dancing around each other trying to get the truth out of each other. I also liked Madeline's thinking towards sex/scandal. It's one of those refreshing takes in historical romances. It didn't make me love it like other stories, but still a solid book.
Anyways... their story is cute. I enjoyed them dancing around each other trying to get the truth out of each other. I also liked Madeline's thinking towards sex/scandal. It's one of those refreshing takes in historical romances. It didn't make me love it like other stories, but still a solid book.
August 7, 2025
I liked this fine enough! I finished it in an evening and it was pretty compelling.
What stood out to me the most, unfortunately, isn't a positive point. The way the author uses women's bodies to characterize them is so ugly and sexist. The MMC has an ex-fling who's described as having a ENORMOUS chest. The narration goes out of its way to say that she has more "bosom than brains". She's sooo slutty and sooo conniving. The MMC gets her to leave by threatening to tell her husband that she's prostituting herself for gambling money. It's just so mean-spirited. Like, at one point, the FMC says that she has rhinoceros breasts. How is that in character for a woman who, textually, hates gossip and judging people based of society's standards?
It's just so disheartening. This isn't the first book I've read where big breasts are used as shorthand for villainy. Women of all sizes get body shamed for different reasons, of course. But it's so annoying that busty women get this specific stereotype attached to us. Ugh.
Anyways, this book really was a decent read. It's just that the only thing that stuck out to me is how distinctly sexist it is, even for a historical romance.
What stood out to me the most, unfortunately, isn't a positive point. The way the author uses women's bodies to characterize them is so ugly and sexist. The MMC has an ex-fling who's described as having a ENORMOUS chest. The narration goes out of its way to say that she has more "bosom than brains". She's sooo slutty and sooo conniving. The MMC gets her to leave by threatening to tell her husband that she's prostituting herself for gambling money. It's just so mean-spirited. Like, at one point, the FMC says that she has rhinoceros breasts. How is that in character for a woman who, textually, hates gossip and judging people based of society's standards?
It's just so disheartening. This isn't the first book I've read where big breasts are used as shorthand for villainy. Women of all sizes get body shamed for different reasons, of course. But it's so annoying that busty women get this specific stereotype attached to us. Ugh.
Anyways, this book really was a decent read. It's just that the only thing that stuck out to me is how distinctly sexist it is, even for a historical romance.
August 29, 2008
This is another one of those "school teacher meets handsome aristocrat" stories, but this one pushed my "Oh, come on--" buttons. I usually like Sabrina Jeffries a great deal, but... Heroine is a teacher at this school for heiresses. The hero is a nobleman who gets maneuvered--or perhaps maneuvers himself--into giving "rake" lessons. Lessons in rakish behavior and how an heiress can recognize it and avoid it. At the same time, the heroine is trying to get the hero to set up a party for her own secret reasons--and those secret reasons are where I got all tangled up in the "But why would she do that?" They just didn't make sense to me and made the story very convoluted and hard for me to get through. I did read it all, but I have to admit, I didn't like it nearly as well as I have liked (adored) other Jeffries books.
October 10, 2009
really good...it broke my heart when Anthony shared what he went through as a kid w/ his aunt...sooooo sad! very good book though!
April 12, 2010
I really liked this story and Viscount Norcourt. I also like Madeline Prescott and how she helped Anthony not feel so ashamed of his secret childhood humiliation.
September 27, 2021
I think this is my favorite! So far…
April 5, 2017
Madeline Prescott is a very intelligent, scholarly female with a particular genius in mathematics and an interest in natural science - what we call now biology. She is currently teaching at Mrs. Harris's school because she and her father had to leave their home in Shropshire. He is a doctor and a recent patient died of an abscessed tooth after he gave her nitrous oxide as an anesthetic. The local baronet, Sir Randolph Bickham, being an extremely nasty sort, was threatening to have him charged with murder. Dr. Prescott has always suffered from "melancholia" and since the woman's death, he has been so depressed that Madeline fears he may commit suicide.
Lord Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, is the nephew of Sir Randolph and has first hand knowledge of just how nasty he and his wife are. After Anthony's mother died when he was 8, his father sent him to live with the Bickhams. They physically and mentally abused him and his younger cousin for years.
Now Anthony's older brother has died, leaving guardianship of his daughter to Sir Randolph. Anthony is determined to get guardianship himself and save Tessa from their evil. The only problem is that Anthony has deliberately lived a rakehell lifestyle. So he must convince the courts that he can be responsible for a young girl's welfare, and his first step is to get her admitted as a student to Mrs. Harris's prestigious school.
Madeline is sympathetic to his pleas, but even more, she sees him as a solution to her father's problems. But she doesn't dare tell him the whole truth.
The wounded hero is a favorite trope of many romance authors, but Ms. Jeffries endows them with REAL wounds, not just plot device placeholders. Anthony's background is genuinely moving, not least because such abuse happens all too often even today.
And her heroines are smart and strong and feisty, yet behave with manners and sensibilities that are not anachronistic to the 19th century. Madeline is the typical bluestocking - which happens to be one of my favorite tropes.
While this series is called the School for Heiresses, the first 3 books had almost no scenes actually in the school setting. This one is different, with a great deal of it taking place in the school and it's classrooms. The scenes where Anthony gives "rakehell lessons" are really humorous.
4 stars.
Lord Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, is the nephew of Sir Randolph and has first hand knowledge of just how nasty he and his wife are. After Anthony's mother died when he was 8, his father sent him to live with the Bickhams. They physically and mentally abused him and his younger cousin for years.
Now Anthony's older brother has died, leaving guardianship of his daughter to Sir Randolph. Anthony is determined to get guardianship himself and save Tessa from their evil. The only problem is that Anthony has deliberately lived a rakehell lifestyle. So he must convince the courts that he can be responsible for a young girl's welfare, and his first step is to get her admitted as a student to Mrs. Harris's prestigious school.
Madeline is sympathetic to his pleas, but even more, she sees him as a solution to her father's problems. But she doesn't dare tell him the whole truth.
The wounded hero is a favorite trope of many romance authors, but Ms. Jeffries endows them with REAL wounds, not just plot device placeholders. Anthony's background is genuinely moving, not least because such abuse happens all too often even today.
And her heroines are smart and strong and feisty, yet behave with manners and sensibilities that are not anachronistic to the 19th century. Madeline is the typical bluestocking - which happens to be one of my favorite tropes.
While this series is called the School for Heiresses, the first 3 books had almost no scenes actually in the school setting. This one is different, with a great deal of it taking place in the school and it's classrooms. The scenes where Anthony gives "rakehell lessons" are really humorous.
4 stars.
September 21, 2017
Madeline Prescott sdh putus asa utk bisa menemui Sir Humphry, pakar dinitrogen oksida, ilmuwan yg bisa membersihkan nama baik ayahnya jika Humphry bersedia. Tak dinyana, Anthony, Lord Norcourt berusaha memasukkan ponakannya (yg baru ditinggal mati kedua orangtuanya) agar bisa bersekolah di Sekolah Mrs. Harris. Maka Madeline dan Anthony berkomplot agar Mrs Harris mau mempertimbangkan Tessa utk sekolah disana. Mrs. Harris keberatan krn reputasi Anthony sbg seorang mesum bejat yg hobi berganti-ganti pasangan walaupun spesialisasinya adalah meniduri para janda. Negosiasi berhasil dgn usul Madeline spy Lord Norcourt mengajar ttg mengenali pria bejat spt dirinya di sekolah. Anthony bersedia dgn terpaksa. Anthony terus-menerus penasaran dgn permintaan aneh dari Madeline sbg bagian dari kesepakatan mereka. Dan yg tak terhindarkan, mereka saling jatuh cinta... namun banyak halangan dan rintangan yg tidak memungkinkan mereka utk menikah. Dapatkah mereka bersama-sama mengatasinya?
Saat awal membaca novel ini, saya mengalami sedikit dejavu dgn dongeng Beauty and the Beast, dimana Madeline mirip Belle yg gundah dan mati-matian berusaha menyelamatkan ayahnya yg sakit-sakitan. Tentu saja Anthony adalah versi Beast yg rupawan tetapi jiwanya saja yg iblis. Saya paling suka saat "pengakuan" Anthony kpd Madeline mengapa dia enggan menikah. Anthony bukan sembarang playboy yg hobi gonta-ganti pasangan. Masa kecilnya yg suram membelit jiwanya seperti Medusa. Dan saya senang Anthony mendapatkan pasangan yg serasi pd diri Madeline yg tidak hanya cantik wajahnya, juga cerdas dan super pengertian.
Sayangnya novel ini dibandingkan yg lain dlm seri ini terlalu banyak galaunya, baik Anthony maupun Madeline. Dan saya juga kurang mudeng dgn rencana Madeline utk menolong ayahnya yg rada muter-muter jalannya. Ironisnya senjata pamungkas utk menghindari kekusutan justru datang dari hal yg tak terduga atau dipikirkan sebelumnya. Tapi masih asyik koq membaca novel seri ini. Sabrina Jeffries masih T.O.P bagi saya sbg fans beratnya.
Saat awal membaca novel ini, saya mengalami sedikit dejavu dgn dongeng Beauty and the Beast, dimana Madeline mirip Belle yg gundah dan mati-matian berusaha menyelamatkan ayahnya yg sakit-sakitan. Tentu saja Anthony adalah versi Beast yg rupawan tetapi jiwanya saja yg iblis. Saya paling suka saat "pengakuan" Anthony kpd Madeline mengapa dia enggan menikah. Anthony bukan sembarang playboy yg hobi gonta-ganti pasangan. Masa kecilnya yg suram membelit jiwanya seperti Medusa. Dan saya senang Anthony mendapatkan pasangan yg serasi pd diri Madeline yg tidak hanya cantik wajahnya, juga cerdas dan super pengertian.
Sayangnya novel ini dibandingkan yg lain dlm seri ini terlalu banyak galaunya, baik Anthony maupun Madeline. Dan saya juga kurang mudeng dgn rencana Madeline utk menolong ayahnya yg rada muter-muter jalannya. Ironisnya senjata pamungkas utk menghindari kekusutan justru datang dari hal yg tak terduga atau dipikirkan sebelumnya. Tapi masih asyik koq membaca novel seri ini. Sabrina Jeffries masih T.O.P bagi saya sbg fans beratnya.
July 5, 2022
If you’re interested in a book where two people meet and fall in love in a week despite all of the miscommunication and deception between them: this book is for you!
Madeline meets our hero and decides to blackmail him to help her father. Anthony agrees to the terms in order to help his niece and falls for a case of, “I’ve been with hundreds of women but WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS ONEEEE WOMAN?! IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE?!”
Madeline lies to Anthony a lot. And this book is a lot of Madeline trying to convince me that the reason she’s so mistrusting and deceptive is justified. And despite the dragged out drama and shoving the reasons for the continued angst, I wasn’t buying it. She’s misleading and lying the whole freaking book and Anthony loves her anyway.
Good for them? I guess?
The end is a convoluted mess of Anthony being like, “Madeline won’t marry me because of this untrue reason.” And Madeline thinking, “Anthony won’t marry me because of THIS untrue reason.” Seriously, both of you STFU and just speak words and not accusations. Oh wait, you can’t because you both have no reasons to trust each other. I take that back, Anthony has NO REASON AT ALL to trust Madeline.
Ugh. The ending. What a mess.
And the beginning too. The entire premise of a Viscount teaching rake lessons at a girl’s school is ridiculous. But I can get down with some unbelievable plot lines for love, but Madeline ruined it with her stupidity.
2.5 stars
Madeline meets our hero and decides to blackmail him to help her father. Anthony agrees to the terms in order to help his niece and falls for a case of, “I’ve been with hundreds of women but WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS ONEEEE WOMAN?! IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE?!”
Madeline lies to Anthony a lot. And this book is a lot of Madeline trying to convince me that the reason she’s so mistrusting and deceptive is justified. And despite the dragged out drama and shoving the reasons for the continued angst, I wasn’t buying it. She’s misleading and lying the whole freaking book and Anthony loves her anyway.
Good for them? I guess?
The end is a convoluted mess of Anthony being like, “Madeline won’t marry me because of this untrue reason.” And Madeline thinking, “Anthony won’t marry me because of THIS untrue reason.” Seriously, both of you STFU and just speak words and not accusations. Oh wait, you can’t because you both have no reasons to trust each other. I take that back, Anthony has NO REASON AT ALL to trust Madeline.
Ugh. The ending. What a mess.
And the beginning too. The entire premise of a Viscount teaching rake lessons at a girl’s school is ridiculous. But I can get down with some unbelievable plot lines for love, but Madeline ruined it with her stupidity.
2.5 stars
April 18, 2018
I swore I wasn't going to stay up past midnight to finish this book, but I did it anyway. Anthony is another tortured hero, and Madeline a very smart and clever heroine. Madeline is a teacher at the school for heiresses, trying to find a way to clear her physician father of scurrilous rumors. Anthony is trying to wrest guardianship of his niece from their horrible aunt and uncle. There are many historical characters in this book, as well as nitrous oxide parties. Who knew. This is my favorite so far. Two more to go.
August 24, 2017
2.5 stars (rounding up because today was a good day for me and I'm in a good mood LOL)
This book had a great start but then quickly started boring me. It was predictable, so predictable... and it took me a while to finish it (with a lot of page skipping). Hoping the next one in this series captures my attention better.
This book had a great start but then quickly started boring me. It was predictable, so predictable... and it took me a while to finish it (with a lot of page skipping). Hoping the next one in this series captures my attention better.
July 3, 2017
A reputation isn't always the measure of a man.
August 9, 2021
Rated 3.5
January 13, 2021
It was hard to find the spark between Anthony and Madeline from the very beginning. While the whole rakehell lessons bargain was interesting and fun, it was also very unrealistic that a lord would be teaching these lessons to schoolgirls. Moreover, the fact that Godwin and Anthony were discussing the term "debauchery" in front of these girls was just way too extreme, no matter how hilarious that whole scene was. I tried my best to suspend disbelief.
The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book has to do with the main characters. Their rationalization and reasonings simply didn't make sense to me....they kept going back and forth on their opinions. For example, despite being the accomplished rake that he is, Anthony was unable to determine if Madeline was an experienced woman or not. He constantly changed his mind on the matter. Madeline was even worse to be quite honest. She kept deceiving Anthony until the very end because she did not trust him, even though he more than proved that he could have helped her. Anthony kept vacillating as well by first getting angry at Madeline and then all of a sudden by justifying her actions. What irritated me was that Madeline had the nerve to say that she never lied when he found out about the truth:
The one saving grace of this story was the revelation that Anthony's uncle was
I find it curious that Kirkwood made an appearance. I really thought I saw the last of him in Amelia's book. It was also interesting that Anthony & Simon had a conversation solely focused on Kirkwood's marital troubles. I never knew Kirkwood was friends with them until now. It kind of felt out of place...hmm...
Most of all, I enjoyed the letters between Cousin Michael and Charlotte. It astonished both Anthony and I how quickly Cousin Michael discovered the truth behind the nitrous oxide party, most specifically, the connection between Mrs. Brayham and Anthony. Their letters are getting more intense and I am LOVING it. It was hilarious how Cousin Michael was freaked out by Charlotte's interest in Anthony and misinterpreted it. "Your concerned Cousin" my ass...more like "Your jealous Cousin".
The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book has to do with the main characters. Their rationalization and reasonings simply didn't make sense to me....they kept going back and forth on their opinions. For example, despite being the accomplished rake that he is, Anthony was unable to determine if Madeline was an experienced woman or not. He constantly changed his mind on the matter. Madeline was even worse to be quite honest. She kept deceiving Anthony until the very end because she did not trust him, even though he more than proved that he could have helped her. Anthony kept vacillating as well by first getting angry at Madeline and then all of a sudden by justifying her actions. What irritated me was that Madeline had the nerve to say that she never lied when he found out about the truth:
"Given what Papa had told her, she understood why he'd leaped to these conclusions, but why couldn't he give her a chance?"I don't know, girl....maybe because you'd been lying to him from day one and continued lying to him until the end?? Lastly, the whole nitrous oxide party was useless. Madeline had claimed that she wanted to speak with these individuals for her article. Couldn't she have requested an anonymous interview with Sir Humphry through Anthony for her article? It would have been much simpler. So much for being a naturalist. This level of deception didn't work well in this book and I didn't get to enjoy Anthony and Madeline as a couple until the very end.
The one saving grace of this story was the revelation that Anthony's uncle was
I find it curious that Kirkwood made an appearance. I really thought I saw the last of him in Amelia's book. It was also interesting that Anthony & Simon had a conversation solely focused on Kirkwood's marital troubles. I never knew Kirkwood was friends with them until now. It kind of felt out of place...hmm...
Most of all, I enjoyed the letters between Cousin Michael and Charlotte. It astonished both Anthony and I how quickly Cousin Michael discovered the truth behind the nitrous oxide party, most specifically, the connection between Mrs. Brayham and Anthony. Their letters are getting more intense and I am LOVING it. It was hilarious how Cousin Michael was freaked out by Charlotte's interest in Anthony and misinterpreted it. "Your concerned Cousin" my ass...more like "Your jealous Cousin".
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