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Victorian Adventures #1
Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures
Lady Elinor is searching for treasure
The intrepid Lady Elinor Tremaine is caught up in the Victorian fervor for exploring distant lands. Her travels throw her back in the company of an old friend-this time, far from the security of polite society.
And uncovering the secrets of her own heart
Harry de Vaux, Viscount Tunbury, has loved Lady Elinor for as long as he can remember- but his family's sordid background put her completely out of his reach. Prowling through Etruscan ruins in Italy with Elinor is exquisite torture. She is so close, and so forbidden...
The intrepid Lady Elinor Tremaine is caught up in the Victorian fervor for exploring distant lands. Her travels throw her back in the company of an old friend-this time, far from the security of polite society.
And uncovering the secrets of her own heart
Harry de Vaux, Viscount Tunbury, has loved Lady Elinor for as long as he can remember- but his family's sordid background put her completely out of his reach. Prowling through Etruscan ruins in Italy with Elinor is exquisite torture. She is so close, and so forbidden...
ebook
First published November 4, 2014
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730 people want to read
About the author
Lillian Marek
9 books203 followersWhen she retired after too many years in journalism, Lillian felt a longing for happy endings and stories where the good guys win and the bad guys get their just deserts. Having exhausted her library’s supply of non-gory mystery stories, she started reading romance novels, especially historical romance. This was so much fun that she thought she’d like to try her hand at writing one.
So it was that she took her keyboard in hand, slipped back into the 19th century, and began. She was right—writing romance novels is as much fun as reading them. Her first book was published in 2014, and her list of story ideas now numbers more than 80.
She may be spinning tales for quite while.
So it was that she took her keyboard in hand, slipped back into the 19th century, and began. She was right—writing romance novels is as much fun as reading them. Her first book was published in 2014, and her list of story ideas now numbers more than 80.
She may be spinning tales for quite while.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
September 8, 2017
This is a nicely written story set in Italy and England, but I feel it was way too long. I lost interest and only got back to it weeks later. The most memorable scene was where the heroine gave the promiscuous, neglectful mother of the hero a massive and brilliant set-down.
It was sweet how the couple supported each other- there were no Big Misunderstandings, nor was there any real angst.
The hero was more beta than alpha, which was fine- he seemed a lovely man, despite his horrible parents. The heroine was a personable, strong character, and the secondary characters in the story were given lots of space to demonstrate their personalities- probably too much space!
Dialogue was quite witty and the historical background to the story nicely and accurately described.
I feel like I am damning with faint praise- it really was a nice book. I don't particularly prefer tortured, angst-ridden heroes or heroines, but there needs to be some tension and the path to the HEA should have a few bumps so that the two can be tested and prove that they really do love each other. This one just didn't grab me enough to have me worried or care overly about their HEA.
It was sweet how the couple supported each other- there were no Big Misunderstandings, nor was there any real angst.
The hero was more beta than alpha, which was fine- he seemed a lovely man, despite his horrible parents. The heroine was a personable, strong character, and the secondary characters in the story were given lots of space to demonstrate their personalities- probably too much space!
Dialogue was quite witty and the historical background to the story nicely and accurately described.
I feel like I am damning with faint praise- it really was a nice book. I don't particularly prefer tortured, angst-ridden heroes or heroines, but there needs to be some tension and the path to the HEA should have a few bumps so that the two can be tested and prove that they really do love each other. This one just didn't grab me enough to have me worried or care overly about their HEA.
November 3, 2014
I think what first drew me to the book, was this beautiful cover!! This is Lillian Marek's debut novel, and I didn't know what to expect to be honest, since this is her first book, but I had quite a adventure reading this one. Lillian Marek sure knows how to write a outstanding romance, and it was evident from the first few pages. Especially with first novels from authors, it will take me awhile to get into the story, but no way was that the case with this one. I was hooked from the start.
The story begins with seeing how comfortable Harry and Elinor are with each other. They grew up together, Harry is Elinor's brothers best friend, and Elinor unlike most other English ladies, grew up climbing trees and fishing. She is spritied, headstrong and loves adventure. She has loved Harry most of her life, Harry has been gone for four years from traveling. Elinor has yet to get married, and when he returns, she starts to realize why she can't be another man, because her heart has always belonged to Harry, she just has to convince him of that. Harry feels the same way, but instead of going out to seduce her, he steers clear away from her. His parents are scandalous and he is ashamed of his parenthood and refuses to contaminate Elinor that way. But when her mother pleads with him to accompany them on a trip to Italy, he can't refuse, even though it will be torture for him to be so close to Elinor, aching for her but won't be able to have her.
Well Elinor is the alpha male in this portion of the story, she is like a train no stopping or changing direction from what or who she really wants. Amidst the travels, Harry begins to learn that he can't resist Elinor any longer, he just has to have her and damn the consequences. It was quite fun seeing these two trying to muddle along, both loving each other, but not realizing it at all. There was so many scenes that just had me laughing out loud, and they were quite the pair. I just couldn't get enough of these two. I felt so energized while reading this one, and it had a tone to the story that just lifted me up and made me forget all the stresses of life and delve into this romance that was packed full of adventure,some villains, princes, buried treasure and intrigues of french revolutionaries...this one had it all!! Everything I was looking for and expecting...and even more! There is also a side romance, involving Elinor's brother--which was fascinating to see.
Overall this romance was well put together, the voice of the author fresh as a bundle of daisies in the spring, with heartwarming romance, sizzling passion, witty humor, and entertaining characters!! A FUN HISTORICAL RIDE!!
The story begins with seeing how comfortable Harry and Elinor are with each other. They grew up together, Harry is Elinor's brothers best friend, and Elinor unlike most other English ladies, grew up climbing trees and fishing. She is spritied, headstrong and loves adventure. She has loved Harry most of her life, Harry has been gone for four years from traveling. Elinor has yet to get married, and when he returns, she starts to realize why she can't be another man, because her heart has always belonged to Harry, she just has to convince him of that. Harry feels the same way, but instead of going out to seduce her, he steers clear away from her. His parents are scandalous and he is ashamed of his parenthood and refuses to contaminate Elinor that way. But when her mother pleads with him to accompany them on a trip to Italy, he can't refuse, even though it will be torture for him to be so close to Elinor, aching for her but won't be able to have her.
Well Elinor is the alpha male in this portion of the story, she is like a train no stopping or changing direction from what or who she really wants. Amidst the travels, Harry begins to learn that he can't resist Elinor any longer, he just has to have her and damn the consequences. It was quite fun seeing these two trying to muddle along, both loving each other, but not realizing it at all. There was so many scenes that just had me laughing out loud, and they were quite the pair. I just couldn't get enough of these two. I felt so energized while reading this one, and it had a tone to the story that just lifted me up and made me forget all the stresses of life and delve into this romance that was packed full of adventure,some villains, princes, buried treasure and intrigues of french revolutionaries...this one had it all!! Everything I was looking for and expecting...and even more! There is also a side romance, involving Elinor's brother--which was fascinating to see.
Overall this romance was well put together, the voice of the author fresh as a bundle of daisies in the spring, with heartwarming romance, sizzling passion, witty humor, and entertaining characters!! A FUN HISTORICAL RIDE!!
October 28, 2014
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is a cute, travel-centric historical romance. Viscount Tunbury has known Lady Elinor Tremaire since she was a child. Escaping his neglectful parents as frequently as possible, Harry spent his childhood growing up alongside Elinor. When he starts to feel considerably less-than-brotherly feelings for Elinor he decides to travel, putting as much distant between him and the woman he believes is much to good for him.
Upon his return to London, Harry is persuaded to accompany the Tremaine family on a continental tour, putting him in constant contact with Elinor, torture of the worst sort. Only it seems that Elinor just might reciprocate those feelings, putting Harry in a difficult spot since he feels that he must resist.
Lady Elinor wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I liked the fact that the hero has been carrying a torch for the heroine for years. How often does this happen in a romance? Usually it’s the heroine that’s pining for the older brother’s best friend; but, I like the fact that this more expected convention was turned on it’s head. It was refreshing to see a hero pining for a heroine. The hero didn't always deal with this well, but it was rather endearing.
I also really liked the more exotic locale of Italy. There are so many historicals set in London and the English countryside; it was a lot of fun to travel to the continent. And this element was really portrayed well, since readers were treated to the tourist’s perspective through the Tremaine’s eyes. The author did a great job of creating an atmosphere in this novel and it is the high level of detail that will draw me back to this author.
What I wasn’t as keen on was the large cast of characters. I really was expecting the novel to focus on Harry and Elinor, but here there was a lot going on. There’s an additional romance between Elinor’s brother and their host’s daughter, an Italian rebel causing trouble, and a mystery surround stolen loot from unearthed tombs. Personally, I felt that there was too much going on. There were too many plots and additional storylines and I felt that this distracted from the romance between Harry and Elinor. The romance between these two developed quickly and resolved itself even quicker, which seemed to be because the other storylines also had to be resolved. I think there could have been more of a focus here and I felt that this contributed to some plots being wrapped up too quickly.
Despite what I felt to be a rushing of the romance, I did like the “sweet” quality of it. An angsty romance is well and good, but sometimes something quaint and adorable is what you’re looking for, and Lady Elinor fits the bill well. Combine that with some fabulous armchair travel, and you have a perfect way to spend the afternoon. That said, I did feel that Harry's high-handedness was a little over the top in the book. He really seemed to think he knew what was best for Elinor, despite the fact that even her parents never complained about what he felt was her outrageous behaviour. And while I understand why he felt that way, I did feel it was extreme and could have been brought down a notch.
Ultimately, there was a lot that I liked about this book and there was a lot of potential and I would be very curious to see what this author can do next. I would not be opposed to some more exotic settings outside of London, as this was a huge selling feature for me.
Originally published with similar reads at The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Upon his return to London, Harry is persuaded to accompany the Tremaine family on a continental tour, putting him in constant contact with Elinor, torture of the worst sort. Only it seems that Elinor just might reciprocate those feelings, putting Harry in a difficult spot since he feels that he must resist.
Lady Elinor wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I liked the fact that the hero has been carrying a torch for the heroine for years. How often does this happen in a romance? Usually it’s the heroine that’s pining for the older brother’s best friend; but, I like the fact that this more expected convention was turned on it’s head. It was refreshing to see a hero pining for a heroine. The hero didn't always deal with this well, but it was rather endearing.
I also really liked the more exotic locale of Italy. There are so many historicals set in London and the English countryside; it was a lot of fun to travel to the continent. And this element was really portrayed well, since readers were treated to the tourist’s perspective through the Tremaine’s eyes. The author did a great job of creating an atmosphere in this novel and it is the high level of detail that will draw me back to this author.
What I wasn’t as keen on was the large cast of characters. I really was expecting the novel to focus on Harry and Elinor, but here there was a lot going on. There’s an additional romance between Elinor’s brother and their host’s daughter, an Italian rebel causing trouble, and a mystery surround stolen loot from unearthed tombs. Personally, I felt that there was too much going on. There were too many plots and additional storylines and I felt that this distracted from the romance between Harry and Elinor. The romance between these two developed quickly and resolved itself even quicker, which seemed to be because the other storylines also had to be resolved. I think there could have been more of a focus here and I felt that this contributed to some plots being wrapped up too quickly.
Despite what I felt to be a rushing of the romance, I did like the “sweet” quality of it. An angsty romance is well and good, but sometimes something quaint and adorable is what you’re looking for, and Lady Elinor fits the bill well. Combine that with some fabulous armchair travel, and you have a perfect way to spend the afternoon. That said, I did feel that Harry's high-handedness was a little over the top in the book. He really seemed to think he knew what was best for Elinor, despite the fact that even her parents never complained about what he felt was her outrageous behaviour. And while I understand why he felt that way, I did feel it was extreme and could have been brought down a notch.
Ultimately, there was a lot that I liked about this book and there was a lot of potential and I would be very curious to see what this author can do next. I would not be opposed to some more exotic settings outside of London, as this was a huge selling feature for me.
Originally published with similar reads at The Book Adventures.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
November 4, 2014
Originally posted
HERE
This book (the author’s first) is worth a try because it takes us out of the all-too common Regency era in England, transports us to the 1850s, and then takes us on a trip to Italy. I think it’s important to support books that manage to find big publishing houses despite being not carbon copies of others, and even though Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is far from perfect, it has a lot to like within its pages.
I do love the Victorian era very much. It may not have always been as elegant as the earlier Regency period, but I definitely find it more exciting. The world was changing – and fast. Society was definitely still run by class, but even there things were changing alongside everything else in the world.
The characters of this book are still aristocratic, but nobody is a blasted duke (thank goodness!) and there’s more to the story than the characters’ titles. I really liked both hero and heroine, but there’re multiple character points of view shown throughout the story (which was a little distracting sometimes). Despite a fairly typical historical romance cover and silly title, there isn’t a single relationship in this book that is based on sex – if that’s what you’re looking for, the very brief scenes of that nature will probably disappoint.
An extraordinary amount of research has gone into the Italy of the time, a place full of conflict and changes. We also get to visit France a few times. I thought the changing European landscapes were well captured.
There were problems. The least of them – but the one that annoyed me the most – was the fact the characters constantly refer to their holidays as “vacations”. Other Americanisms like “gotten” turn up occasionally, but “vacation” is a huge oversight by both author and editors.
However, that’s not what other readers might have trouble with. The main issue is that the story jumps around a bit too much. There’re scenes that felt like they were half as long as they should have been, with the action covered in summaries instead of it being shown to us. This was probably a result of the many points of view running out of page space, but in future books I’d like to see the author expand on her scenes a bit. Not so much telling and a lot more showing.
The research – as I said – is fantastic. However occasionally I felt the detail (there were interesting facts, though!) was maybe a little too much for the historical romance genre. One thing I appreciated was that the clothes of the time were taken into consideration. Too often in this genre authors forget how hard it was to dress, move and undress!
Another little niggle was that sometimes the author tried to lighten the mood, but sometimes it resulted in the characters acting like clichés (the stereotypically melodramatic Italian woman, for example). I wouldn’t usually notice this as a problem, but other times the characterisation was so interesting I was disappointed when people I liked started acting like fools.
I did have my issues with this book, but I also think it’s worth reading. I loved how innovative it was, and I’m definitely looking forward to the author’s next book.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
This book (the author’s first) is worth a try because it takes us out of the all-too common Regency era in England, transports us to the 1850s, and then takes us on a trip to Italy. I think it’s important to support books that manage to find big publishing houses despite being not carbon copies of others, and even though Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is far from perfect, it has a lot to like within its pages.
I do love the Victorian era very much. It may not have always been as elegant as the earlier Regency period, but I definitely find it more exciting. The world was changing – and fast. Society was definitely still run by class, but even there things were changing alongside everything else in the world.
The characters of this book are still aristocratic, but nobody is a blasted duke (thank goodness!) and there’s more to the story than the characters’ titles. I really liked both hero and heroine, but there’re multiple character points of view shown throughout the story (which was a little distracting sometimes). Despite a fairly typical historical romance cover and silly title, there isn’t a single relationship in this book that is based on sex – if that’s what you’re looking for, the very brief scenes of that nature will probably disappoint.
An extraordinary amount of research has gone into the Italy of the time, a place full of conflict and changes. We also get to visit France a few times. I thought the changing European landscapes were well captured.
There were problems. The least of them – but the one that annoyed me the most – was the fact the characters constantly refer to their holidays as “vacations”. Other Americanisms like “gotten” turn up occasionally, but “vacation” is a huge oversight by both author and editors.
However, that’s not what other readers might have trouble with. The main issue is that the story jumps around a bit too much. There’re scenes that felt like they were half as long as they should have been, with the action covered in summaries instead of it being shown to us. This was probably a result of the many points of view running out of page space, but in future books I’d like to see the author expand on her scenes a bit. Not so much telling and a lot more showing.
The research – as I said – is fantastic. However occasionally I felt the detail (there were interesting facts, though!) was maybe a little too much for the historical romance genre. One thing I appreciated was that the clothes of the time were taken into consideration. Too often in this genre authors forget how hard it was to dress, move and undress!
Another little niggle was that sometimes the author tried to lighten the mood, but sometimes it resulted in the characters acting like clichés (the stereotypically melodramatic Italian woman, for example). I wouldn’t usually notice this as a problem, but other times the characterisation was so interesting I was disappointed when people I liked started acting like fools.
I did have my issues with this book, but I also think it’s worth reading. I loved how innovative it was, and I’m definitely looking forward to the author’s next book.
Review copy provided by NetGalley.
June 14, 2017
This is an enjoyable, entertaining read. This was my first (but certainly not last) book of this author. She has her own distinct writing style, which is refreshing and welcome. The writing is rich in detail, without bogging the story down, and at the same time, this book is very efficiently written, using the correct adjective rather than a bunch of flowery language. I found myself reading each sentence closely to make sure I didn't miss anything. She clearly did her research, and those that love historical details will enjoy this book.
The romance was sweet and believable. It is a friends to lovers trope, and the tension between the two starts at the beginning and slowly builds. When they finally acknowledge love for each other, they act head over heels in love. There is also a secondary love story that is sweet as well.
The book takes place primarily in Italy, which was a nice change for me. The main characters are British, though. There are many moving parts to this book, but it is not difficult to follow. Many great characters, the Tremaine parents are special and integral to the story, a good family feel in this story. I would have liked to spend more time with the heroine and hero (the intimacies described are a bit too efficient), and to learn more of the hero's family, which is basically opposite of the Tremaines. Overall, a great read!
The romance was sweet and believable. It is a friends to lovers trope, and the tension between the two starts at the beginning and slowly builds. When they finally acknowledge love for each other, they act head over heels in love. There is also a secondary love story that is sweet as well.
The book takes place primarily in Italy, which was a nice change for me. The main characters are British, though. There are many moving parts to this book, but it is not difficult to follow. Many great characters, the Tremaine parents are special and integral to the story, a good family feel in this story. I would have liked to spend more time with the heroine and hero (the intimacies described are a bit too efficient), and to learn more of the hero's family, which is basically opposite of the Tremaines. Overall, a great read!
October 30, 2014
Adventure is worthwhile in itself. - Amelia Earhart
Lady Elinor is bored with Victorian society. She can flirt with the dandies but she yearns for an adventure, one to share with childhood friend Harry de Vaux. He left just as she morphed into a young lady ... and he has returned as she is becoming a desirable woman.
Harry accompanied his school friend, Pip, home for the holidays, only to fall in love with Pip's family in general and his sister in specific. They welcome into their hearth and hearts ... but gave him the space to find his way. When he returns to London from his latest adventure, he is welcomed back to the Tremaine family ... and asked to accompany them to Italy. Since he owes them for his sanity, Harry agrees, knowing it will be difficult to keep his eyes (and hands) off Lady Elinor.
As the extended family travel to Italy, Elinor and Harry begin to acknowledge their growing attraction. Upon arrival in Italy, the entire family throws themselves into the local culture while exploring the Etruscan ruins. I don't want to giveaway too much of the plot, but I appreciate that the Marek allows hero and heroine to enjoy their romance. Likewise, Marek treats the readers to the lush landscape of Italy with a light history lesson in its struggle to unite as a republic. Marek hits the mark for readers who appreciate antiquities.
Recommended read for fans of lighthearted historical romance, far flung places, and humor laced action adventure.
I received an ARC from Sourcebooks for a honest review.
Lady Elinor is bored with Victorian society. She can flirt with the dandies but she yearns for an adventure, one to share with childhood friend Harry de Vaux. He left just as she morphed into a young lady ... and he has returned as she is becoming a desirable woman.
Harry accompanied his school friend, Pip, home for the holidays, only to fall in love with Pip's family in general and his sister in specific. They welcome into their hearth and hearts ... but gave him the space to find his way. When he returns to London from his latest adventure, he is welcomed back to the Tremaine family ... and asked to accompany them to Italy. Since he owes them for his sanity, Harry agrees, knowing it will be difficult to keep his eyes (and hands) off Lady Elinor.
As the extended family travel to Italy, Elinor and Harry begin to acknowledge their growing attraction. Upon arrival in Italy, the entire family throws themselves into the local culture while exploring the Etruscan ruins. I don't want to giveaway too much of the plot, but I appreciate that the Marek allows hero and heroine to enjoy their romance. Likewise, Marek treats the readers to the lush landscape of Italy with a light history lesson in its struggle to unite as a republic. Marek hits the mark for readers who appreciate antiquities.
Recommended read for fans of lighthearted historical romance, far flung places, and humor laced action adventure.
I received an ARC from Sourcebooks for a honest review.
August 16, 2017
A strong debut!
A HRBC Buddy Read with Mariana and Joanna
I think this is Lillian Marek's first novel or first historical romance and I really enjoyed it!
Very well-written, a good plot, good subplot and an interesting cast of supporting characters!
I especially liked Marek's very authentic handling of names an forms of address for the hero Harry with a viscount's courtesy title as an heir to an earl and also of Pip, also with a courtesy title as an heir to a marquess.
Neither Marek nor her publisher were condescending by dumbing-down forms address of these young peers and the use of their given names. Very refreshing.
I also enjoyed the Italian setting and the details that revealed how foreign travel was arranged and carried out during the time period.
Now, on to the next book!
A HRBC Buddy Read with Mariana and Joanna
I think this is Lillian Marek's first novel or first historical romance and I really enjoyed it!
Very well-written, a good plot, good subplot and an interesting cast of supporting characters!
I especially liked Marek's very authentic handling of names an forms of address for the hero Harry with a viscount's courtesy title as an heir to an earl and also of Pip, also with a courtesy title as an heir to a marquess.
Neither Marek nor her publisher were condescending by dumbing-down forms address of these young peers and the use of their given names. Very refreshing.
I also enjoyed the Italian setting and the details that revealed how foreign travel was arranged and carried out during the time period.
Now, on to the next book!
August 26, 2014
Review Courtesy of April Hollingworth
Set in the wonderful Victorian era with danger lurking around the corner, I found this to be a beautiful and elegant book. Throw in a feisty heroine and a dashing hero; it is a book to enjoy. The descriptions are stunning and send you back in time. Also you can’t help but love the characters, though granted you might feel like giving Harry a shake at times, but thankfully for him Elinor knows her mind.
Opening Scene:
London, 1852
Cheerful frivolity reigned in the ballroom of Huntingdon House.
The Review:
Harry has been in love with his best friend’s sister for years, but with his family’s history, he believes himself unworthy of the beautiful Elinor, yet the thought of her with anyone else is unbearable. Agreeing to accompany the Tremaine family to Italy to explore Etruscan ruins, wears on his intentions to stay away from the beautiful woman he’s always loved. Intrepid Lady Elinor is caught up in the Victorian fervor for exploring distant lands. Being thrown back into the company of her childhood friend Harry de Vaux, while treasure hunting, brings the startling revelation that she loves him. Now all she has to do is convince Harry to see her as the woman she is now instead of the child he once knew. But when a dangerous discovery leaves them fighting for their lives, will Harry finally admit how he feels or will he let his past haunt his present and destroy his chance of happiness, if they survive the dangers they face?
Notable Scene:
“You little idiot!” He turned and glared at her but did not ease his pace. “He was about to take you out on the terrace.” “Well, of course!” She gave an exasperated humph. “What do you mean, ‘Of course’?” By now they had reached the end of the ballroom, and he pulled her into the hall and swung her around to the side so he could glare with some privacy. She shook out her skirt and checked to make sure the pink silk rosettes pinning up the tulle overskirt had not been damaged while Harry was dragging her about. She was very fond of those rosettes. “I mean, of course he was going to take me out on the terrace. That’s what he does. He takes a girl out on the terrace, leads her into one of the secluded parts, and kisses her. Marianne and Dora say he kisses very nicely, and I wanted to see if they were right.” Harry made a strangled sound. “Marianne and Dora? Miss Simmons and Miss Cooper…?” “Among others.” Lady Elinor waved a hand airily. “He’s kissed so many of this year’s debutantes that I was beginning to feel slighted, but I think perhaps he is working according to some pattern. Do you know what it might be?” He was looking at her with something approaching horror, rather the way her brother looked at her much of the time. “You and your friends discuss… What in God’s name are young ladies thinking about these days?” She shrugged. “Young men, of course. What did you suppose? That we discuss embroidery patterns? Don’t you and your friends talk about women?”
FTC Advisory: Sourcebooks Casablanca through Net Galley provided me with a copy of Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures by Lillian Marek. Published through Sourcebooks Casablanca. Kindle Edition. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Set in the wonderful Victorian era with danger lurking around the corner, I found this to be a beautiful and elegant book. Throw in a feisty heroine and a dashing hero; it is a book to enjoy. The descriptions are stunning and send you back in time. Also you can’t help but love the characters, though granted you might feel like giving Harry a shake at times, but thankfully for him Elinor knows her mind.
Opening Scene:
London, 1852
Cheerful frivolity reigned in the ballroom of Huntingdon House.
The Review:
Harry has been in love with his best friend’s sister for years, but with his family’s history, he believes himself unworthy of the beautiful Elinor, yet the thought of her with anyone else is unbearable. Agreeing to accompany the Tremaine family to Italy to explore Etruscan ruins, wears on his intentions to stay away from the beautiful woman he’s always loved. Intrepid Lady Elinor is caught up in the Victorian fervor for exploring distant lands. Being thrown back into the company of her childhood friend Harry de Vaux, while treasure hunting, brings the startling revelation that she loves him. Now all she has to do is convince Harry to see her as the woman she is now instead of the child he once knew. But when a dangerous discovery leaves them fighting for their lives, will Harry finally admit how he feels or will he let his past haunt his present and destroy his chance of happiness, if they survive the dangers they face?
Notable Scene:
“You little idiot!” He turned and glared at her but did not ease his pace. “He was about to take you out on the terrace.” “Well, of course!” She gave an exasperated humph. “What do you mean, ‘Of course’?” By now they had reached the end of the ballroom, and he pulled her into the hall and swung her around to the side so he could glare with some privacy. She shook out her skirt and checked to make sure the pink silk rosettes pinning up the tulle overskirt had not been damaged while Harry was dragging her about. She was very fond of those rosettes. “I mean, of course he was going to take me out on the terrace. That’s what he does. He takes a girl out on the terrace, leads her into one of the secluded parts, and kisses her. Marianne and Dora say he kisses very nicely, and I wanted to see if they were right.” Harry made a strangled sound. “Marianne and Dora? Miss Simmons and Miss Cooper…?” “Among others.” Lady Elinor waved a hand airily. “He’s kissed so many of this year’s debutantes that I was beginning to feel slighted, but I think perhaps he is working according to some pattern. Do you know what it might be?” He was looking at her with something approaching horror, rather the way her brother looked at her much of the time. “You and your friends discuss… What in God’s name are young ladies thinking about these days?” She shrugged. “Young men, of course. What did you suppose? That we discuss embroidery patterns? Don’t you and your friends talk about women?”
FTC Advisory: Sourcebooks Casablanca through Net Galley provided me with a copy of Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures by Lillian Marek. Published through Sourcebooks Casablanca. Kindle Edition. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
February 4, 2022
2.5 stars rounding up to 3 only because I was entertained.
Elinor and Harry just about drove me nuts. They were immature. They called each other names. Harry went from happy to growling mad to woe is me I'm not good enough for her all in one paragraph. And once they became betrothed they were oblivious to any thing going on around them cause they were mooning over each other.
Elinor's whole family, as well as their Italian counterparts, were over the top dramatic. I rolled my eyes often.
Definitely not the best thing I've read, but not the worst either. This was this author's first book, so I would give her another try and see if her characters improved.
Elinor and Harry just about drove me nuts. They were immature. They called each other names. Harry went from happy to growling mad to woe is me I'm not good enough for her all in one paragraph. And once they became betrothed they were oblivious to any thing going on around them cause they were mooning over each other.
Elinor's whole family, as well as their Italian counterparts, were over the top dramatic. I rolled my eyes often.
Definitely not the best thing I've read, but not the worst either. This was this author's first book, so I would give her another try and see if her characters improved.
November 6, 2014
New to me author, debut novel and a ‘friends to lovers’ romance set against an archeological adventure in Italy during the Victorian period? Cue the excitement. I got some dashing surprises even beyond the enjoyment that I expected too. There was intrigue and oh lordy, there was humor- loads of humor. There were a few spots of melodrama, but on the whole it was a light, engaging read.
The story opens with Harry deVaux, Viscount Tunbury, figuring out that the ragamuffin younger sister of his best friend, Pip, Viscount Rycote, had grown up. Elinor was vivacious, intelligent and beautiful- and he couldn't have her. Harry's parents were the talk of Society with the Earl's drinking and the Countess' open promiscuity. There was no way he would connect his bad blood to the lady and family he adored and who gave him the only happy years of his life showing him what real family was like. He will have to keep away now that his feelings have changed for Elinor, but Lady Penworth has other plans. She requests Harry's assistance and presence on a family holiday traveling to Italy to investigate Etruscan ruins that will help Lord Penworth let go the cares of dealing with government and politics.
Lady Elinor Tremaine was thrilled that Harry had finally returned from his travels and would accompany her family on their European journey which is her first real adventure. She missed him and didn't realize until he was back why all those other gentlemen that came around never interested her. He was her childhood friend, but now she recognizes that her feelings for Harry have altered. If only she can get the oblivious Harry to stop treating her like a child. Elinor gets a bit of help from other interested parties even as she finds the adventures she was craving so long. Excitement, danger, and passion await the whole Tremaine family once they arrive in Italy.
One of the surprises that hit me fairly early on was that this was not just Elinor and Harry's story regardless of the title and blurb. This is the story of Elinor's loveable and just a bit eccentric family from her parents’ ongoing mature love to Elinor and her brother's awakening love. Though it was a surprise, it was a very delightful one. In fact, if truth be known, I was more taken with the older couple much of the time. When the rest descended into melodrama, they were the voices of reason who loved their children and had patience with their foibles. Not that I didn't enjoy Elinor and Harry or even Pip and Lissandra, but they were young, impatient not always wise love in comparison.
Instead of looking horrified or disgusted, Penworth looked somehow sympathetic. “Ah, so that is what has you in a ferment and sent you off on your travels. We were worried about you, you see.” Penworth looked kindly at him. “But that leaves the important question unanswered. Do you love my daughter?”
“Love her? Can you doubt it? I would die for her!”
“I suspect she would prefer you to live.” There was a suspicious twist to Penworth’s lips as he waved the younger man to a chair once more. p.174 Lord Penworth and Harry from Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures
The main romantic pair had some passionate moments though they were just a bit spicy and mostly closed door on the details. I enjoyed the tension and romps leading up to the moment they get it figured out at least preliminarily. She's quite the spit fire and doesn't put up with his hang ups. It was amusing to see her sorting him out though I will confess that her leap from innocent virgin into sexy temptress during that first stolen night pushed past believable for me. I know its fiction, but no. Virgins from the Victorian era from a sheltered life don't whip their clothes off first and then grab the naked guy eagerly for intercourse which went like a charm of course. It niggled at me, but was just a small thing amongst a bunch of good things.
There was a lot going on in this book to catch my interest and that needed resolution. Elinor's thirst for her own adventure and growing up a bit as she truly sees the worth of her own family as they show their strength of character while on the holiday adventure. Pip even shows that he is not as stuffy as Elinor labels him as he gets involved with a fiery Italian with connections to an old aristocratic family and to revolutionaries. Also, there was Harry's need to buck up and accept his past, to let it go while taking up his responsibilities to his family and his family's legacy. The suspenseful adventures presented to the family came from more than one direction. And of course all those romances. It was a lot, but I was still able to keep up even with the changing narrators.
The plot got a bit loose at times and went more than one direction. But all in all, I love the promise of this one for a good beginning to the rest of a series. I think fans of lighter Historical Romance with just a pinch of spice to the romance and a strong authentic historical background would have a good time with this one.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
The story opens with Harry deVaux, Viscount Tunbury, figuring out that the ragamuffin younger sister of his best friend, Pip, Viscount Rycote, had grown up. Elinor was vivacious, intelligent and beautiful- and he couldn't have her. Harry's parents were the talk of Society with the Earl's drinking and the Countess' open promiscuity. There was no way he would connect his bad blood to the lady and family he adored and who gave him the only happy years of his life showing him what real family was like. He will have to keep away now that his feelings have changed for Elinor, but Lady Penworth has other plans. She requests Harry's assistance and presence on a family holiday traveling to Italy to investigate Etruscan ruins that will help Lord Penworth let go the cares of dealing with government and politics.
Lady Elinor Tremaine was thrilled that Harry had finally returned from his travels and would accompany her family on their European journey which is her first real adventure. She missed him and didn't realize until he was back why all those other gentlemen that came around never interested her. He was her childhood friend, but now she recognizes that her feelings for Harry have altered. If only she can get the oblivious Harry to stop treating her like a child. Elinor gets a bit of help from other interested parties even as she finds the adventures she was craving so long. Excitement, danger, and passion await the whole Tremaine family once they arrive in Italy.
One of the surprises that hit me fairly early on was that this was not just Elinor and Harry's story regardless of the title and blurb. This is the story of Elinor's loveable and just a bit eccentric family from her parents’ ongoing mature love to Elinor and her brother's awakening love. Though it was a surprise, it was a very delightful one. In fact, if truth be known, I was more taken with the older couple much of the time. When the rest descended into melodrama, they were the voices of reason who loved their children and had patience with their foibles. Not that I didn't enjoy Elinor and Harry or even Pip and Lissandra, but they were young, impatient not always wise love in comparison.
Instead of looking horrified or disgusted, Penworth looked somehow sympathetic. “Ah, so that is what has you in a ferment and sent you off on your travels. We were worried about you, you see.” Penworth looked kindly at him. “But that leaves the important question unanswered. Do you love my daughter?”
“Love her? Can you doubt it? I would die for her!”
“I suspect she would prefer you to live.” There was a suspicious twist to Penworth’s lips as he waved the younger man to a chair once more. p.174 Lord Penworth and Harry from Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures
The main romantic pair had some passionate moments though they were just a bit spicy and mostly closed door on the details. I enjoyed the tension and romps leading up to the moment they get it figured out at least preliminarily. She's quite the spit fire and doesn't put up with his hang ups. It was amusing to see her sorting him out though I will confess that her leap from innocent virgin into sexy temptress during that first stolen night pushed past believable for me. I know its fiction, but no. Virgins from the Victorian era from a sheltered life don't whip their clothes off first and then grab the naked guy eagerly for intercourse which went like a charm of course. It niggled at me, but was just a small thing amongst a bunch of good things.
There was a lot going on in this book to catch my interest and that needed resolution. Elinor's thirst for her own adventure and growing up a bit as she truly sees the worth of her own family as they show their strength of character while on the holiday adventure. Pip even shows that he is not as stuffy as Elinor labels him as he gets involved with a fiery Italian with connections to an old aristocratic family and to revolutionaries. Also, there was Harry's need to buck up and accept his past, to let it go while taking up his responsibilities to his family and his family's legacy. The suspenseful adventures presented to the family came from more than one direction. And of course all those romances. It was a lot, but I was still able to keep up even with the changing narrators.
The plot got a bit loose at times and went more than one direction. But all in all, I love the promise of this one for a good beginning to the rest of a series. I think fans of lighter Historical Romance with just a pinch of spice to the romance and a strong authentic historical background would have a good time with this one.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 18, 2014
Tortured by want, Harcourt “Harry” de Vaux escaped to the continent to avoid his infatuation with his best friend Pip’s sister and to run from his scandalous parents. Now he’s back and Lady Elinor “Norrie” Tremaine is most definitely not the girl he got into scrapes with when they were young. No, now she’s sneaking off to the garden with rakes simply to discover if she’s thought to be sweet or saucy. Still, she’s as easy to be around as she ever was—at least when Harry isn’t fighting the green monster of jealousy. But Lord Penworth’s daughter is not for Harry. Norrie deserves someone not mired in scandal. So when the family invites him on a trip to Italy, Harry is resolutely against it. Indebted to Lord and Lady Penworth for treating him immeasurably better than his own disgraceful parents, Harry agrees to go if only to protect Norrie on the dangerous trip. There’s just one question, who will protect her from Harry?
The last thing Norrie wants is protection against Harry. The trip to the continent might be just what she needs—time with Harry he can’t escape. He shows all the signs of jealousy whenever she’s in another man’s company—a thrilling prospect that seems to prove his affection—but he refuses to act on his feelings. And she hasn’t the first idea why. Fortunately intrigue, politics, and peril are just the catalyst he needs and adventure Norrie desires. Once she knows the truth, Norrie isn’t about to let a little thing like misplaced honor get in the way of what she’s always wanted: him.
From England to Rome and into ancient Etruscan crypts, this book spans quite a distance but it’s the distance between Harry and Elinor that was the draw for me. Or at least their coming together was. Harry is a noble hero suffering from false assumptions that his parents’ faults are going to become his simply because of their shared blood. He rightly gets the sense knocked into him by his childhood crush. Elinor isn’t your usual Victorian lady. She’s well read, curious to a fault, adventurous, and speaks her mind. In short, she’s the kind of gal I’d be fast friends with which makes reading a story partially from her point of view that much more fun. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering how this pair would get together during the first two thirds or so. The last third follows the intrigue and politics that takes place around the family and how they band together to help their hosts. We even get a second romance in the mix.
I’m not usually a fan of stories that have the hero and heroine declaring themselves so early in the story, but it works in Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures. There’s enough plot to carry us through, not to mention we get several sweet scenes of the pair getting to know each other better. Readers are rewarded for sticking it out at the end when Norrie proves why she’s an admirable lady when she helps Harry resolve familial problems. And of course, there’s the reward of a satisfying happily ever after.
Snatch this up if you’re a fan of the friends to lovers trope, especially when that friend is the older brother’s best friend.
The last thing Norrie wants is protection against Harry. The trip to the continent might be just what she needs—time with Harry he can’t escape. He shows all the signs of jealousy whenever she’s in another man’s company—a thrilling prospect that seems to prove his affection—but he refuses to act on his feelings. And she hasn’t the first idea why. Fortunately intrigue, politics, and peril are just the catalyst he needs and adventure Norrie desires. Once she knows the truth, Norrie isn’t about to let a little thing like misplaced honor get in the way of what she’s always wanted: him.
From England to Rome and into ancient Etruscan crypts, this book spans quite a distance but it’s the distance between Harry and Elinor that was the draw for me. Or at least their coming together was. Harry is a noble hero suffering from false assumptions that his parents’ faults are going to become his simply because of their shared blood. He rightly gets the sense knocked into him by his childhood crush. Elinor isn’t your usual Victorian lady. She’s well read, curious to a fault, adventurous, and speaks her mind. In short, she’s the kind of gal I’d be fast friends with which makes reading a story partially from her point of view that much more fun. I thoroughly enjoyed discovering how this pair would get together during the first two thirds or so. The last third follows the intrigue and politics that takes place around the family and how they band together to help their hosts. We even get a second romance in the mix.
I’m not usually a fan of stories that have the hero and heroine declaring themselves so early in the story, but it works in Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures. There’s enough plot to carry us through, not to mention we get several sweet scenes of the pair getting to know each other better. Readers are rewarded for sticking it out at the end when Norrie proves why she’s an admirable lady when she helps Harry resolve familial problems. And of course, there’s the reward of a satisfying happily ever after.
Snatch this up if you’re a fan of the friends to lovers trope, especially when that friend is the older brother’s best friend.
August 21, 2016
It's never a good sign when you look down at a page count, and see that you still have a hundred pages left. I have never wanted a book to end more than this one. It's just...it goes nowhere. There's no focus, no straightforward story. The romance is barely present for the first half of the story, the plot meanders. There are too many characters, too many subplots--I was just really bored.
On the plus side, the actual moment to moment was decently written. I'll keep my eye on the author and see if the next book is better.
On the plus side, the actual moment to moment was decently written. I'll keep my eye on the author and see if the next book is better.
November 18, 2014
What a refreshing book. Not the typical "drawing room/ball room" setting. Please read my full review at my blog: http://letague.blogspot.com/2014/11/l...
October 29, 2014
This was just plain fun.
September 15, 2018
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.
March 6, 2015
Elinor's family is happy and loving. They have always welcomed Harry into their home as though he were one of their own. Lord and Lady Penworth have raised their family with humor and love. They believe that children should be allowed to grow into happy adults.
Harry's parents are not interested in their children. Both his mother and father lead lives which are scandalous. Harry considers himself to be damaged goods because he believes he has the tainted blood of immoral people.
Harry has loved Elinor for a very long time. He even travels out of the country for several years in order to avoid being around her while she finds an honorable husband.
And then things change.
Lady Penworth decides that she, her husband, their son and Elinor are going to travel to Italy because Lord Penworth is wearing himself out with government problems. And who would be a better guide to accompany them than Harry? Of course he cannot say no to the woman who has treated him like a son.
Elinor looks forward to accompanying her father and mother exploring Etruscan ruins. She believes these adventures will be wonderful. They find more than they ever expected.
Due to circumstances beyond their control, they become involved in revolution, tomb robbing, hiding a wanted person from the French and dealing with Italian customs. There are adventures, but most of all there is fun.
Elinor and Harry treat one another like feuding brother and sister even though both of them feel the growing attraction. Their conversations are fun and funny. Pip, Elinor's brother and Harry's best friend is a very proper young man who finds himself being drawn into situations he is unable to control or understand. Lord and Lady Penworth find themselves bringing the voice of reason to difficult situations.
There are terrible villains. There is lovely romance. There is educational information about the Etruscan civilization.
Elinor and Harry are likable and interesting. She is a bright woman who knows her own mind and is more than happy to express herself. He is a good man who wants what is best for all the people he loves.
The secondary characters are not really very secondary. Everyone plays important parts in the story and each of them help move the action forward. Each character is a well rounded human and the reader is given access to their thoughts in order to understand actions.
This book is fun. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys romance and adventure with humor to move things along.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in the hope I would provide a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Harry's parents are not interested in their children. Both his mother and father lead lives which are scandalous. Harry considers himself to be damaged goods because he believes he has the tainted blood of immoral people.
Harry has loved Elinor for a very long time. He even travels out of the country for several years in order to avoid being around her while she finds an honorable husband.
And then things change.
Lady Penworth decides that she, her husband, their son and Elinor are going to travel to Italy because Lord Penworth is wearing himself out with government problems. And who would be a better guide to accompany them than Harry? Of course he cannot say no to the woman who has treated him like a son.
Elinor looks forward to accompanying her father and mother exploring Etruscan ruins. She believes these adventures will be wonderful. They find more than they ever expected.
Due to circumstances beyond their control, they become involved in revolution, tomb robbing, hiding a wanted person from the French and dealing with Italian customs. There are adventures, but most of all there is fun.
Elinor and Harry treat one another like feuding brother and sister even though both of them feel the growing attraction. Their conversations are fun and funny. Pip, Elinor's brother and Harry's best friend is a very proper young man who finds himself being drawn into situations he is unable to control or understand. Lord and Lady Penworth find themselves bringing the voice of reason to difficult situations.
There are terrible villains. There is lovely romance. There is educational information about the Etruscan civilization.
Elinor and Harry are likable and interesting. She is a bright woman who knows her own mind and is more than happy to express herself. He is a good man who wants what is best for all the people he loves.
The secondary characters are not really very secondary. Everyone plays important parts in the story and each of them help move the action forward. Each character is a well rounded human and the reader is given access to their thoughts in order to understand actions.
This book is fun. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys romance and adventure with humor to move things along.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in the hope I would provide a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 17, 2014
A charming, enjoyable historical romance, Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures was a lovely read. It had some issues but I liked it overall and found it to be a sweet romance.
Elinor was a good heroine. She was clever, independently minded, and just likable in general. I thought she was a great character.
Harry was also wonderful. He believed himself to be unworthy because of his parentage (his Earl and countess parents were known in society as a drunkard and a whore, respectively), but it was immediately obvious that he was a good man. He was sweet and overall adorable. One thing I wished I'd seen more of was his sisters. I liked that he was determined to find a way to take care of them, now that he had the means to do so, but I wish I had gotten more of that. But, the characters himself was great.
The romance was...okay. On one hand, I thought Elinor and Harry were very sweet together. They had known each other for a long time and, before romantic feelings even factored in, they both simply accepted each other as they were. The strange thing about the romance was that, for about the first half, there was barely a hint of it. Both characters acknowledged their feelings but didn't really do anything to act on them. Then, suddenly, the romance was full on, as if a switch had been flicked. It was a little odd and kept the romance from an element that flowed with the rest of the story. But, as a couple, I thought Elinor and Harry were perfect.
I had one other issue with the book and that was the language. At times, it didn't match the time period at all. The worst instance? Elinor and Harry talked about her learning to tackle from football. As in American football. It was SO out of context for an English man and woman to say that in the mid-19th century that I literally had to stop reading for a second. It just completely interrupted the flow and atmosphere of the time period. Small discrepancies don't bother me, but this one was way to big to ignore. So that definitely affected the rating.
The plot was well paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. Despite any issues I had, I found the story to be witty and charming and I enjoyed reading it. And the ending was lovely.
Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures was a wonderful historical romance. It wasn't perfect, but I still liked it. It was a charming delight of a read and I enjoyed it. Romance lovers, this might be a book you'll want to check out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Elinor was a good heroine. She was clever, independently minded, and just likable in general. I thought she was a great character.
Harry was also wonderful. He believed himself to be unworthy because of his parentage (his Earl and countess parents were known in society as a drunkard and a whore, respectively), but it was immediately obvious that he was a good man. He was sweet and overall adorable. One thing I wished I'd seen more of was his sisters. I liked that he was determined to find a way to take care of them, now that he had the means to do so, but I wish I had gotten more of that. But, the characters himself was great.
The romance was...okay. On one hand, I thought Elinor and Harry were very sweet together. They had known each other for a long time and, before romantic feelings even factored in, they both simply accepted each other as they were. The strange thing about the romance was that, for about the first half, there was barely a hint of it. Both characters acknowledged their feelings but didn't really do anything to act on them. Then, suddenly, the romance was full on, as if a switch had been flicked. It was a little odd and kept the romance from an element that flowed with the rest of the story. But, as a couple, I thought Elinor and Harry were perfect.
I had one other issue with the book and that was the language. At times, it didn't match the time period at all. The worst instance? Elinor and Harry talked about her learning to tackle from football. As in American football. It was SO out of context for an English man and woman to say that in the mid-19th century that I literally had to stop reading for a second. It just completely interrupted the flow and atmosphere of the time period. Small discrepancies don't bother me, but this one was way to big to ignore. So that definitely affected the rating.
The plot was well paced and I was kept interested the entire way through. Despite any issues I had, I found the story to be witty and charming and I enjoyed reading it. And the ending was lovely.
Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures was a wonderful historical romance. It wasn't perfect, but I still liked it. It was a charming delight of a read and I enjoyed it. Romance lovers, this might be a book you'll want to check out.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
December 10, 2014
Previously reviewed on The Good, The Bad, and the Unread:
I love stories about women who found semi-respectable ways to defy the conventions of their times, and Victorian adventurer heroines certainly fall into that category. Lady Elinor Tremaine and her mother are determined to explore the ruins of Italy as fully as possible and so design scandalously practical clothes in which to do so. Accompanying the Tremaine family on their travels is Harry, Viscount Tunbury, a long-standing friend of Elinor and her brother, whose parents are far less loving than Elinor’s and have scandalised society for decades – his father by his drinking and his mother by her affairs. Consequently, Harry feels that he will never be good enough to propose to Elinor, no matter how strong his feelings for her. Of course, Elinor has her own ideas regarding their situation.
Nineteenth Century Italy is very different to the England that Elinor’s family are used to, and they are very glad to have Harry along as a guide and translator, alongside the support of the British Consul. Staying with impoverished aristocrats in Rome, Harry and Elinor are caught up in revolutionary plots instigated by their hosts’ children. Then when they travel to the countryside to watch the excavations of some recently-discovered Etruscan ruins on another aristocrat’s estate, they get caught up in more plots – some of them against their new host.
Throughout the whole plot, Elinor proves herself to be just as resourceful as Harry in working to defeat the bad guys, and also turns out to be far more understanding of his family situation than he could have ever expected. So, having resolved the issues facing their new friends in Italy, they return together to England for a showdown with Harry’s mother and a reunion with his younger sisters.
I love the way those two work together, and I can see a relationship between them working out just as well as the example set for them by Elinor’s parents. My one criticism overall is that the title doesn’t quite fit the book and so almost put me off it before I’d properly read the blurb. I am now, however, looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which I believe will feature Elinor’s younger sister.
I love stories about women who found semi-respectable ways to defy the conventions of their times, and Victorian adventurer heroines certainly fall into that category. Lady Elinor Tremaine and her mother are determined to explore the ruins of Italy as fully as possible and so design scandalously practical clothes in which to do so. Accompanying the Tremaine family on their travels is Harry, Viscount Tunbury, a long-standing friend of Elinor and her brother, whose parents are far less loving than Elinor’s and have scandalised society for decades – his father by his drinking and his mother by her affairs. Consequently, Harry feels that he will never be good enough to propose to Elinor, no matter how strong his feelings for her. Of course, Elinor has her own ideas regarding their situation.
Nineteenth Century Italy is very different to the England that Elinor’s family are used to, and they are very glad to have Harry along as a guide and translator, alongside the support of the British Consul. Staying with impoverished aristocrats in Rome, Harry and Elinor are caught up in revolutionary plots instigated by their hosts’ children. Then when they travel to the countryside to watch the excavations of some recently-discovered Etruscan ruins on another aristocrat’s estate, they get caught up in more plots – some of them against their new host.
Throughout the whole plot, Elinor proves herself to be just as resourceful as Harry in working to defeat the bad guys, and also turns out to be far more understanding of his family situation than he could have ever expected. So, having resolved the issues facing their new friends in Italy, they return together to England for a showdown with Harry’s mother and a reunion with his younger sisters.
I love the way those two work together, and I can see a relationship between them working out just as well as the example set for them by Elinor’s parents. My one criticism overall is that the title doesn’t quite fit the book and so almost put me off it before I’d properly read the blurb. I am now, however, looking forward to reading the next book in the series, which I believe will feature Elinor’s younger sister.
August 30, 2015
Originally reviewed for Buried Under Romance www.buriedunderromance.com
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures, the first novel in the new series Victorian Adventures by debut novelist Lllian Marek, is definitely NOT wicked! Instead, it is a well researched and often humorous romance that plays out, not only in Victorian England, but also in France and the Etruscan ruins of Italy.
While growing up, Harcourt (Harry) DeVaux, the Viscount Tunbury, spent much of his time at the home of his best friend, Philip (Pip) Tremaine, the Viscount Rycote to avoid his own scandalous family. During this time, he barely noticed Philip’s younger sister, Norrie. This was not the case, however, when he returned after travelling for several years. Tomboy Norrie had grown into a beautiful woman, the Lady Elinor, and even though he did not feel worthy of her due to his family history, Harry found himself immediately attracted to her. When Elinor’s parents decide to travel to Italy to explore the Etruscan ruins, they invite Harry to join them. Not only do Harry and Elinor soon find themselves in a budding relationship, they also find themselves in the middle of a mystery and in danger.
In spite of the misleading title, Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is an enjoyable, well written first novel by Lilian Marek. She has strong, likeable main characters in Harry and Elinor. Their love story is sweet, and when it happens, their love-making is mostly in the imagination of the reader. Marek has also surrounded them with an interesting cast of secondary characters. The mystery that engulfs them carefully thought out and executed. While she may have spent a bit too much time on the descriptions and history of the Etruscans, it was refreshing to have this unusual new setting and I enjoyed the way she intertwined their culture with the story.
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is a very good first novel for Lilian Marek and I’m giving it four stars. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in her series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures, the first novel in the new series Victorian Adventures by debut novelist Lllian Marek, is definitely NOT wicked! Instead, it is a well researched and often humorous romance that plays out, not only in Victorian England, but also in France and the Etruscan ruins of Italy.
While growing up, Harcourt (Harry) DeVaux, the Viscount Tunbury, spent much of his time at the home of his best friend, Philip (Pip) Tremaine, the Viscount Rycote to avoid his own scandalous family. During this time, he barely noticed Philip’s younger sister, Norrie. This was not the case, however, when he returned after travelling for several years. Tomboy Norrie had grown into a beautiful woman, the Lady Elinor, and even though he did not feel worthy of her due to his family history, Harry found himself immediately attracted to her. When Elinor’s parents decide to travel to Italy to explore the Etruscan ruins, they invite Harry to join them. Not only do Harry and Elinor soon find themselves in a budding relationship, they also find themselves in the middle of a mystery and in danger.
In spite of the misleading title, Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is an enjoyable, well written first novel by Lilian Marek. She has strong, likeable main characters in Harry and Elinor. Their love story is sweet, and when it happens, their love-making is mostly in the imagination of the reader. Marek has also surrounded them with an interesting cast of secondary characters. The mystery that engulfs them carefully thought out and executed. While she may have spent a bit too much time on the descriptions and history of the Etruscans, it was refreshing to have this unusual new setting and I enjoyed the way she intertwined their culture with the story.
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures is a very good first novel for Lilian Marek and I’m giving it four stars. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in her series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 5, 2015
A delightful historical romance, this story has two wonderful main characters that I enjoyed very much. Lady Elinor Tremaine has grown up trailing after Harry de Vaux, Viscount Tunbury and her brother Phillip (or Pip) and sharing all of their adventures. Harry left to travel the world for a number of years and has just returned to London when Elinor’s family invites him to accompany them on a trip to Italy. Harry is in love with Elinor, but doesn’t feel he’s worthy of her, since his parents are known for disreputable conduct and scandal. Elinor thinks of Harry as a brother, at least until they begin to spend so much more time together on their travels. Elinor is a pretty free spirit, and I loved that her mother never discouraged her. The outfits they came up with for exploring ruins sounded so very practical, although they seemed quite scandalous to Harry. It’s no wonder Harry has always preferred to spend his time with the Tremaine’s, with Lord and Lady Penworth as wonderful examples of a loving couple, who treat their children with affection and respect. The adventures they encounter on their travels add some excitement to the tale, and the romance between Elinor and Harry is sweet. Elinor is a strong-willed and resourceful young lady, and the scene with the bandits was hilarious and one of my favorites. She’s very good for Harry, and they make a wonderful couple, as Elinor won’t allow Harry to back down due to his lack of self-esteem. I enjoyed all of the mentions of Etruscan ruins, as well as the political climate at that time in Italy. I look forward to reading more stories by this author in the future, after reading this outstanding debut.
Note: I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
Note: I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
October 21, 2014
I received Lady Elinor's Wicked Adventures as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
When Harry, Viscount Turnbury, is asked to accompany his best friend Pip's family to Italy, he is torn: on the one hand, the Tremaines are the closest thing to a family that he has; on the other, he has long nursed a deep longing for Pip's younger sister, Lady Elinor, one that he is loathe to pursue due to his own family's dark reputation. His affection for the Tremaines wins out, and as he and Elinor travel amongst Etruscan ruins, seek out grave robbers, and find themselves unable to resist their mutual attraction.
Something about this one didn't work for me. For a book with the word "Adventures" in the title, there's lots of talk but very little action. One of the major stumbling blocks to Harry and Elinor's relationship is ostensibly his family's terrible reputation, but it turns out not to be a stumbling block at all, and again, most of what you know is told, not shown, except for Harry's mother, who makes a single appearance in the closing pages of the book. Just a bit boring for me, despite the unique setting.
When Harry, Viscount Turnbury, is asked to accompany his best friend Pip's family to Italy, he is torn: on the one hand, the Tremaines are the closest thing to a family that he has; on the other, he has long nursed a deep longing for Pip's younger sister, Lady Elinor, one that he is loathe to pursue due to his own family's dark reputation. His affection for the Tremaines wins out, and as he and Elinor travel amongst Etruscan ruins, seek out grave robbers, and find themselves unable to resist their mutual attraction.
Something about this one didn't work for me. For a book with the word "Adventures" in the title, there's lots of talk but very little action. One of the major stumbling blocks to Harry and Elinor's relationship is ostensibly his family's terrible reputation, but it turns out not to be a stumbling block at all, and again, most of what you know is told, not shown, except for Harry's mother, who makes a single appearance in the closing pages of the book. Just a bit boring for me, despite the unique setting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2014
I just read my first Romance Novel, the delightful Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventure by Lillian Marek. If there are others that are half as good as this one, I may well wonder what took me so long to discover them. The writing is clever, humorous and literate. The dialogue is witty and all the characters, Lady Elinor and Harry de Vuax as well as secondary characters, are well drawn and believable. The social history of the Regency Period seems spot-on and detailed descriptions of everything from a marchese in a throne-like chair to the muted colors of Etruscan frescoes, create a rich background for every aspect of the story.
The plot itself is a page-turner. In addition to the romance, which nicely leaves the reader to infer much of the love-making, there is an archaeology trip to Italy involving Etruscan ruins, that weaves together travel, art history, Italian revolutionaries, greed, and danger.
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventure combines adventure, mystery, history and romance, with an appealing heroine and hero who grow as the story progresses. It’s a pleasure to read, and I’m already looking forward to Lillian Marek’s next book.
The plot itself is a page-turner. In addition to the romance, which nicely leaves the reader to infer much of the love-making, there is an archaeology trip to Italy involving Etruscan ruins, that weaves together travel, art history, Italian revolutionaries, greed, and danger.
Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventure combines adventure, mystery, history and romance, with an appealing heroine and hero who grow as the story progresses. It’s a pleasure to read, and I’m already looking forward to Lillian Marek’s next book.
November 24, 2014
I thought Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventures was a very good debut romance. The characters were interesting and engaging. I loved the friend to lovers relationship between Elinor and Harry. They were a good match for each other. Harry has had no family love in his life except for the love he has received from Elinor and Pip's family growing up. I was rooting for them to finally express their feeling for each other and see they were perfectly matched. One of my favorite parts was the epilogue! It was so very sweet.
There is also some intrigue and action in the book that involves Elinor's brother Pip and his beautiful Italian hostess Lissandra. I liked that story line. My only regret is that their romance was kind of boring. I wish that it had been explored further so I could believe they were a good match. I also enjoyed the parts about the Etruscan tomb excavations. Those were very interesting.
As I said, I think this is a good debut novel and one I recommend trying out. I see a bright future for this author and I look forward to reading more from her.
There is also some intrigue and action in the book that involves Elinor's brother Pip and his beautiful Italian hostess Lissandra. I liked that story line. My only regret is that their romance was kind of boring. I wish that it had been explored further so I could believe they were a good match. I also enjoyed the parts about the Etruscan tomb excavations. Those were very interesting.
As I said, I think this is a good debut novel and one I recommend trying out. I see a bright future for this author and I look forward to reading more from her.
June 28, 2018
This is an unremarkable but pleasant story with two romances. I was hovering between 2 and 3 stars especially as it got bogged down a little in the middle, but the ending was excellent if not surprising.
Harry is a dud but has his moments. As Elinor thinks about her relationship with him: "She never let him feel sorry for himself. Or rather, she always showed him that there was no reason to feel sorry for himself" His past molds his attitude, but fortunately Elinor comes along to rescue him.
Elinor is bright and optimistic. Unfortunately she is also a 21st century woman in far too many of her attitudes and ways.
There are some secondary plot themes that add some suspense, but not a lot.
Mature themes: A couple of the villains make some dastardly threats against the persons of the two young leading ladies. There are a couple of very mildly explicit sex scenes.
Harry is a dud but has his moments. As Elinor thinks about her relationship with him: "She never let him feel sorry for himself. Or rather, she always showed him that there was no reason to feel sorry for himself" His past molds his attitude, but fortunately Elinor comes along to rescue him.
Elinor is bright and optimistic. Unfortunately she is also a 21st century woman in far too many of her attitudes and ways.
There are some secondary plot themes that add some suspense, but not a lot.
Mature themes: A couple of the villains make some dastardly threats against the persons of the two young leading ladies. There are a couple of very mildly explicit sex scenes.
March 1, 2015
I loved and enjoyed reading the wonderful, captivating and intriguing, romantic advanced reading copy that I received by Goodreads First Reads.
Lady Elinor Tremaine's family invites Viscount Tunbury, Harry de Vaux, to go with them to Italy. Harry has been trying to avoid Elinor because of his family's scandal and his secret love for Elinor. Elinor has loved Harry for years and is frustrated that he only seems to see and treat her as a sister.
In Italy, the Tremaine family see the Etruscan ruins and as Harry and Elinor discover hidden treasure and thievery, Harry and Elinor's feelings for each other cannot stay hidden.
Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, historical love story by the talented Lillian Marek.
Lady Elinor Tremaine's family invites Viscount Tunbury, Harry de Vaux, to go with them to Italy. Harry has been trying to avoid Elinor because of his family's scandal and his secret love for Elinor. Elinor has loved Harry for years and is frustrated that he only seems to see and treat her as a sister.
In Italy, the Tremaine family see the Etruscan ruins and as Harry and Elinor discover hidden treasure and thievery, Harry and Elinor's feelings for each other cannot stay hidden.
Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, historical love story by the talented Lillian Marek.
December 6, 2015
I enjoyed this book, but it seemed to go on for much longer than necessary. About two thirds of the way, the main couple got together and a big conflict was resolved, so in a sense the book felt "over" to me. But instead it went on. And on. There were so many characters. More scenes. I kept waiting for it to end. It didn't. For quite a long time, it dragged on, picking up every single subplot and character and resolving it. There were a lot of subplots.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the romance a lot, and the setting (Italy in the 1800s) is not something I usually get to read about. So kudos for that. I'd give the first part four stars, and since this is Marek's first book I've already acquired the next in series and will be crossing my fingers for tighter editing and more adventures.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the romance a lot, and the setting (Italy in the 1800s) is not something I usually get to read about. So kudos for that. I'd give the first part four stars, and since this is Marek's first book I've already acquired the next in series and will be crossing my fingers for tighter editing and more adventures.
October 20, 2015
This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I truly enjoyed both. One of my favorite romance genres is historical, and Lady Elinor’s Wicked Adventure has history within its history - in the form of an archaeological excavation in Italy. Ms. Marek's attention to detail hit a just-right level that allowed me to truly 'see' the scenes in all their vivid - or muted - colors, without pouring it on as though I were reading a textbook. Added to the texture created by an author who must truly love her craft, was a compelling romance trope as old as time - friends-to-lovers. Harry is in love with Elinor, and has been forever. Societal norms have kept them apart for far too long, but that only makes their eventual romance that much more fulfilling. This was a truly engaging read.
June 27, 2015
Could have been really good, but needs much tighter editing - lots of random and unnecessary head-hopping amongst secondary and even tertiary characters, some info-dumping travelogue bits and confusing switches between titles, first names and nicknames.
December 6, 2015
I loved Elinor's spunk and attitude. It's great to read a novel with a strong and smart lead heroine. The romance bloomed nicely and the travel through Europe added a fun and informative treat to a great story. I'd recommend this book to any lover of historical romance.
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November 9, 2014Review to come!
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