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Pleasure Emporium #2
Gentlemen Behaving Badly
Destitute and alone, Mina Halliday ventured into a notorious bordello and offered the only talents at her disposal—her writing skill and her scandalous imagination. Mina’s erotic letters have enticed London’s wealthiest noblemen to the Pleasure Emporium, but her real goal is to find the person responsible for her father’s ruin. Even if that means defying the orders of Chief Constable Salter Lambrick, a man who makes her feel like a wanton seductress instead of a plain-faced wallflower. The only clue Salter has to a government official’s murder is the naughty invitation found in the victim’s pocket, leading him to the most intriguing woman he has ever met. Mina may be an innocent in a den of lust, but Salter detects the sensuality beneath her surface. And uncovering the truth about the woman who stirs his deepest desires will be his most dangerous adventure yet…
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2008
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163 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 11, 2010
Yet again, I am impressed by Michelle Marcos. Her heroines are unique and so are her heroes, for that matter. In this book, her H/H are both common folk, which is refreshing for historical romance.
Mina is a plain erotic writer for a bordello, who is trying to find the man who framed her father for jewelry theft. Her seductive letter ends up drawing in Salter, the chief constable, who is investigating the death of a man to whom the letter is addressed to. Their relationship starts with some mistaken identity, until they decide to work together to capture the killer. Mina has hurdles of insecurities to pass, but so does Salter - and a betrothal. They have chemistry that feels like it would last, forever.
There is a secondary love story with Lollie, Mina's beautiful prostitute friend and Chase, a young constable, which is also a nice flavor to the story. Their romance is sweet and innocent and a slight bit awkward. This pair is actually my personal favorite.
MM manages to write her characters with believable character flaws and insecurities. Unlike most HR, she doesn't need to supplement the tension by adding love scenes. There is only one, at the very end, easily skipped for those who prefer the PG variety.
The only fault I see is the logic of her characters' crimesolving skills and activities, which are a little weird, but forgivable overall.
This is a very entertaining read. It does take place in a bordello, yet it remains pretty clean and the characters are very interesting and well-written. Its more a 4.5 but only because i liked her first book even better and this one could have used that extra polish.
Mina is a plain erotic writer for a bordello, who is trying to find the man who framed her father for jewelry theft. Her seductive letter ends up drawing in Salter, the chief constable, who is investigating the death of a man to whom the letter is addressed to. Their relationship starts with some mistaken identity, until they decide to work together to capture the killer. Mina has hurdles of insecurities to pass, but so does Salter - and a betrothal. They have chemistry that feels like it would last, forever.
There is a secondary love story with Lollie, Mina's beautiful prostitute friend and Chase, a young constable, which is also a nice flavor to the story. Their romance is sweet and innocent and a slight bit awkward. This pair is actually my personal favorite.
MM manages to write her characters with believable character flaws and insecurities. Unlike most HR, she doesn't need to supplement the tension by adding love scenes. There is only one, at the very end, easily skipped for those who prefer the PG variety.
The only fault I see is the logic of her characters' crimesolving skills and activities, which are a little weird, but forgivable overall.
This is a very entertaining read. It does take place in a bordello, yet it remains pretty clean and the characters are very interesting and well-written. Its more a 4.5 but only because i liked her first book even better and this one could have used that extra polish.
December 18, 2008
Mina Halliday has quite a way with words and she uses her naughty talents as a source of income after her father is arrested and sent to Australia. She uses her job as a letter writer at the Pleasure Emporium to try and lure certain men to the bordello where she will have her courtesan friends try and sex any pertinent information out of them. One such naughty letter lands in the hands of Constable Salter Lambrick and since it's the only clue in a high profile murder case, he goes undercover and infiltrates the Pleasure Emporium to find the naughty vixen who may or may not be a murder suspect. Instead he finds plain ol Mina and discovers that their two investigations may be connected. They try to work out a partnership and along the way Mina falls in love. If only Salter was free to return her love....
Well, first off. Michelle Marcos makes no attempt for historical accuracy. No attempt. None whatsoever. Nada. Zilch.
This book starts off pretty sexy, but it's all a big tease and our H/H don't make love until the very end of the book. It's a pretty humorous book and I enjoyed it but I don't understand why the author didn't place this story within the Victorian era. It would have made more sense with the historical accuracy but whatever. I'm actually not that big of a stickler for historical accuracy but still. It would have been nice if the author had made somewhat of an attempt. At times I thought I was reading contemporary romantic suspence. Sheesh.
Salter was a fun guy. He's kind of dense but he was a sexy character. I also thought he was an incredible a**hole. If he wasn't free he should have said something. Jerk. He also shoots at his ladylove. He honest to God aims a pistol at Mina and shoots at her. Of couse he's not aiming to kill but if I remember my gun history those pistols during that time era (1813) were notoriously inaccurate. Most times people would just aim in a general direction and hope for the best. When I read that part my jaw dropped and I thought, "that son of a b*tch just shot at her!"
Mina was a nice character. She was a little mousy but she had her moments of brilliance. I loved her naughty predilection for erotica. I also love her name. I think Mina is such a naughty, bad girl name. There was a part early on in this story, when I was about done with this book, when some guy makes a completely thoughtless and incredibly cruel remark about Mina and after that I had to keep pressing on in the hopes that she would get her HEA.
This story wasn't bad. It was actually pretty good. I enjoyed the mystery and Salter's and Mina's attempts to find the villain. When our hero isn't firing pistols at his heroine and our heroine isn't sucker punching her hero, I really liked this book. I kept going back and forth from despising it to liking it. Whenever I wanted to toss this book aside, I would at first look at the cover and stare at the male model for a while and then I would forget why I was mad and continued reading. Hehe. Try it and see if it works for you.
Well, first off. Michelle Marcos makes no attempt for historical accuracy. No attempt. None whatsoever. Nada. Zilch.
This book starts off pretty sexy, but it's all a big tease and our H/H don't make love until the very end of the book. It's a pretty humorous book and I enjoyed it but I don't understand why the author didn't place this story within the Victorian era. It would have made more sense with the historical accuracy but whatever. I'm actually not that big of a stickler for historical accuracy but still. It would have been nice if the author had made somewhat of an attempt. At times I thought I was reading contemporary romantic suspence. Sheesh.
Salter was a fun guy. He's kind of dense but he was a sexy character. I also thought he was an incredible a**hole. If he wasn't free he should have said something. Jerk. He also shoots at his ladylove. He honest to God aims a pistol at Mina and shoots at her. Of couse he's not aiming to kill but if I remember my gun history those pistols during that time era (1813) were notoriously inaccurate. Most times people would just aim in a general direction and hope for the best. When I read that part my jaw dropped and I thought, "that son of a b*tch just shot at her!"
Mina was a nice character. She was a little mousy but she had her moments of brilliance. I loved her naughty predilection for erotica. I also love her name. I think Mina is such a naughty, bad girl name. There was a part early on in this story, when I was about done with this book, when some guy makes a completely thoughtless and incredibly cruel remark about Mina and after that I had to keep pressing on in the hopes that she would get her HEA.
This story wasn't bad. It was actually pretty good. I enjoyed the mystery and Salter's and Mina's attempts to find the villain. When our hero isn't firing pistols at his heroine and our heroine isn't sucker punching her hero, I really liked this book. I kept going back and forth from despising it to liking it. Whenever I wanted to toss this book aside, I would at first look at the cover and stare at the male model for a while and then I would forget why I was mad and continued reading. Hehe. Try it and see if it works for you.
September 14, 2008
Micheklle Marcos is awesome. If you haven't read this book or the other book in this series it is well worth the read:)
September 28, 2009
If nothing else, I should keep it for the cover alone (forget his chest--look at the lips on that guy)!
July 23, 2020
Sexy read that centers around a bordello. I liked Mina and her clever scheme to find out who framed her father. This was entertaining with a solid hero.
September 2, 2010
Would you expect a book of Godly and respectable characters? Well there's a big to-do in the beginning - a promise of dark and edgy desires. Then the heroine saves herself for marriage. At the end. Of the book.
After the first 50 pages it's all about the poor wallflower's low self-esteem and how the "hero" has incredible insight to her feelings. It's a big tease opening. The rest is a huge let-down. Plot included.
The characters are unreal and lack any depth. The plot involving the girl's father has the potential to be tied to her exceedingly low self-esteem which is never really explained except that no one ever paid her a compliment which doesn't match her supposed close relationship with her father. There's a whole chapter dedicated to two secondary characters that lacks total relevance and detracts from the plot and main characters.
I don't usually bother with reviews - certainly not long ones. I guess I feel provoked because there really was so much potential for a great story. Having read the Acknowledgements it is clear that the author is a Christian - I am too so no need for anyone to take offense. It just seems ridiculous that this story was advertised to be something it's not, and while I respect the author's bent on upholding a high moral value, my response is then she has no business writing fake erotica.
The book needs a new cover and a toned down intro and then the reader knows exactly what to expect.
It was all a little too much like being brought to the bring of orgasm in a flurry of passion, then having your lover say good-night, kiss your cheek and roll over and to go to sleep.
After the first 50 pages it's all about the poor wallflower's low self-esteem and how the "hero" has incredible insight to her feelings. It's a big tease opening. The rest is a huge let-down. Plot included.
The characters are unreal and lack any depth. The plot involving the girl's father has the potential to be tied to her exceedingly low self-esteem which is never really explained except that no one ever paid her a compliment which doesn't match her supposed close relationship with her father. There's a whole chapter dedicated to two secondary characters that lacks total relevance and detracts from the plot and main characters.
I don't usually bother with reviews - certainly not long ones. I guess I feel provoked because there really was so much potential for a great story. Having read the Acknowledgements it is clear that the author is a Christian - I am too so no need for anyone to take offense. It just seems ridiculous that this story was advertised to be something it's not, and while I respect the author's bent on upholding a high moral value, my response is then she has no business writing fake erotica.
The book needs a new cover and a toned down intro and then the reader knows exactly what to expect.
It was all a little too much like being brought to the bring of orgasm in a flurry of passion, then having your lover say good-night, kiss your cheek and roll over and to go to sleep.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2012
Loved it. All the kinks from When A Lady Misbehaves were completely ironed out in this one.
I rarely say this about any series because BUT Gentlemen Behaving Badly abso-positi-lutely stands alone from When a Lady Misbehaves the characters do not cross over at all, in fact the only thing that connects this books from the last is the brothel itself, The Pleasure Emporium.
Salter and Mina are super-cute together and I loved the way Mina's self esteem was dealt with.
I rarely say this about any series because BUT Gentlemen Behaving Badly abso-positi-lutely stands alone from When a Lady Misbehaves the characters do not cross over at all, in fact the only thing that connects this books from the last is the brothel itself, The Pleasure Emporium.
Salter and Mina are super-cute together and I loved the way Mina's self esteem was dealt with.
December 16, 2010
Couldn't finish it.
It has an interesting premise though--a smart girl in a brothel writing letters to lure gentlemen to the establishment. One in particular she wants to meet because he seems responsible for her father being arrested and shipped off to the colonies. Her love interest is the constable investigating the murder of said gentleman.
The whole thing goes off the tracks pretty quickly. The author keeps our heroine pure by making her the barkeep in the brothel, even though she has a collection of erotica. The constable does a number of stupid things--like hauling her over his shoulder at one point. Handcuffing her to something or other at another. Seemed contrived. Annoying attempt at banter.
Ugh.
It has an interesting premise though--a smart girl in a brothel writing letters to lure gentlemen to the establishment. One in particular she wants to meet because he seems responsible for her father being arrested and shipped off to the colonies. Her love interest is the constable investigating the murder of said gentleman.
The whole thing goes off the tracks pretty quickly. The author keeps our heroine pure by making her the barkeep in the brothel, even though she has a collection of erotica. The constable does a number of stupid things--like hauling her over his shoulder at one point. Handcuffing her to something or other at another. Seemed contrived. Annoying attempt at banter.
Ugh.
August 18, 2011
I felt like the book should have been Women Behaving Badly. Mina was overly violent and stubborn to a fault. However, I like that the book centered around women in a bordello, a unique twist. But Salter? Beautiful man. Favorite quote: "You are a bit like that painting Minnow. Remember how lovingly and carefully formed you are. Your thoughts, your talents... they all make the complete canvs of you. Even though others may mistake your worth, you must never value yourself any less."
June 10, 2010
grr.. the cover kills, just kills me.. Okay, I will admit that I purchased this one solely on the cover.. can you blame me..?? But, I was quite impressed.. Great story and I loved Salter he was great.. he was cocky.. I love the part in the bathes.. oh how confident you are of yourself Salter.. delicious!!
December 29, 2010
at first this book seemed to be just plain predictable. but the plot twisted and I enjoyed myself as Mina and Salter discovered each other and the fiend was caught.
February 14, 2011
I am sorry to say that there is reason this book was so cheap.It was truly awful.Sorry
March 4, 2015
This was a fun read, the whole story from start to finish is engaging, fun, quick paced and lots of tension and interesting situations. A great read.
March 10, 2015
It was ok not a lot of romance
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January 6, 2019What a load of rubbish. Picked this up after it fell out of a basket of books at work. Cover didn't bode well but read the back and it sounded interesting. Wrong!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews