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The Penniless Lords #2
Marriage Made in Shame
Secrets of the marriage bed
Heiress Adelaide Ashfield lost her trust in men years ago. She spurns the advances of society's most eligible bachelors, but time is running out. Forced to make her choice, Adelaide accepts the hand of Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley.
Despite his debauched reputation, Gabriel shies away from intimacy. But his marriage to Adelaide awakens a desire he never thought he'd feel again. Maybe his beguiling new bride is the key to shaking off the shame which has haunted him for so long...
Heiress Adelaide Ashfield lost her trust in men years ago. She spurns the advances of society's most eligible bachelors, but time is running out. Forced to make her choice, Adelaide accepts the hand of Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley.
Despite his debauched reputation, Gabriel shies away from intimacy. But his marriage to Adelaide awakens a desire he never thought he'd feel again. Maybe his beguiling new bride is the key to shaking off the shame which has haunted him for so long...
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 18, 2015
9 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Sophia James
175 books126 followersGeorgette Heyer novels formed Sophia James' reading tastes as a teenager, but her writing life only started when she was given a pile of Mills & Boons to read after she had had her wisdom teeth extracted! Filled with strong painkillers, she imagined that she could pen one, too. Many drafts later, Sophia thinks she has the perfect job writing for Harlequin Historical, as well as taking art tours to Europe with her husband, who is a painter.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 21 reviews
November 9, 2015
Good book, with a tortured hero in need of the right woman to bring him out of the darkness. He is dealing with a problem rarely seen in romance novels. For the last several years, he has been working for the government in an attempt to stop those who would help the French. Rather than send him to work undercover in France or Spain, he was asked to use his skills as a ladies man to woo secrets from the wives of those suspected to be traitors. With the end of the war, his job is done except for one last task of identifying the members of a group of English traitors. But the wooing of one woman goes horrifically wrong and she dies in a fire that also injures him.
Gabriel is haunted by the idea that he is responsible for her death, even though he has no memories of the fire itself. Because of those guilty feelings he can't bring himself to get close to any woman, and fears that he never will. All he can do is continue his search and hope the satisfaction of revenge will be enough. When he meets Adelaide there's a small flame of hope that all is not lost.
Adelaide has grown up in the country, happy in her study of herbs and healing and treating the people on her uncle's estate. After an attack by a suitor years ago, she no longer trusts the intentions of any man. Forced into a London season by her uncle, she has no interest in finding a husband and does her best to discourage those who pursue her. When it becomes obvious she has no choice, she looks to the one man who seems to like her for who she is.
I really liked Adelaide a lot. She has no interest in the shallow pursuits of the other debutantes and just wants to be left alone to do what makes her happy. Thanks to the training she has received from her aunts, she is an excellent observer of human behavior, and when she meets Gabriel she senses that there is more to him than most people see. There is an immediate connection between them.
I liked the development of the relationship between them. Because of his problem, Gabriel doesn't exhibit the lust that she has experienced from other men. This makes her more comfortable in his presence. Adelaide also has no desire to hide her intelligence, and several conversations with Gabriel show her that he is a man that is easy for her to talk to. At the same time, Gabriel enjoys being able to have an actual conversation with a woman. He doesn't expect to feel a certain amount of possessiveness toward her, and is surprised by how much he dislikes the idea of her marrying any of the men pursuing her. I loved the way that he proposed to her himself, trying to convince himself that he was doing it to keep her from being unhappy with those others.
I loved the fact that he was open with her about his work with the government, even though he couldn't bring himself to explain his problem to her. He was still determined to do his best for her. I also liked her sensitivity to his moods, and how she could lighten his cares, at least for awhile. She slowly worked her way past his defenses until he was able to open up completely to her. I loved the way that she fully accepted him just as he was and made it clear that it changed nothing.
With the slow return of some of his memories it became clear that one of her rejected suitors was also one of the men he was searching for, Gabriel feared for her safety. Realizing his true feelings for her, he was determined to end the threat before she could be placed in danger. When she was taken in spite of his precautions, all he could think about was saving her. The final confrontation brought the rest of his memories flooding back, and with them the realization that his guilt had been misplaced. The release of those fears also ended the problem that had kept him from fully loving Adelaide. Everything was tied up neatly, and perhaps too easily, but it was still satisfying. I hope to see them again in later books of the series.
I loved the relationship between Gabriel and his friends. It was great to see their concern for him and how they tried to be there for him if he wanted to talk. I loved the dinner party where Daniel and Amethyst invited Adelaide, just because Gabriel asked them to. I especially liked seeing the way his friends and their families took to Adelaide and made her part of their group so quickly. That connection came in quite handy when she ended up delivering Amethyst's baby. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Gabriel is haunted by the idea that he is responsible for her death, even though he has no memories of the fire itself. Because of those guilty feelings he can't bring himself to get close to any woman, and fears that he never will. All he can do is continue his search and hope the satisfaction of revenge will be enough. When he meets Adelaide there's a small flame of hope that all is not lost.
Adelaide has grown up in the country, happy in her study of herbs and healing and treating the people on her uncle's estate. After an attack by a suitor years ago, she no longer trusts the intentions of any man. Forced into a London season by her uncle, she has no interest in finding a husband and does her best to discourage those who pursue her. When it becomes obvious she has no choice, she looks to the one man who seems to like her for who she is.
I really liked Adelaide a lot. She has no interest in the shallow pursuits of the other debutantes and just wants to be left alone to do what makes her happy. Thanks to the training she has received from her aunts, she is an excellent observer of human behavior, and when she meets Gabriel she senses that there is more to him than most people see. There is an immediate connection between them.
I liked the development of the relationship between them. Because of his problem, Gabriel doesn't exhibit the lust that she has experienced from other men. This makes her more comfortable in his presence. Adelaide also has no desire to hide her intelligence, and several conversations with Gabriel show her that he is a man that is easy for her to talk to. At the same time, Gabriel enjoys being able to have an actual conversation with a woman. He doesn't expect to feel a certain amount of possessiveness toward her, and is surprised by how much he dislikes the idea of her marrying any of the men pursuing her. I loved the way that he proposed to her himself, trying to convince himself that he was doing it to keep her from being unhappy with those others.
I loved the fact that he was open with her about his work with the government, even though he couldn't bring himself to explain his problem to her. He was still determined to do his best for her. I also liked her sensitivity to his moods, and how she could lighten his cares, at least for awhile. She slowly worked her way past his defenses until he was able to open up completely to her. I loved the way that she fully accepted him just as he was and made it clear that it changed nothing.
With the slow return of some of his memories it became clear that one of her rejected suitors was also one of the men he was searching for, Gabriel feared for her safety. Realizing his true feelings for her, he was determined to end the threat before she could be placed in danger. When she was taken in spite of his precautions, all he could think about was saving her. The final confrontation brought the rest of his memories flooding back, and with them the realization that his guilt had been misplaced. The release of those fears also ended the problem that had kept him from fully loving Adelaide. Everything was tied up neatly, and perhaps too easily, but it was still satisfying. I hope to see them again in later books of the series.
I loved the relationship between Gabriel and his friends. It was great to see their concern for him and how they tried to be there for him if he wanted to talk. I loved the dinner party where Daniel and Amethyst invited Adelaide, just because Gabriel asked them to. I especially liked seeing the way his friends and their families took to Adelaide and made her part of their group so quickly. That connection came in quite handy when she ended up delivering Amethyst's baby. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
June 22, 2025
I was nervous going into this read based on a few reviews. But I am a sucker for scarred souls finding redemption together. So Adelaide and Earl Wesley were a hit with me. He was always protective and she was a natural care taker. Did not expect the wet noodle to be such big part of the plot. But it was effective in making the former manwhore experience emotional love. some parts were ridiculous without intentional humour and that dimmed the character dev for me a bit. Also do not care for descriptions of violence while being made to wait for loving moments. but overall good, interesting read. Detailed emotional writing style that allows one to experience story
September 16, 2016
I've given this a C at AAR.
The second book in the author’s Penniless Lords series, Marriage Made in Shame started well. I liked the two leads, the romance, while somewhat predictable, was being well set up and I was almost three-quarters of the way through the book before I even noticed, which is always a good sign. But then things went off the rails a bit; the relationship between the protagonists lost its way, the ending was rushed and Ms James’ prose turned rather purplish, meaning that the book was ultimately a disappointment.
Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley is charming, stunningly handsome, and almost broke thanks to the profligacy and poor judgement of his father and grandfather. During the recent war, he worked as an intelligence officer for the British government, ruthlessly exploiting his good looks and reputation as a skilled lover in order to obtain information from bored wives and mistresses if that was what was required. Even knowing that he probably helped to save the lives of many, he nonetheless can’t feel proud of his methods, but now he is trying to put that part of his life behind him and rebuild his life and fortune in England.
Following his return, however, he was tasked with one last mission; to discover the identities of a ring of Englishmen with revolutionary sympathies rumoured to be funding Napoleon’s push into Europe. During the course of his investigations, Gabriel cultivated a relationship with the wife of one of his suspects, Henrietta Clements, but before he could act on his suspicions, a devastating fire at his home killed Henrietta and severely injured Gabriel. He can remember little of that night, but his physical scars and persistent nightmares serve as a reminder of all that he has lost.
And in what he regards as a supreme stroke of irony given his past as a womaniser, Gabriel has been rendered impotent and finds it almost impossible to endure a woman’s touch. It isn’t until he meets Adelaide Ashfield, a tall, attractive woman with a surprisingly candid manner of speaking that he finds himself interested and attracted to a woman for the first time in the months since the fire.
Adelaide has come to London for a short time in response to the pleas of her uncle and aunt. She has no interest in marriage, preferring instead to tend her medicinal herb garden and to expand her knowledge of the healing arts. Her uncle persuades her that he is not doing his duty by her by not taking her to London as her late parents would have wished, and so she reluctantly agrees to go for three months, fully intending to return home at the end of that time in the same unmarried state.
She’s never seen a man as handsome as Gabriel Hughes, and, in spite of his rakish reputation, finds herself drawn to his keen intelligence, humour and the sense that there’s more to him than his splendid and slightly foppish appearance would suggest. He is completely unacceptable as a suitor, and seems just the sort of fortune-hunter she has been warned against, but she can’t help the way her heart skips a beat every time she sees him.
Gabriel and Adelaide are engaging characters who both have their reasons for eschewing romantic relationships, and who are, to an extent, social misfits. Gabriel’s despair about his condition rings true, even if at times he’s too close to self-pity, but on the whole, I enjoyed his interactions with Adelaide and the way they gradually draw closer. The romance develops slowly –partly out of necessity – but it works well and doesn’t feel as though it is progressing too slowly.
The problems with the book start after the pair get married. Gabriel can’t bring himself to divulge the nature of his situation to his new wife and, being a virgin and a woman without any close female friends, Adelaide isn’t quite sure what to expect. She does know, however, that there should be a bit more to married life than kissing, especially given that Gabriel’s kisses leave her feeling oddly edgy. Thankfully, however, Gabriel does eventually find the balls (!) to fess-up, and it seems as though things are looking up for the newly-weds when Gabriel’s past comes back to haunt him and places Adelaide in danger.
Everything after this point seems to happen at lightning speed, the writing becomes somewhat disjointed and I started feeling rather lost. This is a romance, so Gabriel needs to be “cured” in order to assure the required HEA, and that also happens in the blink of an eye. I am no expert in these matters, but clearly Gabriel’s issues were psychosomatic rather than physical, so Ms James’ solution is plausible. Unfortunately, however, I was reminded of Steve Martin hollering “I’m young again!” in L.A Story which did rather spoil the moment, and the purple tinge that crept into the writing didn’t help much, either.
I didn’t dislike the book; in fact, I was completely caught up in it for the bulk of the story, but the last ten or fifteen percent of it felt like the author was in a rush to finish it and some of the writing on the last few pages made me cringe. In some books, it’s possible to overlook certain weaknesses because there are other factors which make it possible to do so, but I’m afraid that isn’t the case here. I’m not completely sure what went wrong, but the last section of Marriage Made in Shame turned a B grade book into a C grade one.
The second book in the author’s Penniless Lords series, Marriage Made in Shame started well. I liked the two leads, the romance, while somewhat predictable, was being well set up and I was almost three-quarters of the way through the book before I even noticed, which is always a good sign. But then things went off the rails a bit; the relationship between the protagonists lost its way, the ending was rushed and Ms James’ prose turned rather purplish, meaning that the book was ultimately a disappointment.
Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley is charming, stunningly handsome, and almost broke thanks to the profligacy and poor judgement of his father and grandfather. During the recent war, he worked as an intelligence officer for the British government, ruthlessly exploiting his good looks and reputation as a skilled lover in order to obtain information from bored wives and mistresses if that was what was required. Even knowing that he probably helped to save the lives of many, he nonetheless can’t feel proud of his methods, but now he is trying to put that part of his life behind him and rebuild his life and fortune in England.
Following his return, however, he was tasked with one last mission; to discover the identities of a ring of Englishmen with revolutionary sympathies rumoured to be funding Napoleon’s push into Europe. During the course of his investigations, Gabriel cultivated a relationship with the wife of one of his suspects, Henrietta Clements, but before he could act on his suspicions, a devastating fire at his home killed Henrietta and severely injured Gabriel. He can remember little of that night, but his physical scars and persistent nightmares serve as a reminder of all that he has lost.
And in what he regards as a supreme stroke of irony given his past as a womaniser, Gabriel has been rendered impotent and finds it almost impossible to endure a woman’s touch. It isn’t until he meets Adelaide Ashfield, a tall, attractive woman with a surprisingly candid manner of speaking that he finds himself interested and attracted to a woman for the first time in the months since the fire.
Adelaide has come to London for a short time in response to the pleas of her uncle and aunt. She has no interest in marriage, preferring instead to tend her medicinal herb garden and to expand her knowledge of the healing arts. Her uncle persuades her that he is not doing his duty by her by not taking her to London as her late parents would have wished, and so she reluctantly agrees to go for three months, fully intending to return home at the end of that time in the same unmarried state.
She’s never seen a man as handsome as Gabriel Hughes, and, in spite of his rakish reputation, finds herself drawn to his keen intelligence, humour and the sense that there’s more to him than his splendid and slightly foppish appearance would suggest. He is completely unacceptable as a suitor, and seems just the sort of fortune-hunter she has been warned against, but she can’t help the way her heart skips a beat every time she sees him.
Gabriel and Adelaide are engaging characters who both have their reasons for eschewing romantic relationships, and who are, to an extent, social misfits. Gabriel’s despair about his condition rings true, even if at times he’s too close to self-pity, but on the whole, I enjoyed his interactions with Adelaide and the way they gradually draw closer. The romance develops slowly –partly out of necessity – but it works well and doesn’t feel as though it is progressing too slowly.
The problems with the book start after the pair get married. Gabriel can’t bring himself to divulge the nature of his situation to his new wife and, being a virgin and a woman without any close female friends, Adelaide isn’t quite sure what to expect. She does know, however, that there should be a bit more to married life than kissing, especially given that Gabriel’s kisses leave her feeling oddly edgy. Thankfully, however, Gabriel does eventually find the balls (!) to fess-up, and it seems as though things are looking up for the newly-weds when Gabriel’s past comes back to haunt him and places Adelaide in danger.
Everything after this point seems to happen at lightning speed, the writing becomes somewhat disjointed and I started feeling rather lost. This is a romance, so Gabriel needs to be “cured” in order to assure the required HEA, and that also happens in the blink of an eye. I am no expert in these matters, but clearly Gabriel’s issues were psychosomatic rather than physical, so Ms James’ solution is plausible. Unfortunately, however, I was reminded of Steve Martin hollering “I’m young again!” in L.A Story which did rather spoil the moment, and the purple tinge that crept into the writing didn’t help much, either.
I didn’t dislike the book; in fact, I was completely caught up in it for the bulk of the story, but the last ten or fifteen percent of it felt like the author was in a rush to finish it and some of the writing on the last few pages made me cringe. In some books, it’s possible to overlook certain weaknesses because there are other factors which make it possible to do so, but I’m afraid that isn’t the case here. I’m not completely sure what went wrong, but the last section of Marriage Made in Shame turned a B grade book into a C grade one.
July 26, 2018
I didnt like this half as much as A Marriage Made in Money so I gave it half the stars. Two and a half. I know this marks me as an insensitive clod but a 17 chapter romance novel where the hero can't get it up for the first16 and a half chapter doesn't ring my bell. Nor does the totally unromantic slam bang love scene when it does finally arrive.
Actually my favorite Sophia James book was The Border Lord. That was a 5 star romance.
Actually my favorite Sophia James book was The Border Lord. That was a 5 star romance.
March 8, 2016
This was the second book in the series. It was well written with a wounded hero who is impotent and a healer heroine. There were parts which were very touching and intense. The end was very abrupt and too obvious.
June 12, 2017
A blue stocking heiress being pressured by her family to wed even though she doesn't need a husband for her financial independence. Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley, a nobleman of wild and dangerous reputation - deserved or undeserved we will soon discover. A great recipe for Book Two of the four-book Penniless Lords series. Sophia James is a remarkably durable historic romance novelist with an eye boggling 64 books (and more coming) to her credit. She knows how to write historic romance, that's for sure. Keeps the midnight oil burning as your eyes water not wanting to put it down!
April 9, 2019
An interesting romance that's a bit different from the norm - an impotent man and a woman insistent on singledom meet, fall in love, are no longer impotent (but only with her, obvs!) or so insistent (obvs only with him) inevitable and wonderful love ensues... I do like a nice love story, wouldn't want life to imitate art, as they say, being a devout singleton myself, but I do love a little romance and this was perfect. Well-written and good characterization as well, takes you back to early 19th century post-Napoleonic war England, and a lovely story xx
August 30, 2018
Gabriel has a problem, a medical problem. He's impotent. Though we have hints that its psychological, its certainly very vague. He marries Adelaide in a rush after they dance around each other knowing the attraction existing between them. Its a fine dance where he keeps his secrets until the very end. I would have loved to see how she worked with him as a healer on this issue. Its a good read and my first in the series.
August 21, 2020
It was okay, except for the part where she 'cured' his impotence. That was 😬
December 15, 2015
I received a complimentary book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I am not an historical lover but I do read them at times. I have never read a book by Sophia James but, since it is a Harlequin Historical, I assumed it would be a quality book. I read the blurb on the back, and it sounded interesting. So I took a chance and read the book.
Heiress Adelaide Ashfield no longer trusts men. Unfortunately, her father insists that it is his job to see that she marries properly. She dislikes most of the men she meets at the dances, and, quite frankly, I can understand her reasons. However, she meets Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley, and, chooses him to marry.
Gabriel has his own problems. He used his good locks and his skill as a good lover to bed bored housewives and mistresses to get information. Unfortunately, he was trying to move on when he was sent on one last mission with tragic repercussions. Gabriel was injured and, besides the scars, he found out that he was impotent and can’t bear to have anyone touch him.
At this point I found the story a little over-the-top. Gabriel is attracted to Adelaide which is the first time he has felt this way since his injury. However, Gabriel keeps this impotency a secret from Adelaide and focuses only on kissing her. Since Adelaide is a virgin, she is not sure what should happen. However she feels there is something missing.
Unfortunately, the major problem I have with the book is that, all-of-a-sudden, at the end, Gabriel is cured. It seemed to me as if the author ran out of time and just ended it. When I invest my time into a book- even a short one- I like the story to lead up to the ending.
I am also disappointed because when I read a Harlequin book, I assume the book is going to be clean and free of people like Gabriel who got his information in a very non-heroic. I thought this would be an interesting subject impotency is rarely mentioned as a consequence of war. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book because the usual Harlequin readers would not like it, and anyone else would be upset with the ending. However, I am still interested in the subject manner, and would like to read more about this subject.
I am not an historical lover but I do read them at times. I have never read a book by Sophia James but, since it is a Harlequin Historical, I assumed it would be a quality book. I read the blurb on the back, and it sounded interesting. So I took a chance and read the book.
Heiress Adelaide Ashfield no longer trusts men. Unfortunately, her father insists that it is his job to see that she marries properly. She dislikes most of the men she meets at the dances, and, quite frankly, I can understand her reasons. However, she meets Gabriel Hughes, Earl of Wesley, and, chooses him to marry.
Gabriel has his own problems. He used his good locks and his skill as a good lover to bed bored housewives and mistresses to get information. Unfortunately, he was trying to move on when he was sent on one last mission with tragic repercussions. Gabriel was injured and, besides the scars, he found out that he was impotent and can’t bear to have anyone touch him.
At this point I found the story a little over-the-top. Gabriel is attracted to Adelaide which is the first time he has felt this way since his injury. However, Gabriel keeps this impotency a secret from Adelaide and focuses only on kissing her. Since Adelaide is a virgin, she is not sure what should happen. However she feels there is something missing.
Unfortunately, the major problem I have with the book is that, all-of-a-sudden, at the end, Gabriel is cured. It seemed to me as if the author ran out of time and just ended it. When I invest my time into a book- even a short one- I like the story to lead up to the ending.
I am also disappointed because when I read a Harlequin book, I assume the book is going to be clean and free of people like Gabriel who got his information in a very non-heroic. I thought this would be an interesting subject impotency is rarely mentioned as a consequence of war. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book because the usual Harlequin readers would not like it, and anyone else would be upset with the ending. However, I am still interested in the subject manner, and would like to read more about this subject.
August 19, 2015
London - 1812
Gabriel Hughes, the fourth Earl of Wesley and owner of Ravenshill, is a very handsome man with a reputation for being a ladies’ man. When a fire nearly destroyed his family home some years earlier and left him with scars, he a troubled man. It is difficult for him to sleep without nightmares of the fire which took the life of a young woman reported to have been his lover. In addition, he is in need of funds to help rebuild his home.
Miss Adelaide Ashfield, age 23, lives in Northbridge with her uncle and is quite happy with her life. Through her two spinster aunts, she has gained a vast knowledge of plants and in healing people through their use. At the insistence of her uncle, she finally agrees to travel to London for a season, promising only to stay for three months. She hopes the time will fly and she can return to continue the work that she loves.
While in London, she meets some men who are interested more in her dowry than her. She quickly sees through them and puts them in their place. One man was so pushy that she had to slap him which made him fall and knocked him out. Thus, an enemy was made.
When Gabriel met Adelaide, he was charmed by her and by her obvious intelligence. As they grew to know one another better, they decide to marry. This met with her uncle’s disapproval as he felt Gabriel was only after Adelaide’s inheritance.
What life had Gabriel led that left him so damaged both mentally and physically? Will they be able to find true love and happiness in their lives?
There are, of course, spoilers that I have left out of my review. Yet even with that, I still found this story to be a bit far-fetched and one that I didn’t really care for. Although, I’m sure there are others who will for there is a lot of tenderness and caring expressed in this book.
Gabriel Hughes, the fourth Earl of Wesley and owner of Ravenshill, is a very handsome man with a reputation for being a ladies’ man. When a fire nearly destroyed his family home some years earlier and left him with scars, he a troubled man. It is difficult for him to sleep without nightmares of the fire which took the life of a young woman reported to have been his lover. In addition, he is in need of funds to help rebuild his home.
Miss Adelaide Ashfield, age 23, lives in Northbridge with her uncle and is quite happy with her life. Through her two spinster aunts, she has gained a vast knowledge of plants and in healing people through their use. At the insistence of her uncle, she finally agrees to travel to London for a season, promising only to stay for three months. She hopes the time will fly and she can return to continue the work that she loves.
While in London, she meets some men who are interested more in her dowry than her. She quickly sees through them and puts them in their place. One man was so pushy that she had to slap him which made him fall and knocked him out. Thus, an enemy was made.
When Gabriel met Adelaide, he was charmed by her and by her obvious intelligence. As they grew to know one another better, they decide to marry. This met with her uncle’s disapproval as he felt Gabriel was only after Adelaide’s inheritance.
What life had Gabriel led that left him so damaged both mentally and physically? Will they be able to find true love and happiness in their lives?
There are, of course, spoilers that I have left out of my review. Yet even with that, I still found this story to be a bit far-fetched and one that I didn’t really care for. Although, I’m sure there are others who will for there is a lot of tenderness and caring expressed in this book.
April 15, 2016
It took a while to get into but once I did I loved the story, a man with wounds that had him dealing with the grief of their making, a woman dealing with her own damage in her past finding each other as a convenience and coming to realize they both loved each other. All the while a mystery is unfolding behind it all, threatening their lives at all turns. It was a very good read and I will probably finish off the series.
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January 12, 2016"Delightful and seductive, book two in James’ Penniless Lords quartet is the tale of a rich bluestocking and a randy rake who match wits and hearts amid a nest of spies and ardent suitors" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Miniseries: The Penniless Lords
Miniseries: The Penniless Lords
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July 19, 2018Loved this one. It deserves a better review than I have the brainspace to give it at the moment, but in short, I think it's my favorite ever rendition of a popular trope that I'm normally meh about (the bluestocking and the rake). There was lots of nuance and complicated self-image chewiness, and I enjoyed James's prose, which risked purple-ness in order to actually be interesting and complex.
December 18, 2015
The characters were strong, the story line was great but it seems to leave out some sections of the story. The flow was a little off. Some of the comments that the characters where thinking confused me but overall a good read.
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October 4, 2015Miniseries: The Penniless Lords
January 14, 2016
New to me author. Loved this story. Will be finding more by this author.
March 12, 2016
Imo, not as good as book 1, although a good story and enjoyable. Looking forward to Lucien's story next.
November 3, 2016
She really wants a life without marriage but her family are reducing her choices, she chooses Gabriel Hughes but they have a long way to go to find love.
December 27, 2016
I would of chosen a different title. It was an okay romance.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 21 reviews