Happily Bedded Bliss

The Rakes of Cavendish Square #2

by Tracy Anne Warren

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bedding Proposal comes a seductive new novel about the most devilishly dangerous men in London...

When Lady Esme Byron happens upon a gorgeous naked man sleeping beside a secluded country lake, she can’t resist the impulse to sketch him. But when her highly improper drawing is mistakenly revealed at a party, she finds her once-pristine reputation in tatters.

Gabriel, Lord Northcote, may be a notorious rakehell, but he is still stunned to find himself accused of despoiling a duke’s sister—especially since he's never set eyes on her. When Esme’s six irate brothers demand a hurried trip down the aisle, he has no choice but to comply. He thinks he can forget about his inconvenient bride but Esme Byron is no ordinary woman and Gabriel is about to learn just how unforgettable she can be.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Marriage Of Convenience, Audiobook

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Tracy Anne Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of ten Regency historical romance novels, including At The Duke’s Pleasure and The Husband Trap. Her books have appeared on the USA Today Bestsellers’ list and the Borders’ Group List of Bestselling Single Title Romance Paperbacks. She has won numerous writing awards, including Romance Writers’ of America’s prestigious RITA® Award, the National Readers’ Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Golden Quill, and others.

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having not read the others in the series or other books by this author, the beginning of this with all the past characters from other books gave it a really rough start for me; the huge cast dominated and stole away from the hero and heroine.
The hero was probably a more realistic man of his times than we sometimes see in romance and I do think the relationship with the heroine changed him for the better but we never really got to see that. Sometimes his older man of the world clashed uncomfortably with her young naive heart of gold but in the second half, when they were together, they played off each other well. They don't really spend a lot of time together and with some time skips we are only told, they have a fun teasing relationship develop instead of seeing it. I definitely was left wanting with seeing and experiencing them together.
Their ending fight was so ridiculous and a major much to do about nothing and made it eye-rolling frustrating, making me end with a less than pleased feeling.
Overall, I liked the writer's style and flow but I definitely needed the couple to spend more time together. I'll be trying this author again :)

[♥ℳelody · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 beautific the drought is ovah! stars*

Oh man did this take my breath away and I honestly wasn't expecting it. Finally FINALLY. A book I devoured in 2 days and kept fighting to put down. Huzzah! I totally forgot how that feels, it's been that long. And characters that get to you so much you feel kind of (really) envious and sighing over how wonderful the story is. I HAVEN'T FELT THAT WAY IN SO LONG. I have not given a 5 star rating in a loooong time so this should say enough.

He was who he was.
Just as she was who she was.
The hardened rake and the tenderhearted innocent shackled together for life because of a single imprudent act.

Hands down my favorite HR book I've read this year and this reminded me why I loved Mrs. Warren's writing so much. I honestly forgot the depth to her writing, her characters are so layered from the emotions to their actions to their backstories, and Warren creates real conflict and angst that makes sense. If you are new to Tracy Anne Warren, her writing reminds me of Gaelen Foley (Knight Miscellany series) and her characters remind of Lisa Kleypas’s characters, particularly her well known Hathaway family. And this trilogy is a spin off from TAW’s unfinished The Byrons of Braebourne series which I loved. I didn’t even know this was little Esme Bryon’s book until I cracked it open. She’s the Beatrix Hathaway to the dynamic family of 8 and I fell so hard for this girl. She kept reminding me of myself in so many ways that I couldn't help but feel immediately connected to her. From her adoration & rescuing of animals to her love of art and always carrying a sketchbook around, kindred spirits! And the fact that she knows her stuff with master painters and is seriously skilled I loved even more. Her 'menagerie of pets' is too cute and added charm to her 'wild girl of the earth' character. And seeing Edward, Cade and Mallory & Adam again was so fun and made me itch to pick up their books again. I loved how protective and loving this big family is of their baby sister. And to see her go toe to toe with jaded rakehell Gabriel was such a delight. Oh boy the sweetness and sexy naughtiness that goes down in here…..

She was used to handling wild, unpredictable creatures, used to gentling, even taming them. But Gabriel Landsdowne was an entirely unknown quantity; a force unto himself, he was unique and without equal in her experience.

I simply have to draw him.

Yet there was something majestic about him, as if a dark angel had fallen to earth.

"Be careful, little girl," he warned. "Or else the big, bad wolf might just change his mind and decide to eat you, after all."

Gabriel glanced up and found himself unable to look away, struck by her fresh, guileless charm and radiant beauty. She was simply effervescent; it was as if a sweet spring breeze had just blown into the house and back into his life.

She met his gaze, reminded again of how much his eyes looked like those of her hawk--beautifully golden, piercing and predatory.

She barely even felt her feet leave the ground when he picked her up and wrapped one strong arm under her bottom to her hold her against him. Her arms went around his shoulders to anchor herself as their kiss continued. He pressed her against the wall, then pressed himself her against her.
Her fear returned.
He was too much, this man.
Too experienced and worldly.
Too carnal and passionate.

She’d claimed him last night, every bit as much as he’d claimed her…..

No one had ever bought him anything simply because he liked it. No on had ever given him a gift meant exclusively to please and which demanded nothing of him in return. What a sad childhood he must have known. What an emotionally isolated life he must have spent since.

I love you.
Her whispered words resonated in his mind, chiding him even now. A secret part of him had thrilled to hear them, wanting her softness, craving her comfort and devotion.

Something about him called to her, like one of her wounded beasts, and she could not turn him away. She needed his name and protection in order to keep from being cast out of Society. But strangely, she realized, he just might need her even more.

He'd almost forgotten what it was like to be near her. She was as bright and radiant as an August sun, bringing light and warmth into even the darkest places. And yet the darkness was comfortable and familiar to him; he understood the dark, for all its bleak failings. It was the light that puzzled him, the light that could make even the bravest of men afraid.

But she and her love warmed him from the inside out, and he could no longer do without either one.

These two slayed me so much with the passion and honest vulnerable moments packed into this. Seeing such an honest love story where both sides are floored by it but give it everything, hangs up and all, is a rarity. Gabriel with all his faults seduced me right along with Esme, so much so guess who is being added to my Harem List? >:D Yes indeedy. Oh Gabriel why you so delightfully naughty? He comes with a lot of baggage and a dark back story (of course) but his complete absorption and wonderment of Esme even when he’s running scared really drew me in. I fell hard for this guy. With both characters. And I forgot how that feels. Esme is guileless yet mature beyond her years, she has an open pure heart and patient kindness that a jaded libertine like Gabriel isn’t used to and doesn’t know what to do with. He’s so cynical, closed off and lonely that he’s always expecting her to disappoint him and not believe in him like everyone else, and to see him realize again and again that she’s an exception was so sweet and gratifying to see.

She knew there was more to him than the blackhearted hedonist he’s spent years convincing the world that he was. Perhaps he even believed it himself.
But she didn’t.
She knew there was a goodness buried inside him, a kindness he tried hard to conceal.
She’d felt it.
There was love inside him too; he only needed someone to help him find a way to let it out.

This had all the HR elements I adored. The marriage of convenience, the sheltered ‘eccentric’ inexperienced heroine, the cynical older hero with a black reputation, lustful appetite and lonely vulnerable heart. Seeing Esme bring Gabriel to his knees was a sight to see and I loved every minute of it. She didn’t let his arrogance and intimidating presence push her past her boundaries when she wasn’t ready. The fact that she managed to run his household & get rid of the interfering interlopers by herself was really great and showed the strength, intelligence and resilience of this character. There were one or two moments that Gabriel teetered towards chauvinistic entitled attitude but Esme rose up to the challenge and didn’t run off and kept humbling him. This is the kind of give and take dynamic that I enjoy and always look for in my reads. And to readers, both new readers to TAW and her fans I definitely recommend this one. It can be read as a stand alone and if you love opposites attract couples then this would be the perfect example of it. You get a little bit of everything.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐
1 star


Verbose.

Slow-paced.

The heroine is too naive/innocent (even for her age) and the hero is too jaded and cynical.


The love and chemistry between the main characters feels lacking/unconvincing. (emotionally immature/immature characters and dysfunctional relationship)


Too little interaction between the heroine and hero.
Underdeveloped main characters.

Bland.

[Becca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am stopping this one at 41%. I struggled with it from the beginning and after a series of particularly distasteful scenes and skimming through to see how many graphic sex scenes there were I am calling it quits.

It is a shame really, I adore reading things with Kyraryker and Andrea and I love reading their reviews, but man, Kyraryker said Andrea and I were the "Bad Luck Buddy Reads" and I think she is right! We always try new authors and you never know what you're going to get. Tracy Anne Warren writes in a detailed fashion and the pacing was fine, but it just wasn't a good fit for me. Apparently, I'm pickier than I thought!

Here are my reasons for the DNF and low rating:

1. Wordiness. From the beginning, the story had an excess of detail. So much so, that I found myself skimming and I could still follow the story. Some may like the portrayal, but I thought it diminished character development and slowed the pace.

2. Hateful secondary characters. Between Gabriel's family (particularly his awful uncle and this story about how he killed his childhood dog) and the vengeful brothers of Esme (who blamed Gabriel for everything even when it wasn't his fault), the dialogue grew tiresome and repetitive and I lost interest. It was always the same and I found myself skimming.

3. Esme's naivete. Now typically, I like gentle heroines. But in this case, her character was so different from the others that it didn't feel real. Andrea and I likened her to a Disney character brought to life (not in a good way). I expected singing and animals helping with housework to begin at any moment.

4. Gabriel's descent into the land of jerks. On their wedding day no less, when Esme asks for a little more time to adjust (not long--just a day). Gabriel has this little tantrum:

"Are you implying that I'm spoiled?" "No more than most dukes' sisters, I daresay. And at least you aren't cruel and conniving like so may of the ton girls that I've met. You've just been given tour way in far too many respects and need a firmer hand to rein you in." Her eyes flashed blue with fire. "Rein me in? I am not a horse, Lord Northcote." "No, you most definitely are not." He raked his gaze over her body. "I have no interest in fucking a horse. Just my wife, who, so far, does nothing but refuse me."

On the very next page, when Esme is angry and hurt and scared and wants to ask for an annulment, Gabriel then really lost all respect from me:

"You will do no such thing, madam. Rescind your threat or I shall take you into the the woods right now and see to it that you are as married as you can possibly be. I presume you take my meaning?"

5. Sex scenes. I usually have a rule where I prefer to have fewer sex scenes in my books (usually 1-2, no more than 4) because when there is endless sex, there is no character development, plot, or romance, which are my reasons for reading the stories. This isn't Warren's fault, but more a preference of mine. In this book, just from flipping through, there were a lot of them and a bit too much for my taste.

There may be a good story in there somewhere, but I didn't care to find out. I have a ton of books on my pile to read and this one just didn't grab me. If you like a lot of drama, have enjoyed Warren's books in the past, or like a lot of graphic sex, this book may still work for you. But I'll say I'm done and won't be reading any more of Warren's work.

[Lori ◡̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute, fluffy book with a very likeable heroine.

I hate to admit that I almost gave up on the book 1/3 of the way in, because they were on their honeymoon, having a great, romantic time with no conflict in sight. I was getting disappointed thinking what more will the other 2/3 of the book be filled with then?

But never fear, the L-word was mentioned and conflict arrived 😃 I felt like that I had read this same story before, but regardless I still enjoyed reading it. It did seem that the sex was written in a way for shock value, not that I am prude or squeamish... it was just over the top kinky in some moments and it didn't feel natural for some reason. I would have loved to have read more about the hero with his tortured past and see him healing a bit more than we did. Anyway, fun read!

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 51%

In all fairness, I didn't make it past the first 50%. This is not a reflection on the quality of the writing, I just had several issues with the way the story was executed! I tend to be really picky and abandon books easily if I don't feel like putting up with the characters, not even to see if they redeem themselves. This was a buddy-read with Becca (who also DNF-ed this; you can find her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and Kyraryker (she gave it 3 stars, check out her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), so thanks you guys for the lively discussions :)

I had a hard time getting into this from the start, to be honest. I thought I would get past the original set-up (heroine sees hero lying naked in the grass and decides to sketch him, her sketches are discovered, and her brothers demand a marriage to save her reputation. I liked that for once the fault was entirely with the heroine, because is not something you see very often, but I always thought it was rather... Weird.), but once her stubborn, high-handed, idiotic brothers started accusing him without a second thought and forcing both of them down the isle, I started feeling a bit put off.

Another thing that bothered me was the degree of callousness in contrast to the overwhelming naivety of the heroine. The hero and her brothers are all hardened cynics who say pretty callous things, while the heroine is so sweet and full of wide-eyed innocence (given her penchant for saving every last injured creature she can find with what is described as "miraculous" outcomes Becca and I started likening her to a little Disney princess, expecting her to start dancing around with her furry little friends any moment...). I just feel I would've liked it more if both sides had been more moderate, but the way it is, I didn't like anyone in this book.

There was also an overwhelming number of siblings (who, I learned after reading this, all had previous books of their own), and some times I felt incredibly lost because I couldn't keep their names straight.

I also really really really disliked the "hero". From the very first page he is painted as an incredibly callous, cynical, hardened rake who constantly thinks of his "enormous sexual appetites" and how best to get laid, but the second the heroine makes him promise to stay faithful after they're married, he instantly agrees and starts lusting only after her. Sorry, I'm not buying that.
He also had a very strained relationship with his uncle that irked me. In the beginning I thought he was just being childish, given that he saw pissing off his uncle as a worthy pursuit for a grown man, but once we had a lovely scene were he remembers his uncle killing his dog in very graphic detail (which was completely unnecessary in my opinion, because the uncle already came across as a horrible person).
Then there was the way he treated the heroine. After initially agreeing to postponing their wedding night after their first fight, he says the following:

"Are you implying that I'm spoiled?" "No more than most dukes' sisters, I daresay. And at least you aren't cruel and conniving like so may of the ton girls that I've met. You've just been given tour way in far too many respects and need a firmer hand to rein you in." Her eyes flashed blue with fire. "Rein me in? I am not a horse, Lord Northcote." "No, you most definitely are not." He raked his gaze over her body. "I have no interest in fucking a horse. Just my wife, who, so far, does nothing but refuse me."

After that, she decides to go find her brother and demand an annulment, to which he reacts like this:

"You will do no such thing, madam. Rescind your threat or I shall take you into the the woods right now and see to it that you are as married as you can possibly be. I presume you take my meaning?"

I'm sorry but that is unacceptable to me. Also, I didn't like the way she responded to this threat against her:

"And yet again, for reasons that continued to elude her, she couldn't bring herself to speak against him, to humiliate him, no matter the difficulties that lay between them. So rather than take advantage of her last chance to escape, she went to the coach and allowed Northcote to hand her inside."

This sort of relationship is just not okay with me. I didn't like that she thought she had to "escape" from him, and things quickly deteriorated when they did get together. She was completely unprepared for what was about to happen to her, in fact, she agreed to grant him his rights right after she described him as a "loathsome cur", which does not sound like the beginning of a healthy relationship to me. So I decided to abandon this. Maybe in the second half he changes and she grows a backbone, but I sadly have no energy to find out.

[Lady Nilambari Reads HR · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

I have come to like Tracy Ann Warren's stories. They are simple, have vivacious characters, and they end up becoming easy reads. She does have a tendency to go "one too many" overboard towards the ending of the book, but if you can look past that, then these little tales can be great "go-to's" when you face a reading slump. The Byrons are a good place to go when contemplating TAW books.

PS - Don't read them close to each other or they will all blend into one big blob.

Highlights...
- The quickness of a weirdly accidentally compromised/ ruined & wedded plot
- The hilarity of the Byron brothers descending on poor Gabriel
- The animal loving, breath of fresh air, guileless Esme
- The not so angelic Gabriel, who single handedly defined why this book was titled the way it was. Also, I will never look at raspberry jam the same way again after what he did with it.
- The sizzling chemistry

Lowlights...
- The utterly useless sub-plot with Gabriel's uncle. It served no purpose as the outcome could have been achieved by a reminiscing monologue. All the Uncle did was confuse me into believing that it was going somewhere.
- Why, oh why, does TAW go into a hero jealousy spiral towards the end, it makes no sense. This could have instead been reverted to help flesh out their romance.

Apart from her final benders, TAW is a solid author.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: 7/8/20
Reread: 6/3/23

Loved the chemistry between lovers! TAW knows how to write great love scenes. She rarely disappoints

This can be sort of read as a standalone. I read this book out of order but had no trouble following the characters. The book focuses on the couple instead of the family.

Reread:
This book is still a favorite of mine.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Lady Esme love her animals and art .
While walking the fields near her home , with her dog. She comes across a naked sleeping man. Decides to sketch a picture of him.
Picture is discovered by guest at her brother house party.
Six brothers and 1 brother in law. Arrived at Lord Northcote, insisting he marries their sister.
After the wedding they go to his family home, where he leaves her. And go back to London.
Esme is not the sort of person to give hm is own way.

Nice story, two likeable characters and an evil uncle .

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

With my re-read, I am downgrading from 5 to 4 starts; but this is still a good story. It is my favorite of the trilogy.

Lady Esme Byron is a delightful heroine. Although she is young and a bit foolish (which forces herself to get married in the first place), she is kind and loyal. She believes in communication, and elicits a promise of fidelity from her betrothed. She will settle for nothing less than love. She doesn't give up and makes many wise decisions after she is married.

Gabriel, Lord Northcote, is a true rakehell. From orgies to despoiling virgins to affairs with married women, if it involves a woman and sex, he has done it. Fortunately, he does have some honor and agrees to marry Esme to save her reputation. He then becomes an excellent sexual arts tutor.

Thoughts after first time reading:
I don't know. What can I say? Read it all in one day. It was just what I was craving, a genuine, sweet, lighthearted romance. Do read if you want that happy feeling.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been eagerly awaiting Happily Bedded Bliss since I read the first book in Tracy Anne Warren’s Rakes of Cavendish Square series (The Bedding Proposal) last year. That book was a compelling read that was quite dark in places, given the treatment doled out to the divorced heroine, both by her ex-husband and society at large, so I was hoping for something equally gripping in this second novel. Probably because of those expectations, I came away from this book rather disappointed – but that doesn’t mean there’s anything badly wrong with the story or characters; just that it lacks the emotional impact of the previous one.

On the upside, however, the story does use what is probably my favourite trope in the genre, that of a couple who is forced to marry for appearances’ sake, and who we then see adjusting to life together and eventually falling in love. Lady Esme Byron is one of the two remaining unwed Byron siblings, and while not against the idea of marriage in general – her brothers and sister are all blissfully happy – isn’t in a hurry, despite the fact that she’s already twenty and many other young ladies of her age are already settled with husbands and children. But she enjoys her life of relative freedom, surrounded by her menagerie of cats, dogs, a wounded hawk and the various other small animals she takes care of, and indulging her talent for drawing and painting.

Unfortunately, however, that talent proves her undoing when, on one of her long rambles, she strays onto the adjoining property and spies an incredibly handsome man emerging from a swim in the lake. Her artist’s eye is caught; and when he stretches out on the grass and falls asleep – completely naked - she can’t resist the impulse to draw him. Well aware that what she’s doing is scandalous, Esme also knows she is unlikely to ever again have such an opportunity to draw from life. She will just have to make sure that she keeps her sketch securely hidden away. But of course, things like this never go according to plan and a mistake means Esme’s drawing is seen by her entire family and their guests. After that, there is only one way to prevent a massive scandal and protect her reputation.

When he left London in order to rusticate in the peace and quiet of a friend’s country estate, Gabriel Lansdowne, Lord Northcote, hadn’t the least idea of becoming involved with any young woman, let alone ending up having to marry one. When suddenly confronted one evening by several large, angry men – including his London neighbours, Lords Leo and Lawrence Byron – he is at a loss to understand why they are so furious with him. His reputation is terrible, of course, but all the Byron men were just as bad before settling down, and he sure as hell hasn’t seduced or even met their sisters, so being accused of debauching one of them is a complete shock. A rakehell he may be, but a gentleman’s word counts for something and the Byrons accept Gabriel’s explanation that he has never met Esme; but even so, her reputation will be in tatters when word gets out about the sketch, and there’s no alternative but for him to marry her without delay.

The set-up happens quickly, leaving the author plenty of time to develop the relationship between Esme and Gabriel, which she does very well. The pair are most definitely attracted to each other from the outset, and when Esme turns out to be intelligent and quick-witted as well as beautiful, Gabriel thinks he might not have made such a bad bargain after all. Esme had worried that a husband would want to curb her personal freedom and what society has termed her “eccentricities”; her work with animals and her painting, but Gabriel shows no signs of wanting to do that. Instead he encourages and supports her; even when she reveals that she doesn’t eat meat (very unusual for the time), he doesn’t turn a hair and makes sure that their household staff is aware of her preferences. They’re compatible sexually, they enjoy each other’s company and they like each other – but Esme has always been aware that there is something about her new husband that he isn’t willing to share with her, a jaded cynicism which seems to be almost waiting for her to find him unworthy and reject him.

Gabriel is one in a long line of historical heroes who have forsworn love because of the circumstances of his past; in his case being brought up by an unfeeling relative whose casual cruelty very quickly taught the younger Gabriel that loving things was dangerous as it hurt when they were taken away. An unfortunate youthful love-affair only served to reinforce that belief, and he has disavowed love’s very existence ever since. While his actions and motivations may be somewhat stereotypical, Esme’s are less so and are among the things that lift the book out of the “average” category. She is a loving, giving person and refuses to give up on Gabriel, regardless of his sudden coldness towards her. I liked the way she gradually works her way under his skin and into his heart, and that she refuses to allow him to wallow or give up on their marriage because of his fears and insecurities.

Although I said at the outset that I was a little disappointed with Happily Bedded Bliss, I did enjoy it once I’d adjusted my expectations and would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a gently romantic and sensual love story. The central relationship is charmingly written and the two principals are attractive, well-rounded characters who are well-matched and whose happiness beyond the HEA is something I could easily believe in.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

Happily Bedded Bliss, is the second book in this fabulous new series of Warren. Now I have always been a fan of this author, and she pulled me right into this, which was a relief since I recently came off of a book slump. And what a story this one was. It begins with our heroine, now Lady Esme is the youngest daughter, and with seven over protective brothers, she has her hands full and most of the time she shrugs them off and does what she wants anyway, because logic and reason and male stubborness just don't mix very well. Esme is a lover of animals, she rescues all sorts of creatures, and she does have a certain gift with them. Esme is also a talented artist. She goes in the woods hoping to draw a foresty type scene, but spies a naked man, a very drop dead gorgeous man, and can't resist the urge to draw him. What she doesn't expect is for that same drawing to fall into the wrong hands at a social dinner, and in one instant she is facing a scandal and being compelled to marry the very stranger she had drawn.

Esme is a unique heroine, and I loved her personality so much. And what was a rare delight to see especially in a historical romance, was a character that is vegetarian and it does make sense considering how much she loves animals of all kinds. She doesn't look at things like many others do, which I found intriguing. I loved her practical sense, and she does make a great match for our hero who has no clue what he is in for when agreeing to marry Lady Esme. Our hero, Gabriel, is a rake and definitely isn't ashamed of his love for women, but he does have a sense of honor too. Gabriel had a pretty rough childhood, being raised by a abusive uncle and losing his brother and inheriting everything. Seeing these two together was very interesting. The chemistry is off the charts here, but you also see the affection and care they start to feel for each other. The dialogue back and forth between them is sexy and leaves you laughing.
“I am an artist. I draw things that interest and intrigue me. When I happened upon you there at the lake, I felt compelled to capture your likeness."
A slow smile spread over his face. "So I interest and intrigue you, do I?"
"Only from an artistic point of view, nothing more. You might have been a particularly fine ram or perhaps a goat who had strayed from its flock. You were there, so I drew you."
Gabriel's eyebrows arched, uncertain whether she was playing games with him or not. "I can assure you that I am neither a ram nor a goat, although I have been accused over the years of being randy as one.”
But Gabriel has some inner demons, and until he learns to face them he won't be able to accept what Esme offers him. There were times I wanted to shake Gabriel for his stubbornness, but he finds his own way of working through his issues and I had a fun time seeing these two deal with problems and challenges and find their way back to each other.
Overall Happily Bedded Bliss is a story of healing, self discovering, charm and wit and a romance to make you laugh and to swoon!!! DELICIOUSLY WRITTEN!


Click To Buy On amazon
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[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay for me. I never really bought into the premise...it is so unlikely that a man would be staying by himself at a friend's estate, go skinny dipping, and then decide to lay in the grass and take a nap completely in the nude. (Um, itchy much?) It is also incredibly unlikely that at exactly that moment, a young woman would see him and instead of running away, sit and sketch him. Then, people at a house party had to beg to see her drawings, and instead of getting them herself and hiding the nude sketch, a servant went to get them, and then she got knocked into, dropping that exact drawing to the floor where everyone could see it. AND...she's such an amazing artist that everyone immediately knows exactly who it is!

Um, yeah. I just couldn't find that believable. But we're not finished.

The man in the drawing? He is the rakiest of rakes. Yet despite this, Esme's family basically tells the both of them they need to wed to save her reputation. (Esme's brothers act like complete asses, stomping about and acting all male machismo- gross.) Except, at the last minute they say she doesn't have to. But she does anyway. If he's really that deplorable, why would they have wanted her to marry him? Turns out, he's not deplorable, but he is emotionally stunted, immature, and jealous. He pulls the whole "I can't let myself love anyone" crap and once things are-miraculously-going well with Esme, he thinks he's getting too close and then leaves her alone at his estate. He's a total jerk.

Esme, of course, determines exactly why he's acting like a stick's been run up his ass. Mommy abandonment issues and a wretched uncle. So she immediately forgives him, never makes him apologize, and picks right back up with their relationship. (Which, btw- the love scenes are entirely too modern imo. And you can't do that with jam unless you want a nasty infection. Ick!) Things go well until Gabriel gets all jealous for no reason at all, again acts like a sulky jerk, and again, Esme forgives him and all is well.

I mean...I just didn't like Gabriel at all. He never grew on me. Early on in the marriage, he talked down to Esme and treated her like a little girl. He also kinda sorta hinted that if she didn't welcome him, he would force her, which I just can't ever get past (and feel strongly that I shouldn't.) Esme had a lot of likeable qualities, but she was also a bit too good to be true. And early 19th century vegetarians? They may have existed, but I'm going to highly doubt that was very likely. There was definitely some anachronism here, which I tend to judge harshly.

I guess the one realistic aspect to the plot is that their marriage of convenience wasn't all rosy and perfect- they had awkward silences, fights, misunderstandings, times spent away from each other...at least that rang true.

The ending was complete and utter fluff, to the point of a toothache. For someone who found it impossible to say "I love you" for 90% of the book, Gabriel and Esme sure got their sappy lines in for the last 10%. And again, it just didn't ring very true. They said they loved each other, but I didn't understand what it was based on beyond the physical. I feel like anyone who treated Gabriel nicely would have gotten the same reaction from him. And Esme was so in love, even after he treated her badly? I dunno...none of this added up for me. I'm also not a fan of the baby epilogue , so that didn't do it for me either.

It wasn't horrible, but it certainly wasn't a favorite. 2.5 stars I guess. Meh.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely delightful! I remarked to a friend about a quarter of the way into this book that is was so fun and clever that I could only hope I wouldn't grow disappointed. I didn't. It stayed as witty and true all the way to the epilogue. It's the kind of book that makes you wish for more, for it not to end. Not the kind, however, to leave you dissatisfied with said ending.

Esme was a perfect mix of strength and innocence. She knows her mind, knows what she wants. Sometimes, because of her innocence, it takes her a bit to reach out and take it though, whether it be of a passionate nature, or merely to demand the respect of those who should be giving it freely. She also knows when such respect needs to be given in the form of trust earned, like the respect of a wild animal who needs to be healed.

Gabriel was the perfect mix of realistic contradictions. Wild in nature, but exceedingly kind-hearted and generous. Cautious, due to his upbringing, he isn't cold for malicious reasons, and he is never actually cruel. Sometimes, his fear causes him to lash out, like a frightened animal.

Their initial attraction was perfectly done. Their first night as man and wife beautifully and realistically written. It truly gives you the first real insight into what this couple has the potential to become. Their complications and trials are the trials most new relationships face, and are handled with appropriate drama. Nothing over the top, and nothing to angsty or annoying. It was a book that never had me rolling my eyes or skimming.

As historical go, this one was light on the gossip, the dancing, the lavishness of that time. It let the couple's interactions tell the tale, and it was never lacking. I absolutely loved it. This is my first time with this author, but it will not be my last. ~ George, 5 stars

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore a good marriage of convenience story. This book was steamy, emotional, passionate. Hero was your typical womanizer who doesn't want to fall in love but he can't resist his sweet, warm wife. I loved seeing him jealous possessive and insecure! He deserved to suffer a bit and realize how much Esme meant to him!

[Kit Sinatra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much. The spice was exactly to my taste, and the heroine was so lovable and sweet.

[Penny Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

What should an unmarried lady of good family do if she finds a man, sleeping by the lake at her neighbor's estate? A prudent thing to do would be to walk away. But, the heroine, Lady Esme, the youngest of the Byron siblings, is neither prudent nor sensible. Instead of leaving, she draws him in all his naked glory and puts the sketch into her sketchbook for anyone to find. During a house party, the resulting scandal is a foregone conclusion.
It falls to the unsuspecting hero, whose only transgression was falling asleep in the sun, to pacify a herd of enraged noblemen and save a reputation of a silly chit he's never met. Unexpectedly, he finds a bright side to his hasty marriage. While the girl might be young and naive, she's attractive and well-dowered. Off to London he goes to get a special license.
The scene at the Doctor's Commons was the tipping point when I could no longer take the story seriously. I laughed myself silly when the hero, a viscount, got into a squabble with a court clerk because the judge had left for the day and couldn't issue a special marriage license. In the year 1818, that scene could never have happened. To begin with, only the Archbishop of Canterbury could give such a license after an audience, during which the hero would have had to explain why he needed to marry without calling the banns. Then, no clerk dared to contradict a peer of the realm unless he wanted to lose his post.
But, the bigger issue here was the timing. The wedding took place two weeks after the scandal and the newlyweds went on a bridal trip to Cornwall. Why didn't they push the wedding back another week to call the banns? The heroine wasn't pregnant. They didn't go to London after the wedding to squash the gossip.
The rest of the plot didn't fare any better. The couple was getting along so well during their honeymoon - they did it everywhere, the beach included - that the story needed an infusion of conflict to fill the remaining two-thirds of the book. The hero made a mountain of a molehill, and instead of dealing with the issue as an adult would, he acted like a spoiled adolescent, abandoning his wife at the ancestral estate, at the mercy of hostile servants. That was the point when the character roles flipped. The heroine showed a startling maturity of character and the hero a complete lack of it. It might have worked to show they complemented each other outside the bedroom if he'd stuck around. Since he didn't, it only demonstrated the weakness of his commitment to her and their marriage.
This story is a romance, so naturally, they've worked things out. But, a few weeks after reading the book, I'm left with an impression of a dysfunctional marriage, propped up by bouts of incongruous mildly kinky sex, and not much else. I don't know if I care enough about the last unmarried Byron sibling to read the final installment of these series.

[Desi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid story. 1) I’m glad no one tried to kill anyone, I kept waiting for it to veer sharply into that type of melodrama, praise be I was spared. 2) The uncle was very well written in all his malice. I felt very uncomfortable when he was in a scene. 3) I like how much time passed in this book. 4) I like the portrayal of vegetarianism as her shtick. 5) Lots of focus on food here. It was described in detail, and made me hungry until I started just skimming those food rambles when I found them popping up too often.

The only reason I would say I didn't rate it higher is that there was something I cant quite put my finger on missing from the main couple’s relationship in terms of impact.

Perhaps pacing? Maybe too much telling not showing? The I love you’s were rather on the rushed side. I can't say why but it was just middle of the road for me.

Overall, it's a quick straight-through read with nice people, insta-rake-redemption (yay! oh for the magic of wedding ring reforms lol), and minimal annoyances. I even felt like it was a historical historical, not just a modern glossed faux one plopped incongruously in the English countryside.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this book 3 stars for the story and 0 for the narration. Possibly the worst I have ever heard and destined for my Never Again Narrators shelf.

[elara · Rating 4 out of 5]

i ❤️ arranged marriage historical romance

[Caz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review from 2016

F for narration; B for content

Well, I really took one for the team on this one. This is the first time I've given a narration an F grade. Yep - it really is that bad. You have to feel sorry for the author whose work has been so badly mangled. I gave the content the same grade I gave the book (B) because the crappy narrator is not at all the author's fault.

I enjoyed Happily Bedded Bliss when I read it a couple of months ago and was looking forward to listening to the audiobook version. The previous book in the series, The Bedding Proposal, boasted both an unusual and deliciously angsty storyline and was also excellently narrated by Barrie Kreinik. I had been hoping for more of the same, but for some inexplicable reason, Tantor has used a different narrator for this second book. I have only listened to Charlotte Anne Dore once before – her lacklustre narration more or less ruined Sherry Thomas’ My Beautiful Enemy – but I believe in giving people a second chance, just to see if maybe I was having a bad day when listening, or if they have improved. I can’t remember what sort of mood I was in when I listened to My Beautiful Enemy, but I’m afraid that Ms Dore’s performance here is every bit as uninspiring as it was the last time I listened to her, and her narration has completely ruined what is, in print, an enjoyable, well-developed romance.

The premise is simple and uses one of my favourite tropes – that of two people who are compromised into marriage and have to find a way to adjust to their new situation. At just twenty, Lady Esme Byron is the baby of the large Byron family, and as such is indulged by her eldest brother, the Duke of Clybourne, who has promised that she will be allowed to choose her own husband rather than have to make a bloodless, dynastic match. That decision is taken away from her however, when, on one of her frequent and long rambles, she strays onto the neighbouring estate and sees a gorgeous, naked man emerging from a lake. Desperate not to be caught spying, she remains where she is until he falls asleep – and immediately, her artist’s eye is caught. As a young, unmarried woman, she is never likely to get another opportunity to draw such a beautiful specimen from life, and she can’t resist sketching him, even though she knows she will be ruined if she is caught.

And of course, in the way of the best laid plans, her scheme to keep the sketch hidden fails miserably and spectacularly, when it is inadvertently shown to a large gathering of family and guests. After that, there is only one thing to be done. Esme’s brothers all march over to the see the man in question to demand that he do the right thing by their sister.

Gabriel Landsdowne, Lord Northcote, is acquainted with the youngest two male Byrons, Leo and Lawrence, as he lives next door to them in London. He is certain, however, that he has never even met their sisters, let alone debauched one of them, so is at a complete loss as to why they are all glowering at him and demanding a quick wedding.

When Gabriel finally meets Esme and discovers her to be lovely, intelligent and quick-witted, he thinks that perhaps he might not have made such a bad bargain after all. The couple marries within a few days, and then departs for Gabriel’s estate where they spend an idyllic few weeks making passionate love and getting to know each other better. Gabriel is wonderfully supportive of Esme’s artistic talent and her dedication to taking care of wounded animals, and she comes to see that her previous fears about marriage – that a man would curb her spirit and independence – were unfounded. But the longer they spend together, the more Esme senses that Gabriel is holding something of himself apart from her, a wounded, jaded part of himself that seems to be waiting for her to find him unworthy and reject him.

Gabriel is one in a long line of heroes who has forsworn love because of the circumstances of his past, which were truly unpleasant. A love-affair gone wrong only served to reinforce his belief that love was not for him, but while his actions in trying to keep Esme at a distance might be rather stereotypical, hers are not, and I liked the way she worms herself into Gabriel’s heart and refuses to allow him to give up on himself or their marriage.

In print, Happily Bedded Bliss is a well-written, sensual and romantic story, but in audio it’s a disaster.

Even when reviewing a narration I don’t like, I try to find something positive to say, but that’s a tough ask here. I suppose I can say that Ms Dore has a pleasant speaking voice, and that she performs Esme reasonably well, but that’s about it. Her performance of Gabriel is disappointing to say the least; he doesn’t sound at all masculine or even remotely attractive, and because she doesn’t lower the pitch of her voice much – or at all – in order to portray him, it is sometimes difficult to hear the difference between his dialogue and her narration. In the early scene in which Gabriel is confronted by six, large, angry Byron men, she is able to differentiate between some of them, but not all, and her portrayal of the oldest brother is utterly laughable. He’s supposed to be a suave, handsome, authoritative forty year old man, yet he sounds like the rotund, pompous comic relief.

Most of the problems, however, are to do with the pacing – which is too slow – and with the fact that both narrative and dialogue are almost completely devoid of any natural rhythm and inflection, giving Ms Dore’s delivery a robotic quality. In fact, I could probably write down her speech patterns using simple musical notation because her delivery is so very mechanical.

And this leads me to the biggest problem of all, which is the overwhelming sense of emotional detachment I experienced while listening. I didn’t feel as though Ms Dore was at all involved in the story, and as a result, I wasn’t interested in it either. This detachment communicates itself to the listener very quickly – within the first few minutes – and I will admit that I found myself zoning in and out throughout the listen, simply because there was absolutely nothing in the performance to engage me.

The love scenes are absolutely horrible and there is no hint whatsoever of the sexual chemistry that is so strongly present between the couple in the book and… I could go on, but basically, the audio version of Happily Bedded Bliss is a masterclass in how to ruin a perfectly good story.

I know that when it comes to narration, one man’s meat is another man’s poison and that everyone has their own personal preference. But surely the one thing a narrator of romance absolutely MUST possess is the ability to imbue their performances with the requisite emotional substance so that they can draw the audience into becoming invested in the central relationship. A romance without emotion isn’t a romance at all. In fact, if you take away the actual words and just listen to the tone of Ms Dore’s voice, the rhythm of her speech and her vocal inflection, you’d think she was reading an instruction manual.

I hate being so negative about a book I liked and about an audio publisher who has done so much to promote and grow the market for romance audiobooks. But they’ve made a serious error of judgement with this, and I don’t anticipate listening to this narrator ever again. I have given the story the same grade I gave the book because it’s unfair to penalize an author for something over which she has no control. Had I not read the book first, I suspect this audio would have been a DNF.

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second book in Tracy Anne Warren’s Rakes of Cavendish Square series, which features one of my favourite tropes where two strangers end up being compromised and are forced to marry under less than auspicious circumstances.

Lady Esme Byron is the youngest of the Byron siblings and her family have always supported her unconventional lifestyle, allowing her the freedom to pursue her love of drawing and painting as well as her penchant for rescuing and caring for sick and wounded animals. She also chooses not to eat meat.

All her siblings, bar one, are happily married and they want the same for Esme but she has no intention of marrying for a long time yet. However, one impulsive act is about to change everything. While out one day, she comes across a mysterious, naked man asleep by her neighbour’s lake and simply has to draw him, never imagining that her drawing will become the source of a public scandal.

The sketchbook flew out of Esme’s grasp, pages fluttering wide before the book spun and skidded to a halt on the floor.

She bent quickly to retrieve it, but Lettice Waxhaven’s loud gasp let her know it was already too late. Everyone else was turning and looking too. Breath froze in her chest, her thoughts tumbling wildly one over the other as she tried to think exactly how to explain the page with the gloriously bare, unforgettably gorgeous male specimen lying open for all to see.

Now her fate is sealed – marriage to a stranger.

The subject of her drawing is Gabriel Lansdowne, Viscount Northcote, an inveterate rake infamous for his debauched lifestyle and scandalous erotic art collection. He is at a total loss when six angry Byron brothers, including his next-door neighbours, Leo and Lawrence Byron, invade his house and threaten him. Having no idea what they are talking about, he proceeds to antagonise them even more but, eventually he convinces them that he has never actually met their sister, but unfortunately the die is cast and he has no choice but to marry Esme.

I love how the focus of the story is on Gabriel and Esme’s developing relationship. No distracting mystery to solve, just two people on a journey of discovery about themselves and each other and ultimately falling in love. During their honeymoon at Gabriel’s house in Cornwall, they enjoy each other’s company and their compatibility extends to the bedroom too. Esme had few expectations for the marriage but…

…day by day she fell deeper under his spell, enjoying more than his touch, but his company as well. His clever mind and his sharp wit. His unexpectedly generous nature and his willingness to share—everything, that is, but almost nothing about his past or his family, whereas he knew practically everything about her own.

Gabriel has never known the love and loyalty of a family like Esme’s. Knowing details of how he was abandoned, abused and betrayed by the people who should have loved and protected him made it easy to understand how those experiences shaped the man he became…a cynical man who is afraid of love.

Love was weakness and he would drive its nascent tendrils from his soul before it had a chance to dig in and take root.

So, when an old friend observes that he is in love with his wife, Gabriel realises that he is coming to care for Esme but fears becoming emotionally involved because he knows from experience it can only lead to heartbreak. So, he panics and, after leaving Esme at Ten Elms, his estate in Derbyshire, he heads for London.

He needed space, a bit of separation between them, so he could get his emotions under proper control again. This thing between them—whatever it might be—was dangerous and had to be stopped.

Although, at first, justifiably angry and hurt, I love Esme’s determination to get her husband back. She knows that Gabriel is a good man who hides his true self beneath a cynical façade. She sees it in the kindness he shows his servants and his acceptance of her menagerie of animals and she feels it in his kisses and touches. She knows that he is capable of love but she must earn his trust first and I like how she compares Gabriel to one of her wounded animals.

She had worked with enough wounded animals in her time to know that you couldn’t smother and push them too fast to accept you or they would remain wary of even the most tender care. Gentle, consistent handling and affection were the keys to their hearts. She just prayed they would prove the keys to Gabriel’s heart as well.

Just as a HEA seems within their grasp, there is another obstacle to overcome. At this point, I wanted to shake some sense into Gabriel when the fool believes Esme would betray him with another man, but I love how Esme stands up for herself and matters come to head, forcing Gabriel to finally admit his love for her.

I love the scene where a bold Esme sends Gabriel’s despicable uncle packing and gives his servant spies their marching orders. There is also a very poignant and emotional scene where Esme gives Gabriel a gift of a rare Cornish silver pocket watch which has special significance for him.

I enjoyed the humorous interactions between Gabriel and the Byron brothers, especially Leo and Lawrence.

MY VERDICT: Although not quite as good as the previous book, this is still a delightful, witty, entertaining and romantic story.

The Rakes of Cavendish Square series (click on the link for more details):

https://www.goodreads.com/series/134177


This review was first posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:

https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry GR friends, but I didn't like this one. The beginning was cringe-worthy; the way poor Gabriel was cornered wasn't funny to me. It's not even worth mentioning the MCs wedding night and the super awkward dialog about consummating the marriage. Gabriel's change of attitude was too sudden. Esme is boring. Even the epilogue didn't make it because it didn't add anything new...who cares about Gabriel's mommy issues!!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored Happily Bedded Bliss the second in Tracy Anne Warren’s, The Rakes of Cavendish Square series, so much so that I read it in a few sittings and then read the first book, The Bedding Proposal immediately afterwards and enjoyed it even more. Although both books can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading the series – just because!

When the youngest of the powerful Byron family, Lady Esme, takes a walk one fine day and stumbles across a beautiful, sleeping, VERY naked Adonis, how can she do anything other than sketch him? And when her private sketch is very publicly displayed, albeit by accident, how can said Adonis, Gabriel Lansdowne, Viscount Northcote, do anything other than marry her? With a certain amount of encouragement from her six large and very angry brothers of course! Esme is in two minds whether to marry to save her reputation or ride-out the censure of the ton when she suddenly catches a fleeting glimpse of Gabriel’s normally well hidden, jaded cynicism and self-derision and astutely realises that here is a man who is calling to her, rather like one of her menagerie of wounded wild animals. And so she agrees to marry him.

Esme and Gabriel are off to a less than auspicious beginning, although it doesn’t take long for them to start enjoying the pleasures of married life. In the bedroom they are very compatible, although out of it Gabriel can be prone to uncommunicative black moods, leaving bright, vivacious Esme at a loss to understand what she has done wrong. The answer is “nothing” – although she doesn’t realise it when it is happening and so is rightfully bewildered. Gabriel has a shocking past which has shaped the man he has become.

Three weeks into the marriage, Gabriel dumps Esme at his unloved estate and leaves for London. He reckons without his beautiful young wife’s love and refusal to accept his dismissal of her.

I loved all of the characters in this riveting story; the Byron family are so well drawn, and I especially liked the twins, Leo and Lawrence. Esme is a delight – refreshing, kind, unashamedly sensual and in love with her husband. The gorgeous reprobate Gabriel is a man deeply wounded and just begging to be loved even if he won’t acknowledge it. Although the beginning of the story is light and witty with a comedy of errors leading to a shotgun wedding, there is also a darker, more serious vein running through the book which is revealed layer by layer and explains why Gabriel behaves in the way he does.

Happily Bedded Bliss is not quite as good as its predecessor, but this is an excellent story and I shall certainly read each and every one in the series as it is released and also tackle her back list when I have the time. My only real complaint, and it’s small in light of my obvious admiration, are the Americanisms and modern language dotted throughout. Nevertheless such was my enjoyment that I was in no way put off. Highly recommended.

[Angie Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Signet for providing a print copy of this book in exchange for a review.

After finishing the first book in this series, I was so excited to read Happily Bedded Bliss. Unfortunately, this one didn’t live up to its predecessor. The first thing that that struck me was how many secondary characters there were. A bit of research indicated that most of these people had books of their own that were part of another series, and I do think if I’d read that series I’d have been able to keep them straight here. But as it was, it was very confusing. It also felt like it took a while for the story to get going.

The premise is very fun – a young lady forced to marry a handsome stranger simply for possessing a naked drawing of him when they’d never met. He, in fact, wasn’t even aware she existed. There were parts I liked – when Gabriel forgot himself, it was almost as if he saw Esme as a chance to atone for the wrongs he felt he’d committed (thought I think they were more perceived wrongs than actual ones,) and at those times he was very kind and considerate. But it seemed that whenever he started to think, Gabriel got trapped in his own head and couldn’t find his way out. His past was sad and I felt for him, but I felt like just a little more of a push and he could’ve made it over the hurdle. He just couldn’t bring himself to try. Esme was an OK heroine – there was nothing particularly remarkable about her. But she was a kind person and tried to be there for Gabriel even when he wasn’t being very nice to her. It was at the end when Esme chose to be dishonest with Gabriel and withhold information from him that I found I couldn’t like her anymore.

I did have a hard time with this story – it just didn’t seem very solid plot-wise, and things seemed to fall apart at the end without being put back together in a satisfactory manner. While this one was a miss for me, I do enjoy this author’s style of writing and will be sure to read the next in the series.

This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coffee Dates with Happily Bedded Bliss

First date: In the wood, He is naked. She has a sketchbook. A house party, improper sketches, a notorious rake, a Duke, and five angry brothers equal wedding bells. Oh, what fun this first date was and Esmé is simply delightful. She has a whole brood of animals, speaks her mind and does not conform. It was only a matter of time before this happened. Personally, I would not survive Regency London. I would be shackled within a week! Siblings, friends and distant family added humor, and interest.
Second date: The attraction is there and the game is a foot. Esmé makes me laugh and I settled right into the story. She is a nervous young bride, and Gabriel, Lord Northcote is turning out to be quite an interesting character. We soon learn about his past and meet his horrible Uncle. He really is quite smitten with Esmé; she amuses him, surprises him and challenges him. Moreover, Did I hear him utter mine? Do not use the L-O-V-E word around him he is liable to panic. He has poor Esmé all discombobulated. Their after marriage courtship is quite heated as these two begin to learn and explore their passion. We get a honeymoon of sorts, before one of Gabriel’s friends throws him for a loop.
Third Date:  Trouble is afoot. Esmé has a better temperament than I do making her the perfect match for our hero. I would have run him over with my buggy. The man is passionate one minute and a stranger the next. Poor Gabriel is miserable and trying to distance himself, all because of some convoluted opinion about L-O-V-E. He leaves Esmé at his estate and heads to his townhouse in London. The two go through some ups and downs but the conflict was not overdone and there was character growth. I needed a truffle or two as I rooted for this couple.


Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Rose Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

H33,h19
I read the first chapter of this book at the end of the 3rd book of this series.... And frm that moment onwards it got in my mind.
I loved how innocent the heroine was..,and how wicked the hero Gabriel is.
Loved the passion hero has for heroine... I think Tracy Anne Warren has this special ability for writing beautiful love scenes.
Very glad I got to read this book

[Hannah B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was garbage and I’m sad it was my last read of 2021

[SidneyKay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone get that boy a big can-opener!

Happily Bedded Bliss is the first book in Tracy Anne Warren's Rakes of Cavendish Square. Don't let that fool you though, because the heroine is Lady Esme Byron and she is the
youngest sister of the Byron's - another series by Ms. Warren. I'm not sure why author's feel the need to say it's a different series when some of the same people show up in it. I guess because the series name is changed that makes it fresh, but really does it? Not unless it's taking place on Mars.

In this story we have a delightful heroine in the form of Lady Esme Byron. She is nineteen and her whole life is in front of her. She loves nature, she loves to draw, she loves animals - in fact she has a ton of them. Dogs, cats, rabbits, birds - she's like Snow White. She is also a vegetarian, something rare for the time but not unheard of. Well one day while she is out wandering her family's land, sketchbook in hand, she stumbles across a man coming out of the water. A naked man. She is stunned. Because she is hidden from view, he is not aware of her presence. He decides to take a nap in the woods - naked. I guess he doesn't know about all the creepy crawly things which inhabit dirt/grass/leaves. Things which crawl into crevices. I digress. Anyway, after he has fallen into a peaceful sleep (even with insects crawling), Esme whips out her sketch pad and draws him. When he wakes up, he becomes aware that someone is there, but Esme's dog Burr leaps out from cover so he thinks it's just the dog and dresses. He goes his way and Esme goes her way, humming.

Well, there's a house party at the Byron's and any astute romance reader can see the writing on the wall. There is of course the jealous woman at the party who bangs into Esme causing Esme's sketch pad to drop to the floor. Guess what page the sketch pad falls open to? Yep, the naked guy. Well it turns out that this isn't just any guy. No siree. It seems our plucky Esme has chosen a notorious man-slut to sketch - someone who's Mr. Toad should have fallen off long ago - none other than Gabriel Lansdowne, Lord Northcote. Well, evidently Esme's pretty good at drawing because everyone recognizes Gabriel. Since the Byron brothers have convenient forgotten their rakehell days they become incensed and immediately storm into the countryside estate Gabriel is vacationing at. They pounce on him. They insist he make everything right with their sister. He has no idea what they are talking about. They pounce again. He doesn't have any idea who their sister is. They pounce again. Then they start to listen and realize that even though Gabriel is a long way from being an innocent, in this case, he is. But that doesn't really matter - he must marry their sister to avoid a worse scandal. So, two perfect strangers are wed. All of this takes place by Chapter 11. In the rest of the book we get to watch these two people who don't know each other as they stumble over numerous bumps in the road toward their HEA. Some of that stumbling works and some does not.

Isn't it funny how sometimes you like the heroine, sometimes you like the hero and sometimes you like them both. My favorite books are the ones that allow me to have a fondness for both characters. This book was not one of them. I thought Esme was a sweet character - she saved animals after all. She was gentle, kind and understanding. She was a tad bit naive but still managed to have a backbone. While she may have viewed others through rose-colored glasses, she was also quick to punish those who trespassed against her good will. When she is forced into this marriage, she wants to make it work and she puts all of her nineteen years’ worth of knowledge into it. Did I happen to mention that our hero Gabriel is thirty-three? A very experienced thirty-three. I can count on my fingers. That's fourteen years difference and it shows.

Gabriel. Gabriel is the one with the angst-filled problems. He's arrogant, has his own way with women, very experienced and can never trust or love a woman. Granted his uncle, who was his guardian, treated him cruelly, and took away his dog when he was young. This traumatized Gabriel so much that he just couldn't become attached to something else - it all gets taken away. Then there was the girl he fell in love with who crushed his teenage heart, so he could never luv again. So he just wallows in self-pity hopping from one bed to another, never allowing anyone to touch his cold heart. Until that fateful day when one of his friends suggests that love has entered Gabriel’s marriage; what was once a glorious marriage is suddenly gone. Esme cannot understand what made her husband turn into a cold stranger. Then after a night of heavy duty whankee-roo she wakes up to an empty bed. Not only an empty bed, but Gabriel has vamoosed to London leaving her alone to deal with some pretty nasty servants and an equally nasty uncle. She doesn't allow Gabriel to do this to her. She eventually follows him to London and pushes her way under his skin. But then Gabriel turns into this maniacal jealous guy. So far Gabriel has two points I counted against him - abandoning his wife and then turning into a jealous moron. But that wasn't everything, there was also an "almost disturbing essence" about him and that had to do mainly with the amount of experience he had as opposed to the lack Esme had.

My third point against Gabriel - can openers. This is what I found disturbing about Gabriel - his experience or should I say the way he used his experience to do a subtle control over Esme. It seemed to me he really didn't care that Esme was an innocent. Oh sure, he wanted to make sure her first time was pleasurable, in fact he went to a great deal of trouble to see to that. You see, he was the owner of a massive Mr. Toad and he knew that Esme's wee little tunnel of love just would not be flexible enough for his super-dooper gigantor Mr. Toad. So, he needed to do some rooting around. He preceded to tip, dig, dive, plunge, spread. First with one finger, then a second joined in, followed by his big old thumb - all he needed was a can-opener. I'm surprised he didn't find the kitchen sink in there. Was it any wonder Esme was a tad bit sore the next day. Now, I am perfectly aware that romance heroes do a lot of puppet shows with their fingers but it seemed to me that Gabriel introduced Esme to a whole world of experience really fast, even after the first encounter. Of course Esme said over and over and over again how much she loved this part of her married life, but when I combine his experience with his subtle control with the age difference, it all came a little bit too close to setting off my ick-o-meter.

Bottom line, this book had possibilities. The heroine was sweet and lovable. But the hero was controlling and arrogant; he also had a ridiculous jealousy explosion and I hatesssss jealous heroes. So I give the heroine a B+ and the hero a D.
KaysBlog

[Mary Gramlich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Esme wanted nothing more than to live out her life among family, friends, and especially all the animals she loved. Her passion for painting always drew her into a bit of a scrap now and again but nothing that she could not get her way out of as it was always harmless adventures she sought in the pursuit of her beloved art. However, the day she decided to sketch an unknown male laying au natural everything went from how she wanted her life to go into how it was going to be from now on. Gabriel, Lord Northcote was nothing but an unwitting subject of Esme’s drawings but when it is discovered that he is in fact the subject of what appears to be an intimate acquaintance the decision to save everyone’s reputation sets forth a marriage neither want but must indeed be subjected to, immediately.

Gabriel is for some reason drawn to this woman he now calls his wife and has no reasonable expectation of why that is or what to do with the feelings. He wants to care for her knowing she is an independent woman that chases down dreams as well as hopes that all will be well with everyone around her. She has come from a stable, albeit boisterous family who love each other with no reservation, while he was abused and mistreated by the uncle that took him in after the death of his parents. Gabriel feels having no point of reference for love except the kind that is hurtful has made he put up a shield around his heart to ensure that he will feel respect and admiration for Esme but never will he allow himself to love her, that is unacceptable. Esme in bits and pieces learns of what life was like for Gabriel and wants without hesitation to show him that her love is pure and without any agenda, yet when she dare say the words he does what she never expected and bolts back to the city.

Being abandoned at the home she is trying to build with Gabriel brings out the creative in Esme to get Gabriel back in her life and her bed. She decides on a plan after an ill-tempered uncle pays her a visit and opens Esme’s eyes to all the evil that is still haunting Gabriel from the past. Esme will not be brushed aside or left due to Gabriel’s fear of affection in fact she will make him crave her to distraction and realize that life without her is not one worth living.

Tracy Anne Warren pens romantic perfection from beginning to end of every story she writes.