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The Secret Life of Scoundrels #3
How I Married a Marquess
A SHOCKING DECEPTION . . .
Josephine Carlisle, adopted daughter of a baron, is officially on the shelf. But the silly, marriage-minded misses in the ton can have their frilly dresses and their seasons in London, for all she cares. Josie has her freedom and her family . . . until an encounter with a dark, devilishly handsome stranger leaves her utterly breathless at a house party. His wicked charm intrigues her, but that's where it ends. For Josie has a little secret . . .
. . . LEADS TO AN EXQUISITE SEDUCTION
Espionage was Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney's game-until a tragic accident cost him his career. Now to salvage his reputation and return to the life he loves, the marquess must find the criminal who's been robbing London's rich and powerful. He's no fool-he knows Josie, with her wild chestnut hair and rapier-sharp wit, is hiding something and he won't rest until he unravels her mysteries, one by one. But he never expected to be the one under arrest-body and soul . . .
Josephine Carlisle, adopted daughter of a baron, is officially on the shelf. But the silly, marriage-minded misses in the ton can have their frilly dresses and their seasons in London, for all she cares. Josie has her freedom and her family . . . until an encounter with a dark, devilishly handsome stranger leaves her utterly breathless at a house party. His wicked charm intrigues her, but that's where it ends. For Josie has a little secret . . .
. . . LEADS TO AN EXQUISITE SEDUCTION
Espionage was Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney's game-until a tragic accident cost him his career. Now to salvage his reputation and return to the life he loves, the marquess must find the criminal who's been robbing London's rich and powerful. He's no fool-he knows Josie, with her wild chestnut hair and rapier-sharp wit, is hiding something and he won't rest until he unravels her mysteries, one by one. But he never expected to be the one under arrest-body and soul . . .
332 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 26, 2016
62 people are currently reading
1117 people want to read
About the author
Anna Harrington
41 books772 followersI fell in love with historical romances and all things Regency—and especially all those dashing Regency heroes—while living in England, where I spent most of my time studying the Romantic poets, reading Jane Austen, and getting lost all over the English countryside.
When I read my first Regency romance in 2012, I was hooked and longed to create my own independent and spirited heroines and dashing heroes. The best part of writing historical romances is falling into history—to live in the world of Regency England through my characters, with dazzling balls, beautiful dresses, and gorgeous houses that I would otherwise never be able to experience. I love the period’s rich history and find that all those rules of etiquette and propriety can be worked to the heroine’s advantage…if she’s daring enough to seize her dreams.
In addition to earning my degrees in the U.S., I have studied theatre in London, Mexican history in Guadalajara, and Spanish in Ecuador. I am an avid traveler and have enjoyed visiting schools and volunteering with children's organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, and Mexico, and I have amassed thousands of photos I unleash on unsuspecting friends who dare to ask about my travels.
I love to be outdoors! I've been hiking in Alaska, the Andes, and the Alps, including one week spent dangling off the via ferrata in the Italian Dolomites, and I love whitewater rafting (when I don't fall in!). I earned my pilot’s license at Chicago Midway (To all the controllers in Chicago Center—I greatly apologize for every problem I caused for you and Southwest Airlines), and it is my dream to one-day fly in a hot-air balloon over Africa.
I adore all things chocolate, shamelessly dive into ice cream of any flavor, and guzzle Kona coffee by the gallon. A Doctor Who fanatic (everyone says my house is bigger on the inside), I am a terrible cook who hopes to one day use my oven for something other than shoe storage. When I'm not writing, I like to spend my time trying not to kill the innocent rose bushes in my garden.
When I read my first Regency romance in 2012, I was hooked and longed to create my own independent and spirited heroines and dashing heroes. The best part of writing historical romances is falling into history—to live in the world of Regency England through my characters, with dazzling balls, beautiful dresses, and gorgeous houses that I would otherwise never be able to experience. I love the period’s rich history and find that all those rules of etiquette and propriety can be worked to the heroine’s advantage…if she’s daring enough to seize her dreams.
In addition to earning my degrees in the U.S., I have studied theatre in London, Mexican history in Guadalajara, and Spanish in Ecuador. I am an avid traveler and have enjoyed visiting schools and volunteering with children's organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, and Mexico, and I have amassed thousands of photos I unleash on unsuspecting friends who dare to ask about my travels.
I love to be outdoors! I've been hiking in Alaska, the Andes, and the Alps, including one week spent dangling off the via ferrata in the Italian Dolomites, and I love whitewater rafting (when I don't fall in!). I earned my pilot’s license at Chicago Midway (To all the controllers in Chicago Center—I greatly apologize for every problem I caused for you and Southwest Airlines), and it is my dream to one-day fly in a hot-air balloon over Africa.
I adore all things chocolate, shamelessly dive into ice cream of any flavor, and guzzle Kona coffee by the gallon. A Doctor Who fanatic (everyone says my house is bigger on the inside), I am a terrible cook who hopes to one day use my oven for something other than shoe storage. When I'm not writing, I like to spend my time trying not to kill the innocent rose bushes in my garden.
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September 18, 2016
I've given this a D+ at AAR.
This is the third book in Anna Harrington’s Secret Life of Scoundrels trilogy which follows three men who served together during the Napoleonic Wars as they find love and a happily ever after. I reviewed the previous book, Along Came a Rogue, and while I had some issues with the pacing and certain aspects of the plot, I enjoyed it overall and felt that the two leads shared a strong emotional connection. I was therefore eager to read the final book in the series, but oh, dear – what a disappointment.
I reckon that approximately seventy-five percent of How I Married a Marquess is comprised on the following: intense make-out sessions, sex scenes and mental-lusting by the bucket-load. Actually, I suspect that’s a conservative estimate. The story, such as it is, is buried beneath the shed-load of "how could he make her feel this way?”s and "no other woman had ever had this effect on him”s (my paraphrases); the hero is a selfish git for much of the story and the heroine has way too many TSTL moments.
We met Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney in the last book, when he was shot and critically injured. This story takes place around a year later, but while he has fully recovered physically, he is suffering from what I can only suppose is a form of PTSD, because he is plagued by recurring nightmares, jumps at loud noises and has panic attacks, which he generally wards off by shagging whichever of his current paramours is to hand.
What he wants, more than anything, is to get his old life back. Following his army service, he worked for the War Office as a spy, but since his injury it seems that intelligence work is not an option as word has spread that he has ‘lost his nerve’. So when the Earl of Royston contacts him to ask for his help in apprehending a highwayman who is robbing his houseguests and promises that he will pull some strings at the War Office in return, Thomas jumps at the chance to prove himself and heads off to Royston’s country estate in Lincolnshire to join the house party.
On his first evening there, he encounters Josephine, daughter of Lord and Lady Carlisle, and is immediately and strongly attracted to her. He likes her intelligence and her spirit and wants her with a ferocity he’s never before felt for any woman; but he is intent on getting his life back and has no interest in any permanent attachment, which is, of course, the only type of attachment possible when the lady in question is, well, a lady.
But Josephine has secrets, and her first conversation with Thomas spooks her badly when she realises he is the sort of man who will be able to discover them. How she knows this when she’s known him for less than five minutes, I have no idea, but there it is. She tries to avoid him, but the pull of his heated sapphire gaze and overall gorgeousness is too much for her to resist, their first kiss takes place the next morning and after that, they’re snogging each other silly at almost every opportunity. I counted four make-out sessions by the 40% mark, and my Goodreads update says: “Some authors need to learn that sometimes, less is more and that there is more to creating sexual tension than having your H/h sucking face every ten pages.”
Although Josephine has been brought up by the Carlisles, she is actually an orphan, adopted by them when she was six. Not surprisingly, she is committed to helping the orphans that remain at the Good Hope Orphanage and has discovered that Royston, who is the patron, has some sort of scheme going on whereby he arranges for the by blows of the nobility to be placed there in return for political favours. Having no proof, she can’t expose him, so instead she does what she can for the place financially… and I don’t think it will come as any surprise when Jo’s Big Secret is revealed.
That is pretty much the extent of the plot. Thomas wants Jo to give up her dangerous hobby, she refuses. Even when she is almost caught, she still refuses, and then ignores his clear instructions to lay low – which are, admittedly, a bit heavy-handed, but nonetheless expressed in terms of concern for her safety. That’s an excursion way too far into TSTL territory in my book. Mind you, Thomas isn’t any more likeable. He’s quite sexy in a dark, brooding “I must have you NOW!” kind of way, and on the few occasions he gets to show his Sooper Spy Skillz, it’s obvious he was good at his job. But his focus is so firmly on returning to his life as a spy that for most of the book, Jo runs a poor second to that ambition, even though her sexual healing miraculously cures his PTSD.
It’s clear from the previous novel in the series that Anna Harrington can write, knows how to tell a story and can create attractive characters. Towards the end of this book, Thomas’ plan to thwart Royston, keep Jo out of danger and rescue a wrongly-imprisoned man is well-written and fun to read, but it’s too little too late. Otherwise, How I Married a Marquess has little plot to speak of, the central characters are unappealing and practically the entire book revolves around sex. If Thomas and Josephine aren’t doing it, then they’re thinking about it, and my eyes started to glaze over every time they started an internal monologue about how attractive the other person was and how much they wanted to roger them stupid. I like a bit of steam as much as the next person, but there needs to be an appropriate build up, and that just isn’t present. There is hardly any sexual tension between the couple because they get into the sexual situations so quickly, and there is no sense of any deeper emotional connection between them.
At this point in a review, I might normally sum up by saying something like “if you enjoyed the author’s other books, then you might like this one”, but given that I’ve enjoyed other books by Ms. Harrington and didn’t enjoy this one, I’m not going to. In fact, I think that anyone who enjoyed her other books is likely to be disappointed.
This is the third book in Anna Harrington’s Secret Life of Scoundrels trilogy which follows three men who served together during the Napoleonic Wars as they find love and a happily ever after. I reviewed the previous book, Along Came a Rogue, and while I had some issues with the pacing and certain aspects of the plot, I enjoyed it overall and felt that the two leads shared a strong emotional connection. I was therefore eager to read the final book in the series, but oh, dear – what a disappointment.
I reckon that approximately seventy-five percent of How I Married a Marquess is comprised on the following: intense make-out sessions, sex scenes and mental-lusting by the bucket-load. Actually, I suspect that’s a conservative estimate. The story, such as it is, is buried beneath the shed-load of "how could he make her feel this way?”s and "no other woman had ever had this effect on him”s (my paraphrases); the hero is a selfish git for much of the story and the heroine has way too many TSTL moments.
We met Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney in the last book, when he was shot and critically injured. This story takes place around a year later, but while he has fully recovered physically, he is suffering from what I can only suppose is a form of PTSD, because he is plagued by recurring nightmares, jumps at loud noises and has panic attacks, which he generally wards off by shagging whichever of his current paramours is to hand.
What he wants, more than anything, is to get his old life back. Following his army service, he worked for the War Office as a spy, but since his injury it seems that intelligence work is not an option as word has spread that he has ‘lost his nerve’. So when the Earl of Royston contacts him to ask for his help in apprehending a highwayman who is robbing his houseguests and promises that he will pull some strings at the War Office in return, Thomas jumps at the chance to prove himself and heads off to Royston’s country estate in Lincolnshire to join the house party.
On his first evening there, he encounters Josephine, daughter of Lord and Lady Carlisle, and is immediately and strongly attracted to her. He likes her intelligence and her spirit and wants her with a ferocity he’s never before felt for any woman; but he is intent on getting his life back and has no interest in any permanent attachment, which is, of course, the only type of attachment possible when the lady in question is, well, a lady.
But Josephine has secrets, and her first conversation with Thomas spooks her badly when she realises he is the sort of man who will be able to discover them. How she knows this when she’s known him for less than five minutes, I have no idea, but there it is. She tries to avoid him, but the pull of his heated sapphire gaze and overall gorgeousness is too much for her to resist, their first kiss takes place the next morning and after that, they’re snogging each other silly at almost every opportunity. I counted four make-out sessions by the 40% mark, and my Goodreads update says: “Some authors need to learn that sometimes, less is more and that there is more to creating sexual tension than having your H/h sucking face every ten pages.”
Although Josephine has been brought up by the Carlisles, she is actually an orphan, adopted by them when she was six. Not surprisingly, she is committed to helping the orphans that remain at the Good Hope Orphanage and has discovered that Royston, who is the patron, has some sort of scheme going on whereby he arranges for the by blows of the nobility to be placed there in return for political favours. Having no proof, she can’t expose him, so instead she does what she can for the place financially… and I don’t think it will come as any surprise when Jo’s Big Secret is revealed.
That is pretty much the extent of the plot. Thomas wants Jo to give up her dangerous hobby, she refuses. Even when she is almost caught, she still refuses, and then ignores his clear instructions to lay low – which are, admittedly, a bit heavy-handed, but nonetheless expressed in terms of concern for her safety. That’s an excursion way too far into TSTL territory in my book. Mind you, Thomas isn’t any more likeable. He’s quite sexy in a dark, brooding “I must have you NOW!” kind of way, and on the few occasions he gets to show his Sooper Spy Skillz, it’s obvious he was good at his job. But his focus is so firmly on returning to his life as a spy that for most of the book, Jo runs a poor second to that ambition, even though her sexual healing miraculously cures his PTSD.
It’s clear from the previous novel in the series that Anna Harrington can write, knows how to tell a story and can create attractive characters. Towards the end of this book, Thomas’ plan to thwart Royston, keep Jo out of danger and rescue a wrongly-imprisoned man is well-written and fun to read, but it’s too little too late. Otherwise, How I Married a Marquess has little plot to speak of, the central characters are unappealing and practically the entire book revolves around sex. If Thomas and Josephine aren’t doing it, then they’re thinking about it, and my eyes started to glaze over every time they started an internal monologue about how attractive the other person was and how much they wanted to roger them stupid. I like a bit of steam as much as the next person, but there needs to be an appropriate build up, and that just isn’t present. There is hardly any sexual tension between the couple because they get into the sexual situations so quickly, and there is no sense of any deeper emotional connection between them.
At this point in a review, I might normally sum up by saying something like “if you enjoyed the author’s other books, then you might like this one”, but given that I’ve enjoyed other books by Ms. Harrington and didn’t enjoy this one, I’m not going to. In fact, I think that anyone who enjoyed her other books is likely to be disappointed.
May 22, 2016
'How I Married a Marquess ' by Anna Harrington is book three in the "The Secret Life of Scoundrels" series. This is the story of Josephine Carlisle and Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney.
Thomas had a series bullet injury that almost too his life. Thomas still hasn't really got over it emotionally yet and hasn't been able to go by to his career of spying/Espionage. Thomas seems to get panic attacks once in a while. When a chance comes up for him to go to a house party to try and find a highway man who has been robbing people Thomas goes for it. Thomas feels this will be his chance to prove and get back in to the spying career. But he had not counted on meeting Josephine.
Josephine was an orphan until about 7 or 8 when she was adopted by the Carlisle family. Josephine has never forgotten her fellow orphans at the orphanage and tries to help out the orphanage by getting them food, coal etc. But Thomas has arrived and thrown Josephine for a loop. Josephine is attracted to Thomas but knows that she is below his station and also she has secrets she doesn't want anyone to know...especially him. But Thomas has found that just being around Josephine has put a calming effect on him and his attacks. Can they find away to deal with everything to be together?
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Thomas had a series bullet injury that almost too his life. Thomas still hasn't really got over it emotionally yet and hasn't been able to go by to his career of spying/Espionage. Thomas seems to get panic attacks once in a while. When a chance comes up for him to go to a house party to try and find a highway man who has been robbing people Thomas goes for it. Thomas feels this will be his chance to prove and get back in to the spying career. But he had not counted on meeting Josephine.
Josephine was an orphan until about 7 or 8 when she was adopted by the Carlisle family. Josephine has never forgotten her fellow orphans at the orphanage and tries to help out the orphanage by getting them food, coal etc. But Thomas has arrived and thrown Josephine for a loop. Josephine is attracted to Thomas but knows that she is below his station and also she has secrets she doesn't want anyone to know...especially him. But Thomas has found that just being around Josephine has put a calming effect on him and his attacks. Can they find away to deal with everything to be together?
Please follow more reviews at the below sites:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sally.mae.39...
http://booklikes.com/
https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/17091...
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://www.pinterest.com/u2soapsrus/
May 13, 2016
This book had so many elements to love!
First, Thomas was a spy, forced into retirement by an injury that left him with rather severe PTSD. He finds himself investigating a highwayman, which takes him into close proximity with the ever intriguing Josie. I love a good historical that has a little flirtation in the beginning, and a little bit of, ‘Oh, it won't work between the characters’. I find myself skimming pages when it drags on too long however, and this one knew just when to stop.
The entire premise of Josie being adopted, and then being raised with very wild and overprotective older brothers was really amusing. Her ability to hold her own, the respect she didn't know she commanded, and the skills she learned from being thrust into that band of hellions made for fun reading. Thomas, having been a spy, was constantly popping out with clever observations. Noticing small things about a person, noticing his environment, and then playing into his environment so as to not stand out.
The underlying story of the orphans, and the corruption they faced was heartbreaking. Seeing Josie struggle to care for them made me sympathize with every decision she made. Even when she was being a little too stubborn for my liking. Her secrets were a surprise to me, as was her frankness about her relationship with Thomas. No bashful virgin here, she was not afraid to accept that she had desires and would act on them.
Her stubborn trait proved to be useful for a delightful ending, which led to laughs and sighs and a lovely outcome. Some aspects were wrapped up a little too smoothly and quickly for my liking, with no real explanation of how things would be solved. It is mostly just assumed they are. With two such determined main characters, however, it isn't too difficult to assume they will be taken care of. Overall, a most satisfying read. ~ George, 4 stars
First, Thomas was a spy, forced into retirement by an injury that left him with rather severe PTSD. He finds himself investigating a highwayman, which takes him into close proximity with the ever intriguing Josie. I love a good historical that has a little flirtation in the beginning, and a little bit of, ‘Oh, it won't work between the characters’. I find myself skimming pages when it drags on too long however, and this one knew just when to stop.
The entire premise of Josie being adopted, and then being raised with very wild and overprotective older brothers was really amusing. Her ability to hold her own, the respect she didn't know she commanded, and the skills she learned from being thrust into that band of hellions made for fun reading. Thomas, having been a spy, was constantly popping out with clever observations. Noticing small things about a person, noticing his environment, and then playing into his environment so as to not stand out.
The underlying story of the orphans, and the corruption they faced was heartbreaking. Seeing Josie struggle to care for them made me sympathize with every decision she made. Even when she was being a little too stubborn for my liking. Her secrets were a surprise to me, as was her frankness about her relationship with Thomas. No bashful virgin here, she was not afraid to accept that she had desires and would act on them.
Her stubborn trait proved to be useful for a delightful ending, which led to laughs and sighs and a lovely outcome. Some aspects were wrapped up a little too smoothly and quickly for my liking, with no real explanation of how things would be solved. It is mostly just assumed they are. With two such determined main characters, however, it isn't too difficult to assume they will be taken care of. Overall, a most satisfying read. ~ George, 4 stars
May 4, 2016
Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.
As the adopted daughter of a baron, Josephine Carlisle has everything a woman could need yet she still feels out of place and unwelcome in her family’s world. Now that she’s considered “On the Shelf” Josie feels more relaxed and free until one night at a house party she meets the Marquess of Chesney.
As a former spy Thomas Matteson is used to finding out people’s secrets and he’s sure Josie is hiding something. He’s at the house party to find out who has been robbing the rich but Josie is proving to be more distracting than he originally thought.
Almost since the beginning Thomas Matteson, the Marquess of Chesney had been a bit of a ghost character. In the first book he appeared briefly but in the second he was laid up with an injury. However that incident was the catalyst for his sister to find her happy ending. Now it’s Thomas’ turn and I was delighted with him as a hero. He had a lot of internal conflict that centered on his desperate need to return to his life as a spy and his battle with PTSD. I was surprised at how vulnerable Anna Harrington made this character given that he’s a man and a former spy but with his PTSD looming over him like a dark cloud it was very clear why it was rumored that he had lost his edge. That fed into his doubts of not being the man he once was and needing a purpose in life. Thomas’ enemy wasn’t really his feelings for Josie, it was his feelings about himself and that made him stand out to me.
Josie was delightful. She was fun and energetic and unafraid of life. She had unique circumstances as the adopted daughter of a titled man, she was a titled lady on paper but of course in that time period it was all about the bloodlines and Josie didn’t even know who her real parents were. I liked that she was similar to Thomas in that her internal conflicts were the true obstacles to her happiness. Josie never felt like she belonged in her family because she was adopted and that led her to make dangerous decisions but they were made for the right reasons most of the time. I loved that she didn’t expect or even want Thomas to save her and that she took steps to solve her own problems but she did have this bad habit of not realizing when she was in over her head and needed help. Several times her unyielding stubbornness annoyed me simply because she was being irrational when it was clear Thomas was better suited for certain tasks and her insistence on being included in situations where it was best she didn’t draw attention was sometimes too much.
I personally love combatative couples because it spices things up and adds a great layer of tension when it’s done right. Thomas and Josie had sparks from the moment Josie initiated contact (Another reason to like her) and it didn’t stop there. Whatever Thomas threw out at her, Josie was ready to hit back at him and it really made their relationship interesting to me. The verbal back and forth was seductive in its own way and definitely didn’t go unnoticed by either character.
Hands down Josie’s brothers were the comedic relief in How I Married a Marquess. I just loved them! They just seemed larger than life to me. Sebastian, Robert and Quinton were as different as three men could be but put them together and they were loud, brash, and about a subtle as wrecking balls. They loved Josie and protected her no matter what. These three were a lot of fun and I would love to see more of them.
How I Married a Marquess was definitely well written but that seems to be par for the course with Anna Harrington. The scenes flowed into one another with ease and the dialogue was brisk and entertaining and there wasn’t an overdone amount of drama involved. Just a bit of sleuthing, seducing and saving the day. The pacing was moderate, not too slow and not too fast and while it is the third book in the Secret Life of Scoundrels series, each book can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.
Final Verdict: What a fitting end to a series about three friends who suffered through war and personal strife and then found happiness with three very special women. Thomas and Josie made How I Married a Marquess quite the reading experience and while I’m sad to say goodbye, I can’t wait to see what Anna Harrington has up her sleeve. After this, she’s just been moved to my “Auto-Buy” list.
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.
As the adopted daughter of a baron, Josephine Carlisle has everything a woman could need yet she still feels out of place and unwelcome in her family’s world. Now that she’s considered “On the Shelf” Josie feels more relaxed and free until one night at a house party she meets the Marquess of Chesney.
As a former spy Thomas Matteson is used to finding out people’s secrets and he’s sure Josie is hiding something. He’s at the house party to find out who has been robbing the rich but Josie is proving to be more distracting than he originally thought.
Almost since the beginning Thomas Matteson, the Marquess of Chesney had been a bit of a ghost character. In the first book he appeared briefly but in the second he was laid up with an injury. However that incident was the catalyst for his sister to find her happy ending. Now it’s Thomas’ turn and I was delighted with him as a hero. He had a lot of internal conflict that centered on his desperate need to return to his life as a spy and his battle with PTSD. I was surprised at how vulnerable Anna Harrington made this character given that he’s a man and a former spy but with his PTSD looming over him like a dark cloud it was very clear why it was rumored that he had lost his edge. That fed into his doubts of not being the man he once was and needing a purpose in life. Thomas’ enemy wasn’t really his feelings for Josie, it was his feelings about himself and that made him stand out to me.
Josie was delightful. She was fun and energetic and unafraid of life. She had unique circumstances as the adopted daughter of a titled man, she was a titled lady on paper but of course in that time period it was all about the bloodlines and Josie didn’t even know who her real parents were. I liked that she was similar to Thomas in that her internal conflicts were the true obstacles to her happiness. Josie never felt like she belonged in her family because she was adopted and that led her to make dangerous decisions but they were made for the right reasons most of the time. I loved that she didn’t expect or even want Thomas to save her and that she took steps to solve her own problems but she did have this bad habit of not realizing when she was in over her head and needed help. Several times her unyielding stubbornness annoyed me simply because she was being irrational when it was clear Thomas was better suited for certain tasks and her insistence on being included in situations where it was best she didn’t draw attention was sometimes too much.
I personally love combatative couples because it spices things up and adds a great layer of tension when it’s done right. Thomas and Josie had sparks from the moment Josie initiated contact (Another reason to like her) and it didn’t stop there. Whatever Thomas threw out at her, Josie was ready to hit back at him and it really made their relationship interesting to me. The verbal back and forth was seductive in its own way and definitely didn’t go unnoticed by either character.
Hands down Josie’s brothers were the comedic relief in How I Married a Marquess. I just loved them! They just seemed larger than life to me. Sebastian, Robert and Quinton were as different as three men could be but put them together and they were loud, brash, and about a subtle as wrecking balls. They loved Josie and protected her no matter what. These three were a lot of fun and I would love to see more of them.
How I Married a Marquess was definitely well written but that seems to be par for the course with Anna Harrington. The scenes flowed into one another with ease and the dialogue was brisk and entertaining and there wasn’t an overdone amount of drama involved. Just a bit of sleuthing, seducing and saving the day. The pacing was moderate, not too slow and not too fast and while it is the third book in the Secret Life of Scoundrels series, each book can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.
Final Verdict: What a fitting end to a series about three friends who suffered through war and personal strife and then found happiness with three very special women. Thomas and Josie made How I Married a Marquess quite the reading experience and while I’m sad to say goodbye, I can’t wait to see what Anna Harrington has up her sleeve. After this, she’s just been moved to my “Auto-Buy” list.
April 6, 2016
Ummm where do I begin?! The book started off promising but then I just started hating Thomas. He was such an ass! So selfish and he really had no reason for it. I mean yeah there was a reason but it wasn't enough. So this douche bag keeps molesting the heroine but he knows he can't marry her for some bullshit reason.
Alright so he meets the heroine, Josephine, and immediately starts hitting on her, the next time he meets her he kisses her, so on and so forth... What irritated me is his selfishness. He didn't really care for her, everything was about him and his freaking pity party. My life was ruined, I was hurt, I will hurt others in the meantime to get everything I want... blah, blah, blah!
Alright so he meets the heroine, Josephine, and immediately starts hitting on her, the next time he meets her he kisses her, so on and so forth... What irritated me is his selfishness. He didn't really care for her, everything was about him and his freaking pity party. My life was ruined, I was hurt, I will hurt others in the meantime to get everything I want... blah, blah, blah!
August 8, 2016
I just can't say i enjoyed the content of this book. It was self-pity and insta-lust contained in one long story, there was nothing of substance in this book. Yet they fell in love after a couple of days. Not her best work.
May 6, 2025
This is only my 4th book by Anna Harrington. I really liked her 1st book in Dukes of Darkness series so went back to my notes and saw that I had read book 1 in this series back in 2021. I didn't get more because I thought she was a bit expensive. I average 300 books a year and anything over $5 is too much. I’ve learned over the years to get the expensive books with amazon credits and buy them on double points days. 😊 I loved book 2 and added it to my favorite reads for Oct, 2024 so definitely had to finish up the series.
OMG I loved this book too. I loved the spy aspect of the storyline and the intrigue and suspense. Just a great read. I loved Josephine and Thomas and they had such great chemistry. Now I know why other readers ask if you have a book boyfriend. Anna writes GREAT book book friends. All these guys are written like they are so hot and yummy and amazingly strong women. Loved it and adding this to my favorite reads list for Oct, 2024.
OMG I loved this book too. I loved the spy aspect of the storyline and the intrigue and suspense. Just a great read. I loved Josephine and Thomas and they had such great chemistry. Now I know why other readers ask if you have a book boyfriend. Anna writes GREAT book book friends. All these guys are written like they are so hot and yummy and amazingly strong women. Loved it and adding this to my favorite reads list for Oct, 2024.
April 26, 2016
Chatham House, Mayfair London - 1817
Thomas Matteson, Lord Chesney, Marquess of Chesney, has been staying at Chatham House while his parents are at their other home. Thomas sustained a bullet wound to his hip a year ago which took a long time to heal. Even with his background as an operative for the War Office, his injury has left him with panic attacks and the inability to sleep well. But when he receives a missive from Earl Bathurst, the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, saying that Thomas is unfit for service, he is devastated.
Then Thomas receives a request from Earl Royston of Blackwood Hall to use his special skills to investigate some highway robberies near his estate. If Thomas stops the robberies at Blackwood Hall, Earl Royston will put in a good word with Earl Bathurst for Thomas to which he agrees. Thus, Thomas leaves for a house party at Blackwood Hall to begin his investigations.
Josephine (Josie) Carlisle, age 23, is attending the house party at Blackwood Hall. The Carlisle family are neighbors to the Roystons. The daughter of a Baron, Josie is actually an adopted orphan. Adopted at age 6 by Richard and Elizabeth Carlisle, she has dedicated herself to do all she can to help the orphans at the Good Hope Orphanage. The older she gets, the more she realizes she is probably remain unwed as she is passed over because she was an adopted orphan.
The Carlisles have 3 sons of their own and as Elizabeth was unable to have more children, they decided to adopt a daughter. She has always been loved and treated as their true daughter.
When Josie glimpses Thomas at the house party, she is very intrigued by this handsome man. After a waltz, they are immediately attracted to one another.
As Josie helps out at the Orphanage she vows to do all she can to make life better for the orphans. She does not like Mrs. Potter who runs the Orphanage. The woman works for Lord Royston and does whatever he tells her to do. She also steals money and beats the children. When Thomas sees her with the orphans, he is quite intrigued by Josie and her ability to comfort people. Just being around her relaxes him.
When the highway robberies continue, Thomas lies in wait and follows the robber. What he finds leaves him shocked and confused whether to arrest the perpetrator or not.
The stubbornness of Thomas and Josie became grating at times but it only added to the angst of the characters.
I enjoyed this story and I know others will as well.
Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Thomas Matteson, Lord Chesney, Marquess of Chesney, has been staying at Chatham House while his parents are at their other home. Thomas sustained a bullet wound to his hip a year ago which took a long time to heal. Even with his background as an operative for the War Office, his injury has left him with panic attacks and the inability to sleep well. But when he receives a missive from Earl Bathurst, the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, saying that Thomas is unfit for service, he is devastated.
Then Thomas receives a request from Earl Royston of Blackwood Hall to use his special skills to investigate some highway robberies near his estate. If Thomas stops the robberies at Blackwood Hall, Earl Royston will put in a good word with Earl Bathurst for Thomas to which he agrees. Thus, Thomas leaves for a house party at Blackwood Hall to begin his investigations.
Josephine (Josie) Carlisle, age 23, is attending the house party at Blackwood Hall. The Carlisle family are neighbors to the Roystons. The daughter of a Baron, Josie is actually an adopted orphan. Adopted at age 6 by Richard and Elizabeth Carlisle, she has dedicated herself to do all she can to help the orphans at the Good Hope Orphanage. The older she gets, the more she realizes she is probably remain unwed as she is passed over because she was an adopted orphan.
The Carlisles have 3 sons of their own and as Elizabeth was unable to have more children, they decided to adopt a daughter. She has always been loved and treated as their true daughter.
When Josie glimpses Thomas at the house party, she is very intrigued by this handsome man. After a waltz, they are immediately attracted to one another.
As Josie helps out at the Orphanage she vows to do all she can to make life better for the orphans. She does not like Mrs. Potter who runs the Orphanage. The woman works for Lord Royston and does whatever he tells her to do. She also steals money and beats the children. When Thomas sees her with the orphans, he is quite intrigued by Josie and her ability to comfort people. Just being around her relaxes him.
When the highway robberies continue, Thomas lies in wait and follows the robber. What he finds leaves him shocked and confused whether to arrest the perpetrator or not.
The stubbornness of Thomas and Josie became grating at times but it only added to the angst of the characters.
I enjoyed this story and I know others will as well.
Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
April 26, 2016
Posted on What I'm Reading
Talk about it being totally unproductive day. How I Married A Marquess sucked me into the story. I couldn't stop reading once I started. I kept telling myself one more chapter, and I need to do something else. However, I kept telling myself this lie, and by the time I was close to finishing it I said "What the heck, why stop now?" Basically it was crack for readers, I loved every moment of this story. Anna basically grabs your attention with the first chapter and she doesn't let go. Thomas is a cad at the beginning, and he's restless. After getting shot in the last book and almost dying he's trying to find his footing through How I Married A Marquess. He was once a spy, but can't do it cause he lost his edge. Of course, that's not a good thing in a spy. Yet, he was given an opportunity to possibly get his career back with the help of a family friend. Then he meets this spirited, beautiful, young woman who isn't what she seems to be.
Now Josephine is such a fun character. She's not your typical aristocrat daughter. No, she's spirited and fun, yet she doesn't believe she's good enough to marry. She lets her adoption loom over her head, and she believes that she's going to taint some families bloodlines cause she isn't a natural daughter of the baron. He has a hard time accepting that her family loves her no matter what, and she's fearful that one day her family is going to wake up and realize that they made a mistake. Granted her family loves her to pieces, but it's a normal fear.
I had a great time reading How I Married A Marquess. Honestly it was fun and lighthearted. You have Thomas chasing after Josephine and trying to save her from herself. There is this friction between the two, because she believes that Thomas's family friend is up to no good. Yet, he can come to terms that he could be evil, which is their argument through most of the book. I get why Thomas is loyal to the family friend, because why in the world would he do such terrible things. We also meet Josephine's brothers who I think need their own books, because they seem like trouble. If you are need of an adventure, you might consider How I Married A Marquess. Who knows you might not be able to put it down once you start.
Copy provided by Forever Romance
Talk about it being totally unproductive day. How I Married A Marquess sucked me into the story. I couldn't stop reading once I started. I kept telling myself one more chapter, and I need to do something else. However, I kept telling myself this lie, and by the time I was close to finishing it I said "What the heck, why stop now?" Basically it was crack for readers, I loved every moment of this story. Anna basically grabs your attention with the first chapter and she doesn't let go. Thomas is a cad at the beginning, and he's restless. After getting shot in the last book and almost dying he's trying to find his footing through How I Married A Marquess. He was once a spy, but can't do it cause he lost his edge. Of course, that's not a good thing in a spy. Yet, he was given an opportunity to possibly get his career back with the help of a family friend. Then he meets this spirited, beautiful, young woman who isn't what she seems to be.
Now Josephine is such a fun character. She's not your typical aristocrat daughter. No, she's spirited and fun, yet she doesn't believe she's good enough to marry. She lets her adoption loom over her head, and she believes that she's going to taint some families bloodlines cause she isn't a natural daughter of the baron. He has a hard time accepting that her family loves her no matter what, and she's fearful that one day her family is going to wake up and realize that they made a mistake. Granted her family loves her to pieces, but it's a normal fear.
I had a great time reading How I Married A Marquess. Honestly it was fun and lighthearted. You have Thomas chasing after Josephine and trying to save her from herself. There is this friction between the two, because she believes that Thomas's family friend is up to no good. Yet, he can come to terms that he could be evil, which is their argument through most of the book. I get why Thomas is loyal to the family friend, because why in the world would he do such terrible things. We also meet Josephine's brothers who I think need their own books, because they seem like trouble. If you are need of an adventure, you might consider How I Married A Marquess. Who knows you might not be able to put it down once you start.
Copy provided by Forever Romance
April 29, 2016
From the book description of How I Married a Marquess I should have enjoyed this story much more than I did. All of the elements I expected were there; a strong heroine seeking justice for the unfortunate, a hero trying to reorder his life after a devastating injury and love bringing the two of them together against a common enemy. As a whole the book was good, with a fast pace that made it a quick read; however when I look closer at the story I can see the small flaws that kept me from rating it higher.
The story opens up a year after the events of the previous book Along Came a Rogue and Lord Thomas Matteson is still recovering from the gunshot wound that almost killed him. The injury and the long rehabilitation have taken Thomas away from the work he loves as a spy for the Home Office, and unfortunately his superiors feel that Thomas has lost his nerve and have quietly dismissed him from service. Grasping at any chance to get back in the game Thomas accepts a job from his father’s close friend Lord Royston to investigate and capture a highwayman who’s been plaguing the roads around his property. If Thomas can handle the job quickly and quietly, Lord Royston will use his clout to have Thomas reinstated as an agent.
Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews
The story opens up a year after the events of the previous book Along Came a Rogue and Lord Thomas Matteson is still recovering from the gunshot wound that almost killed him. The injury and the long rehabilitation have taken Thomas away from the work he loves as a spy for the Home Office, and unfortunately his superiors feel that Thomas has lost his nerve and have quietly dismissed him from service. Grasping at any chance to get back in the game Thomas accepts a job from his father’s close friend Lord Royston to investigate and capture a highwayman who’s been plaguing the roads around his property. If Thomas can handle the job quickly and quietly, Lord Royston will use his clout to have Thomas reinstated as an agent.
Please read the full review at Romantic Historical Reviews
April 30, 2016
With its ginger(ish) highwaywoman heroine, I thought How I Married a Marquess had catnip written all over it. Unfortunately, the premise did not live up to my high expectations. This book was a huge disappointment.
Highwaywoman persona aside, Josie was quite flat as a character and very foolish in her choices. I mean, I understood some of her motivations to an extent, but there were times when she made me want to slam my head into a wall. I did like Thomas and I thought the portrayal of his anxiety fueled panic attacks stemming from his near death experience was well handled for the most part. Except of course when Josie became the magical cure to all of his pain. I absolutely HATE that kind of wholly unrealistic plot device.
As much as I enjoy Anna Harrington’s writing, I do find her couples lacking on the emotional level. Even with Thomas and Josie’s easy rapport, I never felt that they made that leap from lustful attraction to genuine love, at least not to the point where it was believable. I encountered similar issues in the previous two books. So when the romance comes up short and the plot is either boring or OTT crazy as it was here, what’s left to like?
Highwaywoman persona aside, Josie was quite flat as a character and very foolish in her choices. I mean, I understood some of her motivations to an extent, but there were times when she made me want to slam my head into a wall. I did like Thomas and I thought the portrayal of his anxiety fueled panic attacks stemming from his near death experience was well handled for the most part. Except of course when Josie became the magical cure to all of his pain. I absolutely HATE that kind of wholly unrealistic plot device.
As much as I enjoy Anna Harrington’s writing, I do find her couples lacking on the emotional level. Even with Thomas and Josie’s easy rapport, I never felt that they made that leap from lustful attraction to genuine love, at least not to the point where it was believable. I encountered similar issues in the previous two books. So when the romance comes up short and the plot is either boring or OTT crazy as it was here, what’s left to like?
May 1, 2016
Alors c'est plus 3 pour le héros, mais j'accorde 4 pour les frères de l'héroïne.
Sinon dans l'ensemble c'était sympa, mais j'avais raison, le héros mérite des claques. J'aime bien Thomas ....mais il m'a fait penser à Griffin Reading dans Maiden Lane (mode "je sais pas ce que je veux mais j'ai grave envie de me faire l'héroïne....").
J'ai aimé Joséphine l'héroïne, son caractère, sa famille, sa façon realiste de se débattre avec son passé et l'insécurité lié à son statut d'enfant adopté (malgré une famille clairement aimante et protective ^^)
Et je veux une série sur les frères Carlisle ❤
Sinon dans l'ensemble c'était sympa, mais j'avais raison, le héros mérite des claques. J'aime bien Thomas ....mais il m'a fait penser à Griffin Reading dans Maiden Lane (mode "je sais pas ce que je veux mais j'ai grave envie de me faire l'héroïne....").
J'ai aimé Joséphine l'héroïne, son caractère, sa famille, sa façon realiste de se débattre avec son passé et l'insécurité lié à son statut d'enfant adopté (malgré une famille clairement aimante et protective ^^)
Et je veux une série sur les frères Carlisle ❤
May 22, 2017
DNF
I've been trying to read this book for a while now, and once I figured out I wasn't anywhere near interested enough to read it properly I spent a lot of time dithering around before I read through enough of it to leave a reasonably articulate review. I have a TBR list that can span the equator, goddamit I do not have the time for this.
And yet, here we are. Because if I don't do this review at some time in the future I'm possibly end up with this book again and will have to live through the same experience. Again.
The prose in this book is not bad as much as occasionally ill-judged and badly edited. While I realize that a deep and profound loathing for the adjectives "masculine" and "feminine" is merely a pet peeve of mine, there were other instances of word usage I found both jarring and easily corrected. There are, however, a few genuinely hilarious moments (that last holdup was beautiful- the guy just HATES playing the Highwayman), which leave me with an uncomfortable longing for what could have been.
What IS, however, is a story that honestly makes no sense and pats itself on the back for having such beautiful and speshul characters. I saw equivalents of the phrase "not like other girls" enough times that I got tired of rolling my eyes. And the hero, of course is so perfect that the heroine can tell at first glance that he's oh so charismatic because two girls are paying attention to him talking. This book suffers from a bad case of telling rather than showing.
What else? Ah, yes. The Sherlock Scan. I'm very much in the Sir Samuel Vimes school of thought when it comes to the Art of Deduction, which means that I get really fucking irritated when the Sherlock Expy in question confidently and accurately latches on to the one true explanation when there could be so many other equally valid reasons. A woman's hair being slightly badly dressed does not necessarily mean that her maid is sick. Her maid could have been careless, trying out a new style which did not quite work, or a different person could have dressed her hair. In addition, it could have been messy because she was moving too much, or because hairpins tend to fall out, or because the last time her saw her it was the evening towards the midpoint or so of a dance. Sherlock Scans are great, but people who use them really need to note that Arthur Conan Doyle also mentioned something about eliminating whatever else was possible first.
One last point before I close up. I find it hard to see how Josie can be a successful Highwayman, competent enough to warrant someone sending a detective after her. There is embezzlement happening at the Orphanage? CLEARLY the one true solution is highway robbery, nevermind that you are not comfortable with the whole concept at all and do not enjoy it one bit. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE crusading women with all my heart, and that was the main reason I gave this book a try in the first place. But it has to be a reasonable and rational course of action, not a gimmick by the author to show yet again how special and different her MC is.
(As a sidenote; I'd like to direct all seekers of crusading women to Trial by Desire, which features the Regency version of Batman for battered women. I do love the Rich Idiot with No Day Job facade.)
Anyway, it's a disappointing book. I often find that I'm disappointed with books that advertise their heroines as badass. They almost never live up to the hype, and the women soon fall into tired and true roles of traditional femininity.
I've been trying to read this book for a while now, and once I figured out I wasn't anywhere near interested enough to read it properly I spent a lot of time dithering around before I read through enough of it to leave a reasonably articulate review. I have a TBR list that can span the equator, goddamit I do not have the time for this.
And yet, here we are. Because if I don't do this review at some time in the future I'm possibly end up with this book again and will have to live through the same experience. Again.
The prose in this book is not bad as much as occasionally ill-judged and badly edited. While I realize that a deep and profound loathing for the adjectives "masculine" and "feminine" is merely a pet peeve of mine, there were other instances of word usage I found both jarring and easily corrected. There are, however, a few genuinely hilarious moments (that last holdup was beautiful- the guy just HATES playing the Highwayman), which leave me with an uncomfortable longing for what could have been.
What IS, however, is a story that honestly makes no sense and pats itself on the back for having such beautiful and speshul characters. I saw equivalents of the phrase "not like other girls" enough times that I got tired of rolling my eyes. And the hero, of course is so perfect that the heroine can tell at first glance that he's oh so charismatic because two girls are paying attention to him talking. This book suffers from a bad case of telling rather than showing.
What else? Ah, yes. The Sherlock Scan. I'm very much in the Sir Samuel Vimes school of thought when it comes to the Art of Deduction, which means that I get really fucking irritated when the Sherlock Expy in question confidently and accurately latches on to the one true explanation when there could be so many other equally valid reasons. A woman's hair being slightly badly dressed does not necessarily mean that her maid is sick. Her maid could have been careless, trying out a new style which did not quite work, or a different person could have dressed her hair. In addition, it could have been messy because she was moving too much, or because hairpins tend to fall out, or because the last time her saw her it was the evening towards the midpoint or so of a dance. Sherlock Scans are great, but people who use them really need to note that Arthur Conan Doyle also mentioned something about eliminating whatever else was possible first.
One last point before I close up. I find it hard to see how Josie can be a successful Highwayman, competent enough to warrant someone sending a detective after her. There is embezzlement happening at the Orphanage? CLEARLY the one true solution is highway robbery, nevermind that you are not comfortable with the whole concept at all and do not enjoy it one bit. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE crusading women with all my heart, and that was the main reason I gave this book a try in the first place. But it has to be a reasonable and rational course of action, not a gimmick by the author to show yet again how special and different her MC is.
(As a sidenote; I'd like to direct all seekers of crusading women to Trial by Desire, which features the Regency version of Batman for battered women. I do love the Rich Idiot with No Day Job facade.)
Anyway, it's a disappointing book. I often find that I'm disappointed with books that advertise their heroines as badass. They almost never live up to the hype, and the women soon fall into tired and true roles of traditional femininity.
April 26, 2016
How I Married A Marquess offers Historical Romance fans so much more than the "marriage market" scheming and seductions, beddings, and weddings that are hallmarks of its genre.
Here, readers are presented in the character of Miss Josephine Carlisle, a woman who, by no fault of her own has been excluded from the one thing that her beauty, intelligence, grace, charm, and societal position as the daughter of a Baron, should have guaranteed her.
A marriage to a peer of the realm.
Her crime?
Having been born an orphan.
This book allows readers to take a very close look at what life for an adopted female child of the ton may have been.
We are there to bear witness to Josephine's realizations of what the questions surrounding her true parentage and bloodline come to mean in a world where one's entire life as based on just that.
What we come to know about young Miss Carlisle, is that though her blood may not run blue, her heart is pure gold.
As time and time again she proves that she is willing to risk life and limb in the effort to make life better for those that she holds dear.
Enter Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney...
A man besieged by the demons of of his past. But determined to do whatever it takes to put the past behind him and get back to the work he loves.
The work of a spy.
In order to do that however, he must first solve the mystery of highwaymen that have been plaguing the countryside surrounding that estate of of his longtime friend, the Earl Royston.
Little does he ever suspect that his covert endeavors will put him face to face with a puzzle that he will want to solve more than any other.
Miss Josephine Carlisle.
With flashing eyes, a biting wit, and a beauty to rival Aphrodite. It is clear from the start that this privileged Miss is no pampered ballroom beauty. Although who and what she is, and the secrets that hide behind her smiles speak of a pain that seems to twin that of our dashing Mr.
Drawn to Josie in a way that he can neither understand, nor resist. Thomas soon comes to find that the secrets that his lady love holds, are a lot closer to the more sinister ones of his friend than he ever could have imagined.
Secrets that, if not solved in time could mean tragedy for all.
This third installment of the Secret Life Of Scoundrels series, offers readers a fully fleshed story.
A story, as was stated earlier, that is very far removed from the ballrooms and bedrooms business that usually wins the day in Regency reads.
In this story we find mystery, intrigue, social commentary, fiery passion, as well as the romance that we expect.
What we do not expect however, is the power reversal that goes on between leading lady, Josie, and leading man, Thomas.
A long time sufferer of PTSD, Thomas's frailty makes him a character that readers can bond with and feel for from the beginning. The fact that his leading lady acts as a silent but sympathetic balm to his pain, allows for the great strength, intelligence, and fortitude that she shows as the read progresses.
in fact, it is that self same strength, intelligence, and fortitude, that makes Josie as a character, and the book so readable.
Whether taking the bull by the horns in the bedroom, or in life; you know that whatever Josie does is going to be done with a flare and thoroughness that only she can achieve.
Thomas, on the other hand, presents readers with the trail that must be followed. He acts as a guide to mystery, adventure, romance, passion, and a happily ever after that readers will never forget.
Reviewer's Note: How I Married A Marquess is the third volume of an interrelated companion series. Though it is suggested that the series be read in its intended order, it is not necessary to do so.
Reviewer's Note: The review found here has not been influenced in any way by Grand Central Publishing or its agents. The opinions expressed herein are those of the reviewer alone.
Here, readers are presented in the character of Miss Josephine Carlisle, a woman who, by no fault of her own has been excluded from the one thing that her beauty, intelligence, grace, charm, and societal position as the daughter of a Baron, should have guaranteed her.
A marriage to a peer of the realm.
Her crime?
Having been born an orphan.
This book allows readers to take a very close look at what life for an adopted female child of the ton may have been.
We are there to bear witness to Josephine's realizations of what the questions surrounding her true parentage and bloodline come to mean in a world where one's entire life as based on just that.
What we come to know about young Miss Carlisle, is that though her blood may not run blue, her heart is pure gold.
As time and time again she proves that she is willing to risk life and limb in the effort to make life better for those that she holds dear.
Enter Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney...
A man besieged by the demons of of his past. But determined to do whatever it takes to put the past behind him and get back to the work he loves.
The work of a spy.
In order to do that however, he must first solve the mystery of highwaymen that have been plaguing the countryside surrounding that estate of of his longtime friend, the Earl Royston.
Little does he ever suspect that his covert endeavors will put him face to face with a puzzle that he will want to solve more than any other.
Miss Josephine Carlisle.
With flashing eyes, a biting wit, and a beauty to rival Aphrodite. It is clear from the start that this privileged Miss is no pampered ballroom beauty. Although who and what she is, and the secrets that hide behind her smiles speak of a pain that seems to twin that of our dashing Mr.
Drawn to Josie in a way that he can neither understand, nor resist. Thomas soon comes to find that the secrets that his lady love holds, are a lot closer to the more sinister ones of his friend than he ever could have imagined.
Secrets that, if not solved in time could mean tragedy for all.
This third installment of the Secret Life Of Scoundrels series, offers readers a fully fleshed story.
A story, as was stated earlier, that is very far removed from the ballrooms and bedrooms business that usually wins the day in Regency reads.
In this story we find mystery, intrigue, social commentary, fiery passion, as well as the romance that we expect.
What we do not expect however, is the power reversal that goes on between leading lady, Josie, and leading man, Thomas.
A long time sufferer of PTSD, Thomas's frailty makes him a character that readers can bond with and feel for from the beginning. The fact that his leading lady acts as a silent but sympathetic balm to his pain, allows for the great strength, intelligence, and fortitude that she shows as the read progresses.
in fact, it is that self same strength, intelligence, and fortitude, that makes Josie as a character, and the book so readable.
Whether taking the bull by the horns in the bedroom, or in life; you know that whatever Josie does is going to be done with a flare and thoroughness that only she can achieve.
Thomas, on the other hand, presents readers with the trail that must be followed. He acts as a guide to mystery, adventure, romance, passion, and a happily ever after that readers will never forget.
Reviewer's Note: How I Married A Marquess is the third volume of an interrelated companion series. Though it is suggested that the series be read in its intended order, it is not necessary to do so.
Reviewer's Note: The review found here has not been influenced in any way by Grand Central Publishing or its agents. The opinions expressed herein are those of the reviewer alone.
May 1, 2016
3.5 Stars
Thomas Matteson's life has been a nightmare for the last year, ever since he was shot and almost killed, apparently in a random robbery. All he wants is to have his life back and to continue his spying in service to the crown. Aside from being unable to sleep, and easily startled, his other abilities seem to have gone by the wayside, and his former contacts refuse to have him back. When a family friend gives him an opportunity to prove himself by capturing an elusive highwayman, Thomas jumps at the chance.
Josephine Carlisle is the adopted daughter of a well-to-do family who has three biological sons. She was removed from the local orphanage as a child, and saw first hand how the children were treated there. She believes she’ll never marry, because of the mystery of who her biological parents are, though her adoptive parents have showered her with love and all the benefits a birth daughter would have. All of her experiences have been with men who only want her dowry, or an affair. Because she feels she has nothing to lose, she has taken on the secret persona of a highwayman, targeting the birth parents of children left at the orphanage with no means of support. When Thomas, Marquess Chesney, comes to the area to investigate the highwayman, Josie is immediately attracted to him, and doesn’t hesitate to make his acquaintance.
Thomas is at first amused by the bold young woman who approaches him, then he finds himself attracted to her, as well. The more the couple meets, Thomas finds something very strange happening. Josie seems to have the ability to calm his PTSD. When the two become intimate, he’s actually able to sleep peacefully in her arms. Eventually, Thomas and Josie discover each other’s secrets, and have to face the fact that they are on opposite sides. This is a great obstacle to their being together, in addition to the difference in their stations in life.
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS has a plot which is out of the ordinary, and that’s always fun to read. Yet, I didn’t quite fall in love with the protagonists, and that affected my enjoyment of this story. I felt that both Thomas and Josie exhibited tunnel vision. Thomas refused to even consider the possibility that Josie may be right about a close family friend being a villain. He also is determined that he must regain his duties as a spy, never even considering that he has other options. Josie, while being motivated by a true desire to help the orphans, brushed off the fact that her actions could cause great shame to her family, as well as her own deportation, or even death. She also has a tendency to barrel into situations without thinking, leaving me shaking my head. I questioned the depth of their feelings when these things turned out to be more important than their love.
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS wraps up the Secret Life of Scoundrels series, which includes DUKES ARE FOREVER and ALONG CAME A ROGUE. (I enjoyed both of those books very much.) ANNA HARRINGTON is a gifted writer, and I look forward to reading her future works, as well as recommending this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thomas Matteson's life has been a nightmare for the last year, ever since he was shot and almost killed, apparently in a random robbery. All he wants is to have his life back and to continue his spying in service to the crown. Aside from being unable to sleep, and easily startled, his other abilities seem to have gone by the wayside, and his former contacts refuse to have him back. When a family friend gives him an opportunity to prove himself by capturing an elusive highwayman, Thomas jumps at the chance.
Josephine Carlisle is the adopted daughter of a well-to-do family who has three biological sons. She was removed from the local orphanage as a child, and saw first hand how the children were treated there. She believes she’ll never marry, because of the mystery of who her biological parents are, though her adoptive parents have showered her with love and all the benefits a birth daughter would have. All of her experiences have been with men who only want her dowry, or an affair. Because she feels she has nothing to lose, she has taken on the secret persona of a highwayman, targeting the birth parents of children left at the orphanage with no means of support. When Thomas, Marquess Chesney, comes to the area to investigate the highwayman, Josie is immediately attracted to him, and doesn’t hesitate to make his acquaintance.
Thomas is at first amused by the bold young woman who approaches him, then he finds himself attracted to her, as well. The more the couple meets, Thomas finds something very strange happening. Josie seems to have the ability to calm his PTSD. When the two become intimate, he’s actually able to sleep peacefully in her arms. Eventually, Thomas and Josie discover each other’s secrets, and have to face the fact that they are on opposite sides. This is a great obstacle to their being together, in addition to the difference in their stations in life.
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS has a plot which is out of the ordinary, and that’s always fun to read. Yet, I didn’t quite fall in love with the protagonists, and that affected my enjoyment of this story. I felt that both Thomas and Josie exhibited tunnel vision. Thomas refused to even consider the possibility that Josie may be right about a close family friend being a villain. He also is determined that he must regain his duties as a spy, never even considering that he has other options. Josie, while being motivated by a true desire to help the orphans, brushed off the fact that her actions could cause great shame to her family, as well as her own deportation, or even death. She also has a tendency to barrel into situations without thinking, leaving me shaking my head. I questioned the depth of their feelings when these things turned out to be more important than their love.
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS wraps up the Secret Life of Scoundrels series, which includes DUKES ARE FOREVER and ALONG CAME A ROGUE. (I enjoyed both of those books very much.) ANNA HARRINGTON is a gifted writer, and I look forward to reading her future works, as well as recommending this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2016
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Z8Nivp
Anna Harrington has me totally smitten. She's a breath of fresh air to the historical romance genre and has me clamoring for more. How I Married A Marquess...unique, action packed and enchanting.
The quick of it is that Thomas is a rather broken ex-spy. He was injured a year ago and just hasn't recovered his steady hand. But he's determined to make his way back and prove to the War Office he's fit for duty again and to do so? he's going to help track down a highwayman that's been targeting guests leaving one particular home for the past couple years. A house party provides the perfect cover if only he can keep his wits around the lovely and distracting Josephine who is way more than she seems at first glance...
Soooo the things about How I Married a Marquess...
1. Thomas and Josephine. I wanted to tackle hug them and just plain ol' tackle them in equal turns. lol I enjoyed them but they could both have their turn being difficult. But even when they were difficult I had a good time with them and watching them try to deal with each other. Seeing the fire in her and a determination to see justice done and watching Thomas struggle to get back the life he so loved and dealing with PTSD from his attack the year before.
2. The heat. I loved the chemistry between Josephine and Thomas. It wasn't full out explored for a good while but they had a great back and forth and when they finally DID get together it was pretty yummy--minus the runaway hymen that just didn't know where it was supposed to be.
3. Adoption! You don't see that too often with titled families but the heroine...adopted as a child by a Baron and his wife who desperately wanted a daughter but had had only sons. I loved that. And how much her family adored her. It was just unique and brought a fascinating addition to the story as well as some really heart tugging moments as she struggled with feeling secure since she wasn't a "real" child.
4. I love both of their families. The men he fought with that became his brothers (and their wives) and her siblings. Oh my word. Her brothers are big and such a handful! I would freaking LOVE to get their stories. They're character you just can't help but get a huge grin on your face when you see them they're so dang cheeky and wild.
5. The action! This one had a good bit of excitement and intrigue. Dealing with the highwayman...and a lovely twist on who it turned out to be, government manipulations and traitors in their ranks, etc. It was pretty non stop for a while and fun watching them battle and figure it all out.
All in all, an entertaining romp that left me excited for more from Harrington.
April 22, 2017
DOWN AND DIRTY QUICKIE REVIEW!
One Sentence Summary:
She’s a child-support collecting Robin Hood & he’s a fired spy with PTSD who's gotta catch her booty.
What part made you fangirl squeal:
OMG!!! When our gal used her boobs to save the day!? IF THAT AIN’T THE QUICKEST QUICK THINKING IN THE HISTORY OF BRAINS AND BOOBS!
Favorite Character:
Duh! Josie! Come on, a skilled-ass thief who steals so little kids can eat? Her wit, her spunk, her smart mouth? I CAN’T EVEN!
How smexy was the smex?
SOMEBODY GET ME A FIRE HORSE BECAUSE THESE OVARIES ARE ABLAZE! Seriously, that OTP carriage stable scene at the beginning? The swoonage was real.
Name That Trope:
Hidden Identity, Robin Hood Wears a Skirt, Physiologically Wounded Hero, At Odds
Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Got any bitching to do?
Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh. Sadly, yeah. Our gal gets left out of the final big climax & it gave me stink face.
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous last words:
THE BOOK HAS LITERALLY EVERYTHING! If you want a fiery, take-no-shit heroine paired with the most hero-in-pursuit hero that ever pursued? Get thee to a 1-click buy button!
--------------------------------
For a more in depth and LOL-fest discussion on romance novels and romance Asian dramas, HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6fO...
One Sentence Summary:
She’s a child-support collecting Robin Hood & he’s a fired spy with PTSD who's gotta catch her booty.
What part made you fangirl squeal:
OMG!!! When our gal used her boobs to save the day!? IF THAT AIN’T THE QUICKEST QUICK THINKING IN THE HISTORY OF BRAINS AND BOOBS!
Favorite Character:
Duh! Josie! Come on, a skilled-ass thief who steals so little kids can eat? Her wit, her spunk, her smart mouth? I CAN’T EVEN!
How smexy was the smex?
SOMEBODY GET ME A FIRE HORSE BECAUSE THESE OVARIES ARE ABLAZE! Seriously, that OTP carriage stable scene at the beginning? The swoonage was real.
Name That Trope:
Hidden Identity, Robin Hood Wears a Skirt, Physiologically Wounded Hero, At Odds
Whose Line Is It Anyway:
Thomas: Why rob only the men? Why not also collect from the women?
Josie: Because men control the money. A woman possesses only what a man allows her to have.
Thomas: You shouldn’t tempt fate.
Josie: Fate shouldn't tempt me.
Got any bitching to do?
Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh. Sadly, yeah. Our gal gets left out of the final big climax & it gave me stink face.
Visually Depict Yo Book Feels:
Famous last words:
THE BOOK HAS LITERALLY EVERYTHING! If you want a fiery, take-no-shit heroine paired with the most hero-in-pursuit hero that ever pursued? Get thee to a 1-click buy button!
--------------------------------
For a more in depth and LOL-fest discussion on romance novels and romance Asian dramas, HERE BE MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6fO...
October 7, 2017
She could have written a female character who became a spy. Instead she didn't and it was boring and I'm done with romance novels forever. What a waste of paper.
October 16, 2024
I enjoyed this book's storyline. This book's storyline was sad 😔. I enjoyed the hot 🔥 & steamy scenes. I enjoyed Josephine's character. I enjoyed Thomas's character. I felt sorry for Thomas. I enjoyed the ending.
June 20, 2025
4.0.
“But you’re an impossible choice for me, Josephine. Because your capture means my freedom.”
“But you’re an impossible choice for me, Josephine. Because your capture means my freedom.”
May 2, 2016
~English review at the bottom~
Okay,abgesehen davon, dass die Geschichte selbst ein klitzekleines Bisschen weit hergeholt ist, habe ich dieses Buch sehr genossen.
Es ist sehr lebhaft geschrieben und wartet mit sehr charmanten und gut ausgeführten Charakteren auf, so dass es nicht einfach war, das Buch wieder aus der Hand zu legen, nachdem ich es einmal begonnen hatte. Ob nun realistisch oder nicht, die Geschichte als solche ist in sich schlüssig aufgebaut und ich hatte Spaß daran zu lesen, wie Josie und Thomas' sich langsam aneinander annähern – auch wenn sie mich manchmal wahnsinnig machten.
Auch die Nebenfiguren mochte ich sehr gerne. Josies Brüder brachten mich immer wieder zum Lachen und ihre Mutter mit ihrer warmherzigen Art mochte ich ebenfalls sehr. Thomas selbst machte mir manchmal etwas Sorgen, wenn es schien als würde er gar nicht realisieren, was denn nun gut ist für ihn, aber ich gab die Hoffnung nicht auf, dass er zur Besinnung kommt und erkennt, was wirklich zählt.
Die temporeiche Story überrascht mit einigen unerwarteten Wendungen und liest sich locker und leicht. Man sollte einige Dinge nicht zu sehr hinterfragen, sonst könnte es doch unrealistisch wirken, dass Josie ihr Geheimnis so lange wahren konnte und dass sich bisher anscheinend niemand ernsthaft darum bemüht hat, mehr darüber herauszufinden. Einige andere Aspekte könnten in dem Zusammenhang ebenfalls zur Sprache kommen, aber davon abgesehen ist es eine wirklich schöne Geschichte über zwei Menschen, die verletzt wurden, die sich ihrer Position im Leben nicht sicher sind, wahlweise auf Grund ihrer Herkunft oder wie in Thomas' Fall auf Grund eines schrecklichen Erlebnisses, das ihn nicht nur seine Karriere gekostet hat, sondern das ihn auch fast sein Leben gekostet hätte.
Ich habe gerne mitverfolgt, wie diese beiden die ganze Zeit immer wieder aneinander geraten während sie langsam anfangen einander zu heilen und gemeinsam etwas Besonderes zu finden. Nicht das realistischste Buch, das ich je gelesen habe, aber dennoch ein Buch, das ich ausgesprochen gerne gelesen habe.
----------------------------------
Okay, apart from the fact that the story is a teeny tiny bit far fetched, I really enjoyed reading this book.
It is lively written and has some very charming and well developed characters so once started, it wasn't easy to put the book down.
Realistic or not, the story itself is well spun and I had fun reading about Josie and Thomas and their blossoming relationship even though those two sometimes made me a bit mad.
I also loved the minor characters a lot. Josie's brothers were always good for a laugh and I really loved Josie's mother and her warm nature. Thomas had me worrying a bit when it seemed that he didn't realize what was good for him but I never gave up hope that he will come to his senses and see what really counts.
The fast-paced story has some nice twists and turns and is very easy to read. One shouldn't question some things overmuch otherwise it might seem a bit unrealistic that Josie has been able to hide her secret that long and that no one seems to have cared up to now. Some other aspects might come up as well but apart from that it is a really enjoyable story about two people who have been hurt, who don't feel secure in their position in life because of their parentage or as in Thomas' case because of a terrible event that did not just cost him his career, his identity but that also almost claimed his life.
I enjoyed to see how those two fight all the time while they slowly start to heal each other and start to build something precious.
Not the most realistic book I've ever read but non the less a book that I really enjoyed.
Okay,abgesehen davon, dass die Geschichte selbst ein klitzekleines Bisschen weit hergeholt ist, habe ich dieses Buch sehr genossen.
Es ist sehr lebhaft geschrieben und wartet mit sehr charmanten und gut ausgeführten Charakteren auf, so dass es nicht einfach war, das Buch wieder aus der Hand zu legen, nachdem ich es einmal begonnen hatte. Ob nun realistisch oder nicht, die Geschichte als solche ist in sich schlüssig aufgebaut und ich hatte Spaß daran zu lesen, wie Josie und Thomas' sich langsam aneinander annähern – auch wenn sie mich manchmal wahnsinnig machten.
Auch die Nebenfiguren mochte ich sehr gerne. Josies Brüder brachten mich immer wieder zum Lachen und ihre Mutter mit ihrer warmherzigen Art mochte ich ebenfalls sehr. Thomas selbst machte mir manchmal etwas Sorgen, wenn es schien als würde er gar nicht realisieren, was denn nun gut ist für ihn, aber ich gab die Hoffnung nicht auf, dass er zur Besinnung kommt und erkennt, was wirklich zählt.
Die temporeiche Story überrascht mit einigen unerwarteten Wendungen und liest sich locker und leicht. Man sollte einige Dinge nicht zu sehr hinterfragen, sonst könnte es doch unrealistisch wirken, dass Josie ihr Geheimnis so lange wahren konnte und dass sich bisher anscheinend niemand ernsthaft darum bemüht hat, mehr darüber herauszufinden. Einige andere Aspekte könnten in dem Zusammenhang ebenfalls zur Sprache kommen, aber davon abgesehen ist es eine wirklich schöne Geschichte über zwei Menschen, die verletzt wurden, die sich ihrer Position im Leben nicht sicher sind, wahlweise auf Grund ihrer Herkunft oder wie in Thomas' Fall auf Grund eines schrecklichen Erlebnisses, das ihn nicht nur seine Karriere gekostet hat, sondern das ihn auch fast sein Leben gekostet hätte.
Ich habe gerne mitverfolgt, wie diese beiden die ganze Zeit immer wieder aneinander geraten während sie langsam anfangen einander zu heilen und gemeinsam etwas Besonderes zu finden. Nicht das realistischste Buch, das ich je gelesen habe, aber dennoch ein Buch, das ich ausgesprochen gerne gelesen habe.
----------------------------------
Okay, apart from the fact that the story is a teeny tiny bit far fetched, I really enjoyed reading this book.
It is lively written and has some very charming and well developed characters so once started, it wasn't easy to put the book down.
Realistic or not, the story itself is well spun and I had fun reading about Josie and Thomas and their blossoming relationship even though those two sometimes made me a bit mad.
I also loved the minor characters a lot. Josie's brothers were always good for a laugh and I really loved Josie's mother and her warm nature. Thomas had me worrying a bit when it seemed that he didn't realize what was good for him but I never gave up hope that he will come to his senses and see what really counts.
The fast-paced story has some nice twists and turns and is very easy to read. One shouldn't question some things overmuch otherwise it might seem a bit unrealistic that Josie has been able to hide her secret that long and that no one seems to have cared up to now. Some other aspects might come up as well but apart from that it is a really enjoyable story about two people who have been hurt, who don't feel secure in their position in life because of their parentage or as in Thomas' case because of a terrible event that did not just cost him his career, his identity but that also almost claimed his life.
I enjoyed to see how those two fight all the time while they slowly start to heal each other and start to build something precious.
Not the most realistic book I've ever read but non the less a book that I really enjoyed.
April 11, 2016
Thomas Matteson is alone at his parents’ London residence, when an unexpected visitor comes calling: the Earl of Royston, a family friend, and asks Thomas for a favour. Only a year before, Thomas, the Marquess of Chesney, was working with the War Office as a spy, but he was shot and then deemed unfit to pursue his career as an agent. Thomas has never been the same since then: he’s plagued by panic attacks and anxiety. Thomas wants his old life back, and Royston’s proposition might be the solution to Thomas’ career woes. Royston’s estate in Lincolnshire has been the target of highwaymen, and if Thomas catches the villain, Royston will make sure Thomas goes back to the War Office as if nothing had ever happened.
Josephine Carlisle is at a fête at the Royston estate, when she spies the most dashing of men. Josephine considers herself a spinster, not really by choice; she was orphaned and adopted by the Carlisle, but Josephine deems she does not belong. The few men who notice her are either after her dowry, or worse. However, Josephine is rather bold, and she makes a move to meet the captivating stranger. They find each other entertaining and pleasant, but what is to become of this flirtation when they both have very dark secrets…
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS is the latest book in The Secret Life of Scoundrels series, and it stands perfectly on its own even though characters from the previous books make an appearance. The sassy Josephine is more than a match for Thomas; she has spunk, she is brave and she stands up for her convictions, even at her own peril. Thomas is a true charmer, but sometimes comes off as cold and calculating: he wants one thing in life, return to his life as a spy, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants; he even forgets to live in order to achieve his goals.
Ms. Harrington’s prose is as delightful as ever, gorgeous and fluid, and the banter between Thomas and Josephine is a joy to behold, and their interactions in the first chapter set the tone for the rest of the book. The chemistry between them is palpable, but there are serious and conflicting obstacles to conquer, Thomas’ tunnel vision not being the least of them. Anna Harrington paints a realistic and disquieting picture of orphanages during the Regency era, and the sad fate that awaited most orphans. It is easy to understands why Josephine acts the way she does. Josephine and Thomas’ romance is rather complicated because of their respective secrets, and it almost seems a lost cause; something’s got to give somewhere, and it makes up for great drama. Ms. Harrington’s flowing prose makes HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS very easy to read, and both Josephine and Thomas seemed real to me, as did every character. There were a couple of stunning plot twists, some very amusing moments, as well as heartbreaking ones, the romance felt very organic, in spite of all the couple’s problems, which in the end proved to be the best that could have happened to Thomas. I really enjoyed HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Josephine Carlisle is at a fête at the Royston estate, when she spies the most dashing of men. Josephine considers herself a spinster, not really by choice; she was orphaned and adopted by the Carlisle, but Josephine deems she does not belong. The few men who notice her are either after her dowry, or worse. However, Josephine is rather bold, and she makes a move to meet the captivating stranger. They find each other entertaining and pleasant, but what is to become of this flirtation when they both have very dark secrets…
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS is the latest book in The Secret Life of Scoundrels series, and it stands perfectly on its own even though characters from the previous books make an appearance. The sassy Josephine is more than a match for Thomas; she has spunk, she is brave and she stands up for her convictions, even at her own peril. Thomas is a true charmer, but sometimes comes off as cold and calculating: he wants one thing in life, return to his life as a spy, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants; he even forgets to live in order to achieve his goals.
Ms. Harrington’s prose is as delightful as ever, gorgeous and fluid, and the banter between Thomas and Josephine is a joy to behold, and their interactions in the first chapter set the tone for the rest of the book. The chemistry between them is palpable, but there are serious and conflicting obstacles to conquer, Thomas’ tunnel vision not being the least of them. Anna Harrington paints a realistic and disquieting picture of orphanages during the Regency era, and the sad fate that awaited most orphans. It is easy to understands why Josephine acts the way she does. Josephine and Thomas’ romance is rather complicated because of their respective secrets, and it almost seems a lost cause; something’s got to give somewhere, and it makes up for great drama. Ms. Harrington’s flowing prose makes HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS very easy to read, and both Josephine and Thomas seemed real to me, as did every character. There were a couple of stunning plot twists, some very amusing moments, as well as heartbreaking ones, the romance felt very organic, in spite of all the couple’s problems, which in the end proved to be the best that could have happened to Thomas. I really enjoyed HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2016
http://openbooksociety.com/article/ho...
How I Married a Marquess
The Secret Life of Scoundrels, Book #3
By Anna Harrington
IBSN: 9781455534074
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Una
Synopsis:
A SHOCKING DECEPTION . . .
Josephine Carlisle, adopted daughter of a baron, is officially on the shelf. But the silly, marriage-minded misses in the ton can have their frilly dresses and their seasons in London, for all she cares. Josie has her freedom and her family . . . until an encounter with a dark, devilishly handsome stranger leaves her utterly breathless at a house party. His wicked charm intrigues her, but that’s where it ends. For Josie has a little secret . . . . . . LEADS TO AN EXQUISITE SEDUCTION
Espionage was Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney’s game-until a tragic accident cost him his career. Now to salvage his reputation and return to the life he loves, the marquess must find the criminal who’s been robbing London’s rich and powerful. He’s no fool-he knows Josie, with her wild chestnut hair and rapier-sharp wit, is hiding something and he won’t rest until he unravels her mysteries, one by one. But he never expected to be the one under arrest-body and soul . . .
Review:
Anna Harrington has again given the reader a delightful historical romance. With complexity to the characters and a setting that the reader can immerse in she captured my attention from page 1.
With stolen kisses, secrets and espionage the story is fast moving. Add that to passion, a clash of personalities and of course the wrath of the Ton and I was hooked.
Josephine is tiny and innocent however she is hiding a secret and when she gets kissed unexpectedly at a ball (a victim of mis-identity) she does not know what to do with the feelings she encounters. Adopted at birth she knows she will never be able to fit into society so she devotes her time to helping the orphaned children. The orphanage she helps at also harbours secrets that could damage a lot of names among the rich and powerful. She decides at any cost she will continue her mission but Thomas steps in and begins to thwart her plans.
Thomas also has birth secrets he has been able to keep from the Ton. Recently shot and wounded he is fighting to gain his job back as a spy ( they have said he has lost his nerve) so when asked to find out who the mysterious highwayman that is stealing from high society is Thomas jumps at the chance. Finding who it is though means he will bring out more secrets that in turn may find him again without a job or love.
I must say I loved this third book of the Anna Harrington series for although you know who the love interests are from the beginning she has the ability to tell a great story and keeps you interested and excited throughout. I know I for one will certainly keep my eyes open for more books from this author.
How I Married a Marquess
The Secret Life of Scoundrels, Book #3
By Anna Harrington
IBSN: 9781455534074
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Una
Synopsis:
A SHOCKING DECEPTION . . .
Josephine Carlisle, adopted daughter of a baron, is officially on the shelf. But the silly, marriage-minded misses in the ton can have their frilly dresses and their seasons in London, for all she cares. Josie has her freedom and her family . . . until an encounter with a dark, devilishly handsome stranger leaves her utterly breathless at a house party. His wicked charm intrigues her, but that’s where it ends. For Josie has a little secret . . . . . . LEADS TO AN EXQUISITE SEDUCTION
Espionage was Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney’s game-until a tragic accident cost him his career. Now to salvage his reputation and return to the life he loves, the marquess must find the criminal who’s been robbing London’s rich and powerful. He’s no fool-he knows Josie, with her wild chestnut hair and rapier-sharp wit, is hiding something and he won’t rest until he unravels her mysteries, one by one. But he never expected to be the one under arrest-body and soul . . .
Review:
Anna Harrington has again given the reader a delightful historical romance. With complexity to the characters and a setting that the reader can immerse in she captured my attention from page 1.
With stolen kisses, secrets and espionage the story is fast moving. Add that to passion, a clash of personalities and of course the wrath of the Ton and I was hooked.
Josephine is tiny and innocent however she is hiding a secret and when she gets kissed unexpectedly at a ball (a victim of mis-identity) she does not know what to do with the feelings she encounters. Adopted at birth she knows she will never be able to fit into society so she devotes her time to helping the orphaned children. The orphanage she helps at also harbours secrets that could damage a lot of names among the rich and powerful. She decides at any cost she will continue her mission but Thomas steps in and begins to thwart her plans.
Thomas also has birth secrets he has been able to keep from the Ton. Recently shot and wounded he is fighting to gain his job back as a spy ( they have said he has lost his nerve) so when asked to find out who the mysterious highwayman that is stealing from high society is Thomas jumps at the chance. Finding who it is though means he will bring out more secrets that in turn may find him again without a job or love.
I must say I loved this third book of the Anna Harrington series for although you know who the love interests are from the beginning she has the ability to tell a great story and keeps you interested and excited throughout. I know I for one will certainly keep my eyes open for more books from this author.
April 23, 2016
“I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.”
This is the third and final book in Anna Harrington’s debut series – The Secret Life Of Scoundrels. This has been a delightful series and a great way to debut for this author. I will definitely be reading more of her works in the future.
The series is about 3 soldiers who become like brothers during the Napoleonic wars. When they return home, they are at a loss about what to do with themselves to still feel useful. One pursues revenge against the man who caused his brother’s death, the other two pursue careers with the War Office as spies. Each of these hero’s get their HEA with a spirited, intelligent woman – along with a little mayhem and suspense thrown in to boot! While it is a wonderful series, you can read the books as a stand-alone.
This third book is about Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney who was shot (gutshot) in the last book. Although he’s physically healed over the last year, he is still plagued by debilitating terror attacks and can’t resume his career as a spy. He’s terrified that the darkness will overtake him and he’ll go mad if he doesn’t find a way to get back to having a purpose in his life – spying. He has panic attacks when he hears unexpected noises, etc. I’ve read a couple of reviews who didn’t like him because of the way the comes across in the book – I’d say – if you’ve never had nor ever lived with someone who had an anxiety disorder, don’t judge him. When a friend of his family, Earl Royston, approaches him about catching a highwayman who has been targeting his guests, Thomas feels he has finally found a way to be useful and get back into the War Office at the same time.
Josephine Carlisle, adopted daughter of a baron, loves her adopted family with all of her heart, but she still feels apart from them because she is adopted. She keeps an active interest in the orphanage from which she was adopted, and feels that the orphans are being mistreated and she knows that the person responsible for that mistreatment is Earl Royston. He takes unwanted children from the aristocracy and puts them in that orphanage where they sleep in the basement with rats, have no heat, no clothes and little food. Josephine decides that those aristocratic fathers should pay for the upkeep of those unwanted children – so – she becomes a highwayman and holds up those same gentlemen for just enough money to provide care for the orphans.
The epilogue is delightful, lighthearted and sweet. “We made it, Grey,” Thomas commented quietly, taking in all the joy and happiness surrounding them, the safe homes the three men had created for themselves and their families . . . .”
This is definitely a delightful series with a wonderful third book to wrap it all up.
This is the third and final book in Anna Harrington’s debut series – The Secret Life Of Scoundrels. This has been a delightful series and a great way to debut for this author. I will definitely be reading more of her works in the future.
The series is about 3 soldiers who become like brothers during the Napoleonic wars. When they return home, they are at a loss about what to do with themselves to still feel useful. One pursues revenge against the man who caused his brother’s death, the other two pursue careers with the War Office as spies. Each of these hero’s get their HEA with a spirited, intelligent woman – along with a little mayhem and suspense thrown in to boot! While it is a wonderful series, you can read the books as a stand-alone.
This third book is about Thomas Matteson, Marquess of Chesney who was shot (gutshot) in the last book. Although he’s physically healed over the last year, he is still plagued by debilitating terror attacks and can’t resume his career as a spy. He’s terrified that the darkness will overtake him and he’ll go mad if he doesn’t find a way to get back to having a purpose in his life – spying. He has panic attacks when he hears unexpected noises, etc. I’ve read a couple of reviews who didn’t like him because of the way the comes across in the book – I’d say – if you’ve never had nor ever lived with someone who had an anxiety disorder, don’t judge him. When a friend of his family, Earl Royston, approaches him about catching a highwayman who has been targeting his guests, Thomas feels he has finally found a way to be useful and get back into the War Office at the same time.
Josephine Carlisle, adopted daughter of a baron, loves her adopted family with all of her heart, but she still feels apart from them because she is adopted. She keeps an active interest in the orphanage from which she was adopted, and feels that the orphans are being mistreated and she knows that the person responsible for that mistreatment is Earl Royston. He takes unwanted children from the aristocracy and puts them in that orphanage where they sleep in the basement with rats, have no heat, no clothes and little food. Josephine decides that those aristocratic fathers should pay for the upkeep of those unwanted children – so – she becomes a highwayman and holds up those same gentlemen for just enough money to provide care for the orphans.
The epilogue is delightful, lighthearted and sweet. “We made it, Grey,” Thomas commented quietly, taking in all the joy and happiness surrounding them, the safe homes the three men had created for themselves and their families . . . .”
This is definitely a delightful series with a wonderful third book to wrap it all up.
March 15, 2017
An incredibly observant but jaded marquess, the clever but reckless adopted daughter of a baron, instant attraction and a lovely but dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Hired by a friend of the family to find the highwayman who steals from him and his guests, it's the last chance for former spy Thomas Matteson to prove he recovered from the incident that almost cost him his life one year ago.
At a house party at the Earl's country estate where he will begin his search, his eyes meet Josephine Carlisle's and he's immediately intrigued by her, without being able to explain why. That's what he'll try to understand throughout the book : why her ?
Josephine is not like the other society miss. She's strong, yet sensible. She's a dreamer, but also a woman of action. Growing up in a orphanage before her adoption, she knows what it's like for the kids, that's why she's trying, in her own way, to help get them a better life. Her meeting with Thomas will twart her plan, but the same could be said about his when she become the only obstacle at him getting back his old life. But she's also the only person who makes him feel alive again, who makes him regain pleasure in life. What will he choose between his career and the woman who's beginning to mean something to him?
The pace of the book was a little bit slow at the beginning, but I liked how the author described the curious attraction between Thomas and Josie, their incomprehension about it. It's like they found their soul mate with one look but don't know yet nor what it is that they feel.
There was a funny scene about gossips and it showed perfectly well how silly it can be, when Thomas passed from a rakewell to a war hero to a royal savior and then a lion-killer within two minutes.
This book is my second by Anna Harington. The first one I read is the first book of Capturing the Carlisle series featuring Josie's brothers. I wondered if the author knew the "fate" she would write for them when she wrote this one because certain details seemed different to me.
I would have liked to know what happened with the orphanage at the end. There's part of an answer, and some things I know only because I read If the Duke Demands but I think we should have known because it felt a little like the kids were forget and that's sad.
But if you enjoyed the Carlisle brothers, you're gonna love Sebastien's story. It made me that more eager to read what's next and it made me want to read the previous romance in this series, especially the one with Nathaniel Grey.
Hired by a friend of the family to find the highwayman who steals from him and his guests, it's the last chance for former spy Thomas Matteson to prove he recovered from the incident that almost cost him his life one year ago.
At a house party at the Earl's country estate where he will begin his search, his eyes meet Josephine Carlisle's and he's immediately intrigued by her, without being able to explain why. That's what he'll try to understand throughout the book : why her ?
Josephine is not like the other society miss. She's strong, yet sensible. She's a dreamer, but also a woman of action. Growing up in a orphanage before her adoption, she knows what it's like for the kids, that's why she's trying, in her own way, to help get them a better life. Her meeting with Thomas will twart her plan, but the same could be said about his when she become the only obstacle at him getting back his old life. But she's also the only person who makes him feel alive again, who makes him regain pleasure in life. What will he choose between his career and the woman who's beginning to mean something to him?
The pace of the book was a little bit slow at the beginning, but I liked how the author described the curious attraction between Thomas and Josie, their incomprehension about it. It's like they found their soul mate with one look but don't know yet nor what it is that they feel.
There was a funny scene about gossips and it showed perfectly well how silly it can be, when Thomas passed from a rakewell to a war hero to a royal savior and then a lion-killer within two minutes.
This book is my second by Anna Harington. The first one I read is the first book of Capturing the Carlisle series featuring Josie's brothers. I wondered if the author knew the "fate" she would write for them when she wrote this one because certain details seemed different to me.
I would have liked to know what happened with the orphanage at the end. There's part of an answer, and some things I know only because I read If the Duke Demands but I think we should have known because it felt a little like the kids were forget and that's sad.
But if you enjoyed the Carlisle brothers, you're gonna love Sebastien's story. It made me that more eager to read what's next and it made me want to read the previous romance in this series, especially the one with Nathaniel Grey.
May 27, 2016
How I Married a Marquess was an impulse request for me. One of my reading goals this year is to expand my historical romance horizons by trying out more authors and one of my picks was this book. The summary made it seem like it had all the elements I enjoy in a good historical romance, but there were just some things that made the book pale in comparison to some of the other excellent novels I've read in the genre.
Let me get the negatives out of the way. My biggest issue with How I Married a Marquess was Josie. I had such conflicted feelings about her. On the one hand, I admired her kindness, selflessness and willingness to help those in need. On the other hand, her willingness to help others also made her take incredibly stupid and life-endangering decisions that had me wanting to shake some senses into her. Then, there was the matter of her being an adopted daughter of a baron. She constantly moaned and whined about how she didn't fit in with adopted family, and I just didn't get it. Her family did absolutely nothing to make her feel like an outsider. They loved and cherished her as their own and provided her with a loving and nurturing haven. So, Josie came across as very ungrateful when she would bring up the fact that she didn't belong among the Carlisles every chapter. That really left a sour taste in my mouth and an overall negative feeling towards her.
Thomas, I liked much better, though he too had his selfish moments. He was a spy with only one chance of reviving his career. Having lost his job in an accident was rough on him and he was constantly battling with his feelings of inadequacy. Thomas was clever and smart though, but most of all I liked how genuine he came across. His and Josie's romance was very well-written and I certainly felt all the chemistry they had between them. They didn't always get along, but all that pent-up passion between them was hard to ignore. I thought Anna Harrington did a good job with all the steamy scenes! One thing I really enjoyed about How I Married a Marquess was the fact that the book had a plot besides the romance. There was a mystery weaved through the book that I thought was well-written and that I found to be enjoyable.
Overall, How I Married a Marquess was a decent historical romance and despite my not loving the heroine, I'll be picking up more books by the author.
July 18, 2016
This third entry into the Secret Life of Scoundrels series it another winner. Josephine “Josie” Carlisle, the adopted daughter of a baron, is struggling to find her place in society. As she hovers on the fringe of society, he keeps a secret from her family and the others around her. She had never forgotten her days in the orphanage and does what she can to make the lives of the others in the orphanage more comfortable. Even if it does require being a bit of a criminal.
When Thomas Matteson, the Marquess of Chesney, comes to a house party where Josie is in attendance to find a highwayman who has been robbing the friends of his host, the Early of Royston, he stumbles upon Josie’s secret. Unfortunately, he becomes stuck between a rock and a hard place while simultaneously trying to protect Josie and solve the crime. He believes that solving the crime and regaining his position working as a spy for the crown is the only way he will regain a feeling of peace and happiness.
Both Thomas and Josie are forced to reevaluate their plans for the future as her robberies become more and more risky and her heart becomes Thomas’ and his hers. With Josie, Thomas feels the first sense of peace since becoming injured the year before. However, Josie believes that her background as an orphan outweighs the family she is a part of and thinks that she is not good enough for Thomas.
When a crisis occurs, these two are forced to face the truth not only of their feelings for each other, but that their priorities towards the future have changed.
I enjoyed this book because it was full of love, laughter and a bit of intrigue. Josie’s overprotective adoptive brothers, provide much of the comic relief. While it was not quite as strong as the second entry in the series, Along Came a Rogue, it wills still a lot of fun. I was glad that Ms. Harrington decided to give Thomas his own story after being all too briefly introduced to him previously. Josephine was a delight. 4.5 stars.
When Thomas Matteson, the Marquess of Chesney, comes to a house party where Josie is in attendance to find a highwayman who has been robbing the friends of his host, the Early of Royston, he stumbles upon Josie’s secret. Unfortunately, he becomes stuck between a rock and a hard place while simultaneously trying to protect Josie and solve the crime. He believes that solving the crime and regaining his position working as a spy for the crown is the only way he will regain a feeling of peace and happiness.
Both Thomas and Josie are forced to reevaluate their plans for the future as her robberies become more and more risky and her heart becomes Thomas’ and his hers. With Josie, Thomas feels the first sense of peace since becoming injured the year before. However, Josie believes that her background as an orphan outweighs the family she is a part of and thinks that she is not good enough for Thomas.
When a crisis occurs, these two are forced to face the truth not only of their feelings for each other, but that their priorities towards the future have changed.
I enjoyed this book because it was full of love, laughter and a bit of intrigue. Josie’s overprotective adoptive brothers, provide much of the comic relief. While it was not quite as strong as the second entry in the series, Along Came a Rogue, it wills still a lot of fun. I was glad that Ms. Harrington decided to give Thomas his own story after being all too briefly introduced to him previously. Josephine was a delight. 4.5 stars.
April 26, 2016
The end of the SECRET LIFE OF SCOUNDRELS trilogy!! This story of Thomas and Josie is a fitting finale. I knew from the first book in this series that I had discovered a very talented author and the three books in this trilogy certainly never let me down.
Josie has secrets that she can’t reveal and Thomas is all about finding out secrets. At a house party they meet and there is an overwhelming attraction between them. But Josie must guard her secret and she tries to avoid Thomas because she feels he is too good at ferreting out secrets.
There are plenty of sizzling encounters and lots of action. There is also a well written ending to this book that I will not spoil because I know you are going to read this one until dawns early light.
Although this is certainly a standalone novel, I do suggest that you will get so much more from this book if you read the two that go before. This book not only contains the love story of Thomas Matteson, a former spy in service to the crown, but it also features two of his fellow spies Edward and Nathaniel. They are integral in aiding Thomas to rout the bad guy and reading that part of this book was more meaningful having read their stories in the previous two novels of the series. Therefore I suggest you treat yourself to the entire series and start at the beginning for a truly wonderful historical romance read.
The Secret Life of Scoundrels:
1. Dukes Are Forever
2. Along Came A Rogue
3. How I Married A Marquess
I received this book free for review from the publisher.
http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
Josie has secrets that she can’t reveal and Thomas is all about finding out secrets. At a house party they meet and there is an overwhelming attraction between them. But Josie must guard her secret and she tries to avoid Thomas because she feels he is too good at ferreting out secrets.
There are plenty of sizzling encounters and lots of action. There is also a well written ending to this book that I will not spoil because I know you are going to read this one until dawns early light.
Although this is certainly a standalone novel, I do suggest that you will get so much more from this book if you read the two that go before. This book not only contains the love story of Thomas Matteson, a former spy in service to the crown, but it also features two of his fellow spies Edward and Nathaniel. They are integral in aiding Thomas to rout the bad guy and reading that part of this book was more meaningful having read their stories in the previous two novels of the series. Therefore I suggest you treat yourself to the entire series and start at the beginning for a truly wonderful historical romance read.
The Secret Life of Scoundrels:
1. Dukes Are Forever
2. Along Came A Rogue
3. How I Married A Marquess
I received this book free for review from the publisher.
http://ladeetdareads.wordpress.com
September 24, 2016
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
After reading Along Came a Rogue, I was so excited to read Thomas' story to find out what happened to him after he had recovered from being shot. And due to Thomas being a spy there is this certain aura of mystery surrounding him. Desperate to get back into the spy game and continue his exciting lifestyle, Thomas takes a small detective job at a house party that will get him a recommendation back into the War Office. The surprise comes when he gets to the house party and meets his match in every way in the form of Josie, a baron's daughter. Josie is the ultimate actress and spy, although never formally trained, and leads Thomas around in circles for awhile before she reveals her secrets to him. I loved reading about their interactions because often Josie one-ups Thomas in the social spy game which he claims to be the master of. As the story goes on and Thomas and Josie work together to solve an even bigger and more dangerous mystery their interactions really heat up and they grow a lot closer. I love that Anna Harrington isn't afraid of intimacy in her stories. Historical romance is my favorite genre but unfortunately there are quite a few authors that hold themselves back because they don't actually want to write historical romance rather they just want to write a historical novel. The ending was everything I could have hoped for and I absolutely can't wait to read more from this author. Highly recommended series!
After reading Along Came a Rogue, I was so excited to read Thomas' story to find out what happened to him after he had recovered from being shot. And due to Thomas being a spy there is this certain aura of mystery surrounding him. Desperate to get back into the spy game and continue his exciting lifestyle, Thomas takes a small detective job at a house party that will get him a recommendation back into the War Office. The surprise comes when he gets to the house party and meets his match in every way in the form of Josie, a baron's daughter. Josie is the ultimate actress and spy, although never formally trained, and leads Thomas around in circles for awhile before she reveals her secrets to him. I loved reading about their interactions because often Josie one-ups Thomas in the social spy game which he claims to be the master of. As the story goes on and Thomas and Josie work together to solve an even bigger and more dangerous mystery their interactions really heat up and they grow a lot closer. I love that Anna Harrington isn't afraid of intimacy in her stories. Historical romance is my favorite genre but unfortunately there are quite a few authors that hold themselves back because they don't actually want to write historical romance rather they just want to write a historical novel. The ending was everything I could have hoped for and I absolutely can't wait to read more from this author. Highly recommended series!
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