Hysteria

Namesaken #2

by Michaela Wright

Her sanctuary turns into a nightmare after sunset.

On the run from her abusive mother, inexperienced Liv was very lucky to find honest employment as a scullery maid in the household of Dr. Findlay Lennox. Unfortunately, her luck runs out at nightfall, when the ghosts that only Liv can see steal away any hope of sleep, leaving her clumsy with exhaustion.

Her employer offers her the most personal of services.

Dr. Lennox is well versed in a very special treatment for female complaints. His experiments on prostitutes have given him intimate knowledge of the female anatomy, allowing him to manipulate it as an effective treatment for hysteria, melancholy, and as he assures Liv, sleeplessness. Liv reluctantly agrees to be his patient, but cannot pretend that the touch of his hand hasn’t sparked something more than medicinal. It isn’t long before she is seeking his expert attention more often – but how long can either of them pretend it isn’t more?

A growing threat far greater than forbidden love

As Dr. Lennox's patients begin to go missing, his colleague, Dr. Knox, draws crowds in the hundreds to his dissection classes. Soon the ghostly crowd in the Lennox household expands to include the prostitutes that had served as Dr. Lennox's volunteer subjects. Liv begins to suspect that these missing women have met an ill fate, but can she convince Dr. Lennox in time to stop the darkness spreading through Edinburgh’s streets, or will she be the next one to find herself on Dr. Knox's slab?

Genres: Romance, Dark Romance, Gothic, Historical Romance, Dark

255 pages, ebook

First published October 19, 2015

About the author

Michaela Wright is the author of the Gothic Romance Mystery series, The NAMESAKEN GOTHICS. Michaela spent years as a historical interpreter, and her regular stints in the countryside of Scotland helped to inspire her steamy love stories. Given her love of the haunting side of history, her writing has been known to keep readers up at night in more ways than one.

Michaela writes from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where she lives with her family.

You can reach Michaela at

MichaelaWrightAuthor@gmail.co

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when books deliver on their premises and unapologetically embrace their uniqueness.
This one having been at the top of my TBR for months, I ran to get a copy the moment I read it was once again available on amazon.

‘Hysteria’ is a fast paced romance and horror story set in mid 19th century Edinburgh.
The author managed to merge the best of the two genres into a harrowing, downright scary (the kind that made me double check what lurked in the shadow of my bedroom door) and surprisingly sexy (I genuinely gasped at some passages, per my reading updates) story. I’m pleased to say that both main characters characters had character: a necessary requirement within the dangerous reality they live in.
I was going to bump my rating down one star because of one stupid decision the hero makes halfway through the book, but then realised that his error in judgment, followed by a lot of grovelling, is what made him so charismatic.

While the blurb immediately caught my attention, I had my reservations about a main plot (doctor finds a ‘cure’ to female hysteria while falling in love with his maid) that could become stale very easily. Thankfully, the paranormal and gothic aspects elevated the story from merely interesting to unforgettable.
This was the best foray into gothic romance I could’ve asked for and so worth stepping out of my comfort zone.
Very welcome change of pace from the candle lit ballrooms and stilted conversation of my usual HR fare.
My 2022 resolution is to read more gothic romances!

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES MICHAELA HAS PUT THE BOOK BACK ON AMAZON!!! THANK YOU!!

Sooooo I have read this book no less that 5 times. Its. That. Good. My favorite.


Ok thought about it and felt I needed to revisit my review and add on. When I originally read the blurb on this book, I thought..."yeah that's gonna be a no for me". However, I gave it a chance and it ended up being completely different than what I had imagined. I truly thought there was no way this could be anything but corny erotica…I was soooooooooooo wrong. Michaela did such a great job of turning what could have easily been a hokey, smutty theme and made it into a captivating story with a sweet little twist at the end.

First thing about the book that I fell in love with was the heroine AND the hero. It’s so rare that you’re able to fall in love with both. The Hero was just precious…and not in a beta, mamma loving, cheese dick kind of way. He was more just a gentle giant who happened to be professionally astute at pleasuring women (hence the name of the book). The heroine was a little bit of an enigma; however, it worked and had a purpose. She was naïve, young and determined. She wasn’t annoying naïve- and that’s so important to me.

The steam factor in this book is a 10! I mean it. It was done so perfectly. My suggestion is to absolutely read this book if you like a little bit of history, paranormal, steam and excellent writing.

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Willing, the second book in this series when I read it a few years ago. I wasn’t into medical settings or doctor-patient taboo back then but now I am, and this was so good. The gothic plot was also great. I need more of this, please.

[emtee · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was… different. And I mean that in the best possible way. An excellent mashup of steamy Victorian romance, unique subject matter and subtle, sinister horror. The story had a very gothic flavor, which I loved; the Old Edinburgh setting was just perfect. The two main characters were amazing together and so very likeable. Findlay was just… Oh my. His character had me swooning from the very beginning 😍

[Kitcatscratch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well. This was definitely an interesting read. First, the horror elements were really well done. You could really visualize what Livvy sees and experiences and her anxiety in encountering “the dead.” The relationship between her and Findley (Dr. Lennox) is also well done. The story was fast paced so you were never bored and the storyline stayed on point. If anything, I would actually have welcomed a few digressions with the side characters, a little more back filler and so on. However, it’s more because the story was engrossing that I wanted to read more (always a good sign). There were a couple of things though that hovered in the background that kept intruding into my reading (and suspension of disbelief) of this story. And guess what? It wasn’t the ghosts! Ha! First, it was the idea of “manual manipulation” (aka masturbation) to cure “hysteria.” I actually went into this story knowing about that whole field of medical research and practice. I have always found it a horrendous abuse under the guise of medical science and though some women were willing to undergo the treatment many were forced. This story, from the outside, makes it seem like a true miracle cure. Crazy women come in, are subjected to the procedure in front of medical students/spectators and leave calm as if sedated. We are not privy to the actual procedure with these women but we get the gist. I did resent the implication that this was a harmless and enjoyable experience for these women who, btw, are taken and restrained and subjected to this (more forcefully in reality). Also, side note, it wasn’t a simple(!) act of masturbation often performed on these women but I digress. On the flip side, as Dr. Lennox takes Livvy on as a patient it’s pretty hot because we already sensed his immediate attraction to Livvy. BTW, it’s interesting in that we never know what Livvy looks like. Not really. I liked the secondary characters like the friends that Livvy makes that I am led to understand are prostitutes. Again, this is rather whitewashed as they seem a pretty cheerful, loud bunch of women and we don’t actually see what their lives are like which I imagined was living a hand to mouth existence, risking disease and violence, etc. In fact, if there is one thing I had to say that I did not care for in this story is that the ugliness of everyday life was very much whitewashed. The supernatural aspects were well drawn and gruesome but the real life aspects were made a little unreal as if I was seeing it through a sun filtered haze. Oh, and one minor quibble. Livvy tripped or fell down. A lot. She tripped over her clothes hems multiple times. She tripped over furniture (trunks, chairs, etc) behind her including a bed frame once. She even tripped over someone who was kneeling behind her in a crowd. I think there were some stairs mishaps too. I mean, if it was an object, human or otherwise within 10 feet of her chances were she was going to trip over it. She hit her head so many times on things (floors, other furniture, Dr. Lennox’s waistcoat) that I wondered she didn’t walk around concussed most of the time.

When it ended, I actually thought it was going to be the first part of a sequel and was a little disappointed to see that it didn’t appear to be. I would have liked to continue following their little “adventures.”

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your regular historical romance

This is definitely more gothic with a touch of horror and although there is definitely a romance, it is between two very real and somewhat confused people. The hero, Dr. Lennox is practicing the 19th century cure for female hysteria by bringing about a ......which is what they called a female orgasm in those days because only men could have a actual orgasm. He is attracted to his new, young and very naive scullery maid but is attempting to resist. She also is attracted to him but has abuse issues and seems to see ghosts. This leads to complications as science vs the paranormal, another gothic and Victorian trope. There are also some mysterious disappearances and possible murders taking place. Altogether a very different story, historically accurate and dealing with Victorian themes and issues that usually aren't publicized. Not your delicate romance but very worthwhile.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5, rounding up. A few thoughts:

- This might have been a 3.5, as it works really well as a gothic horror.

- The romance, despite everything, is sweet. It is easy to believe they could be happy together.

- This is maybe the least sexy sex I’ve ever read in a book, and that includes all the sad old white dudes mourning their self-inflicted heartbreak currently lining the shelves of all major literary institutions. Even when it’s less clinical it just… it would have been a better book without it. And it’s rare that I advocate in favor of closed door. Just be aware that consent is treated as a very flexible concept throughout.

[Alex Langston · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued but it couldn’t really hold my attention ://

[RB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good things: interesting characters. Leads are fascinating if incomplete. The secondary characters are also well written. The detail around characters, locations, and emotions was really good. Everything had a very full-time feel, as if the story was well done. The subject matter was unique. Women's sexualiry in the Victorian age and its interpretation by men is a very interesting topic. The tension is well done, although the pacing of it wasn't.

Not good things: I'm not sure what makes this story "Gothic." Subject matter? Autopsies? Suppressed emotions? Eroticism? The plot is kinda of a mess. Is this about women's health issues? Murdering body snatchers? A woman's sexual awakening? A man's sexual awakening? People with "the gift"? Haunting? There were so many topics here with very few true threads that it was muddled. The story was run over with ALL these topics, but there was no priority or lead. About the only consistent topic was the returned souls who appeared. But it wasn't clear what their abilities actually were and more importantly why they returned. Also, why could virtually everyone see them? Frustrating.

Overall, I don't think more series readings are going to help.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounding to 3.
This is a romance with strong Jack the Ripper elements.
What I really liked: Doctor Finley and his cold nerdy demeanor. He is always surrounded by books, taking notes, and talking to other doctors. I also liked the ghost story and even Liv at the beginning.
What I didn't like: as I kept on reading Liv's agency was evaporating by every page. She got abused right and left even by ghosts and treated as a child by people who liked her. It was also clear who is the bad guy from very early on.
What I was going back on forth on was - author's writing style. I loved it and also I was bored by it, depending on what section I was reading. What I liked and also hated was the procedure itself that doctor Finlay was using. It could be called rape if you are doing it to a hysterical person. But when he did it to Liv it was hot.

[G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deliverance thought she was escaping her mother's abuse and her visions, but soon discovers that working in Dr. Lennox house there are things that haunt her place of rest. Dr Lennox is intriguing as he is trialing the method of giving orgasm to treat hysteria. This works well in the story as it sort of brings a timeline to it, because not only is this method popular, so is dissections in the Medical college in Edinburgh. When a few of the ghosts Liv sees become the bodies on the table, the sense of something amiss is in the air. Interestingly it all comes to a head when Liv is nearly smothered and we get the story of Burke and Hare. For those who know their history this will resound with them. A lovely tale with a bit of romance with a bit of murder.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will he be her deliverance?
This was an excellent paranormal story Liv is an abused young woman who left home and took a job as a maid in a doctor’s home. Dr Lennox is on what this time frame will think is cutting edge treatment for female hysteria. Yet there is more to this house and more Liv will need to know to survive. The villain of the piece is very interesting and very evil. I have not read a gothic is some time but this was such a splendid one. The author has a great style of writing and parts kept me on pins and needles. I cannot recommend this book too strongly. If you like horror, gothic, ghost, all mixed into a love story this is the one to get. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Morgan Drum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible! Outlander meets The Yellow Wallpaper with ghosts and murder and very spicy scenes!! I ate it up!

[Brandi Danielle McGraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice story and I love the characters! Couldn't be better, honestly, I really enjoyed every bit of this one!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hysteria by Michaela Wright has it all: mystery, supernatural, love, sex, suspense, and more. From the beginning it draws my attention to the point I don't want to put it down. The author already wrote a nice description of the story so I won't recap it but I will say that although it has a bit more sex than I usually care for, it was done very well and crucial to the story.

The setting of Edinburgh is so fitting since the medical school is there and the streets and buildings are perfect for this story to have that believability to it. The characters had accents which were fantastic and really helped to draw me into the time and place in the story. Although, I don't know or at least don't remember the exact year this story takes place, there are several hints that it was long ago. One hint is the cover of the book and the way she is dressed, another is the subject matter the doctors are studying which would have been long ago, but I do know it is not prior to 1813 simply because the book 'Pride and Prejudice' which one of the characters had was first published then.

The main character is Deliverance (Liv) Baird and she was brought to life through the pages. She is a complex person with a 'hard' past and hopeful future. She is multidimensional in character, yet at times she is naive. At first I thought she seems to have some sort of mental disorder such as a split personality which was probably caused by her tragic past years of abuse. Then I thought it is just because she is sensitive to those things most people consider 'unnatural' and that is what made her seem that way. Even now I am not exactly sure and maybe it is both but it really doesn't matter, she is likable and it is so easy to have a connection with her plus feel what she is going through in the story.

Dr. Findlay Lennox is also developed but a bit more mysterious. He is into his work researching and perfecting his technique to cure women from their troubles in a most unusual way. Truth be told, he leads a lonely life. He has that 'all work and no play' quality about him at the beginning of the story and comes off as a man who is psychologically untouchable. With each new chapter, these walls begin to tumble and he becomes more real and believable as a person with wants, secrets, fears, and moral battles.

There are other characters in the story which are all developed to varying degrees. What is needed to be known about them to make sense of what they are doing or what their place is, is known. They help bring some humor and are critical for the direction in the story. Each one is different with their own personality and place.

The plot seemed to be simple at first but it is really multi-leveled leading to a final climax at the end. Although a bit of it was predictable, not all of it was by any means. With all the different elements put into this story it really was easy to follow, quite surprising, and well done.

I did notice a few typos and/or the wrong words being used despite the accents.

*I received an ARC free for my unbiased review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC given by author and Hot New Books.

I loved this book. It really took me some time to define if I was going to put a five stars to the book but I think it deserves it. When I read the blurb I got the feeling that the story was definitely going to focus in a narrative based solely on the main leads physical relationship, and the plot would be a kind of background to it. I was expecting predictability, but I was blown away from what I ended up reading.

It is definitely not only about the main characters' relationship, but also about the struggles of both of them for the path they had chosen. Liv has the chance to make a new life when escaping from the clutches of her abusive mother and landed in the house of Findlay; a doctor in the way of a breakthrough in a medical practice that can improve his career tremendously in the field.

Can I say how adorable they are together? Even through the struggle to accept their attraction and the naivety and innocence of Liv, I couldn't help but encourage Livvy in her quest to not only know herself, but also building more confidence and having a more decisive personality.

As secondary characters go, Mary and Janet are the best! I really enjoyed their banter, their straightforward attitude, and how they liked to mess with Liv's naivety. Janet was my favorite of the two, because she was a constant support for her throughout the story. I don't want to leave Fionn out, she is a delightful character, even if a little sour at times, she is definitely a mother figure for her.

I loved the storyline, how Liv's fights her paranormal gift and tries to rationalize it in front of Findlay's medical nature. There are some dreary subjects like disappearances of people, dissections, eerily descriptions of procedures and shady characters that could be disturbing, but that gave depth to the medical enviroment the story revolved around and the great mystery.

Though I could tell there were predictable elements that didn't detract me from the story at all.I wish for a more distasteful end to some characters and maybe a little more drama approaching the end to enhance the mystery more. (though in some way the antagonistic characters got what they deserved. My bloodlust isn't quenched but for now I'm satisfied >:D )

The ending was just the cherry to this amazing story :)

I really love this couple and the story and I can't wait to read others from the same author.

[Sherill · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPECTULAR & STEAMY ROMANCE!

HYSTERIA-A STEAMY ROMANCE FILLED WITH SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY.

What you'll find in this story; a cast of remarkably impressive and engaging characters, spectacular story-line, powerful vivid scene descriptions, humor, gripping suspense, spine-chilling danger, gut-wrenching moments, emotions spiral, skyrocketing heart-throbbing sensual romance, and a fantastic conclusion.

Liv is hired by Dr. Findlay Lennox as a scullery maid. Liv keeps her true identity a secret, but is elated to have a safe place to sleep and good food to eat. Nightmares and ghost sightings in her room cause sleepless nights. Dr. Lennox promises to cure her nightmares with his treatment for women. During the doctor/patient relationship feelings change, and the honorable doctor begins to feel guilty over his attraction to the beautiful Liv. Horrific danger lurks in the shadows of Edinburgh.

INCREDIBLE well written creative read by a truly gifted author. The cast of characters spring to life with the plot and dynamic scene descriptions. The suspense and mystery keep you glued to the story. The chemistry between Liv and Findlay is convincing and their romance is steamy. I enjoyed this story, a fascinating gratifying read. If you treasure fantasy romance this is an excellent book for your library. {I received a copy of this book for a completely honest review}. In the world of romance the possibilities are endless and always fascinating. Without reservations I recommend this book.

[Cheryl Drake johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deliverance has come looking for work she is looking for Dr Findlay Lennox who when he meets her thinks that she is one of the street walkers that he has been seeing as patients but she informs him that she is looking for a job there as a servant but there is something special about Deliverance but she never thought that she would be dealing with her problem along with being a servant but Dr Lennox is a strange doctor himself but he hires her then all sorts of things start to happen when she is trying to sleep ghosts come to her room and then the Dr tells her he can help her sleep and after a while all she wants to do is sleep so she allows the Dr to try to help her sleep and it works and he explains to her what happens but then things seem to change between her and the Dr the housekeeper who tries to help Deliverance soon has to go away to visit her family and is gone for a while but she also has a secret too. Then people start to die and visit Deliverance everything goes crazy his is a a very suspenseful romantic thriller. I think that it was very well written kept you wondering what would happen next. I received a copy for an honest review.

[Christine Croke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! Well the book was not what I expected but in a good way. I loved it! Liv escapes the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother and finds gainful employment as a scullery maid for an unusual person - Dr Findlay Lennox. She is not only a virgin but an innocent as well. She makes friends with everyone. This book is full of hot and sexy scenes as well as supernatural and suspense. This one is a page turner that will keep you hooked from page one.

I was given this e-book by the author for the purpose of an honest review. My conclusions are my own. I was not compensated in any way.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this book a while back in a bundle, but this was one of the stories that stood out to me. I usually don't like historical books, however this one was exceptional. Liv sees spirits and they're pretty much haunting her in the home that she is working in as a maid. There's a great mystery here and I definitely loved the ending. It was amazing. This was excellently written and progressed at a pretty nice pace. I was pulled into the story, and although I was frustrated with some parts, I was never bored. I especially liked the prostitutes because they had such fun loving, and open personalities. :)

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast paced sexy read with plenty of suspense and drama. Liv escapes her abusive mother and becomes a scullery made in the household of Dr. Lennox. Liv is able to see ghosts and Dr. Lennox’s house seems to be full of them. Keeping her awake at night. Dr. Lennox tells her he has a treatment for her problem but will one treatment be enough and when the prostitutes he uses to gain his knowledge begin to disappear will Liv discover what is actually happening to these woman? Great read! Loved it!

[Julie Jefferies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liv is running from a cruel past, all she wants is to be a maid, but when she arrives, she is mistaken as someone else. When Findlay Lennox realises his error, he hires her on the spot, but his professional skills become something she needs, and when they start on this path, there is no turning back, until she listens to her friend Janet and ends up fighting for her life.
I really enjoyed this story, Liv was very naive and sweet, but with a macabre twist, but all the characters were sweet and loveable, even the cheeky Janet. I'll definitely be looking into the rest of this series now

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is suspenseful, intriguing and innocence lost. Cadence leaves her abusive home for the city of Edinburgh in search of a job she found in a paper. Dr Lennox studies the female anatomy "intimately, he hires prostitutes to experiment on. Will an innocent such as Cadence last in the doctors employ? Will the doctor "experiment" on Cadence? What do the figures in the dark of night want with Cadence? You will have to read this thrilling book to find out and you will not be disappointed.

[Shannon Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a joy to read. Romance, mystery, intrigue and ghosts all in one. Sexy story that revolves around the theory that you can cure or at least alleviate the problems of the female mind with an orgasm.....which is only performed by the good doctor. I look forward to reading more from Michaela Wright.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Zeinab Dh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cool book to read full of many things that will captivate a reader mind such as mystery suspense action ....I liked the ideas this book had I was really surprised about a lot of things but they kept me reading I will be reading more for this author and got this in exchange for an honest review

[Tye H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read the first book.... But this one... If you love paranormal, then you'll love this one. Hats off to the author who did an awesome job putting this one into play... Deliverance is a character special to my heart... She deals with a lot but comes out on top.

[Sammy Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I really enjoyed this book I was also quite confused lol, I've never read an historical book before couple that with the Scottish words I was very easily lost! Which is stupid when you think my boss is Scottish lol, I loved the story itself mind,

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book.
romance,murder and mystery. Although in the excerpt shows Cadence the main characters name is Liv (Deliverance). This is a great read.