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The Honorables #2
Duty Before Desire
Consummate rake Lord Sheridan Zouche is no stranger to scandal. But when his family banishes him as a bad influence until he vows to marry, he inexplicably chooses the one woman he cannot an Englishwoman born and raised in India, who has been sent home against her will to find a husband.
Arcadia Parks wants nothing more than to return to the peaceful hills of Hyderabad, far from the contrivances and strange moral strictures of the ton. But her aunt is insisting she wed, so she can't turn down Sheri's unexpected proposal of convenience. They'll marry for one year - and consummate the union just once to make it official - after which time he'll help her return to India.
Alas, the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. Will Sheridan be able to give up the woman staking claim on his heart? And will Arcadia see through to the sensitive heart lurking beneath his glib facade?
Fans of Judith Ivory and Cecilia Grant won't want to miss this highly anticipated story!
Sensuality Sensual
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2016
6 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 5, 2018
3.5/5. Well-written but not enough bite. Born and raised in India, Arcadia Parks reluctantly has to familiarise herself with England and its many strange traditions and regulations as she is forced to submit herself under the strict guardianship of her uncle and aunt. The only way she can return to the beloved country she called home for most of her life is to marry, a fact pointed out by the rakish Lord Sheridan Zouche who himself is in need of a convenient wife in order to prevent his older Marquess brother from disinheriting him. Sheri has cut a swathe through the women of the ton, and has bedded one straying wife too many. He is an embarrassment to his family, has been banned from interacting with his impressionable young nephews and he has been orderd to take a wife and settle down. They strike a bargain naturally, a typical MOC sealed by the wedding night consummation and then each are free to continue on with their separate paths. Of course, Sheri was never going to be able to walk away from a woman who is a yoga practitioner and therein lies the problem. The book is well-written but Sheri lacked any admirable quality. He really was a useless as he thought himself, because to charm and dance with wallflowers and lonely little old ladies does not make a purposeful life. He lusted after Arcadia and was struck by the endless possibilities of her yoga moves, but I was not quite convinced of his love. I was frustrated by his inability to confess his feelings for her after their marriage just because it wasn't part of their original deal. Telling her of his love is not the same as ordering her to stay in England, but it would enable her to make an informed choice.
May 6, 2016
Wow! From the raucously entertaining opening scene of Sheri’s unfortunate dueling injury to his and Arcadia’s first scandalous meeting, this reader could not get enough!
Read full review in the 2016 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2016 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.
January 24, 2016
So fun seeing familiar faces and as usual, the sexy-time scenes are verra steamy. I really enjoyed the character of Arcadia and wanted to know more about her. So my only complaint? Not long enough! ;)
December 22, 2015
Elizabeth Boyce writes amazing historical fiction with a steamy romance undertone. I'm typically NOT a romance fan but her characters and the historical details make this book a wonderful read.
September 16, 2017
This book has some fascinatingly complicated characters. The hero is a jaded man of the world but, of course, has some secret vulnerabilities. Seeing him surprise even himself with his caring behavior is very fun. And the heroine has a mix of innocence and experience from being raised in India in an entirely different culture from the ton of London. Seeing some of the classic Regency elements from her bewildered point of view makes you see it anew, with some of the absurdities skewered. For example, at one point she goes for a walk and is so relieved to find a non crowded street, but the Londoners are horrified that she doesn't know that its emptiness signals not to go down it because of what it says about your character.
There is a lot of internal conflict going on, and it can be hard to sort through, but this is an interesting romance with plenty of angst for those of you who enjoy that. This is the closest to a typical dukes and ballrooms historical in this series, which may make it more comfortable for readers to dip their toe in the unusual-historical waters.
There is a lot of internal conflict going on, and it can be hard to sort through, but this is an interesting romance with plenty of angst for those of you who enjoy that. This is the closest to a typical dukes and ballrooms historical in this series, which may make it more comfortable for readers to dip their toe in the unusual-historical waters.
May 11, 2017
Very good!
I loved Arcadia and could agree with averything she tought about the ton! What a bunch of stupid idiots!
I loved Arcadia and could agree with averything she tought about the ton! What a bunch of stupid idiots!
November 2, 2017
It started out so well, I liked both characters immensely. But it started to drag in the middle towards the end.
January 2, 2019
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February 1, 2016
Reviewed by JoAnne
Book provided by the publisher for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
The book is set in London in the early 1800’s and although it’s book three in the series I didn’t feel lost not having read the first two books. Arcadia and Sheridan should have nothing in common when they meet under not the best circumstances – she’s just been robbed – but they have immediate chemistry. As their paths continue to cross, much to the chagrin of her aunt whom is now her guardian after her father’s death in India, their friendship and desire for one another continues to grow and they find much to agree on. Arcadia is an innocent, never been kissed, who has lived in India all her life although English. She traveled with her companion whom she has known since birth, Poorvaja or her ayah from India to England. India is reminisced about fondly by both Arcadia and her anya and I can visualize the lands, the people, the food and the smells.
Sheri, as he’s known by his friends, is a womanizer who has no problem bedding married women but he knows Arcadia is different. His brother bans him from his home and his family including his twin nephews since he’s already a bad influence on them. There are friends and family, fears, innocence, displeasure, deceit, tears, anger, happiness, balls, society’s norms and love. There are some unexpected twists to the story as Arcadia and Poorvaja navigate through a new land, meeting new people and learning new things and it’s not always good. The characters are multifaceted and Arcadia sees the good in Sheri that others never have. As they get closer they also are further apart due to an agreement they made to help each other out in order to get back in the good graces of their families. Sheri tries to be a better person whenever he is around Arcadia but doesn’t know if it’s worth it in the end especially since his reputation is so well known and he doesn’t think he’ll be believed. The epilogue gives nice closure but doesn’t go far enough especially if this is the last book in the series. There are several happily ever afters in the offing but there seems to be more story to tell. There are many Indian words that were difficult to understand and a glossary of terms would have been helpful.
Boyce is a new to me author. I do plan to read the first two books in the series, Honor Among Thieves and Truth Within Dreams to get to know the characters better as well as some of the back story. I will be adding other books written by Boyce to my always growing TBR pile.
Favorite Quote: Why did you kiss me like I was precious to you? she wanted to ask. Why did you introduce me with such pride...
Book provided by the publisher for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
The book is set in London in the early 1800’s and although it’s book three in the series I didn’t feel lost not having read the first two books. Arcadia and Sheridan should have nothing in common when they meet under not the best circumstances – she’s just been robbed – but they have immediate chemistry. As their paths continue to cross, much to the chagrin of her aunt whom is now her guardian after her father’s death in India, their friendship and desire for one another continues to grow and they find much to agree on. Arcadia is an innocent, never been kissed, who has lived in India all her life although English. She traveled with her companion whom she has known since birth, Poorvaja or her ayah from India to England. India is reminisced about fondly by both Arcadia and her anya and I can visualize the lands, the people, the food and the smells.
Sheri, as he’s known by his friends, is a womanizer who has no problem bedding married women but he knows Arcadia is different. His brother bans him from his home and his family including his twin nephews since he’s already a bad influence on them. There are friends and family, fears, innocence, displeasure, deceit, tears, anger, happiness, balls, society’s norms and love. There are some unexpected twists to the story as Arcadia and Poorvaja navigate through a new land, meeting new people and learning new things and it’s not always good. The characters are multifaceted and Arcadia sees the good in Sheri that others never have. As they get closer they also are further apart due to an agreement they made to help each other out in order to get back in the good graces of their families. Sheri tries to be a better person whenever he is around Arcadia but doesn’t know if it’s worth it in the end especially since his reputation is so well known and he doesn’t think he’ll be believed. The epilogue gives nice closure but doesn’t go far enough especially if this is the last book in the series. There are several happily ever afters in the offing but there seems to be more story to tell. There are many Indian words that were difficult to understand and a glossary of terms would have been helpful.
Boyce is a new to me author. I do plan to read the first two books in the series, Honor Among Thieves and Truth Within Dreams to get to know the characters better as well as some of the back story. I will be adding other books written by Boyce to my always growing TBR pile.
Favorite Quote: Why did you kiss me like I was precious to you? she wanted to ask. Why did you introduce me with such pride...
December 21, 2015
A pleasure to read. I loved the heroine's perspective on London society as someone raised in a different culture. The yoga scenes were fun. And how great to see the previous Honorable couples. Claudia is great, but I wish I could have spent more time with Lorna. Honor Among Thieves is still my favorite in the series, but they've all been great reads. Looking forward to the next one!
August 28, 2016
Another very good Historical Romance from this author and nicely written. Loved the hero - a Lord (second son) with nothing much to do but look handsome and appear charming. The Heroine was English but was raised in India, complete with Indian accent and all. A charming book that was very hard to put down and I felt like I was in that time period. The other characters from this series made an appearance as friends of the couple, but this book can be read as a stand alone. 4.5 stars
February 24, 2016
Yet another Elizabeth Boyce book that I've devoured from beginning to end. To say I've been looking forward to Sheri's story is an understatement, I simply love this character. She certainly didn't disappoint me! I loved seeing small glimpses into the lives of the other characters I've grown to admire as well. Will be waiting with bated breath for the next one!
January 27, 2016
Read my review on Romancing-the-Book.com by clicking on the link below:
http://romancing-the-book.com/2016/01...
http://romancing-the-book.com/2016/01...
historical
January 23, 2019Consummate rake Lord Sheridan Zouche is no stranger to scandal. But when his family banishes him as a bad influence until he vows to marry, he inexplicably chooses the one woman he cannot seduce: an Englishwoman born and raised in India, who has been sent home against her will to find a husband.
Arcadia Parks wants nothing more than to return to the peaceful hills of Hyderabad, far from the contrivances and strange moral strictures of the ton. But her aunt is insisting she wed, so she can’t turn down Sheri’s unexpected proposal of convenience. They’ll marry for one year—and consummate the union just once to make it official—after which time he’ll help her return to India.
Alas, the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. Will Sheridan be able to give up the woman staking claim on his heart? And will Arcadia see through to the sensitive heart lurking beneath his glib facade?
Arcadia Parks wants nothing more than to return to the peaceful hills of Hyderabad, far from the contrivances and strange moral strictures of the ton. But her aunt is insisting she wed, so she can’t turn down Sheri’s unexpected proposal of convenience. They’ll marry for one year—and consummate the union just once to make it official—after which time he’ll help her return to India.
Alas, the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. Will Sheridan be able to give up the woman staking claim on his heart? And will Arcadia see through to the sensitive heart lurking beneath his glib facade?
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews