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Ransomed Jewels #1
Ransomed Jewels
With her husband’s dying words, “My marchioness has it,” the Marchioness of Huntingdon is thrown into a nightmare of intrigue and danger. But even those who are holding her brother ransom can’t force her to do the impossible—hand over a necklace she doesn’t have.
Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He intends to get the necklace he’s convinced she has, before sending her to the gallows. But when he meets the captivating widow, he discovers that nothing is as it seems.
Claire knows she can’t trust anyone, but she isn’t given a choice when Major Bennett arrives, demanding she give him the necklace. And it isn’t until she’s forced to put her life in his hands that she realizes it isn’t only her life she’s in danger of losing—but her heart as well.
Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He intends to get the necklace he’s convinced she has, before sending her to the gallows. But when he meets the captivating widow, he discovers that nothing is as it seems.
Claire knows she can’t trust anyone, but she isn’t given a choice when Major Bennett arrives, demanding she give him the necklace. And it isn’t until she’s forced to put her life in his hands that she realizes it isn’t only her life she’s in danger of losing—but her heart as well.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2016
406 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
About the author
Laura Landon
67 books368 followersLaura Landon taught high school for ten years before leaving the classroom to open her own ice-cream shop. As much as she loved serving up sundaes and malts from behind the counter, she closed up shop after penning her first novel. Now she spends nearly every waking minute writing, guiding her heroes and heroines to find their happily ever afters.
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
She is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, including SILENT REVENGE, INTIMATE DECEPTION, and her newest Montlake Romance release, INTIMATE SURRENDER.
Her books are enjoyed by readers around the world and you can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.lauralandon.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
September 26, 2016
I received an eARC, from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Lady Claire Huntingdon has found herself in a lot of trouble and there seems no way out. Her husbands last words were set to point the finger at her it would seem to an issue of a stolen necklace and possible a traitor. So everyone is looking for her to hand over the jewels but she does not have them. They have even taken her brother as ransom. Major Samuel Bennett is set to find Claire and get the jewels and then send her off to jail. But things seem to change when he meets her and starts to see what is going on. Claire has no one to trust and its looking like Major Samuel might be her only hope when her life is on the line.
I really enjoyed having this book and hope that you will too!
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Lady Claire Huntingdon has found herself in a lot of trouble and there seems no way out. Her husbands last words were set to point the finger at her it would seem to an issue of a stolen necklace and possible a traitor. So everyone is looking for her to hand over the jewels but she does not have them. They have even taken her brother as ransom. Major Samuel Bennett is set to find Claire and get the jewels and then send her off to jail. But things seem to change when he meets her and starts to see what is going on. Claire has no one to trust and its looking like Major Samuel might be her only hope when her life is on the line.
I really enjoyed having this book and hope that you will too!
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...
September 23, 2021
I think this is the first Laura London book I have read that didn’t knock my slippers off. She is a terrific author but I didn’t feel like or dislike for this. I think the heroines deceased spouse and his life overtook the story. I was upset at him that I could not enjoy the story.
The heroine was boring and didn’t capture my attention or imagination. I also had a hard time believing the hero was a spy because he was so daft. Rosalyn Landor did narrate this to perfection and mad it worth finishing.
The heroine was boring and didn’t capture my attention or imagination. I also had a hard time believing the hero was a spy because he was so daft. Rosalyn Landor did narrate this to perfection and mad it worth finishing.
July 11, 2024
Review from 2016
A for narration; B- for content.
I have listened to a couple of books by this author in the past, and I confess to having been somewhat underwhelmed by the stories. In both those cases, however, Ms Landon was fortunate in having excellent narrators – Rosalyn Landor in Silent Revenge and James Langton in A Risk Worth Taking, both of whose performances were more than good enough to paper over some of the cracks in the storytelling, so I thought I’d give this latest offering a try.
Ransomed Jewels sees Rosalyn Landor at the helm once again, and a very fine job she does of bringing to life a story which, while enjoyable for the most part, was at times so frustrating as to have made me want to bang my head against the wall.
Major Samuel Bennett, in his capacity as an agent for the British government, has been tasked with the recovery of the Queen’s Blood, a priceless necklace belonging to the Russian royal family. It should be a simple matter, given that Bennett and his fellow agent, the Marquess of Huntingdon, had previously stolen the necklace from the French spy who had appropriated it. Unfortunately, Huntingdon was killed four months previously, but his dying words indicated that his marchioness is in possession of both the necklace and some important coded papers, both of which are vital to the negotiations which are about to begin with a view to bringing about an end to the war in the Crimea.
Bennett needs urgently to retrieve both the necklace and the papers from Hunt’s widow, and he must do it before François Roseneau, the French spy and Russian sympathiser from whom they stole the necklace in the first place, can get to them. Not doing so risks the failure of the upcoming negotiations and a continuance of the war that has been responsible for the deaths of so many.
Meanwhile Claire, the Marchioness of Huntingdon, has been a widow for four months and isn’t sure what to do with her life. Her marriage was not a happy one; her husband was never physically abusive or cruel, but theirs was a marriage of convenience made at the insistence of his overbearing father, and while she and Hunt played the happy couple in public, behind closed doors they led separate lives. She has been left well-provided for, but Hunt denied her the things she really wanted; physical closeness, affection and a family, so it’s not surprising that her feelings toward him are clouded with bitterness and anger. To make things worse, she has begun receiving anonymous threats asking her to give up something she does not have. So far the threats have been made on paper, but as the story opens, she is physically attacked by a man with a Russian accent, who informs her that her brother is being held hostage and will be freed in exchange for the return of the Queen’s Blood.
Claire is badly wounded in the attack, but is saved from worse by the intervention of the major and one of his men, who have been watching the house. She’s in a bad way, but that doesn’t stop Sam from trying to interrogate her or accusing her of lying to him when she tells him she doesn’t have the necklace. Unfortunately, this sets the tone for much of the rest of the story; Sam and Claire are strongly attracted to each other and there is plenty of romantic tension between them, but every time they seem to be making progress in their relationship, something happens to cause Sam to return to his default position of mistrust. Honestly, if Jumping to Conclusions were an Olympic sport, then Sam Bennett would win Gold, Silver AND Bronze hands down. Worse, he refuses to listen to Claire when she tries to explain, although another part of the same problem is that Claire’s life with Hunt led her to cultivate the art of cutting herself off from hurt and shutting down when things got too emotionally difficult for her, which is exactly what she does instead of confronting Sam head on and forcing him to hear the truth.
Even so, the story is decently executed, the mystery is simple, but nicely done and as the truth about Claire’s marriage is revealed, it is easy to sympathise with her and to understand why she reacts as she does. Anyone paying close attention will probably have worked out the location of the jewels and letters before it is finally revealed, but that doesn’t take anything away from the story, as the listener then wonders when the characters are going to work it out, too.
Fortunately for Sam Bennett, Rosalyn Landor’s expert narration saves the day, and turns him into a much more appealing and sexy hero than his words and actions might suggest. Her pitch and tone are perfect to convey a man of action and authority and in the more intimate moments, she turns him into a convincing lover by adding a darker, softer note to her portrayal. The pacing is excellent, her acting choices are all spot on, and every character is very clearly differentiated according to gender, age and station. Besides Sam, there are several male characters who appear throughout the novel, principally Claire’s brother Barnaby, Doctor Bronnley and Sam’s adjutant, Honeywell, all of whom are completely distinct from one another. The villains of the piece sound suitably menacing and Roseneau’s French accent is accurate and consistent. Ms Landor always vocalises the female characters in the books she narrates extremely well, and here is no exception; her portrayal of Claire is excellent, really capturing the essence of the lonely, neglected woman who is determined to stay strong and stand up for herself, even when her heart is breaking.
Ransomed Jewels is ultimately a bit of a mixed bag. The storyline is decent and the romance works surprisingly well given what I’ve said about the seemingly endless misunderstandings and mistrust between the protagonists. But I can’t deny that their continual “two steps forward, one step back” got very frustrating very quickly. It’s possible that had I not been listening to Ms Landor, I might have been tempted to rip out my earbuds and stomp on them, but as it was, I rolled my eyes and kept listening because she’s good enough and convincing enough to have made me care about the characters and want to know how they would work things out between them.
A for narration; B- for content.
I have listened to a couple of books by this author in the past, and I confess to having been somewhat underwhelmed by the stories. In both those cases, however, Ms Landon was fortunate in having excellent narrators – Rosalyn Landor in Silent Revenge and James Langton in A Risk Worth Taking, both of whose performances were more than good enough to paper over some of the cracks in the storytelling, so I thought I’d give this latest offering a try.
Ransomed Jewels sees Rosalyn Landor at the helm once again, and a very fine job she does of bringing to life a story which, while enjoyable for the most part, was at times so frustrating as to have made me want to bang my head against the wall.
Major Samuel Bennett, in his capacity as an agent for the British government, has been tasked with the recovery of the Queen’s Blood, a priceless necklace belonging to the Russian royal family. It should be a simple matter, given that Bennett and his fellow agent, the Marquess of Huntingdon, had previously stolen the necklace from the French spy who had appropriated it. Unfortunately, Huntingdon was killed four months previously, but his dying words indicated that his marchioness is in possession of both the necklace and some important coded papers, both of which are vital to the negotiations which are about to begin with a view to bringing about an end to the war in the Crimea.
Bennett needs urgently to retrieve both the necklace and the papers from Hunt’s widow, and he must do it before François Roseneau, the French spy and Russian sympathiser from whom they stole the necklace in the first place, can get to them. Not doing so risks the failure of the upcoming negotiations and a continuance of the war that has been responsible for the deaths of so many.
Meanwhile Claire, the Marchioness of Huntingdon, has been a widow for four months and isn’t sure what to do with her life. Her marriage was not a happy one; her husband was never physically abusive or cruel, but theirs was a marriage of convenience made at the insistence of his overbearing father, and while she and Hunt played the happy couple in public, behind closed doors they led separate lives. She has been left well-provided for, but Hunt denied her the things she really wanted; physical closeness, affection and a family, so it’s not surprising that her feelings toward him are clouded with bitterness and anger. To make things worse, she has begun receiving anonymous threats asking her to give up something she does not have. So far the threats have been made on paper, but as the story opens, she is physically attacked by a man with a Russian accent, who informs her that her brother is being held hostage and will be freed in exchange for the return of the Queen’s Blood.
Claire is badly wounded in the attack, but is saved from worse by the intervention of the major and one of his men, who have been watching the house. She’s in a bad way, but that doesn’t stop Sam from trying to interrogate her or accusing her of lying to him when she tells him she doesn’t have the necklace. Unfortunately, this sets the tone for much of the rest of the story; Sam and Claire are strongly attracted to each other and there is plenty of romantic tension between them, but every time they seem to be making progress in their relationship, something happens to cause Sam to return to his default position of mistrust. Honestly, if Jumping to Conclusions were an Olympic sport, then Sam Bennett would win Gold, Silver AND Bronze hands down. Worse, he refuses to listen to Claire when she tries to explain, although another part of the same problem is that Claire’s life with Hunt led her to cultivate the art of cutting herself off from hurt and shutting down when things got too emotionally difficult for her, which is exactly what she does instead of confronting Sam head on and forcing him to hear the truth.
Even so, the story is decently executed, the mystery is simple, but nicely done and as the truth about Claire’s marriage is revealed, it is easy to sympathise with her and to understand why she reacts as she does. Anyone paying close attention will probably have worked out the location of the jewels and letters before it is finally revealed, but that doesn’t take anything away from the story, as the listener then wonders when the characters are going to work it out, too.
Fortunately for Sam Bennett, Rosalyn Landor’s expert narration saves the day, and turns him into a much more appealing and sexy hero than his words and actions might suggest. Her pitch and tone are perfect to convey a man of action and authority and in the more intimate moments, she turns him into a convincing lover by adding a darker, softer note to her portrayal. The pacing is excellent, her acting choices are all spot on, and every character is very clearly differentiated according to gender, age and station. Besides Sam, there are several male characters who appear throughout the novel, principally Claire’s brother Barnaby, Doctor Bronnley and Sam’s adjutant, Honeywell, all of whom are completely distinct from one another. The villains of the piece sound suitably menacing and Roseneau’s French accent is accurate and consistent. Ms Landor always vocalises the female characters in the books she narrates extremely well, and here is no exception; her portrayal of Claire is excellent, really capturing the essence of the lonely, neglected woman who is determined to stay strong and stand up for herself, even when her heart is breaking.
Ransomed Jewels is ultimately a bit of a mixed bag. The storyline is decent and the romance works surprisingly well given what I’ve said about the seemingly endless misunderstandings and mistrust between the protagonists. But I can’t deny that their continual “two steps forward, one step back” got very frustrating very quickly. It’s possible that had I not been listening to Ms Landor, I might have been tempted to rip out my earbuds and stomp on them, but as it was, I rolled my eyes and kept listening because she’s good enough and convincing enough to have made me care about the characters and want to know how they would work things out between them.
May 2, 2016
3.5 Stars
My Musings
I have read quite a few books by Laura Landon and enjoyed them immensely. When I received an invitation from the publisher to read via Net-Galley in exchange for an honest review, I eagerly accepted. Ransomed Jewels is another emotionally-charged story with loads of tension and angst. Since the book description is enticing and sets up the story well, I am not going to do a brief synopsis.
The story is interesting, but it did not grab me as Ms. Landon’s books normally do. As always, the romance is very well-written and the style is smooth. For some reason, I had a difficult time truly liking Claire and Samuel. They were at such odds for 95% of the book, I grew a bit irritated at the amount of angst. Just when I thought they were reaching an understanding, then it would go off in another direction.
Claire’s character has many things I admire in a heroine. She is determined to protect her loved one at great personal cost. Unfortunately, she holds her cards so tightly to her chest, it annoyed me. If Claire had opened up to the hero and told him what had her paralyzed with fear, it would have helped me like her better.
Samuel tended to jump to conclusions without questioning Claire to make sure he fully understood her actions. This made it hard for me to like his character. Now, he is honorable, and loyal–almost to his detriment–and feels protective of Claire, even though he suspects that she is willing to betray her country. Those are normally traits I love in a hero, but no matter how much I wanted to like him, I could not.
I did enjoy the historical history sprinkled expertly sprinkled in regarding the Crimean War. That is a period of English history I did not know as much about and enjoyed the machinations that must have been going on between England and Russia.
If you are looking for a highly emotional story with an anguished heroine, then you will enjoy Ransomed Jewels. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this book. Happy reading!
My Musings
I have read quite a few books by Laura Landon and enjoyed them immensely. When I received an invitation from the publisher to read via Net-Galley in exchange for an honest review, I eagerly accepted. Ransomed Jewels is another emotionally-charged story with loads of tension and angst. Since the book description is enticing and sets up the story well, I am not going to do a brief synopsis.
The story is interesting, but it did not grab me as Ms. Landon’s books normally do. As always, the romance is very well-written and the style is smooth. For some reason, I had a difficult time truly liking Claire and Samuel. They were at such odds for 95% of the book, I grew a bit irritated at the amount of angst. Just when I thought they were reaching an understanding, then it would go off in another direction.
Claire’s character has many things I admire in a heroine. She is determined to protect her loved one at great personal cost. Unfortunately, she holds her cards so tightly to her chest, it annoyed me. If Claire had opened up to the hero and told him what had her paralyzed with fear, it would have helped me like her better.
Samuel tended to jump to conclusions without questioning Claire to make sure he fully understood her actions. This made it hard for me to like his character. Now, he is honorable, and loyal–almost to his detriment–and feels protective of Claire, even though he suspects that she is willing to betray her country. Those are normally traits I love in a hero, but no matter how much I wanted to like him, I could not.
I did enjoy the historical history sprinkled expertly sprinkled in regarding the Crimean War. That is a period of English history I did not know as much about and enjoyed the machinations that must have been going on between England and Russia.
If you are looking for a highly emotional story with an anguished heroine, then you will enjoy Ransomed Jewels. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this book. Happy reading!
February 23, 2017
An OK spy/mystery/romance..
I’ve read a couple of books with this theme and I can honestly say I didn’t like them. Sam tells Claire that the necklace he thinks she has could save thousands of lives but all she cares about is her brother, who has been kidnapped by the owner of the necklace, and he wants it back. That makes her looks selfish when it comes to all the soldiers she could save BUT it’s still understandable that she wants to save her brother. At 17% I was wondering if the author was going to make us read 300 pages of them arguing over this stupid necklace and if that’s the way it was going to be I wasn’t going to read the remainder of the book.
As I went along it was rather silly how Claire kept telling herself she should tell Sam about Alex being kidnapped, and then she’d talk herself out of it. Again and again this went on. I hate repetitiveness that just makes up the page count in a book.
Overall, this was a decent read and a pretty good mystery but it was nearly ruined by Sam being so freaking dense. Talk about someone being TSTL! Good grief, that man got so many things wrong it was unbelievable. Sooo many misunderstandings and angst. As much as I liked the spies, the mystery, the search for the traitor this author is way to angsty for me.
It was made much better by keeping you guessing as to who the traitor was until the end and I was really shocked.
There was a good amount of desire in this, which made it even better, and a beautiful bedroom scene. Of course, there was no swearing.
As to the narration: I know a lot of you are fans of Rosalyn Landor, and think she can do no wrong, BUT her male voices are just terrible. The men sound like they’re constipated or something and trying to grunt through it. This could have been a fantastic book with a different narrator. Even with all her emotions she reads with she really needs to work on her male voices.
I’ve read a couple of books with this theme and I can honestly say I didn’t like them. Sam tells Claire that the necklace he thinks she has could save thousands of lives but all she cares about is her brother, who has been kidnapped by the owner of the necklace, and he wants it back. That makes her looks selfish when it comes to all the soldiers she could save BUT it’s still understandable that she wants to save her brother. At 17% I was wondering if the author was going to make us read 300 pages of them arguing over this stupid necklace and if that’s the way it was going to be I wasn’t going to read the remainder of the book.
As I went along it was rather silly how Claire kept telling herself she should tell Sam about Alex being kidnapped, and then she’d talk herself out of it. Again and again this went on. I hate repetitiveness that just makes up the page count in a book.
Overall, this was a decent read and a pretty good mystery but it was nearly ruined by Sam being so freaking dense. Talk about someone being TSTL! Good grief, that man got so many things wrong it was unbelievable. Sooo many misunderstandings and angst. As much as I liked the spies, the mystery, the search for the traitor this author is way to angsty for me.
It was made much better by keeping you guessing as to who the traitor was until the end and I was really shocked.
There was a good amount of desire in this, which made it even better, and a beautiful bedroom scene. Of course, there was no swearing.
As to the narration: I know a lot of you are fans of Rosalyn Landor, and think she can do no wrong, BUT her male voices are just terrible. The men sound like they’re constipated or something and trying to grunt through it. This could have been a fantastic book with a different narrator. Even with all her emotions she reads with she really needs to work on her male voices.
April 18, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis seemed to have everything I was looking for - romance, mystery, intrigue. But unfortunately it never really seems to reach the level I was hoping for.
To begin with, I really couldn't like either of the main characters. Samuel is quick to accuse Claire of all manner of things (from being a traitor, to an adulterer, and later - a manipulator) - and he never takes the time to consider another option or hear her out. He just opens up and lets the accusations fly which of course put Claire's back up until they end up in a fight. Then Claire - I understand she has had to put a facade on for years with other people, but it irritated me to no end the way she simply wouldn't put her foot down and demand that Samuel listen to her. It seems the only time she shows any sort of backbone is when it comes to her brother.
The mystery part of this story is ok. It has its moments when things take a turn you wouldn't expect. However I found the main twist to be so improbable and yes downright impossible that it almost ruined the entire story for me. Unfortunately I can't go into a lot of detail because it IS a major spoiler, but suffice to say something happened that I cannot fathom actually happening, but even if the author kept that part in the book, she could have taken it in an entirely different direction that would have made a bit more sense. In fact, the majority of this novel would have been completely different if people had just been honest with each other from the beginning.
Overall, I am sure that this story will appeal to a variety of people, and the things that I did not enjoy about it will be someone else's cup of tea. I would give this author a second chance, however if there had been more to this series, I would not have continued on.
DISCLAIMER #1: This novel does include scenes of a sexual nature that occur before marriage. I mention this only because I know it is a complete turn off for some readers, and feel that they should be informed.
DISCLAIMER #2: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
To begin with, I really couldn't like either of the main characters. Samuel is quick to accuse Claire of all manner of things (from being a traitor, to an adulterer, and later - a manipulator) - and he never takes the time to consider another option or hear her out. He just opens up and lets the accusations fly which of course put Claire's back up until they end up in a fight. Then Claire - I understand she has had to put a facade on for years with other people, but it irritated me to no end the way she simply wouldn't put her foot down and demand that Samuel listen to her. It seems the only time she shows any sort of backbone is when it comes to her brother.
The mystery part of this story is ok. It has its moments when things take a turn you wouldn't expect. However I found the main twist to be so improbable and yes downright impossible that it almost ruined the entire story for me. Unfortunately I can't go into a lot of detail because it IS a major spoiler, but suffice to say something happened that I cannot fathom actually happening, but even if the author kept that part in the book, she could have taken it in an entirely different direction that would have made a bit more sense. In fact, the majority of this novel would have been completely different if people had just been honest with each other from the beginning.
Overall, I am sure that this story will appeal to a variety of people, and the things that I did not enjoy about it will be someone else's cup of tea. I would give this author a second chance, however if there had been more to this series, I would not have continued on.
DISCLAIMER #1: This novel does include scenes of a sexual nature that occur before marriage. I mention this only because I know it is a complete turn off for some readers, and feel that they should be informed.
DISCLAIMER #2: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
May 26, 2021
1.5 star DNF at end of sample due to unengaging writing and Hero and iffy story.
June 1, 2016
Description
With her husband’s dying words, “My marchioness has it,” the Marchioness of Huntingdon is thrown into a nightmare of intrigue and danger. But even those who are holding her brother ransom can’t force her to do the impossible—hand over a necklace she doesn’t have.
Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He intends to get the necklace he’s convinced she has, before sending her to the gallows. But when he meets the captivating widow, he discovers that nothing is as it seems.
Claire knows she can’t trust anyone, but she isn’t given a choice when Major Bennett arrives, demanding she give him the necklace. And it isn’t until she’s forced to put her life in his hands that she realizes it isn’t only her life she’s in danger of losing—but her heart as well.
My Thoughts:
This one perplexed this reader. It started out very slowly opening the story with immediate violence. I was almost sure at that point I would not even be able to finish reading the book, but as the story progressed I found the story more and more likable. In the end I found it to be a very well written book overall. I would have preferred less violence but I guess with this particular story it was necessary. I did however guess what would ultimately happen in the book.
This is the first book I had read by this author but will probably check to see if I can find others.
I gave this book a 3.5 star rating. I received this book as a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With her husband’s dying words, “My marchioness has it,” the Marchioness of Huntingdon is thrown into a nightmare of intrigue and danger. But even those who are holding her brother ransom can’t force her to do the impossible—hand over a necklace she doesn’t have.
Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He intends to get the necklace he’s convinced she has, before sending her to the gallows. But when he meets the captivating widow, he discovers that nothing is as it seems.
Claire knows she can’t trust anyone, but she isn’t given a choice when Major Bennett arrives, demanding she give him the necklace. And it isn’t until she’s forced to put her life in his hands that she realizes it isn’t only her life she’s in danger of losing—but her heart as well.
My Thoughts:
This one perplexed this reader. It started out very slowly opening the story with immediate violence. I was almost sure at that point I would not even be able to finish reading the book, but as the story progressed I found the story more and more likable. In the end I found it to be a very well written book overall. I would have preferred less violence but I guess with this particular story it was necessary. I did however guess what would ultimately happen in the book.
This is the first book I had read by this author but will probably check to see if I can find others.
I gave this book a 3.5 star rating. I received this book as a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2016
***ARC provided by the Publisher, Montlake/Amazon and NetGalley***
I liked this. It was enjoyable and there were a lot of elements of Sam's life as a spy. I liked that Claire was capable, that she was strong, and that most importantly, the men in her life treated her like she was intelligent enough to know what was going on around her...well, except for her late husband, but as we never see them interact in the story, that really doesn't matter.
The story revolves around spies, traitors, jewels and stolen paperwork. I liked the twists and turns in this one, and I was actually surprised as to who the traitor turned out to be, I was convinced it was another character entirely. This was nice, as this is usually something I find obvious.
The romance was mostly clean, there was sex, but the description of it was essentially as much of a fade to black as possible without actually doing so, which worked in the story.
The characters were well developed, the plot was tight and the pace was good. I enjoyed the author's writing style. This was my first Laura Landon, and I am looking forward to others by her.
I liked this. It was enjoyable and there were a lot of elements of Sam's life as a spy. I liked that Claire was capable, that she was strong, and that most importantly, the men in her life treated her like she was intelligent enough to know what was going on around her...well, except for her late husband, but as we never see them interact in the story, that really doesn't matter.
The story revolves around spies, traitors, jewels and stolen paperwork. I liked the twists and turns in this one, and I was actually surprised as to who the traitor turned out to be, I was convinced it was another character entirely. This was nice, as this is usually something I find obvious.
The romance was mostly clean, there was sex, but the description of it was essentially as much of a fade to black as possible without actually doing so, which worked in the story.
The characters were well developed, the plot was tight and the pace was good. I enjoyed the author's writing style. This was my first Laura Landon, and I am looking forward to others by her.
March 29, 2016
I left this book for last in the group of 5 I downloaded last week thinking I would like it least. I normally don't love spy romances as they get misguided sometimes or droll. That said this one was excellent! Just the right blending of intrigue, suspense and a twist you don't see coming!
I love that this book takes the time to show elements to both the hero and the heroine that are both endearing and negative. No character is shown as "perfect". The characters are brilliantly written and complex enough to keep you wanting more.
Also a big plus for me was the writing style itself. I often notice authors using the same phrases, slang etc for different characters and it makes them sound cookie cutter. This was well written and a fun read! I will be sure to post a review on Amazon during this book's launch week.
I received an eARC, from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own, given freely, in no way influenced by others.
I love that this book takes the time to show elements to both the hero and the heroine that are both endearing and negative. No character is shown as "perfect". The characters are brilliantly written and complex enough to keep you wanting more.
Also a big plus for me was the writing style itself. I often notice authors using the same phrases, slang etc for different characters and it makes them sound cookie cutter. This was well written and a fun read! I will be sure to post a review on Amazon during this book's launch week.
I received an eARC, from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own, given freely, in no way influenced by others.
November 30, 2016
This is the first book in Ransomed Jewels series, yet it was the last in order that I've read. I started this series from its third book and worked my way to the first. It so happens that I loved, LOVED Dark Ruby so much that I had to track down all the other books in this series. And while I'm new to this authors writing, she is probably familiar to most of you and I aim to make her familiar to me as well.
Even though this is definitely a romance, I found in it a bit of mystery and suspense with plenty of drama and passion. But what made this story awesome were the compelling characters of Claire and Samuel. They were likable and relatable and their journey to the happily ever after was powerful and entertaining.
I have a feeling that I've just stumbled onto an author that will be on my keeper shelf for a long time.
Melanie for b2b
Even though this is definitely a romance, I found in it a bit of mystery and suspense with plenty of drama and passion. But what made this story awesome were the compelling characters of Claire and Samuel. They were likable and relatable and their journey to the happily ever after was powerful and entertaining.
I have a feeling that I've just stumbled onto an author that will be on my keeper shelf for a long time.
Melanie for b2b
April 10, 2016
"Ransomed Jewels" by Laura Landon is a fast paced Historical Romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from the first page to the last and beyond. Yes, I thought of this story, long after the last page.
From spies to love, you wouldn't want to miss a page of "Ransomed Jewels".
A passionate story, that is compelling, powerful, and addictive. The characters are engaging, but flawed, passionate and energetic.
Fans of Spy Romance, Historical Romance, mystery, suspense, passion and romance will enjoy this brilliantly written tale. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Landon' stories. An awesome read, that is enjoyable and delightfully satisfying!
Received for an honest review from Net Galley.
Rating: 4.5
Heat rating: Mild
Reviewed by: AprilR
From spies to love, you wouldn't want to miss a page of "Ransomed Jewels".
A passionate story, that is compelling, powerful, and addictive. The characters are engaging, but flawed, passionate and energetic.
Fans of Spy Romance, Historical Romance, mystery, suspense, passion and romance will enjoy this brilliantly written tale. I can't wait to read more of Ms. Landon' stories. An awesome read, that is enjoyable and delightfully satisfying!
Received for an honest review from Net Galley.
Rating: 4.5
Heat rating: Mild
Reviewed by: AprilR
May 4, 2024
I don't know what made me nab this eARC (NetGalley), but I didn't get very far. It's so ridiculously over-dramatic! It feels like every action, every emotion is at the farthest possible extreme. It seems like every trope or cliche-- the pet verbs, the thinly-drawn typical characters-- are all present and accounted for.
March 4, 2018
It was very frustrating to have Sam think the worst of Claire every time there was a confrontation. Shouldn't you start questioning your friends story after two false accusations. Claire speak up for your self!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2022
2 1/2 stars because the beginning is attention-getting (in a startlingly visceral way, so if you're not into violence this may not be your cup of tea) and the basic premise is interesting. I usually like spy/espionage plots; however, when I read this years ago I never left a review, not really caring for how the story unfolded.
This author is competent, to be fair, with decent books under her belt. But this one is maybe worse the second time around. The characters don't seem like real people, they're just puppets being jerked around for the sake of what ends up being a pretty silly plot.
I REALLY don't like the H, a belligerent alpha jerk who believes nothing the h says because he's too close to the circumstances of his best friend's death, basically suffering from survivor's guilt (he's none too bright either, with an oddly short-term memory, which never helps). He spends the first quarter of the storyline blaming h because he believes her husband, his friend and fellow spy, gave her a necklace he wasn't supposed to steal in order to buy her love. The necklace and the papers that come with it are connected to a possible traitor in the British government. H also accuses h over and over of having an affair with the baddie because he saw them together once. Doesn't matter that their togetherness was non-consensual according to h. The H has very little guilt and really doesn't seem to mind making the h a pawn, along with casting aspersions in her direction.
The initial questions that kept bugging me: Why would the doctor or the h's staff allow H to bully her and haul her around without her consent? And why would anyone have trusted H to be around her when she was recovering from a severe physical assault, as she's supposedly near death and he keeps doing things like yelling in her face and punching the wall in anger? Where was his handler? Her instant attraction to him made zero sense.
I know this was written before Me Too, but it's really cringy when around the 50% mark H kisses h even though she tells him no. She's exhausted, she's been groped by the baddie and is still recovering physically and mentally from her attack, which wasn't that long before. But OF COURSE she ends up enjoying the kiss. When H initiates kissing before they make love around the 70% mark he directs her, "Don't tell me to stop." Then (POSSIBLE SPOILER) he's furious when he realizes she's a virgin and accuses her of being cold in her marriage to her husband. Hey buddy, since we're being nitpicky, doesn't it bother you that you keep forcing yourself on the widow of your supposed best friend who took a bullet to save your life? He goes on to make more and more ridiculous, condescending presumptions--even after the First Big Reveal--when she just needs time to think things through. He even has the gall to accuse her of using him for sex (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Oh, but at least H "made her a woman. At last." Ughhhhhhhhh.
The h keeps putting up with his crap. Oh, she challenges his presumptions a couple times, but never makes him answer for them. Meanwhile, he has a super bad habit of interrupting her alone time, goading her and asking her if she's all right WHEN SHE OBVIOUSLY IS NOT after the trauma-inducing nightmare she's been through. He keeps rehashing the same stupid internal monologues and stupid arguments while her emotions are constantly downplayed.
The Big Twist is decent, until you hear the main baddie's explanation. Worse, you don't get any satisfactory grovelling from the H before the HEA. So that's an automatic round down to 2 stars. Plus, what happened with brother Alex--the guy h risked her life for and tore her house apart for? (SPOILER.......If you're still reading, my hat's off to you...................) He was ridiculously snippy with her for saving his hide, never once voicing any concern about her welfare, and promptly disappeared from the plot. ?
Bottom line: this could have been a smart, sharp read, but the author chose to dial the alpha-jerkiness way up and cop out at the end.
Steam level: I'll give it a 2, I guess. Eh. I honestly skimmed the steamy scenes because I disliked this H so much.
This author is competent, to be fair, with decent books under her belt. But this one is maybe worse the second time around. The characters don't seem like real people, they're just puppets being jerked around for the sake of what ends up being a pretty silly plot.
I REALLY don't like the H, a belligerent alpha jerk who believes nothing the h says because he's too close to the circumstances of his best friend's death, basically suffering from survivor's guilt (he's none too bright either, with an oddly short-term memory, which never helps). He spends the first quarter of the storyline blaming h because he believes her husband, his friend and fellow spy, gave her a necklace he wasn't supposed to steal in order to buy her love. The necklace and the papers that come with it are connected to a possible traitor in the British government. H also accuses h over and over of having an affair with the baddie because he saw them together once. Doesn't matter that their togetherness was non-consensual according to h. The H has very little guilt and really doesn't seem to mind making the h a pawn, along with casting aspersions in her direction.
The initial questions that kept bugging me: Why would the doctor or the h's staff allow H to bully her and haul her around without her consent? And why would anyone have trusted H to be around her when she was recovering from a severe physical assault, as she's supposedly near death and he keeps doing things like yelling in her face and punching the wall in anger? Where was his handler? Her instant attraction to him made zero sense.
I know this was written before Me Too, but it's really cringy when around the 50% mark H kisses h even though she tells him no. She's exhausted, she's been groped by the baddie and is still recovering physically and mentally from her attack, which wasn't that long before. But OF COURSE she ends up enjoying the kiss. When H initiates kissing before they make love around the 70% mark he directs her, "Don't tell me to stop." Then (POSSIBLE SPOILER) he's furious when he realizes she's a virgin and accuses her of being cold in her marriage to her husband. Hey buddy, since we're being nitpicky, doesn't it bother you that you keep forcing yourself on the widow of your supposed best friend who took a bullet to save your life? He goes on to make more and more ridiculous, condescending presumptions--even after the First Big Reveal--when she just needs time to think things through. He even has the gall to accuse her of using him for sex (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Oh, but at least H "made her a woman. At last." Ughhhhhhhhh.
The h keeps putting up with his crap. Oh, she challenges his presumptions a couple times, but never makes him answer for them. Meanwhile, he has a super bad habit of interrupting her alone time, goading her and asking her if she's all right WHEN SHE OBVIOUSLY IS NOT after the trauma-inducing nightmare she's been through. He keeps rehashing the same stupid internal monologues and stupid arguments while her emotions are constantly downplayed.
The Big Twist is decent, until you hear the main baddie's explanation. Worse, you don't get any satisfactory grovelling from the H before the HEA. So that's an automatic round down to 2 stars. Plus, what happened with brother Alex--the guy h risked her life for and tore her house apart for? (SPOILER.......If you're still reading, my hat's off to you...................) He was ridiculously snippy with her for saving his hide, never once voicing any concern about her welfare, and promptly disappeared from the plot. ?
Bottom line: this could have been a smart, sharp read, but the author chose to dial the alpha-jerkiness way up and cop out at the end.
Steam level: I'll give it a 2, I guess. Eh. I honestly skimmed the steamy scenes because I disliked this H so much.
September 18, 2019
4/5 stars
I enjoyed this one. It flew by, and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
From the first description of Claire, I immediately liked her. And after she was attacked I had so much admiration for her strength and dignity. She was so fearless and brave, although she did make a lot of stubborn and stupid decisions.
That being said, some aspects of this book were rather predictable. Also, the romance was a little too overpowering, especially in the beginning. It wasn't instalove exactly, but the passion and romance developed very early on, and far too quickly for my liking. I would have liked more angst and banter in the lead up to the climax of Sam and Claire's relationship, and the confession of their feelings for each other.
I HATED how much of a jerk Sam was to Claire. He assumed and formed so many opinions of her and her actions without calmly confronting her or consulting other sources before accusing her of things. Even when he realized he had feelings for her (again, waaaay too early), he still believed the worst of her. And what further drove me nuts was how Claire didn't correct him! She just let him think the worst about her, and stubbornly made him think his assumptions were correct! How annoying.
It also frustrated me how Claire and Sam would kiss and stuff, giving themselves to each other without restraint, even though they were dealing with issues and how they even felt about each other. But they would be like "let's kiss" and forgot about everything for a couple minutes. Even their first kiss...it happened, and then like neither of them reacted to it. The story moved on, and I was so confused. How did they feel about the kiss? How are they handling this growing attraction/relationship? Idk. BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER EXPLAINED.
But...anyhoo. This was quite an interesting story, and it was fun to see the mystery aspect play out.
July 29, 2017
Ransomed Jewels is by Laura Landon. It is the first in a four-book series by the same name. I read the fourth book before realizing it was a series and came back to this one to start over. I realized that the details of this book make things that happened in the fourth book make sense. Therefore, I recommend the books be read in sequence. The book is well written and is very realistic as to the era.
Major Samuel Bennett watches as his friend and fellow agent entered the Armor’s Inn pub. He looked like he fit in well with those men who were in the pub. Hunt did not look like a Marquess. Sam followed Hunt to his room where they talked. Hunt had stolen a ruby necklace belonging to the government of Russia when they had robbed Roseneau of the jewels he had stolen which were intended for sale. Roseaneau had stolen the ruby necklace from Russia and wanted to keep them for himself. Now Russia knew who had stolen them and Roseaneau now wanted them for his own protection. Hunt had taken the rubies and given them to his wife. While they were leaving the Inn, the men were attacked and Hunt was killed. He died after telling Sam to help keep his wife safe.
Sam went to London and got there just in time to save Claire Huntington from death. Someone had sneaked in to get the rubies and the papers with them; but Claire has been looking for them since she got their first warning. Claire has no idea where the rubies are which Sam has a hard time believing. Sam intends to stay with her until she gives in and lets him have them. The longer he stays with her, the more he wonders about the view he has of her. Was she the uncaring, party hopping, cold wife he thought she was? Where are the rubies?
Major Samuel Bennett watches as his friend and fellow agent entered the Armor’s Inn pub. He looked like he fit in well with those men who were in the pub. Hunt did not look like a Marquess. Sam followed Hunt to his room where they talked. Hunt had stolen a ruby necklace belonging to the government of Russia when they had robbed Roseneau of the jewels he had stolen which were intended for sale. Roseaneau had stolen the ruby necklace from Russia and wanted to keep them for himself. Now Russia knew who had stolen them and Roseaneau now wanted them for his own protection. Hunt had taken the rubies and given them to his wife. While they were leaving the Inn, the men were attacked and Hunt was killed. He died after telling Sam to help keep his wife safe.
Sam went to London and got there just in time to save Claire Huntington from death. Someone had sneaked in to get the rubies and the papers with them; but Claire has been looking for them since she got their first warning. Claire has no idea where the rubies are which Sam has a hard time believing. Sam intends to stay with her until she gives in and lets him have them. The longer he stays with her, the more he wonders about the view he has of her. Was she the uncaring, party hopping, cold wife he thought she was? Where are the rubies?
August 16, 2017
Ransomed Jewels is by Laura Landon. It is the first in a four-book series by the same name. I read the fourth book before realizing it was a series and came back to this one to start over. I realized that the details of this book make things that happened in the fourth book make sense. Therefore, I recommend the books be read in sequence. The book is well written and is very realistic as to the era.
Major Samuel Bennett watches as his friend and fellow agent entered the Armor’s Inn pub. He looked like he fit in well with those men who were in the pub. Hunt did not look like a Marquess. Sam followed Hunt to his room where they talked. Hunt had stolen a ruby necklace belonging to the government of Russia when they had robbed Roseneau of the jewels he had stolen which were intended for sale. Roseaneau had stolen the ruby necklace from Russia and wanted to keep them for himself. Now Russia knew who had stolen them and Roseaneau now wanted them for his own protection. Hunt had taken the rubies and given them to his wife. While they were leaving the Inn, the men were attacked and Hunt was killed. He died after telling Sam to help keep his wife safe.
Sam went to London and got there just in time to save Claire Huntington from death. Someone had sneaked in to get the rubies and the papers with them; but Claire has been looking for them since she got their first warning. Claire has no idea where the rubies are which Sam has a hard time believing. Sam intends to stay with her until she gives in and lets him have them. The longer he stays with her, the more he wonders about the view he has of her. Was she the uncaring, party hopping, cold wife he thought she was? Where are the rubies?
Major Samuel Bennett watches as his friend and fellow agent entered the Armor’s Inn pub. He looked like he fit in well with those men who were in the pub. Hunt did not look like a Marquess. Sam followed Hunt to his room where they talked. Hunt had stolen a ruby necklace belonging to the government of Russia when they had robbed Roseneau of the jewels he had stolen which were intended for sale. Roseaneau had stolen the ruby necklace from Russia and wanted to keep them for himself. Now Russia knew who had stolen them and Roseaneau now wanted them for his own protection. Hunt had taken the rubies and given them to his wife. While they were leaving the Inn, the men were attacked and Hunt was killed. He died after telling Sam to help keep his wife safe.
Sam went to London and got there just in time to save Claire Huntington from death. Someone had sneaked in to get the rubies and the papers with them; but Claire has been looking for them since she got their first warning. Claire has no idea where the rubies are which Sam has a hard time believing. Sam intends to stay with her until she gives in and lets him have them. The longer he stays with her, the more he wonders about the view he has of her. Was she the uncaring, party hopping, cold wife he thought she was? Where are the rubies?
November 22, 2019
Okay story
How did the hero manage to make it as a spy? If there was a false assumption to be made, he enthusiastically went for it. He constantly and wrongly accused the heroine of terrible things. Of course the heroine forgave him because she fell in love with him, but I would worry about marrying such a person. He always went first for the idea of bad behavior on her part.
Her husband was a spy and he was killed after stealing some jewelry and some papers that would reveal a traitor. He took a particular piece of jewelry he wasn't supposed to. As he was dying he told the hero that he had given the papers and piece of jewelry to his wife. Some weeks after his death, the heroine is attacked in their home. The attacker tells her to give him the jewelry and papers or her brother will die. The brother is being held hostage.
As she is trying to escape the attacker, the hero shows up and kills him. The hero needs the same items and thinks she is lying about not having them. He needs them for leverage against the Russians and to save lives. Her concern is saving her brother, and she isn't sure she can trust him. She suffers terrible wounds in the attack and he nurses her back to health. So their game begins -- she wants to find the jewelry before he does.
In the meantime they are falling for each other while not sure about trusting.
It is clear her marriage wasn't what everyone thought.
How did the hero manage to make it as a spy? If there was a false assumption to be made, he enthusiastically went for it. He constantly and wrongly accused the heroine of terrible things. Of course the heroine forgave him because she fell in love with him, but I would worry about marrying such a person. He always went first for the idea of bad behavior on her part.
Her husband was a spy and he was killed after stealing some jewelry and some papers that would reveal a traitor. He took a particular piece of jewelry he wasn't supposed to. As he was dying he told the hero that he had given the papers and piece of jewelry to his wife. Some weeks after his death, the heroine is attacked in their home. The attacker tells her to give him the jewelry and papers or her brother will die. The brother is being held hostage.
As she is trying to escape the attacker, the hero shows up and kills him. The hero needs the same items and thinks she is lying about not having them. He needs them for leverage against the Russians and to save lives. Her concern is saving her brother, and she isn't sure she can trust him. She suffers terrible wounds in the attack and he nurses her back to health. So their game begins -- she wants to find the jewelry before he does.
In the meantime they are falling for each other while not sure about trusting.
It is clear her marriage wasn't what everyone thought.
November 5, 2020
Horrendous. Arm yourself with your ten-foot pole. I don’t tend to even rate the historical romances I read because I don’t really expect much from them. I enjoy reading them for the escapes they offer, but I never expect originality or amazing writing. And that’s fine! Formulaic comfort reading serves a purpose. But this book deserves a rating and a review for just how awful it was.
WRITING: So repetitive! The characters have the same arguments again and again. They stress over the same inner struggles again and again. It didn’t add to the suspense, only to my eye-roll count.
PLOT: I did like the mystery element, but I guessed every major plot point in the first third of the book. Then the end (no spoilers!) left a lot of my questions unanswered about how society would have reacted to the central marriage drama, social standing, etc.
ROMANCE: Not hot.
CHARACTERS: h keeps secrets. H thinks he has a right to know her secrets. H draws incorrect conclusions about h’s secrets. h tries to tell him he’s wrong. H ignores her and judges her. h cries. Wash, rinse, repeat. I haaaaaaaaated how he steamrolled her at every turn, ignored all her wishes. Some of that domineering male BS is par for the course in historical romances, but this H never grows and is in fact rewarded for his behavior. And h is just so weak, I just couldn’t respect her one bit.
WRITING: So repetitive! The characters have the same arguments again and again. They stress over the same inner struggles again and again. It didn’t add to the suspense, only to my eye-roll count.
PLOT: I did like the mystery element, but I guessed every major plot point in the first third of the book. Then the end (no spoilers!) left a lot of my questions unanswered about how society would have reacted to the central marriage drama, social standing, etc.
ROMANCE: Not hot.
CHARACTERS: h keeps secrets. H thinks he has a right to know her secrets. H draws incorrect conclusions about h’s secrets. h tries to tell him he’s wrong. H ignores her and judges her. h cries. Wash, rinse, repeat. I haaaaaaaaated how he steamrolled her at every turn, ignored all her wishes. Some of that domineering male BS is par for the course in historical romances, but this H never grows and is in fact rewarded for his behavior. And h is just so weak, I just couldn’t respect her one bit.
May 14, 2018
Some men just seem to always take another man's word without a second thought-especially if it is his dying words! To get them to realize their mistake----well----that is what this novel is all about! Samuel Bennett was positive that Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor. He heard what her late husband said when he lay dying--she had the necklace and some notes that would put an end to the war. Big problem--she didn't! She however had been trying to find them ever since she was threatened-twice.
There are twists and turns in this novel that will have your head spinning! The ending-well--you will not see it coming at all! I do have to tell you that there is a happy ending eventually. One other thought--Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars. Their priorities are definitely different as this author points out.
Ransomed Jewels
There are twists and turns in this novel that will have your head spinning! The ending-well--you will not see it coming at all! I do have to tell you that there is a happy ending eventually. One other thought--Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars. Their priorities are definitely different as this author points out.
Ransomed Jewels
July 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this book - not your "run of the mill historical romance". It had spies, suspense, danger, treason, stolen jewels & coded documents naming surprising guilty person. Major Samuel Bennett believes the newly widowed Lady Claire Huntingdon is a traitor & he intends to get the necklace & coded papers away from her before sending her to prison. After the two meet, he is captivated by the widow & she may or may not be as guilty as he first thought. Claire is strong, intelligent, brave & beautiful & little by little & many adventures, they find themselves in love.. I loved all of the twists & turns in the plot & the chameleon characters were great. The ending was a definite surprise to me, I never would have guessed this character was the traitor. I felt all the characters were well developed & I hope we get to see some of them down the road in this series. I have read many of Laura Landon's books & find her style of writing very enjoyable - I highly recommend this series.
April 21, 2021
I got into the Historical Romance novel because of books by Laura Landon. Her use of mystery and intrigue usually keeps me engaged. The opening was riveting with Sam and Hunt escaping danger as British spys. Between Chapter One and the end is a series of conversations between Major Sam Bennett and Lady Claire Huntingdon about the stolen diamond and ruby necklace that belongs to the Country of Russia. As he is dying Hunt tells Sam that his "Marquess" has the necklace only to find out near the end that Claire is a victim of bigamy. The real villan was Lord Huntingdon who lied to everyone and endangered Claire. Major Sam's constant accusations and torment of Claire while claiming to "love" her was very disturbing. Her constant struggle to tell him the truth was also tedious. This was not one of my favorite LL books and I have read some outstanding writting from her in the past. I plan to read the rest of the series and hope they are better.
February 22, 2017
Ransomed Jewels by Laura London is a fascinating romantic suspense. Here, a woman is thought to have a necklace due to her husband's dying words. Yet in truth she doesn't. But it won't matter u til her brother is in danger. She has to give the necklace or else something bad happens...
But then the plot gets more interesting...
Major Samuel Bennett believes Lady Claire Huntington is terrible. But upon, meeting her, he can't shake his gut feelings that something else is going on...and then there's the attraction to her.
Lady Claire has but no choice. Major Samuel will have to be trusted. But to what extent lies within Lady Claire's hands or shall I say heart?
Ransomed Jewels is by far the most puzzling yet stunning read. I was immediately drawn into the story. A plot that moved so quickly. Bold, fierce, and sexy. I loved it. Overall, I recommend it to readers everywhere.
But then the plot gets more interesting...
Major Samuel Bennett believes Lady Claire Huntington is terrible. But upon, meeting her, he can't shake his gut feelings that something else is going on...and then there's the attraction to her.
Lady Claire has but no choice. Major Samuel will have to be trusted. But to what extent lies within Lady Claire's hands or shall I say heart?
Ransomed Jewels is by far the most puzzling yet stunning read. I was immediately drawn into the story. A plot that moved so quickly. Bold, fierce, and sexy. I loved it. Overall, I recommend it to readers everywhere.
February 17, 2023
No. Nope, no thank you.
I love this author. A LOT. It’s literally the only reason I finished the book. The “hero” is judgmental and absolutely horrible to the heroine at every single hint of conflict. His first instinct is not to question her, but to outright blame her. “How could you?” Over and over again. Even after he gives in to his feelings for her… first conflict = “how could you?” (There is no way this dude is one of the best spies in England. He has no reasoning skills and the temper of a time bomb.) This poor heroine was gaslit by her husband for seven years, and now by this asshat?? And somehow she’s falling for him? Villains are usually given more redeeming qualities than this guy.
This book is a hard pass for me. I adore Landon’s other books, and I will revisit some favorites before I try the next book in this series.
I love this author. A LOT. It’s literally the only reason I finished the book. The “hero” is judgmental and absolutely horrible to the heroine at every single hint of conflict. His first instinct is not to question her, but to outright blame her. “How could you?” Over and over again. Even after he gives in to his feelings for her… first conflict = “how could you?” (There is no way this dude is one of the best spies in England. He has no reasoning skills and the temper of a time bomb.) This poor heroine was gaslit by her husband for seven years, and now by this asshat?? And somehow she’s falling for him? Villains are usually given more redeeming qualities than this guy.
This book is a hard pass for me. I adore Landon’s other books, and I will revisit some favorites before I try the next book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2017
This was a hard review to write. I liked the heroine of the book, Claire but could not stand the main male character Major Samuel Bennett. He was arrogant and always thought the worst of Claire, never gave her the benefit of the doubt and was verbally abusive to her. The plotline, however, was very interesting and I enjoyed it but never warmed to Sam. I never had that reaction before.
This is the first of four books and I already own the last two books because the plotline sounded interesting and they were on sale for $.99 each. I still look forward to reading them and hope the hero is more likeable.
This is the first of four books and I already own the last two books because the plotline sounded interesting and they were on sale for $.99 each. I still look forward to reading them and hope the hero is more likeable.
November 11, 2017
Engrossing read
Fantastic story, well written, well edited. There's only one issue: the hero assumes the worst of the heroine. Every. Single. Time. He's an jerk who never apologizes, comes up wrong constantly, and sure as heck doesn't deserve to get the girl. If I wrote the story, I would either pull a Game of Thrones move and kill her off so the cruel jackasss of a hero would suffer and maybe learn a valuable lesson in jumping to stubborn conclusions or kill him off so our long suffering heroine could find another hero worthy of her. That said, the story grips the reader and doesn't let go.
Fantastic story, well written, well edited. There's only one issue: the hero assumes the worst of the heroine. Every. Single. Time. He's an jerk who never apologizes, comes up wrong constantly, and sure as heck doesn't deserve to get the girl. If I wrote the story, I would either pull a Game of Thrones move and kill her off so the cruel jackasss of a hero would suffer and maybe learn a valuable lesson in jumping to stubborn conclusions or kill him off so our long suffering heroine could find another hero worthy of her. That said, the story grips the reader and doesn't let go.
March 26, 2018
4.5/5 stars
Fantastic plot! I love it when you can't see the ending before it happens and this ending was definitely a surprise. I loved the suspense with spies, a traitor, and the woman caught in it all.
The characters were good with a lot of tension, angst, and romance between the main characters. I didn't like how quickly Sam would jump to conclusions or the repetitiveness of his accusations.
Overall, I recommend this book. If you like suspense, angst, and a good romance, then you will love this one.
Fantastic plot! I love it when you can't see the ending before it happens and this ending was definitely a surprise. I loved the suspense with spies, a traitor, and the woman caught in it all.
The characters were good with a lot of tension, angst, and romance between the main characters. I didn't like how quickly Sam would jump to conclusions or the repetitiveness of his accusations.
Overall, I recommend this book. If you like suspense, angst, and a good romance, then you will love this one.
January 19, 2020
Interesting premise. Terrible and repetitive internal monologues from both h and H for majority of book. Of course they both unnecessarily withhold minor bits of info and of course they act counterintuitive to the mission. There is an interesting twist followed by a predictable end. Theiir distrust for each other was oh so suddenly removed. Thus now they can have their HEA and indulge that nonsensical insta attraction they had been trying to suppress the entire time. Writing could've been worse though.
February 27, 2017
Well done!!
This is an excellent story filled with secrets, love and danger. Espionage and murder begin the story. A race to find the Queen's blood and the papers that will disclose the traitor brings Claire and Samuel together. Afraid to trust anyone especially each other, these two embark on a danger trail and fall in love along the way. Well written as always Ms Landon build a wonderful story. I cannot wait to read the next story!
This is an excellent story filled with secrets, love and danger. Espionage and murder begin the story. A race to find the Queen's blood and the papers that will disclose the traitor brings Claire and Samuel together. Afraid to trust anyone especially each other, these two embark on a danger trail and fall in love along the way. Well written as always Ms Landon build a wonderful story. I cannot wait to read the next story!
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