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The Muses' Salon #3
Tempting the Earl
A DOUBLE LIFE
Olivia Walgrave is finished with being a countess. Writing under a pen name, her controversial column for the scandal sheets provides her with some income and far more excitement than managing a country estate. Besides, in the three years since the wars have ended, her dashing husband hasn’t spent one night under their roof. So Olivia has prepared a plan, and an annulment. All she needs is his consent…
Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford, let his father coerce him into marriage, but his true devotion is to his Parliamentary career—and his secret work for the Home Office. Yet now, with freedom in his grasp, he finds he cannot so easily release his wife. Seeing her stirs a hunger no other woman has reached. A distraction now, when he is a breath away from revealing a ring of traitors, could be deadly. Still, wherever his investigations lead, the thought of Olivia lingers. It might be obsession. It might be treason. But the only way to escape the temptation is to succumb…
Olivia Walgrave is finished with being a countess. Writing under a pen name, her controversial column for the scandal sheets provides her with some income and far more excitement than managing a country estate. Besides, in the three years since the wars have ended, her dashing husband hasn’t spent one night under their roof. So Olivia has prepared a plan, and an annulment. All she needs is his consent…
Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford, let his father coerce him into marriage, but his true devotion is to his Parliamentary career—and his secret work for the Home Office. Yet now, with freedom in his grasp, he finds he cannot so easily release his wife. Seeing her stirs a hunger no other woman has reached. A distraction now, when he is a breath away from revealing a ring of traitors, could be deadly. Still, wherever his investigations lead, the thought of Olivia lingers. It might be obsession. It might be treason. But the only way to escape the temptation is to succumb…
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2016
96 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
Rachael Miles
9 books302 followersRachael Miles has always loved a good romance, especially one with a bit of suspense and preferably a ghost. She was also a professor of book history and nineteenth-century literature whose students frequently found themselves reading the novels of Ann Radcliffe and other gothic tales. A native Texan, Rachael lives in upstate NY with her indulgent husband, three rescued dogs and an ancient cat.
Rachael loves to hear from her readers: find her at her website: rachaelmiles.com, on Facebook (rachaelmilesauthor) or twitter (rachael_miles1)
Rachael loves to hear from her readers: find her at her website: rachaelmiles.com, on Facebook (rachaelmilesauthor) or twitter (rachael_miles1)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
October 9, 2016
There were things I liked very much about this book, thus the four star rating. I'm happy to see that my library has the other books in the series.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
December 18, 2016
I've given this a B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars.
Tempting the Earl is the third book in Rachael Miles’ Muses Salon series, and even though I was a little disappointed in the previous one (Chasing the Heiress) I wanted to read this because it makes use of one of my favourite tropes – the estranged couple who has to learn how to be married again. Or, as in this case, learn to be together full-stop, given that they have spent the six years of their marriage living apart. This aspect of the story is handled fairly well, but, as I found to be the case with the previous books, once the author starts to broaden her canvas and pick up some of the threads laid down in those earlier stories, things become far too busy and the romance gets sidelined.
We’ve met Harrison Levesford, Earl of Walgrave (for some reason, these names have been transposed in the synopsis) in the earlier books, as a friend and fellow Home Office agent of the two Sommerville brothers – Aidan and Colin – who were the heroes of those stories. Like them, Walgrave is a spy, dedicated to keeping his country safe, but he is also an active and highly respected Member of Parliament, an exceptional orator and a man widely tipped for high political office. What very few people know is that he has a wife living at his country estate with whom he has not communicated directly for the past six years. Forced into a marriage he most emphatically did not want, Walgrave joined the Navy a few short weeks after the wedding and has not returned home since.
His father insisted that he had chosen Harrison a wife perfectly suited to him, which his son interpreted as meaning a woman who was practical, demure and ultimately dull. Olivia Fallon fulfilled the first two of those expectations, so the intensity of Harrison’s attraction to her was both unexpected and very welcome, as he found his modest wife to be surprisingly passionate in bed. Even so, he went to sea, leaving the very capable Olivia to oversee his estate, not even taking the trouble to let her know when he returned to England and took up his position at the Home Office.
We learn these facts about Walgrave and Olivia’s past as the story progresses and through a few flashbacks, rather than as a prologue or first chapter, and the gradual unfolding of their history is well done. Their reunion is prompted by Olivia’s demand for a separation based on the fact that the marriage was not actually legal. Walgrave has been quite happy with the status quo, so the request unsettles him and he makes his way home to try to find out what has prompted her request after six years of what he had believed was a convenient arrangement for them both.
Olivia is an orphan whose father seems to have been involved in some very suspicious dealings. He disappeared when she was about five years old, and she was taken in by Sir Roderick Walgrave, Harrison’s father (and I stopped here to wonder a) how Walgrave is an earl while his father was only a knight and b) why Sir Roderick’s last name is Walgrave and not Levesford) and sent to Miss Finch’s School for Exceptional Girls. Olivia agreed to the marriage for a number of reasons, not least of which was her great affection for and gratitude towards Sir Roderick for everything he did for her and because it was one way of keeping herself safe and hidden away from those who had been her father’s associates. She came to love her handsome young husband in the short time they spent together and had hoped that he would come to love her, too, but his abrupt departure and subsequent failure to inform her of his return proved to her that she meant nothing to him.
Had Walgrave remained and taken time to come to know the woman he’d married, he would have learned that she was much more than the quiet country mouse he had assumed her to be. When we first meet Olivia, she is hurrying through the London streets looking desperately for somewhere to hide from a man she suspects is following her. We learn that she is the writer of a popular newspaper column under the pseudonym of An Honourable Gentleman in which she regularly rails against social injustice and advocates reform. And not only that, but like her estranged husband, Olivia is a government agent, currently engaged in trying to root out the traitors who are using the periodical press to convey state secrets to the enemy.
So far, so good. We’ve got a Regency Era Mr. and Mrs. Smith on our hands, and I anticipated a bit of a cat-and-mouse game as Olivia sought to evade exposure while she and her husband rekindled their earlier passion and fell in love all over again. That – with a few added elements of intrigue and suspense – would have been enough to sustain the story, but the romantic development is diluted by all the other plot elements that are piled on and it became difficult to keep track of all the different plotlines and who was working for whom and why.
There is an overarching plot running through the three books in the series relating to some coded documents left to the possession of Sophia, heroine of the first book, Jilting the Duke. While the documents are now in the hands of the Good Guys, the code has yet to be broken. Add to this the further machinations of the mysterious Charters and his henchman, a woman intent on revenge on Olivia’s father, Walgrave’s search for a traitor, Olivia’s other secret identity as the author of gothic novels, the strange presence of seven very eccentric scholars who pretty much live on the estate, and it was all too much. I thought I might have to resort to making a flow chart.
On the positive side, I enjoyed the brief glimpses we were given of the relationship between Walgrave and his two closest friends, the two principals are engaging, attractive characters and the chemistry between them simmers nicely – which makes it even more frustrating to think that there was a potentially satisfying, well-constructed romance in there somewhere. Olivia and Walgrave do get their HEA in this book, but there are lots of threads left hanging, which would have been fine if there hadn’t been so many of them, and if they’d made more sense during the course of this story. I’ve read and reviewed all three books in this series so far, and it’s been interesting from my point of view to look back and find that I have made similar comments about each of them, most significantly that the novels are “too busy”. Ms. Miles can clearly craft a decent plot, but she is apt to throw in too much, with the result that the plotlines are underdeveloped and the sheer number of them can cause confusion. I came away from the book with a vague sense of having read something that wasn’t quite finished; there are several unresolved plot threads left hanging at the end but I venture to suggest that Ms. Miles might need to consider wrapping some of them up soon or readers may get tired of waiting.
Arriving at a final grade was difficult. Ultimately, Tempting the Earl worked better than Chasing the Heiress, to which I gave a C+, so I’m going to give this a very qualified recommendation with a B-.
Tempting the Earl is the third book in Rachael Miles’ Muses Salon series, and even though I was a little disappointed in the previous one (Chasing the Heiress) I wanted to read this because it makes use of one of my favourite tropes – the estranged couple who has to learn how to be married again. Or, as in this case, learn to be together full-stop, given that they have spent the six years of their marriage living apart. This aspect of the story is handled fairly well, but, as I found to be the case with the previous books, once the author starts to broaden her canvas and pick up some of the threads laid down in those earlier stories, things become far too busy and the romance gets sidelined.
We’ve met Harrison Levesford, Earl of Walgrave (for some reason, these names have been transposed in the synopsis) in the earlier books, as a friend and fellow Home Office agent of the two Sommerville brothers – Aidan and Colin – who were the heroes of those stories. Like them, Walgrave is a spy, dedicated to keeping his country safe, but he is also an active and highly respected Member of Parliament, an exceptional orator and a man widely tipped for high political office. What very few people know is that he has a wife living at his country estate with whom he has not communicated directly for the past six years. Forced into a marriage he most emphatically did not want, Walgrave joined the Navy a few short weeks after the wedding and has not returned home since.
His father insisted that he had chosen Harrison a wife perfectly suited to him, which his son interpreted as meaning a woman who was practical, demure and ultimately dull. Olivia Fallon fulfilled the first two of those expectations, so the intensity of Harrison’s attraction to her was both unexpected and very welcome, as he found his modest wife to be surprisingly passionate in bed. Even so, he went to sea, leaving the very capable Olivia to oversee his estate, not even taking the trouble to let her know when he returned to England and took up his position at the Home Office.
We learn these facts about Walgrave and Olivia’s past as the story progresses and through a few flashbacks, rather than as a prologue or first chapter, and the gradual unfolding of their history is well done. Their reunion is prompted by Olivia’s demand for a separation based on the fact that the marriage was not actually legal. Walgrave has been quite happy with the status quo, so the request unsettles him and he makes his way home to try to find out what has prompted her request after six years of what he had believed was a convenient arrangement for them both.
Olivia is an orphan whose father seems to have been involved in some very suspicious dealings. He disappeared when she was about five years old, and she was taken in by Sir Roderick Walgrave, Harrison’s father (and I stopped here to wonder a) how Walgrave is an earl while his father was only a knight and b) why Sir Roderick’s last name is Walgrave and not Levesford) and sent to Miss Finch’s School for Exceptional Girls. Olivia agreed to the marriage for a number of reasons, not least of which was her great affection for and gratitude towards Sir Roderick for everything he did for her and because it was one way of keeping herself safe and hidden away from those who had been her father’s associates. She came to love her handsome young husband in the short time they spent together and had hoped that he would come to love her, too, but his abrupt departure and subsequent failure to inform her of his return proved to her that she meant nothing to him.
Had Walgrave remained and taken time to come to know the woman he’d married, he would have learned that she was much more than the quiet country mouse he had assumed her to be. When we first meet Olivia, she is hurrying through the London streets looking desperately for somewhere to hide from a man she suspects is following her. We learn that she is the writer of a popular newspaper column under the pseudonym of An Honourable Gentleman in which she regularly rails against social injustice and advocates reform. And not only that, but like her estranged husband, Olivia is a government agent, currently engaged in trying to root out the traitors who are using the periodical press to convey state secrets to the enemy.
So far, so good. We’ve got a Regency Era Mr. and Mrs. Smith on our hands, and I anticipated a bit of a cat-and-mouse game as Olivia sought to evade exposure while she and her husband rekindled their earlier passion and fell in love all over again. That – with a few added elements of intrigue and suspense – would have been enough to sustain the story, but the romantic development is diluted by all the other plot elements that are piled on and it became difficult to keep track of all the different plotlines and who was working for whom and why.
There is an overarching plot running through the three books in the series relating to some coded documents left to the possession of Sophia, heroine of the first book, Jilting the Duke. While the documents are now in the hands of the Good Guys, the code has yet to be broken. Add to this the further machinations of the mysterious Charters and his henchman, a woman intent on revenge on Olivia’s father, Walgrave’s search for a traitor, Olivia’s other secret identity as the author of gothic novels, the strange presence of seven very eccentric scholars who pretty much live on the estate, and it was all too much. I thought I might have to resort to making a flow chart.
On the positive side, I enjoyed the brief glimpses we were given of the relationship between Walgrave and his two closest friends, the two principals are engaging, attractive characters and the chemistry between them simmers nicely – which makes it even more frustrating to think that there was a potentially satisfying, well-constructed romance in there somewhere. Olivia and Walgrave do get their HEA in this book, but there are lots of threads left hanging, which would have been fine if there hadn’t been so many of them, and if they’d made more sense during the course of this story. I’ve read and reviewed all three books in this series so far, and it’s been interesting from my point of view to look back and find that I have made similar comments about each of them, most significantly that the novels are “too busy”. Ms. Miles can clearly craft a decent plot, but she is apt to throw in too much, with the result that the plotlines are underdeveloped and the sheer number of them can cause confusion. I came away from the book with a vague sense of having read something that wasn’t quite finished; there are several unresolved plot threads left hanging at the end but I venture to suggest that Ms. Miles might need to consider wrapping some of them up soon or readers may get tired of waiting.
Arriving at a final grade was difficult. Ultimately, Tempting the Earl worked better than Chasing the Heiress, to which I gave a C+, so I’m going to give this a very qualified recommendation with a B-.
June 10, 2023
What did I just read?
A long confusing and frustrating spiel of too-muchness.
I am dnf-ing at ~95%. I just don't care for the ending.
Just hope few of those loose ends got tied.
Actually I started a detailed review as I read along but am deleting it for a rant because I just want to exit the craziness.
“I’d waited so long that I forgot exactly what I was waiting for.
Then one morning I realized that he was never going to return.”
This, this here is the kind of tantalizing bits that lured me and made me read on.
I love abandoned bride HRs, that are expectedly big on angsty drama and internal conflict...
But here, spying, counter spying, double lives, double deception, unending cloak and dagger stuff plus a glut-ful of sec characters (some excessively in your face, others behind scenes and sinistery) take over the whole book. And run amok.
And secrets. So many secrets.
This insane amount of havey-cavey business is sprinkled with 'normal' scenes flitting from salons, libraries, kitchens, scholarly pursuits, routine HR estate business. So confusing.
So much happening here. Too too much!
That I stopped giving a damn.
The H is that 'nice guy' who's really a self-centered, self-pitying, patronizing ass who underestimates and under-appreciates his wife - in the past and the present. She's really an alpha woman who deserves a better man.It would have been better if I could have felt their connection/love but the author keeps a two steps forward and one step step back approach that's disconnecting.
The hazy telling style of writing doesn't help either.
The writing is actually good but the story-telling is not.
It took me 50-60% mark to finally finally get my bearings.
To again lose it time to time.
And - Either the author is really into codes and puzzles or she read few such books, just to write this book.
A long confusing and frustrating spiel of too-muchness.
I am dnf-ing at ~95%. I just don't care for the ending.
Just hope few of those loose ends got tied.
Actually I started a detailed review as I read along but am deleting it for a rant because I just want to exit the craziness.
“I’d waited so long that I forgot exactly what I was waiting for.
Then one morning I realized that he was never going to return.”
This, this here is the kind of tantalizing bits that lured me and made me read on.
I love abandoned bride HRs, that are expectedly big on angsty drama and internal conflict...
But here, spying, counter spying, double lives, double deception, unending cloak and dagger stuff plus a glut-ful of sec characters (some excessively in your face, others behind scenes and sinistery) take over the whole book. And run amok.
And secrets. So many secrets.
This insane amount of havey-cavey business is sprinkled with 'normal' scenes flitting from salons, libraries, kitchens, scholarly pursuits, routine HR estate business. So confusing.
So much happening here. Too too much!
That I stopped giving a damn.
The H is that 'nice guy' who's really a self-centered, self-pitying, patronizing ass who underestimates and under-appreciates his wife - in the past and the present. She's really an alpha woman who deserves a better man.It would have been better if I could have felt their connection/love but the author keeps a two steps forward and one step step back approach that's disconnecting.
The hazy telling style of writing doesn't help either.
The writing is actually good but the story-telling is not.
It took me 50-60% mark to finally finally get my bearings.
To again lose it time to time.
And - Either the author is really into codes and puzzles or she read few such books, just to write this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2016
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for honest review.**
Well, that was a complex story...
Tempting the Earl is the third book of the Muses' Salon series. I have not read the first two books of the series and I am sure now that I should have at least read the first book before this one, if only to help me to decipher this vast array of characters and complicated plotlines.
Olivia is married to an absentee husband. Well, sort of. Harrison, her not-husband is a spy who has spent the past six years living separate from her and his estate. In Harrison's absence, Olivia has lived a secret life of her own, also as a spy. Yes, you read that correctly.
Harrison never wanted to take a bride. His father arranged his marriage and Harrison dutifully obliged. Afterward, he did give pursuing the union some consideration, but ultimately decided that it would be for the best if he allowed Olivia to live her life without his interference. Now, however, he has received word that his wife believes their marriage is invalid and wants to have it officially concluded.
But wait, there's more... A lot more, actually.
Not only does Olivia want to be free from her not-husband, she is being threatened by a person from her past who seeks revenge. If that weren't enough, there are others who wish to reveal her (yet another) secret identity as a scandalous columnist. She must keep her ruse up with disguise after disguise. And she isn't the only one pretending to be someone she isn't.
I had some trouble keeping up with this story, even early on. There are several plots occurring simultaneously and a lot of different characters to keep track of. And though the book is rather wordy, I found that it doesn't really explain things that I wanted to actually know about. It goes into great detail about past events and secondary characters are given too much emphasis, in my opinion.
While I found the spy-columnist-revenge-mystery plotline to be interesting enough, I would rather have seen more attention paid to the main couple. For the first half of the book, Olivia and Harrison only spent two or three scenes in the same room. I think the delay of bringing our couple together did hinder their chemistry development. Yet, I really did like both of the characters and sincerely wanted to see them find happiness together. I even liked several of the secondary characters. I just wish we had gotten more alone time with our main couple.
In closing...
A tale of espionage, regret, and reconciliation. Three suns!
Full review on blog: http://uptildawnbookblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/review-blitz-tempting-earl-by-rachael.html
November 9, 2016
Abandonment, spies and romance--a different take!
3.5 stars
So how should you react when your father's drugged you, kidnapped you and then presented you with a bride as a fait acompy. If your Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford, you acquiesce, bed your bride and then flee to London and points abroad as an important secret agent for the English government.
The left behind bride, Olivia Walgrave, is a woman of determination and strength--and an agent for the government. I Really liked Olivia. She was a fighter and survivor. Coming from an unsure childhood her fate could have been quite different if not for Lord Roderick's (Waverley's father) rescue of her, and subsequent placing of her in Mrs Flints school--a place where apparently young girls are educated and turned out as agents for the crown.
Olivia has spent her years since being abandoned by Harrison yet determined to keep the estate in good order. She has also gathered together a little family of mistreated people employed as servants, and a gaggle of scholars--seven really. After twelve years of not sighting her husband, Olivia has decided to have her marriage to Harrison overturned. Harrison decides to investigate the situation in person, setting his solicitor to make enquiries on several different fronts.
Over the years Olivia has continued her work for the government as a writer exposing issues that need addressing and thereby soliciting insider information and pinpointing leaks or dangerous subversives. There's a mysterious list that she and Harrison are separately working on that completely baffled me.
Here's where it all becomes complex, with one strand of the mystery dogging the other and tripping across the basic lines. Somewhat confusing to me, newly come to the series.
There's threats and more to both Livy and Harrison.
I must admit to being somewhat cross with Harrison from time to time. For the best spy in town he's certainly obtuse and laxadaisical when it comes to his own affairs.
I loved the Seven--the scholars. More like a bunch of puppies than people. Although one surprises!
Now I need to read the others in the series to see what light, if any, can be thrown on what I don't understand.
Still, a refreshing approach to the whole regency romance spy genre. Interestingly, this whole spy school for young ladies oeuvre is becoming quite the thing in all sorts of historical genres I've been lately reading.
A NetGalley ARC
3.5 stars
So how should you react when your father's drugged you, kidnapped you and then presented you with a bride as a fait acompy. If your Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford, you acquiesce, bed your bride and then flee to London and points abroad as an important secret agent for the English government.
The left behind bride, Olivia Walgrave, is a woman of determination and strength--and an agent for the government. I Really liked Olivia. She was a fighter and survivor. Coming from an unsure childhood her fate could have been quite different if not for Lord Roderick's (Waverley's father) rescue of her, and subsequent placing of her in Mrs Flints school--a place where apparently young girls are educated and turned out as agents for the crown.
Olivia has spent her years since being abandoned by Harrison yet determined to keep the estate in good order. She has also gathered together a little family of mistreated people employed as servants, and a gaggle of scholars--seven really. After twelve years of not sighting her husband, Olivia has decided to have her marriage to Harrison overturned. Harrison decides to investigate the situation in person, setting his solicitor to make enquiries on several different fronts.
Over the years Olivia has continued her work for the government as a writer exposing issues that need addressing and thereby soliciting insider information and pinpointing leaks or dangerous subversives. There's a mysterious list that she and Harrison are separately working on that completely baffled me.
Here's where it all becomes complex, with one strand of the mystery dogging the other and tripping across the basic lines. Somewhat confusing to me, newly come to the series.
There's threats and more to both Livy and Harrison.
I must admit to being somewhat cross with Harrison from time to time. For the best spy in town he's certainly obtuse and laxadaisical when it comes to his own affairs.
I loved the Seven--the scholars. More like a bunch of puppies than people. Although one surprises!
Now I need to read the others in the series to see what light, if any, can be thrown on what I don't understand.
Still, a refreshing approach to the whole regency romance spy genre. Interestingly, this whole spy school for young ladies oeuvre is becoming quite the thing in all sorts of historical genres I've been lately reading.
A NetGalley ARC
November 6, 2016
too many bits & pieces that didn't feel fully fleshed out or connected so became hard to follow or really get interested in the story. the promise was there, just didn't quite make it. some of the interaction btwn the h/h was good but still had trouble caring about them as a couple. the "seven" added a bit of humor to the story. at the end of the book, it didn't feel like any of the plot lines (other than the h/h reconciling) were resolved, but instead more questions were left --- who is chambers & what is he really up to? who warned her about hunting for her father? is that who help save them? who was at the back of the church? what exactly does the list (from the 1st book) mean? what happened to her father? what does any of these have to do (if anything at all) with the suspected traitor plot for the series? the lack of resolution or even a sense of forward movement on the story/series plot took away from the satisfaction that was to be had at the end of the story
October 22, 2016
Really more of a 2.5, I bumped it up cause I did enjoy the opening a lot.
Part of my problem I think lay in the fact this is third in a series and while, as far as I can tell it's not dependent on the other books, the callbacks that were included...well they eluded me. Characterizations, past events and associations went right over my head vexing me a lot.
Part of my problem I think lay in the fact this is third in a series and while, as far as I can tell it's not dependent on the other books, the callbacks that were included...well they eluded me. Characterizations, past events and associations went right over my head vexing me a lot.
December 23, 2016
After the first two books I was really looking forward to this one. That might have been my first mistake. I flew through the first two but trudged through this one. I liked the characters. Harrison. Olivia. The scholars! But the rest of the story...I'm a little sad and a lot disappointed.
Read
February 10, 2017This delicious read is the 3rd in the Muses' Salon series, which led me to pick up Jilting the Duke and Chasing the Heiress. So far, Lucy and Colin are my favorite couple, but teasers about the intriguing "ghost" of a soldier who has made a noble sacrifice for his family and country have me anticipating future installments.
October 24, 2016
Tempting the Earl by Rachael Miles
Muses Salon Series #3
Spies, secrets and seduction – Olivia and Harrison have much more in common than either suspected when first they met and married six long years ago. War kept them apart for three years and then Harrison, for his own reasons, stayed away for three more years. I felt it was rather dog-in-the-manger-ish of him to finally question his feelings toward Olivia only after she sued him for dissolution of their marriage BUT the rest of the story was a treat once I put that “six years apart” idea behind me.
There was plenty of action in London and on the estate. The scholars were a hoot. The unveiling of a potential bad guy still has not happened and I have a feeling that some of the characters will show up again in future books of the series. The backstories of both Olivia and Harrison helped explain who they had become and why they did so. It was a fun read and one that I gladly recommend to you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. This is my honest review.
4 Stars
Muses Salon Series #3
Spies, secrets and seduction – Olivia and Harrison have much more in common than either suspected when first they met and married six long years ago. War kept them apart for three years and then Harrison, for his own reasons, stayed away for three more years. I felt it was rather dog-in-the-manger-ish of him to finally question his feelings toward Olivia only after she sued him for dissolution of their marriage BUT the rest of the story was a treat once I put that “six years apart” idea behind me.
There was plenty of action in London and on the estate. The scholars were a hoot. The unveiling of a potential bad guy still has not happened and I have a feeling that some of the characters will show up again in future books of the series. The backstories of both Olivia and Harrison helped explain who they had become and why they did so. It was a fun read and one that I gladly recommend to you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. This is my honest review.
4 Stars
September 29, 2016
This was not the usual formula regency romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Both Harrison and Olivia have different ideas about each other, but neither has had the opportunity to find out their personal truths because Harrison has stayed away from his wife for 6 long years due to a grudge against his father. Ms. Miles does a good job of teasing out details from both POVs that help the reader understand the motives behind their actions. This is not your head-over-heels swooning young miss. Olivia is smart, organized and very creative in running Harrison's estate. Without going into any spoilers, if you're looking for something a little different in a regency romance, you might want to try "Tempting the Earl."
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 4, 2017
Not a typical love story. Harrison's father decided that he needed to marry whether he wanted to or not. He picked out a bride for him, drugged him and brought him home for the wedding. Olivia and Harrison were married, but was their marriage legal? Not long after the wedding, Harrison left for the war and didn't come home for 6 years. Olivia stayed at the estate, took care of her father-in-law until his death and kept the estate running. Harrison believed that Olivia was just fine with living in the country while he stayed in London. Now, Olivia wants their marriage declared invalid and wants to move on. The problem is that Harrison isn't sure that he wants to let her go. Olivia has so many secrets and Harrison wants to discover what those secrets are.
December 31, 2016
3.5
I enjoyed reading this. The period is keenly felt, the supporting characters unique, and the nods to classical literature intelligent. The romance was...sparse.
However, it felt too smart. There were parts with the scholars and the code that made my eyes glaze over. This is the first I read in the series and I could tell there was information I was missing. While the complexity was a nice surprise in a romance(especially since I judged this book by its cover and title), it will prevent me from seeking this out again as a quick read.
I am interested in all the parts I missed and will read the rest of the series. Maybe the others will be more romantic?
I enjoyed reading this. The period is keenly felt, the supporting characters unique, and the nods to classical literature intelligent. The romance was...sparse.
However, it felt too smart. There were parts with the scholars and the code that made my eyes glaze over. This is the first I read in the series and I could tell there was information I was missing. While the complexity was a nice surprise in a romance(especially since I judged this book by its cover and title), it will prevent me from seeking this out again as a quick read.
I am interested in all the parts I missed and will read the rest of the series. Maybe the others will be more romantic?
February 10, 2017
I pretty much read romance novels for hot, sexy romance, and this one just didn't have much of that. Ultimately, I regret being seduced by the low price on Amazon, and am mystified by the number of positive reviews here on Goodreads.
October 15, 2016
Rachael Miles has done it again. She's added another excellent novel to the Muses' Salon series. This is the third book and each book in the series has been GREAT! It is well written and the plot is well thought out and well developed. The book has an unusual plot/story. Both the H/h are spies.
Six years ago Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford was kidnapped, drugged and made to marry Olivia, whom he'd never met. This was all done by his father and Olivia was in agreement. So -- what would any self-respecting, prideful young man do in that situation. He marries and then heads off to the Navy and doesn't plan to return -- EVER.
So, the war is over and Harrison returns to England -- but not to his estate. Why would he go there -- his wife is happy there and things are running smoothly. He stays in London and concentrates on his parliamentary career (and working in the war office). Then -- he gets a letter from a lawyer -- saying that there was an irregularity with his marriage and his wife if declaring that they were never married. That wakes him UP!!
Now, he's not sure he wants the marriage dissolved -- but -- how will he win her back? It won't be easy because both of them have lots of trust issues. Given the backgrounds of them both it is easy to see why there are trust issues. She was always hoping to make the marriage work -- she'd even come to love him during the few weeks he was there after the wedding -- but -- six years was just too much.
Charteres from the first two books is in this one as well and he's still one of the bad guys, but he isn't quite as nasty in this one as in the others.
There are codes to break, mysteries to solve, spies to catch, seven scholars to understand -- and a marriage to save. Can they do it all? There are lots of bad guys and twists and turns but surely they will get their HEA. Read this great book to find out!
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Six years ago Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford was kidnapped, drugged and made to marry Olivia, whom he'd never met. This was all done by his father and Olivia was in agreement. So -- what would any self-respecting, prideful young man do in that situation. He marries and then heads off to the Navy and doesn't plan to return -- EVER.
So, the war is over and Harrison returns to England -- but not to his estate. Why would he go there -- his wife is happy there and things are running smoothly. He stays in London and concentrates on his parliamentary career (and working in the war office). Then -- he gets a letter from a lawyer -- saying that there was an irregularity with his marriage and his wife if declaring that they were never married. That wakes him UP!!
Now, he's not sure he wants the marriage dissolved -- but -- how will he win her back? It won't be easy because both of them have lots of trust issues. Given the backgrounds of them both it is easy to see why there are trust issues. She was always hoping to make the marriage work -- she'd even come to love him during the few weeks he was there after the wedding -- but -- six years was just too much.
Charteres from the first two books is in this one as well and he's still one of the bad guys, but he isn't quite as nasty in this one as in the others.
There are codes to break, mysteries to solve, spies to catch, seven scholars to understand -- and a marriage to save. Can they do it all? There are lots of bad guys and twists and turns but surely they will get their HEA. Read this great book to find out!
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
September 27, 2022
Ophelia has been married, but not really, for the last 6 years and she's tired of waiting for her husband to come home so she decides to nullify the marriage because certain conditions weren't met(banns read, her real name, etc..). When Harrison receives the notification from his lawyer he can't believe it, who would give up an easy life in the country and being a countess??? apparently the plain, dutiful wife his father made him marry.
It forces Harrison to finally return home but he does so in disguise so he can see how his estate is run, because he's spy so what else would he do... in the meantime he is also hunting down the writer of a column that encourages unrest known only as An Honest Gentlemen, the fact that it's his wife and she's also a spy makes things more interesting. This is not a spoiler, you find out in the first chapter.
There's also a group of elderly scholar's running about the estate preforming experiments that have the joy of children at play to lighten the mood and give you the found family aspect. I forgot how much I liked this series for it's intensity and dash of darkness.
It forces Harrison to finally return home but he does so in disguise so he can see how his estate is run, because he's spy so what else would he do... in the meantime he is also hunting down the writer of a column that encourages unrest known only as An Honest Gentlemen, the fact that it's his wife and she's also a spy makes things more interesting. This is not a spoiler, you find out in the first chapter.
There's also a group of elderly scholar's running about the estate preforming experiments that have the joy of children at play to lighten the mood and give you the found family aspect. I forgot how much I liked this series for it's intensity and dash of darkness.
April 25, 2019
After finding this novel in the 'take home' section at the local library I thought why not read a genre that was completely different to my tastes! Turns out I'm a literally hopeless romantic and enjoy reading romance novels! Tempting the Earl was one book that really kept me on my toes - there was so much mystery and all the thrills of adventure of the protagonist Olivia which made me want to go on read more and finish the novel. The romance in the novel is one that is crafted effortlessly! Rachael Miles knows what she's doing and she certainly never failed to keep me smiling at moments that were very intimate and romantic. This as a result has led me to explore more of her novels and I can't wait to read more of the books in the Muses' Salon series despite the fact that I've just started reading them out of the wrong order they all came out in! Super excited and definitely recommend this read to anyone who loves a bit of historical romance.
October 14, 2019
Actual rating: 2.5 stars. I don't mind historical romances that have subplots or hefty backstories that have to be incorporated into the text, but this book relies too much on knowledge from the other books in the series to supplement it. If you're like me and haven't read the others, you might be a little lost. Separately, since we don't see Harrison and Olivia's short, earlier married life, it's hard to get a grasp on their relationship. Harrison's actions/decisions just make him come off as a jerk and I never grew to like him. I also wasn't sure why Olivia allow their sexual relationship to start back up? If she's petitioning to have their marriage declared invalid, shouldn't she want to prevent an accidental pregnancy? They have a lot of sex. Also, and this is just something that annoyed me, the Muses' Salon of the series title is barely in this book and it seems as though it hasn't fully started up yet either, even though the book is 3rd in the series.
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March 25, 2022Review also available at The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: Sex happens abruptly; without the build up, it’s less hot than it should be
Character Chemistry: Insta-lust, plus oodles of resentment
Plot: Cloak and Dagger
Overall: Confusing
Tempting the Earl features one of my favorite tropes: what I call “Seducing My Spouse,” or the case of a married couple finally figuring out that they’re actually in love after years of marriage. So there’s definitely a promising premise here.
However – and this is a HUGE however – this book suffers from an overabundance of plot. Like, there’s so much plot that I was frequently confused about what was going on and what people’s motivations were. Some mystery can be fun; too much mystery – well, if I wanted to read an intricately plotted mystery novel, I wouldn’t pick up a romance. Plus, half of the extra plot didn’t add to the mystery at all! Doubleplus, there were a bunch of references to characters and events in previous books in the series that were not adequately contextualized for someone (ie, me) jumping in in the middle of the series.
How much plot is there? Let me make a list:
1. Olivia and Harrison were married six years ago, due to the machinations of Harrison’s father. Harrison was exceedingly unwilling; Olivia was basically cool with it. They had two weeks of passion, and then Harrison set off to join the war effort, leaving Olivia to manage his estate, which she has done with extreme competence. Even though the war has been over for years, Harrison still hasn’t returned home, so Olivia petitions him to have their marriage declared invalid. Harrison doesn’t necessarily like that idea, because he wants what he can no longer have. Obviously.
2. Harrison is an agent for the Home Office and is investigating a possible leak in the government. Plus also trying to break a code.
3. Olivia is a woman of many secrets:
a. She is secretly the author of a best-selling gothic novel.
b. She is secretly the author of an reformist newspaper column, which sometimes features leaked information. Harrison happens to want to identify said columnist in order to find the leaker. And also because the reformist column is making the anti-reformers in Parliament even more antsy.
c. But Surprise! Olivia is ALSO an agent for the Home Office, who is writing the column specifically to try and identify English traitors.
d. This work involves her gallivanting about London dressed in all kinds of costumes, and also singing on stage as a gypsy, for reasons. (Harrison propositions her to be his mistress, in an early comic scene of mistaken identity.)
e. She married Harrison under an assumed name; at least two of her previous identities were declared dead in order to protect her safety.
f. She doesn’t even know what her real name is. Her father was involved in some shenanigans and left when she was six years old. She is still trying to figure out what happened to him.
4. It is entirely possible that their boss (of course they have the same boss) at the Home Office is working to set up a reconciliation between them because they are so obviously perfect for one another. Matchmaking spies to the rescue!
5. Harrison is haunted by his dead family – both parents and all five of his siblings died at one time or another.
6. There are some bad guys. Some of these bad guys work together. Maybe?
a. A crazy woman, who is after Olivia.
b. A well-dressed man and a thug, who warn Olivia off from searching for her father.
c. Two denizens of the underworld, who want to identify An Honest Gentleman because they do traitorous stuff. And also want to get the code thing that Harrison is trying to break.
7. There are a bunch of kooky old scholars who live at the estate now, and cause chaos in a lovable fashion.
8. Some random women get together and start The Muses’ Salon. All of the women have skills, and will use them to help any woman in need that they meet. Presumably some of these women featured in previous books.
9. Harrison doesn’t know how to manage an estate, but needs to learn if Olivia is really going to leave him.
10. Harrison is convinced that Olivia is having an affair with the local parson.
11. Did I mention that they are both secretly in love with each other, on the basis of a two-week acquaintance six years prior?
With all this other stuff going on – most of it of the cloak and dagger style spy thriller type – it’s a wonder that there’s any room for romance at all. And the thing is: there isn’t really. They have their first moment of reconciliation because Olivia is ordered to seduce Harrison to keep him off her trail. Which means that they are at odds, and all of a sudden Olivia is like, let’s have some sexy times, and Harrison is all for it and not at all suspicious because he is a bad spy, and then they bone, and then the boning is happening all the time. If that sounds abrupt, well, it is.
Look, here’s the thing. Miles is an engaging writer, and some of the individual scenes are quite well done. The opening scene, where Olivia is being followed through the streets of London by a man who happens to be her husband, is especially good. If you want to give her a try, I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series (Jilting the Duke), so that at least you won’t be confused about who all these extra characters are.
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Heat Factor: Sex happens abruptly; without the build up, it’s less hot than it should be
Character Chemistry: Insta-lust, plus oodles of resentment
Plot: Cloak and Dagger
Overall: Confusing
Tempting the Earl features one of my favorite tropes: what I call “Seducing My Spouse,” or the case of a married couple finally figuring out that they’re actually in love after years of marriage. So there’s definitely a promising premise here.
However – and this is a HUGE however – this book suffers from an overabundance of plot. Like, there’s so much plot that I was frequently confused about what was going on and what people’s motivations were. Some mystery can be fun; too much mystery – well, if I wanted to read an intricately plotted mystery novel, I wouldn’t pick up a romance. Plus, half of the extra plot didn’t add to the mystery at all! Doubleplus, there were a bunch of references to characters and events in previous books in the series that were not adequately contextualized for someone (ie, me) jumping in in the middle of the series.
How much plot is there? Let me make a list:
1. Olivia and Harrison were married six years ago, due to the machinations of Harrison’s father. Harrison was exceedingly unwilling; Olivia was basically cool with it. They had two weeks of passion, and then Harrison set off to join the war effort, leaving Olivia to manage his estate, which she has done with extreme competence. Even though the war has been over for years, Harrison still hasn’t returned home, so Olivia petitions him to have their marriage declared invalid. Harrison doesn’t necessarily like that idea, because he wants what he can no longer have. Obviously.
2. Harrison is an agent for the Home Office and is investigating a possible leak in the government. Plus also trying to break a code.
3. Olivia is a woman of many secrets:
a. She is secretly the author of a best-selling gothic novel.
b. She is secretly the author of an reformist newspaper column, which sometimes features leaked information. Harrison happens to want to identify said columnist in order to find the leaker. And also because the reformist column is making the anti-reformers in Parliament even more antsy.
c. But Surprise! Olivia is ALSO an agent for the Home Office, who is writing the column specifically to try and identify English traitors.
d. This work involves her gallivanting about London dressed in all kinds of costumes, and also singing on stage as a gypsy, for reasons. (Harrison propositions her to be his mistress, in an early comic scene of mistaken identity.)
e. She married Harrison under an assumed name; at least two of her previous identities were declared dead in order to protect her safety.
f. She doesn’t even know what her real name is. Her father was involved in some shenanigans and left when she was six years old. She is still trying to figure out what happened to him.
4. It is entirely possible that their boss (of course they have the same boss) at the Home Office is working to set up a reconciliation between them because they are so obviously perfect for one another. Matchmaking spies to the rescue!
5. Harrison is haunted by his dead family – both parents and all five of his siblings died at one time or another.
6. There are some bad guys. Some of these bad guys work together. Maybe?
a. A crazy woman, who is after Olivia.
b. A well-dressed man and a thug, who warn Olivia off from searching for her father.
c. Two denizens of the underworld, who want to identify An Honest Gentleman because they do traitorous stuff. And also want to get the code thing that Harrison is trying to break.
7. There are a bunch of kooky old scholars who live at the estate now, and cause chaos in a lovable fashion.
8. Some random women get together and start The Muses’ Salon. All of the women have skills, and will use them to help any woman in need that they meet. Presumably some of these women featured in previous books.
9. Harrison doesn’t know how to manage an estate, but needs to learn if Olivia is really going to leave him.
10. Harrison is convinced that Olivia is having an affair with the local parson.
11. Did I mention that they are both secretly in love with each other, on the basis of a two-week acquaintance six years prior?
With all this other stuff going on – most of it of the cloak and dagger style spy thriller type – it’s a wonder that there’s any room for romance at all. And the thing is: there isn’t really. They have their first moment of reconciliation because Olivia is ordered to seduce Harrison to keep him off her trail. Which means that they are at odds, and all of a sudden Olivia is like, let’s have some sexy times, and Harrison is all for it and not at all suspicious because he is a bad spy, and then they bone, and then the boning is happening all the time. If that sounds abrupt, well, it is.
Look, here’s the thing. Miles is an engaging writer, and some of the individual scenes are quite well done. The opening scene, where Olivia is being followed through the streets of London by a man who happens to be her husband, is especially good. If you want to give her a try, I would suggest starting at the beginning of the series (Jilting the Duke), so that at least you won’t be confused about who all these extra characters are.
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December 2, 2016
A good read. I was a little confused at first on how to rate this one. It is very different then the normal regency. It has life factors that were a little too much for me. However, as usual, Mrs. Miles brought it all together in a way to make a very interesting read. It was a challenge to decipher all the spies and secrets and twists and turns keeping me turning the pages to read more. I enjoyed the writing and the way it was all brought together. A really good addition to the Muses series. The characters are well written and have depth. The story line is one that was unusual with many layers. All I can say is well done Mrs. Miles.
I was given this book in return for an honest review. .Anna Swedenmom
I was given this book in return for an honest review. .Anna Swedenmom
September 17, 2018
Olivia seeks an annulment of her marriage to Harrison Walgrave, the Earl of Levesford. Her husband, forced into marrying her, has no knowledge of the real reasons why she needed to wed him. He’d obeyed his father who had convinced him to wed the girl. But Olivia is no shrinking country maid. She leads a dangerous secret life that has compromised her safety. Harrison hasn't seen his bride in years, as he’d left home for London shortly after their marriage. But now he wishes to revisit the woman who's been managing his estates in his absence. Can he resist temptation when he sees the beauty she has become? And since he also leads a secret life, can he keep his interest in her from putting them both in peril?
December 22, 2019
Coerced into marriage by his father Harrison, Lord Levenson, left his wife Olivia in the country 7 years ago, and has devoted himself to parliament and his work for the home office, despite his immediate attraction to his father’s choice. Determined to assert himself, he has ignored Olivia for a long time. Olivia has spent her time looking after the estate and seeing to Harrison’s father’s legacy - the scholars circle, she hosts at the country estate. She wasn’t to be free and asks for the marriage to be dissolved. Harrison is determined to get to the bottom of all of Olivia’s secrets whilst holding on to his own.
Can he succeed or will his true feelings for Olivia interfere with his plans?
Can he succeed or will his true feelings for Olivia interfere with his plans?
January 20, 2017
I’m going to preface this by stating, I tried to like this book. It had all the right elements to make a beautiful concoction, but unfortunately, this one was quite undercooked. Despite all the movement that is consistent throughout the novel, I quickly lost interest in this story.
Check out my full review on my blog For the Love of Words.
Check out my full review on my blog For the Love of Words.
June 16, 2019
An excellent convoluted plot is the star of this novel.
Olivia has layers of mystery which are slowly penetrated throughout the novel. Harrison has deep-seated trauma. Will they ever work out their differences?
Well, yes, it's a romance, the journey is the reward.
The continuing characters and the meta-plot are excellent. My main reason for purchasing the next book is to find out what happens with the meta-plot, the teasers are tantalizing.
Harrison
Olivia has layers of mystery which are slowly penetrated throughout the novel. Harrison has deep-seated trauma. Will they ever work out their differences?
Well, yes, it's a romance, the journey is the reward.
The continuing characters and the meta-plot are excellent. My main reason for purchasing the next book is to find out what happens with the meta-plot, the teasers are tantalizing.
Harrison
December 9, 2022
Tempting the Earl is the third book in the Muses Salon series. The mystery continues through the series. Most of the main characters, or at least one of a romantic couple, are members of the Home Office. I continue to be intrigued how well Ms. Miles tells the story of certain couples in each book, weaving the mystery, while connecting the Muses, and familial connections. I am truly enjoying the series, even as this is the second time through.
June 13, 2018
Another in the Muses' Salon series. I enjoyed the story very much and loved the characters. Still don't like that the bad guys travel through the series causing mayhem. The good guys and love should be conquering all. I found the first book by chance, and got the others in the series for my kindle, which allowed me to read them in quick succession. Looking forward to the rest in the series.
July 4, 2020
Harrison is one of the blatantly stupidest heroes I’ve read in a while. The will they won’t they killed any hope of plot momentum because they’d fuck and then Olivia would want to leave their marriage and Harrison would be like “but why are you pissed I didn’t come home for three years after returning from the war? :(“ LIKE IDK MAN MAYBE BECAUSE YOU DON’T TRUST HER???
June 1, 2020
A decent read but it could have been better, Olivia and Harrison unfortunately didn’t have much in the way of on page chemistry. Too bad as the story of two married spies could have been awesome. Charters the villain is still my favourite character thus far.
February 10, 2025
While the main storyline was engaging overall, there are so many subplots that it was rather difficult to keep them all straight. It was more difficult to get back into the series (it had been a month since I read the previous novel) as a result.
May 8, 2020
It had a lot of plot so it didn't delve as deeply into some parts as it could have. It was still a fun read.
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