What do you think?
Rate this book
Passport to Romance #1
Fortune's Flower
From USA Today bestselling, RITA-nominated author Anthea Lawson comes this full-length Victorian romantic adventure full of wit, adventure, and plenty of passion!*
Miss Lily Strathmore has made a desperate bargain. One last adventure abroad with her botanist uncle and his family, and then she will do as her parents bid and wed the proper (and boring) viscount her mother has selected as Lily's ideal husband.
James Huntington is on a mission. Retrieve his grandfather's lost journals from the wilds of Tunisia, and win the estate and fortune he so desperately needs. This quest will be the making of him--or his ruin.
Thrown together on a botanical expedition, James and Lily's attraction is immediate, and impossible. Despite every reason to keep their distance, the two find themselves inexorably drawn together as they race to reach a hidden valley before their enemies can bring all their dreams crashing down.
*Formerly published as PASSIONATE by Kensington Books
Miss Lily Strathmore has made a desperate bargain. One last adventure abroad with her botanist uncle and his family, and then she will do as her parents bid and wed the proper (and boring) viscount her mother has selected as Lily's ideal husband.
James Huntington is on a mission. Retrieve his grandfather's lost journals from the wilds of Tunisia, and win the estate and fortune he so desperately needs. This quest will be the making of him--or his ruin.
Thrown together on a botanical expedition, James and Lily's attraction is immediate, and impossible. Despite every reason to keep their distance, the two find themselves inexorably drawn together as they race to reach a hidden valley before their enemies can bring all their dreams crashing down.
*Formerly published as PASSIONATE by Kensington Books
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2008
1137 people are currently reading
1765 people want to read
About the author
Anthea Lawson
54 books171 followersAnthea Lawson, called "a new star of Historical Romance" by Booklist, has won readers with her combination of spicy love scenes and elegant prose. Her first novel, PASSIONATE, was a Best First Book finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA awards.
Anthea also writes award-winning YA Urban Fantasy under the pen name Anthea Sharp.
Anthea also writes award-winning YA Urban Fantasy under the pen name Anthea Sharp.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
October 2, 2018
Buddy read with Becca!
DNF. I only read the first 50%, and then skimmed to about 70%.
This started out very promising. I liked the writing (and am more than willing to try more books by this author) but this book just wasn't for me. It flowed very easily and I liked the beginning because a hero going to Africa to hunt for a dead family member's journal to secure an estate and the heroine tagging along with her uncle who is accompanying the hero as an expert on his expedition sounded really promising.
There was just way too much drama for my tastes, unfortunately, and it stopped me from enjoying this book.
DNF. I only read the first 50%, and then skimmed to about 70%.
This started out very promising. I liked the writing (and am more than willing to try more books by this author) but this book just wasn't for me. It flowed very easily and I liked the beginning because a hero going to Africa to hunt for a dead family member's journal to secure an estate and the heroine tagging along with her uncle who is accompanying the hero as an expert on his expedition sounded really promising.
There was just way too much drama for my tastes, unfortunately, and it stopped me from enjoying this book.
October 25, 2018
I love Anthea Lawson's novellas and she is an auto-buy author for me. However, my first read of a full-length novel of hers was not one I could finish. This is Lawson's first published work (re-packaged with a new title and cover from the original Passionate) so I'll be trying later novels before I confine myself to only the novellas.
While I love stories in unique locales with nature themes with botany, this book moved at such a slow pace, I didn't even get to any of that before I threw in the towel. The heroine was a woman with too many "first world problems" that failed the so-what test with me and a hero who was a bit forgettable. It just didn't click with me.
Overall, despite the easy writing style, I could not get into the novel as a result of the characterization and slow pacing.
If you got this as a free read and it's the only thing you've tried of Lawson's, please don't give up here. I love this author's novellas and highly recommend you try those, particularly the holiday installments--they are delightful.
While I love stories in unique locales with nature themes with botany, this book moved at such a slow pace, I didn't even get to any of that before I threw in the towel. The heroine was a woman with too many "first world problems" that failed the so-what test with me and a hero who was a bit forgettable. It just didn't click with me.
Overall, despite the easy writing style, I could not get into the novel as a result of the characterization and slow pacing.
If you got this as a free read and it's the only thing you've tried of Lawson's, please don't give up here. I love this author's novellas and highly recommend you try those, particularly the holiday installments--they are delightful.
December 16, 2015
Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com giveaway
I'm always so glad when I read a book with a cover like "Passionate" and come away feeling like I've read a great story that happens to be a romance. This is a great story. Set in the mid-1800's, Lily Strathmore should already be married; in fact she's close to becoming a spinster. But Lily loves to paint. She does all of the botanical illustrations for her uncle's discoveries. One such promise of a discovery in far away Tunisia finds Lily on an expedition with the object of her love. Of course, there are many twists and turns in the plot. The reader finds that Lily is "Passionate" not only for James, her love, but also for botanical illustration. She is not a one-dimensional character but a woman with many facets. Although this is not a new release, I would encourage you to seek it out.
I'm always so glad when I read a book with a cover like "Passionate" and come away feeling like I've read a great story that happens to be a romance. This is a great story. Set in the mid-1800's, Lily Strathmore should already be married; in fact she's close to becoming a spinster. But Lily loves to paint. She does all of the botanical illustrations for her uncle's discoveries. One such promise of a discovery in far away Tunisia finds Lily on an expedition with the object of her love. Of course, there are many twists and turns in the plot. The reader finds that Lily is "Passionate" not only for James, her love, but also for botanical illustration. She is not a one-dimensional character but a woman with many facets. Although this is not a new release, I would encourage you to seek it out.
June 18, 2009
James Huntington is planning a trip to the wilds of Tunisia where his grandfather lost his botany journals there about a rare flower. If James can find these journals and the flower, he will inherit his grandfather’s estate. Unfortunately he has an annoying cousin who can’t stand James and feels he is the right heir to the estate. James has to watch his back whenever his cousin Reggie is around because he wouldn’t put it past Reggie to knock him off.
Lily Strathmore lives to draw and paint pictures of flowers for her uncle Edward who is a botanist. Lily would love nothing more than to follow in her uncle’s footsteps but her parents won’t allow that. They have given her too much freedom as it is and now they accept her to settle down and marry the man they choose for her. Lily does wish for marriage and a family but she is also torn because she loves her life as it is. She will obey her parents but will have one last adventure. Uncle Edward will help James on this search in Tunisia. His wife and daughter will join them as well as Lily.
When James and Lily first meet, their introduction is less than ideal. James finds Lily too outspoken and independent for his tastes. Lily thinks James is just like any other gentleman of the ton. But as they continue to find themselves in each other’s company, they come to an understanding with one another. James is impressed by Lily’s artistic accomplishments and her intelligence. Lily respects James and from that they form and bond and fall in love in the wilds and tents of Tunisia.
And yet again the road for that HEA is an elusive one because Reggie will stop at nothing to get rid of James and Lily keeps her future fiancé a secret from James. And when James finds out about Lily’s impending marriage, he is not happy.
Passionate has an exotic setting with two characters who are each other’s equals. James may have some issues, but he is everything I do like in a hero. Lily is strong and steadfast and you feel for the woman who has hard decision to make about her future. I also enjoyed the subplot with Lily’s cousin Isabelle who has the misfortune to fall in love with Reggie. I found it very interesting how Anthea ended things the way she did with these two. Reggie is a selfish and vain, and Isabelle is very immature and childish. But I can’t help but wonder what if Anthea redeemed Reggie and he and Isabelle met again? I am always a sucker for the villain of the story who can be redeemed, where he would get his own romance.
Passionate has passion and adventure all rolled into one.
Lily Strathmore lives to draw and paint pictures of flowers for her uncle Edward who is a botanist. Lily would love nothing more than to follow in her uncle’s footsteps but her parents won’t allow that. They have given her too much freedom as it is and now they accept her to settle down and marry the man they choose for her. Lily does wish for marriage and a family but she is also torn because she loves her life as it is. She will obey her parents but will have one last adventure. Uncle Edward will help James on this search in Tunisia. His wife and daughter will join them as well as Lily.
When James and Lily first meet, their introduction is less than ideal. James finds Lily too outspoken and independent for his tastes. Lily thinks James is just like any other gentleman of the ton. But as they continue to find themselves in each other’s company, they come to an understanding with one another. James is impressed by Lily’s artistic accomplishments and her intelligence. Lily respects James and from that they form and bond and fall in love in the wilds and tents of Tunisia.
And yet again the road for that HEA is an elusive one because Reggie will stop at nothing to get rid of James and Lily keeps her future fiancé a secret from James. And when James finds out about Lily’s impending marriage, he is not happy.
Passionate has an exotic setting with two characters who are each other’s equals. James may have some issues, but he is everything I do like in a hero. Lily is strong and steadfast and you feel for the woman who has hard decision to make about her future. I also enjoyed the subplot with Lily’s cousin Isabelle who has the misfortune to fall in love with Reggie. I found it very interesting how Anthea ended things the way she did with these two. Reggie is a selfish and vain, and Isabelle is very immature and childish. But I can’t help but wonder what if Anthea redeemed Reggie and he and Isabelle met again? I am always a sucker for the villain of the story who can be redeemed, where he would get his own romance.
Passionate has passion and adventure all rolled into one.
October 26, 2018
Dated and with very very repetitive sex scenes. Early on I was totally confused as to whether Lily was going on the trip or not, and the whole inheritance bit was a mess. Nice descriptive touches when they were abroad though which bumped my rating up to 2 stars.
May 13, 2018
As much as I normally like Anthea Lawson's books, this one was nearly insufferable. While the "hero"'s cousin is called a man with bad character for flirting with the heroine's cousin, it is obviously completely acceptable that he uses every possible and impossible situation to seduce her to kisses and more, with no regard to her reputation, no matter how easily detected they are, how near others - and she has no self-control at all either. It is a wonder that they haven't been found in deeply inappropriate poses more than five times in the first half of the book already. And it seems this is the only topic the story has. Seriously, if that's how he conducts, he is not a gentleman in my eyes and I lost interest halfway through the book. No passport from me.
February 9, 2017
A wownderful plot ruined by endless sexual encounters
The plot and writing, while not as funny as Georgette Heyer, rival her quality. Too bad such a gifted writer lacks the confidence w to allow her story to stand on its own without shmutz. the sex adds nothing but pages of drivel to scroll through.
The plot and writing, while not as funny as Georgette Heyer, rival her quality. Too bad such a gifted writer lacks the confidence w to allow her story to stand on its own without shmutz. the sex adds nothing but pages of drivel to scroll through.
September 16, 2018
The writing is good, the plot enough different from the usual to be intriguing. The characters are well defined and interesting. Overall, a pass the time read, except for the unnecessary sex scenes. I can see the first one but after that they were repetitious, boring, and did nothing to move the story forward.
November 1, 2017
I stopped at 22% - got really tired of Lily trying to persuade herself that she had no interest in Mr. Huntingdon.
February 26, 2023
For this genre, this is definitely an excellent example. I enjoyed the exotic botanical context; the high adventure dynamic; the artistic interiority of the illustrator Lily Strathmore; the lush descriptions of subtropical sights, sounds, and scents; the humorous conversational jousting between Lily, her sister Isabelle; and the inimitable James Huntington. This is an extremely well-written novel with an intriguing plot, complex characters, and a fascinating setting. If you enjoy Regency romance, this will not disappoint—one of the best that I have read.
April 4, 2017
Amazing book. Loved James and disliked Reggie. I can't imagine living during this time period. Loved the ending!
October 3, 2019
Fortune's Flower!
Amazingly enchanting and beautiful. Romantic and full of adventure. One can only wish to have such an adventure with someone so enticing and irresistible. Someone unexpectedly someone whom may mean so much.
Amazingly enchanting and beautiful. Romantic and full of adventure. One can only wish to have such an adventure with someone so enticing and irresistible. Someone unexpectedly someone whom may mean so much.
July 30, 2021
3½ stars. The title (Fortune's Flower) didn’t appeal to me much but it turned out to be an interesting story 😉
October 22, 2017
This is the first full-length novel I've read since roaming into the wilds of the free ebooks section on amazon. I was surprised and pleased to find several authors republishing their previously print-run books, because that generally means their writing was held up to some standard, beyond their own. Kensington was a known imprint back in the day, mostly for their trad Regency stories, so this sounded more or less right up my alley when I read the blurb and the sample.
The book opens with Lily Strathmore painting botanical illustrations at Brookdale, her uncle Edward's country manor. Edward is an enamored botanist, specializing in exotic flowers; Lily's illustrations accompany his monographs and papers that are presented to his professional society, so her work is known and respected alongside his.
Lily's parents drop by to tell her that it's high time she settled down, and her mother informs her that she has the perfect match in mind - Lord Buckley, the son of one of her cronies. Lord Buckley is amiable to their match, but is currently off the continent; when he returns, Lily is expected to in London to allow him to pay court and propose.
Lily doesn't want this. She doesn't want to give up her independence or her painting - but she cows under her mother's pressure when her father backs his wife up. She strikes a deal with them: let her accompany Edward and his family on their expedition to Italy, and when she returns she will submit to the full frippery of the Season, and will marry Lord Buckley, more or less sight unseen.
Her mother is pleased with this decision and immediately starts planning the wedding. Lily is allowed to stay at Brookdale and continue her work, and spending time with her uncle's family, which includes her aunt Mary, cousins Richard and Isabelle, and Isabelle's governess/companion, Mrs. Hodges.
Meanwhile, in London, James Huntingdon has just been summoned to his uncle's home. He is chastised for shooting a duke in the ass during a duel (which is related in a hilarious way) and, knowing the scandal it will create, is sent off on a mission. It seems Grandfather Huntingdon was a huge botanical enthusiast, and discovered a heretofore unknown flower during his travels to Tunis. His entourage was ambushed, however, and his faithful companion killed, so he left behind some journals in the valley with the flower. In his will, he bequeathed his beloved home, Somergate, to the person who successfully retrieved the journals - or else it's going to Kew Gardens, in the mistaken belief that they would preserve it (instead of dividing up his prized collection of flowers and selling the estate off to the highest bidder).
So James's uncle asks him to go on this mission, and he agrees, wanting to escape the cloud of scandal. James's uncle is the one who suggests he consult with Lily's uncle Edward about where to find the flower (all he has to go on is a bunch of ancient letters and a few hand-drawn illustrations). So, James sets off for Brookdale, and begins to plan his trip.
It's love at first sight for Lily and James, albeit their first meeting is anything but romantic (he chases down her runaway horse after startling them near the house). They both fight their attraction, but it becomes obvious to everyone else that they have taken an interest in each other.
Edward is beyond delighted at the prospect of hunting down the flower, and immediately changes his plans - his family will now travel with James to Tunisia instead of their Italian expedition. James wraps up his affairs in London and then joins the Strathmores for a fortnight as the plans for the trip come together.
James agrees to sit for a portrait painted by Lily, and more or less loses his ability to fight his attraction to her. He ends up kissing her during one of the sessions, which throws them both off balance. Lily is practically engaged to Lord Buckley (sight unseen), and the last thing James has time for is a blossoming romance. The finished portrait is admired by one and all, and James is amazed at how well she's captured his inner feelings (the ones beyond his lust for her, at least :P).
Lily figures she can't go to Tunisia with the rest of the group, as that was not part of her original deal with her parents, so she heads back to London a few days before they all set off. Edward begs her to reconsider, but she hems and haws all the way up until the moment she's seated beside her mother in the Countess Buckley's drawing room, a little gold locket forced into her hand as the mothers chatter about wedding plans. She can't bear the idea of being in the middle of all that, so she agrees to join her uncle's family as previously arranged.
James is shocked when he sees her on the docks, and is rather aggressive in his handling of her, because he's just had a run-in with his nasty cousin Reggie, who is so totally blinded by jealousy that he's going to pit himself against James in the race to recover his grandfather's journals. Reggie would do anything to stop James from inheriting Somergate (even though Reggie is the heir and thus would get everything else), including outright sabotage.
So, James has ruffled Lily's feathers, and once on board the steamer to Tunis, Reggie cozies up with the underage Isabelle, Lily's cousin. The only person impressed by him is Isabelle; the rest of the Strathmores more or less see right through his charming facade (and Mrs. Hodges dumps a bowl of relish in his lap during dinner, LOL). They warn Isabelle to stay away from Reggie, which of course she does not - and, indeed, she leads to their ultimate downfall.
James and Lily keep encountering each other on ship, and finally give in to their attraction one evening, sneaking away for a bit of heavy petting on board. They are interrupted by Reggie, who surfaces to threaten James in front of a witness, but Lily has pretty much come around to James's side by now, dismissing the tales Isabelle has been passing along from Reggie.
Things really heat up between James and Lily once they reach Tunis, including a very intimate encounter at the bey palace. They set off in search of the flower in the valley, and have quite a few adventures along the way. The night before they are to reach the valley, they finally have sex in a secluded cave away from camp.
Unfortunately, that's the night that the camp is raided, and Edward takes a terrible hit to the head. James has no doubt about who carried out the raid when he returns to find his tent slashed to bits and his grandfather's papers missing. He's torn between guilt for leaving the others vulnerable (for he feels responsible for their welfare, considering he's leading them on this wild goosechase), and feeling guilty about having sex with Lily, when he has no kind of future to offer her (especially now that his odious cousin has beaten him to the valley).
They make the decision to turn back in order to seek medical treatment for Edward. James offers for Lily out of a sense of duty and obligation because he's "ruined" her, but she turns him down, angry and upset with the way he left her the night before. He gets angry at her rejection, and they quarrel, and then he stumbles upon Lily's little gold box with the locket and a gushy letter from her mother detailing wedding plans.
James is absolutely livid, believing that Lily has lied to him from the off. He is outright cold when he gives the box back to her, and announces his decision to go back to the valley on his own, still in search of the flower. Lily is heartbroken, and angry; she returns to England with her family and faces up to her part of the bargain for allowing her to take the trip in the first place.
She goes to her parents' house in London and submits herself to the rigors of the Season, and Lord Buckley's tepid courtship. Buckley is a total mama's boy and he has very definite ideas about a Woman's Place in the world - ideas that definitely don't include actually working outside the home, or even painting "beyond pretty pictures." Lily chafes under the bridle of the match, but she's too busy nursing her broken heart to break the suit.
James returns to London as well, with the news that he didn't find the journals (not that he was expecting to, with Reggie beating him to the valley). He does, however, bring back one of the flowers for Edward's collection, and some illustrations that he had to pay rather dearly for, but which turn out to be from his grandfather's journals, satisfying the terms of the will. He's won his inheritance, but without someone to share it with, it feels like a hollow victory.
James and Lily run into each other in Society, and unfortunately Reggie resurfaces as well, with one final threat against both of them. It is Isabelle who swoops in the save the day, righting her previous wrongs and urging James to go after Lily when she unexpectedly turns down Lord Buckley's proposal and flees back to Brookdale.
They are reunited, and their Big Misunderstanding is finally untangled, and they live happily ever after. The final chapter is especially beautiful, as James surprises Lily by taking her to Somergate for the first time, having finally gained it free and clear.
I really, really enjoyed this novel. The descriptions of the locations were lush and beautiful and vivid; the characters were well drawn and engaging (though Reggie was a teensy bit much, on the mustache-twirling villain scale). I loved the way the author portrayed the emotional ties that bind James and Lily together - via the portrait, through their shared adventures in Tunisia, during their final reunion (where I wanted some tears, dammit!). I was on the edge of the emotional rollercoaster (in the best way) for most of this book, and I have to say that I totally reveled in it. I didn't want to put it down when I started reading it, but at the same time, I wanted to savor it. There were some laugh out loud moments to balance out the poignant angsty ones, and I finished the book with a smile on my face.
James is totally my kind of hero: honorable to a fault, unwilling to take guff from anybody, a leader with a protective streak, and a closet romantic. He's described as beautiful (of course), but not a dashing rake. One of my favorite lines is when Lily thinks about him after their first kiss and realizes he's not a wicked man, but a dangerous one. That was a very apt description, indeed. He falls in love rather hard and fast, and aside from being short with her after his encounters with Reggie on the steamer to Tunis, he treats her wonderfully - with admiration and respect. He is a considerate, if devilish, lover, and he really goes above and beyond to make his time with Lily in Tunisia unforgettable.
I liked Lily, too, aside from some of her plot-driven stubbornness. She is independent in spirit and unafraid to stand up for herself, even if she does bow to Society - and her mother's - pressure when it comes to her marriage. She's practically on the shelf, and has been raised to expect making an advantageous match. She's no saint, either; she has a bit of a past herself, having her heart broken once before, so she is wary of pursuing James, but can't fight her attraction to him. He makes her feel alive in a way no one else ever has, and when she loses that, you feel the depths of her pain. She doesn't sob and weep or act hysterical, but somehow, the stoicism is worse, especially when she runs into James in Society after they both return to London.
Edward Strathmore and his family was delightful. Aunt Mary was organized to a fault. Richard and Isabelle were fun, if a bit naive. Mrs. Hodges was a total hoot. They were portrayed as a warm and loving family, in contrast to Lily's cold and indifferent household in London. Her father is a peer and her mother is a social climber, so she'd always escaped to the home of her boisterous uncle, and they took her in - and James, too, when he surfaced.
So why not an A++ and unconditional recommendation? For a couple of reasons. One, there was a lot of sex in this book. Like, to the point of repetitiveness. Once they were in Tunis, every time James and Lily were alone together, they were doing something sexual. How many times can they be interrupted before sealing the deal, so to speak, before it starts feeling like a ploy, you know? The sex scenes were nicely written (no purple prose in sight), but a bit much.
The other reason is because the Big Misunderstanding dragged out for way too long - it was the last 25% of the book, just angst on top of anger on top of plot-driven stubborness. The author really made James and Lily work for their happy ending. Like I mentioned up top, there were never any tears, or non-sexual emotional catharsis at any time, which I found frustrating. It's all well and good to boink like bunnies, but it cheapens the emotional ties when they can only seem to scream or fuck each other.
Still, if you like road romance/adventure/exotic locales/artistic heroines, I'd wholeheartedly recommend grabbing this book while it's free. It is definitely worth that price, at least. I am seriously contemplating buying the other book in this series, which follows James's sister Caroline on her own exotic adventure (with more promise of odious cousin Reggie meddling in her affairs, ugh). Before I purchase it, though, I need to dive back into my library books.
The book opens with Lily Strathmore painting botanical illustrations at Brookdale, her uncle Edward's country manor. Edward is an enamored botanist, specializing in exotic flowers; Lily's illustrations accompany his monographs and papers that are presented to his professional society, so her work is known and respected alongside his.
Lily's parents drop by to tell her that it's high time she settled down, and her mother informs her that she has the perfect match in mind - Lord Buckley, the son of one of her cronies. Lord Buckley is amiable to their match, but is currently off the continent; when he returns, Lily is expected to in London to allow him to pay court and propose.
Lily doesn't want this. She doesn't want to give up her independence or her painting - but she cows under her mother's pressure when her father backs his wife up. She strikes a deal with them: let her accompany Edward and his family on their expedition to Italy, and when she returns she will submit to the full frippery of the Season, and will marry Lord Buckley, more or less sight unseen.
Her mother is pleased with this decision and immediately starts planning the wedding. Lily is allowed to stay at Brookdale and continue her work, and spending time with her uncle's family, which includes her aunt Mary, cousins Richard and Isabelle, and Isabelle's governess/companion, Mrs. Hodges.
Meanwhile, in London, James Huntingdon has just been summoned to his uncle's home. He is chastised for shooting a duke in the ass during a duel (which is related in a hilarious way) and, knowing the scandal it will create, is sent off on a mission. It seems Grandfather Huntingdon was a huge botanical enthusiast, and discovered a heretofore unknown flower during his travels to Tunis. His entourage was ambushed, however, and his faithful companion killed, so he left behind some journals in the valley with the flower. In his will, he bequeathed his beloved home, Somergate, to the person who successfully retrieved the journals - or else it's going to Kew Gardens, in the mistaken belief that they would preserve it (instead of dividing up his prized collection of flowers and selling the estate off to the highest bidder).
So James's uncle asks him to go on this mission, and he agrees, wanting to escape the cloud of scandal. James's uncle is the one who suggests he consult with Lily's uncle Edward about where to find the flower (all he has to go on is a bunch of ancient letters and a few hand-drawn illustrations). So, James sets off for Brookdale, and begins to plan his trip.
It's love at first sight for Lily and James, albeit their first meeting is anything but romantic (he chases down her runaway horse after startling them near the house). They both fight their attraction, but it becomes obvious to everyone else that they have taken an interest in each other.
Edward is beyond delighted at the prospect of hunting down the flower, and immediately changes his plans - his family will now travel with James to Tunisia instead of their Italian expedition. James wraps up his affairs in London and then joins the Strathmores for a fortnight as the plans for the trip come together.
James agrees to sit for a portrait painted by Lily, and more or less loses his ability to fight his attraction to her. He ends up kissing her during one of the sessions, which throws them both off balance. Lily is practically engaged to Lord Buckley (sight unseen), and the last thing James has time for is a blossoming romance. The finished portrait is admired by one and all, and James is amazed at how well she's captured his inner feelings (the ones beyond his lust for her, at least :P).
Lily figures she can't go to Tunisia with the rest of the group, as that was not part of her original deal with her parents, so she heads back to London a few days before they all set off. Edward begs her to reconsider, but she hems and haws all the way up until the moment she's seated beside her mother in the Countess Buckley's drawing room, a little gold locket forced into her hand as the mothers chatter about wedding plans. She can't bear the idea of being in the middle of all that, so she agrees to join her uncle's family as previously arranged.
James is shocked when he sees her on the docks, and is rather aggressive in his handling of her, because he's just had a run-in with his nasty cousin Reggie, who is so totally blinded by jealousy that he's going to pit himself against James in the race to recover his grandfather's journals. Reggie would do anything to stop James from inheriting Somergate (even though Reggie is the heir and thus would get everything else), including outright sabotage.
So, James has ruffled Lily's feathers, and once on board the steamer to Tunis, Reggie cozies up with the underage Isabelle, Lily's cousin. The only person impressed by him is Isabelle; the rest of the Strathmores more or less see right through his charming facade (and Mrs. Hodges dumps a bowl of relish in his lap during dinner, LOL). They warn Isabelle to stay away from Reggie, which of course she does not - and, indeed, she leads to their ultimate downfall.
James and Lily keep encountering each other on ship, and finally give in to their attraction one evening, sneaking away for a bit of heavy petting on board. They are interrupted by Reggie, who surfaces to threaten James in front of a witness, but Lily has pretty much come around to James's side by now, dismissing the tales Isabelle has been passing along from Reggie.
Things really heat up between James and Lily once they reach Tunis, including a very intimate encounter at the bey palace. They set off in search of the flower in the valley, and have quite a few adventures along the way. The night before they are to reach the valley, they finally have sex in a secluded cave away from camp.
Unfortunately, that's the night that the camp is raided, and Edward takes a terrible hit to the head. James has no doubt about who carried out the raid when he returns to find his tent slashed to bits and his grandfather's papers missing. He's torn between guilt for leaving the others vulnerable (for he feels responsible for their welfare, considering he's leading them on this wild goosechase), and feeling guilty about having sex with Lily, when he has no kind of future to offer her (especially now that his odious cousin has beaten him to the valley).
They make the decision to turn back in order to seek medical treatment for Edward. James offers for Lily out of a sense of duty and obligation because he's "ruined" her, but she turns him down, angry and upset with the way he left her the night before. He gets angry at her rejection, and they quarrel, and then he stumbles upon Lily's little gold box with the locket and a gushy letter from her mother detailing wedding plans.
James is absolutely livid, believing that Lily has lied to him from the off. He is outright cold when he gives the box back to her, and announces his decision to go back to the valley on his own, still in search of the flower. Lily is heartbroken, and angry; she returns to England with her family and faces up to her part of the bargain for allowing her to take the trip in the first place.
She goes to her parents' house in London and submits herself to the rigors of the Season, and Lord Buckley's tepid courtship. Buckley is a total mama's boy and he has very definite ideas about a Woman's Place in the world - ideas that definitely don't include actually working outside the home, or even painting "beyond pretty pictures." Lily chafes under the bridle of the match, but she's too busy nursing her broken heart to break the suit.
James returns to London as well, with the news that he didn't find the journals (not that he was expecting to, with Reggie beating him to the valley). He does, however, bring back one of the flowers for Edward's collection, and some illustrations that he had to pay rather dearly for, but which turn out to be from his grandfather's journals, satisfying the terms of the will. He's won his inheritance, but without someone to share it with, it feels like a hollow victory.
James and Lily run into each other in Society, and unfortunately Reggie resurfaces as well, with one final threat against both of them. It is Isabelle who swoops in the save the day, righting her previous wrongs and urging James to go after Lily when she unexpectedly turns down Lord Buckley's proposal and flees back to Brookdale.
They are reunited, and their Big Misunderstanding is finally untangled, and they live happily ever after. The final chapter is especially beautiful, as James surprises Lily by taking her to Somergate for the first time, having finally gained it free and clear.
I really, really enjoyed this novel. The descriptions of the locations were lush and beautiful and vivid; the characters were well drawn and engaging (though Reggie was a teensy bit much, on the mustache-twirling villain scale). I loved the way the author portrayed the emotional ties that bind James and Lily together - via the portrait, through their shared adventures in Tunisia, during their final reunion (where I wanted some tears, dammit!). I was on the edge of the emotional rollercoaster (in the best way) for most of this book, and I have to say that I totally reveled in it. I didn't want to put it down when I started reading it, but at the same time, I wanted to savor it. There were some laugh out loud moments to balance out the poignant angsty ones, and I finished the book with a smile on my face.
James is totally my kind of hero: honorable to a fault, unwilling to take guff from anybody, a leader with a protective streak, and a closet romantic. He's described as beautiful (of course), but not a dashing rake. One of my favorite lines is when Lily thinks about him after their first kiss and realizes he's not a wicked man, but a dangerous one. That was a very apt description, indeed. He falls in love rather hard and fast, and aside from being short with her after his encounters with Reggie on the steamer to Tunis, he treats her wonderfully - with admiration and respect. He is a considerate, if devilish, lover, and he really goes above and beyond to make his time with Lily in Tunisia unforgettable.
I liked Lily, too, aside from some of her plot-driven stubbornness. She is independent in spirit and unafraid to stand up for herself, even if she does bow to Society - and her mother's - pressure when it comes to her marriage. She's practically on the shelf, and has been raised to expect making an advantageous match. She's no saint, either; she has a bit of a past herself, having her heart broken once before, so she is wary of pursuing James, but can't fight her attraction to him. He makes her feel alive in a way no one else ever has, and when she loses that, you feel the depths of her pain. She doesn't sob and weep or act hysterical, but somehow, the stoicism is worse, especially when she runs into James in Society after they both return to London.
Edward Strathmore and his family was delightful. Aunt Mary was organized to a fault. Richard and Isabelle were fun, if a bit naive. Mrs. Hodges was a total hoot. They were portrayed as a warm and loving family, in contrast to Lily's cold and indifferent household in London. Her father is a peer and her mother is a social climber, so she'd always escaped to the home of her boisterous uncle, and they took her in - and James, too, when he surfaced.
So why not an A++ and unconditional recommendation? For a couple of reasons. One, there was a lot of sex in this book. Like, to the point of repetitiveness. Once they were in Tunis, every time James and Lily were alone together, they were doing something sexual. How many times can they be interrupted before sealing the deal, so to speak, before it starts feeling like a ploy, you know? The sex scenes were nicely written (no purple prose in sight), but a bit much.
The other reason is because the Big Misunderstanding dragged out for way too long - it was the last 25% of the book, just angst on top of anger on top of plot-driven stubborness. The author really made James and Lily work for their happy ending. Like I mentioned up top, there were never any tears, or non-sexual emotional catharsis at any time, which I found frustrating. It's all well and good to boink like bunnies, but it cheapens the emotional ties when they can only seem to scream or fuck each other.
Still, if you like road romance/adventure/exotic locales/artistic heroines, I'd wholeheartedly recommend grabbing this book while it's free. It is definitely worth that price, at least. I am seriously contemplating buying the other book in this series, which follows James's sister Caroline on her own exotic adventure (with more promise of odious cousin Reggie meddling in her affairs, ugh). Before I purchase it, though, I need to dive back into my library books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2019
Lily is the daughter of an influential man in Parliament. Her mother is a woman who wants Lily to marry well in order to provide her mother with more influence in society.
Lily is a talented author who paints and draws pictures of biological samples for her uncle, a well known biologist.
Even though her mother has basically engaged Lily to the “right “ man, she allows Lily to participate in an expedition to Tunisia. I found that difficult to imagine.
Lily meets James who is an orphan nephew of a duke. His uncle has sent James to Tunisia to try to find diaries left there by James' late grandfather, also a well known biologist.
The grandfather's will says his diaries and a very special flower he discovered must be found or an estate of great value will be lost to the family. I found that difficult to imagine.
The duke's son is a villain who has no redeeming value as a human being. He dislikes James and has devoted his life to making James' life miserable.
Ms Lawson is a talented author. Her descriptions of people and places are very well done.
I liked Lily and James and the entire family who went on the adventure to Tunisia.
Lily and James very affectionate with one another on a regular basis. I found that difficult to imagine in a time period when young ladies of important and wealthy families would not be left alone. Especially a young lady of an important and wealthy family who was basically engaged to the “right” man.
On one level there were many aspects of this book I enjoyed. But, quite often I had to suspend my thought processes and basically go with the flow, no matter where it went.
There is adventure, a villain, a charming family and romance. Those were the parts I enjoyed.
Lily is a talented author who paints and draws pictures of biological samples for her uncle, a well known biologist.
Even though her mother has basically engaged Lily to the “right “ man, she allows Lily to participate in an expedition to Tunisia. I found that difficult to imagine.
Lily meets James who is an orphan nephew of a duke. His uncle has sent James to Tunisia to try to find diaries left there by James' late grandfather, also a well known biologist.
The grandfather's will says his diaries and a very special flower he discovered must be found or an estate of great value will be lost to the family. I found that difficult to imagine.
The duke's son is a villain who has no redeeming value as a human being. He dislikes James and has devoted his life to making James' life miserable.
Ms Lawson is a talented author. Her descriptions of people and places are very well done.
I liked Lily and James and the entire family who went on the adventure to Tunisia.
Lily and James very affectionate with one another on a regular basis. I found that difficult to imagine in a time period when young ladies of important and wealthy families would not be left alone. Especially a young lady of an important and wealthy family who was basically engaged to the “right” man.
On one level there were many aspects of this book I enjoyed. But, quite often I had to suspend my thought processes and basically go with the flow, no matter where it went.
There is adventure, a villain, a charming family and romance. Those were the parts I enjoyed.
December 19, 2022
0 stars
A cliché pile of nonsense.
A cliché pile of nonsense.
June 23, 2019
I enjoyed the writing. The story was typical but interesting enough to keep me entertained and invested in characters. James was by far the best written character and most enjoyable. I would recommend, if you are looking for an easy read.
September 7, 2016
Positively loved this book. First book by this author for me and I was pleasantly surprised at how well written it was and how engrossing the story was without an over abundance of details of the surroundings which oftentimes in books with such travels involved has me skimming pages.
Lily and James were wonderful characters which I felt had chemistry from the very beginning and it blossomed so organically that it was really beautiful to read. The supporting characters were interesting and fun, especially her uncle and aunt. Admittedly I was not a fan of her cousin Isabelle, regardless of her age being the cause of such naïveté and foolish behavior as the book progressed. Otherwise, lovely story. Romantic and passionate. Just the right amount of sensual to the love scenes. Would read again.
Lily and James were wonderful characters which I felt had chemistry from the very beginning and it blossomed so organically that it was really beautiful to read. The supporting characters were interesting and fun, especially her uncle and aunt. Admittedly I was not a fan of her cousin Isabelle, regardless of her age being the cause of such naïveté and foolish behavior as the book progressed. Otherwise, lovely story. Romantic and passionate. Just the right amount of sensual to the love scenes. Would read again.
October 14, 2016
Character development, plot lines, familial relationships presented with depth of feeling, humor or seething dislike and disreputable lies spurred reading bouts of stolen or planned minutes, hours. Foibles and failures that weave their ways through daily lives tempered by planned and accidental but fortuitous events together made for a great two-day literary ride.
Character development, plot lines, familial relationships presented with depth of feeling, humor or seething dislike and disreputable lies spurred reading bouts of stolen or planned minutes, hours. Foibles and failures that weave their ways through daily lives tempered by planned and accidental but fortuitous events together made for a great two-day literary ride.
Character development, plot lines, familial relationships presented with depth of feeling, humor or seething dislike and disreputable lies spurred reading bouts of stolen or planned minutes, hours. Foibles and failures that weave their ways through daily lives tempered by planned and accidental but fortuitous events together made for a great two-day literary ride.
May 13, 2017
I liked the plot and pacing of the book. The characterisation of the supporting figures (mothers, aunts, sisters, brothers, uncles, baddies) was strong, which helped the plot speed along and not seem entirely stupid. Which it was. A bit.
What made it a 3* read for me was the timing (and yes, location) of the errr intimate encounters. I realise in the 1820s you had to make the most of your opportunities, but some of the choices of seduction locations and times required the reader (and all the other characters) to look the other way, whistle loudly, and not notice that Lily and James are missing from a small group gathering.
What made it a 3* read for me was the timing (and yes, location) of the errr intimate encounters. I realise in the 1820s you had to make the most of your opportunities, but some of the choices of seduction locations and times required the reader (and all the other characters) to look the other way, whistle loudly, and not notice that Lily and James are missing from a small group gathering.
November 18, 2016
I confess that I purchased the book for the cover. The story was interesting, but the book contained plenty of sensuality and sexual details. As with most books of this type the story mistakes sex for love, although I will give the author credit for having a heroine (Lily) who takes responsibility for the choices she's made. The author does a good job of creating a beautiful backdrop for the story and detailing Lily's artistic perceptions. The story was reminiscent of Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters.
December 28, 2017
The annoying thing is, this was engagingly written in a lot of respects. I liked the MC; I liked the plot at the beginning of the book. Oh, sure, there were a few errors here and there, but I was able to skip over those. But the lady doth protest too much and then I read what was beginning to happen on the ship and just couldn't. No! That was not what I wanted to be reading and it was not what I expected from that character. Not my thing.
September 13, 2016
Well written, delightful array of vocabulary.
female cousins are friends but view societal roles differently. Involves a botanical trip to Africa for one Lord to save his inheritance. I liked the plot and setting. I was not able to finish the book because of lengthy descriptions of a sexual nature. Really, just say they kissed passionately, I get the rest.
female cousins are friends but view societal roles differently. Involves a botanical trip to Africa for one Lord to save his inheritance. I liked the plot and setting. I was not able to finish the book because of lengthy descriptions of a sexual nature. Really, just say they kissed passionately, I get the rest.
January 5, 2018
Meh. Logic did not play a big role in this. For one so shamed by her past mistake and resolved not to risk a repeat (near) scandal, Lily certainly got jiggy with James at the drop of a hat. Also, another story with people angry about shit they assume because nobody fucking TALKS.
An inauspicious start to the year, I'm afraid. I really should start paying for books. 🙄
An inauspicious start to the year, I'm afraid. I really should start paying for books. 🙄
August 29, 2016
Really great story, but the actions didn't seem to fit the time period. Also, there were a few instances where it was hard to picture what was really going on.
March 18, 2021
I absolutely loved the two main super couples in this novel. Both James & Lily as well as his sister's Caroline & Alex love story. Romance, intrigue, suspense, intimacy's, gentleness.
Thank you for showing what a true man is when cherishing their woman. It was beautiful.
Yes, many of the innocent touches, glances, eye contact were just as sexy as the actual act.
Once they admitted to their love for their partners.
I thoroughly enjoyed James & Lily's relationship, the suspense & struggles they had to go thru within their relationship. A man who just wants to prove his self worth & earn the Lady he has fallen in love with.
Lily who wants nothing more to have a independent life & have a man love her for herself.
Not just to gain an inheritance from her family.
The intimacy's they shared were beautiful. My kind of love scenes, romantic, cherished & hot.
I highly recommend this book.
I also enjoyed the short stories with the characters of Sarah & Isabella blooming relationships. I would have liked one romantic scene from each female character's realization they loved their gentleman. Not just declarations of their love. Though it was nice to see Isabella ask Gavin to marry her at the end.
I very much enjoyed the novel of Caroline & Alex love story. I could feel the agony that Alex was going thru. I would have liked to have known of the history of this trauma a bit sooner. However, the was it was introduced during Alex 's attempt to protect the love of his life males sense. While both characters are vulnerable. That they can handle any circumstance as long as they are facing it together. I could feel the love, strength, loyalty & undying support that these two characters shared throughout the novel. Let's not forget their gentle, amazing love scenes that this author has created for both supercouples. WOW
Read the book!!
Thank you for showing what a true man is when cherishing their woman. It was beautiful.
Yes, many of the innocent touches, glances, eye contact were just as sexy as the actual act.
Once they admitted to their love for their partners.
I thoroughly enjoyed James & Lily's relationship, the suspense & struggles they had to go thru within their relationship. A man who just wants to prove his self worth & earn the Lady he has fallen in love with.
Lily who wants nothing more to have a independent life & have a man love her for herself.
Not just to gain an inheritance from her family.
The intimacy's they shared were beautiful. My kind of love scenes, romantic, cherished & hot.
I highly recommend this book.
I also enjoyed the short stories with the characters of Sarah & Isabella blooming relationships. I would have liked one romantic scene from each female character's realization they loved their gentleman. Not just declarations of their love. Though it was nice to see Isabella ask Gavin to marry her at the end.
I very much enjoyed the novel of Caroline & Alex love story. I could feel the agony that Alex was going thru. I would have liked to have known of the history of this trauma a bit sooner. However, the was it was introduced during Alex 's attempt to protect the love of his life males sense. While both characters are vulnerable. That they can handle any circumstance as long as they are facing it together. I could feel the love, strength, loyalty & undying support that these two characters shared throughout the novel. Let's not forget their gentle, amazing love scenes that this author has created for both supercouples. WOW
Read the book!!
August 31, 2022
Nothing throws me out of a story more quickly than glaring errors that could have easily been avoided. It takes about a minute to do an internet search on the precedence and proper forms of address for the peerage of England, in whatever historical epoch you're writing about. When you fail to do so, and are constantly referring to your heroine, who should be Lady Firstname as Miss Lastname, you are going to lose readers who know and expect at least a basic degree of accuracy in their historical romances. And when you've got people you designate as one rank envying the "higher" rank of people who, in reality, would be ranked below them...yeah. Irritating.
As for the rest, decent narrative prose free of obvious grammatical errors or anachronisms, a mildly interesting heroine despite her precipitous decision to make a boneheaded mistake early on, and a somewhat intriguing hero who at least provides an excuse for the heroine to accompany her uncle and his family on a junket to Tunisia. The uncle, a botanist, is supposed to help the hero find a rare plant, thus fulfilling the portion of his grandfather's will that will net the hero a particular property he loves. And, of course, the junket provides an opportunity for the hero and heroine to fall in love, which will make her regret the boneheaded decision referenced above. Said decision provides a paper tiger one of them will undoubtedly shred in order to get their HEA.
I'm skimming, at this point. We'll see how it goes.
As for the rest, decent narrative prose free of obvious grammatical errors or anachronisms, a mildly interesting heroine despite her precipitous decision to make a boneheaded mistake early on, and a somewhat intriguing hero who at least provides an excuse for the heroine to accompany her uncle and his family on a junket to Tunisia. The uncle, a botanist, is supposed to help the hero find a rare plant, thus fulfilling the portion of his grandfather's will that will net the hero a particular property he loves. And, of course, the junket provides an opportunity for the hero and heroine to fall in love, which will make her regret the boneheaded decision referenced above. Said decision provides a paper tiger one of them will undoubtedly shred in order to get their HEA.
I'm skimming, at this point. We'll see how it goes.
December 9, 2017
In search of a flower and journal
Lily was doing drawings of flowers for her uncle when he went on his trips. She had begged her mother to let her go on his next trip. In return she had to promise to marry Lord Buckley. Before leaving James showed up with a proposition for her Uncle. They were going to Tunisia. James was looking for a flower and journal that had belonged to his grandfather that was somewhere b in Tunisia. His cousin Reggie was determined that he should not find them because he would then inherit the estate that Reggie desperately wanted. Reggie hated James. Reggie followed the party to Tunisia and made everyone's life miserable, only they didn't know he was behind the disaster that almost took the life of Lily's uncle. This u s a well written story with several twists and turns. Does Lily end up with James or Lord Buckley? I think you will enjoy this book.
Lily was doing drawings of flowers for her uncle when he went on his trips. She had begged her mother to let her go on his next trip. In return she had to promise to marry Lord Buckley. Before leaving James showed up with a proposition for her Uncle. They were going to Tunisia. James was looking for a flower and journal that had belonged to his grandfather that was somewhere b in Tunisia. His cousin Reggie was determined that he should not find them because he would then inherit the estate that Reggie desperately wanted. Reggie hated James. Reggie followed the party to Tunisia and made everyone's life miserable, only they didn't know he was behind the disaster that almost took the life of Lily's uncle. This u s a well written story with several twists and turns. Does Lily end up with James or Lord Buckley? I think you will enjoy this book.
August 25, 2019
Lily Strathmore has fled her parents to her Aunt Mary’s residence in London because her parents are constantly nagging at her to find a suitor.
Worried that their daughter might be teetering on the brink of spinsterhood, Lily’s parents, Lord and Lady Fernhaven try to set her up with a soon-to-be earl, Lord Buckley. Her parents give her an ultimatum: either she agrees to meet with Lord Buckley or she returns to London with them.
Seeing as she has little say in the matter, she agrees to accept Lord Buckley’s proposal on the condition that they let her stay at her aunt’s place and continue working on her uncle’s specimens and accompany him on his field expedition the following month.
She’s documenting her uncle Edward’s botanical specimen for a paper publication.
Meanwhile, James Huntington has just learned that he’ll leaving for Tunisia—following a shooting incident in a duel 🤺 —at his Uncle Denby’s request. James is not happy with the news. He’s only been back in London for four months.
He’s also going to Tunisia to bring back a botanical specimen and retrieve the journals his grandfather discovered during his adventures in Tunisia. His fellow explorer died there and the journals where their findings were recorded was misplaced not be recovered.
Additionally he’s bequeathed his Somergate estate with a proviso that any of his descendant who retrieved and published the journals will bequest his estate and his horticultural collection. He enlists Edward’s expertise, but Edward agrees to join James on his quest but if only he brings his family along: his wife, his children, Lily, and their nanny.
A interesting read and engaging storyline. Would recommend.
Worried that their daughter might be teetering on the brink of spinsterhood, Lily’s parents, Lord and Lady Fernhaven try to set her up with a soon-to-be earl, Lord Buckley. Her parents give her an ultimatum: either she agrees to meet with Lord Buckley or she returns to London with them.
Seeing as she has little say in the matter, she agrees to accept Lord Buckley’s proposal on the condition that they let her stay at her aunt’s place and continue working on her uncle’s specimens and accompany him on his field expedition the following month.
She’s documenting her uncle Edward’s botanical specimen for a paper publication.
Meanwhile, James Huntington has just learned that he’ll leaving for Tunisia—following a shooting incident in a duel 🤺 —at his Uncle Denby’s request. James is not happy with the news. He’s only been back in London for four months.
He’s also going to Tunisia to bring back a botanical specimen and retrieve the journals his grandfather discovered during his adventures in Tunisia. His fellow explorer died there and the journals where their findings were recorded was misplaced not be recovered.
Additionally he’s bequeathed his Somergate estate with a proviso that any of his descendant who retrieved and published the journals will bequest his estate and his horticultural collection. He enlists Edward’s expertise, but Edward agrees to join James on his quest but if only he brings his family along: his wife, his children, Lily, and their nanny.
A interesting read and engaging storyline. Would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews