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Essex Sisters #3
The Taming of the Duke
Imogen, Lady Maitland, has decided to dance on the wild side. After all, she's in the delicious position of being able to take a lover. A discreet male who knows just when to leave in the morning.
But Lady Maitland is still under the watchful eye of her former guardian, the wildly untamed Rafe, the Duke of Holbrook. He believes she is still in need of a "watchdog." She laughs at the idea that someone so insufferably lazy and devoted to drink can demand that she behave with propriety.
It's Rafe's long-lost brother, a man who looks precisely like the duke but with none of his degenerate edge, who interests Imogen. To Imogen, he's the shadow duke . . . the man who really should hold the title. But when Imogen agrees to accompany Gabe to a masquerade...whose masked eyes watch her with that intense look of desire? Who exactly is she dancing with? The duke or the shadow duke? Rafe . . . or Gabe?
But Lady Maitland is still under the watchful eye of her former guardian, the wildly untamed Rafe, the Duke of Holbrook. He believes she is still in need of a "watchdog." She laughs at the idea that someone so insufferably lazy and devoted to drink can demand that she behave with propriety.
It's Rafe's long-lost brother, a man who looks precisely like the duke but with none of his degenerate edge, who interests Imogen. To Imogen, he's the shadow duke . . . the man who really should hold the title. But when Imogen agrees to accompany Gabe to a masquerade...whose masked eyes watch her with that intense look of desire? Who exactly is she dancing with? The duke or the shadow duke? Rafe . . . or Gabe?
392 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
553 people are currently reading
2673 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,543 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 468 reviews
May 8, 2017
While I did enjoy this book I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two. Eloisa James did do a good job of redeeming Imogen from the selfish unlikable bitch I felt she was in the first two books. Although Imogen grew she was still a little selfish so it felt more realistic. I really loved Rafe. I was glad he got his hea. The things that didn't work for me was the weird hmmm what do you call a love triangle with four people? A love quadrangle or a love square or diamond or something. Lol whatever you call it there was this love mess with Gabe(Rafe's brother) Rafe, Imogen, and Gillian ( Draven Maitland's ex fiancée) and it went on way too long for my liking. The other thing that didn't work for me with this book was that I felt the ending was rushed. I want to know when Imogen figured out it was Rafe and not Gabe. Not just oh hey I knew it was you and not your brother..... 7 years later. Really? I needed more details! That being said not a bad read just not as good as the others!
March 9, 2017
This was supposed to be the book where the bitchy sister is redeemed and we end up liking her and wanting her to have a happily ever after. And, although I was okay with her ending up okay, I just hated this book so much that I didn't really care. It was stupid. And, I mean, seriously stupid.
Expert level achieved..
So, Imogen, her royal bitchiness, decides to become a slut and wants to have sex with her guardian's brother. Half-brother. But, her guardian wants in on all of that, so he goes along with this 'affair' pretending to be the brother. Did I mention he's only a half-brother, not a twin? Yup. He wears a fake mustache and hat, so she can't possibly know that it's him.
And, she has been living with her guardian off & on for over a year. She has even helped bathe him when he was sick. So, either she is the most unobservant person on Earth who can't tell the difference between two different people's voices, or she is stupid. I vote for stupid.
And, the guardian is a real piece of work himself. First of all, if she is fooled by the disguise, he should not have sex with the mentally handicapped. Secondly, if she is fooled by the disguise, he should not have sex with someone while pretending to be his brother. But he does. Twice. And, again, how does he get away with this disguise while naked and sweating over her?
While this idiocy is going on, we also have the pleasure of them putting on a play. And, going to plays. I guess the author needed to fill some pages because we get to read pages and pages of these plays being rehearsed, performed, copied down into scripts, etc... In other words, when it wasn't stupid, it was boring.
Yup, I would recommend suicide before I would recommend this book.
Expert level achieved..
So, Imogen, her royal bitchiness, decides to become a slut and wants to have sex with her guardian's brother. Half-brother. But, her guardian wants in on all of that, so he goes along with this 'affair' pretending to be the brother. Did I mention he's only a half-brother, not a twin? Yup. He wears a fake mustache and hat, so she can't possibly know that it's him.
And, she has been living with her guardian off & on for over a year. She has even helped bathe him when he was sick. So, either she is the most unobservant person on Earth who can't tell the difference between two different people's voices, or she is stupid. I vote for stupid.
And, the guardian is a real piece of work himself. First of all, if she is fooled by the disguise, he should not have sex with the mentally handicapped. Secondly, if she is fooled by the disguise, he should not have sex with someone while pretending to be his brother. But he does. Twice. And, again, how does he get away with this disguise while naked and sweating over her?
While this idiocy is going on, we also have the pleasure of them putting on a play. And, going to plays. I guess the author needed to fill some pages because we get to read pages and pages of these plays being rehearsed, performed, copied down into scripts, etc... In other words, when it wasn't stupid, it was boring.
Yup, I would recommend suicide before I would recommend this book.
March 5, 2020
Puedo decir, sin temor a equivocarme, que la literatura romántica histórica está repleta de libertinos reformados, los que son más o menos creíbles dependiendo de la pluma de la autora. Pero, para transformar en el protagonista de una entrega a un personaje que desde el primer libro de la serie se describe como un hombre solitario, alcohólico, panzón y desarreglado, hay que tener talento.
Así es, el personaje principal de esta entrega es ni más ni menos que Raphael Jourdain, duque de Hoolbrok, que con la generosidad que lo caracteriza (a pesar de los defectos que mencioné antes) acepta ser el tutor de las cuatro jóvenes huérfanas de un vizconde escocés varios años mayor que él y con el que apenas compartía el interés por los caballos de carrera, asumiendo la responsabilidad de casarlas respetablemente, lo que ya logró con Tess y Annabel, las dos hermanas mayores, protagonistas del primer y segundo libro de la serie.
Por otra parte, tenemos como personaje femenino principal a Imogen, la tercera de la hermanas, que desde el primer libro ha tenido cierto protagonismo. Ella es realmente una arpía, viuda de un enlace muy desafortunado que ha agriado su carácter.
La novela comienza con la aparición de un hermano ilegítimo del duque que, junto a su hija casi recién nacida, hacen que Rafe se cuestione su estilo de vida y decida dejar de beber para estar a la altura de su recién descubierta familia. En esta decisión, por supuesto, también influye Imogen con sus constantes comentarios ácidos.
Creo que el proceso de transformación de esta pareja es uno de los mejores que he leído. El sufrimiento de Imogen se palpa en cada página y es posible dejar de odiarla. Por su parte, la recuperación de Rafe tampoco es fácil, pero la voluntad con que logra superar el tiempo de abstinencia es encomiable. Por supuesto, aquí también está presente Imogen, afianzando esa voluntad.
La historia está muy bien armada, con su buen giro al final, pero concuerdo con otras lectoras en que todo se soluciona demasiado rápido, sin muchas explicaciones y que deja gusto a poco. Por ahí he leído que la autora colgó en su página web el “capítulo 36” en que precisamente alarga el desenlace, pero yo no lo he encontrado.
De todas maneras estoy fascinada con esta serie, aunque reconozco que puede no ser del gusto de todos, ya que en cada entrega no se centra sólo en la pareja principal sino que sigue desarrollando las historias de muchos personajes que se arrastran desde el primer libro. De más está decir que es imprescindible leerla en orden.
Yo, por mi parte, ya voy de cabeza al último libro, dedicado a Josephine, la menor de las hermanas Essex.
Reto #26 PopSugar 2020: Un libro con un juego de palabras en el título
Así es, el personaje principal de esta entrega es ni más ni menos que Raphael Jourdain, duque de Hoolbrok, que con la generosidad que lo caracteriza (a pesar de los defectos que mencioné antes) acepta ser el tutor de las cuatro jóvenes huérfanas de un vizconde escocés varios años mayor que él y con el que apenas compartía el interés por los caballos de carrera, asumiendo la responsabilidad de casarlas respetablemente, lo que ya logró con Tess y Annabel, las dos hermanas mayores, protagonistas del primer y segundo libro de la serie.
Por otra parte, tenemos como personaje femenino principal a Imogen, la tercera de la hermanas, que desde el primer libro ha tenido cierto protagonismo. Ella es realmente una arpía, viuda de un enlace muy desafortunado que ha agriado su carácter.
La novela comienza con la aparición de un hermano ilegítimo del duque que, junto a su hija casi recién nacida, hacen que Rafe se cuestione su estilo de vida y decida dejar de beber para estar a la altura de su recién descubierta familia. En esta decisión, por supuesto, también influye Imogen con sus constantes comentarios ácidos.
Creo que el proceso de transformación de esta pareja es uno de los mejores que he leído. El sufrimiento de Imogen se palpa en cada página y es posible dejar de odiarla. Por su parte, la recuperación de Rafe tampoco es fácil, pero la voluntad con que logra superar el tiempo de abstinencia es encomiable. Por supuesto, aquí también está presente Imogen, afianzando esa voluntad.
La historia está muy bien armada, con su buen giro al final, pero concuerdo con otras lectoras en que todo se soluciona demasiado rápido, sin muchas explicaciones y que deja gusto a poco. Por ahí he leído que la autora colgó en su página web el “capítulo 36” en que precisamente alarga el desenlace, pero yo no lo he encontrado.
De todas maneras estoy fascinada con esta serie, aunque reconozco que puede no ser del gusto de todos, ya que en cada entrega no se centra sólo en la pareja principal sino que sigue desarrollando las historias de muchos personajes que se arrastran desde el primer libro. De más está decir que es imprescindible leerla en orden.
Yo, por mi parte, ya voy de cabeza al último libro, dedicado a Josephine, la menor de las hermanas Essex.
Reto #26 PopSugar 2020: Un libro con un juego de palabras en el título
March 12, 2012
awkward awkward awkward awkward.
SCENE ONE!
A Duke (Raphael) meets up with long-lost-half-brother-doppleganger (Gabriel) who has unintentionally sired a child on an actress who doesn't want the baby at all but will only give it up if her career is catapulted by Gabe's brother's fortune
SCENE TWO!
The brothers invite a bevy of ladies to visit and act in the play -- Rafe's mother had a playhouse and it was very popular in the ton -- naturally. One of them (Imogen) was married briefly to a man she stole from t'other one (Gillian), but the man died: both ladies are strangely okay with this. Imogen wrings her hands and weeps a bit over her lost love, but it all seems a bit put on.
SCENE THE THIRD!
Bedswapping! The gents and ladies decide to marry.
Gillian goes for Rafe/Imogen goes for Gabriel/Gabriel goes for Gillian/Rafe goes for Imogen -- although she is his ward and the entire thing is really a bit gross! He wrings his hands and waffles a bit, but it's completely put on BECAUSE
(cue costume change)
five minutes later Gabe or Rafe hatches a plan to seduce the young woman who is interested in his brother (via a fake mustache and a swirly cloak) because dopplegangers.
entre'act
kissing. kissing galore.
SCENE THE FOURTH
Rafe (as himself) proposes to a disinterested Imogen; Rafe (posing as Gabe) goes out with Imogen and they totally get it on; Gabriel and Gillian confess their mutual feelings of sticky desire but do not get it on at all; several people fall in a wine cask.
SCENE THE FIFTH AND FINAL
Rafe continues to agonize over his seduction, Imogen and Gillian continue to cast cow's eyes, and suppertime continues to be very awkward indeed -- until suddenly (and with no denouement at all) everyone is undeceived, all the ladies are sitting on the correct manhood, and Imogen confesses that she likes a false mustache better than any other endowment.
EPILOGUE
Something something something about babies
because sex that does not lead to pregnancy is unnatural and wrong. even fake sex that happens between fake people in a book. especially that kind.
PLEASE NOTE that the actual book is far less coherent than my review! There is a lot of rattling-on (the noise of carriage wheels here, coming from somewhere offstage) about sister Josie (fat. very fat. lack of man-getting skills) and Christabel (singer/actress/slut ... or is she?) and baby Mary (adorable! it is beyond words!) and jumping-around and lack of editing and -- and -- and it's just not very good.
SCENE ONE!
A Duke (Raphael) meets up with long-lost-half-brother-doppleganger (Gabriel) who has unintentionally sired a child on an actress who doesn't want the baby at all but will only give it up if her career is catapulted by Gabe's brother's fortune
SCENE TWO!
The brothers invite a bevy of ladies to visit and act in the play -- Rafe's mother had a playhouse and it was very popular in the ton -- naturally. One of them (Imogen) was married briefly to a man she stole from t'other one (Gillian), but the man died: both ladies are strangely okay with this. Imogen wrings her hands and weeps a bit over her lost love, but it all seems a bit put on.
SCENE THE THIRD!
Bedswapping! The gents and ladies decide to marry.
Gillian goes for Rafe/Imogen goes for Gabriel/Gabriel goes for Gillian/Rafe goes for Imogen -- although she is his ward and the entire thing is really a bit gross! He wrings his hands and waffles a bit, but it's completely put on BECAUSE
(cue costume change)
five minutes later Gabe or Rafe hatches a plan to seduce the young woman who is interested in his brother (via a fake mustache and a swirly cloak) because dopplegangers.
entre'act
kissing. kissing galore.
SCENE THE FOURTH
Rafe (as himself) proposes to a disinterested Imogen; Rafe (posing as Gabe) goes out with Imogen and they totally get it on; Gabriel and Gillian confess their mutual feelings of sticky desire but do not get it on at all; several people fall in a wine cask.
SCENE THE FIFTH AND FINAL
Rafe continues to agonize over his seduction, Imogen and Gillian continue to cast cow's eyes, and suppertime continues to be very awkward indeed -- until suddenly (and with no denouement at all) everyone is undeceived, all the ladies are sitting on the correct manhood, and Imogen confesses that she likes a false mustache better than any other endowment.
EPILOGUE
Something something something about babies
because sex that does not lead to pregnancy is unnatural and wrong. even fake sex that happens between fake people in a book. especially that kind.
PLEASE NOTE that the actual book is far less coherent than my review! There is a lot of rattling-on (the noise of carriage wheels here, coming from somewhere offstage) about sister Josie (fat. very fat. lack of man-getting skills) and Christabel (singer/actress/slut ... or is she?) and baby Mary (adorable! it is beyond words!) and jumping-around and lack of editing and -- and -- and it's just not very good.
September 25, 2015
4.5 stars . . . 4.85? 4.95? CLOSE TO PERFECT.
There's a reason why I love Eloisa James. ReasonS. And all of them are present here. Oh gawd, my FEELS are broken.
Full review to come.
There's a reason why I love Eloisa James. ReasonS. And all of them are present here. Oh gawd, my FEELS are broken.
Full review to come.
May 18, 2017
I really really love the character of Rafe. Love and adore him. Eloisa James is one of my favorite authors so it kills me to say this because I was really looking forward to reading this. I was disappointed with this one and it's only because of the plot and set up of the story and how it was dragged out. Still a great read I'd recommend it but compared to the other in the series this was disappointing for me.
*SPOILER ALERT* I really liked the idea of Rafe's long lost brother Gabe coming into the mix and making things interesting but what I thought made the story go a little stale for me and dragged out was Rafe disguising himself as his brother to fool Imogen throughout the whole book. It drove me nuts how she kept thinking it was Gabe she was with and made love to him thinking he was Gabe. It just made me cringe. How can you profess to love a man when you don't know he's someone else? And then to only find out she knew at the very end made it all the more frustrating because I wanted to know WHEN exactly she found out. The author never revealed that part and I think it was a very vital piece to the story. I felt totally shafted. I felt cheated cause you keep thinking the heroine is completely oblivious and freaking clueless the whole time only to find out she knew all along. Whaaaat? I would have much rather have had her find out and reveal it and them getting to spend genuine time together without games or disguises or lies. These two have a very volatile history so I really wanted to see them just be together openly without lies or disguises surrounding them. Beside that it would have made for an awesome book if we saw the two bickering and arguing like they have throughout the series and just go from there. The whole 'in disguise' angle while clever, kind of muddled up the story for me. I just did not like how the author went about these two falling in love. It's surrounded by a bunch of tricks and lies.
*SPOILER ALERT* I really liked the idea of Rafe's long lost brother Gabe coming into the mix and making things interesting but what I thought made the story go a little stale for me and dragged out was Rafe disguising himself as his brother to fool Imogen throughout the whole book. It drove me nuts how she kept thinking it was Gabe she was with and made love to him thinking he was Gabe. It just made me cringe. How can you profess to love a man when you don't know he's someone else? And then to only find out she knew at the very end made it all the more frustrating because I wanted to know WHEN exactly she found out. The author never revealed that part and I think it was a very vital piece to the story. I felt totally shafted. I felt cheated cause you keep thinking the heroine is completely oblivious and freaking clueless the whole time only to find out she knew all along. Whaaaat? I would have much rather have had her find out and reveal it and them getting to spend genuine time together without games or disguises or lies. These two have a very volatile history so I really wanted to see them just be together openly without lies or disguises surrounding them. Beside that it would have made for an awesome book if we saw the two bickering and arguing like they have throughout the series and just go from there. The whole 'in disguise' angle while clever, kind of muddled up the story for me. I just did not like how the author went about these two falling in love. It's surrounded by a bunch of tricks and lies.
November 27, 2021
4 Estrellitas y me he llevado una muy grata sorpresa con ésta novela. Admito que me daba miedo leerla, porque no veía como la autora podía crear ésta historia de semejantes protagonistas.
Empecé hace ya un par de años la serie de las hermanas Essex y lamento decir que apenas recuerdo los otros libros, no era malos, al revés, están muy bien escritos, pero los faltaba algo, una chispa, la que sin duda tiene éste libro.
Con las dos hermanas mayores felizmente casadas, solo quedan Imogen y la pequeña Josie. En los libros anteriores Imogen no dio una imagen muy favorable de sí misma, al revés, atolondrada, presumida y muy egoísta. A pesar de ser la tercera hermana, Imogen fue la primera en casarse, con el por entonces amor de su vida, Draven Maitland. Tras un corto matrimonio de dos semanas, Imogen se convirtió en una muy joven viuda y muy rica. Pero ha pasado un año desde entonces y ahora se encuentra muy sola, no desea volver a casarse, pero sí vivir una aventura y tener un amante, siempre que sean discretos.
Para consternación de muchas lectoras, el protagonista masculino será ni más ni menos que Rafe, el borracho duque de Holbrook y tutor de las hermanas Essex. Sí, jamás podría imaginarme que una escritora pudiera convertir a un personaje así en un protagonista masculino, pero ¡hurra por ella! Y ¡qué manera de dar un vuelco a las cosas!
El intringulis del libro entrará en escena cuando aparezca Gabriel Spencer, el hermano ilegítimo de Rafe, de apariencia similar a la del duque, pero lleno de virtudes y sin ningún defecto de los que abundan en Rafe. Cuando Imogen conoce a Gabe ve en él al hombre al que podría convencer de ser su amante, pero Gabe esconde otros secretos y por otro lado, Rafe no consentirá la intenciones de Imogen.
El declive de Rafe comenzó cuando falleció su hermano mayor, el anterior duque, a quien él idolatraba. En éste libro, Rafe conoce la existencia de su otro medio hermano ilegítimo, Gabe, un profesor de Cambridge. Gabe necesita ayuda, pero no será económica, él mismo acaba de ser padre de una niña, también ilegítima, pero la madre de la criatura, una actriz de Londres no desea casarse con él y debido a un incidente, ella perdió el papel de su vida ¿No sería maravilloso que el teatro de la duquesa de Holbrook Court vuelva a funcionar?
Rafe es consciente de que ha estado tirando su vida por el garete. Ahora tiene de nuevo una familia, un hermano y una sobrinita, y por nada del mundo querría perderlos. Así que en un arranque de voluntad y tras las hirientes pullas que le lanza Imogen, Rafe decide dejar el alcohol, enderezarse y preocuparse de sus responsabilidades ducales, así como de producir una obra de teatro para relanzar la carrera de la ex amante de su hermano.
Con todo esto aderezado, tendremos una historia muy lograda donde entrarán en escena más personajes secundarios que conocimos en anteriores novelas.
La historia en sí me ha encantado, me ha entretenido mucho y me ha gustado un montón, pero sin duda lo que más me ha gustado es Rafe y cómo cambia para ser mejor, y no lo hace por amar a una mujer (que sí que la quería), si no por amor a su recién descubierta familia.
Aún así, el romance ha estado muy bien y hasta se me ha hecho creíble. Realmente Imogen cambia mucho en ésta novela, es cierto que al principio es una bruja irritante con Rafe y sus intenciones para con Gabe no son las mejores. El amor entre Imogen y Rafe irá surgiendo poco a poco, mientras Rafe se va transformando y mientras Imogen se cree enamoradiscada de Gabe, cuando en realidad quien la está impresionando es el Rafe que está conociendo ahora.
Mi hurra por Eloisa James y cómo ha conseguido que yo como lectora ame a Rafe y su fortaleza. De verdad que es un personaje que se hace de querer y muy alejado de los libertinos a los que estamos acostumbradas en éste tipo de novelas.
La he disfrutado mucho y me ha dejado con ganas de ir a por el broche final de las hermanas Essex. Ahora sólo me queda la historia de la pequeña Josie, la menor de las hermanas, que ha pasado un muy mal trago en éste libro, un trago que no le deseo a nadie y espero que encuentre la felicidad en su novela.
Empecé hace ya un par de años la serie de las hermanas Essex y lamento decir que apenas recuerdo los otros libros, no era malos, al revés, están muy bien escritos, pero los faltaba algo, una chispa, la que sin duda tiene éste libro.
Con las dos hermanas mayores felizmente casadas, solo quedan Imogen y la pequeña Josie. En los libros anteriores Imogen no dio una imagen muy favorable de sí misma, al revés, atolondrada, presumida y muy egoísta. A pesar de ser la tercera hermana, Imogen fue la primera en casarse, con el por entonces amor de su vida, Draven Maitland. Tras un corto matrimonio de dos semanas, Imogen se convirtió en una muy joven viuda y muy rica. Pero ha pasado un año desde entonces y ahora se encuentra muy sola, no desea volver a casarse, pero sí vivir una aventura y tener un amante, siempre que sean discretos.
Para consternación de muchas lectoras, el protagonista masculino será ni más ni menos que Rafe, el borracho duque de Holbrook y tutor de las hermanas Essex. Sí, jamás podría imaginarme que una escritora pudiera convertir a un personaje así en un protagonista masculino, pero ¡hurra por ella! Y ¡qué manera de dar un vuelco a las cosas!
El intringulis del libro entrará en escena cuando aparezca Gabriel Spencer, el hermano ilegítimo de Rafe, de apariencia similar a la del duque, pero lleno de virtudes y sin ningún defecto de los que abundan en Rafe. Cuando Imogen conoce a Gabe ve en él al hombre al que podría convencer de ser su amante, pero Gabe esconde otros secretos y por otro lado, Rafe no consentirá la intenciones de Imogen.
El declive de Rafe comenzó cuando falleció su hermano mayor, el anterior duque, a quien él idolatraba. En éste libro, Rafe conoce la existencia de su otro medio hermano ilegítimo, Gabe, un profesor de Cambridge. Gabe necesita ayuda, pero no será económica, él mismo acaba de ser padre de una niña, también ilegítima, pero la madre de la criatura, una actriz de Londres no desea casarse con él y debido a un incidente, ella perdió el papel de su vida ¿No sería maravilloso que el teatro de la duquesa de Holbrook Court vuelva a funcionar?
Rafe es consciente de que ha estado tirando su vida por el garete. Ahora tiene de nuevo una familia, un hermano y una sobrinita, y por nada del mundo querría perderlos. Así que en un arranque de voluntad y tras las hirientes pullas que le lanza Imogen, Rafe decide dejar el alcohol, enderezarse y preocuparse de sus responsabilidades ducales, así como de producir una obra de teatro para relanzar la carrera de la ex amante de su hermano.
Con todo esto aderezado, tendremos una historia muy lograda donde entrarán en escena más personajes secundarios que conocimos en anteriores novelas.
La historia en sí me ha encantado, me ha entretenido mucho y me ha gustado un montón, pero sin duda lo que más me ha gustado es Rafe y cómo cambia para ser mejor, y no lo hace por amar a una mujer (que sí que la quería), si no por amor a su recién descubierta familia.
Aún así, el romance ha estado muy bien y hasta se me ha hecho creíble. Realmente Imogen cambia mucho en ésta novela, es cierto que al principio es una bruja irritante con Rafe y sus intenciones para con Gabe no son las mejores. El amor entre Imogen y Rafe irá surgiendo poco a poco, mientras Rafe se va transformando y mientras Imogen se cree enamoradiscada de Gabe, cuando en realidad quien la está impresionando es el Rafe que está conociendo ahora.
Mi hurra por Eloisa James y cómo ha conseguido que yo como lectora ame a Rafe y su fortaleza. De verdad que es un personaje que se hace de querer y muy alejado de los libertinos a los que estamos acostumbradas en éste tipo de novelas.
La he disfrutado mucho y me ha dejado con ganas de ir a por el broche final de las hermanas Essex. Ahora sólo me queda la historia de la pequeña Josie, la menor de las hermanas, que ha pasado un muy mal trago en éste libro, un trago que no le deseo a nadie y espero que encuentre la felicidad en su novela.
November 4, 2020
3.5 stars
(Review after commentary)
A Guy Reading Historical Romance | Ep01
➵ A Commentary Track
This is an experiment. Inspired Mystery Science Theater 3000, I'll be keeping track of my random reactions and tangential thoughts as I venture into this unfamiliar genre. There WILL be spoilers, so proceed with caution. Will be consisted of older titles published prior to 2010. Sponsored by my local thrift stores.
❈✢❈
00 Cover: Does the man-boby need help (un)dressing? The disembodied hands emerging from the shadow are a bit creepy; will there be horror element in this story? This looks like a rough sketch for a final illustration; did someone forget their deadline?
01 CH2: Introducing the male characters' physique through a house of mirror sequence is quite brilliant (and vain!)
02 So you're telling me, we have 2 brothers from different mothers, born only days apart, with identical features that can pass as twin... their father must've been busy spreading his (very strong) genes
03 CH5: A nightgown that is 'so pale that it resembles the inside of a baby's ear.' That sounds gross (see what I did there?)
04 Talk about an eyeful for first impression! (boob sighting #1)
05 CH9: A character is asking for a very dry toast, without butter, for breakfast. It's actually making me thirsty (taking a sip from my mug)
06 ...And now she's buttering it 3 pages later... what's the point of this detail?! Kept me hydrated though
07 CH10: Our heroine has a thigh fetish (+ dick sighting #1)
08 CH12: 'In the crook of his arm was a red-haired urchin with a toothless grin.' Did this just turn into a monster sci-fi novel? Had to quickly Google to make sure I absolutely know what an urchin is (and no, I still can't relate it to a cute, red-haired baby) *Edit: so, according to Merriam-Webster, 'urchin' DOES have the following definition: mischievous and often poor and raggedly clothed youngster
09 CH15: Currently we have a crisscross situation, where our 4 main characters (2M/2F) are secretly infatuated with one another, AND now they are now assigning roles to the play they are putting together. Never would I anticipate the need to take notes reading historical romance
10 One of the character has a foaling mare—so I ended up watching YouTube videos of horses giving birth... Mother Nature is incredible
11 The reformed alcoholic finally recovers... his sex drive
12 CH18: In all honesty though, I'm actually really enjoying this story
12 CH19: What's on the menu for our characters: stuffed calf's heart, fried liver, pigeon pie, mutton leg, green peas. I can tolerate all except the heart dish... but a quick Google search reveals it actually doesn't look that offensive
13 CH25: 'The theater is packed now, every seat filled with someone's bottom.' Do we really need that second part about butts?
14 CH27: Not only is our reformed alcoholic male lead sexually active again, he also manages to lose his gut and becomes fit and 'lean' in a few weeks. People must have great metabolism back then
15 CH29: I get it, he has a big dick, stop reminding me
❈✢❈
Unbalanced silly fun that wears its Shakespearean reference on its sleeves.
The Taming of the Duke is essentially a farce about false identity, and despise-to-love relationship. While it is never boring, the last quarter of the book feels rushed, jam-packed with major plot developments written away in few paragraphs; one would've wished Eloisa James had found a way to distribute the momentum more evenly. Even though the book is about the blossoming relationships between 4 people, it is evident one pairing gets the short end of the stick; their story is fragmented and barely featured in the spotlight, leaving the happily-after outcome hollow and unearned.
The book features a main character as an alcoholic on his path to sobriety, but don't mistake The Taming of the Duke for anything realistic or enlightening; it is just a decent dose of casual reading with witty prose and tenderly rendered character moments, and I'm content with what's provided here.
(Review after commentary)
A Guy Reading Historical Romance | Ep01
➵ A Commentary Track
This is an experiment. Inspired Mystery Science Theater 3000, I'll be keeping track of my random reactions and tangential thoughts as I venture into this unfamiliar genre. There WILL be spoilers, so proceed with caution. Will be consisted of older titles published prior to 2010. Sponsored by my local thrift stores.
❈✢❈
00 Cover: Does the man-boby need help (un)dressing? The disembodied hands emerging from the shadow are a bit creepy; will there be horror element in this story? This looks like a rough sketch for a final illustration; did someone forget their deadline?
01 CH2: Introducing the male characters' physique through a house of mirror sequence is quite brilliant (and vain!)
02 So you're telling me, we have 2 brothers from different mothers, born only days apart, with identical features that can pass as twin... their father must've been busy spreading his (very strong) genes
03 CH5: A nightgown that is 'so pale that it resembles the inside of a baby's ear.' That sounds gross (see what I did there?)
04 Talk about an eyeful for first impression! (boob sighting #1)
05 CH9: A character is asking for a very dry toast, without butter, for breakfast. It's actually making me thirsty (taking a sip from my mug)
06 ...And now she's buttering it 3 pages later... what's the point of this detail?! Kept me hydrated though
07 CH10: Our heroine has a thigh fetish (+ dick sighting #1)
08 CH12: 'In the crook of his arm was a red-haired urchin with a toothless grin.' Did this just turn into a monster sci-fi novel? Had to quickly Google to make sure I absolutely know what an urchin is (and no, I still can't relate it to a cute, red-haired baby) *Edit: so, according to Merriam-Webster, 'urchin' DOES have the following definition: mischievous and often poor and raggedly clothed youngster
09 CH15: Currently we have a crisscross situation, where our 4 main characters (2M/2F) are secretly infatuated with one another, AND now they are now assigning roles to the play they are putting together. Never would I anticipate the need to take notes reading historical romance
10 One of the character has a foaling mare—so I ended up watching YouTube videos of horses giving birth... Mother Nature is incredible
11 The reformed alcoholic finally recovers... his sex drive
12 CH18: In all honesty though, I'm actually really enjoying this story
12 CH19: What's on the menu for our characters: stuffed calf's heart, fried liver, pigeon pie, mutton leg, green peas. I can tolerate all except the heart dish... but a quick Google search reveals it actually doesn't look that offensive
13 CH25: 'The theater is packed now, every seat filled with someone's bottom.' Do we really need that second part about butts?
14 CH27: Not only is our reformed alcoholic male lead sexually active again, he also manages to lose his gut and becomes fit and 'lean' in a few weeks. People must have great metabolism back then
15 CH29: I get it, he has a big dick, stop reminding me
❈✢❈
Unbalanced silly fun that wears its Shakespearean reference on its sleeves.
The Taming of the Duke is essentially a farce about false identity, and despise-to-love relationship. While it is never boring, the last quarter of the book feels rushed, jam-packed with major plot developments written away in few paragraphs; one would've wished Eloisa James had found a way to distribute the momentum more evenly. Even though the book is about the blossoming relationships between 4 people, it is evident one pairing gets the short end of the stick; their story is fragmented and barely featured in the spotlight, leaving the happily-after outcome hollow and unearned.
The book features a main character as an alcoholic on his path to sobriety, but don't mistake The Taming of the Duke for anything realistic or enlightening; it is just a decent dose of casual reading with witty prose and tenderly rendered character moments, and I'm content with what's provided here.
December 3, 2015
Imogen Essex Maitland would like to get jiggy with it, preferably with new-man-in-town Gabe Not-The-Duke Spenser. Rafe Jourdain (for real) would like Imogen to get jiggy with him. Gabe would like to get jiggy with Gillian Pythian-Adams. Gillian would like to get jiggy with someone who isn't an idiot. TIME FOR CHAOS AND BONERS!!!
1. First, I liked so much about this. So you're probably thinking, "kris, if you liked it so much, why only 3 stars?" And the answer to that, my friends, is because it didn't come together. For example, I like chocolate. And butter. And caramel. And if you add them together in the right quantities, you can make delicious gooey truffles that I also like very much. But if you don't have the right ratios, or you skip a step or two, you get a mess that doesn't taste very good.
Which is how I felt about The Taming of the Duke.
Here are the things I very much liked:
2. OMFG DID WE REALLY HAVE TO TURN DRAVEN MAITLAND INTO A TINY-DICKED BASTARD???? REALLY?? I just: I get that he wasn't a great dude. But rather than allowing Imogen to remember him fondly as the immature first love of her youth, she gets to disparage him in EVERY WAY. "He didn't love me! We only made sex 7 times! I couldn't move during sex or he'd yell at me! He loved his horses more! His penis was tiny compared to my new lover's!"
I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly pulled a muscle. How dull.
3. That ending was abrupt and bad. I needed at least another week of wooing, both in and out of costume. I need pages of Imogen ACTIVELY REALIZING (active as in ON THE PAGE) that her downlow lover was in fact the Duke she loved to disparage. I needed more than that terse engagement scene that came OUT OF NOWHERE. I needed Josie figuring it out and glaring at Rafe as he figures out how to tell Imogen. I needed Rafe slipping up and referencing a conversation his alter ego had. I needed more inn scenes.
4. The whole "no man desires me" thing would have been far more palatable if a) Imogen hadn't been described as gorgeous from page 1, book 1, and b) it wasn't paired with Josie's self-consciousness. It was especially hard to read about Imogen's ~~struggles with desirability when she knows she's good looking. Try being plain, or spotted, or plump, or anything else and not being desired--that's a real kick in the teeth.
5. I made sure to roll my eyes in the other direction for that epilogue.
6. Gillian deserved more than this book.
1. First, I liked so much about this. So you're probably thinking, "kris, if you liked it so much, why only 3 stars?" And the answer to that, my friends, is because it didn't come together. For example, I like chocolate. And butter. And caramel. And if you add them together in the right quantities, you can make delicious gooey truffles that I also like very much. But if you don't have the right ratios, or you skip a step or two, you get a mess that doesn't taste very good.
Which is how I felt about The Taming of the Duke.
Here are the things I very much liked:
a. The addressing of Rafe's drinking. How he stopped for himself, but also for his brother and for Imogen and for his future. How it didn't magically go away.ALL OF THESE THINGS WERE DELIGHTFUL. But there were too many missteps and pacing issues to allow them to outshine the mess that was the rest of the novel. ON TO THE MESS.
b. That inn scene hot damn.
c. JOSIE, MY DARLING.
d. Rafe wooing Imogen on their outing to Maitland house.
e. Gillian's plans to woo Gabe if he keeps being a cabbage-head.
f. The bathtub scene!!!
2. OMFG DID WE REALLY HAVE TO TURN DRAVEN MAITLAND INTO A TINY-DICKED BASTARD???? REALLY?? I just: I get that he wasn't a great dude. But rather than allowing Imogen to remember him fondly as the immature first love of her youth, she gets to disparage him in EVERY WAY. "He didn't love me! We only made sex 7 times! I couldn't move during sex or he'd yell at me! He loved his horses more! His penis was tiny compared to my new lover's!"
I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly pulled a muscle. How dull.
3. That ending was abrupt and bad. I needed at least another week of wooing, both in and out of costume. I need pages of Imogen ACTIVELY REALIZING (active as in ON THE PAGE) that her downlow lover was in fact the Duke she loved to disparage. I needed more than that terse engagement scene that came OUT OF NOWHERE. I needed Josie figuring it out and glaring at Rafe as he figures out how to tell Imogen. I needed Rafe slipping up and referencing a conversation his alter ego had. I needed more inn scenes.
4. The whole "no man desires me" thing would have been far more palatable if a) Imogen hadn't been described as gorgeous from page 1, book 1, and b) it wasn't paired with Josie's self-consciousness. It was especially hard to read about Imogen's ~~struggles with desirability when she knows she's good looking. Try being plain, or spotted, or plump, or anything else and not being desired--that's a real kick in the teeth.
5. I made sure to roll my eyes in the other direction for that epilogue.
6. Gillian deserved more than this book.
March 7, 2024
While this is one of the more literary offerings in the series, it's not as romantic as the last one. Yet, its hero and heroine have more depth so... as enjoyable as any in Ms. James' series.
(Reviewed 7/4/17)
(Reviewed 7/4/17)
September 14, 2022
Reading this was so much fun. I enjoyed every page and every minute. The relationship between Imogen and Rafe was on the next level of hot and fun. Even though for most of the book they share only passionate kisses.
Rafe is perfect for Imogen. He didn't seem like perfect hero material at the beginning of the series or of this book but we could always sense the deep sleeping passion in him. I love the setting of the book as well which had a lot to do with performances, theater, inn singers, and of course masquerading as different people.
The scene with singer Cristobel was so much fun.
My favorite of the series so far.
Rafe is perfect for Imogen. He didn't seem like perfect hero material at the beginning of the series or of this book but we could always sense the deep sleeping passion in him. I love the setting of the book as well which had a lot to do with performances, theater, inn singers, and of course masquerading as different people.
The scene with singer Cristobel was so much fun.
My favorite of the series so far.
April 24, 2020
3.5 en realidad
La lectura ha sido interesante y, en ciertos momentos, divertida, pero creo que todo se precipita demasiado al final y, entre los protagonistas, me he quedado a cuadros porque, aunque entiendo que Imogen sabía a lo que estaba jugando, apenas 10 páginas antes se quejaba sobre ese tema
Me he quedado un poco descolocada
Una novela que iba para las 4 pero que le han faltado unas páginas finales para desarrollar más muchos temas que han quedado en el aire
Por lo demás, siempre me parecen interesantes los héroes de este estilo, y más cuando llevábamos toda la serie leyendo sobre este alcohólico empedernido, pero también es un tema que me ha faltado profundizar. Sé que no era la intención de la autora, pero lo he echado de menos
Mejor que el segundo, pero ese final ha fallado mucho.
Imogen, sin comentarios, un personaje que ha tenido mucha presencia y peso en las demás novelas y que aquí parece que parta de cero
La lectura ha sido interesante y, en ciertos momentos, divertida, pero creo que todo se precipita demasiado al final y, entre los protagonistas, me he quedado a cuadros porque, aunque entiendo que Imogen sabía a lo que estaba jugando, apenas 10 páginas antes se quejaba sobre ese tema
Me he quedado un poco descolocada
Una novela que iba para las 4 pero que le han faltado unas páginas finales para desarrollar más muchos temas que han quedado en el aire
Por lo demás, siempre me parecen interesantes los héroes de este estilo, y más cuando llevábamos toda la serie leyendo sobre este alcohólico empedernido, pero también es un tema que me ha faltado profundizar. Sé que no era la intención de la autora, pero lo he echado de menos
Mejor que el segundo, pero ese final ha fallado mucho.
Imogen, sin comentarios, un personaje que ha tenido mucha presencia y peso en las demás novelas y que aquí parece que parta de cero
February 4, 2022
Alright. I was genuinely terrified of this one because Imogen is *not* a character I have enjoyed the last two books. I didn’t even tolerate her. I rolled my eyes and grit my teeth every time she was on page. And somehow I gotta read her ENTIRE BOOK and not want to cast her book into the fire??! I almost skipped it, tbh, but a friend advised me to read it for Josie. And I love Josie, so I made the sacrifice to read this one.
And I freaking loved it??? More than Tess and Annabel’s book??!!! But how??! What?! WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!
Imogen redeems herself but not in a really dramatic way. I appreciated that we didn’t start the book with Imogen being like, “Hey I’ve realized what a garbage person I’ve been so I’m starting an orphanage and also I donate all my pin money to charity and now I’m a great person!” No. She starts of basically where book two ends, same ole Imogen with insecurity and trying to find a dude to have an affair with. We get some introspection on her last year of rudeness and general desperate crazy with Mayne and she’s all, “I was grieving? Give me a break.” And I responded with a shrug, an “it’s all good,” and let her weasel her way into my heart. Getting in her head makes me empathize with her and I basically liked her right away in this book.
Imogen is still pretty cut throat and direct with her statements which I hated in the first few books, but GAH they were also so DELICIOUS and APPROPRIATE in this one. Rafe was SO MAD AT HER when she was cutting him to the quick about his drinking and I was like YES FUEL YOUR ANGER!! Did I recognize exactly when feelings changed for these two? No. Do I really care? Also no.
The journey of these two, especially my man Rafe, was commendable and I’m stoked for these two to have found their HEA together. And mainly for them to sort through all their heaps and heaps of crap. And who doesn’t love a hero in disguise?!?!?!
I��m giving this five stars even though I usually reserve those for books that I devour pretty quickly. This one took a little longer, maybe 3 or 4 days? But!! The. Ending. THE ENDING. Eloisa James shocks me at times with mature endings when they could be serious blow out fight God Awful Messes that happen a lot in romance. I loved it so much that I’m giving it five stars and a chef’s kiss and asking for my apologies for considering skipping it. Rafe and Imogen 4evs.
And I freaking loved it??? More than Tess and Annabel’s book??!!! But how??! What?! WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!
Imogen redeems herself but not in a really dramatic way. I appreciated that we didn’t start the book with Imogen being like, “Hey I’ve realized what a garbage person I’ve been so I’m starting an orphanage and also I donate all my pin money to charity and now I’m a great person!” No. She starts of basically where book two ends, same ole Imogen with insecurity and trying to find a dude to have an affair with. We get some introspection on her last year of rudeness and general desperate crazy with Mayne and she’s all, “I was grieving? Give me a break.” And I responded with a shrug, an “it’s all good,” and let her weasel her way into my heart. Getting in her head makes me empathize with her and I basically liked her right away in this book.
Imogen is still pretty cut throat and direct with her statements which I hated in the first few books, but GAH they were also so DELICIOUS and APPROPRIATE in this one. Rafe was SO MAD AT HER when she was cutting him to the quick about his drinking and I was like YES FUEL YOUR ANGER!! Did I recognize exactly when feelings changed for these two? No. Do I really care? Also no.
The journey of these two, especially my man Rafe, was commendable and I’m stoked for these two to have found their HEA together. And mainly for them to sort through all their heaps and heaps of crap. And who doesn’t love a hero in disguise?!?!?!
I��m giving this five stars even though I usually reserve those for books that I devour pretty quickly. This one took a little longer, maybe 3 or 4 days? But!! The. Ending. THE ENDING. Eloisa James shocks me at times with mature endings when they could be serious blow out fight God Awful Messes that happen a lot in romance. I loved it so much that I’m giving it five stars and a chef’s kiss and asking for my apologies for considering skipping it. Rafe and Imogen 4evs.
December 15, 2012
I can't explain my feelings about this series. I start hating the plot, characters, everything. The I love the last third of the books. I eventually like the main hero and heroine and am satisfied with the ending. However for this book, I kept hating Imogen. I thought I might grow to like her like I did Tessa and Annabel but no, I hated her. I felt no sympathy for her, Nothing. I feel that Rafe is too good for her. Actually, all the characters are better than Imogen. Not to mention that I didn't even see the love between the two characters grow. It seems like they're just friends. And I don't even know how she figured out it was Rafe not Gabe who seduced her. Also, I find it totally impossible that two brothers looked so alike that Imogen couldn't tell the difference between the two. These brothers are HALF brothers but they look almost identical, I don't believe it. It was stretching it too far. It seemed like she was panting for Gabe throughout the whole book until suddenly the last couple pages. I'm hoping my mind will change about this series after reading the last boo but it doesn't seem like it.
January 23, 2020
Lee la reseña completa en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
La tercera novela de la serie tiene de protagonistas a Raphael “Rafe” Jourdain, duque de Holbrook y a Imogen Maitland. Rafe es el tutor de las hermanas aunque ya no de Imogen, que lleva un año de viuda y sigue con su intención de tener un amante.
En las anteriores entregas pudimos conocer a una Imogen que desafiaba a nuestra paciencia (o por lo menos la mía), era un personaje muy pesado y que se llevaba el protagonismo inmerecidamente así que poco esperábamos de ella pero… la autora me ha sorprendido totalmente, en esta entrega conoceremos a una protagonista que ya deja sus neuras atrás y se presenta como realmente es y me ha gustado.
Eloísa James me ha sorprendido, ya sabéis que estos son los primeros libros que leo de la misma y tiene una forma particular de presentarnos sus historias donde no hay un protagonismo absoluto sino que desarrolla o empieza a introducir historias paralelas, personajes secundarios muy completos que tendrán su momento de gloria.
Aquí tenemos a Rafe, Imogen, Gabe y Gillian y tomad nota porque la autora juega un poquito con nosotros...
La tercera novela de la serie tiene de protagonistas a Raphael “Rafe” Jourdain, duque de Holbrook y a Imogen Maitland. Rafe es el tutor de las hermanas aunque ya no de Imogen, que lleva un año de viuda y sigue con su intención de tener un amante.
En las anteriores entregas pudimos conocer a una Imogen que desafiaba a nuestra paciencia (o por lo menos la mía), era un personaje muy pesado y que se llevaba el protagonismo inmerecidamente así que poco esperábamos de ella pero… la autora me ha sorprendido totalmente, en esta entrega conoceremos a una protagonista que ya deja sus neuras atrás y se presenta como realmente es y me ha gustado.
Eloísa James me ha sorprendido, ya sabéis que estos son los primeros libros que leo de la misma y tiene una forma particular de presentarnos sus historias donde no hay un protagonismo absoluto sino que desarrolla o empieza a introducir historias paralelas, personajes secundarios muy completos que tendrán su momento de gloria.
Aquí tenemos a Rafe, Imogen, Gabe y Gillian y tomad nota porque la autora juega un poquito con nosotros...
December 13, 2010
I loved, loved, loved this book. I loved the way it was written, the hero and heroine, the secondary characters, the plot, the epilogue, everything!
Where to start?
The heroine is a passionate, but soured widow, guilty for luring her deceased, arrogant husband into marriage, and embarrassed for the lack of passion in their short marriage. That's a lot of emotion for one person to walk around with, and she retreats into a bitter, bitchy exterior to hide her pain. She's also smart and sassy.
The hero is probably one of my all-time favorites. A drunken, sad, out-of-shape, out-of-his-depth duke who never wanted to be. He is just such a lovely person that you just know he's going to have a wonderful HEA.
The secondary characters are incredibly strong in this one, particularly the duke's brother. You really wanted him to get his act together and make a life with the woman who falls in love with him. I particularly like the way the characters appear from previous stories in the series, and I love the epilogues, which hint at outcomes of stories yet to be told. In this one, the inclusion of a panto is absolutely superb. It's an essential part of British theater (and has been for a VERY long time), and I like the traditions it includes.
But the aspect which I liked more than any other (perhaps excluding the hero), was the incredible use of Shakespeare-inspired plots of love-in-disguise, partnerings getting mixed up and general confusion. The characters are all very human, so it works in a way it didn't quite work out for me in the previous book in the series
. I could really feel the author's love for the literature she used as inspiration.
Great, light-hearted read touching on some deep, serious issues.
5 stars, all-time-favorites list.
Where to start?
The heroine is a passionate, but soured widow, guilty for luring her deceased, arrogant husband into marriage, and embarrassed for the lack of passion in their short marriage. That's a lot of emotion for one person to walk around with, and she retreats into a bitter, bitchy exterior to hide her pain. She's also smart and sassy.
The hero is probably one of my all-time favorites. A drunken, sad, out-of-shape, out-of-his-depth duke who never wanted to be. He is just such a lovely person that you just know he's going to have a wonderful HEA.
The secondary characters are incredibly strong in this one, particularly the duke's brother. You really wanted him to get his act together and make a life with the woman who falls in love with him. I particularly like the way the characters appear from previous stories in the series, and I love the epilogues, which hint at outcomes of stories yet to be told. In this one, the inclusion of a panto is absolutely superb. It's an essential part of British theater (and has been for a VERY long time), and I like the traditions it includes.
But the aspect which I liked more than any other (perhaps excluding the hero), was the incredible use of Shakespeare-inspired plots of love-in-disguise, partnerings getting mixed up and general confusion. The characters are all very human, so it works in a way it didn't quite work out for me in the previous book in the series
. I could really feel the author's love for the literature she used as inspiration.Great, light-hearted read touching on some deep, serious issues.
5 stars, all-time-favorites list.
November 6, 2009
these are all 5 star books...but I so loved the last of the series...so so so loved it, like dogeared copy loved it...that i have to give the other sisters 4 stars in order to officially show my devotion to Josie & Mayne.
April 6, 2023
Estaba deseando llegar al tercero de la serie por su pareja protagonista. Imogen y Rafe no pueden estar más alejados entre ellos en su forma de ser y pensar.
Rafe es un borrachín indolente y bonachón e Imogen una viuda endurecida que no sabe cómo vivir su duelo ni cómo salir de él, además de poseer una lengua afilada. Son una pareja que en principio no tienen nada en común, salvo que son tutor y pupila.
Convertirse en tutor de las hermanas Essex y la aparición de un hermano ilegítimo con un bebé le llevan a tomar la decisión de enderezar su vida, empezando por dejar la bebida.
Siempre he visto libertinos reformados, pero no me había encontrado hasta ahora con este tipo de personaje, al menos que yo recuerde. Un duque que ve la vida pasar a través del cristal de un vaso de whisky y aunque desde el primer libro despierta simpatías no sabes cómo va a conseguir la autora que te enamores de él, pero lo consigue, vaya que lo hace. Rafe es el libro, qué personaje más interesante y maravilloso. Imogen no se queda atrás para nada, pero repito que Rafe es el libro.
Imogen tampoco es un personaje fácil. Su breve matrimonio le ha dejado un poso amargo y le ha afilado la lengua, no tiene reparos en decir las cosas como le vienen a la cabeza y parece disfrutar atacando a Rafe por su adición.
La evolución de ambos es notoria, pero sobre todo la del duque. La forma en que se acerca a ella, su deseo de mejorar por ella, el amor que nace. Me ha encantado el juego de seducción que se traían entre manos , ha sido divino, no encuentro una palabra mejor ahora para definirlo.
Una pareja que en principio no tiene nada que los una, pero que da un juego increíble. Una historia de amor preciosa y de superación. Cierto que me ha faltado algo al final, hay un tema que queda aclarado pero que me habría gustado que la autora se recreara más en eso. Las tramas secundarias siempre interesantes y sumando a la historia. A por la última hermana.
Me quedo con la sensación de no haber plasmado lo muchísimo que he disfrutado con esta historia pero lo he hecho. Una lectura imprescindible en romántica.
Rafe es un borrachín indolente y bonachón e Imogen una viuda endurecida que no sabe cómo vivir su duelo ni cómo salir de él, además de poseer una lengua afilada. Son una pareja que en principio no tienen nada en común, salvo que son tutor y pupila.
Convertirse en tutor de las hermanas Essex y la aparición de un hermano ilegítimo con un bebé le llevan a tomar la decisión de enderezar su vida, empezando por dejar la bebida.
Siempre he visto libertinos reformados, pero no me había encontrado hasta ahora con este tipo de personaje, al menos que yo recuerde. Un duque que ve la vida pasar a través del cristal de un vaso de whisky y aunque desde el primer libro despierta simpatías no sabes cómo va a conseguir la autora que te enamores de él, pero lo consigue, vaya que lo hace. Rafe es el libro, qué personaje más interesante y maravilloso. Imogen no se queda atrás para nada, pero repito que Rafe es el libro.
Imogen tampoco es un personaje fácil. Su breve matrimonio le ha dejado un poso amargo y le ha afilado la lengua, no tiene reparos en decir las cosas como le vienen a la cabeza y parece disfrutar atacando a Rafe por su adición.
La evolución de ambos es notoria, pero sobre todo la del duque. La forma en que se acerca a ella, su deseo de mejorar por ella, el amor que nace. Me ha encantado el juego de seducción que se traían entre manos , ha sido divino, no encuentro una palabra mejor ahora para definirlo.
Una pareja que en principio no tiene nada que los una, pero que da un juego increíble. Una historia de amor preciosa y de superación. Cierto que me ha faltado algo al final, hay un tema que queda aclarado pero que me habría gustado que la autora se recreara más en eso. Las tramas secundarias siempre interesantes y sumando a la historia. A por la última hermana.
Me quedo con la sensación de no haber plasmado lo muchísimo que he disfrutado con esta historia pero lo he hecho. Una lectura imprescindible en romántica.
August 11, 2013
This is one of those books where the title has nothing to do with the story. Well, there is a duke, but I can't see where he was tamed.
Imogen, the widowed Lady Maitland, lives with her guardian, Rafe, the drunken Duke of Holbrook. Rafe’s illegitimate brother Gabe and Gabe’s illegitimate daughter Mary have just moved in, and the rest of the cast of the series is coming to stay so that Gabe’s ex-mistress, an actress who lost a big part in London because of her pregnancy, can put on a showcase play and thus win another chance at seeing her name in lights (or whatever it was back then).
Imogen is still trolling for an “affaire” (evidently it’s not as tacky if you slap an “e” on the end), and Rafe’s lookalike brother seems a perfect choice. Gabe wants Gillian (the gal whose horse-mad fiancé Imogen “stole” in the first book—not that Gillian actually wanted the blighter). Gillian is attracted to Gabe, but she’s hoping to marry Rafe, now that he’s sworn off the booze. Rafe, now that he’s no longer looking at the world through the bottom of a bottle, has realized that the reason Imogen drives him nuts is that he wants her. Which makes them all horses on a merry-go-round
Forever chasing but never catching.
The next thing you know, Rafe is posing as Gabe and the “affaire” with Imogen is on. Gabe, meanwhile, can’t seem to keep his mouth off Gillian when nobody’s looking.
This one frustrated me.
I did appreciate the insights into withdrawal from alcohol. Some members of my family have been through the process and James describes it nicely. I also like that she was in tune with the historical understanding of the problem, though she gave Rafe insights about his condition that they didn’t have in those days, but that are pretty much essential to real recovery. For example, Rafe initially toyed with the idea that he could “probably” handle a glass of wine (since whiskey was his drug of choice), but he eventually realized he shouldn't drink at all. I also liked that James showed how, even after the physical withdrawal was over, the emotional need for drink was still there, and probably would continue to rear its head occasionally for the rest of Rafe’s life. And I liked that Rafe understood that he couldn’t guarantee he’d never drink again. James listened to people who get it and she wrote it into her story. I like that.
I wasn’t as enamored with Imogen’s character arc. For the first books of the series, this gal was toxic. Vindictive, self-destructive to the point of hurting people around her, and a complete user. There could have been some real drama in seeing her "detox" alongside Rafe. But instead we're just introduced to the new and improved Imogen who can’t imagine why she was such an awful beyotch before. Oh, she still has her issues, but she's well into her "cure" by the time this book opens. I'd have liked it better if this process had played out onstage.
Anyway, I’ll give this one 2.5 stars. I’m thinking after I finish the books I’ve purchased I’ll stick with James’ more recent and future work, which I like much better.
Imogen, the widowed Lady Maitland, lives with her guardian, Rafe, the drunken Duke of Holbrook. Rafe’s illegitimate brother Gabe and Gabe’s illegitimate daughter Mary have just moved in, and the rest of the cast of the series is coming to stay so that Gabe’s ex-mistress, an actress who lost a big part in London because of her pregnancy, can put on a showcase play and thus win another chance at seeing her name in lights (or whatever it was back then).
Imogen is still trolling for an “affaire” (evidently it’s not as tacky if you slap an “e” on the end), and Rafe’s lookalike brother seems a perfect choice. Gabe wants Gillian (the gal whose horse-mad fiancé Imogen “stole” in the first book—not that Gillian actually wanted the blighter). Gillian is attracted to Gabe, but she’s hoping to marry Rafe, now that he’s sworn off the booze. Rafe, now that he’s no longer looking at the world through the bottom of a bottle, has realized that the reason Imogen drives him nuts is that he wants her. Which makes them all horses on a merry-go-round
Forever chasing but never catching.
The next thing you know, Rafe is posing as Gabe and the “affaire” with Imogen is on. Gabe, meanwhile, can’t seem to keep his mouth off Gillian when nobody’s looking.
This one frustrated me.
I did appreciate the insights into withdrawal from alcohol. Some members of my family have been through the process and James describes it nicely. I also like that she was in tune with the historical understanding of the problem, though she gave Rafe insights about his condition that they didn’t have in those days, but that are pretty much essential to real recovery. For example, Rafe initially toyed with the idea that he could “probably” handle a glass of wine (since whiskey was his drug of choice), but he eventually realized he shouldn't drink at all. I also liked that James showed how, even after the physical withdrawal was over, the emotional need for drink was still there, and probably would continue to rear its head occasionally for the rest of Rafe’s life. And I liked that Rafe understood that he couldn’t guarantee he’d never drink again. James listened to people who get it and she wrote it into her story. I like that.
I wasn’t as enamored with Imogen’s character arc. For the first books of the series, this gal was toxic. Vindictive, self-destructive to the point of hurting people around her, and a complete user. There could have been some real drama in seeing her "detox" alongside Rafe. But instead we're just introduced to the new and improved Imogen who can’t imagine why she was such an awful beyotch before. Oh, she still has her issues, but she's well into her "cure" by the time this book opens. I'd have liked it better if this process had played out onstage.
Anyway, I’ll give this one 2.5 stars. I’m thinking after I finish the books I’ve purchased I’ll stick with James’ more recent and future work, which I like much better.
September 22, 2020
Ninnies in love, being annoying. This h was never quite redeemed in my eyes, and the H should have maintained his habits from the first book -- he would have been much happier, ultimately, than ending up with this h.
August 3, 2017
Lo leí entre las 21 hs de un día y las 3 hs del otro, más un poco a la mañana y tres horas más por la tarde. No lo podía dejar
Nada era como lo había imaginado: el que creía que era un personaje secundario, era el principal.
El protagonista: borracho y con panza
Pero me encantó
Porqué?
Primero, porque él es un hombre super enamorado y sin dudas al respecto. Apasionado, con pasado (y presente) conflictivo pero con espíritu de superación. Un hombre muy bueno y nada libertino aunque sabe muy bien cómo hacer las cosas.
Ella, con muchas dudas acerca de lo que es el sexo y el amor aunque es viuda. Y con muchas ganas de aprender.
Con la adición de una segunda historia romántica (la del hermano).
Sí, es cierto que todo este asunto del intercambio de personalidades es confuso y choca un poco.
Pero después se aclara todo.
Sobre todo en el capítulo extra publicado en la página web de la autora (www.eloisajames.com) y en varios comentarios que hace en la misma.
Muy interesante dicha página porque la autora explica mucho el porqué de sus historia, los errores que se le pasaron y su interpretación.
Es cierto que una novela tiene que ser entendida por si misma y no venir con folleto explicativo, pero creo que a esta novela se lo perdono.
El resumen de este capítulo extra (36), podría sintetizarse en una frase que debería haberse incluído en el capítulo 35 y listo:
Nada era como lo había imaginado: el que creía que era un personaje secundario, era el principal.
El protagonista: borracho y con panza
Pero me encantó
Porqué?
Primero, porque él es un hombre super enamorado y sin dudas al respecto. Apasionado, con pasado (y presente) conflictivo pero con espíritu de superación. Un hombre muy bueno y nada libertino aunque sabe muy bien cómo hacer las cosas.
Ella, con muchas dudas acerca de lo que es el sexo y el amor aunque es viuda. Y con muchas ganas de aprender.
Con la adición de una segunda historia romántica (la del hermano).
Sí, es cierto que todo este asunto del intercambio de personalidades es confuso y choca un poco.
Pero después se aclara todo.
Sobre todo en el capítulo extra publicado en la página web de la autora (www.eloisajames.com) y en varios comentarios que hace en la misma.
Muy interesante dicha página porque la autora explica mucho el porqué de sus historia, los errores que se le pasaron y su interpretación.
Es cierto que una novela tiene que ser entendida por si misma y no venir con folleto explicativo, pero creo que a esta novela se lo perdono.
El resumen de este capítulo extra (36), podría sintetizarse en una frase que debería haberse incluído en el capítulo 35 y listo:
December 22, 2022
first, I am making a note of people loving this book so I know to question your recommendation
nothing personal but shit was this a bad book or what...
i mean
Imogene is one of the worst characters I read this year; bitchy, mean, pretentious, cruel, and annoying... and that was in all previous books but this was supposed to be her story so some redemption was expected BUT not delivered!! only thing I could add to her description is stupid...
because she gets duped by the hero and I just can't believe she didn't recognize him
look I was all for Imogene getting her hoe phase
sadly, not like this ....
all that alcohol Rafe consumed clearly damaged his brain
I just refuse to accept this is the way these two get together
side characters' love stories had more charm and I like them more than the main couple..
nothing personal but shit was this a bad book or what...
i mean
Imogene is one of the worst characters I read this year; bitchy, mean, pretentious, cruel, and annoying... and that was in all previous books but this was supposed to be her story so some redemption was expected BUT not delivered!! only thing I could add to her description is stupid...
because she gets duped by the hero and I just can't believe she didn't recognize him
look I was all for Imogene getting her hoe phase
sadly, not like this ....
all that alcohol Rafe consumed clearly damaged his brain
I just refuse to accept this is the way these two get together
side characters' love stories had more charm and I like them more than the main couple..
January 12, 2020
4,5/5
Pues por ahora el que más me ha gustado de la serie, y eso que a Imogen no la aguantaba pero me he reconciliado con su personaje en esta tercera parte.
Y Rafe?? Cada vez que empezaba con una hermana decía, con esta, pero nada y aquí lo da todo. Me ha encantado.
Me lo he pasado fenomenal con todas las situaciones de enredo entre Rafe, Imogen, Gabe y Gillian.
Los diálogos entre Imogen y Rafe buenísimos.
Recomiendo el libro encarecidamente.
Pues por ahora el que más me ha gustado de la serie, y eso que a Imogen no la aguantaba pero me he reconciliado con su personaje en esta tercera parte.
Y Rafe?? Cada vez que empezaba con una hermana decía, con esta, pero nada y aquí lo da todo. Me ha encantado.
Me lo he pasado fenomenal con todas las situaciones de enredo entre Rafe, Imogen, Gabe y Gillian.
Los diálogos entre Imogen y Rafe buenísimos.
Recomiendo el libro encarecidamente.
October 2, 2013
Ok, so I am seven chapters in and haven't come up with anything to really discuss about this book. It is not grabbing me at all yet. The storyline of Rafe trying to stop drinking and why he is doing it is probably the aspect of the book I like the most so far. I guess I can be happy about the fact that this seems to be all Imogen's story as her other sisters aren't honing in on her time so far. The author does seem to be bringing back the character Gillian ( Draven Maitland's fiancée before Imogen stole him away) but so far Gillian hasn't intruding enough to be annoying.
Gabe's (Rafe's illegitimate brother) attitude of not being good enough for Gillian was heartbreaking at times, as was his devotion to his daughter.
The story got slightly more interesting for me during the scene when Imogen dumps out all of Rafe's alcohol and they go for a night time horse ride. Their thoughts and feelings portrayed during these scenes were wonderful and breathed a passion into their story which was missing for me between these two characters.
Ms. James takes on to many characters, they are wonderfully written characters, but darn it they steal time from the who are suppose to be the leading couple which in turn leaves me unsatisfied. I really feel like every book so far in this series could be keepers if there was more focus on the leads. I finish each book wishing there was just a little more to what I read. On the other hand this series is turning out to be one the strongest I have read in a long time.
Towards end of the book, Imogen and Rafe had some feisty conversations which were enjoyable to read and helped push the book slightly above average.
This book had a wonderful cast of characters but it started off so slowly for me that I felt like it was a rest stop in the journey through this series. It was good but nothing which inspired me. This could be due to an overdose of Imogen from the earlier books or a lack of the Earl of Mayne ( who I am positively becoming obsessed with).
Was anyone else sort of confused by the epilogue in this book? It is set quite a ways in the future and talks about how everyone is married. It was weird and seemed to be an epilogue which would be better placed in the last book of the series; it just seemed unnecessary.
Gabe's (Rafe's illegitimate brother) attitude of not being good enough for Gillian was heartbreaking at times, as was his devotion to his daughter.
The story got slightly more interesting for me during the scene when Imogen dumps out all of Rafe's alcohol and they go for a night time horse ride. Their thoughts and feelings portrayed during these scenes were wonderful and breathed a passion into their story which was missing for me between these two characters.
Ms. James takes on to many characters, they are wonderfully written characters, but darn it they steal time from the who are suppose to be the leading couple which in turn leaves me unsatisfied. I really feel like every book so far in this series could be keepers if there was more focus on the leads. I finish each book wishing there was just a little more to what I read. On the other hand this series is turning out to be one the strongest I have read in a long time.
Towards end of the book, Imogen and Rafe had some feisty conversations which were enjoyable to read and helped push the book slightly above average.
This book had a wonderful cast of characters but it started off so slowly for me that I felt like it was a rest stop in the journey through this series. It was good but nothing which inspired me. This could be due to an overdose of Imogen from the earlier books or a lack of the Earl of Mayne ( who I am positively becoming obsessed with).
Was anyone else sort of confused by the epilogue in this book? It is set quite a ways in the future and talks about how everyone is married. It was weird and seemed to be an epilogue which would be better placed in the last book of the series; it just seemed unnecessary.
August 21, 2014
A book I had a very hard time getting into, since I disliked the main heroine since the first book and really didn't want to read her story.
Imogen is bitter and spreads her misery around by being judgmental and snapping at everyone, whether they deserve it or not. Rafe is one of her favorite targets, and even though I understand that up to a point she targets him because she cares for him, I really didn't care for her mean, sometimes cruel comments to him.
Rafe, on the other hand, is an easy going person, who welcomes his illegitimate brother to the family without a second thought, stops drinking and gets his act together and, if I overlook his reluctance to end the charade, is a very likable character.
The secondary romance was pretty sweet, as well, and after Imogen got through her issues and stopped being so hurtful and all around awful my dislike for her lessened, but I can't say I was all that invested in the story.
And now that I patiently finished this book I can finally read Josie's story! Let's hope Pleasure for Pleasure doesn't disappoint!
Imogen is bitter and spreads her misery around by being judgmental and snapping at everyone, whether they deserve it or not. Rafe is one of her favorite targets, and even though I understand that up to a point she targets him because she cares for him, I really didn't care for her mean, sometimes cruel comments to him.
Rafe, on the other hand, is an easy going person, who welcomes his illegitimate brother to the family without a second thought, stops drinking and gets his act together and, if I overlook his reluctance to end the charade, is a very likable character.
The secondary romance was pretty sweet, as well, and after Imogen got through her issues and stopped being so hurtful and all around awful my dislike for her lessened, but I can't say I was all that invested in the story.
And now that I patiently finished this book I can finally read Josie's story! Let's hope Pleasure for Pleasure doesn't disappoint!
August 19, 2016
My final verdict: the story has merit, the writing isn't my style.
After two books that supposedly weren't about Imogen, but were pretty much about Imogen, I really didn't know what to think going into this one. I truly didn't like her character in the other books, but so much time was spent in her head I felt like I needed to follow through with her story.
In the end, I actually liked the bones of this book, if not the execution. As always with EJ, the writing is sloppy and inconsistent, which takes points from what could be a good book. As does her tendency to have side stories along the way. Example: Gabe should have gotten his own book. It's odd decision making/editing/story telling.
After two books that supposedly weren't about Imogen, but were pretty much about Imogen, I really didn't know what to think going into this one. I truly didn't like her character in the other books, but so much time was spent in her head I felt like I needed to follow through with her story.
In the end, I actually liked the bones of this book, if not the execution. As always with EJ, the writing is sloppy and inconsistent, which takes points from what could be a good book. As does her tendency to have side stories along the way. Example: Gabe should have gotten his own book. It's odd decision making/editing/story telling.
July 21, 2016
2.5 Stars
CAUTION SPOILERS
I wasn't fond of the younger Essex sisters since reading the first book in the series. Book 2 changed my mind on Annabel and I was hoping that this book would change my thoughts on Imogen (even though they'd gotten even worse after the second book). Unfortunately, my dislike of her did not go away in this book, it just kept getting worse.
I'm in no way a prude. I'm all for a woman making the first move and going after what she wants. But the way Imogen threw herself first at Maitland, then Ardmore, then Mayne and then Gabe just reeked of desperation. It was disgusting how she kept throwing herself at an available man and getting shot down time and again. It was pathetic and I was hoping she'd get a little more self-respect. She was also extremely selfish. She didn't think how her elopement with Maitland was going to hurt Tess's prospect of marriage. She didn't think about how her scandal with Ardmore and Mayne would hurt Annabel's coming out. And she didn't care about the chances her affaire with Gabe would hurt Josie's coming out. She just thought about herself, what she wanted/needed, and that was it.
I watch Superman and have no problem believing that glasses are enough to hide his identity. So having a mustache hide who Rafe is was not so unbelievable for me. Yes it's as far-fetched as Superman but I'm willing to suspend reality. I can believe that Imogen wanted it to be Gabe so badly that she ignored the truths staring at her in the face. At the end, she confesses to Rafe that she truly knew who he was after he grabbed her hand with his callused hands, hands Gabe would never have. However, even after he grabs her hand and she faces the reality of who he is, in her mind she still compares the two brothers. First with his kisses: "And Gabriel’s lips took hers. There was none of Rafe’s gentle approach, sweet humor, sideways proposal." Then after seeing him naked as they're about to have sex, she comments how well endowed both brothers are (even though she's already acknowledged it's Rafe and not Gabe): "She hadn’t been wrong, that time she glimpsed Rafe’s equipment. Apparently men came in all sizes, and these brothers must have been on the lucky side of the draw. I understand that maybe Ms. James was trying to have us believe she still thought he was Gabe, but maybe Imogen shouldn't be commenting on how "lucky" Gabe was when she'd never seen that part of him.
Some names are changed throughout the book. At some points, Imogen is speaking and it says it's Annabel instead. Miss Pythian-Adams' name is changed to Miss Pythian-Jones at one point. It was annoying to read and had me stopping to re-read it.
I liked Rafe from the first book. I thought he deserved so much better than Imogen. She was so mean and borderline abusive. She called a man an a$$ for calling Josie fat but had no problem telling Rafe how fat he was or how big his belly was. I found the scene where she throws away all the liquor Rafe has out the window so humiliating to him. She didn't have to announce to everyone present that he was thinking about alcohol. It was rude and embarrassing to him. I also thought he should've shown a bit more self-respect and not slept with a woman he thought wanted to sleep with his brother and had propositioned him. I thought he was much better than that and was disappointed in how he was portrayed in this book. I did like that he quit drinking though.
And my favorite part in the story is when Imogen helps him while he's going through a bit of withdrawal and washes his hair. Along with the scene in the field and the ending. Because of those, I gave it a star more than I thought it really deserved.
CAUTION SPOILERS
I wasn't fond of the younger Essex sisters since reading the first book in the series. Book 2 changed my mind on Annabel and I was hoping that this book would change my thoughts on Imogen (even though they'd gotten even worse after the second book). Unfortunately, my dislike of her did not go away in this book, it just kept getting worse.
I'm in no way a prude. I'm all for a woman making the first move and going after what she wants. But the way Imogen threw herself first at Maitland, then Ardmore, then Mayne and then Gabe just reeked of desperation. It was disgusting how she kept throwing herself at an available man and getting shot down time and again. It was pathetic and I was hoping she'd get a little more self-respect. She was also extremely selfish. She didn't think how her elopement with Maitland was going to hurt Tess's prospect of marriage. She didn't think about how her scandal with Ardmore and Mayne would hurt Annabel's coming out. And she didn't care about the chances her affaire with Gabe would hurt Josie's coming out. She just thought about herself, what she wanted/needed, and that was it.
I watch Superman and have no problem believing that glasses are enough to hide his identity. So having a mustache hide who Rafe is was not so unbelievable for me. Yes it's as far-fetched as Superman but I'm willing to suspend reality. I can believe that Imogen wanted it to be Gabe so badly that she ignored the truths staring at her in the face. At the end, she confesses to Rafe that she truly knew who he was after he grabbed her hand with his callused hands, hands Gabe would never have. However, even after he grabs her hand and she faces the reality of who he is, in her mind she still compares the two brothers. First with his kisses: "And Gabriel’s lips took hers. There was none of Rafe’s gentle approach, sweet humor, sideways proposal." Then after seeing him naked as they're about to have sex, she comments how well endowed both brothers are (even though she's already acknowledged it's Rafe and not Gabe): "She hadn’t been wrong, that time she glimpsed Rafe’s equipment. Apparently men came in all sizes, and these brothers must have been on the lucky side of the draw. I understand that maybe Ms. James was trying to have us believe she still thought he was Gabe, but maybe Imogen shouldn't be commenting on how "lucky" Gabe was when she'd never seen that part of him.
Some names are changed throughout the book. At some points, Imogen is speaking and it says it's Annabel instead. Miss Pythian-Adams' name is changed to Miss Pythian-Jones at one point. It was annoying to read and had me stopping to re-read it.
I liked Rafe from the first book. I thought he deserved so much better than Imogen. She was so mean and borderline abusive. She called a man an a$$ for calling Josie fat but had no problem telling Rafe how fat he was or how big his belly was. I found the scene where she throws away all the liquor Rafe has out the window so humiliating to him. She didn't have to announce to everyone present that he was thinking about alcohol. It was rude and embarrassing to him. I also thought he should've shown a bit more self-respect and not slept with a woman he thought wanted to sleep with his brother and had propositioned him. I thought he was much better than that and was disappointed in how he was portrayed in this book. I did like that he quit drinking though.
And my favorite part in the story is when Imogen helps him while he's going through a bit of withdrawal and washes his hair. Along with the scene in the field and the ending. Because of those, I gave it a star more than I thought it really deserved.
March 29, 2009
I didn't even know that there were two other books about the main characters sisters, and you really don't have to know that to read this book.
Lady Imogen Maitland is a widow and in the position of taking a lover. A man who knows how to keep quiet.
But she is still under the wathcful eye of her former guardian, rafe, the duke of Holbrook. he believes that she still needs someone who watches her. But she laughs at the idea that a lazy drunk of a man can do anything. Why should he have anything to say what she is doing.
Then the illegitimate brother shows up, and Gabriel is everything Rafe should be. and they even look the same. He interests her and he would suit perfectly for her need. He agrees to escort her to a play in disguise, but who is it really she is with, Gabe or Rafe?
I needed some fun and this was just the right book for that.
I wans't sure that a could like drunk who wasn't described in a nice way, but I did started to like him. Imogen was an allright heroine, but dunno if I liked her or not. I guess I did because I wanted her to get a happy ending, and get her ideas of affairs out of her mind. And then I learned about her previous marriage. An to get back to Rafe, I have sure not read about a drunken hero before, and it's not like they had AA meetings back then.
The brother Gabe, well he was kind of boring, and not onyl because he was a professor of divinity. Reading about her sisters Annabell and Tess, well that made be wanna read her two other books. And i guess I want to know what will happen to the fourth one, Josie. Oh and Griselda needs some loving too.
This book fitted my needs, regency and romance. I smiled, and giggled. I actually liked it a lot. She has an easy way of writing, and that makes it easy to read too. A good book when you don't wanna think at all, just get lost.
Lady Imogen Maitland is a widow and in the position of taking a lover. A man who knows how to keep quiet.
But she is still under the wathcful eye of her former guardian, rafe, the duke of Holbrook. he believes that she still needs someone who watches her. But she laughs at the idea that a lazy drunk of a man can do anything. Why should he have anything to say what she is doing.
Then the illegitimate brother shows up, and Gabriel is everything Rafe should be. and they even look the same. He interests her and he would suit perfectly for her need. He agrees to escort her to a play in disguise, but who is it really she is with, Gabe or Rafe?
I needed some fun and this was just the right book for that.
I wans't sure that a could like drunk who wasn't described in a nice way, but I did started to like him. Imogen was an allright heroine, but dunno if I liked her or not. I guess I did because I wanted her to get a happy ending, and get her ideas of affairs out of her mind. And then I learned about her previous marriage. An to get back to Rafe, I have sure not read about a drunken hero before, and it's not like they had AA meetings back then.
The brother Gabe, well he was kind of boring, and not onyl because he was a professor of divinity. Reading about her sisters Annabell and Tess, well that made be wanna read her two other books. And i guess I want to know what will happen to the fourth one, Josie. Oh and Griselda needs some loving too.
This book fitted my needs, regency and romance. I smiled, and giggled. I actually liked it a lot. She has an easy way of writing, and that makes it easy to read too. A good book when you don't wanna think at all, just get lost.
March 25, 2008
I'm of two opinions on this book.
On one hand, James is an exceptionally talented writer when it comes to format, flow, and period pieces. She has an excellent grasp of language and phrasing that makes the book work as a historical. Though at the same time...I'd have to say that the devout historical readers will like her best. For a casual historical read, her period style of writing may be a bit too much.
Story wise, I thought the book was okay. Often times, I though Imogen was too forward for a woman of the early 1800's, but she was an interesting character. There was definitely chemistry between her and Rafe. I didn't quite like that almost there entire romantic relationship occurred while he was posing as his brother. And I really disliked how that was resolved at the end. The writer gives no clue that Imogen had figured it out until suddenly she made a short remark to say she knew, and then the chapter ended. That was it. I didn't buy it. I wanted to know when she'd figured it out (there's only one possible place, but I don't think that was it), and I wanted to know what she thought of what he did, etc. I found it annoying that his charade wasn't really dealt with, just pushed aside with one comment.
Otherwise...an okay storyline. At times I felt like there needed to me more Rafe and Imogen, and less of all the many other characters. And maybe more of a solid point to the story...just something going on instead of random romances. But it wasn't a bad book really, just not quite the type of book I love.
On one hand, James is an exceptionally talented writer when it comes to format, flow, and period pieces. She has an excellent grasp of language and phrasing that makes the book work as a historical. Though at the same time...I'd have to say that the devout historical readers will like her best. For a casual historical read, her period style of writing may be a bit too much.
Story wise, I thought the book was okay. Often times, I though Imogen was too forward for a woman of the early 1800's, but she was an interesting character. There was definitely chemistry between her and Rafe. I didn't quite like that almost there entire romantic relationship occurred while he was posing as his brother. And I really disliked how that was resolved at the end. The writer gives no clue that Imogen had figured it out until suddenly she made a short remark to say she knew, and then the chapter ended. That was it. I didn't buy it. I wanted to know when she'd figured it out (there's only one possible place, but I don't think that was it), and I wanted to know what she thought of what he did, etc. I found it annoying that his charade wasn't really dealt with, just pushed aside with one comment.
Otherwise...an okay storyline. At times I felt like there needed to me more Rafe and Imogen, and less of all the many other characters. And maybe more of a solid point to the story...just something going on instead of random romances. But it wasn't a bad book really, just not quite the type of book I love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2015
What do I think?
1) Finally I'm done :)
2) I still hate Imogen
3) I dont know what Rafe saw in Imogen
4) I really wished the main character will be Gabriel and Gillian.
My rating
Imogen+Rafe= 2 stars.
Gabriel+Gillian= 4 stars.
That why though this book deserves 1 star, Gabriel and Gillian made me intrest in their story and made me continued reading though I really wanted to drop it.
1) Finally I'm done :)
2) I still hate Imogen
3) I dont know what Rafe saw in Imogen
4) I really wished the main character will be Gabriel and Gillian.
My rating
Imogen+Rafe= 2 stars.
Gabriel+Gillian= 4 stars.
That why though this book deserves 1 star, Gabriel and Gillian made me intrest in their story and made me continued reading though I really wanted to drop it.
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