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Hundred Days #3
Argent
A Daring Proposition
Broadmoore’s spring masquerade is just the diversion for war-weary Lord Spencer Reed; light, anonymous, and when a lovely harlequin catches his eye, intriguing. When she accepts his silent invitation to more than a dance, Spencer can hardly believe his good fortune.
Alexandra Rowan’s masked admirer is a risk, a temptation long forbidden by her family’s sinister patriarch. Made bold by her concealed identity, she takes the stranger’s hand and claims her chance for a few moments as a free woman.
When their tryst is interrupted, Alexandra flees, and both are resigned to a night which never was. But Alexandra has left Spencer a clue, one he will use to unravel the identity of his mystery woman, even as her family goes to unfathomable lengths to keep them apart.
Broadmoore’s spring masquerade is just the diversion for war-weary Lord Spencer Reed; light, anonymous, and when a lovely harlequin catches his eye, intriguing. When she accepts his silent invitation to more than a dance, Spencer can hardly believe his good fortune.
Alexandra Rowan’s masked admirer is a risk, a temptation long forbidden by her family’s sinister patriarch. Made bold by her concealed identity, she takes the stranger’s hand and claims her chance for a few moments as a free woman.
When their tryst is interrupted, Alexandra flees, and both are resigned to a night which never was. But Alexandra has left Spencer a clue, one he will use to unravel the identity of his mystery woman, even as her family goes to unfathomable lengths to keep them apart.
334 pages, Paperback
Published April 6, 2016
About the author
Baird Wells
7 books37 followersBaird Wells is author of the romance-historical Hundred Days series, as well as stand-alone novels Glass Apple and Last Woman in Weary Creek. Her award-likely books have sold tens of copies in several places.
Her Hundred Days novel Vermillion was a second-round finalist for the 2016 Writer's Digest E-book Awards. Argent received a 2016 honorable mention for published fiction. She is a proud RWA author and PAN member.
You can find her other novels under the Cait Hutton, Ava K Arden, and Wren McCammack pen names on Amazon.
Her Hundred Days novel Vermillion was a second-round finalist for the 2016 Writer's Digest E-book Awards. Argent received a 2016 honorable mention for published fiction. She is a proud RWA author and PAN member.
You can find her other novels under the Cait Hutton, Ava K Arden, and Wren McCammack pen names on Amazon.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 1, 2016
Another great book!
Although this third book of the series has much less to do with the historical aspect than the from the romantic, it is a very well written romance novel.
Baird has a easy, fluid way of writing that makes it very difficult to put down her books. The detail in her descriptions makes for very interesting and fulfilling reading. The practice of medicine at the time is hard to imagine, but I can honestly say it must have taken great courage for a woman to get through a pregnancy and birthing a child with so little medical knowledge and practice. The eye opening experiences of birth, death and struggles of healing from abuse to the body are detailed with gut wrenching accuracy and truly made me think. Baird obviously did her homework regarding things which we take for granted today that were primitive subjects in the Napoleonic Era.
The politics and customs of the times are covered from the bedroom to the courtroom to the battlefield. The characters' reactions are on point, well described and developed as they wade through crimes, the law, mental and physical health issues as well as human relationships.
Again, I highly recommend this third book of The Hundred Days series, and fervently look forward to its next installment said to be published by fall of 2016.
Although this third book of the series has much less to do with the historical aspect than the from the romantic, it is a very well written romance novel.
Baird has a easy, fluid way of writing that makes it very difficult to put down her books. The detail in her descriptions makes for very interesting and fulfilling reading. The practice of medicine at the time is hard to imagine, but I can honestly say it must have taken great courage for a woman to get through a pregnancy and birthing a child with so little medical knowledge and practice. The eye opening experiences of birth, death and struggles of healing from abuse to the body are detailed with gut wrenching accuracy and truly made me think. Baird obviously did her homework regarding things which we take for granted today that were primitive subjects in the Napoleonic Era.
The politics and customs of the times are covered from the bedroom to the courtroom to the battlefield. The characters' reactions are on point, well described and developed as they wade through crimes, the law, mental and physical health issues as well as human relationships.
Again, I highly recommend this third book of The Hundred Days series, and fervently look forward to its next installment said to be published by fall of 2016.
April 26, 2016
Having read the first two books in this series I came to the third knowing I would get a great story full of history, romance and some intrigue. I wasn't disappointed. What I didn't expect was how the first scene made me hold my breath and enjoy an initial encounter that many of us dream of. What follows is a love story which,I expected. What I didn't expect was that what looked like one thing on the surface was something very different all together. Once again Baird Wells uses her understanding of this time in history and its treatment of woman to weave a web that has one sitting on the edge of their seat, holding their breath and hoping for a spoonful of justice. The characters are well developed, even the more minor ones. If Baird Wells keeps making us care so much about minor characters she'll find herself continuing to write more volumes of this series to satiate our desire to know them. The action scenes are wonderfully written in such a way that you feel like you're standing in the room. I just realized how many times I held my breath during the reading. Thank you once again for a wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
March 24, 2017
2.5 stars.
I'm conflicted about this book. I enjoyed the first 30% the most. The stage when the MCs were getting to know one another, without any physical intimacy was lovely and so...mature. Despite the lusty beginning of this story, the MCs weren't hormone crazed and driven by their baser urges. I liked that they were more mature individuals; the h was in her 30s and the H was 40.
However, past the 30% mark, this devolved into an HR version of a fling. The MCs contemplate and negotiate (for lack of a better term) an affair. The impropriety of it didn't seem to match up with the times and I was a little saddened that the author felt the need to spend so much page time on physical intimacy. Plus the MCs' aversion to marriage confused me. I also didn't understand why they were both so dense to how they felt about each other. I have to admit I skimmed this section just to be done with it.
Aside from the romance, the suspense and drama aspect of story was strong. From the blurb, I thought that the MCs wouldn't know each other's identities for quite some time and the mystery and ensuing angst would take up most of the plot. If that were the case, this might have just been a light and fluffy tale of mistaken/unknown identity and two individuals surprisingly falling in love. That wasn't the case here.
This was actually a very sad tale of abuse and the inability of a woman of that time to have power over her own life. As a modern day woman, this aspect of the story was horrifying. What was revealed about the H when dealing with the h's circumstances was beautiful. The h's whole situation was a little bit OTT, but it was compelling nonetheless. The MCs did have one TSTL moment toward the end, but that can be forgiven.
Three stars for the first 30%, 1 star for the tryst part of the story, and 3 stars for the drama. Overall I'd give this 2.5 stars.
I'm conflicted about this book. I enjoyed the first 30% the most. The stage when the MCs were getting to know one another, without any physical intimacy was lovely and so...mature. Despite the lusty beginning of this story, the MCs weren't hormone crazed and driven by their baser urges. I liked that they were more mature individuals; the h was in her 30s and the H was 40.
However, past the 30% mark, this devolved into an HR version of a fling. The MCs contemplate and negotiate (for lack of a better term) an affair. The impropriety of it didn't seem to match up with the times and I was a little saddened that the author felt the need to spend so much page time on physical intimacy. Plus the MCs' aversion to marriage confused me. I also didn't understand why they were both so dense to how they felt about each other. I have to admit I skimmed this section just to be done with it.
Aside from the romance, the suspense and drama aspect of story was strong. From the blurb, I thought that the MCs wouldn't know each other's identities for quite some time and the mystery and ensuing angst would take up most of the plot. If that were the case, this might have just been a light and fluffy tale of mistaken/unknown identity and two individuals surprisingly falling in love. That wasn't the case here.
This was actually a very sad tale of abuse and the inability of a woman of that time to have power over her own life. As a modern day woman, this aspect of the story was horrifying. What was revealed about the H when dealing with the h's circumstances was beautiful. The h's whole situation was a little bit OTT, but it was compelling nonetheless. The MCs did have one TSTL moment toward the end, but that can be forgiven.
Three stars for the first 30%, 1 star for the tryst part of the story, and 3 stars for the drama. Overall I'd give this 2.5 stars.
June 18, 2016
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads.
I had not read the other books by Baird before reading Argent. I had been looking forward to this book, it promised a great deal and I was certainly not disappointed. Argent is a compelling tale of love, power struggles and intrigue in the early 19th Century and I found it hard to put down. I had to know that Spencer and Alexandra’s love would survive all that was thrown at it and indeed they did endure more than most! Alexandra needed to know that she wasn’t swapping one controlling situation for another and this was put across so well. If only we could all find such a love. Both friendly and fiendish characters in the story really added to it and made you feel you were there. This story swept along at a fast pace and swept me right along with it, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
I had not read the other books by Baird before reading Argent. I had been looking forward to this book, it promised a great deal and I was certainly not disappointed. Argent is a compelling tale of love, power struggles and intrigue in the early 19th Century and I found it hard to put down. I had to know that Spencer and Alexandra’s love would survive all that was thrown at it and indeed they did endure more than most! Alexandra needed to know that she wasn’t swapping one controlling situation for another and this was put across so well. If only we could all find such a love. Both friendly and fiendish characters in the story really added to it and made you feel you were there. This story swept along at a fast pace and swept me right along with it, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
September 19, 2016
Excellent read
Well written conclusion to the story. The characters were well drawn and engaging. It was hard to put the book down. I appreciate the intelligence and independence of all of the heroines in the series.
Well written conclusion to the story. The characters were well drawn and engaging. It was hard to put the book down. I appreciate the intelligence and independence of all of the heroines in the series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews