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The Royal Rewards #2
Passion Favors the Bold
DESPERATE MEASURES
Georgette Frost's time is almost up. On her twenty-first birthday, the protections outlined in her late parents' will are set to expire. With prospects for employment or marriage unfavorable at best, she decides to leave London and join her brother, Benedict, on a treasure hunt for gold sovereigns stolen from the Royal Mint.
DANGEROUS LIAISONS
Lord Hugo Starling has always felt protective of his friend Benedict's sister, Georgette. So when he discovers her dressed in ragged boy's clothes, about to board a coach for parts unknown, he feels duty bound to join her search. But mystery piles upon mystery as they cross England together, not least of which is the confounded attraction between them. As Georgette leads him to a reward he never expected, Hugo realizes he's embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime...
"Richly rewarding." —Booklist, starred review on Fortune Favors the...
Georgette Frost's time is almost up. On her twenty-first birthday, the protections outlined in her late parents' will are set to expire. With prospects for employment or marriage unfavorable at best, she decides to leave London and join her brother, Benedict, on a treasure hunt for gold sovereigns stolen from the Royal Mint.
DANGEROUS LIAISONS
Lord Hugo Starling has always felt protective of his friend Benedict's sister, Georgette. So when he discovers her dressed in ragged boy's clothes, about to board a coach for parts unknown, he feels duty bound to join her search. But mystery piles upon mystery as they cross England together, not least of which is the confounded attraction between them. As Georgette leads him to a reward he never expected, Hugo realizes he's embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime...
"Richly rewarding." —Booklist, starred review on Fortune Favors the...
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2017
71 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
About the author
Theresa Romain
41 books661 followersTheresa Romain is the bestselling author of more than 20 historical romances, including the Holiday Pleasures series, the Matchmaker trilogy, the Royal Rewards series, and the Romance of the Turf series. Praised as “one of the rising stars of Regency historical romance” (Booklist), her books have finaled for the RITA® award, received starred reviews from Booklist, and been named to the Best Books of the Year list by NPR. Theresa is hard at work on her next book from her home in the Midwestern USA.
To keep up with all her book-release news, please visit her online at theresaromain.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or find her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/there....
To keep up with all her book-release news, please visit her online at theresaromain.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or find her on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/authors/there....
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 111 reviews
March 2, 2017
My favorite thing about this book was how much I liked the two main characters. They are both very sweet people and I enjoyed their adventure together and their falling in love. Also an interesting look at medicine in the 19th Century. Theresa Romain is an author to read for historical romance.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.
April 23, 2017
I've given this a B+ at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars.
Passion Favors the Bold is the sequel to Theresa Romain’s thoroughly enjoyable romance-cum-treasure hunt, Fortune Favors the Wicked, wherein a blind former naval officer teams up with a former courtesan to locate the six missing crates of gold sovereigns that have been stolen from the Royal Mint in order to claim the hefty finder’s fee. The events of this book run more or less concurrently with this one, so it’s not really necessary to have read that first – and in fact, the books can be read in any order.
Georgette Frost will, on her twenty-first birthday, likely become homeless. After her parents died in an accident, the conditions of their will stipulated that the relatives who took over the family bookshop would house her until she was of age. Her birthday is approaching, and while her aunt and uncle have never been unkind to her, Georgette knows that they need space for their own, growing family, and having to keep her fed and housed has been a drain on their resources. Knowing that her brother, Benedict, has travelled to Derbyshire in search of the missing coins, Georgette decides to join him there and help if she can. She doesn’t know him well as he has been at sea for most of her life, but he’s her only family, and Georgette yearns to be part of something and to find a purpose in life.
Sir Hugo Starling, younger son of the Duke of Willingham is a friend of Benedict’s, having studied medicine with him in Edinburgh. Medicine is not a typical profession for a man in Hugo’s position – in fact, his family intended him to go into the Church – but the loss of his twin brother more than a decade earlier led Hugo to take a different path, no matter that it put a strain on his relationship with his family. Firmly believing that his brother’s life could have been saved had the duke employed a physician selected because of his knowledge and skill rather than his reputation in society, Hugo became determined to prevent others from suffering such devastation and loss and trained as a doctor. He continues to practice, but his driving passion now is the creation of a brand new hospital in London, but he is having trouble getting the needed financial backing. When he encounters his friend’s sister – dressed in ragged, boy’s clothes and insisting on travelling to meet up with her brother in Derbyshire – Hugo wants to take her to stay with his mother until he can contact Benedict, but Georgette is adamant, telling Hugo that “being in [Benedict’s] company would be better than being alone”. When she learns of Hugo’s difficulty in persuading anyone to invest in his hospital plan, she tells him that if he were to be instrumental in finding the gold, the publicity that will attach to his name can only help him in his cause – and realising that she’ll go with or without him, Hugo begrudgingly agrees to accompany her.
Along the way, they encounter a Bow Street Runner by the name of Jenks, who is following up on rumours that blobby bits of gold have been used to pay for things as far north as Northumberland. They eventually make their way to the estate of Sir Frederic Chapple, a congenial, somewhat eccentric baronet who welcomes them warmly, in spite of having absolutely no idea who they are or why they are there. Sir Frederic has newly come into this title and is not best pleased at having to spend so much of his time on his far-flung estate dealing with tenants, drainage and disputes over sheep. So the appearance of the young couple is a pleasant diversion, and a useful one, as he puts Hugo to work treating his tenants and estate workers. But when a grateful patient slips Hugo a gold “blob” the stakes are raised – as it seems the thieves will stop at nothing to prevent the discovery of the gold’s hiding place.
While the treasure hunt is an important part of the story, lying at the heart of Passion Favors the Bold is the gently-paced story of two people searching for that missing ‘something’ and struggling to break free from what their pasts have made of them to find the futures they deserve. Georgette’s parents were so wrapped up in each other and their love of books and literature that she was little more than an afterthought, and with her brother away at sea, she was lonely and lacked any real affection. She would like to find love, but what she really wants is to matter to someone; while Hugo, who has known both love and affection also knows what it feels like to lose them and is wary of opening himself up to either. Since the death of his twin, he has sought refuge in the certainty to be found in planning and organisation, and the need to honour his brother’s memory by doing something to prevent others from suffering the same loss and grief as he did. In this way they’re the perfect complement to each other; Georgette is impulsive and open to all sorts of new experiences while Hugo is cautious and reserved, and I enjoyed watching him gradually falling under the spell of Georgette’s warmth and optimism to become a man prepared to open himself up to the possibility of loving someone again
The romance in the story is very well-developed and proceeds at a realistic pace. There’s an undercurrent of attraction between the pair right from the start and their long journey together affords them plenty of time to get to know each other better. Their conversations are laced with gentle, affectionate teasing, and their growing longing for each other is nicely-judged; there’s no over-the-top mental-lusting over shapely curves or rippling muscles, just a simmering awareness and a growing mutual understanding that gradually turns into –
… a sturdy feeling, built brick by brick from fondness and laughter and annoyance and lust and mischief and admiration.
That quote illustrates another of the story’s great strengths – the writing. The book is full of beautiful, poignant turns of phrase –
“Love is… laughter after a joke that isn’t all that funny,” he said. “Asking how a day was, and listening earnestly to the answer. Splitting the last tart instead of eating it all oneself… it is,” he added, “putting down a book for one’s companion when one only wants to read.”
And of course, Hugo has done all those things for Georgette – he just hasn’t realised it yet.
Passion Favors the Bold is what one might call a ‘quiet’ book. It’s not flashy or flamboyant; it’s just a beautifully written story about two people falling in love. I will admit, however, that it’s sometimes just a little too low-key which caused me to knock my final grade down a little; but it’s the sort of book that pays dividends in the long run, and one I’m certainly happy to recommend.
Passion Favors the Bold is the sequel to Theresa Romain’s thoroughly enjoyable romance-cum-treasure hunt, Fortune Favors the Wicked, wherein a blind former naval officer teams up with a former courtesan to locate the six missing crates of gold sovereigns that have been stolen from the Royal Mint in order to claim the hefty finder’s fee. The events of this book run more or less concurrently with this one, so it’s not really necessary to have read that first – and in fact, the books can be read in any order.
Georgette Frost will, on her twenty-first birthday, likely become homeless. After her parents died in an accident, the conditions of their will stipulated that the relatives who took over the family bookshop would house her until she was of age. Her birthday is approaching, and while her aunt and uncle have never been unkind to her, Georgette knows that they need space for their own, growing family, and having to keep her fed and housed has been a drain on their resources. Knowing that her brother, Benedict, has travelled to Derbyshire in search of the missing coins, Georgette decides to join him there and help if she can. She doesn’t know him well as he has been at sea for most of her life, but he’s her only family, and Georgette yearns to be part of something and to find a purpose in life.
Sir Hugo Starling, younger son of the Duke of Willingham is a friend of Benedict’s, having studied medicine with him in Edinburgh. Medicine is not a typical profession for a man in Hugo’s position – in fact, his family intended him to go into the Church – but the loss of his twin brother more than a decade earlier led Hugo to take a different path, no matter that it put a strain on his relationship with his family. Firmly believing that his brother’s life could have been saved had the duke employed a physician selected because of his knowledge and skill rather than his reputation in society, Hugo became determined to prevent others from suffering such devastation and loss and trained as a doctor. He continues to practice, but his driving passion now is the creation of a brand new hospital in London, but he is having trouble getting the needed financial backing. When he encounters his friend’s sister – dressed in ragged, boy’s clothes and insisting on travelling to meet up with her brother in Derbyshire – Hugo wants to take her to stay with his mother until he can contact Benedict, but Georgette is adamant, telling Hugo that “being in [Benedict’s] company would be better than being alone”. When she learns of Hugo’s difficulty in persuading anyone to invest in his hospital plan, she tells him that if he were to be instrumental in finding the gold, the publicity that will attach to his name can only help him in his cause – and realising that she’ll go with or without him, Hugo begrudgingly agrees to accompany her.
Along the way, they encounter a Bow Street Runner by the name of Jenks, who is following up on rumours that blobby bits of gold have been used to pay for things as far north as Northumberland. They eventually make their way to the estate of Sir Frederic Chapple, a congenial, somewhat eccentric baronet who welcomes them warmly, in spite of having absolutely no idea who they are or why they are there. Sir Frederic has newly come into this title and is not best pleased at having to spend so much of his time on his far-flung estate dealing with tenants, drainage and disputes over sheep. So the appearance of the young couple is a pleasant diversion, and a useful one, as he puts Hugo to work treating his tenants and estate workers. But when a grateful patient slips Hugo a gold “blob” the stakes are raised – as it seems the thieves will stop at nothing to prevent the discovery of the gold’s hiding place.
While the treasure hunt is an important part of the story, lying at the heart of Passion Favors the Bold is the gently-paced story of two people searching for that missing ‘something’ and struggling to break free from what their pasts have made of them to find the futures they deserve. Georgette’s parents were so wrapped up in each other and their love of books and literature that she was little more than an afterthought, and with her brother away at sea, she was lonely and lacked any real affection. She would like to find love, but what she really wants is to matter to someone; while Hugo, who has known both love and affection also knows what it feels like to lose them and is wary of opening himself up to either. Since the death of his twin, he has sought refuge in the certainty to be found in planning and organisation, and the need to honour his brother’s memory by doing something to prevent others from suffering the same loss and grief as he did. In this way they’re the perfect complement to each other; Georgette is impulsive and open to all sorts of new experiences while Hugo is cautious and reserved, and I enjoyed watching him gradually falling under the spell of Georgette’s warmth and optimism to become a man prepared to open himself up to the possibility of loving someone again
The romance in the story is very well-developed and proceeds at a realistic pace. There’s an undercurrent of attraction between the pair right from the start and their long journey together affords them plenty of time to get to know each other better. Their conversations are laced with gentle, affectionate teasing, and their growing longing for each other is nicely-judged; there’s no over-the-top mental-lusting over shapely curves or rippling muscles, just a simmering awareness and a growing mutual understanding that gradually turns into –
… a sturdy feeling, built brick by brick from fondness and laughter and annoyance and lust and mischief and admiration.
That quote illustrates another of the story’s great strengths – the writing. The book is full of beautiful, poignant turns of phrase –
“Love is… laughter after a joke that isn’t all that funny,” he said. “Asking how a day was, and listening earnestly to the answer. Splitting the last tart instead of eating it all oneself… it is,” he added, “putting down a book for one’s companion when one only wants to read.”
And of course, Hugo has done all those things for Georgette – he just hasn’t realised it yet.
Passion Favors the Bold is what one might call a ‘quiet’ book. It’s not flashy or flamboyant; it’s just a beautifully written story about two people falling in love. I will admit, however, that it’s sometimes just a little too low-key which caused me to knock my final grade down a little; but it’s the sort of book that pays dividends in the long run, and one I’m certainly happy to recommend.
July 23, 2017
I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I thought the idea of two strangers united by desire to find money stolen from the treasury (and get the big reward, of course) was a nice one, and the characters from book one (a blind officer and a former courtesan) were interesting and fun to spend time with.
Unfortunately, this book was just very... underwhelming in my opinion. It's very light on the romance (there is one kiss, two rushed encounters where nothing earth-shattering happens (seriously, one starts IN a wardrobe; there was nothing sexy about that IMO), and that's it. The pacing also felt a bit off to me. Georgette and Hugo set out, randomly overhear something, set out to someplace else where they think they might find the treasure, meander about there for a while, and then it just all loses focus a bit before everything is neatly wrapped up. The ending came very abruptly IMO, there was no big reunion, just a seriously underwhelming proposal, and there we are. Not even an epilogue. Another problem was that I just didn't care about the characters. I felt completely detached from the book, and I really couldn't care less about them. Georgette started out really annoying me with her ridiculous antics that everyone else seemed to find endearing, but in the end I couldn't even bother to be annoyed :( Such a shame, because Romain is a talented author, and I have enjoyed most of her books so far, but this one just felt a bit uninspired to me. The second star is really just because I hung in there until the end because I was the tiniest bit curious to see how everything would be resolved.
This was a buddy read with Mariana, Joana, and Becca over at the Historical Romance book club!
See Mariana's review (4 stars)
Check out Joana's review (2 stars)
Becca's review (1 star)
Unfortunately, this book was just very... underwhelming in my opinion. It's very light on the romance (there is one kiss, two rushed encounters where nothing earth-shattering happens (seriously, one starts IN a wardrobe; there was nothing sexy about that IMO), and that's it. The pacing also felt a bit off to me. Georgette and Hugo set out, randomly overhear something, set out to someplace else where they think they might find the treasure, meander about there for a while, and then it just all loses focus a bit before everything is neatly wrapped up. The ending came very abruptly IMO, there was no big reunion, just a seriously underwhelming proposal, and there we are. Not even an epilogue. Another problem was that I just didn't care about the characters. I felt completely detached from the book, and I really couldn't care less about them. Georgette started out really annoying me with her ridiculous antics that everyone else seemed to find endearing, but in the end I couldn't even bother to be annoyed :( Such a shame, because Romain is a talented author, and I have enjoyed most of her books so far, but this one just felt a bit uninspired to me. The second star is really just because I hung in there until the end because I was the tiniest bit curious to see how everything would be resolved.
This was a buddy read with Mariana, Joana, and Becca over at the Historical Romance book club!
See Mariana's review (4 stars)
Check out Joana's review (2 stars)
Becca's review (1 star)
March 1, 2017
Passion Favors the Bold 'Passion Favors the Bold' by Theresa Romain is book Two in "The Royal Rewards Duo" series. This is the story of Georgette Frost and Lord Hugo Starling. Georgette's brother was in the First book "Fortune Favors the Wicked" is the story about Benedict (Georgette's brother) who is looking for what the Royal Mint is offering a reward for finding a cache of stolen gold coins. Georgette is being a Spinster and per her parents will that if she is unmarried at 21 she will be put out on her own. So with her birthday coming up she decided to take a trip to find her brother an help him find the treasure. But Hugo who is best friends with her brother interrupts her when she tries to sneak away to find her brother. Hugo tells her that he is going to take her to his mother's and she tries to talk him out of it. Hugo is trying to raise money to set up a hospital in his brother's memory. So they money from the treasure who help him too. So Hugh and Georgette go off on a adventure. But do they find more than what they set off to find? Another great book by Ms. Romain. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
March 1, 2017
'Passion Favors the Bold' by Theresa Romain is book Two in "The Royal Rewards Duo" series. This is the story of Georgette Frost and Lord Hugo Starling. Georgette's brother was in the First book "Fortune Favors the Wicked" is the story about Benedict (Georgette's brother) who is looking for what the Royal Mint is offering a reward for finding a cache of stolen gold coins. Georgette is being a Spinster and per her parents will that if she is unmarried at 21 she will be put out on her own. So with her birthday coming up she decided to take a trip to find her brother an help him find the treasure. But Hugo who is best friends with her brother interrupts her when she tries to sneak away to find her brother. Hugo tells her that he is going to take her to his mother's and she tries to talk him out of it. Hugo is trying to raise money to set up a hospital in his brother's memory. So they money from the treasure who help him too. So Hugh and Georgette go off on a adventure. But do they find more than what they set off to find? Another great book by Ms. Romain. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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July 22, 2017
This is a 2.5 star read for me. The writing style is good, but I just didn't care for any of the characters or the love story, which is why I am going with a rounding down to two stars at the moment. I may bump up with some consideration but that seems doubtful. May add more after BR discussion.
March 4, 2017
“She had not experienced so much of love that she would shy away from it, even in these small forms. Small enough, maybe, that to him they seemed only right, or sweet, or pleasant for an afternoon.
She had experienced enough of love to know that it was following her on quiet feet, ready to pounce. To capture her for him, and never to let her go.
Oh, she had been wrong: this afternoon, these illicit kisses and touches amongst a fortune in wine, would not be enough. The pleasure of the moment only made her want more.
Foolish fairy-tale reader that she was, she feared she would be satisfied with nothing less than ever, ever after.”
3.5 stars
There were many things to recommend Passion Favors the Bold: a stuffy, bespectacled hero, a devil-may-care heroine, sparkling banter, road trip hijinks and sexy times involving a barrel of Madeira just to name a few. Where this book really excelled for me though were in the little, but poignant intimacies shared between Georgette and Hugo. It was something as simple and complex as Hugo tucking a lock of Georgette’s hair behind her ear and lingering a bit too long or Georgette trusting Hugo enough to fall asleep on his shoulder. I know these don’t sound all that remarkable but the way in which Theresa Romain makes them mean EVERYTHING is truly special and the main reason why she continues to be one of my very favorite authors.
Unfortunately, while I loved the main couple, the rest of the book was kind of meh. I thought the pacing was very uneven instead of the slow and steady flow of words I’m used to seeing from Theresa, especially towards the end. The main plot involving missing treasure seemed to take over everything and once it was solved, it was as if the romance was an afterthought. I didn’t like that at all. If more time had been dedicated to expanding upon Georgette and Hugo’s already feels inducing connection, maybe this could have been a 4-star read.
July 23, 2017
I love Theresa Romain. Truly. I highly anticipate her next release and have not been disappointed in a very long time. I read and LOVED the first book in this duet, but sadly, this second book did not click with me. I read through 50% and then gave up.
Here are the reasons this one didn't grab me:
1. The plot. I didn't understand how the characters got on the treasure hunt (aside from Georgette reading a newspaper and being impulsive). Then, Hugo and Georgette were masquerading as siblings, then a married couple, then niece/nephew of Freddie. Who is Freddie? How did he come into the picture? I have no idea. Once we got to Freddie, I gave up. The flow felt contrived and unnatural.
2. The characters. Hugo was a very flat character. He mourned the death of a brother and he was focused on building his own hospital. That's all I know I didn't ever feel like it went any deeper with him. Georgette was very childish and had a lot of antics. She thought she understood adult problems, but whenever she got on her soapbox about how she knew pain or loss, I would just roll my eyes.
3. The romance. There was no romance. I felt no connection and had no emotional investment with the characters.
I really love Theresa Romain and appreciate her unique storytelling style that gently draws you in and weaves a cozy tale with love and humor. She has written a lot of winners, several of which are on my all-time faves shelf. However, this one just wasn't one of them for me. I recommend the first book, but skip this one.
Here are the reasons this one didn't grab me:
1. The plot. I didn't understand how the characters got on the treasure hunt (aside from Georgette reading a newspaper and being impulsive). Then, Hugo and Georgette were masquerading as siblings, then a married couple, then niece/nephew of Freddie. Who is Freddie? How did he come into the picture? I have no idea. Once we got to Freddie, I gave up. The flow felt contrived and unnatural.
2. The characters. Hugo was a very flat character. He mourned the death of a brother and he was focused on building his own hospital. That's all I know I didn't ever feel like it went any deeper with him. Georgette was very childish and had a lot of antics. She thought she understood adult problems, but whenever she got on her soapbox about how she knew pain or loss, I would just roll my eyes.
3. The romance. There was no romance. I felt no connection and had no emotional investment with the characters.
I really love Theresa Romain and appreciate her unique storytelling style that gently draws you in and weaves a cozy tale with love and humor. She has written a lot of winners, several of which are on my all-time faves shelf. However, this one just wasn't one of them for me. I recommend the first book, but skip this one.
July 27, 2020
Interestingly, while the first book in this trilogy hit on some of my favorite historical tropes, Passion Favors the Bold did the exact opposite—it's a romance full of some of my least favorite cliches, and the end result was pretty disappointing. "Passionate" this story was not. But if you're into a slow-burn roadtrip romance featuring a treasure hunt and characters in a fake relationship, this might be the book for you.
Much of the plot of this book occurs concurrently with Fortune Favors the Wicked, as both stories are centered around the same theft from the Royal Mint. In this story, young Georgette Frost gets caught trying to sneak out of London by Lord Hugo, and he appoints himself as her protector until he can deliver her safely to her brother. Along the way, Georgette convinces Hugo to take a detour north in order to pursue some missing monies, for which a huge reward is being offered. They pose as husband and wife, and there's some mystery, and also they fall in love (big question mark on this, though).
It's an okay-enough story, but it really doesn't work for me. As I said, these are not my favorite tropes under any circumstance, so I was pretty "meh" about it as soon as I saw in what direction the plot was headed. Being honest, I possibly should have set this aside, but I was willing to be surprised by Theresa Romain's (hopefully) wonderful writing and creativity.
Alas, that was not meant to be.
For one thing: this is not a romantic, passionate, or sexy book. At all. I said this was a slow-burn type situation, and that's true enough. But I think Passion Favors the Bold might be so slow a burn that it actually snuffs out before anything good happens. There were no declarations of love, barely any sexy scenes (note: sex scenes aren't necessary to sell characters' chemistry, but they help). Overall, this just felt like a story about a stuffy academic who got stuck babysitting his friend's silly younger sister and couldn't wait to go back to his peaceful life when all was said and done. At no point in this book did I ever feel like there was any genuine tenderness or romantic attraction between the two of them—beyond maybe a mild infatuation developed mainly due to proximity.
And of course, the poor relationship development was partially caused by poor character development. I think Romain managed to sketch in what kind of people Georgette and Hugo were, but only in such broad strokes that their true personalities felt difficult to pin down. I never really felt like I knew who these protagonists were; rather, I knew what the author was trying to achieve. Unfortunately, she didn't achieve it.
On top of the developing romance and the characterization, there is of course the treasure hunt plotline. And that...was not satisfying either. It felt tacked on top of a book that was already messy and/or underdeveloped. I do enjoy historical mysteries, and that aspect of Passion Favors the Bold was absolutely not up to par. It's also worth noting that this book does not stand well on its own at all—you almost have to read the prior book to make any sense of certain plot points. That's kind of a bummer, since I think this was meant to be an adequate standalone.
So, overall, this book just wasn't my thing. It was certainly underwhelming, and I think it was that way because it was massively underdeveloped in a variety of respects. I have enough faith in Theresa Romain's talent to write this off as a bad book from a good author, but in any case, it still wasn't a book for me.
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Much of the plot of this book occurs concurrently with Fortune Favors the Wicked, as both stories are centered around the same theft from the Royal Mint. In this story, young Georgette Frost gets caught trying to sneak out of London by Lord Hugo, and he appoints himself as her protector until he can deliver her safely to her brother. Along the way, Georgette convinces Hugo to take a detour north in order to pursue some missing monies, for which a huge reward is being offered. They pose as husband and wife, and there's some mystery, and also they fall in love (big question mark on this, though).
It's an okay-enough story, but it really doesn't work for me. As I said, these are not my favorite tropes under any circumstance, so I was pretty "meh" about it as soon as I saw in what direction the plot was headed. Being honest, I possibly should have set this aside, but I was willing to be surprised by Theresa Romain's (hopefully) wonderful writing and creativity.
Alas, that was not meant to be.
For one thing: this is not a romantic, passionate, or sexy book. At all. I said this was a slow-burn type situation, and that's true enough. But I think Passion Favors the Bold might be so slow a burn that it actually snuffs out before anything good happens. There were no declarations of love, barely any sexy scenes (note: sex scenes aren't necessary to sell characters' chemistry, but they help). Overall, this just felt like a story about a stuffy academic who got stuck babysitting his friend's silly younger sister and couldn't wait to go back to his peaceful life when all was said and done. At no point in this book did I ever feel like there was any genuine tenderness or romantic attraction between the two of them—beyond maybe a mild infatuation developed mainly due to proximity.
And of course, the poor relationship development was partially caused by poor character development. I think Romain managed to sketch in what kind of people Georgette and Hugo were, but only in such broad strokes that their true personalities felt difficult to pin down. I never really felt like I knew who these protagonists were; rather, I knew what the author was trying to achieve. Unfortunately, she didn't achieve it.
On top of the developing romance and the characterization, there is of course the treasure hunt plotline. And that...was not satisfying either. It felt tacked on top of a book that was already messy and/or underdeveloped. I do enjoy historical mysteries, and that aspect of Passion Favors the Bold was absolutely not up to par. It's also worth noting that this book does not stand well on its own at all—you almost have to read the prior book to make any sense of certain plot points. That's kind of a bummer, since I think this was meant to be an adequate standalone.
So, overall, this book just wasn't my thing. It was certainly underwhelming, and I think it was that way because it was massively underdeveloped in a variety of respects. I have enough faith in Theresa Romain's talent to write this off as a bad book from a good author, but in any case, it still wasn't a book for me.
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October 20, 2018
3.5 stars
July 21, 2017
2.5 stars
I throw around the word "underwhelming" a lot when I'm reviewing a book that I didn't like. It's a nice word. It's a gentle way to show my displeasure without being a bitch about it. So 70% of the time what I really mean is "this was awful and a waste of my time". This book, however, is in the 30%. It wasn't awful. It wasn't a complete waste of my time. I loved the previous book and had high hopes for this one but alas, it just wasn't great. It was underwhelming.
We met Georgette Frost in the previous book Fortune Favors the Wicked. Her parents died when she was young and she was left in the care of relatives at a bookshop. Her parent's will stated that she would stay with her relatives until she came of age. With her birthday fast approaching, she decides to set out on her own to find her brother in Derbyshire instead of waiting around to be booted out. Her relatives aren't trying to be cruel (though they did not treat her well), but there isn't much room in the bookshop and they have an ever expanding large family. Georgette dresses as a boy and travels to Derbyshire and runs into her brother's friend Sir Hugo Starling, the son of the Duke of Willingham. Hugo is a physician, which is frowned upon by pretty much everyone, especially his father. Hugo's twin brother died when he was eighteen but Hugo suspects that with proper treatment, his twin would probably be alive. This motivates Hugo to learn everything he can about medicine and do his best to prevent anyone from losing a loved one from outdated and unnecessary treatment. Hugo develops a plan for a hospital that he believes would revolutionize medical care but without his father's support, he can't make it happen. So he pitches the plans to anyone that would be interested in investing. As you can imagine, no one is interested. When he happens upon Georgette, he decides that he will take her to his mother's estate as it isn't safe for her to be traveling on her own. Georgette refuses. She is looking for the gold stolen from the Mint and is determined to have the five thousand pound reward. She wants to live independently and begin her life. Georgette convinces Hugo that if they search for the gold together, it would benefit them both. Georgette would have the reward and Hugo with have the publicity and notoriety that would help him get investors for his hospital. (That didn't make much sense to me, but whatever). They are forced to spend all of their time together and end up falling for each other despite their vast differences.
Most of this book was just...nice. It was a slow burn romance. I don't think they even kissed until the 40% mark. I really liked that most of the information that is usually given by internal monologue was instead doled out in the dialogue between the H and h. They actually knew each other well and could read each other's body language and guess correctly exactly what the other was thinking. It was really refreshing.
I found both Georgette and Hugo very likable. They were very different but somehow complimented each other. They were flawed but I could understand the attraction between them. The problem was that while they did have chemistry, it was underused. Most of their time spent together was just two people who really enjoy each other's company. This makes for a really strong relationship but it isn't exactly what I want in my romance novels. I want romantic one liners. I want butterflies in my stomach. This book had neither. There was zero angst and the steamiest part of the book was their first kiss. And even that was because I spent 150 pages waiting for it to happen.
The mystery was silly. I didn't care. I should have but it just didn't happen. It all kind of came out of nowhere and by the time the book was wrapping up, I was left seriously confused. 85% of the book was this meandering slow story and then BAM, it's over. Everything comes together and everyone confesses. Okay.
In the last few pages, Hugo realizes that the fact that he wants to know about Georgette's day and he stops reading his book when she interrupts him means he loves her. While this is adorable and true (it's the little things that show someone they are loved, I get it), like I said, it isn't really what I want in my historical romance novels. GIMME GRAND GESTURES. GIMME PRETTY WORDS. The scene in which he admits his feelings and spouts declarations of love was just awful. I wanted to smack Hugo upside his side. He didn't even have a bloody ring. I kid you not. A freaking Duke's son spends weeks away from the woman he loves and then visits her so that he could get on his knee and propose and he doesn't have a damn wedding ring for her. I want to make it clear that he had plenty of time to get one. He chooses not to. So, instead, he uses his signet ring that was made to fit the men in his family's massive man hands and obviously it slips right off her hand. Whoops. YOU THINK? What the actual hell. That's not romantic. That's piss poor planning.
Boom bang it's done. There is no epilogue. Poof, everything's fine and wrapped up. It was a really abrupt ending. It also just wasn't that romantic. The plot was fairly original but the way it was wrapped up spoiled it a bit. The characters were nice people (other than the villain, obviously) and everyone gets their HEA. It was a pleasant way to spend an evening but definitely nothing to write home about.
I throw around the word "underwhelming" a lot when I'm reviewing a book that I didn't like. It's a nice word. It's a gentle way to show my displeasure without being a bitch about it. So 70% of the time what I really mean is "this was awful and a waste of my time". This book, however, is in the 30%. It wasn't awful. It wasn't a complete waste of my time. I loved the previous book and had high hopes for this one but alas, it just wasn't great. It was underwhelming.
We met Georgette Frost in the previous book Fortune Favors the Wicked. Her parents died when she was young and she was left in the care of relatives at a bookshop. Her parent's will stated that she would stay with her relatives until she came of age. With her birthday fast approaching, she decides to set out on her own to find her brother in Derbyshire instead of waiting around to be booted out. Her relatives aren't trying to be cruel (though they did not treat her well), but there isn't much room in the bookshop and they have an ever expanding large family. Georgette dresses as a boy and travels to Derbyshire and runs into her brother's friend Sir Hugo Starling, the son of the Duke of Willingham. Hugo is a physician, which is frowned upon by pretty much everyone, especially his father. Hugo's twin brother died when he was eighteen but Hugo suspects that with proper treatment, his twin would probably be alive. This motivates Hugo to learn everything he can about medicine and do his best to prevent anyone from losing a loved one from outdated and unnecessary treatment. Hugo develops a plan for a hospital that he believes would revolutionize medical care but without his father's support, he can't make it happen. So he pitches the plans to anyone that would be interested in investing. As you can imagine, no one is interested. When he happens upon Georgette, he decides that he will take her to his mother's estate as it isn't safe for her to be traveling on her own. Georgette refuses. She is looking for the gold stolen from the Mint and is determined to have the five thousand pound reward. She wants to live independently and begin her life. Georgette convinces Hugo that if they search for the gold together, it would benefit them both. Georgette would have the reward and Hugo with have the publicity and notoriety that would help him get investors for his hospital. (That didn't make much sense to me, but whatever). They are forced to spend all of their time together and end up falling for each other despite their vast differences.
Most of this book was just...nice. It was a slow burn romance. I don't think they even kissed until the 40% mark. I really liked that most of the information that is usually given by internal monologue was instead doled out in the dialogue between the H and h. They actually knew each other well and could read each other's body language and guess correctly exactly what the other was thinking. It was really refreshing.
I found both Georgette and Hugo very likable. They were very different but somehow complimented each other. They were flawed but I could understand the attraction between them. The problem was that while they did have chemistry, it was underused. Most of their time spent together was just two people who really enjoy each other's company. This makes for a really strong relationship but it isn't exactly what I want in my romance novels. I want romantic one liners. I want butterflies in my stomach. This book had neither. There was zero angst and the steamiest part of the book was their first kiss. And even that was because I spent 150 pages waiting for it to happen.
The mystery was silly. I didn't care. I should have but it just didn't happen. It all kind of came out of nowhere and by the time the book was wrapping up, I was left seriously confused. 85% of the book was this meandering slow story and then BAM, it's over. Everything comes together and everyone confesses. Okay.
In the last few pages, Hugo realizes that the fact that he wants to know about Georgette's day and he stops reading his book when she interrupts him means he loves her. While this is adorable and true (it's the little things that show someone they are loved, I get it), like I said, it isn't really what I want in my historical romance novels. GIMME GRAND GESTURES. GIMME PRETTY WORDS. The scene in which he admits his feelings and spouts declarations of love was just awful. I wanted to smack Hugo upside his side. He didn't even have a bloody ring. I kid you not. A freaking Duke's son spends weeks away from the woman he loves and then visits her so that he could get on his knee and propose and he doesn't have a damn wedding ring for her. I want to make it clear that he had plenty of time to get one. He chooses not to. So, instead, he uses his signet ring that was made to fit the men in his family's massive man hands and obviously it slips right off her hand. Whoops. YOU THINK? What the actual hell. That's not romantic. That's piss poor planning.
Boom bang it's done. There is no epilogue. Poof, everything's fine and wrapped up. It was a really abrupt ending. It also just wasn't that romantic. The plot was fairly original but the way it was wrapped up spoiled it a bit. The characters were nice people (other than the villain, obviously) and everyone gets their HEA. It was a pleasant way to spend an evening but definitely nothing to write home about.
March 2, 2017
Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
I really, really like Theresa Romain’s writing. She does this thing with tiny moments and actions that don’t seem significant until later, when after a few pages they become the type of detail that makes me press my hand to my chest, lest my heart be attempting to slide out through my ribs. Words are not wasted, characters are carefully, finely developed, and there’s a buffet of dialogue, too. An all-you-can-read style buffet of dialogue, with layers of meaning and flavor, and I’ve arrived wearing elastic waist brain-pants.
That got out of hand.
The first 7/8ths of the book are marvelous, but then the mystery is solved, the case is wrapped up, and Hugo and Georgette go their almost-separate ways. I don’t want to give away the details, but the ending seemed so rushed, and so at odds with the rest of the story, it was unsettling. I’m not entirely sure of the security of the ending and the way they work out their differences because barely any time was spent in that world. And when the characters were in that world in the early part of the book (mostly in and around Hugo’s very upper class family in London) the wide distance between their stations created a very sharp, painfully clear distinction. I wasn’t sure how they’d work out those differences in the end of the story – despite all the rushed assurances that it would all be fine. I was left reasoning out the details to myself, unsure how or where they’d find their way securely and happily together. I wanted them to be together; no question, they’re perfect for one another. But enough was made of the differences and boundaries between them that I had a hard time believing they were all so easily solved within the pages those solutions were given.
Rushed and hurried resolutions aside, I still enjoyed so much of this book, and recommend it to anyone who likes thoughtful, character-driven historicals with a bit of mystery and an increasing community of characters not often seen in historicals which surrounds the protagonists. Georgette and Hugo are both moving through grief in different ways and coming to terms with feeling alone most of the time, while discovering that in one another, they’ve found someone who understands the isolation of grief, and the necessity of company who understands that isolation.
- SB Sarah
I really, really like Theresa Romain’s writing. She does this thing with tiny moments and actions that don’t seem significant until later, when after a few pages they become the type of detail that makes me press my hand to my chest, lest my heart be attempting to slide out through my ribs. Words are not wasted, characters are carefully, finely developed, and there’s a buffet of dialogue, too. An all-you-can-read style buffet of dialogue, with layers of meaning and flavor, and I’ve arrived wearing elastic waist brain-pants.
That got out of hand.
The first 7/8ths of the book are marvelous, but then the mystery is solved, the case is wrapped up, and Hugo and Georgette go their almost-separate ways. I don’t want to give away the details, but the ending seemed so rushed, and so at odds with the rest of the story, it was unsettling. I’m not entirely sure of the security of the ending and the way they work out their differences because barely any time was spent in that world. And when the characters were in that world in the early part of the book (mostly in and around Hugo’s very upper class family in London) the wide distance between their stations created a very sharp, painfully clear distinction. I wasn’t sure how they’d work out those differences in the end of the story – despite all the rushed assurances that it would all be fine. I was left reasoning out the details to myself, unsure how or where they’d find their way securely and happily together. I wanted them to be together; no question, they’re perfect for one another. But enough was made of the differences and boundaries between them that I had a hard time believing they were all so easily solved within the pages those solutions were given.
Rushed and hurried resolutions aside, I still enjoyed so much of this book, and recommend it to anyone who likes thoughtful, character-driven historicals with a bit of mystery and an increasing community of characters not often seen in historicals which surrounds the protagonists. Georgette and Hugo are both moving through grief in different ways and coming to terms with feeling alone most of the time, while discovering that in one another, they’ve found someone who understands the isolation of grief, and the necessity of company who understands that isolation.
- SB Sarah
October 7, 2018
Review to follow!
March 1, 2017
I've been hearing lots of good things about Theresa Romain, and I'm always down for a good treasure hunt, so I decided to make her Royal Rewards duology my introduction to her work. While I can find no fault with her writing, and she created some very intriguing characters in Benedict and Charlotte in Fortune Favors the Wicked, I thought their backstories needed more fleshing out to make them fully plausible, and the plot didn't turn out quite as I expected, though it had a wonderful ending that made me cry. I'm happy to say that I enjoyed the sequel, Passion Favors the Bold, much more.
All of England is talking about the crime of the century, the theft of fifty thousand newly minted gold coins from the royal treasury, and those that aren't simply talking about it are trying to find it to claim the five thousand-pound reward. Suddenly, the English countryside is swarming with fortune hunters, and the merest hint of a gold sighting attracts them in droves. When Georgette Frost pieces a few clues together from newspaper reports and realizes her brother, Benedict, is right in the middle of the action, she determines to join him. But she doesn't count on Lord Hugo, her brother's best friend, thwarting her plans when he discovers her in a coaching yard, dressed as a boy and preparing to traverse the countryside unescorted. Unwilling to give up on her dream of leaving her sheltered existence in her family's bookstore behind, she convinces Hugo to escort her to her brother, and thus begins her hopeful adventure.
Lord Hugo Starling is an unapologetic scholar, preferring the company of books and blueprints to that of people. On the outs with his father ever since a medical error led to the untimely death of his twin brother, he has devoted his life to the study of medicine and dreams of opening a state-of-the-art hospital. But he can't do so without funds, and without his father's support or that of the royal societies, finding the stolen money and claiming the reward could be his only chance to see his dreams realized. But what starts out as a plan to drop Georgette off with her brother and strike out on his own quickly becomes something else. Drawn to Georgette's unfettered joy at being out of the city and befuddled by the feelings she elicits from him, and thinking they have stumbled onto the right track when they cross paths with a Bow Street Runner, Hugo decides to keep Georgette by his side and search for the gold together. They are each determined to go their separate ways once the gold has been found, but as they travel from village to village in search of clues, learning more about each other in the process, their partnership of convenience turns into much more. And as they close in on the stolen gold, he finds himself not only fighting his feelings for Georgette, but fighting for their very lives.
This was a really fun read. Georgette is my kind of heroine. After years spent as little more than a house maid, although a well-loved one, helping in the bookstore formerly owned by her parents and caring for her cousin's children, with little prospects for anything else, she decides to take her future into her own hands, to step out of her comfort zone and into adventure, and I admire that. I loved her cheeky wit and the banter between her and Hugo. And I loved how she brought out another side to him, though often very much against his will. Watching her run circles around him as he tried to remain in control was great fun. But her joy was often tempered by the reminder of the future she faced if they were unsuccessful in finding the gold, and her insecurities and self-doubt are things all women can relate to.
My only real complaint is that, as in the first book, I was expecting much more of a treasure hunt, but, as in the first book, they spend a lot of time doing other things and getting sidetracked and sort of accidentally stumble onto it. So that aspect of the plot was a bit disappointing for me. And of course it takes Hugo too long to realize what he's got going with Georgette, that what he thinks he wants is not necessarily what he needs. But I did not figure out who the villain behind the theft was before the reveal, which was a pleasant surprise, and I really liked how everything came together in the end. Overall, this is a fun Regency romp with engaging characters, and something a bit different in historical romance.
*This review was originally posted to Romantic Historical Reviews.
All of England is talking about the crime of the century, the theft of fifty thousand newly minted gold coins from the royal treasury, and those that aren't simply talking about it are trying to find it to claim the five thousand-pound reward. Suddenly, the English countryside is swarming with fortune hunters, and the merest hint of a gold sighting attracts them in droves. When Georgette Frost pieces a few clues together from newspaper reports and realizes her brother, Benedict, is right in the middle of the action, she determines to join him. But she doesn't count on Lord Hugo, her brother's best friend, thwarting her plans when he discovers her in a coaching yard, dressed as a boy and preparing to traverse the countryside unescorted. Unwilling to give up on her dream of leaving her sheltered existence in her family's bookstore behind, she convinces Hugo to escort her to her brother, and thus begins her hopeful adventure.
Lord Hugo Starling is an unapologetic scholar, preferring the company of books and blueprints to that of people. On the outs with his father ever since a medical error led to the untimely death of his twin brother, he has devoted his life to the study of medicine and dreams of opening a state-of-the-art hospital. But he can't do so without funds, and without his father's support or that of the royal societies, finding the stolen money and claiming the reward could be his only chance to see his dreams realized. But what starts out as a plan to drop Georgette off with her brother and strike out on his own quickly becomes something else. Drawn to Georgette's unfettered joy at being out of the city and befuddled by the feelings she elicits from him, and thinking they have stumbled onto the right track when they cross paths with a Bow Street Runner, Hugo decides to keep Georgette by his side and search for the gold together. They are each determined to go their separate ways once the gold has been found, but as they travel from village to village in search of clues, learning more about each other in the process, their partnership of convenience turns into much more. And as they close in on the stolen gold, he finds himself not only fighting his feelings for Georgette, but fighting for their very lives.
This was a really fun read. Georgette is my kind of heroine. After years spent as little more than a house maid, although a well-loved one, helping in the bookstore formerly owned by her parents and caring for her cousin's children, with little prospects for anything else, she decides to take her future into her own hands, to step out of her comfort zone and into adventure, and I admire that. I loved her cheeky wit and the banter between her and Hugo. And I loved how she brought out another side to him, though often very much against his will. Watching her run circles around him as he tried to remain in control was great fun. But her joy was often tempered by the reminder of the future she faced if they were unsuccessful in finding the gold, and her insecurities and self-doubt are things all women can relate to.
My only real complaint is that, as in the first book, I was expecting much more of a treasure hunt, but, as in the first book, they spend a lot of time doing other things and getting sidetracked and sort of accidentally stumble onto it. So that aspect of the plot was a bit disappointing for me. And of course it takes Hugo too long to realize what he's got going with Georgette, that what he thinks he wants is not necessarily what he needs. But I did not figure out who the villain behind the theft was before the reveal, which was a pleasant surprise, and I really liked how everything came together in the end. Overall, this is a fun Regency romp with engaging characters, and something a bit different in historical romance.
*This review was originally posted to Romantic Historical Reviews.
February 28, 2017
Absolutely delightful!
Georgette Frost is a delightful force of nature. Lord Hugo Starling thinks he's rescuing her from a hare brained plot to try to find the gold sovereigns stolen from the Royal Mint. What he's doing is miring himself even more deeply in her scheme.
Georgette's world turns upside down when she reaches twenty-one, which is very soon. She plans to find her brother Benedict and the gold and start a new and glorious life. Benedict we met in Fortune Favors the Wicked.
Boarding a coach disguised as a boy is quite in order. As an avid reader Georgette knows that, 'Many the blue-blooded heroine of a conte de fée had disguised herself to escape the cruel predations of a wicked relative'. Not that Georgette had wicked relatives, perhaps more unthinking. And now here is Hugo annoyingly overturning her plans. However, never daunted, Georgette leads the way, despite the Bow Street runner who seems to be keeping in step with them.
So begins a journey of humor, deceit, surprise and danger.
One of my favorite lines between Georgette and Hugo was when discussing the meaning of love, comprises of 'putting down a book for one’s companion when one only wants to read. That is love indeed!'
An enjoyable romp, made even more so by the frisson and wonderful repartee between Georgette and Hugo.
A NetGalley ARC
Georgette Frost is a delightful force of nature. Lord Hugo Starling thinks he's rescuing her from a hare brained plot to try to find the gold sovereigns stolen from the Royal Mint. What he's doing is miring himself even more deeply in her scheme.
Georgette's world turns upside down when she reaches twenty-one, which is very soon. She plans to find her brother Benedict and the gold and start a new and glorious life. Benedict we met in Fortune Favors the Wicked.
Boarding a coach disguised as a boy is quite in order. As an avid reader Georgette knows that, 'Many the blue-blooded heroine of a conte de fée had disguised herself to escape the cruel predations of a wicked relative'. Not that Georgette had wicked relatives, perhaps more unthinking. And now here is Hugo annoyingly overturning her plans. However, never daunted, Georgette leads the way, despite the Bow Street runner who seems to be keeping in step with them.
So begins a journey of humor, deceit, surprise and danger.
One of my favorite lines between Georgette and Hugo was when discussing the meaning of love, comprises of 'putting down a book for one’s companion when one only wants to read. That is love indeed!'
An enjoyable romp, made even more so by the frisson and wonderful repartee between Georgette and Hugo.
A NetGalley ARC
May 22, 2017
While I didn't mind the slooooow burn, it did get to me that nothing really happened with the plot. I liked them as a couple, so I it's sad that the book didn't work for me. I enjoyed the first book so much, so maybe my own high expections got to me, but there was jut something missing here. I really liked Georgette but Hugo was just too bland for me at times, even though I admit he had his cute moments. I usually love Romain's heros but here I dind't connect with him. Even when they got separated, and Georgette thought he didn't love her, it felt forced, since it was obvious they would
end up together.
Maybe I'm not in the HR mood lately, or I know Romain can do waaaay better.
end up together.
Maybe I'm not in the HR mood lately, or I know Romain can do waaaay better.
March 8, 2017
ARC REVIEW
Passion Favors the Bold is the second part of Theresa Romain's Royal Rewards Duo. It runs partially parallel with the first book, Fortune Favors the Wicked. It centers around Georgette and Hugo, Georgette is the younger sister to Benedict Frost from the first book, she has spent her life in the bookstore and with her twenty-first birthday looming she knows she needs to do something with herself before her birthday and she is forced to move from the only home she has known. Hugo is the youngest son of a Duke and instead of joining the clergy like his father wanted him to he became a doctor. Hugo and Benedict met in Edinburgh and Benedict, knowing Hugo resided in London, asked if Hugo could stop by and check on his sister ever so often. Hugo and Georgette get acquainted over the years and when he finds out that she has moved out and is going on her own search for the Royal Reward he goes with her, not without trying to talk her out of it but in turn she talks him into helping because the notoriety of finding the lost gold will surely help him get funding for the hospital he wants to build.
The entire time it almost seems like they argue for the sake of argueing. Hugo's common sense is constantly at war with his own need and Georgette's desire to do something with her life. As much as Hugo tried to talk her out of it and is grumbling because of what's happening he is having a good time on this adventure. The adventure also helps Georgette and Hugo come to some conclusions about their lives and the path they need to take. Unfortunately I didn't quite get the chemistry between them. Yes it there but they spend so much time arguing and both so stubborn it gets in the way of the sexual chemistry, but when they finally do give in it's good.
Hugo and Georgette and a pesky Bow Street Runner are all after the same thing for reasons of their own. The rumors have lead them up north where the missing gold isn't the only problem and when more people end up dead the three of them join forces to uncover the truth and find the gold. Overall, it was a good story not as good as the first one but on the plus side I don't think it matter what order you read these two books in the only commonality between them beside the fact that Benedict and Georgette are related is the gold; so they can be stand alone.
Passion Favors the Bold is the second part of Theresa Romain's Royal Rewards Duo. It runs partially parallel with the first book, Fortune Favors the Wicked. It centers around Georgette and Hugo, Georgette is the younger sister to Benedict Frost from the first book, she has spent her life in the bookstore and with her twenty-first birthday looming she knows she needs to do something with herself before her birthday and she is forced to move from the only home she has known. Hugo is the youngest son of a Duke and instead of joining the clergy like his father wanted him to he became a doctor. Hugo and Benedict met in Edinburgh and Benedict, knowing Hugo resided in London, asked if Hugo could stop by and check on his sister ever so often. Hugo and Georgette get acquainted over the years and when he finds out that she has moved out and is going on her own search for the Royal Reward he goes with her, not without trying to talk her out of it but in turn she talks him into helping because the notoriety of finding the lost gold will surely help him get funding for the hospital he wants to build.
The entire time it almost seems like they argue for the sake of argueing. Hugo's common sense is constantly at war with his own need and Georgette's desire to do something with her life. As much as Hugo tried to talk her out of it and is grumbling because of what's happening he is having a good time on this adventure. The adventure also helps Georgette and Hugo come to some conclusions about their lives and the path they need to take. Unfortunately I didn't quite get the chemistry between them. Yes it there but they spend so much time arguing and both so stubborn it gets in the way of the sexual chemistry, but when they finally do give in it's good.
Hugo and Georgette and a pesky Bow Street Runner are all after the same thing for reasons of their own. The rumors have lead them up north where the missing gold isn't the only problem and when more people end up dead the three of them join forces to uncover the truth and find the gold. Overall, it was a good story not as good as the first one but on the plus side I don't think it matter what order you read these two books in the only commonality between them beside the fact that Benedict and Georgette are related is the gold; so they can be stand alone.
April 2, 2017
I absolutely loved this book. It took the reader out of the usual Regency balls and parlors and takes us on a road trip. Georgette Frost has never felt loved either from her academic parents who didn't have time for her or to her cousin with a brood of children to care for. Once Georgette hears about the stolen gold from the Royal Treasury, she's off on a treasure hunt. Only she's interrupted by Lord Hugo Starling who recognizes Georgette dressed in boy's clothing at the beginning of her adventure. Hugo reluctantly agrees to escort Georgette north to her brother who happens to live in the same village as the latest clue.
Ms. Romain is a masterful writer and the banter between Georgette and Hugo is priceless--she with her fairy-tale-starred eyes and Hugo with his academic and science mind. Both of them exasperate each other throughout their meandering ever northward toward clues of the stolen gold. Along the way each of them begin to change and see the value in each other's point of view. Can Hugo let go of his master plans to build a new hospital and see what's right in front of him? Can Georgette love someone who's extremely logical and a planner for every situation? Fans of regency romance who's looking for something a little different will thoroughly enjoy this story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Ms. Romain is a masterful writer and the banter between Georgette and Hugo is priceless--she with her fairy-tale-starred eyes and Hugo with his academic and science mind. Both of them exasperate each other throughout their meandering ever northward toward clues of the stolen gold. Along the way each of them begin to change and see the value in each other's point of view. Can Hugo let go of his master plans to build a new hospital and see what's right in front of him? Can Georgette love someone who's extremely logical and a planner for every situation? Fans of regency romance who's looking for something a little different will thoroughly enjoy this story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 28, 2017
The treasure hunt plotline is a bit undercooked but the sweet, slow burn romance is delightful. The dialogue is really sparkling and Georgette and Hugo are very lovable. Both books in this series are low key, without a lot of high octane action, and the carnal element, while present, is not heavily emphasized, so in the hands of a less skillful author they could have easily been boring but Romain has such an endearing voice and such an appealing vision of what a good relationship should be that I was continually charmed by both this and book one, Fortune Favors the Wicked.
February 27, 2017
Passion Favors the Bold is the second book in The Royal Rewards Duo by Theresa Romain. I was fortunate enough to have read the first book, and although you don't have to read it to fully enjoy this second book in the set, it's a good idea to so that you get an earlier introduction to the 'gold heist'.
There's gold in them there hills, no not the ones in the wild west of America, but in the not so sunny climes of Northumberland, England. A shipment of newly minted gold coins has been stolen, and there is a huge reward for whoever finds them and/or the thieves involved in stealing them. Georgette Frost is going to find herself homeless once she turns 21. She decides that the best way to make sure her future is secure is to follow in her brother Benedict's foot steps, and search for the gold herself. She wants to join Benedict (whose story is in the first book). She packs a small bag, dresses as a young man and goes to the nearest coaching inn in London ready for her travel.
Lord Hugo Starling is a good friend of Benedict, he always used to pop into the London bookshop where she lived and worked, to make sure she was OK. He is shocked when he arrives at the coaching inn himself and recognises Georgette. He swiftly gets her outside and into his carriage where he convinces her that she has to stay with him while he deals with a couple of things in London, and then he will accompany her to Northumberland and into the safety of her brothers keep. Georgette isn't happy about it at all, especially the delay to them leaving, but she knows she has no other option.
Hugo ends up more than just chaperoning her, he joins in her search for the gold. He wants to set up a hospital in his brother's memory and could definitely use the funding to pay for it. Along the way they meet with all sorts of bother, not least a Bow Street Runner who seems to be at every stop they make along the way. Of course the time they spend together is time where they find out they have a fondness for each other. Georgette is more than keen to be amorous with Hugo, but he doesn't want to ruin her, and he also doesn't think she would fit into his life should he decide to think seriously about giving in to the temptation that she provides him.
Their will they, won't they romance was a delight to read, and when they do give in at times to the occasional kiss and canoodle, it's written so beautifully that you can't help but want to fist pump and say YES. Only then to go on and feel deflated when one or the other, and let's face it, the one is always going to be Hugo, pulls away and apologises.
Amongst the wonderful romance in the story there is also the drama of the missing gold, some of it is turning up as melted blobs, a way to disguise that they were once coins. So the money must be close, but where is it, and who is the thief. Skulduggery is afoot, and shots get fired when our couple and the Bow street runner get too close to finding out the culprit/s. Somebody gets shot, but will it be a fatality? People have already died from the very first day when the theft occurred. The murders won't mind killing more. I had NO idea who the person/s behind the theft and killings were, and I will admit that I did NOT see that coming. I love a book that can keep me intrigued and then have a fabulous ending which I could not have foreseen. A book of suspense with a lovely amount of angst and romance, some heartbreaking moments, and some fabulous light hearted moments too. This book was every bit as fabulous as the first in the series, and as I gave that a 5 star rating, this one deserves the very same too.
I voluntarily reviewed and Advanced Readers' Copy of this book.
There's gold in them there hills, no not the ones in the wild west of America, but in the not so sunny climes of Northumberland, England. A shipment of newly minted gold coins has been stolen, and there is a huge reward for whoever finds them and/or the thieves involved in stealing them. Georgette Frost is going to find herself homeless once she turns 21. She decides that the best way to make sure her future is secure is to follow in her brother Benedict's foot steps, and search for the gold herself. She wants to join Benedict (whose story is in the first book). She packs a small bag, dresses as a young man and goes to the nearest coaching inn in London ready for her travel.
Lord Hugo Starling is a good friend of Benedict, he always used to pop into the London bookshop where she lived and worked, to make sure she was OK. He is shocked when he arrives at the coaching inn himself and recognises Georgette. He swiftly gets her outside and into his carriage where he convinces her that she has to stay with him while he deals with a couple of things in London, and then he will accompany her to Northumberland and into the safety of her brothers keep. Georgette isn't happy about it at all, especially the delay to them leaving, but she knows she has no other option.
Hugo ends up more than just chaperoning her, he joins in her search for the gold. He wants to set up a hospital in his brother's memory and could definitely use the funding to pay for it. Along the way they meet with all sorts of bother, not least a Bow Street Runner who seems to be at every stop they make along the way. Of course the time they spend together is time where they find out they have a fondness for each other. Georgette is more than keen to be amorous with Hugo, but he doesn't want to ruin her, and he also doesn't think she would fit into his life should he decide to think seriously about giving in to the temptation that she provides him.
Their will they, won't they romance was a delight to read, and when they do give in at times to the occasional kiss and canoodle, it's written so beautifully that you can't help but want to fist pump and say YES. Only then to go on and feel deflated when one or the other, and let's face it, the one is always going to be Hugo, pulls away and apologises.
Amongst the wonderful romance in the story there is also the drama of the missing gold, some of it is turning up as melted blobs, a way to disguise that they were once coins. So the money must be close, but where is it, and who is the thief. Skulduggery is afoot, and shots get fired when our couple and the Bow street runner get too close to finding out the culprit/s. Somebody gets shot, but will it be a fatality? People have already died from the very first day when the theft occurred. The murders won't mind killing more. I had NO idea who the person/s behind the theft and killings were, and I will admit that I did NOT see that coming. I love a book that can keep me intrigued and then have a fabulous ending which I could not have foreseen. A book of suspense with a lovely amount of angst and romance, some heartbreaking moments, and some fabulous light hearted moments too. This book was every bit as fabulous as the first in the series, and as I gave that a 5 star rating, this one deserves the very same too.
I voluntarily reviewed and Advanced Readers' Copy of this book.
April 20, 2018
As I went on this road trip, I kept wondering, "Are we there yet?" Yeah, I know, it's not the destination that matters; it's the journey. But this journey meandered all over the place and made little sense. But, OK, yeah, I admit that a road trip in a book is used as a metaphor for self-discovery. I guess that was accomplished here by the H and h. But still, did the journey have to be quite so disjointedly peripatetic?
This is series Book #2, after #1 FORTUNE FAVORS THE WICKED, and stars heroine Georgette Frost, sister of Benedict Frost, H of the first book, and hero Lord Hugo Starling, third son of a duke, a physician, and Benedict's good friend. The 6 stolen trunks of gold coins newly minted by the Royal Mint and the Royal Reward for finding them is the motivation for impulsive and rather immature Georgette to set off dressed in men's clothing to join her brother Benedict in the search.
But before she has even begun her journey, she's intercepted by serious and staid Hugo, who has been keeping tabs on her for some time now to make sure his friend's younger sister is doing OK. Georgette manages to finagle Hugo into helping her. And off they go, Hugo at first planning to get Georgette into the care of Benedict, but somehow Georgette even manages to deviate him from that plan. And there they are on their very own adventure to find the coins.
Georgette wants money to be able to live independently. Hugo needs funding for a hospital he has been planning for some time. But both of them really need to do some soul searching. Does Georgette really need that money or is there something else missing in her life? And Hugo needs to figure out why he believes that the hospital is really what will make him feel fulfilled and complete.
Along the way, they will meet up with lots of quirky and interesting characters. There will be several humorous situations they find themselves in. Some of the banter and dialogue is clever; some not so much. The H and h and their romance didn't wow me all that much either. And, although Romain's writing is good, I still find this story to be too meandering and disjointed for my taste.
This is series Book #2, after #1 FORTUNE FAVORS THE WICKED, and stars heroine Georgette Frost, sister of Benedict Frost, H of the first book, and hero Lord Hugo Starling, third son of a duke, a physician, and Benedict's good friend. The 6 stolen trunks of gold coins newly minted by the Royal Mint and the Royal Reward for finding them is the motivation for impulsive and rather immature Georgette to set off dressed in men's clothing to join her brother Benedict in the search.
But before she has even begun her journey, she's intercepted by serious and staid Hugo, who has been keeping tabs on her for some time now to make sure his friend's younger sister is doing OK. Georgette manages to finagle Hugo into helping her. And off they go, Hugo at first planning to get Georgette into the care of Benedict, but somehow Georgette even manages to deviate him from that plan. And there they are on their very own adventure to find the coins.
Georgette wants money to be able to live independently. Hugo needs funding for a hospital he has been planning for some time. But both of them really need to do some soul searching. Does Georgette really need that money or is there something else missing in her life? And Hugo needs to figure out why he believes that the hospital is really what will make him feel fulfilled and complete.
Along the way, they will meet up with lots of quirky and interesting characters. There will be several humorous situations they find themselves in. Some of the banter and dialogue is clever; some not so much. The H and h and their romance didn't wow me all that much either. And, although Romain's writing is good, I still find this story to be too meandering and disjointed for my taste.
February 4, 2017
6 wooden boxes of newly minted gold sovereigns have been stolen from the London mint. A HUGE reward has been offered. What better way for an orphan who will soon be homeless to secure their future.
The banter and humor in this book is absolutely outstanding. I found myself literally laughing out loud as I read through the book. I was really wonderful!!! I'd love to share some quotes, but since I had an ARC, I am not allowed to do that.
In the last book in the series, our heroines brother was on the search for the gold. That was a delightful tale and I hope you read it as well as this one. This book takes place almost concurrently with the previous one, so you'll get some updates from that book.
Lord Hugo Starling is a driven man. He is the son of a duke and has defied his family by studying to be a physician. He has some very forward-looking views on the whole medical profession for that time period and he is absolutely driven to complete the perfect hospital. He is constantly designing and updating his plan and lobbying for funds to get that hospital built. As you read the book, you will learn his reasons for being so driven.
Georgette Frost lost her parents several years ago. They were very unloving, uncaring parents -- it wasn't that they mistreated Georgette - it was just that they hardly knew she existed. They were so engrossed in themselves and their academic research that they just basically forgot about her. She never really knew love and craved it so much. While her parents did academic research, Georgette read fairy tales and dreamed of a life where she was loved and wanted.
After the death of their parents, Georgette's brother (the hero from the last book) sold the bookstore to some cousins with the stipulation that they provide a home for Georgette until she reached her majority. That was very short-sighted, but -- he'd left home when he was twelve an didn't even really know Georgette and he was blind.
Lord Hugo and Georgette's brother were friends at school and Lord Hugo has felt responsible to keep an eye on Georgette to assure that she was safe. So, when he finds her dress as a man and waiting for the mail coach to take her north, he takes her and ends up escorting her northward to find her brother and to search for the gold.
They spend a lot of time together and come to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses each has. Their search becomes dangerous -- and there is even the possibility of them being blamed for the theft.
It is delightful to see their interactions, their growth as individuals and their journey to finding love. I do hope you'll read this book and find it as wonderful as I did!
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
The banter and humor in this book is absolutely outstanding. I found myself literally laughing out loud as I read through the book. I was really wonderful!!! I'd love to share some quotes, but since I had an ARC, I am not allowed to do that.
In the last book in the series, our heroines brother was on the search for the gold. That was a delightful tale and I hope you read it as well as this one. This book takes place almost concurrently with the previous one, so you'll get some updates from that book.
Lord Hugo Starling is a driven man. He is the son of a duke and has defied his family by studying to be a physician. He has some very forward-looking views on the whole medical profession for that time period and he is absolutely driven to complete the perfect hospital. He is constantly designing and updating his plan and lobbying for funds to get that hospital built. As you read the book, you will learn his reasons for being so driven.
Georgette Frost lost her parents several years ago. They were very unloving, uncaring parents -- it wasn't that they mistreated Georgette - it was just that they hardly knew she existed. They were so engrossed in themselves and their academic research that they just basically forgot about her. She never really knew love and craved it so much. While her parents did academic research, Georgette read fairy tales and dreamed of a life where she was loved and wanted.
After the death of their parents, Georgette's brother (the hero from the last book) sold the bookstore to some cousins with the stipulation that they provide a home for Georgette until she reached her majority. That was very short-sighted, but -- he'd left home when he was twelve an didn't even really know Georgette and he was blind.
Lord Hugo and Georgette's brother were friends at school and Lord Hugo has felt responsible to keep an eye on Georgette to assure that she was safe. So, when he finds her dress as a man and waiting for the mail coach to take her north, he takes her and ends up escorting her northward to find her brother and to search for the gold.
They spend a lot of time together and come to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses each has. Their search becomes dangerous -- and there is even the possibility of them being blamed for the theft.
It is delightful to see their interactions, their growth as individuals and their journey to finding love. I do hope you'll read this book and find it as wonderful as I did!
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
February 27, 2017
2.5 stars
I liked the previous novel in the Royal Rewards duology, but this one doesn’t quite measure up to the first.
As in the first book, the story revolves around the theft of gold coins from the Royal Mint and the protagonists’ attempt to find them to gain a reward. The heroine this time around is Georgette, the sister of the hero from the previous book. Georgette wants the reward to secure her own future, so she doesn’t have to rely on others to take care of her. As a duke’s son, Lord Hugo Starling isn’t really interested in the reward, but he takes a protective interest in Georgette because of his friendship with her brother. So when Georgette wants to hare off to the north of England chasing a rumor of gold, Hugo feels he has to accompany her. Thrown into close proximity by the trip and their attempts to avoid the suspicions of a Bow Street runner, the two of them find themselves fighting an attraction that grows in spite of differences between them in station and personality.
One of the things that I particularly liked about the first book was that both the hero and heroine came from the middle class, with her being a parson’s daughter and him the son of the owners of a bookshop. This book follows common romance novel tropes more closely, in that Hugo is part of the aristocracy. The author does give him a profession—Hugo is a physician—but the book still seems conventional in comparison to the first.
For me, the other weakness in this second book was Georgette herself. I liked Hugo, but Georgette was just a little too immature for my tastes. After all, the book opens with her dressed as a boy, ready to set off across England all by herself in pursuit of treasure—never mind whether or not that’s a realistic plan, since she has little in the way of resources. Thankfully, she does mature as the book progresses, but I never quite got past the unfavorable impression created by her earlier actions in the book.
Theresa Romain is a good writer, and this is a decent book, even if, in my opinion, it suffers in comparison to the previous novel. If you’re a fan of the author, you should definitely give it a read.
An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the previous novel in the Royal Rewards duology, but this one doesn’t quite measure up to the first.
As in the first book, the story revolves around the theft of gold coins from the Royal Mint and the protagonists’ attempt to find them to gain a reward. The heroine this time around is Georgette, the sister of the hero from the previous book. Georgette wants the reward to secure her own future, so she doesn’t have to rely on others to take care of her. As a duke’s son, Lord Hugo Starling isn’t really interested in the reward, but he takes a protective interest in Georgette because of his friendship with her brother. So when Georgette wants to hare off to the north of England chasing a rumor of gold, Hugo feels he has to accompany her. Thrown into close proximity by the trip and their attempts to avoid the suspicions of a Bow Street runner, the two of them find themselves fighting an attraction that grows in spite of differences between them in station and personality.
One of the things that I particularly liked about the first book was that both the hero and heroine came from the middle class, with her being a parson’s daughter and him the son of the owners of a bookshop. This book follows common romance novel tropes more closely, in that Hugo is part of the aristocracy. The author does give him a profession—Hugo is a physician—but the book still seems conventional in comparison to the first.
For me, the other weakness in this second book was Georgette herself. I liked Hugo, but Georgette was just a little too immature for my tastes. After all, the book opens with her dressed as a boy, ready to set off across England all by herself in pursuit of treasure—never mind whether or not that’s a realistic plan, since she has little in the way of resources. Thankfully, she does mature as the book progresses, but I never quite got past the unfavorable impression created by her earlier actions in the book.
Theresa Romain is a good writer, and this is a decent book, even if, in my opinion, it suffers in comparison to the previous novel. If you’re a fan of the author, you should definitely give it a read.
An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2019
I'm really pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this!! Definitely, definitely my second favorite Theresa Romain after Season for Surrender, featuring a scenario that's just as fun and a couple almost as perfectly matched. I loved the slow build of attraction between Georgie and Hugo, the madcap nature of their adventure (and the setup for Callum in the next book!), the way that the plot intertwined with the prior book, and the fun atmosphere of the whole thing -- as with the prior book, despite the quite serious shit going down, it never felt too intense or fast-paced or overwhelming, but a great blend of plot and romance throughout. A really solid and enjoyable read.
November 3, 2017
While I like Benedict's story better, this was still a lovely story and well worth the read. Royally rewarding!
October 11, 2020
3.5 out of 5 stars
October 31, 2018
Theresa Romain did it once again! She never fails to please. Another well written book with memorable characters, full of wit and a fun story line. I really enjoyed the book from beginning to end.
December 31, 2020
3.5 stars
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