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Legendary Lovers #5
My Fair Lover
Nicole Jordan's irresistible Legendary Lovers series continues in this sizzling twist on My Fair Lady, as a bewitching beauty and a rakish sea captain trade favors . . . and tempt fate.
Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she's willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.
Brandon's fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn't seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he's inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him--until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he'd gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.
Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she's willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.
Brandon's fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn't seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he's inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him--until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he'd gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.
357 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 29, 2017
79 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Jordan
94 books978 followersNew York Times bestselling author Nicole Jordan spins delightful tales that simmer with passion and sensuality. In her former life, Nicole grew up as an Army brat, moving frequently and attending high school in Germany. She later earned a civil engineering degree from Georgia Tech and spent eight years as a manufacturing manager making disposable diapers and toilet tissue! Currently Nicole lives in the Rocky Mountains of Utah with her real-life hero (her husband) and beloved kids (her horses).
With over two-dozen historical romances to her credit and four million books in print, set in numerous eras and locales, Nicole now enjoys chronicling the sparks that fly when Regency lovers play the matrimonial mating game.
One of her novels had the dubious honor of being humorously spotlighted by Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show." On a more serious note, Nicole's romances regularly appear on numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today, and have earned such honors as RITA finalist, RWA's Favorite Book of the Year, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Historical Romance, and the Dorothy Parker Award of Excellence, presented by a group of over one hundred romance reviewers.
With over two-dozen historical romances to her credit and four million books in print, set in numerous eras and locales, Nicole now enjoys chronicling the sparks that fly when Regency lovers play the matrimonial mating game.
One of her novels had the dubious honor of being humorously spotlighted by Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show." On a more serious note, Nicole's romances regularly appear on numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today, and have earned such honors as RITA finalist, RWA's Favorite Book of the Year, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Historical Romance, and the Dorothy Parker Award of Excellence, presented by a group of over one hundred romance reviewers.
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August 31, 2017
I really enjoyed the premise of this story. Katharine Wilde was asked by her aunt to help a rich, dashing American who recently inherited an English earldom learn how to be act, look like an English earl and find him a wife. There's just one problem. The new earl in question was the same man who rejected Kate 6 years ago.
The set up was quite intriguing and it's right up my alley. I was expecting angst because when you have a heroine coming to face-to-face with the man of her dreams after a humiliating rejection years ago is bound to be angsty, right? Well, except for a few confronting words here and there, there wasn't much in terms of angst. But it was still interesting to see how Kate would handle finding a wife for the man that she wants for herself.
For the first half of the story, it was indeed an interesting read. I love their banter and I loved Kate. Deverill had the makings of being an unforgettable hero. Unfortunately, the second half lost me as a reader. I was looking forward to Deverill wooing Kate and making up for his mistakes years ago. But the story took on an almost adventure quest type complete with sea journey and some unsavory pirate character and lost family treasure. Which is fine. I love adventure tales but I wasn't really invested in it. I didn't really add anything to the romance or their character development. And the ending was underwhelming and anticlimactic.
I wish I liked it more but it is what it is.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The set up was quite intriguing and it's right up my alley. I was expecting angst because when you have a heroine coming to face-to-face with the man of her dreams after a humiliating rejection years ago is bound to be angsty, right? Well, except for a few confronting words here and there, there wasn't much in terms of angst. But it was still interesting to see how Kate would handle finding a wife for the man that she wants for herself.
For the first half of the story, it was indeed an interesting read. I love their banter and I loved Kate. Deverill had the makings of being an unforgettable hero. Unfortunately, the second half lost me as a reader. I was looking forward to Deverill wooing Kate and making up for his mistakes years ago. But the story took on an almost adventure quest type complete with sea journey and some unsavory pirate character and lost family treasure. Which is fine. I love adventure tales but I wasn't really invested in it. I didn't really add anything to the romance or their character development. And the ending was underwhelming and anticlimactic.
I wish I liked it more but it is what it is.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
I will have to say that I was so excited to be granted a copy of My Fair Lover...this series has been very close to my heart. I love retellings, especially those with famous tales or fairy tales and this author has done a wonderful job with these retelling. My Fair Lover follows My Fair Lady. So for those of you who love that play...this book is for you. I personally have never seen My Fair Lady yet, but now I definitely want to. Our delightful tale starts with the return of Brandon Deverill, who once was a Privateer for the American's, but now is a English Noble and the man that spurned Kate Wilde six years previous. Now she is to help him find the perfect English wife, perfect for his new title. Kate still cares for Brandon, but doesn't trust him. But he is the perfect man to help her locate the ship wreck that killed her parents. Thus begins Brandon and Kate's adventure from the cities of London, to the beaches and coves of France.
I will say that I was looking forward to this couple, most especially Kate. She is the infamous matchmaker that brought her siblings and cousins together and had the idea of "Legendary Lovers" and now this is her story. I first want to point out that even though this was a likable story, it isn't my favorite of the series. The story line is steady and strong, but I tended to lose interest in and out of the story at random moments. Which was disappointing, since that doesn't happen when I pick up this author. Despite that, I still liked this story quite a bit. I enjoyed seeing a couple that finds their way back to each other like these two do. At first, Kate is trying to set up matches for Brandon even though she is pretty jealous. But Brandon wants Kate and wants her as his wife, even if he doesn't believe in love like Kate Does. But Kate refuses to marry without love. I had a fun time seeing the dynamics of their relationship change, and the search for treasure and dealing with pirates and have some sexy times on the deep blue seas.
My only other complaint is that I fell out of touch with the love story here, I just didn't feel their chemistry and connection like I wanted to. And since this was a book I had high hopes for, I was disappointed and let down at times through the story, but there were many other aspects that I enjoyed and recommend you pick this author up and try out this series....unique and sexy fun!!!
I will have to say that I was so excited to be granted a copy of My Fair Lover...this series has been very close to my heart. I love retellings, especially those with famous tales or fairy tales and this author has done a wonderful job with these retelling. My Fair Lover follows My Fair Lady. So for those of you who love that play...this book is for you. I personally have never seen My Fair Lady yet, but now I definitely want to. Our delightful tale starts with the return of Brandon Deverill, who once was a Privateer for the American's, but now is a English Noble and the man that spurned Kate Wilde six years previous. Now she is to help him find the perfect English wife, perfect for his new title. Kate still cares for Brandon, but doesn't trust him. But he is the perfect man to help her locate the ship wreck that killed her parents. Thus begins Brandon and Kate's adventure from the cities of London, to the beaches and coves of France.
I will say that I was looking forward to this couple, most especially Kate. She is the infamous matchmaker that brought her siblings and cousins together and had the idea of "Legendary Lovers" and now this is her story. I first want to point out that even though this was a likable story, it isn't my favorite of the series. The story line is steady and strong, but I tended to lose interest in and out of the story at random moments. Which was disappointing, since that doesn't happen when I pick up this author. Despite that, I still liked this story quite a bit. I enjoyed seeing a couple that finds their way back to each other like these two do. At first, Kate is trying to set up matches for Brandon even though she is pretty jealous. But Brandon wants Kate and wants her as his wife, even if he doesn't believe in love like Kate Does. But Kate refuses to marry without love. I had a fun time seeing the dynamics of their relationship change, and the search for treasure and dealing with pirates and have some sexy times on the deep blue seas.
My only other complaint is that I fell out of touch with the love story here, I just didn't feel their chemistry and connection like I wanted to. And since this was a book I had high hopes for, I was disappointed and let down at times through the story, but there were many other aspects that I enjoyed and recommend you pick this author up and try out this series....unique and sexy fun!!!
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November 1, 2017
ARC provided by publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
Lady Katherine Wilde is well know as being a excellent matchmaker. She's helped her family all find love and believes/hopes she will someday. Well she though she had found love with Brandon Deverill, she had declared her feelings at the young age of eighteen in a manner that is seared in her mind (as well as Brandon) but unfortunately he rejected her.
Six years later Katherine is still holding out hope for true love, she's put Brandon behind her (he left for America right after the declaration) and is moving forward. But Brandon has returned and is need of her assistance, he's inherited a title and is requesting Katherine's help in making him more presentable and proper to the ton. Katherine is willing to help (as she realizes and fights her continued attraction to Brandon) if her will do a favor in return for her. Katherine is in need of assistance in finding her family's lost treasure, so she will need his privateer expertise as they embark on a voyage to retrieve the lost treasure.
Six years ago Brandon had feelings for Katherine but felt it was wrong and ungentlemanly to encourage her as he was leaving the country. But now that he is back, with a title, he will be seeking a wife as well and Katherine is what he wants.
The two embark on a journey of adventure and discovery. Brandon realizes that Katherine is determined to only marry of true love and though his feelings and desires are strong that is a foreign entity to him. Katherine realizes her feeling for Brandon are as strong as ever and is determined to show Brandon the love is real and attainable for them both.
This was a sweet, sexy love story with two strong and intelligent MC. Brandon was portrayed as a strong alpha character but he had sides of sweetness to him too. Katherine was strong, intelligent but a true romantic at heart, never giving up on true love. Their romance was fun, with lots of chemistry, strong dialogue that developed into a nice HEA.
Lady Katherine Wilde is well know as being a excellent matchmaker. She's helped her family all find love and believes/hopes she will someday. Well she though she had found love with Brandon Deverill, she had declared her feelings at the young age of eighteen in a manner that is seared in her mind (as well as Brandon) but unfortunately he rejected her.
Six years later Katherine is still holding out hope for true love, she's put Brandon behind her (he left for America right after the declaration) and is moving forward. But Brandon has returned and is need of her assistance, he's inherited a title and is requesting Katherine's help in making him more presentable and proper to the ton. Katherine is willing to help (as she realizes and fights her continued attraction to Brandon) if her will do a favor in return for her. Katherine is in need of assistance in finding her family's lost treasure, so she will need his privateer expertise as they embark on a voyage to retrieve the lost treasure.
Six years ago Brandon had feelings for Katherine but felt it was wrong and ungentlemanly to encourage her as he was leaving the country. But now that he is back, with a title, he will be seeking a wife as well and Katherine is what he wants.
The two embark on a journey of adventure and discovery. Brandon realizes that Katherine is determined to only marry of true love and though his feelings and desires are strong that is a foreign entity to him. Katherine realizes her feeling for Brandon are as strong as ever and is determined to show Brandon the love is real and attainable for them both.
This was a sweet, sexy love story with two strong and intelligent MC. Brandon was portrayed as a strong alpha character but he had sides of sweetness to him too. Katherine was strong, intelligent but a true romantic at heart, never giving up on true love. Their romance was fun, with lots of chemistry, strong dialogue that developed into a nice HEA.
August 29, 2017
Book Review For: My Fair Lover by Nicole Jordan 'My Fair Lover' by Nicole Jordan is Book Five in The "Legendary Lovers" series. This is the story of Lady Katherine Wilde and Brandon Deverill. I have read the other books in this series but feel this can easily be a standalone book. Brandon is half American and half English and went to fight for the American side a few years back,in addition he was a pirate. But now his Uncle has died and left him an English Title and Brandon has come back to English to claim it along with finding a wife. Kate and Brandon knew each other years ago when they were young. Kate even had a crush on him and before he left she offered herself to him. Brandon turned her down and Kate left hurt with her feelings crushed. Now about six years later Brandon has returned and at the request of her Aunt Lady Isabella Wilde 'Bella" she is to turn Brandon into a proper English Gentleman. In addition, Kate is to use her proven Match Making skills on Brandon to find him a wife. But Kate has a request of Brandon too. Kate's parents died in a ship wreck where she was saved with her siblings. Kate wants to go back to look at the wreck, possible find any jewelry that was left and place a headstone on her mother's grave. But Brandon has Kate in mind for his wife but he knows after the hurt he caused he will have to go slowly winning her over. Also Kate says she will on marry for Love...can Brandon find such a feeling in his heart?"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://twitter.com/soapsrus68 https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR... http://booklikes.com/bloghttps://roma... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
September 13, 2017
4.5 Stars!
My Fair Lover had an amazing romance with fantastic characters and was definitely my favorite book in the Legendary Lovers series.
When Lady Katherine Wilde agrees to help Brandon Deverill find a bride after he rejected her six years ago, she believes all feelings she had for him are gone. Her agreement to help, however, comes with the condition that he escorts her to France and protects her from pirates while helping her discover where her parents’ ship sank. When Deverill kisses her to finalize their arrangement, Kate begins to question if her feelings are truly in the past. Now that Brandon has inherited a title, he knows Kate is the one he wants for a bride, he simply doesn’t know how to convince her of that. When their journey in France becomes dangerous, Kate and Brandon will have to decide what they’re willing to risk for the possibility of the love of a lifetime.
Kate is the reason her family embarked on their quests to find true love by emulating legendary lovers of history. After helping her family find their mates, she more than any of them believes in true love and won't accept anything less in her own match. I admired how much Kate stuck to her beliefs and didn't let her attraction to Brandon lead her astray. Kate is definitely a strong and opinionated lady which definitely makes her stand out in all of her scenes.
Brandon has a very cynical outlook when it comes to love, but he still wishes to marry Kate. He feels they're very compatible and believes they would make a good match and could have a comfortable life. Brandon is definitely a take charge kind of guy and has a massive protective instinct when it comes to Kate. The situation they find themselves in definitely plays into his alpha male personality.
Kate and Brandon have incredible chemistry from the get-go and I enjoyed how much banter there was in their conversations. These two love to antagonize each other and tend to be very playful. Their physical chemistry was off the charts and when that aspect of their relationship is expanded on, I was loving it. These two simply click in their bedroom scenes and I definitely bought into their romance very quickly.
The pacing in this book is definitely the best in the series and the plot moves fairly quickly. My favorite parts of the book were after the characters went to France to begin the search for her parents' sunken ship. I mean who doesn't love pirates and searches for treasure with the hint of danger at every turn? Plus, Brandon being connected to the pirates in France was a nice twist.
My Fair Lover did inspire me to look into the myth of Pygmalion, which I was unaware of prior to starting this book. I love when books inspire me to learn more about something in the book. Overall, I definitely recommend checking out this book and the rest of the series if you're looking for a great historical romance series.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
My Fair Lover had an amazing romance with fantastic characters and was definitely my favorite book in the Legendary Lovers series.
When Lady Katherine Wilde agrees to help Brandon Deverill find a bride after he rejected her six years ago, she believes all feelings she had for him are gone. Her agreement to help, however, comes with the condition that he escorts her to France and protects her from pirates while helping her discover where her parents’ ship sank. When Deverill kisses her to finalize their arrangement, Kate begins to question if her feelings are truly in the past. Now that Brandon has inherited a title, he knows Kate is the one he wants for a bride, he simply doesn’t know how to convince her of that. When their journey in France becomes dangerous, Kate and Brandon will have to decide what they’re willing to risk for the possibility of the love of a lifetime.
Kate is the reason her family embarked on their quests to find true love by emulating legendary lovers of history. After helping her family find their mates, she more than any of them believes in true love and won't accept anything less in her own match. I admired how much Kate stuck to her beliefs and didn't let her attraction to Brandon lead her astray. Kate is definitely a strong and opinionated lady which definitely makes her stand out in all of her scenes.
Brandon has a very cynical outlook when it comes to love, but he still wishes to marry Kate. He feels they're very compatible and believes they would make a good match and could have a comfortable life. Brandon is definitely a take charge kind of guy and has a massive protective instinct when it comes to Kate. The situation they find themselves in definitely plays into his alpha male personality.
Kate and Brandon have incredible chemistry from the get-go and I enjoyed how much banter there was in their conversations. These two love to antagonize each other and tend to be very playful. Their physical chemistry was off the charts and when that aspect of their relationship is expanded on, I was loving it. These two simply click in their bedroom scenes and I definitely bought into their romance very quickly.
The pacing in this book is definitely the best in the series and the plot moves fairly quickly. My favorite parts of the book were after the characters went to France to begin the search for her parents' sunken ship. I mean who doesn't love pirates and searches for treasure with the hint of danger at every turn? Plus, Brandon being connected to the pirates in France was a nice twist.
My Fair Lover did inspire me to look into the myth of Pygmalion, which I was unaware of prior to starting this book. I love when books inspire me to learn more about something in the book. Overall, I definitely recommend checking out this book and the rest of the series if you're looking for a great historical romance series.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
August 30, 2017
He could teach her about passion, but she would teach him to love.
Brandon did the honorable thing six years ago and turned down Kate. Although he had always been drawn to the outspoken and witty girl, the war and his family called him back to America. But now he’s back, having recently inherited an English barony. He’s back to stay and ready to settle down. For years, his memories of Kate lingered and although he doesn’t believe in love, Brandon is determined to find out if what he felt for Kate is still as strong as he remembers.
All he has to do is get close to a wary Kate, earn her trust and convince her that even without love, they can still be good together.
Kate grew up with tales of her parents grand love affair and after seeing her family and friends fall love and start new lives and grew their own families, she finds it easy enough to hold out for her own one true love. Six years ago she thought she’d found it with Brandon. He had seen more than just a pretty face and her social connections, but the sting of his rejection still has the power to make her feel edgy and restless. She agrees to help Brandon conform to his new social standing and find him an appropriate wife but also to prove to herself once and for all that she’s over him.
But things don’t go exactly according to plan...
It’s not long before Kate realizes she’s not ready to throw in the towel if it means giving up on the love of her life and Brandon learns that if anyone can teach him to love, it’s Kate.
What I liked:
This was such a sweet 2nd chance romance that had very little angst, no unnecessary drama and two MCs who genuinely cared and respected each other. There was no hurtful accusations or manipulations. It was two adults who cared enough about each other to talk and communicate and open themselves up to love.
It was a super easy romantic read that left a smile on my face :)
What I didn't like:
I felt the side story between a secondary character, Louvel and his mistress turned fiancé was kind of a downer. Granted Kate plays matchmaker to get them together but I didn’t understand why? Why would you want to help such a dishonorable person get the girl? Honestly, I could have done without that little detour but overall, it didn’t affect my love for the main romance/characters.
Favorite Line(s):
Memorable Moments:
Nicole Jordan has always written really sensual and heated love scenes and My Fair Lover is no exception!
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
SAFETY
Brandon did the honorable thing six years ago and turned down Kate. Although he had always been drawn to the outspoken and witty girl, the war and his family called him back to America. But now he’s back, having recently inherited an English barony. He’s back to stay and ready to settle down. For years, his memories of Kate lingered and although he doesn’t believe in love, Brandon is determined to find out if what he felt for Kate is still as strong as he remembers.
All he has to do is get close to a wary Kate, earn her trust and convince her that even without love, they can still be good together.
Kate grew up with tales of her parents grand love affair and after seeing her family and friends fall love and start new lives and grew their own families, she finds it easy enough to hold out for her own one true love. Six years ago she thought she’d found it with Brandon. He had seen more than just a pretty face and her social connections, but the sting of his rejection still has the power to make her feel edgy and restless. She agrees to help Brandon conform to his new social standing and find him an appropriate wife but also to prove to herself once and for all that she’s over him.
But things don’t go exactly according to plan...
It’s not long before Kate realizes she’s not ready to throw in the towel if it means giving up on the love of her life and Brandon learns that if anyone can teach him to love, it’s Kate.
What I liked:
This was such a sweet 2nd chance romance that had very little angst, no unnecessary drama and two MCs who genuinely cared and respected each other. There was no hurtful accusations or manipulations. It was two adults who cared enough about each other to talk and communicate and open themselves up to love.
It was a super easy romantic read that left a smile on my face :)
What I didn't like:
I felt the side story between a secondary character, Louvel and his mistress turned fiancé was kind of a downer. Granted Kate plays matchmaker to get them together but I didn’t understand why? Why would you want to help such a dishonorable person get the girl? Honestly, I could have done without that little detour but overall, it didn’t affect my love for the main romance/characters.
Favorite Line(s):
”Love is kind and generous and unselfish and self-sacrificing, powerful and wholly consuming. It makes you feel complete and fulfilled . . . Put another way, you can’t imagine living your life without the other.”
Memorable Moments:
Nicole Jordan has always written really sensual and heated love scenes and My Fair Lover is no exception!
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
SAFETY
September 14, 2019
2.5
This book has quite a number of seduction/love scenes. There's even a dry humping scene! That's the first time I've ever read in an HR. I don't usually like this narrator, but she did really well this time.
This book has quite a number of seduction/love scenes. There's even a dry humping scene! That's the first time I've ever read in an HR. I don't usually like this narrator, but she did really well this time.
Read
October 8, 2017DNF.
May 5, 2017
3.5/5. For me, Nicole Jordan has had moments of brilliance interspersed between quite lack-lustre offerings and this one sits somewhere in between. The hero, an American shipping company owner with English blood, returns back to England following his inheritance of some a respectable English barony. Brandon Deverill recruits Lady Katherine Wilde to help him transform into a proper English lord supposedly in order to woo an appropriate English lady and settle down into dutiful service to his new title and estate. Kate is no longer the wild girl who propositioned and was turned down by him six years earlier, when he left English shores to return back to fight for America against the English. She is still beautiful but is now all that is proper and restrained, and he longs to unveil the passionate girl he regretfully left behind for country and duty years earlier. But Kate, once burned, twice shy, is reluctant to show her feelings and is determined to keep him at arms length while throwing various prospective brides at him. So far, so good.
Unfortunately, the story and characters got a bit muddled up and inconsistent, especially once they decided to get provisionally/conditionally engaged. Example, after their first bedding, he avoided sleeping with her until she wanted him for more than his body and agreed to marry him, even though he already said he is not capable of loving her. She, on the other hand, wanted to sleep with him, even though she didn't want to marry him, despite still being in love with him. It just did my head in, this ping pong action and reaction and twisted motivations. Then they went away unchaperoned together engaged, but yet not to be married, compromised for sure by all definitions in those days, but still he refused to sleep with her (again) for the sake of propriety, never mind they shared house and who would believe they did not share more. Why would her aunt give her blessings for Kate to go and fool around with Deverill without committing herself in marriage?
This was an ARC provided by Net Galley.
Unfortunately, the story and characters got a bit muddled up and inconsistent, especially once they decided to get provisionally/conditionally engaged. Example, after their first bedding, he avoided sleeping with her until she wanted him for more than his body and agreed to marry him, even though he already said he is not capable of loving her. She, on the other hand, wanted to sleep with him, even though she didn't want to marry him, despite still being in love with him. It just did my head in, this ping pong action and reaction and twisted motivations. Then they went away unchaperoned together engaged, but yet not to be married, compromised for sure by all definitions in those days, but still he refused to sleep with her (again) for the sake of propriety, never mind they shared house and who would believe they did not share more. Why would her aunt give her blessings for Kate to go and fool around with Deverill without committing herself in marriage?
This was an ARC provided by Net Galley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
My review cross-posted from
Wit and Sin
Six years ago Lady Katherine Wilde was in love with Brandon Deverill and attempted to seduce him. At the time he was about to leave to fight in a war against the British, so Deverill chose to do the honorable thing and turn her away. Now there’s peace between their countries and Deverill has inherited a title, which means he needs a suitable wife. Who better to find him a wife than consummate matchmaker Kate Wilde? Kate agrees to his plan in exchange for Deverill taking her to France and helping her search for what’s left of the ship her parents died on. She will model Deverill into the ideal English gentleman and introduce him to the perfect candidates for matrimony. What she doesn’t know is that he has no plans to mold himself into the perfect husband for some strange woman – he fully plans on seducing and wedding Kate. All he needs to do is convince her to give him a second chance and they could have a love that is truly legendary.
The ultimate matchmaker finally meets her match in My Fair Lover . Though this fifth book in Nicole Jordan’s Legendary Lovers series gives a few nods to the story of Pygmalion, Kate and Deverill’s story is more of a second chance romance than a twist on a literary legend. As I happen to be a sucker for a good second chance romance, I didn’t really mind this, particularly since My Fair Lover started out with such promise.
Deverill and Kate have fantastic chemistry at the start of the book. She is determined to be proper and not to let him seduce her, while he is equally determined to tempt her, challenge her, and ultimately win her back. Their back-and-forth was charming and the dialogue was flirty and fun. But once things started to get steamy between Kate and Deverill, the book, well, lost its steam. The obstacles in the way of their happily ever after – both internal and external – felt a bit forced as it was clear the two were meant to be together, wanted to be together, and the reasons they weren’t were fairly thin. The snappy connection that characterized Kate and Deverill’s relationship in the beginning gave way to sensual scenes that were entertaining but not as original or fun. In addition, the storyline involving Kate’s search for her parents’ sunken ship, a pirate with a grudge against Deverill, and the pirate’s lovelorn mistress just fell flat. Perhaps a shorter format would have served the characters better, but as it stands Kate and Deverill were delightful together and I was rooting for them to get their happily ever after. So while My Fair Lover had its ups and downs for me, I did finish the story a satisfied reader.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Six years ago Lady Katherine Wilde was in love with Brandon Deverill and attempted to seduce him. At the time he was about to leave to fight in a war against the British, so Deverill chose to do the honorable thing and turn her away. Now there’s peace between their countries and Deverill has inherited a title, which means he needs a suitable wife. Who better to find him a wife than consummate matchmaker Kate Wilde? Kate agrees to his plan in exchange for Deverill taking her to France and helping her search for what’s left of the ship her parents died on. She will model Deverill into the ideal English gentleman and introduce him to the perfect candidates for matrimony. What she doesn’t know is that he has no plans to mold himself into the perfect husband for some strange woman – he fully plans on seducing and wedding Kate. All he needs to do is convince her to give him a second chance and they could have a love that is truly legendary.
The ultimate matchmaker finally meets her match in My Fair Lover . Though this fifth book in Nicole Jordan’s Legendary Lovers series gives a few nods to the story of Pygmalion, Kate and Deverill’s story is more of a second chance romance than a twist on a literary legend. As I happen to be a sucker for a good second chance romance, I didn’t really mind this, particularly since My Fair Lover started out with such promise.
Deverill and Kate have fantastic chemistry at the start of the book. She is determined to be proper and not to let him seduce her, while he is equally determined to tempt her, challenge her, and ultimately win her back. Their back-and-forth was charming and the dialogue was flirty and fun. But once things started to get steamy between Kate and Deverill, the book, well, lost its steam. The obstacles in the way of their happily ever after – both internal and external – felt a bit forced as it was clear the two were meant to be together, wanted to be together, and the reasons they weren’t were fairly thin. The snappy connection that characterized Kate and Deverill’s relationship in the beginning gave way to sensual scenes that were entertaining but not as original or fun. In addition, the storyline involving Kate’s search for her parents’ sunken ship, a pirate with a grudge against Deverill, and the pirate’s lovelorn mistress just fell flat. Perhaps a shorter format would have served the characters better, but as it stands Kate and Deverill were delightful together and I was rooting for them to get their happily ever after. So while My Fair Lover had its ups and downs for me, I did finish the story a satisfied reader.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 13, 2017
Nicole Jordan never disappoints! I loved this book, it has everything I like in a historical romance - a possessive, determined hero, a smart, equally determined heroine, hot love scenes, action, adventure and a soulmate type love!
Lady Kate Wilde has been recruited to help Brandon Deverill, newly minted Baron Valmere find a bride. Six years ago Kate had hoped to be that bride, but Deverill made it clear that she was not the woman for him. Kate has convinced herself that she is over Deverill and she will prove it by finding him the perfect bride. So Kate agrees to help him find a bride and settle into society, but she wants him to take here to France and help her finally put her parents to rest. Deverill agrees to her terms, but what she doesn't know is Deverill has already chosen his bride...Kate.
Six years ago Deverill turned Kate away in an attempt to be honorable, he was leaving for war and with the uncertainty of his fate, he couldn't leave her ruined if he did not return. But now he is ready to claim her. When he begins his sensual onslaught, she informs him that she will not marry without love. Taken aback, Deverill has to change tactics - he knows he wants Kate, but he doesn't know if he is capable of love.
The first half of the book is entertaining, with Deverill trying to seduce Kate and Kate trying to resist and find him a bride. Finally, she accepts that she wants him for herself and agrees to a temporary betrothal. She hopes that when they spend time together in France, she will be able to make him fall in love with her. Deverill also has a plan, he will use the time to woo Kate and hopefully make her agree to marry without the promise of love.
When they get to France an old nemesis is the only one who can help them find the shipwreck they seek and Deverill has to form a truce with him to keep his promise to Kate. Kate and Deverill spend their time growing closer and Kate hopes that love will bloom, but once their mission is over, she knows that she is in love with him, but he does not return those feelings, so with a heavy heart she tells him that she cannot marry him. Surprisingly Deverill accepts the broken betrothal without any argument and proceeds to settle their affairs in France.
With their business settled, Deverill's nemesis strikes out at him and when Kate attempts to save him, she too is captured. It seems like the end for them until help comes from a most unlikely source.
I really loved this book, it is well written, flows perfectly, it's steamy, it has a lot of witty banter, pirates, shipwrecks, likable characters, action and a well earned HEA. I am sorry that this series is over, but I can't wait to see what Ms. Jordan has in store for us next! I would happily recommend this book, it is the fifth book in a series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to my by NetGalley and the publisher*
Lady Kate Wilde has been recruited to help Brandon Deverill, newly minted Baron Valmere find a bride. Six years ago Kate had hoped to be that bride, but Deverill made it clear that she was not the woman for him. Kate has convinced herself that she is over Deverill and she will prove it by finding him the perfect bride. So Kate agrees to help him find a bride and settle into society, but she wants him to take here to France and help her finally put her parents to rest. Deverill agrees to her terms, but what she doesn't know is Deverill has already chosen his bride...Kate.
Six years ago Deverill turned Kate away in an attempt to be honorable, he was leaving for war and with the uncertainty of his fate, he couldn't leave her ruined if he did not return. But now he is ready to claim her. When he begins his sensual onslaught, she informs him that she will not marry without love. Taken aback, Deverill has to change tactics - he knows he wants Kate, but he doesn't know if he is capable of love.
The first half of the book is entertaining, with Deverill trying to seduce Kate and Kate trying to resist and find him a bride. Finally, she accepts that she wants him for herself and agrees to a temporary betrothal. She hopes that when they spend time together in France, she will be able to make him fall in love with her. Deverill also has a plan, he will use the time to woo Kate and hopefully make her agree to marry without the promise of love.
When they get to France an old nemesis is the only one who can help them find the shipwreck they seek and Deverill has to form a truce with him to keep his promise to Kate. Kate and Deverill spend their time growing closer and Kate hopes that love will bloom, but once their mission is over, she knows that she is in love with him, but he does not return those feelings, so with a heavy heart she tells him that she cannot marry him. Surprisingly Deverill accepts the broken betrothal without any argument and proceeds to settle their affairs in France.
With their business settled, Deverill's nemesis strikes out at him and when Kate attempts to save him, she too is captured. It seems like the end for them until help comes from a most unlikely source.
I really loved this book, it is well written, flows perfectly, it's steamy, it has a lot of witty banter, pirates, shipwrecks, likable characters, action and a well earned HEA. I am sorry that this series is over, but I can't wait to see what Ms. Jordan has in store for us next! I would happily recommend this book, it is the fifth book in a series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to my by NetGalley and the publisher*
July 22, 2017
Series: Legendary Lovers #5
Publication Date: 8/29/17
Delightfully enthralling tale of love tempered with wit and adventure. Nicole Jordan has added another delightful read to the Legendary Lovers series.
Brandon Deverill is in love with Lady Katherine Wilde – but he doesn’t know it and neither does she. She loves him too – and she doesn’t know it and neither does he. What a delightful, tangled, twisted set of emotions these two unleash on each other.
The one sure thing is – Brandon wants Katherine and has for several years. He’s American, but he has English relatives and was in England visiting those relatives when he met Katherine’s family and became close friends with them. However, being the honorable man he is, he made the decision to return to America and fight on the side of his country in the War of 1812. During all the time he was gone he never forgot Katherine and wanted to go back and claim her for his own. Then, his relative passed away and Brandon inherited a title. He could care less about the title, but it gave him just the excuse he needed to go back to England and marry Katherine.
You’ll absolutely love Kate’s matchmaking family and the stunts they pull to get Brandon and Kate together. You’ve met them if you read the other books in the series, but if you haven’t, you’ll get to catch up with them in this book.
Kate is a little spitfire who wants absolutely nothing to do with Brandon Deverill. You see, like the honorable gentleman he is, he spurned her advances on the night before he left for America and she will absolutely never forgive him. However, when Kate’s very-much-loved aunt asks Kate to fill in for her in helping Brandon gain some polish and find a bride, Kate can hardly refuse because the aunt has been unavoidably detained at a lying-in.
Sparks fly as the two of them square off and do their best to keep their jealousy from showing as the other dances and flirts with others. Brandon has absolutely no intention of finding any bride other than Kate, but watching him convince her is wholly entertaining.
Then comes the adventure – a trip to France and an encounter with a pirate with whom Brandon has a history. Will they escape in one piece – if they do, it will be a close call.
I hope you’ll give this delightful, can’t-put-it-down book a try – I am sure you’ll enjoy it.
"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."
Publication Date: 8/29/17
Delightfully enthralling tale of love tempered with wit and adventure. Nicole Jordan has added another delightful read to the Legendary Lovers series.
Brandon Deverill is in love with Lady Katherine Wilde – but he doesn’t know it and neither does she. She loves him too – and she doesn’t know it and neither does he. What a delightful, tangled, twisted set of emotions these two unleash on each other.
The one sure thing is – Brandon wants Katherine and has for several years. He’s American, but he has English relatives and was in England visiting those relatives when he met Katherine’s family and became close friends with them. However, being the honorable man he is, he made the decision to return to America and fight on the side of his country in the War of 1812. During all the time he was gone he never forgot Katherine and wanted to go back and claim her for his own. Then, his relative passed away and Brandon inherited a title. He could care less about the title, but it gave him just the excuse he needed to go back to England and marry Katherine.
You’ll absolutely love Kate’s matchmaking family and the stunts they pull to get Brandon and Kate together. You’ve met them if you read the other books in the series, but if you haven’t, you’ll get to catch up with them in this book.
Kate is a little spitfire who wants absolutely nothing to do with Brandon Deverill. You see, like the honorable gentleman he is, he spurned her advances on the night before he left for America and she will absolutely never forgive him. However, when Kate’s very-much-loved aunt asks Kate to fill in for her in helping Brandon gain some polish and find a bride, Kate can hardly refuse because the aunt has been unavoidably detained at a lying-in.
Sparks fly as the two of them square off and do their best to keep their jealousy from showing as the other dances and flirts with others. Brandon has absolutely no intention of finding any bride other than Kate, but watching him convince her is wholly entertaining.
Then comes the adventure – a trip to France and an encounter with a pirate with whom Brandon has a history. Will they escape in one piece – if they do, it will be a close call.
I hope you’ll give this delightful, can’t-put-it-down book a try – I am sure you’ll enjoy it.
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
September 3, 2017
My Fair Lover is intended to be a gender-reversed, Regency version of Pygmalion. Lady Katherine Wilde is a darling of the ton, and just the woman Brandon Deverill, newly minted Earl and former American privateer, needs to teach him to fit into the ways of London high society.
The problem is that they have History. Six years ago, Kate had such a huge crush on Deverill she attempted to seduce him by putting herself naked in his bed. Knowing that he had to leave for the Americas, Deverill did the honourable thing and refused her.
As far as I can tell, that was his first and last honourable act, because throughout this entire book, he behaves like a complete and utter boor. He asks Kate for her advice and doesn't listen to her about anything. He flat out lies to her face any number of times, asking her to help him find a bride while scheming behind her back with her family. He decides that he's going to marry Kate despite knowing that she wants to marry for love, knowing that he doesn't love her and believing himself not capable of it.
Honestly, by this time, I've seen the 'my parents didn't love each other so I don't know How To Love!" hero so many times I could predict the plot as soon as I read that line. (Funny how it's never the heroine from an abusive family who thinks she's incapable of love, isn't it? But I digress.)
For a supposedly strong-willed, independent, wealthy and beautiful woman who has been out in society for a number of years, Kate behaves like a complete ninny. Surely by this time she's learned to recognize when a man is intent on seduction? But again and again she lets Deverill do whatever he wants with her, so overwhelmed by her attraction to him that she apparently forgets all her common sense.
It was all just so predictable. I found myself skimming whole chunks with 'blah blah' running through my head. Nicole Jordan is a top-notch writer, but this seriously felt like she grabbed a bunch of tropes, mixed them up in a blender, and wrote to order whatever came out. Unexpectedly inherited title? Check! Strong sassy heroine who can't help herself when it comes to the hero? Check! He's a pirate too? Check! Don't forget the Other Pirate With A Grudge Over A Woman! Check!
Blah. Blah. Blah.
When you're one of the top writers in the field of Regency Romance, your readers expect better than getting to the end of the book with a feeling of relief that it's finally over.
Two stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
The problem is that they have History. Six years ago, Kate had such a huge crush on Deverill she attempted to seduce him by putting herself naked in his bed. Knowing that he had to leave for the Americas, Deverill did the honourable thing and refused her.
As far as I can tell, that was his first and last honourable act, because throughout this entire book, he behaves like a complete and utter boor. He asks Kate for her advice and doesn't listen to her about anything. He flat out lies to her face any number of times, asking her to help him find a bride while scheming behind her back with her family. He decides that he's going to marry Kate despite knowing that she wants to marry for love, knowing that he doesn't love her and believing himself not capable of it.
Honestly, by this time, I've seen the 'my parents didn't love each other so I don't know How To Love!" hero so many times I could predict the plot as soon as I read that line. (Funny how it's never the heroine from an abusive family who thinks she's incapable of love, isn't it? But I digress.)
For a supposedly strong-willed, independent, wealthy and beautiful woman who has been out in society for a number of years, Kate behaves like a complete ninny. Surely by this time she's learned to recognize when a man is intent on seduction? But again and again she lets Deverill do whatever he wants with her, so overwhelmed by her attraction to him that she apparently forgets all her common sense.
It was all just so predictable. I found myself skimming whole chunks with 'blah blah' running through my head. Nicole Jordan is a top-notch writer, but this seriously felt like she grabbed a bunch of tropes, mixed them up in a blender, and wrote to order whatever came out. Unexpectedly inherited title? Check! Strong sassy heroine who can't help herself when it comes to the hero? Check! He's a pirate too? Check! Don't forget the Other Pirate With A Grudge Over A Woman! Check!
Blah. Blah. Blah.
When you're one of the top writers in the field of Regency Romance, your readers expect better than getting to the end of the book with a feeling of relief that it's finally over.
Two stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
August 29, 2017
ARC REVIEW
My Fair Lover is book five in Nicole Jordan's Legendary Lovers series. It's fine to read as a stand alone, I haven't read any of the others and I was able to follow just fine. It was quite amusing to find out the matchmaker in the other book is the main character in this book. Normally I love Pygmalion/ My Fair Lady type tropes but this one fell flat a little for me. Brandon kept annoying me throughout the whole book, I kept wanting to scream at him that he does love her, what he's feeling is love; the big dolt. Kate was nice but there wasn't anything really to make her stand out other than being the matchmaker. the ending did have a bit of excitement that I did enjoy but the romance was just okay.
Brandon Deverill just inherited a title, a family friend suggested he talk to Lady Katherine Wilde and get some refinement and have her find him an appropriate wife. Brandon has already decided to marry Kate, if he can get her to forgive him for spurning her six years ago. Brandon doesn't believe in love but Kate won't marry without it. Brandon makes a deal with Kate that she helps him find a wife and he'll help her find the sunken boat off the coast of France that killed parents. But while she's trying to find him a match he's working to figure out a way to get her to agree to marry him.
Overall, aside from Brandon being kind of annoying to me the rest of the characters were entertaining. I just wish the romance and the chemistry between Brandon and Kate was more.
My Fair Lover is book five in Nicole Jordan's Legendary Lovers series. It's fine to read as a stand alone, I haven't read any of the others and I was able to follow just fine. It was quite amusing to find out the matchmaker in the other book is the main character in this book. Normally I love Pygmalion/ My Fair Lady type tropes but this one fell flat a little for me. Brandon kept annoying me throughout the whole book, I kept wanting to scream at him that he does love her, what he's feeling is love; the big dolt. Kate was nice but there wasn't anything really to make her stand out other than being the matchmaker. the ending did have a bit of excitement that I did enjoy but the romance was just okay.
Brandon Deverill just inherited a title, a family friend suggested he talk to Lady Katherine Wilde and get some refinement and have her find him an appropriate wife. Brandon has already decided to marry Kate, if he can get her to forgive him for spurning her six years ago. Brandon doesn't believe in love but Kate won't marry without it. Brandon makes a deal with Kate that she helps him find a wife and he'll help her find the sunken boat off the coast of France that killed parents. But while she's trying to find him a match he's working to figure out a way to get her to agree to marry him.
Overall, aside from Brandon being kind of annoying to me the rest of the characters were entertaining. I just wish the romance and the chemistry between Brandon and Kate was more.
July 27, 2017
What could be better than a regency romance? A regency romance with pirates, sunken treasure, and a boatload of passion, of course. #5 in Nicole Jordan’s Legendary Lovers series, My Fair Lover is a sizzling adventure across land and sea.
Lady Katherine Wilde has been the consummate matchmaker for family and friends but she’s never found her own love. She thought she had 6 years ago in Brandon Deverill. She’d thrown herself at him but he’d rebuffed her, wounding her heart and her pride. Now he’d returned from the war he’d left her to fight. No longer a rake but an English Lord. Kate had vowed to have nothing to do with him ever again, but her aunt had asked for Kate’s help introducing Brandon into society and helping him find a suitable wife. Perhaps by helping him find his own love, she could purge him from her heart for good.
When Kate sees Brandon again though, it’s immediately clear to her that she’s not over the bold American seafarer. It’s also clear to Brandon that his desire for Kate has never ebbed. But Kate will only marry for love and Brandon doesn’t believe himself capable of that emotion. In spite of her feelings and her pride, Kate agrees to help Brandon find a bride if he’ll escort her to France to recover the shipwreck that claimed her parents years ago. And so their adventure begins taking them from London society, to the high seas, to the beaches of France. And even as the attraction between them is undeniable and out of control, they both try to deny the inevitable.
Kate and Brandon were engaging characters. They were oblivious to each other’s true feelings and often to their own. Kate had no intention of marrying without true love and no one had ever lived up to her memories of Brandon. She thought she could purge him from her heart by helping him find a match but matchmaking wasn’t an easy task when your own heart was involved. She couldn’t help but feel protective and jealous. And she couldn’t help the wanton way her body responded to Brandon’s kisses and touches. She didn’t trust herself to be alone with him and she didn’t trust him not to take advantage of the profound weakness she had for him.
Brandon had wanted Kate for years. He’d turned her away that night, not wanting to take her innocence before leaving for war. Thoughts of her had gotten him through a terrible time in his life. He fiercely wanted Kate but Kate wanted love and after the horrors of war and his own parents’ loveless marriage, he didn’t think that was possible for him. But if he wanted Kate, he knew he’d have to show her that he could be everything else she wanted in a man. Hopefully he could convince her that was enough.
As their adventure progresses and danger comes closer, they realize they could lose each other. There’s nothing like imagining a life without the other to make your true feelings become more clear. There was great chemistry between these two and I enjoyed their battle of wits. They were a well matched couple that just needed a little time and a little danger to figure it all out. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.
Lady Katherine Wilde has been the consummate matchmaker for family and friends but she’s never found her own love. She thought she had 6 years ago in Brandon Deverill. She’d thrown herself at him but he’d rebuffed her, wounding her heart and her pride. Now he’d returned from the war he’d left her to fight. No longer a rake but an English Lord. Kate had vowed to have nothing to do with him ever again, but her aunt had asked for Kate’s help introducing Brandon into society and helping him find a suitable wife. Perhaps by helping him find his own love, she could purge him from her heart for good.
When Kate sees Brandon again though, it’s immediately clear to her that she’s not over the bold American seafarer. It’s also clear to Brandon that his desire for Kate has never ebbed. But Kate will only marry for love and Brandon doesn’t believe himself capable of that emotion. In spite of her feelings and her pride, Kate agrees to help Brandon find a bride if he’ll escort her to France to recover the shipwreck that claimed her parents years ago. And so their adventure begins taking them from London society, to the high seas, to the beaches of France. And even as the attraction between them is undeniable and out of control, they both try to deny the inevitable.
Kate and Brandon were engaging characters. They were oblivious to each other’s true feelings and often to their own. Kate had no intention of marrying without true love and no one had ever lived up to her memories of Brandon. She thought she could purge him from her heart by helping him find a match but matchmaking wasn’t an easy task when your own heart was involved. She couldn’t help but feel protective and jealous. And she couldn’t help the wanton way her body responded to Brandon’s kisses and touches. She didn’t trust herself to be alone with him and she didn’t trust him not to take advantage of the profound weakness she had for him.
Brandon had wanted Kate for years. He’d turned her away that night, not wanting to take her innocence before leaving for war. Thoughts of her had gotten him through a terrible time in his life. He fiercely wanted Kate but Kate wanted love and after the horrors of war and his own parents’ loveless marriage, he didn’t think that was possible for him. But if he wanted Kate, he knew he’d have to show her that he could be everything else she wanted in a man. Hopefully he could convince her that was enough.
As their adventure progresses and danger comes closer, they realize they could lose each other. There’s nothing like imagining a life without the other to make your true feelings become more clear. There was great chemistry between these two and I enjoyed their battle of wits. They were a well matched couple that just needed a little time and a little danger to figure it all out. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.
August 29, 2017
My Fair Lover is the first book I have read by Nicole Jordan but it won’t be the last. I have been in a historical romance mood lately and this book came to my attention at just the right time. Even though this is the 5th book in the Legendary Lovers series, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read the first four.
Lady Katherine Wilde is well known among the rich and titled of London. She is rich and beautiful but holding out for the one thing she isn’t sure she will ever find...true love. Katherine is also still single. When she took a chance on Brandon Deverill six years ago and he spurned her, she realized that she wouldn’t compromise on her wish for true love. Now, Brandon is back in London and Katherine has made a deal with him that will make them both realize how right they are for each other.
When Brandon left England, he was headed into battle and knew he couldn’t compromise Katherine and just leave. Now that Brandon is back to claim his title, he needs help to be more of an English nobleman and less of a privateer. This includes his need for a wife. When Brandon comes face to face with Katherine, he knows she is the one he wants…he just has to convince her of the same thing.
The relationship and banter between these two characters was good and the overarching story was about more than just the romance. Part of the deal was that in exchange for Katherine helping Brandon be more of a gentleman, Brandon was going to help Katherine hunt down the ship her parents died on so she could see if she could recover some family treasure. It is during the trip where we see the relationship between these two characters change / progress and they also come to realize just how much they care about each other.
There were a number of other characters who helped to move the story along. While in France they had to work closely with someone who Brandon knows from his privateer days and of course, they don’t have a good relationship which makes for some interesting turns within the story. Katherine’s family members involved in helping Brandon win her over were a great add as well.
Overall I enjoyed the story that Jordan wrote and I will definitely be checking out other books by her. If you are looking for a quick historical romance that will have you wondering how things will go, check this one out.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
Lady Katherine Wilde is well known among the rich and titled of London. She is rich and beautiful but holding out for the one thing she isn’t sure she will ever find...true love. Katherine is also still single. When she took a chance on Brandon Deverill six years ago and he spurned her, she realized that she wouldn’t compromise on her wish for true love. Now, Brandon is back in London and Katherine has made a deal with him that will make them both realize how right they are for each other.
When Brandon left England, he was headed into battle and knew he couldn’t compromise Katherine and just leave. Now that Brandon is back to claim his title, he needs help to be more of an English nobleman and less of a privateer. This includes his need for a wife. When Brandon comes face to face with Katherine, he knows she is the one he wants…he just has to convince her of the same thing.
The relationship and banter between these two characters was good and the overarching story was about more than just the romance. Part of the deal was that in exchange for Katherine helping Brandon be more of a gentleman, Brandon was going to help Katherine hunt down the ship her parents died on so she could see if she could recover some family treasure. It is during the trip where we see the relationship between these two characters change / progress and they also come to realize just how much they care about each other.
There were a number of other characters who helped to move the story along. While in France they had to work closely with someone who Brandon knows from his privateer days and of course, they don’t have a good relationship which makes for some interesting turns within the story. Katherine’s family members involved in helping Brandon win her over were a great add as well.
Overall I enjoyed the story that Jordan wrote and I will definitely be checking out other books by her. If you are looking for a quick historical romance that will have you wondering how things will go, check this one out.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
September 15, 2019
Got halfway, decided I had better things to do
I would like to thank Nicole Jordan, Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t finish the book. I started it two weeks ago (three weeks ago? I don’t remember) and kept telling myself I needed to read it and get it over with (not what a reader should think, huh?), so yesterday I picked it up again and tried to get into it, but I couldn’t. I was just about halfway, trudging along, when I suddenly thought—I don’t have time to read a story about characters I couldn’t care less about. So, I stopped.
It may not be fair to judge a book I didn’t read in its entirety, but I figure an error can only be corrected if it’s known that an error occurred. If I just shrug off the book, I feel like I’m taking the publisher’s ARC for granted and not being a productive member of the NetGalley community. So, for what it’s worth, here’s what I thought of the almost-half I read.
The plot’s simple enough—two old flames reignite after years apart. I didn’t have a problem with the basic premise itself… I was more exasperated by the characters, particularly the hero, and the choices they made. I felt Brandon Deverill was an insufferably selfish, arrogant prick. And Kate…*sigh* Conceptually, Kate Wilde was a great heroine, except her personality and professed attitudes were rather contrary to her actions, and I became impatient with her.
So they knew each other as late teens/young adults, like eighteen or twenty, and spent some time together. She developed a major crush on him, thought she loved him—but the war (of 1812, I believe) comes between them, sending him home to fight as an American. The night before he was to leave, she made a desperate attempt to demonstrate how much she loved him—by stripping down and climbing into his bed, ready and willing. With honorable intentions, he rejects her, obliterating her pride and her heart with a few simple words. She vows to get over the SOB, and he goes off to war.
Six years pass. The war’s over, and Deverill, despite being American, has inherited a title in England (I never did understand how that happened; admittedly it may have been a part I skipped because I was bored.) In order to become a proper English gentleman and gain the respect of society, he needed an advantageous marriage. Kate, as it happens, is something of a successful matchmaker, so she’s asked to set him up. When she meets him again, she realizes she’s just as in love with/turned on by him as ever, and she’s determined to ignore her feelings because, last she knew, he didn’t want anything more from her than casual friendship. Deverill, on the other hand, decides this is his opportunity to be with Kate after saving her virtue six years ago and thinking about her every moment since.
Sounds solid, right? Logically, Deverill would ascertain her availability, apologize, and announce his intentions to court her with the object of marriage. She’d have rejected him in turn, of course, but if handled with maturity and a bit of perseverance on his part, I am 100% certain she’d have come around and they’d have lived happily ever after.
But that would have been faaaaaar too easy and rational. Instead, while Kate tries to ignore her attraction to him—as anyone would; fool me once and all that—and match him with an ideal bride, Brandon begins to scheme. See, he can’t simply apologize and try to move forward, saving everyone time and effort. No, he doesn’t believe he’s capable of love, because of some crap about his parents’ marriage being a cold business arrangement—somehow he got it in his head that he’d inherited their coldness… I don’t know, it was really stupid. But because he doesn’t think he can love her, he knows he’s not good enough for her—but he still wants her and only her. I don’t know why; I can only guess he figures she’s hot, they’re already acquainted, and she’s advantageously positioned in society, so why not?
Wait, excuse me, it’s NOT about conveniece. He even says so himself: “You would hardly be convenient.”
Except…in the same paragraph he concludes: “And in some ways, you would be the easiest choice for my bride. For one thing, you could effortlessly assume the role of my baroness.”
No, she was not convenient at all.
So he creates this game for himself, one where he’s the only player and there are no rules. The goal: to win Kate (ie, get her to marry him). He ferrets out information through conversation and learns that romance is important to her and she won’t marry for anything less than true love. That doesn’t help his goal, so he ignores her wishes and does his best to seduce her, because she’d pant at his heels once she’d had a taste of his prowess. Yeah, essentially, he tries to get her to marry his dick. Then he’d have her, just like he wanted, never mind all that love crap she’s always spewing. But Kate spits out that taste of prowess—thank god—and insists she wants his love, not just sex. So he finally resigns himself to the whole love thing, because at that point, his entire focus is getting in her pants. Or under her chemise, as it were.
He laments society’s double standard for men and women regarding casual sex, though only because it’s cock-blocking him. At the same time, he expects sex to make her fall in love with him, though he’s never loved anyone he’s had sex with, creating his own double standard regarding sex. Do you see what I mean about the selfishness and arrogance?
That’s where I stopped, so I’m not sure how it ended up, and honestly I don’t care. His ego was suffocating me. And unfortunately, Kate wasn’t blameless. I know I made it sound as though she stood her ground and held firm conviction in her beliefs, and she did…sometimes. Like I said, Kate seemed to have the right attitude, but her actions often contradicted it. Though she was determined to resist him at the beginning, when she thought he didn’t care about her, she sure didn’t seem to try very hard. She was ready to make babies as soon as he kissed her, she missed him with complete preoccupation when he was away, and got into cat fights when other women showed interest in him.
But before all that, I have a hard time believing that a heroine as supposedly strong, driven, and independent as Kate would forsake all other relationships after he rejected her. It’s self-defeating and incongruous with her personality. A strong, driven, independent woman who values love and romance would have had a good cry, maybe wallowed in self-pity for a couple weeks, then she’d have picked herself up and moved on with another heart-melting gentleman far sooner than six years. She might have always loved Deverill in one small compartment of her heart, but she wouldn’t allow his rejection to scar her like that. Heck, she’d have appreciated his rejection eventually, recognizing in hindsight the really rash, potentially disastrous decision she’d made.
Speaking of contradicting actions and personalities—maybe Deverill was more of a gentleman six years ago, because the present Deverill would have never turned away from a naked, willing Kate. It’s almost like, at the beginning, Jordan had decent characters in mind. But when she needed to create tension and add stuffing to the story, she made them do stupid things, effectively changing them into other people.
I tried to hold out for the promise of adventure when they went in search of the shipwreck, but I just couldn’t. Not for those characters.
Oh, this could probably be read as a stand alone. I hadn’t read any of the other Legendary Lovers books and noticed minimal fan service in the first half. I could tell there were other stories, but I wasn’t beaten over the head with them.
noapologybookreviews.com
keeneyeediting.com
I would like to thank Nicole Jordan, Ballantine Books/Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t finish the book. I started it two weeks ago (three weeks ago? I don’t remember) and kept telling myself I needed to read it and get it over with (not what a reader should think, huh?), so yesterday I picked it up again and tried to get into it, but I couldn’t. I was just about halfway, trudging along, when I suddenly thought—I don’t have time to read a story about characters I couldn’t care less about. So, I stopped.
It may not be fair to judge a book I didn’t read in its entirety, but I figure an error can only be corrected if it’s known that an error occurred. If I just shrug off the book, I feel like I’m taking the publisher’s ARC for granted and not being a productive member of the NetGalley community. So, for what it’s worth, here’s what I thought of the almost-half I read.
The plot’s simple enough—two old flames reignite after years apart. I didn’t have a problem with the basic premise itself… I was more exasperated by the characters, particularly the hero, and the choices they made. I felt Brandon Deverill was an insufferably selfish, arrogant prick. And Kate…*sigh* Conceptually, Kate Wilde was a great heroine, except her personality and professed attitudes were rather contrary to her actions, and I became impatient with her.
So they knew each other as late teens/young adults, like eighteen or twenty, and spent some time together. She developed a major crush on him, thought she loved him—but the war (of 1812, I believe) comes between them, sending him home to fight as an American. The night before he was to leave, she made a desperate attempt to demonstrate how much she loved him—by stripping down and climbing into his bed, ready and willing. With honorable intentions, he rejects her, obliterating her pride and her heart with a few simple words. She vows to get over the SOB, and he goes off to war.
Six years pass. The war’s over, and Deverill, despite being American, has inherited a title in England (I never did understand how that happened; admittedly it may have been a part I skipped because I was bored.) In order to become a proper English gentleman and gain the respect of society, he needed an advantageous marriage. Kate, as it happens, is something of a successful matchmaker, so she’s asked to set him up. When she meets him again, she realizes she’s just as in love with/turned on by him as ever, and she’s determined to ignore her feelings because, last she knew, he didn’t want anything more from her than casual friendship. Deverill, on the other hand, decides this is his opportunity to be with Kate after saving her virtue six years ago and thinking about her every moment since.
Sounds solid, right? Logically, Deverill would ascertain her availability, apologize, and announce his intentions to court her with the object of marriage. She’d have rejected him in turn, of course, but if handled with maturity and a bit of perseverance on his part, I am 100% certain she’d have come around and they’d have lived happily ever after.
But that would have been faaaaaar too easy and rational. Instead, while Kate tries to ignore her attraction to him—as anyone would; fool me once and all that—and match him with an ideal bride, Brandon begins to scheme. See, he can’t simply apologize and try to move forward, saving everyone time and effort. No, he doesn’t believe he’s capable of love, because of some crap about his parents’ marriage being a cold business arrangement—somehow he got it in his head that he’d inherited their coldness… I don’t know, it was really stupid. But because he doesn’t think he can love her, he knows he’s not good enough for her—but he still wants her and only her. I don’t know why; I can only guess he figures she’s hot, they’re already acquainted, and she’s advantageously positioned in society, so why not?
Wait, excuse me, it’s NOT about conveniece. He even says so himself: “You would hardly be convenient.”
Except…in the same paragraph he concludes: “And in some ways, you would be the easiest choice for my bride. For one thing, you could effortlessly assume the role of my baroness.”
No, she was not convenient at all.
So he creates this game for himself, one where he’s the only player and there are no rules. The goal: to win Kate (ie, get her to marry him). He ferrets out information through conversation and learns that romance is important to her and she won’t marry for anything less than true love. That doesn’t help his goal, so he ignores her wishes and does his best to seduce her, because she’d pant at his heels once she’d had a taste of his prowess. Yeah, essentially, he tries to get her to marry his dick. Then he’d have her, just like he wanted, never mind all that love crap she’s always spewing. But Kate spits out that taste of prowess—thank god—and insists she wants his love, not just sex. So he finally resigns himself to the whole love thing, because at that point, his entire focus is getting in her pants. Or under her chemise, as it were.
He laments society’s double standard for men and women regarding casual sex, though only because it’s cock-blocking him. At the same time, he expects sex to make her fall in love with him, though he’s never loved anyone he’s had sex with, creating his own double standard regarding sex. Do you see what I mean about the selfishness and arrogance?
That’s where I stopped, so I’m not sure how it ended up, and honestly I don’t care. His ego was suffocating me. And unfortunately, Kate wasn’t blameless. I know I made it sound as though she stood her ground and held firm conviction in her beliefs, and she did…sometimes. Like I said, Kate seemed to have the right attitude, but her actions often contradicted it. Though she was determined to resist him at the beginning, when she thought he didn’t care about her, she sure didn’t seem to try very hard. She was ready to make babies as soon as he kissed her, she missed him with complete preoccupation when he was away, and got into cat fights when other women showed interest in him.
But before all that, I have a hard time believing that a heroine as supposedly strong, driven, and independent as Kate would forsake all other relationships after he rejected her. It’s self-defeating and incongruous with her personality. A strong, driven, independent woman who values love and romance would have had a good cry, maybe wallowed in self-pity for a couple weeks, then she’d have picked herself up and moved on with another heart-melting gentleman far sooner than six years. She might have always loved Deverill in one small compartment of her heart, but she wouldn’t allow his rejection to scar her like that. Heck, she’d have appreciated his rejection eventually, recognizing in hindsight the really rash, potentially disastrous decision she’d made.
Speaking of contradicting actions and personalities—maybe Deverill was more of a gentleman six years ago, because the present Deverill would have never turned away from a naked, willing Kate. It’s almost like, at the beginning, Jordan had decent characters in mind. But when she needed to create tension and add stuffing to the story, she made them do stupid things, effectively changing them into other people.
I tried to hold out for the promise of adventure when they went in search of the shipwreck, but I just couldn’t. Not for those characters.
Oh, this could probably be read as a stand alone. I hadn’t read any of the other Legendary Lovers books and noticed minimal fan service in the first half. I could tell there were other stories, but I wasn’t beaten over the head with them.
noapologybookreviews.com
keeneyeediting.com
April 30, 2017
I received this book from net galley for an honest review. Thank you!!
This novel was a delightful read. The pace of the novel was good and I enjoyed the batter between the two main characters. The story contains romance, action, and adventure. There is also a battle of wills and which will come out the victor, love or passion?
Lady Katherine Wilde has played matchmaker to all her family members and she desires true love. The man she thought would be her mate turned her down several years ago. She has tried to get over him, but has been unsuccessful. Now, he needs her help to conform to English society. Kate will help him, as long as she helps her come to terms with the death of her parents.
Brandon Deverill has become an English lord, even though he grew up in America and is a privateer that fought against the English. She turned Kate down years ago even though he wanted her desperately. Now, he is using the introduction to society and wife hunting rouse to get close to Kate so he can marry her. She is the only woman he wants and he will do whatever it takes, including seduction to claim her.
Both Kate and Brandon are stubborn, head-strong, and passionate individuals. Neither is willing to give the other an edge. Kate cannot deny her feelings for Brandon but wants to honor their agreement. However, when Kate realizes she wants Brandon for herself, she proposes they get engaged, get to know each other to see if they suit, and if not, call off the engagement. Brandon agrees to her plan, but has no intention of letting her go. Due to his own parents, he does not quite understand why Kate is so determined for the man to love her. Until Brandon realizes he could lose her, does he finally see what Kate truly means to him. In the mist of a betrayal, will Kate and Brandon confess to what they should have years earlier or will they never have the opportunity?
This novel was a delightful read. The pace of the novel was good and I enjoyed the batter between the two main characters. The story contains romance, action, and adventure. There is also a battle of wills and which will come out the victor, love or passion?
Lady Katherine Wilde has played matchmaker to all her family members and she desires true love. The man she thought would be her mate turned her down several years ago. She has tried to get over him, but has been unsuccessful. Now, he needs her help to conform to English society. Kate will help him, as long as she helps her come to terms with the death of her parents.
Brandon Deverill has become an English lord, even though he grew up in America and is a privateer that fought against the English. She turned Kate down years ago even though he wanted her desperately. Now, he is using the introduction to society and wife hunting rouse to get close to Kate so he can marry her. She is the only woman he wants and he will do whatever it takes, including seduction to claim her.
Both Kate and Brandon are stubborn, head-strong, and passionate individuals. Neither is willing to give the other an edge. Kate cannot deny her feelings for Brandon but wants to honor their agreement. However, when Kate realizes she wants Brandon for herself, she proposes they get engaged, get to know each other to see if they suit, and if not, call off the engagement. Brandon agrees to her plan, but has no intention of letting her go. Due to his own parents, he does not quite understand why Kate is so determined for the man to love her. Until Brandon realizes he could lose her, does he finally see what Kate truly means to him. In the mist of a betrayal, will Kate and Brandon confess to what they should have years earlier or will they never have the opportunity?
June 9, 2017
My Fair Lover was a steamy romance novel that I really enjoyed. Lady Katherine Wilde humiliated herself six years ago at the age of eighteen when she crawled into bed with Brandon Deverill only for him to turn her away. She sets out to prove she is over him. From their first meeting in six years, she realizes she is far from over him. What she does not know is that he has come home not only to take over his noble role but also to see if Katherine would be a suitable bride for him. He has plotted with Katherine's aunt to make Katherine a matchmaker for him. Katherine tries to teach him how to become a proper English nobleman so that he may secure a proper bride. Meanwhile, Deverill is trying to learn what kind of man she to marry.
As Katherine sets Deverill up with available women they begin to be attracted to each other physically and have a hard time keeping their hands off of each other. They come up with an agreement after both are eaten up with jealousy at the thought of either of them seeing another person. They come up with a temporary engagement. Katherine has told Deverill she will only marry for love but he plans to show her that physical attraction is enough. As they set out on a journey to France to help Katherine properly bury her parents, their connection deepens physically and emotionally. Deverill and Katherine learn what love is and that they cannot live without the other.
I enjoyed the characters in the book. I love watching a tough man fall in love and show tenderness to the woman he loves. Katherine is feisty and spirited, yet caring and compassionate. The book is definitely steamy and has lots of love scenes but it also has a deeper meaning to the story that makes you smile in the end.
As Katherine sets Deverill up with available women they begin to be attracted to each other physically and have a hard time keeping their hands off of each other. They come up with an agreement after both are eaten up with jealousy at the thought of either of them seeing another person. They come up with a temporary engagement. Katherine has told Deverill she will only marry for love but he plans to show her that physical attraction is enough. As they set out on a journey to France to help Katherine properly bury her parents, their connection deepens physically and emotionally. Deverill and Katherine learn what love is and that they cannot live without the other.
I enjoyed the characters in the book. I love watching a tough man fall in love and show tenderness to the woman he loves. Katherine is feisty and spirited, yet caring and compassionate. The book is definitely steamy and has lots of love scenes but it also has a deeper meaning to the story that makes you smile in the end.
August 23, 2024
Não existe melhor sensação do que ser completamente arrebatada por um romance de época 😍 e eu tinha tantas saudades disso!!!
Este livro foi, tal como o nome indica, um amor absoluto...irresistível desde a primeira página, uma aventura apaixonante que se revela ainda mais empolgante a cada novo capítulo. É uma perdição ❤️
O que une a Kate e o Deverill é algo mais complexo do que desejo e paixão...é um amor único, capaz de sobreviver à passagem do tempo e aos desgostos de amor...um amor capaz de esperar até ser hora de poder existir com toda a força e esplendor.
Amei cada instante desta história...foi de facto uma aventura ver estes dois a renderem-se um ao outro e aos seus sentimentos. O facto de ser muito mais do que um romance também foi um ponto a favor para mim 🤭 adorei o extra desta história - esta saga é mesmo diferente e aventureira.
Se querem um romance de época diferente, especial e com aventura = leiam este livro e esta saga ❤️
Este livro foi, tal como o nome indica, um amor absoluto...irresistível desde a primeira página, uma aventura apaixonante que se revela ainda mais empolgante a cada novo capítulo. É uma perdição ❤️
O que une a Kate e o Deverill é algo mais complexo do que desejo e paixão...é um amor único, capaz de sobreviver à passagem do tempo e aos desgostos de amor...um amor capaz de esperar até ser hora de poder existir com toda a força e esplendor.
Amei cada instante desta história...foi de facto uma aventura ver estes dois a renderem-se um ao outro e aos seus sentimentos. O facto de ser muito mais do que um romance também foi um ponto a favor para mim 🤭 adorei o extra desta história - esta saga é mesmo diferente e aventureira.
Se querem um romance de época diferente, especial e com aventura = leiam este livro e esta saga ❤️
July 24, 2017
Brandon Deverill has come back to England after a 6 year hiatus. Lady Katherine Wilde is in love with him or was until an embarrassing incident.
It is a very racy novel, and is not your usual story line. The banter between characters is engaging and fun. The descriptions were great, especially about the ruins, and their ponds. There was danger, intrigue and pirates, or use to be pirates. She was a champion matchmaker and she had matched all her family. The family and friends were very loyal and loving, close knit. There was also danger between Brandon and Kate. This an exceptional story and I thoroughly enjoyed. I very highly recommend it. I received this from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed.
It is a very racy novel, and is not your usual story line. The banter between characters is engaging and fun. The descriptions were great, especially about the ruins, and their ponds. There was danger, intrigue and pirates, or use to be pirates. She was a champion matchmaker and she had matched all her family. The family and friends were very loyal and loving, close knit. There was also danger between Brandon and Kate. This an exceptional story and I thoroughly enjoyed. I very highly recommend it. I received this from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed.
April 14, 2023
Spoko, ta podróż dodała uroku i takiego "zadziora", trochę w połowie mi uciekło za to, ta zadziorność między bohaterami.
W sumie była dość typowa i miło się ją czytało ale bez większego wow
W sumie była dość typowa i miło się ją czytało ale bez większego wow
November 5, 2022
My motto: "When all else fails, Nicole Jordan is always here to save the day."
I've been going through books after books without drawing any satisfaction; disappointed in all of them. Then, I realized I still had this baby in my downloaded ePDF.
It was good to say the least. Loved both Hero and heroine. They met when they were younger, were attracted to each other but Hero was a privateer hence when the heroine offered herself, he rejected her. Stung with humiliation and hurt, she withdrew from him and vowed to forget about him. But alas, it was easier said than done. Fast forward to 6 years later, she still couldn't dismiss him from her mind and heart. So did he. He still held a tenderness in his heart for this girl.
Enjoyed their banters, the bedroom scenes and the adventure they went through.
Needed more angst though, that would have made this book perfect.
All in all, a very nice book.
I've been going through books after books without drawing any satisfaction; disappointed in all of them. Then, I realized I still had this baby in my downloaded ePDF.
It was good to say the least. Loved both Hero and heroine. They met when they were younger, were attracted to each other but Hero was a privateer hence when the heroine offered herself, he rejected her. Stung with humiliation and hurt, she withdrew from him and vowed to forget about him. But alas, it was easier said than done. Fast forward to 6 years later, she still couldn't dismiss him from her mind and heart. So did he. He still held a tenderness in his heart for this girl.
Enjoyed their banters, the bedroom scenes and the adventure they went through.
Needed more angst though, that would have made this book perfect.
All in all, a very nice book.
April 18, 2018
It’s Way Back Machine Time!
You just never know when you’re going to be transported back to the days when heroes were boneheads, and, we in Romanceland seemed to accept these twit-clowns. Thank goodness they seem to be rarer now than they used to be. Or are they? I guess I wouldn’t be able to give out the Steve Morgan Bonehead Award every year if they had vanished from the Romanceland landscape.
Well, my little Petunias, we have a bonehead hero lurking in the pages of Nicole Jordan’s My Fair Lover: Brandon Deverill. Supposedly this story is a twist on the Pygmalion/My Fair Lady story, only it’s the guy who needs to be spruced up in this tale. But first, let me say a couple of things about Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. I’m not really too fond of the George Bernard Shaw’s interpretation of the Greek legend – it’s really quite misogynistic. I am also not all that keen on the My Fair Lady movie with a 100 year old Rex Harrison cast opposite a much, much, younger Audrey Hepburn. But, hey that just me. By the way, Mr. Harrison was probably not 100 when he starred in My Fair Lady.
While I’m still rambling, it struck me as odd that Brandon needed to be refurbished. He already has associates in society. Just because he went off to fight in the War of 1812, doesn’t mean he was some backward hick who spits tobac-cy into a nearby fern. He already knew how society worked, and he was an Earl. What other requirements would he have needed to find a aristocratic marriage partner? So this part of the plot, the whole reason for the antagonists to be together - didn’t work for me. Just so you know, if you really want to read a romance book where the refurbishing of a man works, I recommend The Proposition by Judith Ivory.
Back to the story, and why Brandon is a Bonehead. Once upon a time, Brandon was an American privateer who somehow hung around Lady Katherine Wilde’s family. They are both very young; she is 17 and he is, I believe, 20 or 21. She has developed a humongous crush on him. But, he is going to America to fight in the war. What’s a girl to do? She decides to seduce him. I betcha’ he won’t go then! A lot you know. In the only scene where Brandon is half-way honorable, he turns down a naked Katherine’s attempt to bed him. What a guy. Then he leaves and she is crushed. She will never forgive him, never speak to him, he’s a cad. She, of course, will not look at another man for the next six years. Surprise, surprise, surprise romance readers – she will only marry for love!
Six years pass. Brandon, a new earl, decides he needs to marry. So, he returns to England and decides he will marry Katherine. Now, here’s the deal. He doesn’t believe in love. What! A romance hero who doesn’t believe in love! Could it be his parents had a miserable marriage? You know what that means? You guessed it! He can never luv anyone because of his parents – blah, blah, blah. So, why does he pick Katherine? He knows she wants love in her marriage. Why doesn’t he leave her alone? He doesn’t want love? Right from the start he plots and schemes and lies to her. He tries to make her jealous (I hatesssssss games). One minute he doesn’t want her love because he can’t return it, then the next moment he is trying to make her fall in love with him – even though he will never love her!!! He was a real twit! I also want to know why it is Brandon who decides whether they use a sponge, (I’m not talking dishes either). Speaking of which, how do those things work in romance books? Were they one size fits all? Just how tight was that silken ribbon around the sponge tied? Would our heroine know about the side-effects of using one of those things? All that bacteria just waiting makes me cringe. My mind always has tons of questions whenever I see this method of birth-control used in the 17th, 18th, 19th century romance books. But the main thing about the sponge in this book: Why is Brandon the one who decides whether they use it or not?
Then we have a journey over the sea to find the graves of her parents. There is only one person who can help them in their search. The dread pirate Louvel. Louvel is holding a grudge against Brandon. It seems that somewhere in their past Brandon stole Louvel’s mistress away from him or something like that. So, Louvel hatessssss Brandon – but Louvel will help him because he is charmed my Katherine. In fact, Louvel flirts with Katherine in a kind of sleaze-ball way. Here’s the thing, Louvel has a very lovely, nice, charming, young mistress, Gabrielle. Gabrielle would do anything for him; she loves him and she wants to marry him. Did I mention that Katherine is a matchmaker? Well, she is. She decides to match-make Louvel with his mistress. At this point I thought – “oh, a secondary romance.” Maybe that was the intent, but here’s the thing – spoiler alert. As the story starts to wind down, Louvel actually tries to murder Brandon. He puts him in a cave which is filling with water. Besides being a cold-blooded killer-maniac, Louvel is a creepy guy, abusive, and psychotic. Do you know what Brandon and Katherine do in the end? They give Louvel a strong talking to and leave that lovely, nice, Gabrielle with him. Katherine is a matchmaker after-all. I couldn’t believe that they would leave poor Gabrielle behind with an abusive man.
Bottom-line. This is a predictable book with the tired, often repeated: I-cannot-luv-because-of-my-parents-mother-father routine. The hero was a selfish, manipulating, twit. Louvel should have been locked up. Katherine and Gabrielle should have dumped the guys and opened up a resort together. I cannot recommend this book.
KaysBlog
You just never know when you’re going to be transported back to the days when heroes were boneheads, and, we in Romanceland seemed to accept these twit-clowns. Thank goodness they seem to be rarer now than they used to be. Or are they? I guess I wouldn’t be able to give out the Steve Morgan Bonehead Award every year if they had vanished from the Romanceland landscape.
Well, my little Petunias, we have a bonehead hero lurking in the pages of Nicole Jordan’s My Fair Lover: Brandon Deverill. Supposedly this story is a twist on the Pygmalion/My Fair Lady story, only it’s the guy who needs to be spruced up in this tale. But first, let me say a couple of things about Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. I’m not really too fond of the George Bernard Shaw’s interpretation of the Greek legend – it’s really quite misogynistic. I am also not all that keen on the My Fair Lady movie with a 100 year old Rex Harrison cast opposite a much, much, younger Audrey Hepburn. But, hey that just me. By the way, Mr. Harrison was probably not 100 when he starred in My Fair Lady.
While I’m still rambling, it struck me as odd that Brandon needed to be refurbished. He already has associates in society. Just because he went off to fight in the War of 1812, doesn’t mean he was some backward hick who spits tobac-cy into a nearby fern. He already knew how society worked, and he was an Earl. What other requirements would he have needed to find a aristocratic marriage partner? So this part of the plot, the whole reason for the antagonists to be together - didn’t work for me. Just so you know, if you really want to read a romance book where the refurbishing of a man works, I recommend The Proposition by Judith Ivory.
Back to the story, and why Brandon is a Bonehead. Once upon a time, Brandon was an American privateer who somehow hung around Lady Katherine Wilde’s family. They are both very young; she is 17 and he is, I believe, 20 or 21. She has developed a humongous crush on him. But, he is going to America to fight in the war. What’s a girl to do? She decides to seduce him. I betcha’ he won’t go then! A lot you know. In the only scene where Brandon is half-way honorable, he turns down a naked Katherine’s attempt to bed him. What a guy. Then he leaves and she is crushed. She will never forgive him, never speak to him, he’s a cad. She, of course, will not look at another man for the next six years. Surprise, surprise, surprise romance readers – she will only marry for love!
Six years pass. Brandon, a new earl, decides he needs to marry. So, he returns to England and decides he will marry Katherine. Now, here’s the deal. He doesn’t believe in love. What! A romance hero who doesn’t believe in love! Could it be his parents had a miserable marriage? You know what that means? You guessed it! He can never luv anyone because of his parents – blah, blah, blah. So, why does he pick Katherine? He knows she wants love in her marriage. Why doesn’t he leave her alone? He doesn’t want love? Right from the start he plots and schemes and lies to her. He tries to make her jealous (I hatesssssss games). One minute he doesn’t want her love because he can’t return it, then the next moment he is trying to make her fall in love with him – even though he will never love her!!! He was a real twit! I also want to know why it is Brandon who decides whether they use a sponge, (I’m not talking dishes either). Speaking of which, how do those things work in romance books? Were they one size fits all? Just how tight was that silken ribbon around the sponge tied? Would our heroine know about the side-effects of using one of those things? All that bacteria just waiting makes me cringe. My mind always has tons of questions whenever I see this method of birth-control used in the 17th, 18th, 19th century romance books. But the main thing about the sponge in this book: Why is Brandon the one who decides whether they use it or not?
Then we have a journey over the sea to find the graves of her parents. There is only one person who can help them in their search. The dread pirate Louvel. Louvel is holding a grudge against Brandon. It seems that somewhere in their past Brandon stole Louvel’s mistress away from him or something like that. So, Louvel hatessssss Brandon – but Louvel will help him because he is charmed my Katherine. In fact, Louvel flirts with Katherine in a kind of sleaze-ball way. Here’s the thing, Louvel has a very lovely, nice, charming, young mistress, Gabrielle. Gabrielle would do anything for him; she loves him and she wants to marry him. Did I mention that Katherine is a matchmaker? Well, she is. She decides to match-make Louvel with his mistress. At this point I thought – “oh, a secondary romance.” Maybe that was the intent, but here’s the thing – spoiler alert. As the story starts to wind down, Louvel actually tries to murder Brandon. He puts him in a cave which is filling with water. Besides being a cold-blooded killer-maniac, Louvel is a creepy guy, abusive, and psychotic. Do you know what Brandon and Katherine do in the end? They give Louvel a strong talking to and leave that lovely, nice, Gabrielle with him. Katherine is a matchmaker after-all. I couldn’t believe that they would leave poor Gabrielle behind with an abusive man.
Bottom-line. This is a predictable book with the tired, often repeated: I-cannot-luv-because-of-my-parents-mother-father routine. The hero was a selfish, manipulating, twit. Louvel should have been locked up. Katherine and Gabrielle should have dumped the guys and opened up a resort together. I cannot recommend this book.
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2025
*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I have to say by this point I am invested in the series. Kate has been a background player in the previous four books so now I am ready for her to get her HEA. Add in the fact that is a previous love and things take an intriguing turn. Jordan is a true master at writing a good historical romance drawing you into the time period and taking you for a ride. This one even has a nice adventure for us to follow making for a fun read. Makes for an enjoyable end to the series as they all have their Legendary Lovers HEA. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
I have to say by this point I am invested in the series. Kate has been a background player in the previous four books so now I am ready for her to get her HEA. Add in the fact that is a previous love and things take an intriguing turn. Jordan is a true master at writing a good historical romance drawing you into the time period and taking you for a ride. This one even has a nice adventure for us to follow making for a fun read. Makes for an enjoyable end to the series as they all have their Legendary Lovers HEA. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
August 29, 2017
When it comes to Deverill, Kate is not above busting his balls, "She didn’t trust his mild reply. “‘Better’ is not good enough. You will promise to behave as a gentleman, not a heathen pirate.” Deverill knows that sometimes he has to step back and let his woman take the reins, "He gave an exaggerated sigh. “You have not wounded me. I am resigned to going through life with you occasionally wearing the breeches in the family.” I loved this book, I loved Deverill the man was totally over the moon with Kate.
September 14, 2017
HEROINE RATING: 3.5 stars
HERO RATING: 4 stars
PLOT RATING: 4 stars
SEX SCENES RATING: 4 stars
SEXUAL TENSION: 4 stars
SEX SCENES FREQUENCY: 4 stars
DIALOGUE RATING: 3.5 stars
WRITING: 3.5 stars
EMOTION: 4 stars
ALPHA MALE: 4 stars
STORY TELLING RATING:4 stars
STORY ENDING RATING: 4 stars
Was there an instant connection with the book? Yes
May 21, 2017
[I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Setting: London, May 1817
This is the fifth installment of the "Legendary Lovers" series, but the first I've read of any of these titles. The series name refers to a matchmaking theory the heroine of this story, Lady Katherine Wilde, has used through all the previous books in orchestrating love matches for her friends and family members, pulling from tales of mythology and pairing suitable couples accordingly.
She always thought her personal love match would stem from Pygmalion, the story of a sculptor who falls in love with his ivory statue and who leaves offerings to the goddess, Aphrodite, requesting a living likeness of his creation, Galatea, which was granted.
So far, Lady Katherine's matches have been successful, but she thinks the streak will be broken when it comes to herself, especially since she has already been spurned by the man she loves, Baron Valmere, Brandon Deverill, and she refuses to marry for any reason other than reciprocal love. She needs his assistance for a personal favor, however, so in exchange she offers to help Deverill, an American who has just inherited his title and needs guidance in navigating the tricky societal rules of the peerage and the London ton so he can present himself as a suitable bachelor in search of an ideal wife.
Kate has her work cut out for her as she teaches him how to be a proper gentleman, all while trying to resist her attraction to him and his sexual advances. Unbeknownst to her, he has already chosen her to be his bride and is trying to seduce her into agreeing to marry him without love--which he thinks he is incapable of--and she is trying to coax his emotional side out of him under the pretense of showing him how to win over his choice of a potential bride using romantic gestures.
They are both well suited in personality, chemistry, and adventurous spirit and are an exciting couple to watch fall in love. There are a lot of love scenes (an fyi to those who are put off by them), but they are important to the story and include as many emotional elements as physical attraction. The author writes these very well. I think it's a sign of a really good writer when not once are you taken out of the moment by awkward conversations or cringeworthy descriptions or euphemisms.
I really enjoyed this and will track down the other books in this series to get caught up with the rest of the characters.
Setting: London, May 1817
This is the fifth installment of the "Legendary Lovers" series, but the first I've read of any of these titles. The series name refers to a matchmaking theory the heroine of this story, Lady Katherine Wilde, has used through all the previous books in orchestrating love matches for her friends and family members, pulling from tales of mythology and pairing suitable couples accordingly.
She always thought her personal love match would stem from Pygmalion, the story of a sculptor who falls in love with his ivory statue and who leaves offerings to the goddess, Aphrodite, requesting a living likeness of his creation, Galatea, which was granted.
So far, Lady Katherine's matches have been successful, but she thinks the streak will be broken when it comes to herself, especially since she has already been spurned by the man she loves, Baron Valmere, Brandon Deverill, and she refuses to marry for any reason other than reciprocal love. She needs his assistance for a personal favor, however, so in exchange she offers to help Deverill, an American who has just inherited his title and needs guidance in navigating the tricky societal rules of the peerage and the London ton so he can present himself as a suitable bachelor in search of an ideal wife.
Kate has her work cut out for her as she teaches him how to be a proper gentleman, all while trying to resist her attraction to him and his sexual advances. Unbeknownst to her, he has already chosen her to be his bride and is trying to seduce her into agreeing to marry him without love--which he thinks he is incapable of--and she is trying to coax his emotional side out of him under the pretense of showing him how to win over his choice of a potential bride using romantic gestures.
They are both well suited in personality, chemistry, and adventurous spirit and are an exciting couple to watch fall in love. There are a lot of love scenes (an fyi to those who are put off by them), but they are important to the story and include as many emotional elements as physical attraction. The author writes these very well. I think it's a sign of a really good writer when not once are you taken out of the moment by awkward conversations or cringeworthy descriptions or euphemisms.
I really enjoyed this and will track down the other books in this series to get caught up with the rest of the characters.
July 21, 2017
Publisher's Description:
Nicole Jordan’s irresistible Legendary Lovers series continues in this sizzling twist on My Fair Lady, as a bewitching beauty and a rakish sea captain trade favors . . . and tempt fate.
Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she’s willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.
Brandon’s fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn’t seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he’s inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him—until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he’d gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.
My Thoughts:
Get ready for a wild, sexy read.
This was my first time reading this author. The book was good with a feisty heroine and an enigmatic hero. I can see the parallel to My Fair Lady/Taming of the Shrew because this Katherine is very feisty and wants her own way and Brandon Deverill most assuredly means to tame her or more accurately bring her around to his way of thinking on the matter of love.
Kate has been in love with Brandon for a long time but the enigmatic sea captain although very attracted to Kate doesn't believe in love. He does, however want her and has returned to England from America specifically to make her his. Kate will not marry without love though so they are at loggerheads over their differing opinions.
Will anything make these two of like minds or will it end badly?
I gave this book 4.25 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 4.5 of 5 flames. This book consists of some very hot love scenes and is not recommended for an audience. younger than 18 years of age.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Nicole Jordan’s irresistible Legendary Lovers series continues in this sizzling twist on My Fair Lady, as a bewitching beauty and a rakish sea captain trade favors . . . and tempt fate.
Lady Katherine Wilde believes she has crushed any lingering romantic feelings toward Brandon Deverill, who spurned her six years ago. And now that the rough-edged rogue needs polishing to claim his inheritance, she’s willing to strike a practical bargain: Kate will mold the brash privateer into an acceptable English nobleman if Deverill will safeguard her from brigands on a voyage to recover lost family treasure. However, the soul-melting kiss that seals their agreement just may reignite blazing passion.
Brandon’s fortitude was sorely tested when he turned Kate away from his bed all those years ago. Even a rake such as he wouldn’t seduce an innocent beauty before sailing into battle. But now that he’s inherited a title and must take a suitable bride, he sets his sights on Kate. Though he fiercely desires her, true love is a notion that baffles him—until their adventure turns perilous and Brandon realizes he’d gladly trade his life to save the woman who has captured his heart.
My Thoughts:
Get ready for a wild, sexy read.
This was my first time reading this author. The book was good with a feisty heroine and an enigmatic hero. I can see the parallel to My Fair Lady/Taming of the Shrew because this Katherine is very feisty and wants her own way and Brandon Deverill most assuredly means to tame her or more accurately bring her around to his way of thinking on the matter of love.
Kate has been in love with Brandon for a long time but the enigmatic sea captain although very attracted to Kate doesn't believe in love. He does, however want her and has returned to England from America specifically to make her his. Kate will not marry without love though so they are at loggerheads over their differing opinions.
Will anything make these two of like minds or will it end badly?
I gave this book 4.25 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 4.5 of 5 flames. This book consists of some very hot love scenes and is not recommended for an audience. younger than 18 years of age.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
August 29, 2017
Lady Katherine is a young woman who leads the ton in matchmaking. She has helped friends and family find happiness. She was rejected when she was young by a man who she believes is the love of her life. Now that man has come back and Kate has been asked to help him become someone the ton will welcome and someone who can find the “right“ kind of wife.
Brandon Deverill is a new baron. He has returned to England after fighting for the Americans in the War of 1812. He is the man who rejected Kate, and he did it all in order to be noble and not ruin a young woman for whom he cares. Brandon is back in England to take over his duties as a baron. But, he also hopes to marry Kate. He has never forgotten her sense of adventure and her willingness to take risks on behalf of others.
Both Kate and Brandon are interesting characters. She starts out as a strong character who seems like a powerful woman. At times, I felt that she dithered. She was subject to Brandon's charms and knew she was unable to resist his advances. But, she continued to put herself in situations where he was able to take charge. That may have been because she desperately loved him.
Brandon hides his emotions. He continually states he does not believe in love. But, the reader is not given much of his history until very near the end of the story.
There is adventure. Kate needs Brandon's help in trying to find the answers to her parents' deaths. They will sail to France and try to solve the puzzle of a sunken ship and lost jewels. While in France, they deal with pirates and both Kate and Brandon are put in mortal danger.
For this reader, it would have been more interesting if there were more parts of the book which dealt with the mystery and Brandon's history. I felt there were too many long descriptions of sexual encounters. I am all in favor of couples having sex, but I just felt there were other options for adding interest to the story.
This is part of a series and though I have not read the other books in the series, I had no problem following the action.
I received the book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review, and all opinions are my own.
Brandon Deverill is a new baron. He has returned to England after fighting for the Americans in the War of 1812. He is the man who rejected Kate, and he did it all in order to be noble and not ruin a young woman for whom he cares. Brandon is back in England to take over his duties as a baron. But, he also hopes to marry Kate. He has never forgotten her sense of adventure and her willingness to take risks on behalf of others.
Both Kate and Brandon are interesting characters. She starts out as a strong character who seems like a powerful woman. At times, I felt that she dithered. She was subject to Brandon's charms and knew she was unable to resist his advances. But, she continued to put herself in situations where he was able to take charge. That may have been because she desperately loved him.
Brandon hides his emotions. He continually states he does not believe in love. But, the reader is not given much of his history until very near the end of the story.
There is adventure. Kate needs Brandon's help in trying to find the answers to her parents' deaths. They will sail to France and try to solve the puzzle of a sunken ship and lost jewels. While in France, they deal with pirates and both Kate and Brandon are put in mortal danger.
For this reader, it would have been more interesting if there were more parts of the book which dealt with the mystery and Brandon's history. I felt there were too many long descriptions of sexual encounters. I am all in favor of couples having sex, but I just felt there were other options for adding interest to the story.
This is part of a series and though I have not read the other books in the series, I had no problem following the action.
I received the book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review, and all opinions are my own.
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