What do you think?
Rate this book
Gothic Brides #1
The Mad Countess
When two best friends become lovers, their scandalous path to happily ever after is fraught with danger in this emotional, Gothic novella from USA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe.
Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke, has been in love with his best friend, Lady Claire Deering, for as long as he can remember. Claire too harbors a secret desire for him--but a witch cursed her family with madness, and she's terrified she'll only hurt him if they act on their feelings. When a will reading at a mysterious castle in Cornwall brings them both together on All Hallows Eve, they'll work to break her family's curse...and find true love.
----
This novella was previously released in the Mystified anthology.
The Gothic Brides series: edgy, atmospheric Gothic Regency Romance, exploring the dark, twisted corners of England--these books are not for the faint of heart. The Gothic Brides battle tortured past and face dangerous, suspenseful circumstances on their road to a hard-won happily ever after. Each book stands on its own.
THE MAD COUNTESS
THE DETERMINED DUCHESS
THE SCANDALOUS WIDOW
Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke, has been in love with his best friend, Lady Claire Deering, for as long as he can remember. Claire too harbors a secret desire for him--but a witch cursed her family with madness, and she's terrified she'll only hurt him if they act on their feelings. When a will reading at a mysterious castle in Cornwall brings them both together on All Hallows Eve, they'll work to break her family's curse...and find true love.
----
This novella was previously released in the Mystified anthology.
The Gothic Brides series: edgy, atmospheric Gothic Regency Romance, exploring the dark, twisted corners of England--these books are not for the faint of heart. The Gothic Brides battle tortured past and face dangerous, suspenseful circumstances on their road to a hard-won happily ever after. Each book stands on its own.
THE MAD COUNTESS
THE DETERMINED DUCHESS
THE SCANDALOUS WIDOW
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2017
117 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Erica Monroe
31 books161 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe writes dark, gritty historical romance. Her current series include Gothic Brides (Regency Gothics), The Rookery Rogues (pre-Victorian gritty working class romance), and Covert Heiresses (Regency spies who are the children of a duke). She was a finalist in the published historical category for the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Romantic Suspense, and her books have been recommended reads at Fresh Fiction, Smexy Books, SBTB, and All About Romance. When she's not writing, she's drinking coffee, reading comic books, or watching televison. She lives in the suburbs of North Carolina with her husband, two dogs, and two cats. Visit Erica online at ericamonroe.com and sign up for her new release newsletter at: hyperurl.co/emnl.
Erica does not read Goodreads messages or respond to invitations. She rarely checks Goodreads.
Erica does not read Goodreads messages or respond to invitations. She rarely checks Goodreads.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 15, 2020
I had to dig around a bit for something to fit the “We Love Short Shorts!” prompt this time around; I know I don’t have to follow the prompts in the TBR Challenge to the letter, but I was short of time this month anyway, so a quick read was just about all I had time for. As it was, I probably spent more time searching through the hundreds of books on my Kindle than I did actually reading! In the end, I found a novella I’ve had sitting around for a while by an author whose books I’ve enjoyed in the past; The Mad Countess by Erica Monroe, which is billed as an edgy, atmospheric Gothic Regency Romance that’s not for the faint of heart. Sadly, however, it was about as edgy as a bowl of cold rice pudding, and seemed to be suffering from an identity crisis.
The romance is a friends-to-lovers affair, the two protagonists being childhood friends who have long been in love with one another but are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their friendship. And in the case of the heroine, Lady Claire Deering, there’s another, far darker reason for her reticence. Her aunt and her mother both died mad as the result of being cursed, and she is terrified that she will end up being committed to an asylum as her mother was. She loves Teddy – Theodore, Earl of Ashbrooke – far too much to want to saddle him with a potential madwoman for a wife and has therefore determined never to reveal the truth of her feelings for him.
Teddy had been training to be a barrister before his older brother died and left him the earldom. He’s a sweet beta-hero who loves Claire desperately; he knows of her fears but is determined to prove to her that they are unfounded and is, at last, ready to tell her how he feels.
Claire has arrived at Castle Keyvnor in Cornwall in order to attend the reading of the will of her late uncle, and Teddy is in attendance with a group of friends (who I’m guessing are the heroes of the other novellas in this series). In spite of her determination to keep her distance, Claire can’t help being delighted to see him, and they quickly fall back into their established pattern of friendship. But that all changes the next day when they’re caught in a rainstorm and make it to the conveniently dry, comfortable folly/summer house and Claire decides she can allow herself an afternoon of passion (just the one, mind you).
But Teddy doesn’t just want one afternoon – how can he prove to Claire that the curse isn’t real and that they can make a life together?
Quite honestly, the pair of them were so bland I couldn’t become at all invested in the outcome and had I not been reading this for the TBR Challenge, I probably would have abandoned it. The characterisation is one-dimensional, the atmosphere is flat as a pancake and the gothic elements are weak and terribly disappointing. I read paranormal and fantasy novels fairly regularly, so having a supernatural element to the book didn’t put me off; the problem was the complete lack of world-building or preparation. At one point, I thought the author was going to explain away the aunt and mother’s “madness” as a form of post-natal depression (there’s overt mention of the fact that both women didn’t go mad until after they’d had children), and that the curse wasn’t real, but she doesn’t do that, instead veering into a badly prepared episode in which Clare locates a trio of local witches and enlists their help in lifting the curse. This whole section is so different in tone to the rest of the book that it feels as though it’s been added as an afterthought.
The writing is just average, and there are quite a few jarring word choices that took me out of the story – such as when one character asks another “are you fine?” In that context, “fine”, doesn’t mean the same as “okay” or “alright” (not in British English, anyway).
Novellas are generally hit and miss for me (more often they miss the mark), so this disappointment wasn’t unexpected. Ms. Monroe has produced better books than this (I’ve reviewed some of them here) so forget about The Mad Countess and check out one of those instead.
The romance is a friends-to-lovers affair, the two protagonists being childhood friends who have long been in love with one another but are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their friendship. And in the case of the heroine, Lady Claire Deering, there’s another, far darker reason for her reticence. Her aunt and her mother both died mad as the result of being cursed, and she is terrified that she will end up being committed to an asylum as her mother was. She loves Teddy – Theodore, Earl of Ashbrooke – far too much to want to saddle him with a potential madwoman for a wife and has therefore determined never to reveal the truth of her feelings for him.
Teddy had been training to be a barrister before his older brother died and left him the earldom. He’s a sweet beta-hero who loves Claire desperately; he knows of her fears but is determined to prove to her that they are unfounded and is, at last, ready to tell her how he feels.
Claire has arrived at Castle Keyvnor in Cornwall in order to attend the reading of the will of her late uncle, and Teddy is in attendance with a group of friends (who I’m guessing are the heroes of the other novellas in this series). In spite of her determination to keep her distance, Claire can’t help being delighted to see him, and they quickly fall back into their established pattern of friendship. But that all changes the next day when they’re caught in a rainstorm and make it to the conveniently dry, comfortable folly/summer house and Claire decides she can allow herself an afternoon of passion (just the one, mind you).
But Teddy doesn’t just want one afternoon – how can he prove to Claire that the curse isn’t real and that they can make a life together?
Quite honestly, the pair of them were so bland I couldn’t become at all invested in the outcome and had I not been reading this for the TBR Challenge, I probably would have abandoned it. The characterisation is one-dimensional, the atmosphere is flat as a pancake and the gothic elements are weak and terribly disappointing. I read paranormal and fantasy novels fairly regularly, so having a supernatural element to the book didn’t put me off; the problem was the complete lack of world-building or preparation. At one point, I thought the author was going to explain away the aunt and mother’s “madness” as a form of post-natal depression (there’s overt mention of the fact that both women didn’t go mad until after they’d had children), and that the curse wasn’t real, but she doesn’t do that, instead veering into a badly prepared episode in which Clare locates a trio of local witches and enlists their help in lifting the curse. This whole section is so different in tone to the rest of the book that it feels as though it’s been added as an afterthought.
The writing is just average, and there are quite a few jarring word choices that took me out of the story – such as when one character asks another “are you fine?” In that context, “fine”, doesn’t mean the same as “okay” or “alright” (not in British English, anyway).
Novellas are generally hit and miss for me (more often they miss the mark), so this disappointment wasn’t unexpected. Ms. Monroe has produced better books than this (I’ve reviewed some of them here) so forget about The Mad Countess and check out one of those instead.
April 24, 2017
I wanted to love this, and I sincerely kept hoping that it would get better, but I didn't feel that it got there. One of the appealing aspect for me partway through was that the hero was a virgin (like, never-been-kissed virgin because he was pining after the heroine). I was happy to see that, especially when he made a point of distinguishing the double-standard for men and women (He did not understand society’s fascination with the virginal states of women—it was a double standard he found distinctly illogical, for men were allowed to cavort with as many women as they wanted, whenever they wanted.) and I liked Theodore (I didn't care for the nickname "Teddy" for him) as a character overall.
However, there was a dislike I had for his virginal status. I know, I know! Stay with me here! The heroine, Claire, feels she'll eventually go "mad" and doesn't want to burden Theodore with that. That's fine with me. However, when she finds out he's a virgin, she wants to be his first.
That's never something I find appealing--that the character's virginity is basically a prize. (And, to be fair, she's a virgin, too.) Unsurprisingly, I didn't like it in this case, either. If you're planning to leave the dude, maybe mention it to him first? I know it's that he was waiting for her, but maybe his feelings would've shifted? I would've liked it better if she at least voiced to him, and made it perfectly clear, that this was a one-time thing, no repeats.
The curse was also an issue I had with the writing in the book. Claire kept woe-is-me'ing about how she's going to be sent away to an asylum. And super legitimate fear, yeah, but I got annoyed with hearing about it constantly. Even when they're being intimate, she's still going on about the curse in her POV. In regards to the curse itself, I thought that maybe things would be explained as misunderstood postpartum (since Theodore makes the observation that the "madness" is triggered after the birth of a child), which I think could've gone well with the historical aspect, but when the curse/witch aspect was further explored, I was less than impressed. I'm not a fan of the fantastical or supernatural being a part of an otherwise normal setting, so the totally legit witches angle wasn't something I liked.
I don't know if it's the nature of a novella or just this author, but I was left with more questions than answers. Why was the witch referring to them as son and daughter? Who's Bronson? What about the ghost Theodore and someone else saw? Was it even the same ghost? Why does Theodore need to believe in witches and the curse for it to be broken? The curse is on Claire and her family and Theodore is completely uninvolved, so why does he need to be a believer? Why can they not speak of the curse after it's broken? It's the supernatural, after all, so what's the difference in speaking versus thinking? Claire was advised not to speak of the curse, or the witch Hestia, ever again, but she's still thinking about it in the end (and noting that she's not supposed to talk about it). Is this something I'm missing because I'm not that well-read on witch lore? If so, then that's something the author should've considered. Not all her potential readers are going to be aware of such a niche subject, so the author needs to take the time to incorporate it into the book itself. And if it's not part of witch lore, then that's also an issue on the author's part. You can't just include random stuff and never take the time to explain it.
However, there was a dislike I had for his virginal status. I know, I know! Stay with me here! The heroine, Claire, feels she'll eventually go "mad" and doesn't want to burden Theodore with that. That's fine with me. However, when she finds out he's a virgin, she wants to be his first.
He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. “Oh, darling, trust me, I am. But I haven’t…I haven’t done this before. I was waiting. I should have done more research—”
She stopped him with a kiss. When he’d said before he hadn’t seen another woman’s breasts, she hadn’t taken him all that seriously. She’d assumed that maybe he’d been engaged in carnal acts where the woman hadn’t become completely unclothed. “Teddy, were you waiting for me?”
He nodded.
There should have been some sound, like bells or whistles, some indication that her last bit of resolve had dropped away. He’d waited for her, as she had for him, even when they hadn’t known how the other felt. It was so magnificently perfect that her heart ached at the realization.
She decided in the haze of want that she would have him, tonight. Only tonight. When they left here, he would go on to marry a proper woman, one who could be his countess. That other woman would get his estate and bear his children and spend the rest of her life with him, but she, Claire, she’d get to be Teddy’s first.
That's never something I find appealing--that the character's virginity is basically a prize. (And, to be fair, she's a virgin, too.) Unsurprisingly, I didn't like it in this case, either. If you're planning to leave the dude, maybe mention it to him first? I know it's that he was waiting for her, but maybe his feelings would've shifted? I would've liked it better if she at least voiced to him, and made it perfectly clear, that this was a one-time thing, no repeats.
The curse was also an issue I had with the writing in the book. Claire kept woe-is-me'ing about how she's going to be sent away to an asylum. And super legitimate fear, yeah, but I got annoyed with hearing about it constantly. Even when they're being intimate, she's still going on about the curse in her POV. In regards to the curse itself, I thought that maybe things would be explained as misunderstood postpartum (since Theodore makes the observation that the "madness" is triggered after the birth of a child), which I think could've gone well with the historical aspect, but when the curse/witch aspect was further explored, I was less than impressed. I'm not a fan of the fantastical or supernatural being a part of an otherwise normal setting, so the totally legit witches angle wasn't something I liked.
I don't know if it's the nature of a novella or just this author, but I was left with more questions than answers. Why was the witch referring to them as son and daughter? Who's Bronson? What about the ghost Theodore and someone else saw? Was it even the same ghost? Why does Theodore need to believe in witches and the curse for it to be broken? The curse is on Claire and her family and Theodore is completely uninvolved, so why does he need to be a believer? Why can they not speak of the curse after it's broken? It's the supernatural, after all, so what's the difference in speaking versus thinking? Claire was advised not to speak of the curse, or the witch Hestia, ever again, but she's still thinking about it in the end (and noting that she's not supposed to talk about it). Is this something I'm missing because I'm not that well-read on witch lore? If so, then that's something the author should've considered. Not all her potential readers are going to be aware of such a niche subject, so the author needs to take the time to incorporate it into the book itself. And if it's not part of witch lore, then that's also an issue on the author's part. You can't just include random stuff and never take the time to explain it.
March 20, 2017
The Mad Countess 'The Mad Countess' by Erica Monroe is book One in the "Darkest Regency" series. This is the story of Theodore 'Teddy' and Claire and is about 130 pages. In addition, this book has appeared in the 'Mystified (The Haunting of Castle Keyvnor Book 3) ' series. So just wanted to make you aware of that. If like me you haven't yet read that book then you too are happy to see this book on its own. As a fan of Ms. Monroe books I was happy to see this by itself. Claire and Teddy are childhood friends that have now grown up. Teddy loves Claire and wants to marry her but is scared to go forward at first because he doesn't want to hurt their friendship. Claire to loves Teddy but keeps it a secret because she fears she will fall victim to the madness her mother and her aunt fell into. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1... https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://twitter.com/soapsrus68https:/... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
March 20, 2017
'The Mad Countess' by Erica Monroe is book One in the "Darkest Regency" series. This is the story of Theodore 'Teddy' and Claire and is about 130 pages. In addition, this book has appeared in the 'Mystified (The Haunting of Castle Keyvnor Book 3) ' series. So just wanted to make you aware of that. If like me you haven't yet read that book then you too are happy to see this book on its own. As a fan of Ms. Monroe books I was happy to see this by itself.
Claire and Teddy are childhood friends that have now grown up. Teddy loves Claire and wants to marry her but is scared to go forward at first because he doesn't want to hurt their friendship. Claire to loves Teddy but keeps it a secret because she fears she will fall victim to the madness her mother and her aunt fell into. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H...
https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/17091...
http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp...
http://booklikes.com/blog
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
https://plus.google.com/+SissyHicks
https://www.pinterest.com/u2soapsrus/
Claire and Teddy are childhood friends that have now grown up. Teddy loves Claire and wants to marry her but is scared to go forward at first because he doesn't want to hurt their friendship. Claire to loves Teddy but keeps it a secret because she fears she will fall victim to the madness her mother and her aunt fell into. "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H...
https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/17091...
http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp...
http://booklikes.com/blog
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
https://plus.google.com/+SissyHicks
https://www.pinterest.com/u2soapsrus/
March 24, 2017
This was sweet :)
April 16, 2017
**I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I already read a book by this author, I Spy a Duke, and really enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this.
I'm glad to say that this was a great read! Although I didn't know this was a novella until I opened the book and it was mentioned there, which actually made me kind of sad, since I was very excited and wanted to spend a lot of time reading this story! But I still enjoyed it a lot and was very happy by the time I was done reading. It didn't feel rushed or forced, the pace was just right and it didn't leave me feeling like something wasn't explained or told.
So Teddy and Claire have always been best friends and, as they grew up, they started having feelings for each other, but none of them told the other. Claire didn't think it'd be fair to tell Teddy, since she was cursed to become mad in the future, just like her mom and aunt, and she just couldn't hurt him like that. Teddy, on the other hand, didn't believe in the curse, but was afraid that Claire wouldn't want him and that he'd lose his best friend for ever, at least by keeping quite he would be able to stay by her side.
Both main characters were great, I especially liked Teddy, it was such a joy to read a book with a hero I liked, God knows I've been having such a hard time liking heroes in my books lately.
Teddy is very rational and precise, he has many fears he's trying to get over and wants Claire to stop believing in that curse, because, according to him, if you can't see it or explain it in any way, then it's not possible or real. He's pretty adorable actually, and thank goodness he's nothing like his brother.
And Claire is such a sweet girl, I felt so bad for her, it must be exhausting having to worry every day that you might not have a future, and that you might start going crazy when you least expect it. That's no life.
I think I can easily say that this is one of the cutest couples that ever lived. They're so very adorable it hurts, and I can't believe Teddy never realized Claire had feelings for him, she did suspect Teddy wanted to be with her, but she wouldn't allow it because of the curse, because she thought he deserved happiness, and not a potentially crazy wife. Not what her mother became.
And can we appreciate how he's 25 and hasn't even had his first kiss yet, because he only wants to be with Claire? It was so common for men back then to frequent brothels and keep mistresses, and he didn't do any of that, he was waiting for Claire. Although let's be honest here, he's the only one to blame for it taking so long. Seven seasons, Teddy?? Really?!
Anyway, this is a man to be admired, that is serious commitment there. Some other man might not have done that.
And not only that, but he was also ahead of his time.
Take note, gentlemen, this man is dreamy.
He also even considers servants his equals, because he says we're all human beings and titles and money shouldn't make a difference.
And I was very surprised to see how much I liked this couple, since I'm not a big fan of stories where childhood friends become lovers, I don't know, I'm one for first meetings and such. I like seeing the exact moment someone falls in love with another character.
I still wonder why the witch had to curse her sisters because her father wouldn't take care of her. Really? They did nothing wrong, get back at him, not his innocent daughters, who could've easily been you. Ridiculous woman.
I was glad they found a way to fix everything, and that Claire finally felt comfortable, well, living life!
If you're a fan of historical romances and nice guys, then I really recommend this :)
More reviews on my blog: Lipstick and Mocha
I already read a book by this author, I Spy a Duke, and really enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this.
I'm glad to say that this was a great read! Although I didn't know this was a novella until I opened the book and it was mentioned there, which actually made me kind of sad, since I was very excited and wanted to spend a lot of time reading this story! But I still enjoyed it a lot and was very happy by the time I was done reading. It didn't feel rushed or forced, the pace was just right and it didn't leave me feeling like something wasn't explained or told.
So Teddy and Claire have always been best friends and, as they grew up, they started having feelings for each other, but none of them told the other. Claire didn't think it'd be fair to tell Teddy, since she was cursed to become mad in the future, just like her mom and aunt, and she just couldn't hurt him like that. Teddy, on the other hand, didn't believe in the curse, but was afraid that Claire wouldn't want him and that he'd lose his best friend for ever, at least by keeping quite he would be able to stay by her side.
Both main characters were great, I especially liked Teddy, it was such a joy to read a book with a hero I liked, God knows I've been having such a hard time liking heroes in my books lately.
Teddy is very rational and precise, he has many fears he's trying to get over and wants Claire to stop believing in that curse, because, according to him, if you can't see it or explain it in any way, then it's not possible or real. He's pretty adorable actually, and thank goodness he's nothing like his brother.
And Claire is such a sweet girl, I felt so bad for her, it must be exhausting having to worry every day that you might not have a future, and that you might start going crazy when you least expect it. That's no life.
I think I can easily say that this is one of the cutest couples that ever lived. They're so very adorable it hurts, and I can't believe Teddy never realized Claire had feelings for him, she did suspect Teddy wanted to be with her, but she wouldn't allow it because of the curse, because she thought he deserved happiness, and not a potentially crazy wife. Not what her mother became.
And can we appreciate how he's 25 and hasn't even had his first kiss yet, because he only wants to be with Claire? It was so common for men back then to frequent brothels and keep mistresses, and he didn't do any of that, he was waiting for Claire. Although let's be honest here, he's the only one to blame for it taking so long. Seven seasons, Teddy?? Really?!
Anyway, this is a man to be admired, that is serious commitment there. Some other man might not have done that.
And not only that, but he was also ahead of his time.
"He did not understand society's fascination with the virginal states of women - it was a double standard he found distinctly illogical, for men were allowed to cavort with as many women as they wanted, whenever they wanted."
Take note, gentlemen, this man is dreamy.
He also even considers servants his equals, because he says we're all human beings and titles and money shouldn't make a difference.
And I was very surprised to see how much I liked this couple, since I'm not a big fan of stories where childhood friends become lovers, I don't know, I'm one for first meetings and such. I like seeing the exact moment someone falls in love with another character.
I still wonder why the witch had to curse her sisters because her father wouldn't take care of her. Really? They did nothing wrong, get back at him, not his innocent daughters, who could've easily been you. Ridiculous woman.
I was glad they found a way to fix everything, and that Claire finally felt comfortable, well, living life!
If you're a fan of historical romances and nice guys, then I really recommend this :)
More reviews on my blog: Lipstick and Mocha
August 20, 2021
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wonderful: 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Hot: 🔥🔥
Erica Monroe foi incrível nesse eBook... 🥰🥰 I love this book...
Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke e Lady Claire Deering ... 🥰🥰 que casal mega fofo...
Uma amizade de anos, que esconde o segredo do Amor... 🤩😍 Claire e Theodore se amam em segredo e mantem isso escondido um do outro... 🤣🤣 Mas quando o medo, surge, faz com que ambos percebam que precisam fazer algo para que possam tem o final feliz que sempre desejaram..
Juntos eles enfrentam o mal que trouxe o medo para vida deles... 😍😍
Lindo e maravilhoso, uma super leitura....
Happy reading, and until the next reading... 🎀🎀
Wonderful: 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Hot: 🔥🔥
Erica Monroe foi incrível nesse eBook... 🥰🥰 I love this book...
Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke e Lady Claire Deering ... 🥰🥰 que casal mega fofo...
Uma amizade de anos, que esconde o segredo do Amor... 🤩😍 Claire e Theodore se amam em segredo e mantem isso escondido um do outro... 🤣🤣 Mas quando o medo, surge, faz com que ambos percebam que precisam fazer algo para que possam tem o final feliz que sempre desejaram..
Juntos eles enfrentam o mal que trouxe o medo para vida deles... 😍😍
Lindo e maravilhoso, uma super leitura....
Happy reading, and until the next reading... 🎀🎀
February 13, 2019
A tale of a witch’s curse that destroyed a family. Lady Claire Deering fears she would be the next victim of the curse, so no matter how her heart may break she refused to acknowledge Lord Ashbrooke. But it seems not even a curse of madness can deny true love. A lovely tender love story.
January 21, 2019
Very Gothic
I felt like I came into the story late and that I missed something but this is book 1. I liked Teddy and Claire. I liked that they waited for one another and were true to each other. He was a sweet hero, not an alpha for sure, but I really liked him. He loved books after all. It wasn't exactly Jane Eyre but it was very entertaining and I liked the epilogue very much. There are ghosts witches and evil but tried love triumphs in the end. I liked the writers style and will definitely read her again.
I felt like I came into the story late and that I missed something but this is book 1. I liked Teddy and Claire. I liked that they waited for one another and were true to each other. He was a sweet hero, not an alpha for sure, but I really liked him. He loved books after all. It wasn't exactly Jane Eyre but it was very entertaining and I liked the epilogue very much. There are ghosts witches and evil but tried love triumphs in the end. I liked the writers style and will definitely read her again.
July 24, 2018
The Mad Daughter, that’s how they call Lady Claire Deering behind her back. Claire believes she is cursed: her mother and aunt both finished their days in the Ticehurst lunatic asylum. Claire, along with her faithful maid Kinney, is travelling to Castle Keyvnor to hear the reading of a will. The castle is reputed to be haunted and there’s a witches’ coven nearby. Claire is hoping, and not hoping to see her old friend Theodore “Teddy” Lockwood, however she didn’t know he was coming. She’s in love with him, but won’t do anything because of the madness in her family. Teddy doesn’t like change of any kind, and is quite mystified at being the new Earl of Ashbrooke, a title which he recently inherited. Teddy is attempting to conquer his various fears, he’s trying to be daring and it is, to say the least, trying! Teddy has been in love for ages with Claire, but he’s afraid she’ll refuse his marriage proposal, and he’d rather keep her as a friend than be turned down.
Erica Monroe is one of my favourite authors, I have always loved her writing, and in THE MAD COUNTESS, Ms. Monroe shines as never before. Her prose is more subdued, even richer and more nuanced, the surroundings appear in all their finest details, the touch of paranormal feels totally real, and the dialogues sound natural, as always. Ms. Monroe is a wizard at creating convincing characters, I love her heroes, and Teddy might be my favourite so far; he is quite the surprising fellow! As for Claire, I thought it rather extraordinary, but the character is so meticulously crafted that when reading her dialogues, I knew precisely how she sounded; her voice was translated so well in words, that I could hear her, and this happens very seldom indeed. THE MAD COUNTESS is full of unexpected plot twits, and the romance is almost too gorgeous for words. THE MAD COUNTESS is in some ways a bit of a departure for Erica Monroe, and it is a resounding success. THE MAD COUNTESS is a most wondrous, beautiful, and touching love story; just wonderful!
THE MAD COUNTESS had previously been available in the Mystified Anthology.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Erica Monroe, which did not influence my opinion.
Erica Monroe is one of my favourite authors, I have always loved her writing, and in THE MAD COUNTESS, Ms. Monroe shines as never before. Her prose is more subdued, even richer and more nuanced, the surroundings appear in all their finest details, the touch of paranormal feels totally real, and the dialogues sound natural, as always. Ms. Monroe is a wizard at creating convincing characters, I love her heroes, and Teddy might be my favourite so far; he is quite the surprising fellow! As for Claire, I thought it rather extraordinary, but the character is so meticulously crafted that when reading her dialogues, I knew precisely how she sounded; her voice was translated so well in words, that I could hear her, and this happens very seldom indeed. THE MAD COUNTESS is full of unexpected plot twits, and the romance is almost too gorgeous for words. THE MAD COUNTESS is in some ways a bit of a departure for Erica Monroe, and it is a resounding success. THE MAD COUNTESS is a most wondrous, beautiful, and touching love story; just wonderful!
THE MAD COUNTESS had previously been available in the Mystified Anthology.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Erica Monroe, which did not influence my opinion.
March 19, 2017
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC I received from NetGalley and the publisher*
I originally read this novella in the Mystified Anthology, I loved it then and after re-reading it, I love it even more - I would give this novella 10 stars if I could.
I LOVED it! Claire and Teddy have been the best of friends for years and each loves the other - but they don't share their feelings for each other for very different reasons. Claire is cursed and is certain she will eventually go mad like her mother and her aunt. She loves Teddy with all that she is, but she will not condemn him to life with a mad wife. Teddy has loved Claire for as long as he can remember and she is the only woman he would even consider spending his life with, but fear of rejection and the loss of her friendship have kept him quiet - until now. Teddy is ready to put his fears behind him and win the woman he loves - all he has to do is convince Claire that there is no curse - or is there?
Awesome story, loved Claire and Teddy. Teddy is sigh worthy - for so many reasons but the biggest is because he waited for Claire - she was his first everything and probably his last as well!! I swear this going on my very short list of books to read again!!
I originally read this novella in the Mystified Anthology, I loved it then and after re-reading it, I love it even more - I would give this novella 10 stars if I could.
I LOVED it! Claire and Teddy have been the best of friends for years and each loves the other - but they don't share their feelings for each other for very different reasons. Claire is cursed and is certain she will eventually go mad like her mother and her aunt. She loves Teddy with all that she is, but she will not condemn him to life with a mad wife. Teddy has loved Claire for as long as he can remember and she is the only woman he would even consider spending his life with, but fear of rejection and the loss of her friendship have kept him quiet - until now. Teddy is ready to put his fears behind him and win the woman he loves - all he has to do is convince Claire that there is no curse - or is there?
Awesome story, loved Claire and Teddy. Teddy is sigh worthy - for so many reasons but the biggest is because he waited for Claire - she was his first everything and probably his last as well!! I swear this going on my very short list of books to read again!!
October 20, 2019
This one was just okay to me. One key point in this one are the both the hero and heroine are virgins. It is nice that he has waited for her. I did think that was wonderful and sweet. However, the wimpy hero who has loved her since childhood does not make any move to court her through seven seasons. (Grrrr).
The hero is also one of those new age kind of guys that authors are starting to create. He is afraid of the outdoors, spiders, heights....etc. Really, the only positive thing about him is his clear love for the heroine in his thoughts, but due to being so passive, has not expressed these thoughts to her at the age of 25.
The Gothic parts and paranormal were strange to me. The witches undoing a curse was interesting, but the rest of it was weird.
Had a sweet epilogue.
The hero is also one of those new age kind of guys that authors are starting to create. He is afraid of the outdoors, spiders, heights....etc. Really, the only positive thing about him is his clear love for the heroine in his thoughts, but due to being so passive, has not expressed these thoughts to her at the age of 25.
The Gothic parts and paranormal were strange to me. The witches undoing a curse was interesting, but the rest of it was weird.
Had a sweet epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2018
I always love a good story about childhood friends who become lovers. It was a pretty short story, but the characters are developed enough for their love to be believable. It really was a romantic tale! The writing was really good and even made me laugh and cry... sometimes both at the same time! I loved Teddy and Claire, they were really intriguing characters. Overall a very lovely story!
February 12, 2019
A nice story, very short and sweet. And interesting! I think it would have made a marvelous full length novel.
March 15, 2017
I found this book while looking for something new to read on netgalley. The cover caught my eye – the purple dress is fabulous – and the blurb sounded fun. A little spooky, but still a regency. I also liked that it was the first in the series, so I wouldn’t be missing out on character nuance or inside jokes. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
And honestly, it was very sweet. True loves, Claire and Teddy, were afraid to tell each other how they truly felt because of the curse of madness hanging over Claire’s fate. With a little prodding, Teddy, ever a realist, and Claire, wanting her happily ever after, set out to break the curse. All of this is set against the backdrop of a very creepy castle, complete with ghosts and disembodied voices, witches in the forest, and the reading of a will. The story itself is a novella, not a full novel, and the pacing and plot move quickly. We get quite a bit of information about Teddy, Claire, and Claire’s mother to a degree, but everyone else is just a rough character sketch.
My only complaint is that, in this setting and with the sweetness of the story, I felt the romantic scene in the folly was unneeded. It could have been very sweet, inspirational, and charming without the love scene. Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually a fan…but in this case, it wasn’t needed or really wanted since their romantic tension and build had happened over a lifetime of intimacies.
In general, if you’re looking for a regency/gothic story in a haunted castle, give this one a go.
And honestly, it was very sweet. True loves, Claire and Teddy, were afraid to tell each other how they truly felt because of the curse of madness hanging over Claire’s fate. With a little prodding, Teddy, ever a realist, and Claire, wanting her happily ever after, set out to break the curse. All of this is set against the backdrop of a very creepy castle, complete with ghosts and disembodied voices, witches in the forest, and the reading of a will. The story itself is a novella, not a full novel, and the pacing and plot move quickly. We get quite a bit of information about Teddy, Claire, and Claire’s mother to a degree, but everyone else is just a rough character sketch.
My only complaint is that, in this setting and with the sweetness of the story, I felt the romantic scene in the folly was unneeded. It could have been very sweet, inspirational, and charming without the love scene. Don’t get me wrong, I’m usually a fan…but in this case, it wasn’t needed or really wanted since their romantic tension and build had happened over a lifetime of intimacies.
In general, if you’re looking for a regency/gothic story in a haunted castle, give this one a go.
May 4, 2017
I loved reading this Gothic novella. The hero and heroine were adorable and I loved how Teddy and Claire danced around their feelings for each other. This friends to lovers novella has some unique elements and is an entertaining read.
April 14, 2018
It's lucky that The Mad Countess (Gothic Brides, #1) by Erica Monroe was a novella because there wasn't too much of a plot to keep our interest. It's my understanding that Hestia, a local witch, claimed to be the daughter of Lord DeLisle and placed a curse on his two daughters when he refused to accept a patently false paternity. First Aunt Evelyn Brauning and then Lady Claire Deering's own mother went mad. Madalane was placed in the Ticehurst Asylum whose treatment ended with her unintended fatality. The loss affected both father and daughter with dad removing himself from society as much as possible and Claire being dubbed the Mad Daughter. She accepts this label convinced that she can never marry or have children because she is destined to meet the same fate as her mom. Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke, her childhood playmate, has secretly been in love with Claire, and follows her to Keyvnor Castle in Cornwall for the reading of Lord Brauning's will. She reveals her inner most thoughts and he tries to logically explain that her fears are nonsense, but some supernatural phenomena convinces him that perhaps there's more to the story. Together that find a way to reverse the curse so they can be together.
Teddy has remained a virgin saving himself for his beloved Claire. After getting caught together in a storm in the middle of a maze, Claire decides to allow herself one moment of passion as long as Teddy takes precautions. He kind of knows what to do and gets some sort of satisfaction, but it certainly didn't seem to set off any major fireworks for her, and honestly, it wasn't too exciting for the reader either. His method of birth control also left much to be desired.
The best part of this Regency Romance was the ceremony of the Bocka Morrow Coven of witches who want to undo the harmful spell which the now deceased Hestia inflicted on the innocent sisters.
The plot moved forward mainly through the reflections of the two main characters, often repetitive. Better to have used the space to develop the secondary characters (or give some more depth to Clare and Teddy), many who I assume will be players in future novels in the series. There were a few apparitions who make a brief appearance that also might be of importance later. Referring to the movements of a few unexplained ghosts and revealing a raving woman with dementia locked in the attic does not make this a gothic novel, especially when these random acts are disconnected from the central story.
Luckily the book was short enough for a quick read without getting too annoyed by Monroe's style of employing numerous means of expressing the same sentiment. This title was previously included in the Mystified Anthology.
Three stars and a thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read:
https://ellenk59.wordpress.com/2018/0...
Teddy has remained a virgin saving himself for his beloved Claire. After getting caught together in a storm in the middle of a maze, Claire decides to allow herself one moment of passion as long as Teddy takes precautions. He kind of knows what to do and gets some sort of satisfaction, but it certainly didn't seem to set off any major fireworks for her, and honestly, it wasn't too exciting for the reader either. His method of birth control also left much to be desired.
The best part of this Regency Romance was the ceremony of the Bocka Morrow Coven of witches who want to undo the harmful spell which the now deceased Hestia inflicted on the innocent sisters.
The plot moved forward mainly through the reflections of the two main characters, often repetitive. Better to have used the space to develop the secondary characters (or give some more depth to Clare and Teddy), many who I assume will be players in future novels in the series. There were a few apparitions who make a brief appearance that also might be of importance later. Referring to the movements of a few unexplained ghosts and revealing a raving woman with dementia locked in the attic does not make this a gothic novel, especially when these random acts are disconnected from the central story.
Luckily the book was short enough for a quick read without getting too annoyed by Monroe's style of employing numerous means of expressing the same sentiment. This title was previously included in the Mystified Anthology.
Three stars and a thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This review also appears on my blog, Gotta Read:
https://ellenk59.wordpress.com/2018/0...
June 26, 2018
This was a short, sweet little regency romance with enough plot to make it interesting. I enjoyed the characters of Claire and Teddy, and they showed a surprising amount of growth for such a quick journey. Ms. Monroe did an excellent job of sketching in just enough background to make Claire’s struggle feel very real and believable. She also managed to convey the horrors of regency-era mental health ‘care’ without going into excessive detail. In these cases, less was definitely more!
I absolutely loved Claire; while she came across as fragile and fearful of ending up like her mother and aunt, she was strong enough to conquer that fear to go after the man she loved. This was poignantly evident during the All Hallows Eve ritual and I’m not ashamed to admit that I teared up during her confessions. Teddy was sweet and supportive of her and his determination to do whatever he needed to do to help the love of his life was touching. (Also, despite the cover, he was described in such a way that I found myself picturing him as David Tennant. *swoon*) The romance between them wasn’t hot-and-heavy, in your face, or crammed down the reader’s throat at every opportunity, which is one of the things I seem to like about non-contemporary romances. Things between Teddy and Claire had been building for years and Ms. Monroe spooled it out at a rate that heightened the anticipation. When they finally gave into their desire for one another, it was perfectly written and so worth all the previous tension. It was also…classy in a way I find lacking in contemporary romances, with just the right balance between explicit description and letting my imagination do its job.
My only real disappointment with The Mad Countess was the setting: Keyvnor Castle was initially presented as this creepy, foreboding, haunted place…and then that aspect was all but cast aside. We got little hints (Teddy thinking he saw a ghost in the wee hours of the morning), but I found myself wanting more out of the paranormal aspects of this story. I guess the “gothic” part of the book description led me to expect something a little darker than what I got.
Bottom line: With believable characters, a sweet love story, and a satisfying HEA, The Mad Countess was a well written little jaunt into regency romance. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a friends-to-lovers story and is looking for a quick-but-satisfying read with a touch of magic. I’ll certainly be checking out Erica Monroe’s other stories!
**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.**
Review first appears on Red Hot Books
I absolutely loved Claire; while she came across as fragile and fearful of ending up like her mother and aunt, she was strong enough to conquer that fear to go after the man she loved. This was poignantly evident during the All Hallows Eve ritual and I’m not ashamed to admit that I teared up during her confessions. Teddy was sweet and supportive of her and his determination to do whatever he needed to do to help the love of his life was touching. (Also, despite the cover, he was described in such a way that I found myself picturing him as David Tennant. *swoon*) The romance between them wasn’t hot-and-heavy, in your face, or crammed down the reader’s throat at every opportunity, which is one of the things I seem to like about non-contemporary romances. Things between Teddy and Claire had been building for years and Ms. Monroe spooled it out at a rate that heightened the anticipation. When they finally gave into their desire for one another, it was perfectly written and so worth all the previous tension. It was also…classy in a way I find lacking in contemporary romances, with just the right balance between explicit description and letting my imagination do its job.
My only real disappointment with The Mad Countess was the setting: Keyvnor Castle was initially presented as this creepy, foreboding, haunted place…and then that aspect was all but cast aside. We got little hints (Teddy thinking he saw a ghost in the wee hours of the morning), but I found myself wanting more out of the paranormal aspects of this story. I guess the “gothic” part of the book description led me to expect something a little darker than what I got.
Bottom line: With believable characters, a sweet love story, and a satisfying HEA, The Mad Countess was a well written little jaunt into regency romance. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys a friends-to-lovers story and is looking for a quick-but-satisfying read with a touch of magic. I’ll certainly be checking out Erica Monroe’s other stories!
**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.**
Review first appears on Red Hot Books
September 13, 2018
Claire has been in love with Teddy, her best friend, for ages, it seems, but he only wants to be friends. Which is good for her, since she's going to go crazy like her aunt and mother did—it's a family curse.
But it turns out, Teddy doesn't only want to be friends with Claire and he also has no intention of letting her go mad. He's willing to break the curse no matter what, even if it means cavorting with a coven of witches.
I only read one book by this author previously, and I loved it, so I expected the same mix of suspense, romance, drama and humor in this one. Sadly, I was disappointed. It tried, it sure did, but it failed to deliver.
I didn't really care about the main protagonists; they came across as rather juvenile for people in their twenties, I hated the hero's nickname of Teddy (what is he, twelve?), I disliked the heroine's woe-is-me attitude, and their romance left me cold. I didn't understand why they loved each other, since both came across as rather flat, boring characters.
Then there were the gothic/suspenseful aspects of the story, which also fell flat. It turned out there weren't really any ghosts, just a crazy woman locked up in a castle, the curse thingy didn't inspire much confidence, sounding really made-up, while the final banishing of the curse with the help of the coven of witches seemed more like it was added as an afterthought.
Thankfully, this was a novella, so the "pain" was fleeting.
But it turns out, Teddy doesn't only want to be friends with Claire and he also has no intention of letting her go mad. He's willing to break the curse no matter what, even if it means cavorting with a coven of witches.
I only read one book by this author previously, and I loved it, so I expected the same mix of suspense, romance, drama and humor in this one. Sadly, I was disappointed. It tried, it sure did, but it failed to deliver.
I didn't really care about the main protagonists; they came across as rather juvenile for people in their twenties, I hated the hero's nickname of Teddy (what is he, twelve?), I disliked the heroine's woe-is-me attitude, and their romance left me cold. I didn't understand why they loved each other, since both came across as rather flat, boring characters.
Then there were the gothic/suspenseful aspects of the story, which also fell flat. It turned out there weren't really any ghosts, just a crazy woman locked up in a castle, the curse thingy didn't inspire much confidence, sounding really made-up, while the final banishing of the curse with the help of the coven of witches seemed more like it was added as an afterthought.
Thankfully, this was a novella, so the "pain" was fleeting.
March 21, 2017
Erica Monroe's novella The Mad Countess, part of the Mystified compilation, showcases big talent in a short space! Lady Claire Deering lives in fear of the day she will succumb to the madness that has destroyed her family as a result of a witch's curse. When a death brings her family and friends together at the supposedly haunted Castle Keyvnor for the will reading odd occurrences reinforce her concern that madness is her inheritance.
The newly minted Earl of Ashbrooke, Teddy Lockwood, is as practical as anyone can be except for his lifelong love of Lady Deering. Ever the skeptic his desire to make this resigned spinster his for life requires that he consider evidence outside of the concrete facts he regularly finds in books.
Wonderfully descriptive the details incorporated by Ms. Monroe into her work were not only bountiful but interesting. This author conveys emotions at a basic level so convincingly it is hard not to know where the characters feelings end and your feelings begin. The evolution of love between lifelong friends from the innocence of childhood to the passion of adulthood was beautifully portrayed by Ms. Monroe. The Mad Countess is the kind of work that will leave readers wanting to hug each and every one of its words close as not one of them is without merit and sincere sentiment!
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book*
The newly minted Earl of Ashbrooke, Teddy Lockwood, is as practical as anyone can be except for his lifelong love of Lady Deering. Ever the skeptic his desire to make this resigned spinster his for life requires that he consider evidence outside of the concrete facts he regularly finds in books.
Wonderfully descriptive the details incorporated by Ms. Monroe into her work were not only bountiful but interesting. This author conveys emotions at a basic level so convincingly it is hard not to know where the characters feelings end and your feelings begin. The evolution of love between lifelong friends from the innocence of childhood to the passion of adulthood was beautifully portrayed by Ms. Monroe. The Mad Countess is the kind of work that will leave readers wanting to hug each and every one of its words close as not one of them is without merit and sincere sentiment!
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book*
October 5, 2019
Their Heart's Madness Will Save Them
Her mother and her aunt both went mad and died, which is why Lady Claire Deering can never follow her heart. She would never condemn the man she loves to the fate of watching her slowly go mad.
He's loved her all his life, and no silly curse is going to keep Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke (Teddy to his friends) from someday claiming her as his wife. He just needs to be courageous enough to tell her how he feels, and hope she feels the same.
This tender and sweet love story made my heart smile. For such a quick read, it was very well written with a simple but powerful story. The pace moved quickly and each scene moved the story forward. This piece is both story and character driven. Speaking of characters, I loved the easy friendship between Teddy and Claire that barely hid the love they each have had for the other for many years. Their dialogue was just what I would have expected from very close friends, and their desire for each other was explosive. By the ending, which included an epilogue, I had a satisfied smile on my face.
Content alert: There is some mild swearing and a mildly described sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
Her mother and her aunt both went mad and died, which is why Lady Claire Deering can never follow her heart. She would never condemn the man she loves to the fate of watching her slowly go mad.
He's loved her all his life, and no silly curse is going to keep Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke (Teddy to his friends) from someday claiming her as his wife. He just needs to be courageous enough to tell her how he feels, and hope she feels the same.
This tender and sweet love story made my heart smile. For such a quick read, it was very well written with a simple but powerful story. The pace moved quickly and each scene moved the story forward. This piece is both story and character driven. Speaking of characters, I loved the easy friendship between Teddy and Claire that barely hid the love they each have had for the other for many years. Their dialogue was just what I would have expected from very close friends, and their desire for each other was explosive. By the ending, which included an epilogue, I had a satisfied smile on my face.
Content alert: There is some mild swearing and a mildly described sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
February 3, 2018
Claire and Teddy, Lord Ashbrooke, have been friends and neighbors since they were kids, and both secretly love the other. But Teddy has always been cautious and is afraid to tell Claire of his feelings, having sat by for the past 7 seasons and watched Claire. Claire, for her part, as much as she loves Teddy, will not tell him of her feelings because it will trap him in marriage to a woman who is cursed to become insane. Although Teddy doesn’t give the curse any credence, Claire strongly believes it and lives in doubt that she’s hanging onto sanity, having seen her mother and aunt go through it. At Castle Keyvnor, Claire finds people willing to help her rid her of the curse, and Teddy must decide if he loves Claire enough to support her in this. Claire and Teddy were absolutely adorable - I love the fact that Teddy so loved Claire from the start that he was willing to wait for her...yes, he was a virgin and their first (and unfortunately only) time had that delightfully sweet and awkward feel to it...which is kinda why I wanted a balanced second try for them. So I loved the two of them together. The resolution of the curse with the witches coven was borderline for me - I think I kinda thought it was hokey... But, Teddy and Claire overshadowed even that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2018
*I was gifted an ARC copy of this story, by the author, in exchange for my fair and honest review*
The Mad Countess is the story of Claire Deering and Theodore Lockwood (Teddy). These are two people who have been best friends since practically infancy, over the years these feelings of friendship and adoration have deepened into something more. Because Teddy doesn't want to mess up the friendship that he has with Claire he keeps silent. Claire on the other hand has a much bigger reason that silences her feelings for her friend... there is a curse upon her family. This curse has serious repercussions of insanity upon the women, and Claire is uncertain of her future.
Erica Monroe has done it again! In this novella, that is the first in her Gothic Brides series, she takes the style of Gothic romance and truly puts her own mark on it. She draws readers in from the first few sentences of the story and holds your attention through the remainder. Put this on your TBR list, and keep an eye on Erica Monroe... She's an author to watch!
The Mad Countess is the story of Claire Deering and Theodore Lockwood (Teddy). These are two people who have been best friends since practically infancy, over the years these feelings of friendship and adoration have deepened into something more. Because Teddy doesn't want to mess up the friendship that he has with Claire he keeps silent. Claire on the other hand has a much bigger reason that silences her feelings for her friend... there is a curse upon her family. This curse has serious repercussions of insanity upon the women, and Claire is uncertain of her future.
Erica Monroe has done it again! In this novella, that is the first in her Gothic Brides series, she takes the style of Gothic romance and truly puts her own mark on it. She draws readers in from the first few sentences of the story and holds your attention through the remainder. Put this on your TBR list, and keep an eye on Erica Monroe... She's an author to watch!
October 3, 2017
Teddy and Claire have been friends most of their lives. However, they both live with fears. Teddy is afraid of heights, of spiders, nature in general, and afraid to tell Claire that he loves her. Claire is afraid of becoming mad like her mother and aunt before her, and so afraid of hurting Teddy in anyway. They both end up at Keyvnor Castle ready to face their longings and their fears. The majority of Erica Monroe's books take place in the Rookeries of London. This is a much different setting for her, with a very different type of storyline. As much as I enjoyed the Rookery Rogues series, I also enjoyed this novella very much. It is part of the Haunting of Keyvnor Castle series, which gives you a hint that there is something supernatural going on. I would like to see the author write more in the Gothic setting, I do believe she is on to something here. I received this novella eBook from NetGalley for an honest review.
March 21, 2017
This is one of my top three in The Haunting of Castle Keyvnor anthologies! I was so engrossed in it that I read it in about an hour. I loved that they had been best friends forever because it made the story even better and everything happens at a great pace because of it. The rain in the maze scenes are my all time favorites and what some dreams are made of. I loved the detail that went into the witches and everything when breaking the curse (another favorite scene). Finding out a bit more about her mother and aunt was great especially finding out it was a curse and why the curse was put on them. My favorite lines included unicorns.
Claire’s heart is in the right place at all times. She thought she wasn’t strong, but she was because she visited her mother when most wouldn’t and she didn’t run from anything. I loved her spirit and how close she was to her maid.
Teddy is someone you fall in the love with from the start. He is not your typical hero he has many fears, loves to learn, and when he sets his mind to something he does it. I loved everything about him from the way he did things to the openness of his heart. He never lied or brushed off anything without proof and wanted to help.
The ending was amazing! I wasn’t left wondering about anything.
Claire’s heart is in the right place at all times. She thought she wasn’t strong, but she was because she visited her mother when most wouldn’t and she didn’t run from anything. I loved her spirit and how close she was to her maid.
Teddy is someone you fall in the love with from the start. He is not your typical hero he has many fears, loves to learn, and when he sets his mind to something he does it. I loved everything about him from the way he did things to the openness of his heart. He never lied or brushed off anything without proof and wanted to help.
The ending was amazing! I wasn’t left wondering about anything.
February 10, 2019
Fast reading
I’ve already read book 2 & 3 so I’m going backwards but that don’t matter really they are all standalones. Teddy a new Earl now but he has always love his best friend Claire since they were both very young and at 25 he wants to face his fears and become someone new and that means to be able to finally tell Claire his true feelings for her and help her find a way to say the curse that’s haunting her is made up. But Claire knows it’s real, she saw her mother go into the madness (possibly dementia or it’s Alzheimer’s) of a witch’s curse. There’s ghosts living in the castle they’re staying at for a will reading but when Teddy and Claire find the ghosts is her living breathing though to be dead aunt will turn Claire’s world onto the path she been so desperately envisioned for many years.
I’ve already read book 2 & 3 so I’m going backwards but that don’t matter really they are all standalones. Teddy a new Earl now but he has always love his best friend Claire since they were both very young and at 25 he wants to face his fears and become someone new and that means to be able to finally tell Claire his true feelings for her and help her find a way to say the curse that’s haunting her is made up. But Claire knows it’s real, she saw her mother go into the madness (possibly dementia or it’s Alzheimer’s) of a witch’s curse. There’s ghosts living in the castle they’re staying at for a will reading but when Teddy and Claire find the ghosts is her living breathing though to be dead aunt will turn Claire’s world onto the path she been so desperately envisioned for many years.
February 19, 2019
The Mad Countess was one of the books that I finished during last month's 24in48 readathon. I was in the mood for a quick historical romance with a bit of fantasy. What made it better was that this was considered a gothic fiction. I like to say that I don't like romance but I'm actually a bit of a sucker for historical romance. I also love gothic fiction. So, this was a great escape from other books that I usually read. The story itself wasn't a bad one. It was pretty clear cut. It did have a dark ambiance but that darkness didn't stray the romance away. The romance was... decent. Boy and girl know each other, are best friends, and they end up solving a mystery in order to be together. It was an okay book. A decent beginning to a series. But I just wish there was maybe a bit more conflict or gothic suspense. Final Rating: 3/5
October 26, 2019
Teddy and Claire are childhood friends that have loved each other for a long time. But Teddy was afraid of sharing his feelings with her because he doesn't want to lose her friendship and Claire is afraid of making her feelings known too because of a curse placed on her family. Her aunt and mother suffered from madness and she's afraid she too will lose her mind and hurt her loved ones, therefore deciding that a solitary life is what she deserves but that doesn't stop her from pining for love. The book has some loose ends that were not properly tied, for instance what happened to her aunt that was believed to have died but not dead, who is Bronson, and others. I'm not a fan of magic and witches book so the book didn't really do it for me. "I received this book from eBook discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review ".
March 13, 2017
A little dark and perhaps a little paranormal as well.. however , a cute read that was interesting. It was a little slow at first but the pace did pick up. The story line was interesting if not completely joyful. It had the life overtones of what happened to people that were mistakenly thought crazy during that time period. It felt a little emotional reading it at times due to the horror people were put through. However, curses, passion, life, and a heroine that is a lot naive and confused made it interesting. The hero was one that was loyal and dedicated to being at her side. Really what more could you ask for in a true love setting? Definitely a good short read! I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna
March 22, 2017
Lady Claire Deering and Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke, have always been best friends, and now they are in love. Claire fears acting on that love because she is afraid she will suffer the same madness (brought about by an angry witch’s curse) that claimed the lives and sanity of her mother and aunt. Teddy fears a lot of things, including telling Claire how he feels. He is determined to conquer his fears, her curse (although he really doesn’t believe in it), and find true love with Claire. Sounds good, right? Can they conquer the curse and find their happily ever after? Maybe. If they follow the advice of one of the castle ‘ghosts’ and trust the local coven of witches, they might find what they seek.
This is a wonderful story. The hero and heroine are brave, very much in love, and tug at your heartstrings. Each of the strong secondary characters fits a niche in the story and fills the role beautifully. There are twists and surprises in this well-written story. Read and enjoy this one. You’d have to be mad not to (couldn’t resist).
This is a wonderful story. The hero and heroine are brave, very much in love, and tug at your heartstrings. Each of the strong secondary characters fits a niche in the story and fills the role beautifully. There are twists and surprises in this well-written story. Read and enjoy this one. You’d have to be mad not to (couldn’t resist).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews