Danielle Dulac has just been sacked after spurning her employer’s lecherous advances. Penniless and without references, she is desperate to acquire the position of governess at Esterly House on the bleak Yorkshire moors. When the mail coach slides into a ditch in the middle of a blizzard, she is forced to seek shelter at the nearest house, Blackmoor Hall. But visitors are not welcome at Blackmoor Hall and she gets sent to the stables to shelter from the storm. She is jerked out of sound slumber by a snow-blasted horse bursting into the stall, practically trampling her beneath his slashing hooves. Anthony Markham, the Duke of Blackmoor, has just returned home after six months of dissolute living in London. He is surly, sarcastic, enigmatic, and hostile. And the most sensuous man Danielle has ever met. The attraction between them is instantaneous, combustible…and forbidden. Though a descendant of French nobility, Danielle is still a mere governess and Anthony Markham is a Duke. When the position at Esterly House falls through, she has nowhere to go and faces a bleak future. To her shock, it’s Anthony Markham who comes to her rescue, offering her a position as governess to his four-year-old son, Geoffrey. Against her better judgment, she accepts. She soon discovers that the Master of Blackmoor is haunted by a dark and tragic past filled with lies, betrayal and death. Unfortunately, the past is not over. Evil stalks Blackmoor Hall. The danger is escalating and all the clues point to the Duke himself. As the passion between Anthony and Danielle rages out of control, so does the peril they face. Will they solve this mystery in time? Or will it wind up destroying them both?
Julie has always loved stories, both reading and writing them, ever since she was old enough to hold a book in her hands. One of her favorite childhood activities was smuggling books under the covers to read by flashlight after she was supposed to be asleep. A career as a children’s librarian eventually led to her dream career as a freelance storyteller and puppeteer, a business she operated successfully for twenty-five years. During that time she created and wrote all the original material for a monthly language arts newsletter full of poems, songs, puppet and flannel-board stories, fingerplays, and other resource material for early childhood educators. For that endeavor she won the prestigious EDPRESS Award for the best educational newsletter of 1982. She has also written other resource materials for preschool and early elementary teachers. After moving more than two dozen times in her life, Julie lives in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Now widowed and retired, she once again has time to devote to her two favorite things—reading and writing—especially her new love, erotic romances
Holy shit!!! Master of Blackmoor is one hell of a hot,sexy read!!! Anthony Markham the duke of Blackmoor is a one hell of a lover!!! The only problem with this dark and brooding badboy is he comes with a curse and evil stalks his home and if that wasn't enough he's also at a point in his life where nothing and no one matter to him anymore,that is until Danielle dulac's has a carriage accident and seeks help at blackmoor manor. The coachman and the locals all fear blackmoor manor because of the curse and whispers of devil worshipers!!! The chemistry between Anthony and Danielle is hot,hot!!! This book reminds me of the Gothic romances I started reading as a young girl,I love the mystery and the historic backdrop of this awesome read!!!But what those old Gothic didn't have is the hot sex!!! I hope that Julie Shelton will write more of this kind of read!!! I'm a fan for life!!!! 5 WET PANTIES STARS FOR THIS EROTIC HISTORICAL ROMANCE!!!
And, to make sure it hit the mark I looked to see what a gothic romance should include then ticked the boxes against this story: *mystery tinged with horror (yes) *dark background (yes) *supernatural (yes) *young governess or new bride (yes) *large gloomy mansion (yes) *peculiar servants (yes) *precious child(ren) (yes) *presided over by darkly handsome and man with mysterious past (yes)
Danielle Dulac is on her way to take a job as governess when the carriage she is riding in loses a wheel. She and the driver and mailman on the coach make their way to Blackmoor for the night where she encounters Anthony Markham, Duke of Blackmoor. Her job as governess was not to be…at least not where she planned to go originally…so a governess to Anthony’s son Geoffrey fortuitously is provided at Blackmoor.
With a backstory that was traumatic for all and a future to be explored by some this is a great read with murder, suspense, a diabolical bad guy and romance. I enjoyed reading the descriptions almost as much as the story itself because it took me back to visits to antique stores with my mother, looking through her books on various similar subjects and visits to museums & estate homes that were oh so much fun.
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
Master of Blackmoor by Julie Shelton, is a delicious mix of gothic romance, mystery and some light bdsm.
After her father’s death, Danielle Dulac is left penniless and in dire need of a position suitable for a young lady. She agrees to hire on as a governess far from her home in London on at an estate on the Yorkshire moors. Before she can arrive safely at her destination, her coach loses a wheel and lands in a ditch stranding Danielle and her drivers in the middle of nowhere during a blizzard.
Forced to seek shelter at the infamous Blackmoor Hall, Danielle meets Anthony Markham, Due of Blackmoor. Anthony is a hard man after the trickery and tragedy that surrounded his first marriage. He is cold, sarcastic and not looking for any sort of relationship that is not simply sex with no strings attached. But there is something about Danielle that has him intrigued and breaking his own rules.
When the governess position falls through, Danielle is rescued once again by the Duke who is now offering the position of governess for his own young son, Geoffrey. Against her better judgement, Danielle agrees and finds herself surrounded by the mystery that surrounds the dark and brooding Blackmoor Hall and its inhabitants.
Passions are ignited, mysteries unfold, tragedies are brought to light and danger continues to surround the Hall. Can Danielle and Anthony find a way to escape the peril and create a life together even though they come from opposite worlds? One click to find out!
I adored Julie Shelton’s Master of Blackmore Hall. Even though she is young and innocent, Danielle is a fantastic heroine. She is loving to her young charge and brings life back to Blackmoor Hall little by little as she works her way into the hearts of the staff as well as their Master. She is also intelligent and witty and willing to stand up for what she knows is right . . . something that was not common or easy to do for a woman during this time . . . but exactly what Anthony Markham needs in a woman.
Circumstances have turned Anthony bitter, yet Danielle begins changing him in ways that bring him back to life. His struggles between his want for Danielle and his need to keep her safe feel very real. The side cast of characters, mainly the staff of Blackmoor Hall also add much to the story . . .my favorite being Fanshawe, the butler.
Julie Shelton did a great job keeping the plot moving forward. It was an intriguing mystery very reminiscent of a great gothic romance with all the trappings, including a love affair spanning class boundaries and a murderer on the loose. However, the story does not feel trite or overdone. There is also the fun addition of some light bdsm play such as bondage that add a delightful twist to this book.
The Master of Blackmoor is a page turner that will keep you reading late into the night! Grab your glass of wine and take a trip back in time to enjoy this romantic suspense. 5 stars!
This is my first Julie Shelton book - and hopefully not my last! It is everything I love in a regency romance with a splash of light BDSM, and definitely worth the read.
We meet Danielle Dulac, on a journey to a new governess job in the English Countryside, after her father's dies and she is forced to leave the only home she has known - a school for young men. After, being sacked for thwarting the advances of her previous employer. She will take anything. However, before she safely arrives, destiny intervenes and she is forced to seek shelter following a coach accident.
As, fate would have it - she and her crew arrive at Blackmoor Hall, a mysterious place that they are not welcomed to and sent to the barn to wait out the storm. In the middle of the night she is almost trampled the Duke of Blackmoor - one Anthony Markham. Anthony is haunted by his past, his present, and his future. He lost his wife, under mysterious circumstances, and believes that he killed his younger brother.
When, Danielle finds that employer she was on the way to0, far too much to handle. Anthony, breaks all his rules and asks her to be Governess to his young son, that upon returning from a long absence he finds he has been sadly neglected. Who is saving who, in this dark place that the once bright place of Blackmoore has become. CLICK the button to find out!
Ms. Shelton has done a wonderful job keeping me as a reader interested. The plot lines are tight and will keep you turning pages. Her characters are strong and believable. The sex is well sexy, and doesn't take away from the love story with a well mixed mystery. I have to admit - one of the final plot lines I never saw coming and it took me completely by surprise. Well done!
I am an independent reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock
I’ve read a few of Shelton’s books in the past, but this one was so different from those, it was crazy!
With that being said, I did still enjoy this book. I loved the historic aspect of the story, the mystery, drama, suspense. All of it was done so well that I was drawn into the story and didn’t want it to end.
Anthony and Danielle were both great characters. Danielle had no fear – she was willing to do whatever she had to to ensure that Geoffrey was taken care of. And she didn’t care who she upset by doing that. Anthony on the other hand – while he tried to appear very mean and hateful, he still ended up showing his softer side with her. And then later with Geoffrey.
I don’t want to give too much away from the story so I will just end it with this – if you enjoy historical reads that have mystery, suspense and some smutty times, then be sure to grab this book!
Reviewed by Crystal Marie for Crystal's Many Reviewers Copy provided for review
This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last. I look forward to reading more books. Master of Blackmoor is a historical romance novel and it is full of suspence, mystery, romance, but also heartbreaking and tender moments. It is a big book, but it got my attention from begining to end. Julie writes with great detail and discribes the landscape, the house and characters beautifully so everything comes to life. Danielle is a wonderful, very likeable character who brings joy and sunshine everywhere she goes. Anthony is a bit of a tortured soul but a good man at heart and Danielle is just what he needs. There are also some great well fleshed out secondary charcaters in this bok. I really enjoyed reading this book.
I have been on a historical kick lately so I was excited to read this but with the added Gothic Romance and I was hooked. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters. I stayed up late into the night to finish this book on my phone as my kindle died and I had to know what was going to happen next. I definitely kept trying to figure out who was villain. Not once was I bored while reading this book. I am definitely going to be looking up the other books by Julie and devouring them.
This is a delightfully suspenseful, eerie book, with moors, ruins, dark steeds, thunderous hooves…. Even the title! It’s been many years since I’ve read any gothic-style books, and it will never be my favorite genre, but this book is unputdownable. It has one of the most thrilling conclusions I’ve read, and that is saying quite a lot. Consider not reading this late at night, but definitely read it!
WOW. What a story. You will experience ever emotion you can think of from laughing, crying, sad, mad and happy. This book will keep you on edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next. What a great book. I will say it was not what I expected but well worth reading. Enjoy
I love this book, the relation that builds up between Danielle and Anthony He so stubborn and she so sweet. With everything happening around them This is a great story.
What a great book, it had everything a book lover would want, Mystery, suspense, Love and heartbreak. Let's not forget the incredible sexy bedroom scenes everything you could want and more! It's been a long while since I was surprised by a book., and this book certainly delivered. We follow the young Danielle Dulac through some really hard times and some really amazing times. Now she has landed herself in the lap of the Duke of Blackmoor. Now she has to fight her way through a curse, love and death. will she be able to beat it, or will it take over her and destroy her?! Only time will tell. Anthony Markham, the Duke of Blackmoor, has thought his family was cursed so he stayed away from everyone and everything so no one would be affected by his families curse and no one else would have to die. Little does he know that the women that is seeking shelter in his sables will change his life forever!
Danielle Dulac is in something of a predicament. One thing I liked about Danielle was that despite the time she lives in, she was able to think on her feet. But the author shows how vulnerable women were during that time in history. And how much we had to rely on men because of how we were seen because of our gender. Loved the fact that she doesn’t think anything about speaking her mind and talking back – sticks up for herself. She also goes against convention and is sexy in her own way and isn’t afraid of her sexuality – a little timid maybe but not afraid.
Anthony Markham has no idea what he’s in for. As we get to know him one feeling that comes to mind is sad another is brooding and lastly dark. You’re able to see how he’s fighting a demon that creates tension between him and Danielle. You have to wonder if fate has something in store for him. Will his soul open up to the changes that are going to occur in his life. His character seems to get lighter once he starts to interact with Danielle.
This book reminded me of what I love about historical romances. It also made me think of the 1983 Jane Eyre mini-series. That was when I fell in love with Edward Rochester and the actor Timothy Dalton. What made me sad was that I couldn’t think in an accent – all characters sound American. Maybe I’ll have to go out to YouTube and watch some of the 1983 episodes. Or one better would be to cross the pond, take this book with me, and have my own adventure – and that’s not a bad thing.
The author shows great creativity when she created Lady Esterly. She’s a character best experienced. She was definitely unique. Ms. Shelton also creates a mystery that will have you turning pages so along with Danielle maybe you can figure out what’s going on. Then we have a character that will steal your heart. One thing that always catches my heart is children and animals.
This story is long, over 400 pages, but I didn’t mind that. It’s that time of year when you want to slow down; enjoy the summer, and vacations. The story had me slow down, sit back, and enjoy the scenes that this author has created. By thinking of this book as a mini-series of its own helps in finding the perfect place to stop. This is one of those books that I would happily read more than once. And this is an author that I look forward to reading more of her work.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Danielle DuLac is desperate. With her father recently deceased and her position as a teacher no longer viable after her father's recent death, she accepted a position as governess to a pompous Lord whose only goal was seduction. She left his employ, as did many others, but he refused to provide her with a reference or character. In desperation she accepts a position with Lady Esterly and is on her way there when a blizzard causes a coach mishap and she and the coach driver seek refuge at Blackmoor Hall, rumored to be an evil place. Anthony Markham, Duke of Blackmoor, is a tortured soul. Having killed and his wife and brother when he learned of their affair, Anthony spends his days wishing for his own death and neglecting his four-year old son Geoffrey. His dark visage, courtesy of his part gypsy heritage, fuels the rumors of his vileness although Danielle sees beyond that to his tortured psyche. As fate would have it, Danielle ends up as governess to young Geoffrey who has been abused through the sin of neglect. She soons sets things at Blackmoor Hall back to rights and even makes several friends among the surly servants - her stauchest allies being young Bertha and Fanshawe the ascerbic butler. Love eventually enters the picture for Danielle and Anthony and a happy ending ensues but not before the perils and pitfalls of a murder mystery assert themselves.
This story was quite refreshing in that there was an actual storyline involved; and a good one too! Thankfully most of the erotica was confined to the latter portions of the book however it was most jarring to this reader to find old world characters referring to parts of the human anatomy in today's vernacular. Those passages were totally unnecessary in carrying the story forward. As for the erotica part of the story it seemed interminable. Yes we know the lovers were passionate but a tutorial was unnecessary in this type of historical romance. A page or two of it would have sufficed but this felt for like a tutorial or a passage from Penthouse magazine. I will admit to it being well-written though. Throughout these passages I felt like our lovers were more in today's comtemporary world than back in the late 1700s or early 1800s.
All in all, a well done book and one that will keep the reader's interest. If you're not into the erotica, you can certainly skip over those passages and still have an enjoyable read. And if erotica is your cup of tea then you'll find this book a true delight!
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author for my honest review. I have loved other books by Julie so was happy that she had asked if I would read her latest. I do not typically read historical romances, my first thought when asked was I would have a difficult time getting through the book and put off reading the book for a few days. I am glad I put it off, it meant that I could sit and read the book in one day with zero interruptions, because once I started I could not put it down. It started off slow, hence the 4 stars, I like a story that grabs me from the beginning and doesn't let go. Could it have been sped up, probably not, historical's need background so you understand time and place. Once you get into the story then it became this very intriguing story line and you had to keep going to find out what happens next. Danielle's on the mail wagon to head to a job as governess when the wagon goes in the ditch, the only place near is Blackmoor Hall. She is warned to not go there since it was evil, but it was go there or die so she made her choice. You will love Danielle, she is lonely, has no family, feels like she will never have love since she is old (23, but back then...), she is also smart, speaks her mind and in those times woman didn't do that. She was the perfect match for Anthony, Master of Blackmoor Hall. Anthony, so haunted by tragic events and being told lies, that he feels he can never love someone since he would only put them in danger. He is a true rake of his time. Dani is the light to Anthony's dark. They know this is forbidden but they feel connected and they fight this attraction. He wants to send her away and she refuses, she will not abandon the love she has for him or his son that she has been a governess too. She wants to solve the mystery that shrouds the Hall and fight for her love. There are so many possible suspects that could be the cause of the problems (murders) and you feel compelled to keep reading until the mystery is solved. So don't stop, keep going it is a well written book. Great descriptions used to make you feel like you are in England in the 1800's This book has laughter, mystery, intrigue, mature sex scenes, HEA and an epilogue.
This is hands down one of the BEST books I've read this year!
She couldn't move her head. He was clearly in control of this kiss and it was obvious that he was in no hurry. He kissed her with deliberate slowness, a series of languorous kisses, questing kisses that sipped provocatively at the sweetness of her mouth. Intoxicating, exhilarating kisses that ravished her senses and sent her soaring higher, higher...
Then his lips left her mouth to blaze a fiery trail across her face, staking claims on her forehead, her her closed eyelids, her cheeks, until she was trembling violently, nearly frantic with myriad throbbing needs she was unable to recognize because she had never felt anything like them before.
"Sweet..." he whispered "So, so sweet..."
"This is your last chance, Miss Dulac," he said in a low, tight voice. "If I go now, nothing will happen."
She stared at him, hardly daring to breathe. "And if you stay?"
"Then you will be mine. In every sense of the word."
Julie Shelton has brought the Regency era to life with this intense scintillating story of a governess Danielle Dulac and the Master of Blackmoor Lord Anthony. A man living under a curse, a curse that has already cost him the lives of those he loved. His tortured soul has been lingering, waiting for the curse to finish him off. Until the day he meets Danielle Dulac A woman lost in a blizzard looking for refuge. When he first meets her he's cold, as cold as the storm raging outside. But when he really sees her, seeing the inner person his soul starts to yearn, wanting to consume her. But she is not safe with him. The curse will take her from him...so he must send her away...
A story full of the richest detail, complex characters that are as real as the people in your life. Her story is full of suspense, intrigue, gypsy curses, and Lords and Ladies. Her world is so captivating you will be saddened when it ends.
This tale has the drama, adventure, intrigue, and enough hot steamy sex to satisfy the romantic in everyone. A must read to all looking for a wonderful escape and an HEA to melt even the coldest heart! 5 Stars!
An I received this book in exchange for an honest and fair review....yada, yada, yada.
Holy crap!! I stayed up into the night reading this because I just couldn't put it down. I'm not normally one to read historical romance but since Ms. Shelton is one of my favorite authors, I had to read it. Lust, danger, intrigue, dark and evil things, it all happens in this book and will totally just suck you into the story. Get this book and read it!!! It's awesome!!
This book has intrigue and romance. It was really good. Keeps you guessing to the very surprising end. I'm looking forward to reading more of Julie Shelton's books.