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Parvenues & Paramours #1
Three Abductions and an Earl
London-hating dreamer, Lydia Norwood, has failed spectacularly as a débutante. Now an encoretante whose family has lost a fortune, Lydia discovers that the beau monde is hard on a nouveau riche social climber, particularly one who is no longer riche and only wants to climb trees. Lydia must stave off the effrontery of rakes and conniving competitors long enough to make a good match, or else incur society's scorn by earning her own money. Falling for the unattainable Lord Aldley is a distraction she cannot afford. But they share such an enchanted history, how can her heart resist?
The tragically virtuous Earl of Aldley is tired of ambitious families hurling debutantes at his head, but cannot hide in France forever. He returns to London to seek out the mysterious tree-climbing girl who once saved him from a scheming chit, and finds more than he bargained for. Abductions, seductions, trickery and injury all endanger Lydia, but Lord Aldley's heart is imperiled beyond rescue. He has only just found her; will he lose her forever to his enemy, his best friend, or his own dangerous mistake?
Three Abductions and an Earl is a full length novel and the first book in Tessa Candle's Parvenues and Paramours series.
The tragically virtuous Earl of Aldley is tired of ambitious families hurling debutantes at his head, but cannot hide in France forever. He returns to London to seek out the mysterious tree-climbing girl who once saved him from a scheming chit, and finds more than he bargained for. Abductions, seductions, trickery and injury all endanger Lydia, but Lord Aldley's heart is imperiled beyond rescue. He has only just found her; will he lose her forever to his enemy, his best friend, or his own dangerous mistake?
Three Abductions and an Earl is a full length novel and the first book in Tessa Candle's Parvenues and Paramours series.
475 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2017
1462 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
October 20, 2018
1.5 stars.
This might have been a good story, (the actual writing is good) except for a few things. Let me mention some of them.
The heroine starts out as a virginal ingenue, then metamorphoses into a sex-crazy vamp halfway through, complete with a sex manual courtesy of her weird best friend. Regency setting? Hmmm..
The hero is very weak and kind of pathetic. He procrastinates, pontificates and generally manages to do nothing unless he is stuffing something up. I'm reading HR here- I need a real hero!
The best friend of our heroine, Tilly, engaged to another man, merrily has an affair with the hero's friend, enjoying sex with him several times (even in the bedroom of our heroine, who has been in a coma and is still in the bed). This same woman arranges for her brother to marry the villainess of the piece, a woman who had conspired and acted to ruin the heroine more than once in order to force the hero to marry her instead. Because Tilly's brother adores this lady? And our heroine was supposed to meet this woman socially and be pleasant to her? WTF? Tilly is clearly a bit nuts. (The next book is about her- not interested in what happens to that strangely cold, very calculating woman).
But most importantly, the book was way too long! I lost interest about two thirds of the way along and had to force myself (speed-reading bits) to finish it. There is no crime worse than boring the reader. And suddenly throwing a ton of relatively explicit sex scenes in, when there were none at all for the first two thirds, will not make up for this crime!
With all this inconsistency and strange characterisation, I won't be reading any more by this author.
This might have been a good story, (the actual writing is good) except for a few things. Let me mention some of them.
The heroine starts out as a virginal ingenue, then metamorphoses into a sex-crazy vamp halfway through, complete with a sex manual courtesy of her weird best friend. Regency setting? Hmmm..
The hero is very weak and kind of pathetic. He procrastinates, pontificates and generally manages to do nothing unless he is stuffing something up. I'm reading HR here- I need a real hero!
The best friend of our heroine, Tilly, engaged to another man, merrily has an affair with the hero's friend, enjoying sex with him several times (even in the bedroom of our heroine, who has been in a coma and is still in the bed). This same woman arranges for her brother to marry the villainess of the piece, a woman who had conspired and acted to ruin the heroine more than once in order to force the hero to marry her instead. Because Tilly's brother adores this lady? And our heroine was supposed to meet this woman socially and be pleasant to her? WTF? Tilly is clearly a bit nuts. (The next book is about her- not interested in what happens to that strangely cold, very calculating woman).
But most importantly, the book was way too long! I lost interest about two thirds of the way along and had to force myself (speed-reading bits) to finish it. There is no crime worse than boring the reader. And suddenly throwing a ton of relatively explicit sex scenes in, when there were none at all for the first two thirds, will not make up for this crime!
With all this inconsistency and strange characterisation, I won't be reading any more by this author.
April 23, 2018
This was a hard book to read and a much harder book to review. While I loved the premise of this book, the characters and endless bad events that continued to impede Lydia and her family were too much for me to take. I finally had to stop reading at 56% or else I was going to go mad.
Please don't think that the writing is bad because it was beautifully written. Candle's turn of phrase and historical accuracy both make it a fine read. I just think there's too much badness and not enough resolution. First the antagonist reeks of badness then he's dead then he's not dead then his family is involved but then they aren't.
The only redeeming quality of this whole book was Tilly. I adored Tilly and her antics. She was such fun to read and the reason for me upping my rating from -10 to 2 stars.
My Rating: 2 stars
Please don't think that the writing is bad because it was beautifully written. Candle's turn of phrase and historical accuracy both make it a fine read. I just think there's too much badness and not enough resolution. First the antagonist reeks of badness then he's dead then he's not dead then his family is involved but then they aren't.
The only redeeming quality of this whole book was Tilly. I adored Tilly and her antics. She was such fun to read and the reason for me upping my rating from -10 to 2 stars.
My Rating: 2 stars
June 27, 2017
Interesting historical romance. This story portrays how devious ladies and their mothers can be when trying to secure a wealthy husband, especially an earl. The story is unique with its subplots and the mixed-up chaos surrounding the characters. At first I found the various crisis’s overwhelming, pulling my attention in different directions, wondering how it was relevant to the main story. By the middle of the book I did not want to put it down wondering what will happen next. I was pleasantly surprised to see how most story lines were resolved. All but one, which hopefully will become another book within the series.
Lydia Norwood was raised in the country, she was the boy her father never had. She learned to ride like a man, fish and climb trees. Brought to London for her second season, Lydia misses her country home and the freedom to be herself. Lydia is shocked to learn her father has lost most of his fortune forcing her to secure a suitable husband before society learns the truth. Lydia’s large dowry draws attention from many unwanted suitors, men who would sooner abduct her and force her into marriage instead of courting and proposing themselves.
Lord Aldley has returned from Paris after privately mourning the loss of his father. The new earl is shocked to see how far women will go for an introduction, willing to compromise themselves to gain his attention. There is only one woman who captures his eye, a woman who stands out from the ton and thwarts numerous schemes towards him. Lord Aldley quickly learns he is not the only man interested in the tree-climbing lady, can he gain her affections or lose her to another or worse, a scandal?
Overall, I enjoyed this book and all its characters. I look forward to reading more from this author and this series.
I received this book free from the Author Cross Promotion and voluntarily reviewed it. This is my honest opinion.
Lydia Norwood was raised in the country, she was the boy her father never had. She learned to ride like a man, fish and climb trees. Brought to London for her second season, Lydia misses her country home and the freedom to be herself. Lydia is shocked to learn her father has lost most of his fortune forcing her to secure a suitable husband before society learns the truth. Lydia’s large dowry draws attention from many unwanted suitors, men who would sooner abduct her and force her into marriage instead of courting and proposing themselves.
Lord Aldley has returned from Paris after privately mourning the loss of his father. The new earl is shocked to see how far women will go for an introduction, willing to compromise themselves to gain his attention. There is only one woman who captures his eye, a woman who stands out from the ton and thwarts numerous schemes towards him. Lord Aldley quickly learns he is not the only man interested in the tree-climbing lady, can he gain her affections or lose her to another or worse, a scandal?
Overall, I enjoyed this book and all its characters. I look forward to reading more from this author and this series.
I received this book free from the Author Cross Promotion and voluntarily reviewed it. This is my honest opinion.
November 8, 2017
Along with well-developed characters and an energetic storyline, readers will love the wit, romance, banter, and steam that ensue.
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
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September 5, 2018💝FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (9/5/2018)!💝
June 29, 2017
I received this book from Tessa Candle free of cost to review same. All opinions are my own. With that being said...
I don't like to leave a lukewarm or bad review; it was lovely to be asked to review it. However, this book just wasn't for me. I usually read books quicker than this, but it took quite a long time to grab my attention. About 100 pages could be cut out to make the story more streamlined. I was about one-third through the book before the story really started to move. There were many subplots and people that were difficult to keep up with.
The dialogue seemed to go in and out of the period. I admit I have not studied this time period, as I only get this information from previous novels I have read; therefore, I could be wrong. However, it just wasn't believable to me that the phrases "shit-face" and "give it to me!" were used back then. Some of the actions didn't seem right, either. Brandy? So much freedom for women to go off by themselves?
It just didn't ring right with me that Thomas and Lydia fell madly in love when they barely interacted with each other. And Thomas wasn't much of an alpha male. That's a personal preference, not a problem with the story. But for that reason, I just didn't connect.
However, I don't want it all to sound gloom and doom. There were some very good parts to the story. I liked the beginning where Lydia and Thomas met. It was a "meet cute" that I enjoyed. I really enjoyed the character of Rutherford, Thomas's friend. The dialogue between the friends was entertaining, and Rutherford was amusing. I wanted to learn more about Tillie.
So even though this book wasn't my cup of tea, I believe there's some good potential for future books from Ms. Candle. Thank you for allowing me to read an ARC of your novel, Ms. Candle!
I don't like to leave a lukewarm or bad review; it was lovely to be asked to review it. However, this book just wasn't for me. I usually read books quicker than this, but it took quite a long time to grab my attention. About 100 pages could be cut out to make the story more streamlined. I was about one-third through the book before the story really started to move. There were many subplots and people that were difficult to keep up with.
The dialogue seemed to go in and out of the period. I admit I have not studied this time period, as I only get this information from previous novels I have read; therefore, I could be wrong. However, it just wasn't believable to me that the phrases "shit-face" and "give it to me!" were used back then. Some of the actions didn't seem right, either. Brandy? So much freedom for women to go off by themselves?
It just didn't ring right with me that Thomas and Lydia fell madly in love when they barely interacted with each other. And Thomas wasn't much of an alpha male. That's a personal preference, not a problem with the story. But for that reason, I just didn't connect.
However, I don't want it all to sound gloom and doom. There were some very good parts to the story. I liked the beginning where Lydia and Thomas met. It was a "meet cute" that I enjoyed. I really enjoyed the character of Rutherford, Thomas's friend. The dialogue between the friends was entertaining, and Rutherford was amusing. I wanted to learn more about Tillie.
So even though this book wasn't my cup of tea, I believe there's some good potential for future books from Ms. Candle. Thank you for allowing me to read an ARC of your novel, Ms. Candle!
July 5, 2017
This is not your typical Regency romance. The storyline line zigs and zags in lots of different directions and offers the reader much to keep our interest.
The hero sets his course on love and tries not to waiver despite many conniving debutantes and their mamas and other men who want Lydia for her large dowry.
From the beautiful cover to the words inside, Ms. Candle has delivered an engaging book that kept me cheering on Lydia and Lord Aldley and hoping that they would get their HEA.
As this is the first in a new series, I look forward to seeing what Ms. Candle has planned next.
I received an ARC of this book. The choice to read and review it was mine.
The hero sets his course on love and tries not to waiver despite many conniving debutantes and their mamas and other men who want Lydia for her large dowry.
From the beautiful cover to the words inside, Ms. Candle has delivered an engaging book that kept me cheering on Lydia and Lord Aldley and hoping that they would get their HEA.
As this is the first in a new series, I look forward to seeing what Ms. Candle has planned next.
I received an ARC of this book. The choice to read and review it was mine.
January 18, 2018
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
This is my first of Tessa's books , and I quite enjoyed the read .
It was entertaining and the Witty banter between the two main women was great , my only problem was that around half way through it started to feel as though the main h had changed .
The story is about Lydia and Thomas , and their trials in their relationship, and is really good , however Tilly’s characters tends to take over , she’s such a strong woman very independent.
The next book in the series is Tilly’s and I felt she should maybe have waited for her own , and left the limelight to Lydia .
All in all . I did enjoy the book and will be reading Tilly And Rutherfords story .
💋💋
This is my first of Tessa's books , and I quite enjoyed the read .
It was entertaining and the Witty banter between the two main women was great , my only problem was that around half way through it started to feel as though the main h had changed .
The story is about Lydia and Thomas , and their trials in their relationship, and is really good , however Tilly’s characters tends to take over , she’s such a strong woman very independent.
The next book in the series is Tilly’s and I felt she should maybe have waited for her own , and left the limelight to Lydia .
All in all . I did enjoy the book and will be reading Tilly And Rutherfords story .
November 21, 2017
I intend to read more from Tessa Candle! Written with a humorous touch and some suspenseful scenes. I especially liked the opening scene, wherein our heroine Lydia is "escaping" in a park tree with a good book. She is a very sensible 19 who gets an education in how to get through the season from her new and unexpected friend Tilly and Tilly's talent for planning and scheming.
Aldley has some family problems to solve and has his true friend Rutherford at his side. I can imagine a story for Rutherford in the future.
Aldley has some family problems to solve and has his true friend Rutherford at his side. I can imagine a story for Rutherford in the future.
September 3, 2018
No words
I got barely in and couldn't figure out what the book is about. It drags and is flighty in its rhythm of story.
The only saving grace I didn't pay for it.
I honestly can't read anymore to figure out if it's good or steamy.
I got barely in and couldn't figure out what the book is about. It drags and is flighty in its rhythm of story.
The only saving grace I didn't pay for it.
I honestly can't read anymore to figure out if it's good or steamy.
November 15, 2017
It started very enjoyably, but it bogged down into too many subplots. The quality of the writing was uneven. I skimmed quite a lot. I would read more by this author, but she needs to cut more.
Read
April 25, 2021did not expect to genuinely enjoy this book as much as i did
December 24, 2018
I had relinquished for a while to read this book, its length is probably the cause.
I do prefer my read to be read in one day or no more than two days, so with the holidays and me working, I did know I will need more time for this one, so as my next awaited book was only due for the 26th, I though I would give it a try.
The beginning was full of promises, I was also a bit scared by the reviews which speak about too many twists and plots, I just do hope the book will follow the good vibes I felt during the first pages.
There are plenty of characters, and Tessa Candle shares the point of view of many.
I loved Lydia, she is very naive but also bold and rather restless, she internally knows from the beginning who she likes or not, which does not prevent her from some mistakes but later she doubts her feelings.
The only part I had problems with her was when she became a creature driven by lust, it did not fit well with her personality, even if she does not always follow the rules, she is never far from the road, so why going from a young woman suite prudish to one who only wants to bed her earl out of wedlock.
As I do loved Lydia and Tilly, so what of the Earl?
Rather shallow and not very present for a good first third of the book, while his friend Mr Rutherford appeared as much more interesting, courageous and ready to be a white knight,knowing what he wants and aiming to reach his goal.
Thomas Ardley, The Earl, is a very rigorous man, probably due to his upbringing with a mother who became bitter because of the circumstances of her marriage. He follows the path drawn for him, but he is full aware of the flaws of his society, why he is probably drown to Lydia, who is the opposite of all he had ever known.
He will need time to get interesting, his friend stole for a long time the spotlights, more alpha and more rakish.
So yes, he is handsome but too uptight, why I do preferred to him Mr Rutherford, much more chivalrous than his friend whom is supposed to be the hero.
I did hoped he will redeem himself and find the wit to finally act for the woman he cares instead of letting the others guide his own actions, it was only when he comprehended he might lose Lydia, he decided he will accept anything she may ask even if it hurts his sensibilities, so he will change for her.
Tilly, Lydia’s friend and in some way her accomplice and for most of the story a point guard, helping Lydia to work out the ramifications of this entangled web she has found herself in. Tilly is such a mischievous funny character, able to play the perfect young Miss and also ready to any scheming if necessary to gain what she needs but also loyal to her friends. She is a character so out of the usual way of life for young missed.
I just didn’t understood why she decided to help the scheming ugly Miss Delacroix to get out from an uncomfortable situation and much more link her brother to her.
So yes, it was a long read but with all the events and plots and characters, it never felt too long.
There are misunderstandings but few angsty moments plus the characters were able to sort out the right from the wrong when they took the time to discus. The two main characters will evolve during this journey, always with the good for those they care in sight for their transformation.
An unusual historical read with witty banters and good humour.
A 4,5 stars rate
I do prefer my read to be read in one day or no more than two days, so with the holidays and me working, I did know I will need more time for this one, so as my next awaited book was only due for the 26th, I though I would give it a try.
The beginning was full of promises, I was also a bit scared by the reviews which speak about too many twists and plots, I just do hope the book will follow the good vibes I felt during the first pages.
There are plenty of characters, and Tessa Candle shares the point of view of many.
I loved Lydia, she is very naive but also bold and rather restless, she internally knows from the beginning who she likes or not, which does not prevent her from some mistakes but later she doubts her feelings.
The only part I had problems with her was when she became a creature driven by lust, it did not fit well with her personality, even if she does not always follow the rules, she is never far from the road, so why going from a young woman suite prudish to one who only wants to bed her earl out of wedlock.
As I do loved Lydia and Tilly, so what of the Earl?
Rather shallow and not very present for a good first third of the book, while his friend Mr Rutherford appeared as much more interesting, courageous and ready to be a white knight,knowing what he wants and aiming to reach his goal.
Thomas Ardley, The Earl, is a very rigorous man, probably due to his upbringing with a mother who became bitter because of the circumstances of her marriage. He follows the path drawn for him, but he is full aware of the flaws of his society, why he is probably drown to Lydia, who is the opposite of all he had ever known.
He will need time to get interesting, his friend stole for a long time the spotlights, more alpha and more rakish.
So yes, he is handsome but too uptight, why I do preferred to him Mr Rutherford, much more chivalrous than his friend whom is supposed to be the hero.
I did hoped he will redeem himself and find the wit to finally act for the woman he cares instead of letting the others guide his own actions, it was only when he comprehended he might lose Lydia, he decided he will accept anything she may ask even if it hurts his sensibilities, so he will change for her.
Tilly, Lydia’s friend and in some way her accomplice and for most of the story a point guard, helping Lydia to work out the ramifications of this entangled web she has found herself in. Tilly is such a mischievous funny character, able to play the perfect young Miss and also ready to any scheming if necessary to gain what she needs but also loyal to her friends. She is a character so out of the usual way of life for young missed.
I just didn’t understood why she decided to help the scheming ugly Miss Delacroix to get out from an uncomfortable situation and much more link her brother to her.
So yes, it was a long read but with all the events and plots and characters, it never felt too long.
There are misunderstandings but few angsty moments plus the characters were able to sort out the right from the wrong when they took the time to discus. The two main characters will evolve during this journey, always with the good for those they care in sight for their transformation.
An unusual historical read with witty banters and good humour.
A 4,5 stars rate
October 2, 2018
The book really started out quite well and has good humorous dialogue. I did however find the book dry in places. The story was unnecessarily wordy and overdone and the last third of the book was a struggle to finish. The story could have been wrapped up much more efficiently.
I think it is a bit of a stretch to call this book steamy, but that was not a problem for me. Those who expect steamy, though, will be disappointed. The romantic aspect was not developed enough.
The main character Aldley was not particularly inspiring, with no predominant character traits, (I preferred his friend Rutherford) and the female characters, although of refreshing independent spirit, were a little over the top, especially Tilly, whose morals would not have been tolerated.
Some of the language and attitudes deflected from the historic setting.
The intermittent humour was this book's saving grace, hence three stars.
I think it is a bit of a stretch to call this book steamy, but that was not a problem for me. Those who expect steamy, though, will be disappointed. The romantic aspect was not developed enough.
The main character Aldley was not particularly inspiring, with no predominant character traits, (I preferred his friend Rutherford) and the female characters, although of refreshing independent spirit, were a little over the top, especially Tilly, whose morals would not have been tolerated.
Some of the language and attitudes deflected from the historic setting.
The intermittent humour was this book's saving grace, hence three stars.
April 28, 2018
What a ride !! Twists, turns ,bumps and oh my goodness ...an eventual happy life for our hero and heroine ..
This is a first book by this author for me and I enjoyed it ...a bit longer than what I usually read but still enticing enough for me to " what's happening next " .
Now that Lydia and Thomas are happy my curiosity is on high as to Tilly and Rutherford and what is to become of them ...hmmmmm...😊😊
This is a first book by this author for me and I enjoyed it ...a bit longer than what I usually read but still enticing enough for me to " what's happening next " .
Now that Lydia and Thomas are happy my curiosity is on high as to Tilly and Rutherford and what is to become of them ...hmmmmm...😊😊
June 21, 2017
1st of all i would like to mention "I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed."
i liked the book by tessa....the storyline is good ...i found d character of Lydia presented
well...strong ...independent. smart. down to earth, intelligent, brave in a women who
belongs in d Regency times ....d book was lengthy & there were too many side plots in
story so it was a bit confusing to assemble everything .... too many characters & there
meddling was very distracting so the gist of d story of d main characters was lost...so i would suggest to d author Tessa pls dont ve too many characters & dont include so many sub-plots within
a story....let d book be a bit short dont drag it....overall a good attempt ...thank u for dis book..
also dis was a honest review from my side ....intentions were good & not to hurt u..
i liked the book by tessa....the storyline is good ...i found d character of Lydia presented
well...strong ...independent. smart. down to earth, intelligent, brave in a women who
belongs in d Regency times ....d book was lengthy & there were too many side plots in
story so it was a bit confusing to assemble everything .... too many characters & there
meddling was very distracting so the gist of d story of d main characters was lost...so i would suggest to d author Tessa pls dont ve too many characters & dont include so many sub-plots within
a story....let d book be a bit short dont drag it....overall a good attempt ...thank u for dis book..
also dis was a honest review from my side ....intentions were good & not to hurt u..
November 14, 2017
What a lovely romp this was - a feisty heroine, a love-sick nobleman, and those who were determined to keep them apart. Loved it. (I voluntarily reviewed this free book).
September 7, 2018
Very long too much conversation without plot. No cemestry between main characters. Earl is very sweet h is boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2018
Disappointing
This fell apart after the first chapter. The heroine was refreshing, but as other reviewers have pointed out, the inane chatter with so many other characters was boring. The hero wandered off every now and then to tend to other matters, so the romance stalls. Then toward the end of the book it is just sex -- and not particularly sensual.
I kept thinking it would get better but it didn't.
This fell apart after the first chapter. The heroine was refreshing, but as other reviewers have pointed out, the inane chatter with so many other characters was boring. The hero wandered off every now and then to tend to other matters, so the romance stalls. Then toward the end of the book it is just sex -- and not particularly sensual.
I kept thinking it would get better but it didn't.
September 25, 2018
Three Abductions and an Earl:A Steamy Regency Romance
The love story of Lydra and Lord Aldley. Lydra save Lord Aldley by stopping a young lady from put him in a position he would have to marry her. He goes to Paris for a few years when he return he looking for a wife. Aldley is on the marry mark and a heiress and fortune hunter are after her. Can they find each other and be happy. Great story.
The love story of Lydra and Lord Aldley. Lydra save Lord Aldley by stopping a young lady from put him in a position he would have to marry her. He goes to Paris for a few years when he return he looking for a wife. Aldley is on the marry mark and a heiress and fortune hunter are after her. Can they find each other and be happy. Great story.
December 1, 2017
Fascinating read
I could not put this book down. The plot's twists and turns kept me guessing as to what will happen next. I can not wait to get my hands on the next book in the series to see what happens to Tilly after reading the preview. Great job Ms Candle.
I could not put this book down. The plot's twists and turns kept me guessing as to what will happen next. I can not wait to get my hands on the next book in the series to see what happens to Tilly after reading the preview. Great job Ms Candle.
January 24, 2020
A romp that kept me well entertained, even though the level of writing wasn't up to my normal standards. Innocent, laugh-out-loud fun.
October 13, 2017
This was a great story. The heroine, Lydia, is nouveau riche. The ton hate her kind but need her money to bolster the family fortunes, Lydia has had more than one season. She is not worried as her family does not need her to marry well. Lydia likes to read, climb trees and be left alone. She rescues the Earl from a marital trap. He travels to Paris never knowing who she is. It is during the current season that her father finally tells her that they are no longer rich and that she needs to make a good match. Lydia makes a best friend Tilly Ravelsham. Tilly has a wicked streak. She plots to get the Earl and Lydia together. There are 3 abductions that occur in this story, along with plot twists and turns. There is also humor. I laughed out loud. This is the first book I have read by this author but, I hope not the last. Please, write on Ms. Candel, write on.
September 19, 2018
This book started out well but went downhill fast. The hero was boring and became progessively more unlikeable as the book went on. The scene where the heroine has been unconscious after an accident and wakes to find her engaged best friend and the hero's friend having sex in her room is completely ridiculous. And does she tell them she's awake? No, she acts the voyeur and gets turned on by it. She soon after has sex with the hero in the breakfast room while her parents are only a few doors away. This is all after several ridiculous abductions and other silly plot devices. I was determined to make it to the end of the book but finally gave up at Chapter 56 when the heroine wanted to call another debutante the name 'shit-face'. Seriously??? This is set in Regency England. I don't mind some modern language and attitudes in historical romances, but this whole book was clumsily written and inappropriate for the era. If I hadn't been reading an ebook I would have thrown it across the room in frustration.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2018
Disclaimer- I mainly write reviews for me, because I read so many books It jogs my memory so I remember what book I read, these are by no means "professional" .
The book started off great until about chapter 4 , then I only got through this book by skipping chapter upon chapter. This story is only about abductions, in fact there are so many I am surprised that people didn't start hiding in their homes from fear. Every time I skipped chapters, another kidnapping was happening. It surpassed even my ability to suspend reality when reading historical romances. Of course all these kidnapping's have injuries.. some one is always recuperating from their wounds. There were so many troupes, I felt as though I was ticking them off a list.
Also, everyone seems to be having sex out of wedlock, which also is unbelievable in a historical romance. Though to be fair this usually doesn't irk me ( since I am very liberal in what I am willing to swallow in terms of "historical" , but maybe it was the way it was worked into the plot line, it just put me off.
The sex scenes were written really poorly, not that I need something overly descriptive (but to be fair again I won't read a "clean" romance) . It was that was described was almost like teenagers basically "I want you so bad, I don't care and no it didn't hurt because I wanted you that bad or you were just that good" They literally were about 2 paragraphs long and more descriptive then a "sweet romance" but not written well.
Also, I hated the characters. Tilly, the HE's friend came off as a gold digger and not very sympathetic to her friend. The H was made to look like a wimp and very little romance was built up in this book. Even in the end I was left wondering how they could profess their love, when the romance was not developed.
There will be a sequel of course, because Tilly whom is sleeping with one guy and is in love, of course is going to marry another.
If the author had stuck to just one plot trope instead of 20, it would have been a better book. There was just so many unbelievable things happening nothing was developed well.
sex- low heat
violence- fist-a-cuff's
The book started off great until about chapter 4 , then I only got through this book by skipping chapter upon chapter. This story is only about abductions, in fact there are so many I am surprised that people didn't start hiding in their homes from fear. Every time I skipped chapters, another kidnapping was happening. It surpassed even my ability to suspend reality when reading historical romances. Of course all these kidnapping's have injuries.. some one is always recuperating from their wounds. There were so many troupes, I felt as though I was ticking them off a list.
Also, everyone seems to be having sex out of wedlock, which also is unbelievable in a historical romance. Though to be fair this usually doesn't irk me ( since I am very liberal in what I am willing to swallow in terms of "historical" , but maybe it was the way it was worked into the plot line, it just put me off.
The sex scenes were written really poorly, not that I need something overly descriptive (but to be fair again I won't read a "clean" romance) . It was that was described was almost like teenagers basically "I want you so bad, I don't care and no it didn't hurt because I wanted you that bad or you were just that good" They literally were about 2 paragraphs long and more descriptive then a "sweet romance" but not written well.
Also, I hated the characters. Tilly, the HE's friend came off as a gold digger and not very sympathetic to her friend. The H was made to look like a wimp and very little romance was built up in this book. Even in the end I was left wondering how they could profess their love, when the romance was not developed.
There will be a sequel of course, because Tilly whom is sleeping with one guy and is in love, of course is going to marry another.
If the author had stuck to just one plot trope instead of 20, it would have been a better book. There was just so many unbelievable things happening nothing was developed well.
sex- low heat
violence- fist-a-cuff's
August 11, 2023
I really loved 75% of this book. When it hit the 75% mark or so, it just got kinda ridiculous. And that’s saying a lot as I know these aren’t realistic or historically accurate, they’re meant to be fun. But it was one turn after another with things not being entirely wrapped up. And for the heroine to have a head injury and then kinda drastically change after said head injury and not for the better? It took away from the sweetness of it. The heroine was sweet, mischievous, determined, and considerate before the head injury. But then she seems to abandon that and almost becomes like one of the girls trying to trap Thomas into marriage - very little affection and only concerned about her business and sex. I was really disappointed with the last quarter of the book. I would have preferred it to end with her not having changed after the head injury and her and Thomas marrying and actually being in love. And also, wtf was that with Tilly, her brother, and Miss Delacroix? What a stupid plot that made little sense. Why would Tilly orchestrate that? It makes no sense. If it weren’t for the latter quarter of the book, it would be 5 stars. But the latter quarter, for me, is like 1 star. So I give it 3 stars overall. It’s so odd because I am rarely irked with romance novels like I was with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2019
I thought this was reasonably well-written. The start was quite promising, (the opening scene is wonderful!) but the story seemed unreasonably —perhaps un-necessarily? — long at points.
Imagine every crisis situation known to historical regency romance perpetrated against one heroine, all in the same book. The villains were satisfyingly vile, and appropriately thwarted in the end. Their machinations were only slightly contrived and still endlessly diverting. But three main baddies and their interwoven schemes seemed a little much. After a while, it just became farcical. It reminded me of one of those stage plays that are sustained by mistaken identity, misunderstanding, and repeated crisis.
I found myself deeply disappointed in the character of the Earl, who as the story unfolded seemed far too milquetoast to be worthy of all the hubbub. And the heroine wasn’t significantly more likable.
It wasn’t awful, but I still found myself wishing for a faster-moving plot with fewer twists.
Imagine every crisis situation known to historical regency romance perpetrated against one heroine, all in the same book. The villains were satisfyingly vile, and appropriately thwarted in the end. Their machinations were only slightly contrived and still endlessly diverting. But three main baddies and their interwoven schemes seemed a little much. After a while, it just became farcical. It reminded me of one of those stage plays that are sustained by mistaken identity, misunderstanding, and repeated crisis.
I found myself deeply disappointed in the character of the Earl, who as the story unfolded seemed far too milquetoast to be worthy of all the hubbub. And the heroine wasn’t significantly more likable.
It wasn’t awful, but I still found myself wishing for a faster-moving plot with fewer twists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2017
Eye rolling. Started ok ad has an ok idea, but it was so hard to finish. I found I'd put it down and moved off to do something g else before I'd even realised... and I'd just picked it back up again.
It was light on historical elements from the start, but just seemed to throw them out the window by the end. There was SO MUCH that was just terribly convenient that had no thought or back up behind it other than a wink wink that it just got annoying and I kept waiting to find out that the ever so modern BFF was some kind of time-travelling super spy... that of course was never confirmed, but as I said... Eye rolling.
And about 300+pages way too long to do very little.
It was light on historical elements from the start, but just seemed to throw them out the window by the end. There was SO MUCH that was just terribly convenient that had no thought or back up behind it other than a wink wink that it just got annoying and I kept waiting to find out that the ever so modern BFF was some kind of time-travelling super spy... that of course was never confirmed, but as I said... Eye rolling.
And about 300+pages way too long to do very little.
July 5, 2017
Whew, such great fun and such an up and down gallop along hilly, twisty roads!
I read this book from start to finish in just two days. I didn't want to put it down or climb back into the reality of here and now; I wanted to stay up in a leafy tree or on the back of a fast horse with zany, ever-original Lydia forever.
Wonderful characters abound in this book. Lydia is a fantastic heroine, bold and unique and totally relatable, her love interest, Aldley, is lovely (and yummy), and her friends and family captivated me just as thoroughly.
I'm eagerly awaiting Book 2. . . .
I read this book from start to finish in just two days. I didn't want to put it down or climb back into the reality of here and now; I wanted to stay up in a leafy tree or on the back of a fast horse with zany, ever-original Lydia forever.
Wonderful characters abound in this book. Lydia is a fantastic heroine, bold and unique and totally relatable, her love interest, Aldley, is lovely (and yummy), and her friends and family captivated me just as thoroughly.
I'm eagerly awaiting Book 2. . . .
August 27, 2017
A wonderful book.
Filled with larger than life characters and as the title says 3 abductions.
This is the first book by Tessa Candle that I've read but it won't be the last.
Filled with larger than life characters and as the title says 3 abductions.
This is the first book by Tessa Candle that I've read but it won't be the last.
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