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Lost in Love
EVERY RELATIONSHIP HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS –
When Adelaide Formsby-Smythe insults the Duke of Selridge to the point she sees her own murder in his eyes, her wish that the ground would open up and swallow her seems a perfectly reasonable response. Until it does.
Thus, Major Marcus Winfield, now the Duke of Selridge, ends the worst year of his life by falling into an underground cave with the younger sister of his former fiancée. An offense punishable by—marriage!
EVERY MARRIAGE HAS ITS SECRETS –
Although he never imagined marrying Adelaide, Marcus decides they will limp along quite well together. There’s no need to mention he’s being blackmailed... or that his irritating new wife fills his nights with a passion he cannot deny.
Adelaide, however, having unexpectedly married the man of her dreams, will settle for nothing less than her new husband’s heart. She’ll make him love her. Far less bothersome that way when she has to tell him she’s a thief. And possibly a murderess.
AFTER ALL, EVEN THE ROAD TO FOREVER HAS A FEW BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.
When Adelaide Formsby-Smythe insults the Duke of Selridge to the point she sees her own murder in his eyes, her wish that the ground would open up and swallow her seems a perfectly reasonable response. Until it does.
Thus, Major Marcus Winfield, now the Duke of Selridge, ends the worst year of his life by falling into an underground cave with the younger sister of his former fiancée. An offense punishable by—marriage!
EVERY MARRIAGE HAS ITS SECRETS –
Although he never imagined marrying Adelaide, Marcus decides they will limp along quite well together. There’s no need to mention he’s being blackmailed... or that his irritating new wife fills his nights with a passion he cannot deny.
Adelaide, however, having unexpectedly married the man of her dreams, will settle for nothing less than her new husband’s heart. She’ll make him love her. Far less bothersome that way when she has to tell him she’s a thief. And possibly a murderess.
AFTER ALL, EVEN THE ROAD TO FOREVER HAS A FEW BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2017
About the author
Louisa Cornell
57 books123 followersLouisa Cornell read her first historical romance novel, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, at the age of nine. This inspired her to spend the next three years of her young life writing the most horrible historical romance novel ever written. Fortunately it has yet to see the light of day. As Louisa spent those three years living in a little English village in Suffolk (Thanks to her father's Air Force career.) it is no surprise she developed a lifelong love of all things British, especially British history and Regency-set romance novels. (And Earl Grey tea!)
During those same three years, Louisa's vocal talent was discovered. Her study of music began at the London College of Music and continued once she returned to the States. After four music degrees and a year of study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, Louisa was fortunate enough to embark on a singing career in opera houses in Germany, Austria, and most of Eastern Europe.
Now retired from an active career in opera, Louisa has returned to her first love – writing Regency-set historical romance. She has completed four books to date and A PERFECTLY DREADFUL CHRISTMAS is her publication debut.
Two time Golden Heart finalist, three time Daphne du Maurier winner, and three time Royal Ascot winner, Louisa is a member of RWA, SMRWA and the Beau Monde Chapter of RWA. She lives in LA (Lower Alabama) with a Chihuahua so grouchy he has been banned from six veterinary clinics, several perfectly amiable small dogs, and a cat who terminates vermin with extreme prejudice.
You can learn more about Louisa and her future publication plans at : www.louisacornell.com and https://www.facebook.com/RegencyWrite....
During those same three years, Louisa's vocal talent was discovered. Her study of music began at the London College of Music and continued once she returned to the States. After four music degrees and a year of study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, Louisa was fortunate enough to embark on a singing career in opera houses in Germany, Austria, and most of Eastern Europe.
Now retired from an active career in opera, Louisa has returned to her first love – writing Regency-set historical romance. She has completed four books to date and A PERFECTLY DREADFUL CHRISTMAS is her publication debut.
Two time Golden Heart finalist, three time Daphne du Maurier winner, and three time Royal Ascot winner, Louisa is a member of RWA, SMRWA and the Beau Monde Chapter of RWA. She lives in LA (Lower Alabama) with a Chihuahua so grouchy he has been banned from six veterinary clinics, several perfectly amiable small dogs, and a cat who terminates vermin with extreme prejudice.
You can learn more about Louisa and her future publication plans at : www.louisacornell.com and https://www.facebook.com/RegencyWrite....
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 25, 2017
This is not really a book, it is more like a series of rom-com episodes stitched together pretending to be a book. The fact that it says it is set in the aftermath of Waterloo counts for absolutely nothing (it should not be marketed as an HR for there is nothing historical about it -putting your characters in costume while the rest is contemporary emphasises your inability to write an HR rather than disguise the fact).
If you, the reader, don't give a sh*t about a writer's inability to create a historical setting (e.g., if you don't throw a book away when you come to read about servants winking at a duchess every time they hand her her hair brush), if you like being assaulted with a cannonade of silly escapades (that aim for wit and miss by a mile) then you will like this, but if you do expect your HR writers to put some thought into their writing and some effort (a tiny, tiny effort) into creating a 19th c. atmosphere then this makes for a very painful read. The 'book' manages to be at once overwritten, without saying anything remotely interesting, and relentlessly silly (I don't know why Cornell needed so many pages to annoy us -she could have easily accomplished that by chopping 100 pages off). I found myself assaulted by one atrociously unfunny escapade after another, one silly exchange after another, one nonsensical character after another. The heroine, whom all the characters immediately and blindly admire to the point where every episode simply has to end with some heroine-worship scene, is nothing but an annoying, irritating klutz (which in her writer's universe is mistaken for 'spirit' and 'wit') from whom in real life everyone would run away faster than the speed of light.
Another flaw of this 'book' is the writer's determination to cram as many 'characters' per episode as possible, which means that all the entries and exits drag in some rudimentary background story to x,y,z person making the reader feel dropped in the middle of an interminable series of books (Good Lord, NOOO!). Took me more than two weeks to wade through this and would recommend it only to those I intensely dislike.
If you, the reader, don't give a sh*t about a writer's inability to create a historical setting (e.g., if you don't throw a book away when you come to read about servants winking at a duchess every time they hand her her hair brush), if you like being assaulted with a cannonade of silly escapades (that aim for wit and miss by a mile) then you will like this, but if you do expect your HR writers to put some thought into their writing and some effort (a tiny, tiny effort) into creating a 19th c. atmosphere then this makes for a very painful read. The 'book' manages to be at once overwritten, without saying anything remotely interesting, and relentlessly silly (I don't know why Cornell needed so many pages to annoy us -she could have easily accomplished that by chopping 100 pages off). I found myself assaulted by one atrociously unfunny escapade after another, one silly exchange after another, one nonsensical character after another. The heroine, whom all the characters immediately and blindly admire to the point where every episode simply has to end with some heroine-worship scene, is nothing but an annoying, irritating klutz (which in her writer's universe is mistaken for 'spirit' and 'wit') from whom in real life everyone would run away faster than the speed of light.
Another flaw of this 'book' is the writer's determination to cram as many 'characters' per episode as possible, which means that all the entries and exits drag in some rudimentary background story to x,y,z person making the reader feel dropped in the middle of an interminable series of books (Good Lord, NOOO!). Took me more than two weeks to wade through this and would recommend it only to those I intensely dislike.
August 10, 2017
This is the first book I have read by this author and It won’t be the last I found it witty, thrilling and a oh, so sexy tale of what is a marriage of convenience which turns into something else. There are twists and turns and a fabulous plot that keeps you gripped from page one.
I love the first scene, it sets up the rest of the story perfectly. It is engrossing and extremely funny especially when they are having a good bicker about who got who lost, who’s fault it is they ended up in a cave, him rolling his eyes at her constant chatting and her having a good laugh at his expense even when it looks like he wants to throttle her. This is so amusing.
Marcus is a gruff and incredibly attractive man, I have always had a thing for wounded, fragile military men and my-oh-my! Marcus is a real charmer. He has secrets that he doesn’t want anyone to know about, especially the part about him being blackmailed. I adore how uncomfortable he is in the simplest situations, like talking to Addy and his mother. But yet when they are falling from their carriage into a deep dark cave his military instincts take over and he really shows what an Incredible man he is.
This has everything and there isn’t a bad part of this, I love every bit of it, it’s utterly charming, sensual thrilling and loving. Cornell has created this immensely seductive and exciting tale that is not just your typical marriage of convenience Historical Romance but with the added murder, blackmail and thieving sub plots this keeps you gripped and begging for more and crying when it’s finished because you want more of the fabulous Addy and Marcus.
The plot is a stunner, its exciting and you genuinely care about the characters and your cheering them on as they make their way through the he book. It is sexually charged the pent-up emotion between our couple sizzles, it’s a resounding success and I can not wait to read more of the “Road to Forever Series” from this talented lady.
I love it to bits, it’s just perfect!
This was a complimentary copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.
https://chicksroguesandscandals.wordp...
I love the first scene, it sets up the rest of the story perfectly. It is engrossing and extremely funny especially when they are having a good bicker about who got who lost, who’s fault it is they ended up in a cave, him rolling his eyes at her constant chatting and her having a good laugh at his expense even when it looks like he wants to throttle her. This is so amusing.
Marcus is a gruff and incredibly attractive man, I have always had a thing for wounded, fragile military men and my-oh-my! Marcus is a real charmer. He has secrets that he doesn’t want anyone to know about, especially the part about him being blackmailed. I adore how uncomfortable he is in the simplest situations, like talking to Addy and his mother. But yet when they are falling from their carriage into a deep dark cave his military instincts take over and he really shows what an Incredible man he is.
This has everything and there isn’t a bad part of this, I love every bit of it, it’s utterly charming, sensual thrilling and loving. Cornell has created this immensely seductive and exciting tale that is not just your typical marriage of convenience Historical Romance but with the added murder, blackmail and thieving sub plots this keeps you gripped and begging for more and crying when it’s finished because you want more of the fabulous Addy and Marcus.
The plot is a stunner, its exciting and you genuinely care about the characters and your cheering them on as they make their way through the he book. It is sexually charged the pent-up emotion between our couple sizzles, it’s a resounding success and I can not wait to read more of the “Road to Forever Series” from this talented lady.
I love it to bits, it’s just perfect!
This was a complimentary copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.
https://chicksroguesandscandals.wordp...
July 14, 2017
I never write reviews but due to the fact that this book was exceptional I just have to say, that this is the best book I've read this year and I read a ton. Excellent romance and Louisa Cornell is a very talented author!
June 13, 2017
Beautifully written love story
One of the very few books I have read where the hero's anguish is so beautifully portrayed. Most romances focus on the heroine's emotions. So such a detailed portrayal of the hero's developing feelings was an interesting read. Why do I give it 4 stars, instead of five? I would have loved to see Clementine get a very public comeuppance. She did not. And the ending, the very last scene between Marcus and Addy, seemed to be a bit rushed.
One of the very few books I have read where the hero's anguish is so beautifully portrayed. Most romances focus on the heroine's emotions. So such a detailed portrayal of the hero's developing feelings was an interesting read. Why do I give it 4 stars, instead of five? I would have loved to see Clementine get a very public comeuppance. She did not. And the ending, the very last scene between Marcus and Addy, seemed to be a bit rushed.
July 1, 2017
Loved it.
Great characters, great banter plus fun and witty. Think fans of Julia Quinn will like this.
Great characters, great banter plus fun and witty. Think fans of Julia Quinn will like this.
December 19, 2025
It's decent, in some ways, but there's just too much detail about things that don't matter. There are plot loopholes. There are long sections of naval gazing that just had me skimming. Several reviews say the author's other books are much better, so she is still on my TBR list.
June 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
October 6, 2019
This is not as good as her other books. It felt unpolished and awkward not as thorough and well~crafted as the others of hers that I have read so far... it felt like it was written by a different person. One more thing, how did the blackmailer send his notes since not all of them were thru' the post and any stranger lurking on the Abbey grounds would have been accosted... and if the scoundrel was known then he would still be known as such and would not have been allowed entry considering the loyalty of the staff and the unpalatable reputation of the blackmailer and his sire... this did not hold water for me plus I had a difficult time finishing this one because it just did not engage my attention that much. Sorry, this one just did not make an impact... though Addy was quite a plucky and fearless character. She may have been the one that could make this book more acceptable... but still a stretch.
March 8, 2019
A delightful read. Cleverly written.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews