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The House of Rohan #5
Heartless
A strong, resilient woman who learned to survive in a world of betrayal. Emma Cadbury had been an innocent, a whore, a charity worker and a surgeon. She chose a life without love until she saved a dying soldier in a charity ward.
A scarred soldier who fought to redeem himself from the horrors he’d committed. Brandon Rohan had lost himself to drugs and degradation, wanting to die, and only one person could save him. But she’d disappeared.
A love neither of them wants, and a passion so strong it could burn down the world. Now they’ve come together again, but he doesn’t remember, and she doesn’t want to. But someone is trying to kill her, and Brandon is the one man who can save her.
England in 1840, where no one is what they seem.
A scarred soldier who fought to redeem himself from the horrors he’d committed. Brandon Rohan had lost himself to drugs and degradation, wanting to die, and only one person could save him. But she’d disappeared.
A love neither of them wants, and a passion so strong it could burn down the world. Now they’ve come together again, but he doesn’t remember, and she doesn’t want to. But someone is trying to kill her, and Brandon is the one man who can save her.
England in 1840, where no one is what they seem.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2018
105 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
203 books2,062 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 5, 2020
I was really looking forward to Emma and Brandon's story. They had the perfect build up for the perfect storm. Too bad it was very disappointing and not executed well.
Brandon returned home from the war wounded and scarred. When he ended up a nameless nobody in the public hospital, Emma became the guardian angel that took care of him when he was on the brink of death. He grew to love her for her kindness and her beauty.
Emma used to be a prostitute turned madam. She found redemption in volunteering to care for the sick. She fell in love with Brandon as she nursed him. But when his aristocratic family located him and took him home to heal, she realized she was too far beneath him to ever have a chance.
These two meet by chance years later. Emma has somehow moved up into the ranks of surgeon during a time when women are not even allowed to be referred to as Doctor let alone surgeon. (Huge Plot Hole) They have many interactions that mostly consist of Emma avoiding Brandon.
When Brandon's memory returns and realizes that Emma is the woman that saved him and nursed him..the woman he has loved for years...I expected these two to start to work towards being together. Except this is where the story took a turn into purgatory.
Brandon's memory returns but instead of confessing his love, he chooses to think the worst of Emma because she never mentioned she helped care for him when he was ill. He begins to dis-respect her and treat her like a whore. I truly wanted to Gut Punch him in the Nads.
SO Emma keeps running and hiding from Brandon....to the point of exhaustion. The author kept throwing too many unnecessary obstacles in the way to drag out the angst and keep these two apart.
So there was a kidnapping and a lot of drama near the end. After her rescue, Emma goes missing for 5 weeks. I was SO annoyed by this point that I didn't care if the couple got together or not. There was no talking or much needed communication between the couple and the ending felt disconnected and thrown together.
And so many questions were never answered. What ever happened to the evil Vicar that attacked Emma at the christening? How did Emma, the infamous whore and madam get into school to become a doctor, let alone a surgeon? Why did Emma think she was barren? What happened to Charles after Brandon hit him? What happened to Brandon's fiancee? It was alluded to that she was lovers with her guardian but the author wasn't clear. Why did Brandon's family keep it from him for 5 weeks that the woman he loved had gone to his home and moved in without talking to him to discuss ANYTHING while he was wasting his time looking for her? (Sorry for the run on sentence, but I was ranting)
Authors: There is a fine line between angst...and too much angst. If you drag it out too long, the reader will disconnect from the couple and stop caring.
I reached that point near the end of the book and took no joy in the beautiful epilogue.
Brandon returned home from the war wounded and scarred. When he ended up a nameless nobody in the public hospital, Emma became the guardian angel that took care of him when he was on the brink of death. He grew to love her for her kindness and her beauty.
Emma used to be a prostitute turned madam. She found redemption in volunteering to care for the sick. She fell in love with Brandon as she nursed him. But when his aristocratic family located him and took him home to heal, she realized she was too far beneath him to ever have a chance.
These two meet by chance years later. Emma has somehow moved up into the ranks of surgeon during a time when women are not even allowed to be referred to as Doctor let alone surgeon. (Huge Plot Hole) They have many interactions that mostly consist of Emma avoiding Brandon.
When Brandon's memory returns and realizes that Emma is the woman that saved him and nursed him..the woman he has loved for years...I expected these two to start to work towards being together. Except this is where the story took a turn into purgatory.
Brandon's memory returns but instead of confessing his love, he chooses to think the worst of Emma because she never mentioned she helped care for him when he was ill. He begins to dis-respect her and treat her like a whore. I truly wanted to Gut Punch him in the Nads.
SO Emma keeps running and hiding from Brandon....to the point of exhaustion. The author kept throwing too many unnecessary obstacles in the way to drag out the angst and keep these two apart.
So there was a kidnapping and a lot of drama near the end. After her rescue, Emma goes missing for 5 weeks. I was SO annoyed by this point that I didn't care if the couple got together or not. There was no talking or much needed communication between the couple and the ending felt disconnected and thrown together.
And so many questions were never answered. What ever happened to the evil Vicar that attacked Emma at the christening? How did Emma, the infamous whore and madam get into school to become a doctor, let alone a surgeon? Why did Emma think she was barren? What happened to Charles after Brandon hit him? What happened to Brandon's fiancee? It was alluded to that she was lovers with her guardian but the author wasn't clear. Why did Brandon's family keep it from him for 5 weeks that the woman he loved had gone to his home and moved in without talking to him to discuss ANYTHING while he was wasting his time looking for her? (Sorry for the run on sentence, but I was ranting)
Authors: There is a fine line between angst...and too much angst. If you drag it out too long, the reader will disconnect from the couple and stop caring.
I reached that point near the end of the book and took no joy in the beautiful epilogue.
June 29, 2018
I've given this a B- at AAR, so that's 3.5 stars rounded up.
Seven years after our last encounter with the members of the scandalous House of Rohan , author Anne Stuart returns to nineteenth century England to bring us a fifth book in the series, Heartless, which picks up the story of the youngest Rohan, Lord Brandon, and Emma Cadbury, the woman who cared for him and saved his life following his return from war and his subsequent descent into depravity and addiction. Their relationship began in book four, Shameless , but although it’s been several years since I read that book, the author has included enough information about the couple’s backstory here for a new reader not to feel as though they have missed anything, and for the reader newly returned to the series to feel the same.
Note: This review contains spoilers for Shameless.
Captain Lord Brandon Rohan of His Majesty’s army returned from the Afghan Wars so seriously injured that he wasn’t expected to live. Emma Cadbury, formerly the youngest, most successful Madam in London, worked as a volunteer at St. Martin’s Military Hospital, and was assigned to take care of Brandon on what was believed would be his last night on earth. But Emma managed to pull Brandon back from the brink, stubbornly refusing to let him sink into death. Over the next few weeks, a subtle bond formed between the pair, as Brandon revealed things about himself he’d never told anyone, talking to Emma night after night about the war and the horrors he’d seen, endured and committed. As he regained his strength, their teasing gradually turned into gentle flirtation, until each night ended with a goodnight kiss, which Brandon insisted would give him something to live for throughout the next day.
Emma may have been a courtesan, but her experience with men was limited to the sexual act – which she normally undertook while numbed by drink or laudanum; emotions – other than distaste or disgust – were never involved. But when one of Brandon’s goodnight kisses turned into something more than a chaste peck, she panicked – terrified by the strength of her reaction to him – and didn’t return to his bedside again. After that, he was reunited with his family and, apart from one further fateful occasion, he and Emma haven’t seen each other since.
Until, that is, almost three years later, when Brandon attends the baptism of the newest Rohan, youngest daughter of his brother, the viscount. Having spent those years healing, drying out and weaning himself off drugs, Brandon is reluctant to expose himself once again to society and all its temptations, although he can’t deny he misses his family and that he needs to apologise and rebuild his relationship with his brother. So he travels to Suffolk from the Scottish estate he has now made his home, and is more than a little put out when one of the other guests, his sister-in-law’s dearest friend, Mrs. Cadbury, seems to take him in dislike – especially as there’s something about her that draws him.
Since her stint as an unpaid ‘nurse’ at St. Martin’s, Emma has worked hard to learn surgical skills and is now performing operations at the hospital under the direction of Mr. Fenrush – a venal, ham-handed butcher who kills more patients than he saves but who maintains his position simply by virtue of being a man. It’s quite possible there were women performing surgical procedures at this point in history, although I admit I found it a little hard to believe that Emma was performing them at a hospital in 1840. It’s true that she is disdained by her male colleagues and only tolerated because of her connection to the Rohans, but it’s still a bit of a stretch. Anyway – she has agreed to stay with her dearest friend, Mélisande, Viscountess of Rohan, for a couple of weeks after the christening – until, that is, Brandon arrives. Fully recovered, imposing and – though scarred – very attractive and exuding sensuality, he’s the last person Emma expects to see and one she desperately wants to avoid. She immediately starts plotting her departure, having no wish to experience again the stirrings of desire and other uncomfortable feelings he had awakened in her so long ago. Still, she can’t deny that she’s just a little bit hurt that he doesn’t remember her at all – even as she tells herself it’s for the best.
Brandon returned from war wounded in both body and mind, his handsome features marred by severe scarring on one side of his face, his body broken and his mind confused and tortured by the ravages of war. The one bright light in his existence was his “Harpy”, as he named Emma – and when she abandoned him, he was both heartbroken and furious. Sinking deeper and deeper into sin and depravity, drinking and taking drugs to forget the past, he tried to take his own life, and would have succeeded, had it not been for Emma. She saved him again – but owing to a mind addled by drink and drugs, his recollections of that time are hazy and although he feels an almost visceral connection to Emma, and certainly desires her, Brandon cannot explain what it is about her that draws him so strongly. He’s a rather unusual hero among Anne Stuart heroes, because other than a brief time when he lashes out at Emma while under the misconception that she’s deliberately deceived him, he isn’t cruel, arrogant or morally ambiguous – at least, not in this story, although he was like that in the past.
While I did enjoy Heartless, I realised while writing this review that most of the storylines I’ve recounted here actually happened in the fourth Rohan novel, Shameless. Most of the interesting things in Emma and Brandon’s relationship happened in that book, and if we take out the scenes in this one which feature someone trying to kill Emma, it’s fairly uneventful. Brandon and Emma meet again and feel an intense connection which Brandon, at least, doesn’t understand; and Emma is simultaneously dismayed (and a tad irritated) that he doesn’t remember who she is and spends most of the book running away or avoiding him. And, er, that’s pretty much it. The pacing is stodgy in places and some parts are repetitive; the mystery plot is flimsy and the identity of the villain supremely obvious – to the reader, if not immediately to Emma, who takes a while to wise up to the fact that yes, someone is, in fact, trying to do away with her.
Fortunately however, Emma and Brandon carry the story through the sheer force of their personalities and the strong sexual chemistry that burns between them. They are complex, flawed characters who have experienced some of the worst life has to offer and their HEA is hard-won and well-deserved. Ms. Stuart’s writing is assured – as one would expect of someone who is a veritable doyenne of the genre – and engaging, and while the plot of Heartless perhaps leaves something to be desired, the novel will no doubt be appreciated by those who’ve waited seven years for Brandon and Emma to get their happy ending.
Seven years after our last encounter with the members of the scandalous House of Rohan , author Anne Stuart returns to nineteenth century England to bring us a fifth book in the series, Heartless, which picks up the story of the youngest Rohan, Lord Brandon, and Emma Cadbury, the woman who cared for him and saved his life following his return from war and his subsequent descent into depravity and addiction. Their relationship began in book four, Shameless , but although it’s been several years since I read that book, the author has included enough information about the couple’s backstory here for a new reader not to feel as though they have missed anything, and for the reader newly returned to the series to feel the same.
Note: This review contains spoilers for Shameless.
Captain Lord Brandon Rohan of His Majesty’s army returned from the Afghan Wars so seriously injured that he wasn’t expected to live. Emma Cadbury, formerly the youngest, most successful Madam in London, worked as a volunteer at St. Martin’s Military Hospital, and was assigned to take care of Brandon on what was believed would be his last night on earth. But Emma managed to pull Brandon back from the brink, stubbornly refusing to let him sink into death. Over the next few weeks, a subtle bond formed between the pair, as Brandon revealed things about himself he’d never told anyone, talking to Emma night after night about the war and the horrors he’d seen, endured and committed. As he regained his strength, their teasing gradually turned into gentle flirtation, until each night ended with a goodnight kiss, which Brandon insisted would give him something to live for throughout the next day.
Emma may have been a courtesan, but her experience with men was limited to the sexual act – which she normally undertook while numbed by drink or laudanum; emotions – other than distaste or disgust – were never involved. But when one of Brandon’s goodnight kisses turned into something more than a chaste peck, she panicked – terrified by the strength of her reaction to him – and didn’t return to his bedside again. After that, he was reunited with his family and, apart from one further fateful occasion, he and Emma haven’t seen each other since.
Until, that is, almost three years later, when Brandon attends the baptism of the newest Rohan, youngest daughter of his brother, the viscount. Having spent those years healing, drying out and weaning himself off drugs, Brandon is reluctant to expose himself once again to society and all its temptations, although he can’t deny he misses his family and that he needs to apologise and rebuild his relationship with his brother. So he travels to Suffolk from the Scottish estate he has now made his home, and is more than a little put out when one of the other guests, his sister-in-law’s dearest friend, Mrs. Cadbury, seems to take him in dislike – especially as there’s something about her that draws him.
Since her stint as an unpaid ‘nurse’ at St. Martin’s, Emma has worked hard to learn surgical skills and is now performing operations at the hospital under the direction of Mr. Fenrush – a venal, ham-handed butcher who kills more patients than he saves but who maintains his position simply by virtue of being a man. It’s quite possible there were women performing surgical procedures at this point in history, although I admit I found it a little hard to believe that Emma was performing them at a hospital in 1840. It’s true that she is disdained by her male colleagues and only tolerated because of her connection to the Rohans, but it’s still a bit of a stretch. Anyway – she has agreed to stay with her dearest friend, Mélisande, Viscountess of Rohan, for a couple of weeks after the christening – until, that is, Brandon arrives. Fully recovered, imposing and – though scarred – very attractive and exuding sensuality, he’s the last person Emma expects to see and one she desperately wants to avoid. She immediately starts plotting her departure, having no wish to experience again the stirrings of desire and other uncomfortable feelings he had awakened in her so long ago. Still, she can’t deny that she’s just a little bit hurt that he doesn’t remember her at all – even as she tells herself it’s for the best.
Brandon returned from war wounded in both body and mind, his handsome features marred by severe scarring on one side of his face, his body broken and his mind confused and tortured by the ravages of war. The one bright light in his existence was his “Harpy”, as he named Emma – and when she abandoned him, he was both heartbroken and furious. Sinking deeper and deeper into sin and depravity, drinking and taking drugs to forget the past, he tried to take his own life, and would have succeeded, had it not been for Emma. She saved him again – but owing to a mind addled by drink and drugs, his recollections of that time are hazy and although he feels an almost visceral connection to Emma, and certainly desires her, Brandon cannot explain what it is about her that draws him so strongly. He’s a rather unusual hero among Anne Stuart heroes, because other than a brief time when he lashes out at Emma while under the misconception that she’s deliberately deceived him, he isn’t cruel, arrogant or morally ambiguous – at least, not in this story, although he was like that in the past.
While I did enjoy Heartless, I realised while writing this review that most of the storylines I’ve recounted here actually happened in the fourth Rohan novel, Shameless. Most of the interesting things in Emma and Brandon’s relationship happened in that book, and if we take out the scenes in this one which feature someone trying to kill Emma, it’s fairly uneventful. Brandon and Emma meet again and feel an intense connection which Brandon, at least, doesn’t understand; and Emma is simultaneously dismayed (and a tad irritated) that he doesn’t remember who she is and spends most of the book running away or avoiding him. And, er, that’s pretty much it. The pacing is stodgy in places and some parts are repetitive; the mystery plot is flimsy and the identity of the villain supremely obvious – to the reader, if not immediately to Emma, who takes a while to wise up to the fact that yes, someone is, in fact, trying to do away with her.
Fortunately however, Emma and Brandon carry the story through the sheer force of their personalities and the strong sexual chemistry that burns between them. They are complex, flawed characters who have experienced some of the worst life has to offer and their HEA is hard-won and well-deserved. Ms. Stuart’s writing is assured – as one would expect of someone who is a veritable doyenne of the genre – and engaging, and while the plot of Heartless perhaps leaves something to be desired, the novel will no doubt be appreciated by those who’ve waited seven years for Brandon and Emma to get their happy ending.
June 14, 2018
"I could wish you weren't so perfect."
"The ugliness is all on the inside," she said.
"There's no ugliness in you anywhere. There's only pain."
All I can say is that I really wanted to love this book. And I did love parts of it, but unfortunately it fell short of the mark on many others. I really liked the beginning and the ending of the book. I loved the characters. Two scarred souls, both physically and emotionally. It was the recipe for a great love story. But, I don't know, I just found it a bit too repetitive and even unimaginative at times.
Emma seemed to have a propensity for walking the halls at night.. and this theme continued throughout the book. I know she suffered from insomnia, but it made the story a little too predicable. There was a short but satisfying epilogue at the end, which made me happy.
I have truly loved this series though, and I hope there are more to come.
September 5, 2018
3.5 stars
Heartless picks up three years after the events of Shameless, and is a second-chance romance between Brandon Rohan, a veteran of the First Afghan War of 1839-1842 and youngest son of the hero and heroine from Reckless, and Emma Cadbury, a former prostitute/bordello owner. Both are damaged souls who fall in love while Brandon is recovering from his injuries at the military hospital Emma volunteers at. Circumstances separate them, with their story ending on a cliffhanger at the end of Shameless.
(Their romance was secondary to the one between Benedict and Melisande, Brandon's eldest brother and Emma's best friend. It's not necessary, but I recommend reading Book 4 before reading this one as it may enrich your reading experience.)
I've waited years (sniff) along with other fans for the fifth book of The House of Rohan family series and can say the wait was worth it—mostly. This self-published installment started a bit slow, but definitely hit its stride by the halfway mark. It could also have used more editing to fix grammatical errors and address loose plot threads which might have ratcheted up the existing angst.
I loved Brandon even though he's not the author's usual, lovable antihero. In particular, I adored:
1. His worshipful, yet lusty thoughts about Emma.
2. His championing of her, punching every man who dared to insult or hurt her.
3. His sense of humor. The scene where she slaps him after he propositions her and he responds with, "I take it that's a no?" LOL.
What I didn't like as much was Brandon's lack of celibacy during their separation. Just to be clear, he and Emma were not together in a relationship prior. They'd only kissed when they first met and had made no promises. And to be fair, this had happened to him. To expect Brandon to have remained celibate may be unreasonable, but the love they felt—and which was suggested in the previous book—felt so epic that I would have preferred if he stayed celibate.
I liked Emma, but didn't care for her tendency to run away. I also wished she'd actually said "I love you" to Brandon. He knew she did, as did I, but Brandon deserved to hear the words.
While Heartless isn't flawless, read it for the wonderful hero who is the heart of this story.
Heartless picks up three years after the events of Shameless, and is a second-chance romance between Brandon Rohan, a veteran of the First Afghan War of 1839-1842 and youngest son of the hero and heroine from Reckless, and Emma Cadbury, a former prostitute/bordello owner. Both are damaged souls who fall in love while Brandon is recovering from his injuries at the military hospital Emma volunteers at. Circumstances separate them, with their story ending on a cliffhanger at the end of Shameless.
(Their romance was secondary to the one between Benedict and Melisande, Brandon's eldest brother and Emma's best friend. It's not necessary, but I recommend reading Book 4 before reading this one as it may enrich your reading experience.)
I've waited years (sniff) along with other fans for the fifth book of The House of Rohan family series and can say the wait was worth it—mostly. This self-published installment started a bit slow, but definitely hit its stride by the halfway mark. It could also have used more editing to fix grammatical errors and address loose plot threads which might have ratcheted up the existing angst.
I loved Brandon even though he's not the author's usual, lovable antihero. In particular, I adored:
1. His worshipful, yet lusty thoughts about Emma.
2. His championing of her, punching every man who dared to insult or hurt her.
3. His sense of humor. The scene where she slaps him after he propositions her and he responds with, "I take it that's a no?" LOL.
What I didn't like as much was Brandon's lack of celibacy during their separation. Just to be clear, he and Emma were not together in a relationship prior. They'd only kissed when they first met and had made no promises. And to be fair, this had happened to him. To expect Brandon to have remained celibate may be unreasonable, but the love they felt—and which was suggested in the previous book—felt so epic that I would have preferred if he stayed celibate.
I liked Emma, but didn't care for her tendency to run away. I also wished she'd actually said "I love you" to Brandon. He knew she did, as did I, but Brandon deserved to hear the words.
While Heartless isn't flawless, read it for the wonderful hero who is the heart of this story.
October 17, 2022
I enjoyed this story. The indecision of the MCs made it repetitive at times, and the story dragged. Other than that, I had a good time with this book and I liked the ending. It was cute!
The FMC, Emma, is a surgeon; previously she was a prostitute. She has a lot of trauma with men/sex. She has had a huge crush on Brandon Rohan since she met him.
Brandon is the younger brother of the Rohan clan. A former soldier of war, with marks of that time tattooed on his face. He meets Emma in an infirmary, nearly dying. The war also made him a drug addict, and after nearly committing suicide, he headed to Scotland to heal.
The FMC, Emma, is a surgeon; previously she was a prostitute. She has a lot of trauma with men/sex. She has had a huge crush on Brandon Rohan since she met him.
Brandon is the younger brother of the Rohan clan. A former soldier of war, with marks of that time tattooed on his face. He meets Emma in an infirmary, nearly dying. The war also made him a drug addict, and after nearly committing suicide, he headed to Scotland to heal.
May 18, 2018
I really enjoyed (most) of the other books in this series, particularly the last one, which left the secondary romance unresolved. So I was stoked when I saw that there was finally going to be a resolution for them in a new book.
Unfortunately this book had a few kernels of good ideas, but missed in the execution. It seemed like it desperately needed another edit, both for content and copy. The characters were uneven, random details were introduced out of nowhere, and frankly the whole thing dragged on. Not even one of my favourite historical romance couples in Benedict and Mellesandre returning could save it for me. I skimmed the last 15%.
The Florence Nightingale/peer with amnesia trope in dark historical romance has been done better in Kerrigan Byrne's The Duke and Charlotte Featherstone's Sinful. Anne Stuart is better than this. I'm not sure what went wrong here.
Unfortunately this book had a few kernels of good ideas, but missed in the execution. It seemed like it desperately needed another edit, both for content and copy. The characters were uneven, random details were introduced out of nowhere, and frankly the whole thing dragged on. Not even one of my favourite historical romance couples in Benedict and Mellesandre returning could save it for me. I skimmed the last 15%.
The Florence Nightingale/peer with amnesia trope in dark historical romance has been done better in Kerrigan Byrne's The Duke and Charlotte Featherstone's Sinful. Anne Stuart is better than this. I'm not sure what went wrong here.
November 30, 2022
I have found a new favorite author. I have enjoyed this series immensely. I’m in love with each of the Rohan men. The characters are rich and full. Big huge happy sighs☺️☺️☺️.
June 2, 2025
My Review:
Heartless is the final novel in the "House of Rohan" series and this is where we get the youngest brother "Brandon" and his story with the sex worker "Emma". I really loved their chemistry in the last book and was curious to see how this one would play out. This one was interesting. Not my favorite of the series if I am being honest. It could have just been a "me" aspect though. But I did love the banter in this book and their interactions were very interesting. I did have issues with some of the angst that is introduced into this story. I wasn't encouraged by all the secrets between these two or why they weren't honest about their pasts with one another. It just caused so many issues between them when a honest conversation would have solved it and there is outer conflict in the story, so you would have that aspect to the story. However having said that, I still had a fun time with the story and the events that played out. And the ending was just right, I did love how the author added in that twist and that sweet endearing epilogue.
Heartless is the final novel in the "House of Rohan" series and this is where we get the youngest brother "Brandon" and his story with the sex worker "Emma". I really loved their chemistry in the last book and was curious to see how this one would play out. This one was interesting. Not my favorite of the series if I am being honest. It could have just been a "me" aspect though. But I did love the banter in this book and their interactions were very interesting. I did have issues with some of the angst that is introduced into this story. I wasn't encouraged by all the secrets between these two or why they weren't honest about their pasts with one another. It just caused so many issues between them when a honest conversation would have solved it and there is outer conflict in the story, so you would have that aspect to the story. However having said that, I still had a fun time with the story and the events that played out. And the ending was just right, I did love how the author added in that twist and that sweet endearing epilogue.
August 15, 2018
At last, Heartless, the 5th book in the House of Rohan series by Anne Stuart is out, a book that has been long awaited by fans. The fourth book, Shameless was published in 2011, with Anne Stuart promising fans that she would get around to writing Brandon George Rohan (Brandon) and Emma Rose Magdalene Cadbury (Emma)’s story. It has been four years since I discovered this delectable series by Anne Stuart and indulged to my heart’s content. Before the arrival of Heartless, I decided to do a re-read marathon of the entire series, which actually made Heartless all that more meaningful to me.
Heartless starts after a period of three years having passed since the Shameless. With Brandon living in the Scottish Highlands, recovering and recuperating from the mess his life had become after the war, Brandon is summoned home by his brother Benedick upon the birth of his and Melisande’s second child. Brandon is reluctant to make his way back to England, but it was finally time.
Taking a look at Emma’s life, it sure had changed considerably since then. Someone who had been the youngest madam in England had turned her life around to the point where she was now about replace Mr. Fenrush as the head of surgery at the Temple Hospital where she pursues her passion. Her triumphs in her professional life had not come easy, especially pursuing a career in the medicinal world as a woman at the time. But Emma has an innate talent that wins her peers over, except for Mr. Fenrush, whose anger towards her often seems more malicious than just professional jealousy on his part.
Emma and Brandon’s story is one that begins way before Heartless does. Which is perhaps why readers have been waiting with bated breathe for their story. Emma had been one of the volunteers at the hospital at the time during which Brandon had been admitted, suffering from war injuries. It is at the hospital that Emma and Brandon forge a bond, that for Emma had been something beyond her wildest dreams, especially for a woman such as herself considered as soiled in the eyes of the society. For Brandon (whose thoughts on their shared time together are revealed much later), Emma had been the lifeline which had held him together, and he had entertained unrealistic dreams of them being together, even knowing that Emma wasn’t probably the wisest choice as a life partner.
When Emma and Brandon’s worlds collide once again at the christening ceremony of Alexandra Emma Brandon Rohan, Emma is hopeful and at the same disappointed that Brandon doesn’t seem to remember her. And it is a game that Emma continues to and is willing to play, as long as it does not put her emotions in peril. However, even with the obstacle of Brandon’s pompous elder brother trying to force a bride on him standing in the way, there seems to be no obstruction strong enough to prevent Emma and Brandon from coming together, except of course for Emma herself.
Heartless was I suppose what you would call mellow, at least mellower than the rest of the books in the series. I understood the need for it. Both Emma and Brandon are broken in a way that no other characters we have come across in previous books have been, not even Brandon’s grandmother whom we encounter in Ruthless. Imagine being ripped off of your virginity in the cruelest way, being forced to sell your body by someone you had trusted, and not having a choice about any of it. Imagine going dead inside, having never sought pleasure in the act of sex, never understanding the pleasure to be had.
It is Emma’s character that requires care in this story. It is usually the male lead who almost always has issues that are seemingly insurmountable. But in the case of Emma and Brandon, it is Emma’s character that needed the TLC factor, and Brandon, having undergone what he had owing to his attempts to drown out certain aspects of the war he had witnessed in drugs and liquor, has the patience and endurance for the slow seduction required of Emma.
Emma’s avoidance of everything to do with Brandon does come with a price. It is an avoidance that is borne out of the need to protect herself, and that tactic applied to an escalating danger to her life ends up nearly costing her life. The period of separation that takes place was one that provided the emotional angst factor in spades, and Brandon never giving up on Emma was something I approved of and loved wholeheartedly. If ever there are two people who deserve to have their happily ever after, it is Emma and Brandon, and knowing that they did achieve it? Makes me smile from ear to ear.
Recommended for fans of the series. Brandon and Emma’s story was beautiful and soothing in a way that deviates from the norm that is Anne Stuart.
Final Verdict: Heartless might be a little late to the party, but it brings along a ton of angst, feel good emotions, and a whole lot of love. Emotionally heavier in comparison to the rest of the books in the series, Brandon has just the right amount of tenderness, steely determination, and sensuality to seduce Emma, for life.
Rating = 4.5/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
Heartless starts after a period of three years having passed since the Shameless. With Brandon living in the Scottish Highlands, recovering and recuperating from the mess his life had become after the war, Brandon is summoned home by his brother Benedick upon the birth of his and Melisande’s second child. Brandon is reluctant to make his way back to England, but it was finally time.
Taking a look at Emma’s life, it sure had changed considerably since then. Someone who had been the youngest madam in England had turned her life around to the point where she was now about replace Mr. Fenrush as the head of surgery at the Temple Hospital where she pursues her passion. Her triumphs in her professional life had not come easy, especially pursuing a career in the medicinal world as a woman at the time. But Emma has an innate talent that wins her peers over, except for Mr. Fenrush, whose anger towards her often seems more malicious than just professional jealousy on his part.
Emma and Brandon’s story is one that begins way before Heartless does. Which is perhaps why readers have been waiting with bated breathe for their story. Emma had been one of the volunteers at the hospital at the time during which Brandon had been admitted, suffering from war injuries. It is at the hospital that Emma and Brandon forge a bond, that for Emma had been something beyond her wildest dreams, especially for a woman such as herself considered as soiled in the eyes of the society. For Brandon (whose thoughts on their shared time together are revealed much later), Emma had been the lifeline which had held him together, and he had entertained unrealistic dreams of them being together, even knowing that Emma wasn’t probably the wisest choice as a life partner.
When Emma and Brandon’s worlds collide once again at the christening ceremony of Alexandra Emma Brandon Rohan, Emma is hopeful and at the same disappointed that Brandon doesn’t seem to remember her. And it is a game that Emma continues to and is willing to play, as long as it does not put her emotions in peril. However, even with the obstacle of Brandon’s pompous elder brother trying to force a bride on him standing in the way, there seems to be no obstruction strong enough to prevent Emma and Brandon from coming together, except of course for Emma herself.
Heartless was I suppose what you would call mellow, at least mellower than the rest of the books in the series. I understood the need for it. Both Emma and Brandon are broken in a way that no other characters we have come across in previous books have been, not even Brandon’s grandmother whom we encounter in Ruthless. Imagine being ripped off of your virginity in the cruelest way, being forced to sell your body by someone you had trusted, and not having a choice about any of it. Imagine going dead inside, having never sought pleasure in the act of sex, never understanding the pleasure to be had.
It is Emma’s character that requires care in this story. It is usually the male lead who almost always has issues that are seemingly insurmountable. But in the case of Emma and Brandon, it is Emma’s character that needed the TLC factor, and Brandon, having undergone what he had owing to his attempts to drown out certain aspects of the war he had witnessed in drugs and liquor, has the patience and endurance for the slow seduction required of Emma.
Emma’s avoidance of everything to do with Brandon does come with a price. It is an avoidance that is borne out of the need to protect herself, and that tactic applied to an escalating danger to her life ends up nearly costing her life. The period of separation that takes place was one that provided the emotional angst factor in spades, and Brandon never giving up on Emma was something I approved of and loved wholeheartedly. If ever there are two people who deserve to have their happily ever after, it is Emma and Brandon, and knowing that they did achieve it? Makes me smile from ear to ear.
Recommended for fans of the series. Brandon and Emma’s story was beautiful and soothing in a way that deviates from the norm that is Anne Stuart.
Final Verdict: Heartless might be a little late to the party, but it brings along a ton of angst, feel good emotions, and a whole lot of love. Emotionally heavier in comparison to the rest of the books in the series, Brandon has just the right amount of tenderness, steely determination, and sensuality to seduce Emma, for life.
Rating = 4.5/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
June 19, 2025
“Heartless” is the story of Emma and Brandon.
Loving wasn’t about selfishness and pleasure, it was about wanting the best for someone. It was about letting them go.
The heroine has done many jobs. She has been a savior, a surgeon, a whore, a Madame.. however the only thing she has ever yearned for is the soldier whose life she once shaped, and who left and forgot her..
It’s a beautiful and angst filled tale of yearning, unrequited love and blazing attraction. A strong heroine with a hit on her head, a reprobate hero recovering from his own wounds, a battle of wills in a banter filled journey. I cried, I laughed and celebrated in joy as they overcome odds to end up with each other. I love books where the readers wait for the penny to drop, and the heartbreak was oh so delicious.
Her precious boy. Her angry man, her broken soldier, her salvation and destruction. Let him go, she thought fiercely. Let him go.
What I have loved about the Rohan series is Anne taking these seeming irredeemable and broken characters and giving us a beautiful romance with a happy ending. Really loved it.
Safe
5/5
Loving wasn’t about selfishness and pleasure, it was about wanting the best for someone. It was about letting them go.
The heroine has done many jobs. She has been a savior, a surgeon, a whore, a Madame.. however the only thing she has ever yearned for is the soldier whose life she once shaped, and who left and forgot her..
It’s a beautiful and angst filled tale of yearning, unrequited love and blazing attraction. A strong heroine with a hit on her head, a reprobate hero recovering from his own wounds, a battle of wills in a banter filled journey. I cried, I laughed and celebrated in joy as they overcome odds to end up with each other. I love books where the readers wait for the penny to drop, and the heartbreak was oh so delicious.
Her precious boy. Her angry man, her broken soldier, her salvation and destruction. Let him go, she thought fiercely. Let him go.
What I have loved about the Rohan series is Anne taking these seeming irredeemable and broken characters and giving us a beautiful romance with a happy ending. Really loved it.
Safe
5/5
Read
April 15, 2020Sanırım serileri arka arkaya okumayı bırakmalıyım. Eskiden bu eylem çok hoşuma giderdi ama artık sevmiyorum sanırım. Seri ilerledikçe sıkılıyorum galiba.
Bir önceki hikaye de Emma ve yaralı kuşumuz Brandon'a değinilmişti. Aslında karakterler ve konu ilgi çekici. Tozpembe hayatların işlendiği bir çok kitaptan daha gerçekçi ve tatmin ediciydi.
Ana karakterlerimizin hayatında, zorluklar olmasına rağmen ayakta kalma çabalarını takdir ettim.
Sanırım seride en çok Rohan'ların gelenek ve sosyal baskıya aldırmadan kendi kuralları olmasını sevdim. Günümüz de bile yargılayabileceğimiz bir çok konuyu güzel aksettiler.
Kısaca ortalama güzellikte bir seriydi.Bazı sahneleri sevmedim ama o da kitapların tuzu sanırım
Bir önceki hikaye de Emma ve yaralı kuşumuz Brandon'a değinilmişti. Aslında karakterler ve konu ilgi çekici. Tozpembe hayatların işlendiği bir çok kitaptan daha gerçekçi ve tatmin ediciydi.
Ana karakterlerimizin hayatında, zorluklar olmasına rağmen ayakta kalma çabalarını takdir ettim.
Sanırım seride en çok Rohan'ların gelenek ve sosyal baskıya aldırmadan kendi kuralları olmasını sevdim. Günümüz de bile yargılayabileceğimiz bir çok konuyu güzel aksettiler.
Kısaca ortalama güzellikte bir seriydi.Bazı sahneleri sevmedim ama o da kitapların tuzu sanırım
August 31, 2018
Someone needs a copy editor
I try, I really, really try to ignore typos or the wrong word/s inserted into a sentence. You know the words I’m talking about, those words which are actually correct, but the author leaves a letter out, and of course the spell check will not catch it because – it’s not wrong. For instance, in this book, and I quote, “I doubt it would hock me.” Hock me? What does that mean? The heroine perchance has a side of pork attached to her leg? Or maybe she needs money. What I’m pretty sure was supposed to be there was the word “shock”. But ‘twas not. If this had only happened once I wouldn’t be whining, but it didn’t and even though I didn’t count the number of times this happened, it was distracting – and sloppy. Don’t get me wrong, there is a reason I don’t count the mistakes, or complain (too much). Editing is a very hard job. Your brain lies to you, it makes you see the words you want to see. No matter how hard you try, you can read and reread and then turn to your "bestest buddy in the whole wide world and they will miss stuff. Even those bestest buddies who went to college and had high marks in grammar – you know who you are. So, I understand, I feel your pain. But I feel my pain also. It only added to my overall reaction to this book. After seven long years of waiting for the next installment of the Rohan family, Heartless had the earmarks of a rush job. The overall feeling of this being a rush job, or something that just had to be finished just because. Much as I was looking forward to this Rohan installment, I was disappointed by it. You know, I am always up for one of Ms. Stuart’s manly-men-Steve Morgan bonehead heroes, even when I don’t like them.
As I said earlier, it’s been seven years since we were last visited by the House of Rohan. And, that is a long time for anyone to remember who did what to whom. But, I’ve reread this series quite a bit, so I didn’t have to injure my little brain-box too much to refresh my memory. Captain Lord Brandon, one of the Rohan’s, was injured in one of the wars in Afghan. He was a mess; his face was half-way destroyed and he almost died from injuries. What that means to my little Petunia’s is that one side of his face is allllll scarred and the other side of his face is beautiful to look at. He is a I-only-have-half-a-face hero. Lucky for him, he was nursed back to health by Emma Cadbury.
Now Emma Cadbury happens to have made an unusual career choice for a heroine. She was a prostitute who eventually became a madam. She was, of course, forced into that career. So, her past isn’t one which would be conducive to being a member of society. Anyway, Brandon and Emma become quite close during his recovery. They fall in love, but she knows it will never work, so she runs away. While she is hiding from him, Brandon’s family finds him and takes him home. Well, Brandon slides into a blue-funk, to put it mildly. If you read the previous book, you will know he turned to opium and a group of sadistic mad-men called the Heavenly Host. The story ended with the group being destroyed and Brandon fighting to join the world. He is in Scotland recovering. He also doesn’t quite remember Emma, but he knows that there is some kind of memory just beyond his reach – something hiding in the shadows waiting to be brought back to life.
Three years later Emma is attending a baptism for the newest little Rohan and Brandon grumpily decides to journey from Scotland to attend. Because he doesn’t quite remember Emma, he is surprised when she tries to avoid him. Why is this strangely attractive woman trying to avoid him? And, thus begins the beginning of repeated maneuvers of him advancing and she retreating. She does a lot of retreating in this story. I lost track of the number of times she ran away from him. It was annoying. As you can imagine, Emma’s returns over and over again to the I'm-not-good-enough routine. Logically, being a prostitute, she probably wouldn’t be. But she was a nice prostitute. However, the poor me routine was constant, over and over, the neutrons in her brain cells kept turning – much like a hamster in a wheel. It was pretty tiresome. I’m not that stupid, you don’t have to beat me over the head to get the point across. I got it right away that she considered herself not good enough.
The scene. For a lot of the book, I didn’t think Brandon was going to live up to the bad-boy temperament which Ms. Stuart endows her heroes – but he did. In their first sexual encounter, there can only be what I would call a forced seduction scene. She said no. I had a problem with this being included in the book. I was already having issues with this story, but this dropped the book down to a another level. Forced seduction is not seduction and definitely not romantic. It's a belittling of another person’s rights. I think the author should have taken a step back for a moment before she included this scene. While I am not a big fan of some romance author’s who are trying to make a political/religious statement or right some kind of world-wrong, I do think it is time the forced seduction in Romanceland was laid to rest.
Anyway, once again I have to say I’m very disappointed by Heartless. I was so excited when I saw it was to be published. This story was not up to Ms. Stuarts normal standards. The pacing was off, there was pondering, pondering, pondering of the same thing over and over. It was filler. Maybe just too much time had passed between the previous book and this one. The story was rushed and had an incomplete atmosphere to it. Sorry to say, I cannot recommend Heartless.
I try, I really, really try to ignore typos or the wrong word/s inserted into a sentence. You know the words I’m talking about, those words which are actually correct, but the author leaves a letter out, and of course the spell check will not catch it because – it’s not wrong. For instance, in this book, and I quote, “I doubt it would hock me.” Hock me? What does that mean? The heroine perchance has a side of pork attached to her leg? Or maybe she needs money. What I’m pretty sure was supposed to be there was the word “shock”. But ‘twas not. If this had only happened once I wouldn’t be whining, but it didn’t and even though I didn’t count the number of times this happened, it was distracting – and sloppy. Don’t get me wrong, there is a reason I don’t count the mistakes, or complain (too much). Editing is a very hard job. Your brain lies to you, it makes you see the words you want to see. No matter how hard you try, you can read and reread and then turn to your "bestest buddy in the whole wide world and they will miss stuff. Even those bestest buddies who went to college and had high marks in grammar – you know who you are. So, I understand, I feel your pain. But I feel my pain also. It only added to my overall reaction to this book. After seven long years of waiting for the next installment of the Rohan family, Heartless had the earmarks of a rush job. The overall feeling of this being a rush job, or something that just had to be finished just because. Much as I was looking forward to this Rohan installment, I was disappointed by it. You know, I am always up for one of Ms. Stuart’s manly-men-Steve Morgan bonehead heroes, even when I don’t like them.
As I said earlier, it’s been seven years since we were last visited by the House of Rohan. And, that is a long time for anyone to remember who did what to whom. But, I’ve reread this series quite a bit, so I didn’t have to injure my little brain-box too much to refresh my memory. Captain Lord Brandon, one of the Rohan’s, was injured in one of the wars in Afghan. He was a mess; his face was half-way destroyed and he almost died from injuries. What that means to my little Petunia’s is that one side of his face is allllll scarred and the other side of his face is beautiful to look at. He is a I-only-have-half-a-face hero. Lucky for him, he was nursed back to health by Emma Cadbury.
Now Emma Cadbury happens to have made an unusual career choice for a heroine. She was a prostitute who eventually became a madam. She was, of course, forced into that career. So, her past isn’t one which would be conducive to being a member of society. Anyway, Brandon and Emma become quite close during his recovery. They fall in love, but she knows it will never work, so she runs away. While she is hiding from him, Brandon’s family finds him and takes him home. Well, Brandon slides into a blue-funk, to put it mildly. If you read the previous book, you will know he turned to opium and a group of sadistic mad-men called the Heavenly Host. The story ended with the group being destroyed and Brandon fighting to join the world. He is in Scotland recovering. He also doesn’t quite remember Emma, but he knows that there is some kind of memory just beyond his reach – something hiding in the shadows waiting to be brought back to life.
Three years later Emma is attending a baptism for the newest little Rohan and Brandon grumpily decides to journey from Scotland to attend. Because he doesn’t quite remember Emma, he is surprised when she tries to avoid him. Why is this strangely attractive woman trying to avoid him? And, thus begins the beginning of repeated maneuvers of him advancing and she retreating. She does a lot of retreating in this story. I lost track of the number of times she ran away from him. It was annoying. As you can imagine, Emma’s returns over and over again to the I'm-not-good-enough routine. Logically, being a prostitute, she probably wouldn’t be. But she was a nice prostitute. However, the poor me routine was constant, over and over, the neutrons in her brain cells kept turning – much like a hamster in a wheel. It was pretty tiresome. I’m not that stupid, you don’t have to beat me over the head to get the point across. I got it right away that she considered herself not good enough.
The scene. For a lot of the book, I didn’t think Brandon was going to live up to the bad-boy temperament which Ms. Stuart endows her heroes – but he did. In their first sexual encounter, there can only be what I would call a forced seduction scene. She said no. I had a problem with this being included in the book. I was already having issues with this story, but this dropped the book down to a another level. Forced seduction is not seduction and definitely not romantic. It's a belittling of another person’s rights. I think the author should have taken a step back for a moment before she included this scene. While I am not a big fan of some romance author’s who are trying to make a political/religious statement or right some kind of world-wrong, I do think it is time the forced seduction in Romanceland was laid to rest.
Anyway, once again I have to say I’m very disappointed by Heartless. I was so excited when I saw it was to be published. This story was not up to Ms. Stuarts normal standards. The pacing was off, there was pondering, pondering, pondering of the same thing over and over. It was filler. Maybe just too much time had passed between the previous book and this one. The story was rushed and had an incomplete atmosphere to it. Sorry to say, I cannot recommend Heartless.
February 17, 2022
I am now a bonafied fan of Anne Stuart! And I must say, you don't need to read the previous books in this title to follow along. This book was exciting, gripping, romantic, and had me bitting my mails until the end! Loved it!
June 11, 2018
Loved all the others in the series, this is my least favourite. Couldn’t decide whether this was a 3 or 4 star book and then plumped for 3. I liked the beginning and the ending but the middle section dragged on and felt a bit contrived in places.
July 13, 2018
*2,5 stars*
Years ago, I gave up on ever reading Emma and Brandon's book. So when I saw that Anne Stuart finally wrote their story I was really excited. Needless to say that I really really wanted to love this one. Unfortunately if I really enjoyed the beginning and the end, the middle of the book bored me. There was too much dwelling on the same things to my liking.
I also believe that I would have liked it better if I've re-read the previous one before.
Years ago, I gave up on ever reading Emma and Brandon's book. So when I saw that Anne Stuart finally wrote their story I was really excited. Needless to say that I really really wanted to love this one. Unfortunately if I really enjoyed the beginning and the end, the middle of the book bored me. There was too much dwelling on the same things to my liking.
I also believe that I would have liked it better if I've re-read the previous one before.
May 20, 2018
Waited what felt like DECADES for the story of Brandon & Emma to continue and Stuart brought the magic - which still makes her THE best writer of this genre, in this case historical romantica, of all time...if not the creator of Alpha Bad Guy historical romantica. Sure, B isn’t bad at all in this tale - because he was such a rat bastard of filth and drugs in the previous story. And yeah, no way would a former hooker become a surgeon in the 1800s but so what, E is an awesome heroine. Thank gosh for Hoyt and Byrne and other writes who create in this genre since god bless the woman but Stuart isn’t going to write forever and this stuff is gold. The House of Rohan Rules.
June 16, 2018
The moment you realise that a book you've been waiting for, for years, has finally come out... "happy sigh"
While I enjoyed it I think Brandon should have had to work more to get Emma. They never adress the fact that he believes she abandoned him at the hospital and I think that was a much needed conversation.
While I enjoyed it I think Brandon should have had to work more to get Emma. They never adress the fact that he believes she abandoned him at the hospital and I think that was a much needed conversation.
July 3, 2018
4 Stars.
Oh man, have I been chomping at the bit for Emma & Brandon's story. Anne Stuart does not disappoint! A scarred war hero and the whore who never forgot caring for him on his near-death-bed several years ago are reunited, and emotional angst ensues. The problem? Brandon's recovery was so rocky (and jumbled from subsequent opium/laudanum abuse) that his memories of that period are dodgy at best. Emma's trauma and grappling with her own issues are so real, and Brandon is a secretly vulnerable mess. Couldn't put it down!
Oh man, have I been chomping at the bit for Emma & Brandon's story. Anne Stuart does not disappoint! A scarred war hero and the whore who never forgot caring for him on his near-death-bed several years ago are reunited, and emotional angst ensues. The problem? Brandon's recovery was so rocky (and jumbled from subsequent opium/laudanum abuse) that his memories of that period are dodgy at best. Emma's trauma and grappling with her own issues are so real, and Brandon is a secretly vulnerable mess. Couldn't put it down!
June 17, 2020
Three years after the previous book Emma Cadbury meets the love of her life Brandon Rohan. Flustered and unsure how to face the man she has been trying to stay away from her heart nearly shatters when he doesn't remember her. The lout has completely forgotten her and Emma assures herself its for the best. But mysterious accidents start happening and after the third near death encounter she can no longer dismiss them as accidents. Someone is hunting her and her broken soldier refuses to leave her side. Emma has always fought to protect her life, but now she must also defend her heart from Brandon's clutches.
I LOVED the tension between Emma and Brandon as she tries to hide her identity from him. Though the plot did start to decline once the reveal got done. I liked that Emma proved to be a strong protagonist to the end even if being gobsmacked by love did make her a little dumb. The ending felt like an ending. A good crowning to the end of the series.
I LOVED the tension between Emma and Brandon as she tries to hide her identity from him. Though the plot did start to decline once the reveal got done. I liked that Emma proved to be a strong protagonist to the end even if being gobsmacked by love did make her a little dumb. The ending felt like an ending. A good crowning to the end of the series.
April 27, 2019
Aspettavo da tempo che Anne Stuart si decidesse a chiudere la saga dei Rohan (la serie in cui l'autrice dà, a mio avviso, il meglio di sé), con la storia del povero Brandon, che avevamo lasciato mezzo morto in casa di Benedict dopo un tentativo di suicidio.
Non sono rimasta delusa; e Brandon, benché conservi ancora un po' le sue caratteristiche di 'piccolo' della famiglia, è riuscito infine a conquistarmi. Certo, meno di Lucien, 'lo Scorpione', che resta di gran lunga il mio preferito per la sua terribile cattiveria, e meno della ex 'madame' che mena le danze in questo romance: dove ho potuto constatare, una volta di più, l'incredibile capacità della Stuart di farti 'evadere', riconsegnandoti poi alla vita reale rinfrancato e riposato, come dopo un bel viaggio.
Non sono rimasta delusa; e Brandon, benché conservi ancora un po' le sue caratteristiche di 'piccolo' della famiglia, è riuscito infine a conquistarmi. Certo, meno di Lucien, 'lo Scorpione', che resta di gran lunga il mio preferito per la sua terribile cattiveria, e meno della ex 'madame' che mena le danze in questo romance: dove ho potuto constatare, una volta di più, l'incredibile capacità della Stuart di farti 'evadere', riconsegnandoti poi alla vita reale rinfrancato e riposato, come dopo un bel viaggio.
February 27, 2021
I felt this book wasn't on par with the previous books in the series. The hero and heroine's behaviour didn't seem logical to me most of the time. I kept waiting for them to finally have it out with the whole 'she abandoned him' misunderstanding, which never happened.
Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone has a similar plot but was a more compelling story.
Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone has a similar plot but was a more compelling story.
May 27, 2018
Heartless concludes the Rohan series. Regretfully there was no conclusion about the heroine’s relationship to a certain vicar. Nor was the heroine’s real last name revealed. Ebook contained 17+ notable errors - - poor proofreading?
January 23, 2023
the final Rohan
What a wonderful (although sad as well) to an incredible series. Two amazing characters who survive, thrive and most importantly love.
What a wonderful (although sad as well) to an incredible series. Two amazing characters who survive, thrive and most importantly love.
August 20, 2024
"Brainless" by Anne Stuart
If you thought the H/h were teens, I don't blame you. For most of the book, their interactions only make sense if they are teens.
This is such a hot mess, I started FF'ing, but to no avail. Nothing could save this book. I can't help but think it was rushed out the door, half-baked, simply to fulfill contractual obligations for this last book in the Rohan series.
The heroine spends most of the story running from the hero she loves, rather than simply telling him that she knows him, and how it is that she knows him, and then letting the chips fall where they may. Literally, many chapters into the story, she's still trying to get away from him, lest he realize that she was his guardian angel at an earlier point in his life. And why must she get away? Because she's a whore, I tell you, a whore, and he is a nobleman. You will hear this ad nauseum throughout the book. At one point, I thought to myself, "Fine, have it your way, it won't work due to class differences and your unworthiness, even though you will both love each other until the day you die.... Can we just end the book now?"
What you will not hear at any point is a conversation where the H/h just talk things out. Nope--it's all about the H/h (1) making assumptions about what the other person is thinking and how they will react if the truth is revealed and (2) acting based on those assumptions, which of course are incorrect. Actual adult convos are missing in action.
How is it possible that the heroine is faced with death at some point, and realizes she'll never get to tell the hero she loves him, but then when death is overcome, and she has the opportunity, she immediately runs away? Make it make sense!
The exposition (aka filler) and inner dialogues and ruminations are endless this book! Emma is constantly thinking about how "I love him, but I'm no good for him, so I need to get away and just forget about him, but then again, why doesn't he remember who I am, I'm really mad that he doesn't remember, but now I must get away..." And get this: in the middle of physical love making, Emma thinks back, ruminating about how her medical training has taught her much about sex, etc. Why do we need to interrupt every freaking interaction between the H/h with introspection and inner dialogue?
Other random notes, as I skimmed the book after making it about 1/3 of the way through:
● There's a point where another family member tells the hero that he's arranged a marriage for him and already sent the announcement to the news... What kind of unlikely plot point is that? I've seen some contrived plot points, but that takes the cake.
● Also, there is a time in the bedroom when the hero overrides the heroine when she says no. The reason? "He was already too far gone." Say what? Is that supposed to make me like the hero more? But of course, his selfishness there pays off because the heroine, despite her telling him no, ends up with an amazing orgasm.
● There is a point where the Rohan parents put in a cameo appearance, and the mother thinks that Emma sounds like a sensible woman. Based on what? Running away at the drop of a hat? Making nonsensical decisions?
● Anachronisms abound: Why is a book set in this time period talking about "repurposing" anything? "You and what army?" is from after 1900. Also, pretty sure "fight or flight" and "rat bastard" were not in use in 1840.
If you thought the H/h were teens, I don't blame you. For most of the book, their interactions only make sense if they are teens.
This is such a hot mess, I started FF'ing, but to no avail. Nothing could save this book. I can't help but think it was rushed out the door, half-baked, simply to fulfill contractual obligations for this last book in the Rohan series.
The heroine spends most of the story running from the hero she loves, rather than simply telling him that she knows him, and how it is that she knows him, and then letting the chips fall where they may. Literally, many chapters into the story, she's still trying to get away from him, lest he realize that she was his guardian angel at an earlier point in his life. And why must she get away? Because she's a whore, I tell you, a whore, and he is a nobleman. You will hear this ad nauseum throughout the book. At one point, I thought to myself, "Fine, have it your way, it won't work due to class differences and your unworthiness, even though you will both love each other until the day you die.... Can we just end the book now?"
What you will not hear at any point is a conversation where the H/h just talk things out. Nope--it's all about the H/h (1) making assumptions about what the other person is thinking and how they will react if the truth is revealed and (2) acting based on those assumptions, which of course are incorrect. Actual adult convos are missing in action.
How is it possible that the heroine is faced with death at some point, and realizes she'll never get to tell the hero she loves him, but then when death is overcome, and she has the opportunity, she immediately runs away? Make it make sense!
The exposition (aka filler) and inner dialogues and ruminations are endless this book! Emma is constantly thinking about how "I love him, but I'm no good for him, so I need to get away and just forget about him, but then again, why doesn't he remember who I am, I'm really mad that he doesn't remember, but now I must get away..." And get this: in the middle of physical love making, Emma thinks back, ruminating about how her medical training has taught her much about sex, etc. Why do we need to interrupt every freaking interaction between the H/h with introspection and inner dialogue?
Other random notes, as I skimmed the book after making it about 1/3 of the way through:
● There's a point where another family member tells the hero that he's arranged a marriage for him and already sent the announcement to the news... What kind of unlikely plot point is that? I've seen some contrived plot points, but that takes the cake.
● Also, there is a time in the bedroom when the hero overrides the heroine when she says no. The reason? "He was already too far gone." Say what? Is that supposed to make me like the hero more? But of course, his selfishness there pays off because the heroine, despite her telling him no, ends up with an amazing orgasm.
● There is a point where the Rohan parents put in a cameo appearance, and the mother thinks that Emma sounds like a sensible woman. Based on what? Running away at the drop of a hat? Making nonsensical decisions?
● Anachronisms abound: Why is a book set in this time period talking about "repurposing" anything? "You and what army?" is from after 1900. Also, pretty sure "fight or flight" and "rat bastard" were not in use in 1840.
June 15, 2018
The villain is one dimensional, the hero and heroine do not seem to be the main focus. The 'gaggle,' Noonan, Benedick & Melisande all seem to get more attention than Emma and Brandon.
I would have liked to read more about Emma's rise in surgery. When Emma Cadbury is first introduced in book 4, she's known as 'the youngest madam.' Then we discover she had a mysterious past with Brandon Rohan, youngest of the Rohan siblings.
But, when in that time did she become a surgeon? Its mentioned numerous times that she was raised in the country by religious parents. Around 15 years old, she escapes home via the mail coach when she believes her father lusts after her.
Aside from a passing comment about her helping to fix injuries from rough customers in the bordello, there is no mention of any formal training, etc.
Emma's lack of awareness is not believable. As a (former) successful & wealthy madam, she has to be aware of everything. She knew she was pushed, but seems to be unaware that someone is trying to kill her until AFTER the beating & near asphyxiation.
Brandon, the reader caught a glimpse of in book 4. Returned home drowning his sorrows in alcohol & opium, he becomes a target for the newly revived Heavenly Host. In book 4 there is no mention of Brandon's exploits. In Heartless, he is disgusted with himself for the 'atrocities he commited.' But what did he do?? He believes he is unlovable, and should remain in self exile in Scotland. But what did he do??
The lack of knowledge is conveniently explained by his prolonged use of opium & alcohol (which his heavenly host 'friends' kept him supplied with)
Overall, this story feels rushed and incomplete. I was hoping for a beautiful love story between two souls who thought they were beyond redemption.
Sadly, this is not that story
2 1/2 stars
I would have liked to read more about Emma's rise in surgery. When Emma Cadbury is first introduced in book 4, she's known as 'the youngest madam.' Then we discover she had a mysterious past with Brandon Rohan, youngest of the Rohan siblings.
But, when in that time did she become a surgeon? Its mentioned numerous times that she was raised in the country by religious parents. Around 15 years old, she escapes home via the mail coach when she believes her father lusts after her.
Aside from a passing comment about her helping to fix injuries from rough customers in the bordello, there is no mention of any formal training, etc.
Emma's lack of awareness is not believable. As a (former) successful & wealthy madam, she has to be aware of everything. She knew she was pushed, but seems to be unaware that someone is trying to kill her until AFTER the beating & near asphyxiation.
Brandon, the reader caught a glimpse of in book 4. Returned home drowning his sorrows in alcohol & opium, he becomes a target for the newly revived Heavenly Host. In book 4 there is no mention of Brandon's exploits. In Heartless, he is disgusted with himself for the 'atrocities he commited.' But what did he do?? He believes he is unlovable, and should remain in self exile in Scotland. But what did he do??
The lack of knowledge is conveniently explained by his prolonged use of opium & alcohol (which his heavenly host 'friends' kept him supplied with)
Overall, this story feels rushed and incomplete. I was hoping for a beautiful love story between two souls who thought they were beyond redemption.
Sadly, this is not that story
2 1/2 stars
March 26, 2024
This book was THIS close to being a 5 star read but the author left two storylines unfinished which left me feeling unsatisfied at the end, so I had to take a star off. For one, both characters were under misconstrued notions about what the other character did to them back when they first met and this was never brought up between them in the present and never discussed and made clear what happened in the past. Connected to this is the second story plot point, which had the male character acting like a total dumb ass (although I understood why, but still) because of what he thought the female character had done to him. It was such a big storyline between them too and it never got followed through with, so that was unfortunate.
Now as for the rest of the book, this was definitely a top fav, probably my fav after book 2, Reckless, which did get rated 5 stars. Brandon, oh Brandon. I loved him when we first met him in book 3, Breathless, and continued loving him as we followed his story through book 4, Shameless. I think it's safe to say he's my favorite Rohan. And Emma, oh Emma. She's gone through so much. SO MUCH. What a woman. I'm glad she got her happily ever after. I literally cried when she started crying in the last chapter. Honest to god tears coming down my cheeks.
I was surprised there wasn't a second pairing POV in this book, although there is a second love story and it's F/F, which was nice! But we didn't get their POV's, which was a shame.
And Noonan! I can't forget Noonan! Like Monty from Reckless, he is the heart of this book. My favorite secondary character. <3
What a ride of a book! And what a ride of a series!
Now as for the rest of the book, this was definitely a top fav, probably my fav after book 2, Reckless, which did get rated 5 stars. Brandon, oh Brandon. I loved him when we first met him in book 3, Breathless, and continued loving him as we followed his story through book 4, Shameless. I think it's safe to say he's my favorite Rohan. And Emma, oh Emma. She's gone through so much. SO MUCH. What a woman. I'm glad she got her happily ever after. I literally cried when she started crying in the last chapter. Honest to god tears coming down my cheeks.
I was surprised there wasn't a second pairing POV in this book, although there is a second love story and it's F/F, which was nice! But we didn't get their POV's, which was a shame.
And Noonan! I can't forget Noonan! Like Monty from Reckless, he is the heart of this book. My favorite secondary character. <3
What a ride of a book! And what a ride of a series!
July 9, 2022
This series has largely been disappointing for me, but these particular characters intrigued me in the last book, so I still held out hope of really liking this one. And, it definitely is my favorite of the series. But although I thought I might end up rounding up to a fourth star at times, the last 15% or so was the worst of the book, and I just can't manage it now. The characters have some really daft moments, but ultimately I still liked them. It's a second chance for an abused heroine now working in medicine, and a scarred soldier now recovered from addiction. There's a lot that's right up my alley. I think if the focus had been a bit more about the relationship building and character growth I would have enjoyed it more, but it felt like a lot of that energy was given more to secrets, grudges, and a deadly plot. This is my 6th book by this author (plus a novella), and I think probably I'm just not the audience for her style. It seems like all the heroes have a cruel streak they unleash at least a couple times, and all the heroines, even jaded former prostitutes!, are almost entirely clueless about sex and must be 'guided by a master' or some such. And overall the writing has been a bit weak.
I rate this series
.5 - 3 stars.
1 - 2 stars.
2 - 1 star.
3 - 3 stars.
4 - 2 stars.
5 - 3 stars.
I rate this series
.5 - 3 stars.
1 - 2 stars.
2 - 1 star.
3 - 3 stars.
4 - 2 stars.
5 - 3 stars.
March 28, 2025
This book just wasn't very good. Especially for an Anne Stuart historical. Every other one I have read have been 4 to 6 stars up until now.
Anne Stuart was trying to write out of her comfort zone of villains and rakes and make a purely angsty emotional story about two broken people afraid to love. Normally this is my CATNIP trope, but book just fell flat for me. Francesca Bridgerton's nonsense has nothing on Emma. Both are fighting their feelings to the point of insanity! Sooo much angst and trauma from both. And both treating the other like shit to push them away.
I really wanted to like this and didn't DNF, but it unfortunately didn't get better. Brandon had the setup of a good Anne Stuart hero, but instead of being a villain or being unashamed of the bad things he has done... He lives alone in self loathing with major PTSD. I was confused by his character.
Emma was even more frustrating. Emma is beautiful. Because of it she was verbally abused, and eventually sexually abused by her male family members because of it. She is blamed for it because she is too beautiful and tempting aka a whore. So she is sold into prostitution because of it. Very tragic. Very Anne Stuart. I liked this back story a lot. I liked Emma a lot....until I got to her becoming a doctor from a prostitute... when women couldn't become doctors by law... AND in five years. This inaccuracy made no sense and made it hard to connect with the story.
Anne Stuart was trying to write out of her comfort zone of villains and rakes and make a purely angsty emotional story about two broken people afraid to love. Normally this is my CATNIP trope, but book just fell flat for me. Francesca Bridgerton's nonsense has nothing on Emma. Both are fighting their feelings to the point of insanity! Sooo much angst and trauma from both. And both treating the other like shit to push them away.
I really wanted to like this and didn't DNF, but it unfortunately didn't get better. Brandon had the setup of a good Anne Stuart hero, but instead of being a villain or being unashamed of the bad things he has done... He lives alone in self loathing with major PTSD. I was confused by his character.
Emma was even more frustrating. Emma is beautiful. Because of it she was verbally abused, and eventually sexually abused by her male family members because of it. She is blamed for it because she is too beautiful and tempting aka a whore. So she is sold into prostitution because of it. Very tragic. Very Anne Stuart. I liked this back story a lot. I liked Emma a lot....until I got to her becoming a doctor from a prostitute... when women couldn't become doctors by law... AND in five years. This inaccuracy made no sense and made it hard to connect with the story.
January 14, 2019
Le sigh. Another le sigh, oh hell, let's add another, le sigh. My favorites from this series are Reckless and Shameless. The others are great as well, but those two I re-read every year. AS does the best, and I mean, the best gamma heros written today. But somehow Brandon didn't get the memo. Another issue for me was Charlotte being a surgeon. One of the great things about reading Anne Stuart historicals is that she knows the social mores of the time and incorporates them into her stories, thus, you feel like your there. This novel had a few glaring exceptions to her usually flawless historical accuracy, which in turn, jarred me out of the story. Aggravating. But....she's one of the few authors that I buy on reputation alone, so I'm giving it a 3. 5 stars for writing (that's a given) 1 star for the story, averaging out to 3. But if you are jonesing for a new AS, and I was, this is still a satisfying installment. I will say, though, hope she has a new historical series in the works. This one kinda cooked my proverbial Rohan goose.
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