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Rushmore Brothers #1
A Thief in the Nude
Previously published as Color Me Bad.
It's been ten years since Hecuba Jones last burgled her way into a darkened house, but how else can she recover the lost paintings of her artist mother? She manages to find the Earl of Underwood’s study and the four paintings she’s searching for—but just when she is about to make off with her prizes, she is discovered by the earl’s sardonic younger brother.
John Rushmore has all but given up on his talents as a painter, unable to recapture the passion of earlier days. He is thrilled to have his boredom leavened by the appearance of a redheaded thief—and even more delighted to be introduced to her the following night in an elegant Society ballroom. Miss Hecuba Jones is prickly and suspicious and absolutely irresistible. She’s also an inspiration. Before long John finds himself working deep into the night to try and capture the feverish, erotic visions she provokes.
Soon, they reach an agreement. John will trade the four paintings she attempted to steal for four portraits of Hecuba herself. Intimate nights and candlelight soon transform artistic pleasures into physical ecstasy—but old family secrets and a blossoming scandal threaten to shatter their fragile liaison.
It's been ten years since Hecuba Jones last burgled her way into a darkened house, but how else can she recover the lost paintings of her artist mother? She manages to find the Earl of Underwood’s study and the four paintings she’s searching for—but just when she is about to make off with her prizes, she is discovered by the earl’s sardonic younger brother.
John Rushmore has all but given up on his talents as a painter, unable to recapture the passion of earlier days. He is thrilled to have his boredom leavened by the appearance of a redheaded thief—and even more delighted to be introduced to her the following night in an elegant Society ballroom. Miss Hecuba Jones is prickly and suspicious and absolutely irresistible. She’s also an inspiration. Before long John finds himself working deep into the night to try and capture the feverish, erotic visions she provokes.
Soon, they reach an agreement. John will trade the four paintings she attempted to steal for four portraits of Hecuba herself. Intimate nights and candlelight soon transform artistic pleasures into physical ecstasy—but old family secrets and a blossoming scandal threaten to shatter their fragile liaison.
126 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2013
17 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Waite
19 books1,246 followersOlivia Waite writes queer historical romance, science fiction, and fantasy. She is the romance fiction columnist for the New York Times Book Review.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 29, 2020
"I can think of a few things you do exceptionally well," he teased, but then the glint in his eyes became a steadier light. "But I think the base and bedrock of your genius is this, Miss Jones - you have a great talent for remaking the world around you."
This was a really sweet intro to Olivia Waite's writing. While it was all a little instantaneous for my usual tastes, it made sense in the context of the story, I think, since these two are both so different from the "norms" expected of them in the setting.
I really enjoyed Hecuba as a heroine; she's so feisty and strong-willed, but never in an over the top way at all. She's simply a tough, inspired young woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. My only complaint is that I never felt like we saw any grief from her over the recent passing of her parents, which I expected we would have seen play a more prominent role, but then again, it was overall a pretty light story so maybe it's for the best.
John Rushmore is a perfectly fine hero, and while I can't say anything stuck out about him as unusually special to me, I enjoyed him plenty. I'm especially fond of his comparisons of Hecuba to Greek characters like Circe, and the way he's so enraptured by her refusal to stick to societal norms. I never get tired of a genuinely feminist hero, especially in historical settings!
Mostly, I loved the descriptions of the paintings, pigments, and techniques. I'm no art expert by any means, but it felt very well-developed and like the author knows precisely what she's talking about. Oh, and we stan ladies supporting ladies like Hecuba and her awesome cousin Anne, who I can't wait to read about in the next book!
June 3, 2023
“You made me beautiful,” she said.
“I paint what I see.”
The story is about Hecuba Jones and John Rushmore. John's got 4 paintings that Hecuba needs, and so she breaks into his place in hopes of stealing them. But he catches her and they strike a deal. She'll be his muse for 4 of his paintings in exchange for the 4 paintings she wanted to retrieve for herself.
I went in thinking this was a purely steamy novella, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was a little bit more than just steam. This was as much about paintings and colors and art as it was about the steam. And I loved every bit of it.
To put it simply:
Painting 50%
Steam 30%
Love 20%
The author's writing style was very immersive. The way the author had described the paintings and the art and the colours— I was just so invested in the painting, like I wish the author had included images or illustrations of all the mentioned paintings. But even without those I had little trouble imagining them given the writing style was beautifully vivid.
Hecuba was the subject of the paintings and she was the subject of the story. I fell in love with her through John's eyes. But I also grew to fall in love with John through Hecuba's equally all-seeing eyes. I love that they both gave each other the respect and recognition they deserved.
John was a very feeling character with a lot of self-restraint. He was modest, and humble, and charming. He was a talented artist, with a lot of passion for art but without a lot of confidence in his work. Like a lot of artists he had the quality of being an observant person which added to him being charming and respectful to people around him.
Hecuba was one of those bold and brazen beauties. She was a very stubborn woman, but also a very righteous and practical-minded person. When she saw something she liked, she just went for it. No beating around the bush, no drama. Just plain honesty.
And John was absolutely enraptured by her— not just by her beauty but also by her open personality and her brilliance when it comes to art. She left him feeling thrilled and made him feel restless. And somehow she also completed him. He was absolutely consumed by the thoughts and presence of her. He knew her for who she was, and he loved every aspect of her. Neither of these characters were air-headed and I loved that about them.
He had accepted her rejection as final without berating her, without belittling her and without bullying.
If there was one character that I disliked though, it'd be Simon— John's older brother. He has this air of smugness and always being the right one in the room. Somehow in his head what he does is always the right thing to have been done and that annoyed me to extreme extent. He was very thoughtless and callous and had little to no regard for other people. And even at times he's trying to correct his ways he just ends up doing things that are plain stupid. But I think I might still read his book with Anne, coz she's got a fiery personality and I'm hoping that'll put him in his place and teach him to open his eyes.
I just wanna clarify something— the title suggests Hecuba posing for a nude painting, and John being the artist— it all sounds very objectified and debauched. But truth be told it was all very romantic and beautiful. John was a respectable artist whose honest intent was about the art. He never intended for anything to get sexual. He runs into Hecuba and finds inspiration in her beauty and persona. But somehow with time, the chemistry between the two gets sizzling and palpable, and they both give in to the undeniable physical attraction— with Hecuba being the one leading the way.
“Would it please you to have me at your mercy?” he countered.
“Aren’t you at my mercy already?” she teased.
So I just wanna clarify that John never had any mal-intent.
That being said the book was still a deliciously steamy read.
“I could spend hours like this,” he murmured as she arched into the stroke of his fingers. “Teasing that lovely cunt of yours, toying with you, seeing just how damn wet and hungry you can be.”
“I paint what I see.”
The story is about Hecuba Jones and John Rushmore. John's got 4 paintings that Hecuba needs, and so she breaks into his place in hopes of stealing them. But he catches her and they strike a deal. She'll be his muse for 4 of his paintings in exchange for the 4 paintings she wanted to retrieve for herself.
I went in thinking this was a purely steamy novella, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was a little bit more than just steam. This was as much about paintings and colors and art as it was about the steam. And I loved every bit of it.
To put it simply:
Painting 50%
Steam 30%
Love 20%
The author's writing style was very immersive. The way the author had described the paintings and the art and the colours— I was just so invested in the painting, like I wish the author had included images or illustrations of all the mentioned paintings. But even without those I had little trouble imagining them given the writing style was beautifully vivid.
Hecuba was the subject of the paintings and she was the subject of the story. I fell in love with her through John's eyes. But I also grew to fall in love with John through Hecuba's equally all-seeing eyes. I love that they both gave each other the respect and recognition they deserved.
John was a very feeling character with a lot of self-restraint. He was modest, and humble, and charming. He was a talented artist, with a lot of passion for art but without a lot of confidence in his work. Like a lot of artists he had the quality of being an observant person which added to him being charming and respectful to people around him.
Hecuba was one of those bold and brazen beauties. She was a very stubborn woman, but also a very righteous and practical-minded person. When she saw something she liked, she just went for it. No beating around the bush, no drama. Just plain honesty.
And John was absolutely enraptured by her— not just by her beauty but also by her open personality and her brilliance when it comes to art. She left him feeling thrilled and made him feel restless. And somehow she also completed him. He was absolutely consumed by the thoughts and presence of her. He knew her for who she was, and he loved every aspect of her. Neither of these characters were air-headed and I loved that about them.
He had accepted her rejection as final without berating her, without belittling her and without bullying.
If there was one character that I disliked though, it'd be Simon— John's older brother. He has this air of smugness and always being the right one in the room. Somehow in his head what he does is always the right thing to have been done and that annoyed me to extreme extent. He was very thoughtless and callous and had little to no regard for other people. And even at times he's trying to correct his ways he just ends up doing things that are plain stupid. But I think I might still read his book with Anne, coz she's got a fiery personality and I'm hoping that'll put him in his place and teach him to open his eyes.
I just wanna clarify something— the title suggests Hecuba posing for a nude painting, and John being the artist— it all sounds very objectified and debauched. But truth be told it was all very romantic and beautiful. John was a respectable artist whose honest intent was about the art. He never intended for anything to get sexual. He runs into Hecuba and finds inspiration in her beauty and persona. But somehow with time, the chemistry between the two gets sizzling and palpable, and they both give in to the undeniable physical attraction— with Hecuba being the one leading the way.
“Would it please you to have me at your mercy?” he countered.
“Aren’t you at my mercy already?” she teased.
So I just wanna clarify that John never had any mal-intent.
That being said the book was still a deliciously steamy read.
“I could spend hours like this,” he murmured as she arched into the stroke of his fingers. “Teasing that lovely cunt of yours, toying with you, seeing just how damn wet and hungry you can be.”
November 17, 2020
The plot was fun! I’m a sucker for a good artist/model romance — so sexy. The one downside for this book is that, while the sexual chemistry was great, I didn’t actually believe that they loved each other. They didn’t know each other! They had interacted a total of like five times and barely had a substantive conversation in that time.
Also the heroine’s disregard for others and the consequences of her actions at the climax was a problem. She said she didn’t want to marry the hero for the wrong reasons, so she says no and gets herself and her family kicked out of society in disgrace. But she gets to marry the hero anyway. What about her cousins? How are they supposed to get husbands now?
Also the heroine’s disregard for others and the consequences of her actions at the climax was a problem. She said she didn’t want to marry the hero for the wrong reasons, so she says no and gets herself and her family kicked out of society in disgrace. But she gets to marry the hero anyway. What about her cousins? How are they supposed to get husbands now?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2015
Short, funny, sexy; respectable plot & convincing relationship for a novella. Distinctly good writing. From the H & h's first "official" meeting (discounting the time she was caught robbing his house).
“A pleasure, Miss Jones,” Mr. Rushmore said. He was enjoying her discomfiture.
Hecuba’s shock sharpened into irritation now that it had a mark. “A platitude, Mr. Rushmore,” she replied.
“You’re quite right, Miss Jones,” he said. Hecuba regarded this affability with suspicion. “We have barely exchanged names, after all. We cannot possibly know anything about each other,” he added.
“Nothing, in fact,” Hecuba agreed.
Mr. Rushmore leaned forward, his smile crooked and challenging. “But of course, there is a pleasure in mystery, isn’t there, Miss Jones?”
“That pleasure vanishes when the mystery is solved.” Hecuba gave him the most brilliant false smile she could muster. “Therefore, sir, in the interest of furthering your pleasure, you may not want to further your acquaintance with me.”
I've just bought the longer sequel too - At His Countess' Pleasure
“A pleasure, Miss Jones,” Mr. Rushmore said. He was enjoying her discomfiture.
Hecuba’s shock sharpened into irritation now that it had a mark. “A platitude, Mr. Rushmore,” she replied.
“You’re quite right, Miss Jones,” he said. Hecuba regarded this affability with suspicion. “We have barely exchanged names, after all. We cannot possibly know anything about each other,” he added.
“Nothing, in fact,” Hecuba agreed.
Mr. Rushmore leaned forward, his smile crooked and challenging. “But of course, there is a pleasure in mystery, isn’t there, Miss Jones?”
“That pleasure vanishes when the mystery is solved.” Hecuba gave him the most brilliant false smile she could muster. “Therefore, sir, in the interest of furthering your pleasure, you may not want to further your acquaintance with me.”
I've just bought the longer sequel too - At His Countess' Pleasure
February 21, 2020
This little book was truly delightful. I really loved the two lead characters and how they respected each other--it's a very kind book that loves the people in its world and tries to do right by them. Just enough plot for color but not too much plot that you lose the romance. It was very enjoyable and I'm excited to read the rest of Ms. Waite's work!
September 22, 2021
Wow. I just love finding nuggets of gold unexpectedly from old freebie bundles, I had no idea I was sitting on a novella this charming!
I love so much about this--the artsy-craftsy vibes of both leads, the descriptive language, the palpable chemistry, the subversion of so many tropes I couldn't begin to list them all, the unconventional happy ending. Just about the only thing I would have liked more if done differently was the pacing--this is a novella, it was a whirlwind sort of romance that jumped to "I love you" after very few days of story time--but even that has its charm, because it comes naturally from the intensity of this secret fling and the extra layer of muse/painter to their relationship.
This author was actually on my TBR already for a much more recent novel, but I'm glad to see an older work so good, it gives me hope that they're all going to be worth reading--the bundle included the other book in this series, I'm going to read that next.
I love so much about this--the artsy-craftsy vibes of both leads, the descriptive language, the palpable chemistry, the subversion of so many tropes I couldn't begin to list them all, the unconventional happy ending. Just about the only thing I would have liked more if done differently was the pacing--this is a novella, it was a whirlwind sort of romance that jumped to "I love you" after very few days of story time--but even that has its charm, because it comes naturally from the intensity of this secret fling and the extra layer of muse/painter to their relationship.
This author was actually on my TBR already for a much more recent novel, but I'm glad to see an older work so good, it gives me hope that they're all going to be worth reading--the bundle included the other book in this series, I'm going to read that next.
July 18, 2022
This is a conflicted 3 stars, I really liked a lot of things about this, but I wish it had been a full length book. I absolutely loved the art theme, the characters were likeable and interesting, and it dipped into a couple things that you rarely see in Regency romances (not going to include spoilers, even if minor). There just wasn’t quite enough exploration of those, and a few of the internal conflicts of the main characters also felt like they didn’t get enough. It might have been better to skip one or two of those things without it being full length? Having said that, it was enjoyable, and any subtraction is more about unfulfilled promise than anything else.
October 16, 2020
I fired up the Fire, settled down underneath a fuzzy blanket and a fuzzy cat, and I'm happy to say I read this entire book in a single day.
For the full review - including ... not much else, to be honest; just a plot rehash? I mean, the book's good and the review's all right - follow the link to That's What She Read.
Guster Reading Challenge:
"Medicine" / Goldfly
Take a sick day and read a book
For the full review - including ... not much else, to be honest; just a plot rehash? I mean, the book's good and the review's all right - follow the link to That's What She Read.
Guster Reading Challenge:
"Medicine" / Goldfly
Take a sick day and read a book
November 15, 2020
Review:
This is my first time reading Waite's writing, and I really enjoyed this book. It's a short book, but doesn't feel short.
I loved these characters, and the setting though I do kind of wish the book had been a little longer. I plan on reading the other book in this series, and Waite's other books as well.
I've always wanted to read more Historical Romance, and this was a great intro to the genre.
This is my first time reading Waite's writing, and I really enjoyed this book. It's a short book, but doesn't feel short.
I loved these characters, and the setting though I do kind of wish the book had been a little longer. I plan on reading the other book in this series, and Waite's other books as well.
I've always wanted to read more Historical Romance, and this was a great intro to the genre.
September 2, 2025
This was delicious. I hadn't realized it was novella length (I read the e-book) but that actually felt like the perfect length, and I gulped it down in an afternoon and immediately went to the second book. I like a romance where the tension is in the situation (Regency romances are so good for that) and not in stupid decisions/poor communication by supposedly smart people. Waite does that very well.
June 26, 2018
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Honestly, this was just plain delightful. The characters averted or subverted the more annoying tropes and hit smack dab on the nose all the ones that I wanted to happen. I can't wait for the second volume.
Honestly, this was just plain delightful. The characters averted or subverted the more annoying tropes and hit smack dab on the nose all the ones that I wanted to happen. I can't wait for the second volume.
January 3, 2020
3.5 this was a fast paced novella with an enjoyable premise. I wish the resolution had been more complete but I enjoyed the couple and the powerful consent throughout the story.
July 26, 2020
Love a practical heroine.
Read
August 18, 2020A pretty absent story. Nothing at all like Lady's Guide
Read
August 31, 2021The way they transport paintings to and fro in this book gives me HIVES.
December 19, 2021
A steamy and quick romance! I love how strong, independent, and fierce Olivia seems to write her females.
December 24, 2022
Lots good here, I wish it had been expanded a bit more. The whole backstory seemed there just for the plot, without much development.
January 22, 2023
Oo la la, this was spicy
And feminist too
And feminist too
July 27, 2023
2023 Romanceopoly owned board: Courtship Row - Historical w/ clinch cover
August 28, 2023
A novella of great passion and love.
October 4, 2023
i may love this as much as john loves hecuba
August 3, 2024
That was so incredibly disappointing
January 12, 2025
Olivia Waite did it AGAIN (made me believe in love in less than 200 pages)
October 26, 2025
A spicy novella about an artist and a clever thief who enchants him. A quick and easy read.
July 6, 2022
It's been ten years since Hecuba Jones last burgled her way into a darkened house, but how else can she recover the lost paintings of her artist mother? Trying to reclaim her inheritance after it was sold off by her uncle in order for him to afford a first season for his daughters Hecuba is alone in the world while surrounded by people.
The Earl of Underwood is an artist who bought her mother’s paintings and discovers her in the middle of an attempt to steal them. In exchange for the paintings he requests her time because her beauty has him inspired to paint. There agreement is one that must be kept secret and therefore she sneaks over to his house at night for their painting sessions. Between sessions John continues to chase his inspiration, painting scandalous imaginings of her in compromising positions, but these images could lead to her ruin.
I really enjoyed this steamy and angsty historical romp. It was fairly short and steamy, the characters were enjoyable and I felt for Hecuba when she discovered that there was nothing left of what her parents had left for her. Her uncle was unlikable and it was hard to appreciate her love for her cousins when they were the indirect sources of her pain. A times I ached for Hecuba and the constraints that society placed on her. Overall it was a great read.
The Earl of Underwood is an artist who bought her mother’s paintings and discovers her in the middle of an attempt to steal them. In exchange for the paintings he requests her time because her beauty has him inspired to paint. There agreement is one that must be kept secret and therefore she sneaks over to his house at night for their painting sessions. Between sessions John continues to chase his inspiration, painting scandalous imaginings of her in compromising positions, but these images could lead to her ruin.
I really enjoyed this steamy and angsty historical romp. It was fairly short and steamy, the characters were enjoyable and I felt for Hecuba when she discovered that there was nothing left of what her parents had left for her. Her uncle was unlikable and it was hard to appreciate her love for her cousins when they were the indirect sources of her pain. A times I ached for Hecuba and the constraints that society placed on her. Overall it was a great read.
April 6, 2020
Sexy and blessedly free of demure virgins
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews