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Cavern of Pleasures #2
The Countess and the Rake
This notorious rake has never met a woman he can’t seduce…till now. Gertrude “Gertie” Farrington has lost hope in men. She is married to the unfaithful Earl of Lowry and scorned by her in-laws for being awkward and uninspiring. Her only outlet and glimpse of carnal pleasure is when she dones the persona of Lady Athena at Madam Botreaux's clandestine Ballroom of Pleasures. Back from years of exile after a scandalous duel, Phineas Barclay, a notorious rake and seducer of women, becomes instantly intrigued by the Lady Athena on a visit to the Ballroom of Pleasures. He provokes her into taking him as her prospective lover with the intention of seducing the icy mistress and uncovering her true identity. As the Countess of Lowry, Gertie wants nothing to do with Phineas Barclay -- a debaucher at best, and a murderer at worst. So why does she find herself hot and flustered in his presence? Phineas Barclay finds himself strangely drawn to the Countess, but every step forward with her seems to be followed by a step backward with the Lady Athena. So which woman will he choose to conquer?
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2010
503 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Em Brown
169 books539 followersAfter accidentally flashing the audience with her knickers, Em Brown decided that writing was a safer activity. She enjoys writing romance, particularly erotic historicals. For more about her works, visit www.EroticHistoricals.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
October 27, 2018
Not bad for a freebie. Don't run into rakes named Phineas that often, or dommes named Gertrude. Overuse of the word "physiognomy" in the beginning (5 times). I'm sure there are other words that mean appearance. "Appearance" for one.
March 28, 2019
An o.k. story with lots of sex. I found it a tad samey. 3☆
April 29, 2019
Victim Of 💘Love
Trapped in a loveless marriage, Countess , Lady Gertie💃💔, begins going incognito to a bawdy party house. Most Of The patrons are wealthy nobles or landed gentry, so they all value their anonymity and wear disguises and masks🎭.
Her husband, Alexander, a wastrel, ignores her and he has a mistress, so she feels vindicated.
When she meets Lord Barclay🐺🍆⛲👋, a gorgeous masked🎭 man at the party house, she gets involved with him, and he with her, but they never introduce themselves to each other.
In a different setting, a ball, they finally meet, but neither recognizes the other.
Lord Barclay🐺🍆⛲👋 is a notorious rakehell, or libertine, and he also killed💀 the husband of one of his paramours in a duel years ago. He has a terrible reputation. He's also a well known Spankmeister👋👋 and binder!
For much of the book, the two have a dual relationship, because of the duality of their lives.
Great story and great writing! I loved this book!
Trapped in a loveless marriage, Countess , Lady Gertie💃💔, begins going incognito to a bawdy party house. Most Of The patrons are wealthy nobles or landed gentry, so they all value their anonymity and wear disguises and masks🎭.
Her husband, Alexander, a wastrel, ignores her and he has a mistress, so she feels vindicated.
When she meets Lord Barclay🐺🍆⛲👋, a gorgeous masked🎭 man at the party house, she gets involved with him, and he with her, but they never introduce themselves to each other.
In a different setting, a ball, they finally meet, but neither recognizes the other.
Lord Barclay🐺🍆⛲👋 is a notorious rakehell, or libertine, and he also killed💀 the husband of one of his paramours in a duel years ago. He has a terrible reputation. He's also a well known Spankmeister👋👋 and binder!
For much of the book, the two have a dual relationship, because of the duality of their lives.
Great story and great writing! I loved this book!
January 6, 2019
Great
I found this a really good book. I liked the duality roles of both the hero and heroine. A contrasting shy countess and a confident minx in the Ballroom setting.
I found this a really good book. I liked the duality roles of both the hero and heroine. A contrasting shy countess and a confident minx in the Ballroom setting.
October 30, 2018
So I was stuck and having a hard time getting into anything. I read a non-challenging mystery and then decided to follow up with this romance. It interested me because the heroine, Gertrude (Gertie), is married. I was curious as to how Brown resolved the romance.
Of course, Gertie is married to a selfish, adulterous jerk. Apparently, a few nights of uninspired, post-wedding coitus nonetheless awakened a strong carnal appetite because Gertie now goes to a Regency sex club and masquerades as a quasi-dominatrix, Lady Athena. And it is there that she meets Phineas Barclay, the rake who bets that he can seduce Lady Athena. Many mild D/S and S/M hijinks ensue.
But Gertie and Phineas, of course, don't recognize each other when they meet in real life, and proceed to fall in lust, then love through their shared compassion (hitherto unknown on Phineas' part). Even when they finally have sex, Gertie doesn't recognize the naked Phineas as the naked paramour she's been lusting over for many recent nights (not really believable). The complications that ensue are predictable, and the ultimate declaration not surprising. It all wraps up more neatly than it should, making the romance--despite its somewhat unusual start in adultery--quite standard for the genre.
The sex club scenes are, in my view, entirely unnecessary. It's not prudishness, though I didn't find them "super hot" (no matter how much the title wants me to find otherwise). They don't add anything but pages to the book. If the book existed without the sex club scenes, the romance would have proceeded just as it did. There's no character development or connection established through them.
Of course, Gertie is married to a selfish, adulterous jerk. Apparently, a few nights of uninspired, post-wedding coitus nonetheless awakened a strong carnal appetite because Gertie now goes to a Regency sex club and masquerades as a quasi-dominatrix, Lady Athena. And it is there that she meets Phineas Barclay, the rake who bets that he can seduce Lady Athena. Many mild D/S and S/M hijinks ensue.
But Gertie and Phineas, of course, don't recognize each other when they meet in real life, and proceed to fall in lust, then love through their shared compassion (hitherto unknown on Phineas' part). Even when they finally have sex, Gertie doesn't recognize the naked Phineas as the naked paramour she's been lusting over for many recent nights (not really believable). The complications that ensue are predictable, and the ultimate declaration not surprising. It all wraps up more neatly than it should, making the romance--despite its somewhat unusual start in adultery--quite standard for the genre.
The sex club scenes are, in my view, entirely unnecessary. It's not prudishness, though I didn't find them "super hot" (no matter how much the title wants me to find otherwise). They don't add anything but pages to the book. If the book existed without the sex club scenes, the romance would have proceeded just as it did. There's no character development or connection established through them.
November 21, 2021
Eh. I did finish it in one day. It wasn’t bad. Parts were great. But a few things started irking me. Ok a personal preference issue, I hate the English dandy persona in books. I’m just not into it - rake or no rake. But one specific random stuck with me (which is funny based on my notes on the previous book and one certain reviewer’s issues). This author digs a MM scene. This author writes FF scenes which the main character partakes in, but isn’t a fan of. Titillated by MM, but definitely not into the specific (ahem) taste of FF scenes. This is the second one where the MC is not a fan of FF and it’s written in that way. Like “well I’ll do it for you, sir, if you’re into it, but I didn’t enjoy it”. It’s a weird thing for me to have an issue with, but it’s there.
October 14, 2019
The price of love
This second book is as inspired as the first.
If you enjoy hot lovers this story is for you.
The cavern provides another pairing that starts when Gerti (Lady Athena) picks Phineas (Hephaestus) as her new submissive.
But from the very beginning there is something different about how she feels, but she has to keep going back to spend more time with him. Then she meets Phineas Barkley the man who killed another at a duel.
Soon the feelings Gerti has developed for Hephaestus are mixed with the growing lust for Phineas.
This is a sultry sexual story with growing love and an unexpected end for them both.
This second book is as inspired as the first.
If you enjoy hot lovers this story is for you.
The cavern provides another pairing that starts when Gerti (Lady Athena) picks Phineas (Hephaestus) as her new submissive.
But from the very beginning there is something different about how she feels, but she has to keep going back to spend more time with him. Then she meets Phineas Barkley the man who killed another at a duel.
Soon the feelings Gerti has developed for Hephaestus are mixed with the growing lust for Phineas.
This is a sultry sexual story with growing love and an unexpected end for them both.
March 27, 2021
I received this book from bookbub (kindle version, box set).
I am unsure if this is the third or fourth book in it?
I think from the beginning, you could glimpse how it would end. The words duel (or result of second duel) was mentioned a number of times. Alexander, was a complete ass (he was written as such, to be despised). I felt it was completely uncalled for, for him to physically assault his wife and verbally abuse her in public (seems how there is such an empathize on "polite society"). I was greatly disappointed that there was no mention of adoption, for baby peggy at the girl's orphanage. We can assume, that Gertie and Phineas did adopted her... but it would have made a much happier ending if we would have had an ending chapter with the nursery and a mention of maybe hiring one or two nannies. I very much enjoyed the time spent at the inn. And even though Gertie seemed to be lacking in the family department, she did have very loyal friends.
Georgette's writing style is descriptive and enjoyable. Although, she sometimes overuses a single word. This time, I found the word cunny overused. I had wished she found a softer, more feminine synonym. If you are into historical settings, then this might be the book for you (as long as you don't mind affairs, mistresses, and the breaking of marriage vows). In Georgette's book, it always seem like someone is having an affair. And then, pregnancy before common sense (even though everything seems impossible, before the happy conclusion).
I will be completing the boxset.
I am unsure if this is the third or fourth book in it?
I think from the beginning, you could glimpse how it would end. The words duel (or result of second duel) was mentioned a number of times. Alexander, was a complete ass (he was written as such, to be despised). I felt it was completely uncalled for, for him to physically assault his wife and verbally abuse her in public (seems how there is such an empathize on "polite society"). I was greatly disappointed that there was no mention of adoption, for baby peggy at the girl's orphanage. We can assume, that Gertie and Phineas did adopted her... but it would have made a much happier ending if we would have had an ending chapter with the nursery and a mention of maybe hiring one or two nannies. I very much enjoyed the time spent at the inn. And even though Gertie seemed to be lacking in the family department, she did have very loyal friends.
Georgette's writing style is descriptive and enjoyable. Although, she sometimes overuses a single word. This time, I found the word cunny overused. I had wished she found a softer, more feminine synonym. If you are into historical settings, then this might be the book for you (as long as you don't mind affairs, mistresses, and the breaking of marriage vows). In Georgette's book, it always seem like someone is having an affair. And then, pregnancy before common sense (even though everything seems impossible, before the happy conclusion).
I will be completing the boxset.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and I wanted to give it 5 stars. What kept me from doing this is that, although I knew he was a rake, I was so disappointed that his exploits with a former woman involved the innocent servants. Every book I have read that involves a rake has them drawing a line at innocents. That his woman pulled her servants for selfish pleasure disgusted me and it put a damper on the entire book. I was shocked at Gertie was not appalled by this, even as her alter ego. Aside from that, I loved the relationship between the two, although I had to overcome her being married (albeit miserably) and involved in this. I sound like a prude, yes, but even Rakes left innocents alone. I liked how Phineas was developed. At first we were led to believe he was selfish and self-serving. He was a perfect case of still waters running deep. I look forward to reading more from this author
November 20, 2018
I just thought I would start the book then play around on the internet. I am in a reading slump or I am too distracted by internet socializing that every book I picked up and started was easily won at putting down only a few pages in. Yet, this one I didn't. I tried three times, the internet watching me from a foot away...whispering "look at me." I did, but that is all I did. I continued reading all the way to the end. The title does it justice. I even thought I knew where it was going what with my vast knowledge of regency romances and the thousands I've read. It did not. At every turn. It did not. The only reason it doesn't get five stars is that it didn't make me cry. but a solid 4.5 will do the trick. If you love regency romances, then pick this up and however you read it, don't read it in public because you will twitch in your seat and hurry home to your other half quickly! lol
June 19, 2018
4* for "I really liked it"
Lady Lowry seeks solace from her loveless marriage by playing as a sort of dominatrix - yet still maintaining her marriage vows. Already drawn to masked Lady Athena, Lord Barclay accepts a wager to conquer her "virtue". They unwittingly meet in society, without their masks, yet do not recognize their alter-personas.
It hurt to read how Gertie was treated by her in-laws. But she gets her happy end! This was a very engaging story which had me turning page after page. There are explicit sex scenes and some "mild" scenes of submission and paddling and tying up to bedposts.
I received a free advance copy and voluntarily reviewed it.
Lady Lowry seeks solace from her loveless marriage by playing as a sort of dominatrix - yet still maintaining her marriage vows. Already drawn to masked Lady Athena, Lord Barclay accepts a wager to conquer her "virtue". They unwittingly meet in society, without their masks, yet do not recognize their alter-personas.
It hurt to read how Gertie was treated by her in-laws. But she gets her happy end! This was a very engaging story which had me turning page after page. There are explicit sex scenes and some "mild" scenes of submission and paddling and tying up to bedposts.
I received a free advance copy and voluntarily reviewed it.
June 18, 2018
How the mighty fall. I have read several of Ms. Brown’s books and this is one of my favorites. Phineas and Gertie are wonderfully written characters showing their vulnerability and compassion. The scene in the orphanage was my favorite in the book. How can you not love both Phineas and Gertie after that scene? There are quite a lot of emotions that leave you with the feeling that maybe, just maybe, it would not work out. But as we all know, an HEA was on the horizon.
I received a complimentary copy from the author.
I received a complimentary copy from the author.
June 21, 2018
Loved the book. The story of Phineas and Gertie has many twists and turns but in the end they come together in love, along with the child they created. The story is well written and presented in such a way that you want to keep on reading, wishing for them to have a HEA. This does finally occur but there are a lot of events that happen and interactions between people that have a major impact on the story. I would highly recommend this book for a great read, along with the other book in this series.
October 30, 2018
The countless and the rake/brown
The story was mediocre. It was about a man in exile thought to be dead because of being a rogue around ladies. He comes back and discover a married lady he need to conquest and finds himself in love with her as she is with him. Not really a good plot, if you like a story about couples fornicating continuously you may like the story . Personally I like romance as well as the next person but more depth to the story , some intrigue and a little more to the characters besides the sex.
The story was mediocre. It was about a man in exile thought to be dead because of being a rogue around ladies. He comes back and discover a married lady he need to conquest and finds himself in love with her as she is with him. Not really a good plot, if you like a story about couples fornicating continuously you may like the story . Personally I like romance as well as the next person but more depth to the story , some intrigue and a little more to the characters besides the sex.
June 18, 2018
This was a very engaging read. I really felt for Gertrude, Lady Lowry and the unhappy life she had with her husband and his family. However, Gertie has a different side to her in the guise of Lady Athena, in Penelope’s hall of pleasure. Phineas Barclay is back from exile and is attracted to Lady Athena. I enjoyed seeing Gertie grow in confidence throughout the story. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 21, 2018
Gertie is in a loveless marriage with an unfaithful husband who has no time for her. She slips out at night to become Lady Athena at Madam Botreaux’s Ballroom of Pleasure where she meets Phineas Barclay a notorious rake. They are drawn to one another not only there but when the meet in real life it knowing each other are one and the same. A wonderful historical romance that is both erotic and sweet. Loved Gertie’s strength and the honesty of Phineas.
September 16, 2020
Not a romance book
Don’t read this book if you expect the hero and heroine did not screw other people after they met. I would never call this a romance story when the hero screwed other women for almost half of the book. I would rate the book 4 stars if the hero was not a manwhore to the extreme and screwed anything that moved. The ending was satisfying but it was too late for it to save the book for me.
Don’t read this book if you expect the hero and heroine did not screw other people after they met. I would never call this a romance story when the hero screwed other women for almost half of the book. I would rate the book 4 stars if the hero was not a manwhore to the extreme and screwed anything that moved. The ending was satisfying but it was too late for it to save the book for me.
December 14, 2018
This story is hot and steamy, but has more substance than another series I have been reading by this author. This story is about adultery, and the consequences for a married woman. The good thing here is that it does help if you have connections in high places. My question in all of this is why wasn't Phineas more careful? What kind of future do these two actually have together?
February 24, 2019
Two people, both living two different lives, one during the day, in society, whilst the second is masked and camouflaged, part of the sensual world of Madame Botreaux's Ballroom.
This is the story of what occurs when they run across each other in those two separate identities.
This book could just burn your fingers.. it's that hot!
This is the story of what occurs when they run across each other in those two separate identities.
This book could just burn your fingers.. it's that hot!
January 21, 2020
It's not always as it seems
As always Ms. Brown gives us a story which makes us feel we are part of it. She tells the story of Gertie and Barclay with grace and elegance. You see Gertie grow to love Barclay and he as well. The time at the inn proved to be the setting of falling deep in live.
As always Ms. Brown gives us a story which makes us feel we are part of it. She tells the story of Gertie and Barclay with grace and elegance. You see Gertie grow to love Barclay and he as well. The time at the inn proved to be the setting of falling deep in live.
November 1, 2018
The countless and the Rake
This was an amazing read it had lots of action,excitement,drama,and lot's of love.The characters were wonderful and I enjoyed this read very much.Thank you .
This was an amazing read it had lots of action,excitement,drama,and lot's of love.The characters were wonderful and I enjoyed this read very much.Thank you .
November 1, 2018
Kept me interested
Although I don't agree with infidelity, I found this story interesting and wanted a happy outcome. It wasn't very difficult reading and the storyline moved along at a good pace.
Although I don't agree with infidelity, I found this story interesting and wanted a happy outcome. It wasn't very difficult reading and the storyline moved along at a good pace.
November 22, 2018
Great
Lady Athena and Phineas are well known to each other at the sex club, but as Bertie and Phineas you will have to see how they develop.
There are twists and turns, drama, sex scenes in this book.
I liked the characters in this book.
This book had an HEA, so very glad.
Lady Athena and Phineas are well known to each other at the sex club, but as Bertie and Phineas you will have to see how they develop.
There are twists and turns, drama, sex scenes in this book.
I liked the characters in this book.
This book had an HEA, so very glad.
November 27, 2018
Absolutely wonderful!
This was a wonderful book. I may read it again. It had me on the edge of my seat. I LOVED all the steamy drama! This is what I want in a book. It was awesome! I might turn around right now and read it again! Worth reading! Do indulge!
This was a wonderful book. I may read it again. It had me on the edge of my seat. I LOVED all the steamy drama! This is what I want in a book. It was awesome! I might turn around right now and read it again! Worth reading! Do indulge!
February 17, 2019
The book is super hot and full of suspense! I read it in one day because of that. The characters and the dialogue are extremely attractive! Fans of romance and historical romance, you know the challenge-y couples who keep it back and forth?
This one is for you!
This one is for you!
March 17, 2020
An Steamy, Wonderful & Entertaining Story.
Well written Story with Wonderful Characters.
I can't Imagine how people would deal with people like Phineas & Gertie announcing their affair then their marriage?
Well written Story with Wonderful Characters.
I can't Imagine how people would deal with people like Phineas & Gertie announcing their affair then their marriage?
September 4, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from the first page until the very last. It has been a very rare occurrence that I could just pick up a book and read it in one day; but, I was captivated by these characters and their amazing love story instantaneously.
October 28, 2018
Great read
Loved the book. Yummy story of love and laughter. Can't wait for more.Get your copy today 😀and it's a definite must read book
Loved the book. Yummy story of love and laughter. Can't wait for more.Get your copy today 😀and it's a definite must read book
November 1, 2018
I only rate books at one star if they are written in the first person. If you don't mind those types of books, it may be ok, but I certainly never read first person books
November 14, 2018
Very exciting
I could not put it down. Keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. The two main characters make a good match! Definitely worth reading .
I could not put it down. Keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. The two main characters make a good match! Definitely worth reading .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews