Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Wild Warriners #3

Meilė, pakeitusi gyvenimą

Rate this book
Po siaubingo nutikimo kuklioji ledi Izabela Bemont kuo puikiausiai jaučiasi būdama antrame plane. Ji nepyksta, kad žavių gerbėjų dėmesys tenka tik jos seseriai.

Dirbdama kartu su daktaru Džozefu Vorineriu, padėdama ligoniams ir vargšams, Izabela netikėtai suartėja su juo. Atrodo, kad susitiko dvi giminingos sielos. Tačiau Izabela abejoja Džozefo jausmais jai ir... pati savimi. Ar merginai pavyks nugalėti baimes, atklydusias iš praeities? Ir ar šiam vyrui verta patikėti savo skaudžias paslaptis ir giliai širdyje glūdinčius slapčiausius troškimus?...

316 pages, Hardcover

First published January 25, 2018

51 people are currently reading
644 people want to read

About the author

Virginia Heath

132 books1,181 followers
When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Twenty books and two Romantic Novel of the Year Award nominations later, and it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Her new Regency Romcom for St Martin's Press ~ Never Fall For Your Fiancée ~ is on sale November 9, 2021

If you want to find out more check out virginiaheathromance.com or follow her on Facebook @VirginiaHeathAuthor

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
172 (40%)
4 stars
169 (40%)
3 stars
64 (15%)
2 stars
12 (2%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
Profile Image for Caz.
3,270 reviews1,177 followers
March 2, 2018
I've given this an A- at AAR, so that's 4.5 stars rounded up.

Shall we take a moment or three to appreciate that cover? *sigh*

In the three years or so that she’s been a published author, Virginia Heath has gone from strength to strength, having produced coming up for ten novels, all of which I’ve read, enjoyed and rated highly.  A Warriner to Tempt Her, the third book in her  Wild Warriners  series, takes place around five years after the events of A Warriner to Rescue Her, and in it, we find Joseph – the third of the Warriner brothers – qualified as a doctor and working in Retford, not too far from the family home.

Readers of the previous books in the series will recall that the brothers – the eldest of whom is the Earl of Markham – haven’t had an easy time of it.  Thanks to their father and grandfather, who ran up debts, drank, gambled and chased skirt to excess, the current generation – while nothing like their debauched forebears – has been very much tarred with the same brush, and the locals are wary and keep their distance.  In spite of the family’s tarnished name, however, Joe is kept busy treating Retford’s less well-off denizens, the ones who can’t afford the services of the pompous – and old-fashioned – Dr. Bentley.  Joe is forward-thinking, dedicated, hard-working…  and a bit of a romantic at heart; he is nursing a crush on the beautiful Lady Clarissa Beaumont, eldest daughter of the Earl of Braxton, even though he knows he has no chance with her whatsoever and has to content himself with worshipping her from afar.

Clarissa is an Incomparable whose blonde curls and sparkling blue eyes ensure she is fêted wherever she goes, but her sister Lady Isabella is a different matter entirely.  Just as lovely, but dark where Clarissa is fair, Isabella is a bit of an enigma, and in spite of himself, Joe is intrigued. They have crossed paths occasionally at the children’s home run by the Countess of Markham (Joe’s sister-in-law), where Isabella volunteers in the infirmary, but Joe finds her awkward, standoffish and sometimes outright rude.

Isabella is really none of those things, but a violent assault she suffered around a year earlier has left her much changed. The physical scars have long since faded, but the mental ones are ever present, and she hates that her memories of that night have turned her into someone she doesn’t recognise as Isabella Beaumont. Her family did what they thought was best for her, and she was subjected to the sort of remedy that was believed, at the time, to be efficacious in the treatment of mental imbalance – such as being strapped to a chair and doused with icy water – but when that didn’t work (there’s a surprise!) she asked her family remove from London for a time, hoping that a change of scenery would help her to move on and find her true self again.

And she does feel that little by little, she’s moving forward. For a while after what her family has termed the incident, Isabella couldn’t bear loud noises or crowds and didn’t leave the house, but her fears are gradually receding. She is still wary of men and still finds it difficult to go out alone, but when Clarissa sullenly refuses to accompany her on her visits to the children’s home any longer, Bella screws up her courage and makes the journey by herself. Unfortunately, however, her first solo foray ends badly when she is crossing the town square and, courtesy of a cartload of spilled vegetables, sprains her ankle. In spite of her protests, she finds herself carried to the nearby surgery of the handsome Dr. Warriner (by the handsome doctor himself, no less) who swiftly ascertains that her sprain is nothing worse.

Their conversation is stilted and Joe is once again irritated by Bella’s rudeness, but when he pays a visit to check on her a couple of days later, he begins to think that perhaps she’s not rude, but shy; and after she returns to her work in the infirmary, he is surprised to discover that she reads medical journals and is knowledgeable about current treatments and medical matters in general. Increasingly impressed by Bella’s keen mind and her capacity to learn new skills and apply them, Joe offers to teach her as much as he can. Women at this period in time were not permitted to become doctors, and young ladies of Isabella’s status were not expected to undertake work of any sort, but she clearly has a talent for healing and it would be a shame to let it go to waste. For Bella, working at the infirmary has become a life-line of sorts, and with each passing day, she begins to feel more and more like her old self.

Joe is increasingly drawn to Bella and she to him, although she is still skittish around him, and Joe finds it difficult to reconcile her sudden and inexplicable retreats from him with the compassionate, approachable young woman he is beginning to see more and more often. Bella is both surprised and relieved to discover that the ability to feel attraction and desire weren’t taken away from her, but while she recognises the need to conquer her fear of physical intimacy – she isn’t sure if she can.

I am always a little apprehensive when I read that a character in a book has suffered a horrible trauma, because sometimes characters are SO damaged (in order to create drama) that it’s hard to believe they can recover during the span of the book. Here, however, I’m happy to say that Ms. Heath has done a splendid job with Isabella, whose thought processes make perfect sense. Her fears are understandable, as is her impatience with herself and her worries that if she doesn’t ‘get back to normal’ soon, she will be subjected to more horrible and invasive treatments. Bella knows that the answers lie within herself and that she’s the only one who can break down the walls of self-protection she built up after the attack. She has begun the process through her work at the infirmary, and with each new experience and with the benefit of Joe’s unwavering support and belief in her, we witness Bella taking back her self, a little bit at a time.

Another thing that impressed me about the story is the amount of research Ms. Heath must have done into the medical practices and extent of medical knowledge of the time. These aspects are very skilfully and subtly integrated into the storyline without making the reader feel as though they are being subjected to a lesson or pushing the romance aside; Joe and Isabella are clearly dedicated medical practitioners and not just characters in a book who pick up a stethoscope now and again.

In A Warriner to Tempt Her, Virginia Heath has created a gorgeous slow-burn romance, two attractive, likeable protagonists and an absorbing storyline infused with lots of interesting historical detail. It’s not necessary to have read the earlier books in order to enjoy this one, but I’d recommend them all (especially as one thoroughly unpleasant recurring character finally gets his comeuppance here!) and am eagerly awaiting the final book – Jake’s story – in the coming months.
Profile Image for Dash fan .
1,515 reviews714 followers
January 25, 2018
5☆ A Heart Warming and Enchanting Story

A Warriner to Tempt Her is the third book in the series but the first book for me.
It can be comfortably read as a standalone.
Although I am so intrigued by the Warriner Family I wish i had read the other two, but I do plan to at some point.
Also this is my first book by Virginia Heath and I was so bowled over by this book it most definitely won't be my last!

Lady Isabella (Bella) has just started volunteering at the Children's Infirmary.
She comes across as aloof, Rude, Abrupt, Strong, yet when the need arrises she is willing to stand up for what she believes in, she can come across as somewhat intimidating, yet shy and quiet happy to fade into the background.
She has deep Dark eyes and seems to be capturing Dr Joe Warriner under her spell.
She is very capable and knowledgeable of medicine much to his surprise.

You see Bella is harbouring some deep dark secrets that has left her scarred both physically and mentally in turn leaving her untrusting of men!

Lady Clarissa (Bella's sister) is a little minx, she knows how to use her womanly ways to get exactly what she wants.
Joe Warriner is mesmerized by her beauty.
He is well aware that Clarissa is high maintenance she also is rude and unappreciative. But the heart wants what the heart wants.... or does it??

Clarissa and Bella's Father is the Earl of Braxton and Joe's family have a very bad reputation.
So much so their father listenes to idol gossip and forbids both of them from seeing Joe again.

You see Bella needs the Infirmary. She suffers with mental health and in those days the treatment for mental health was simply shocking!
Since working with Joe her confidence is growing and her trust in him is growing lil by lil.

I absolutely adored Bella she is so strong and courageous without even realising it.
Her story is heartbreaking, but with her huge heart and zest for medicine she is starting to become a force to be reckoned with.

Clarissa comes across as a spoilt brat. Many a time I was rolling my eyes at her. She does have some redeeming qualities and is not all bad.

Dr Joe Warriner is devilishly handsome, extremely clever, has a HUGE heart, but his families reputation still follows him round like a bad smell.
Can Joe change the people of Retford opinion of him when an outbreak of Smallpox is threatened before it's too late?
Will love conqueror all or will he still keep making the wrong choices when it comes to matters of the heart?

Virginia's knowledge of medicine and it's terminology is very well researched and I was fascinated to learn new things, because of this I was fully invested in the period in which it took place. Making it very believable. Which I appreciated very much.

As soon as I started reading this book I knew i was in for a treat and I wasn't disappointed.

A Warriner to Tempt Her certainly tempted me, I couldn't put it down.
The Characters will hold a special place in your heart, I was swept away by the Passionate connections, the romance, heartbreak, the raw emotion, the battle to save lives, the struggles of social stature and rumours, the ever changing medical treatment, and most importantly learning to Trust and love.

If like me you love Regency Romance then this will enchant and capture your heart.
Be warned once you open this book, be prepared to be reading till the early hours.
So get snuggled up your in for a treat!
 
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Profile Image for Donna.
444 reviews
December 9, 2017
I love the Warriner brothers! This is the third brother’s (Joe) story and it is wonderful. Joe is now a doctor and has set up his office, and home, in the town closest to his family’s estate. Due to his deceased father’s and grandfather’s actions most of the town does not like his family. The old town doctor especially hates Joe as he has more modern medical ideas after training in Edinburgh. Joe treats anyone who needs it, even if his pay is a chicken.

Recently, an Earl and his family have rented a house in the area for the summer. Joe is attracted to the daughters. Lady Clarissa is beautiful, but he is curious about the shy Lady Isabella. The family thought being out of London may help Bella over her fear and shyness with men caused by an incident in London. Bella works at the foundling home two days a week reading to the children and helping in the infirmary. Bella is very interested in medicine and reads medical books, but women can’t be doctors.

While Joe was attending a difficult birth, Bella tended a sick child at the foundling home. Joe discovered her later that night still sitting with the child, whose fever was down thanks to her. He was very impressed and later gave her a stethoscope. She was thrilled. When smallpox was found in a nearby town, Joe sent his brother Jake to buy cowpox vaccine from Dr. Jenner, the inventor of the vaccine. Of course, the older doctor thinks vaccinations are a waste of time and dangerous. Bella volunteers to receive the first vaccine and she has the best answers for the questions thrown at her. Then the older doctor did something despicable.

I won’t spoil the rest of this heart wrenching wonderful book. And there is a lot more than I’ve mentioned. Each brother’s book in this series can be read on its own. But, if you missed the first two, this one is not out until January. I highly recommend this series and this author.
Profile Image for Gwessie Tee.
451 reviews13 followers
January 25, 2018
Naughtiness 3 *

Utterly brilliant, as always Lady Virginia does not disappoint. Amazing Heroine and very Awesome Hero.

As always I will not give spoilers, I will say that this book has everything you can want in a Regency, love, feisty heroine, gorgeous hero, heart breaking and heart warming, some epic justice dished out any who have read the first two books in this series will know whom, I'm glad got dished some devine justice, if I do say so myself.

I very much highly recommend this series and this book and I can't wait for book 4 A Warriner To Seduce Her.

Thank you so much dear lady for writing them and giving me the honour of reading them xxx
Profile Image for Frankie.
1,035 reviews75 followers
December 1, 2025
Re-read - loved it just as much as I did the first time around
-------------------------------
2017 Review
Can I give it more stars??
This is book three in the “Wild Warriners” series, where we get to know four devilishly handsome and so-called wild brothers and I can say that this next foray into their glittery and sometimes dark world is just as heart-warming, tantalizing and as pure as the others. In fact, I would say that this could be the most anguished book I have read by Heath and I love the dynamics of the whole story from the relationship between Joe and Bella to the history and intrigue of what is going surrounding them and their little community.

It is a wonderful addition to this series!

This is very romantic there is no question about that in any way and yet, it is very different to the previous Warriner’s. Instead of wham-bam straight into bed, this is a lot more restrained because of Bella’s past experiences she has a lot of issues that she needs to overcome before she can really let herself be easy in a man’s company and Bella’s trust is hard-won by Joe. Their relationship smoulders below the surface and you wait with bated breath for that moment when he has win’s her trust, which is a really lovely moment. You feel your eyes filling up with tears of pure undiluted happiness and you think; Yes, at bloody last!

What I particularly like about this one is Heath’s attention to detail each little twig of the story is fabulously entwined with fact’s, all the medical facts from the era is sharp and clearly focused. The hours of research, blood sweat and tears that Heath would have gone through to create this beauty really shows in her excellent writing. This is generous with historic detail and facts that pull you into the story and keeps you transfixed, right to the last page and then you’re in some sort of limbo wanting it to keep going.

This is unbelievably good, I can definitely say that Joe rivals my favourite brother; Jamie for attention. I cannot recommend this enough, it is a must read!
Profile Image for HR-ML.
1,270 reviews54 followers
November 17, 2020

*****
Caution!
*****

This had a heroine nearly raped by a stranger 1 yr before
this story took place in 1818. I gave it 3.5 stars.

Lady Isabella "Bella" had scientific knowledge/ skills and
wanted to be a nurse. She took a foundling home infirmary
volunteer job. Doctor Joe was in charge of said infirmary. He
thought Bella's beautiful sister Lady Clarissa nearly perfect
(latter untrue). Over time, he saw Clarissa as superficial &
Bella as his soul mate.

Bella started her volunteer gig as dour & rude. She came
across as terrified of strangers/crowds/men/noise (see her
paragraph #1 experience). Her family doctor acted clueless
on helping her recover psychologically from her near-rape.
He recommended an asylum.

She showed herself to be a quick learner of cleansing wounds
& mixing medications at Joe's direction. The kids loved her.
Joe praised her scientific skills. Joe, a beta hero, w/ some
alpha tendencies, helped her heal. She also took risks by
standing up for herself.

This couple ended up well-suited. It was refreshing to see a
hero be gentle yet masculine & to give kudos to the heroine
for her brain, creative thinking and people skills.
Profile Image for Cheesecake.
2,800 reviews509 followers
May 26, 2025
I think this was my first Virginia Heath book. I liked the idea of reading about a hero that wasn't a duke etc. He's a doctor, but I must admit, Joe comes from an Earl's family. So he's not exactly a regular guy. And Bella is the daughter of some kinda lord too.
There are two threads in the story. One is something awful that happened to Bella just over a year ago. . Her life was changed and she's suffering from PTSD. Now no woman wanted to have that back then because mental health was a black or white thing and the cures were sometimes worse than the causes.

The second thread has to do with the spread of smallpox outbreaks. Kinda glad I didn't read this one during COVID, ha ha.
You would think that two people who are misunderstood would have some kinda kismet when meeting. But while Bella is interested in Joe's being a doctor, Joe has misjudged Bella as a cold dis-likable person.
Worse even, He sees himself as being in love with her arguably prettier older sister. Now the sister I just did not like at all. She gets her own book (The Mysterious Lord Millcroft) that I may get just to see more of Joe and Bella. I did find it irritating that Joe kept seeing himself as in love with Clarissa instead of Bella, but it doesn't go too far. I would have liked more comeuppance to Clarissa for all her little digs at Bella.

I've not read any other books in this series but it sounds like the Warriners' father and grandfather were despicable people and it has coloured how the towns people view them. But Joe has been a doctor for a while now and people's opinions are changing.
Joe turned out to be a wonderful hero without taking away any of Bella's power. I could totally see them as a united team at home and at work.
The bad guys got their just desserts and it was a little too easy, but that's OK. The story was still enjoyable.

safety is good. big spoilers.

I am leaving goodreads by the end of May.
I have a new account with storygraph
My user name is dirtyMartini
I am trying to clean up my online associations to be more responsible.
I want to distance myself from Trump and his associates. As a Canadian, I take his threats seriously.
I will miss all my book friends here and I wish you all happy reading!
217 reviews3 followers
December 6, 2017
A Warriner to Tempt Her is a story to make you believe in kindness, generosity, brotherhood and love. Virginia Heath has woven a tale which truly captures the spirit of being a part of a community during trying times.

Doctor Joe Warriner is a man to fall in love with immediately, no questions asked! He is a reserved and quiet sort of fellow, and all the more intriguing for it. He is guilty of always wanting to do the right thing and helping everybody, despite the obstacles thrown his way; primarily his surname.

Bella is a gentle and caring character with a backbone of steel which slowly starts making its presence felt as the story progresses. She has some reservations, but is shown to have great resolve. Her reservations are presented with great sensitivity; Virginia Heath strikes a perfect balance in Bella.

The characters bond in a natural and delightful way. They aren’t strict opposites, but are very much attracted to one another and complement each other beautifully. The story is fascinating and had me absolutely hooked. The history and medicine aspects of the book were brilliant too with just the right amount detail.

A wonderful part of the Warriner series leaving you wanting more!
Profile Image for Renae.
1,022 reviews341 followers
July 27, 2020
Another brilliant example of curing past traumas via magical sex. After finally confessing to the hero the "Dark Secret" that she was sexually assaulted, the heroine literally says that she's sure the way to get over her fear of sexual intimacy is by having sex, pronto. (This is verbatim what she says.) Combine that with an excessive amount of navel-gazing and telling-not-showing, and this romance has very little to recommend itself.

After the Magical Penis bit, the worst part was when the uber-rich protagonists were (and I quote) "resilient in the face of adversity" when they stood tall after being gossiped about. Meanwhile, they are surrounded by impoverished villagers who struggle to get by. But yes, by all means: let Virginia Heath rhapsodize about how resilient her aristocratic characters are. Jarringly tone-deaf.

📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Profile Image for Eliza.
712 reviews56 followers
May 3, 2022
This was B.O.R.I.N.G

Profile Image for Blodeuedd Finland.
3,669 reviews310 followers
March 7, 2018
Wow, this family had a bad rep, such a bad rep! Poor guys! I just wanted to smack a few people over the head. These are good men, despite having an idiot for a father and grandfather. Not their fault!

Jack is a doctor. He is good, sensible and up to date (not like a certain other doctor.) He cares for those that have nothing to offer in return. He is just, omg, so nice. Even if his head sure is turned by a pretty face and he does not see the obvious before him. But hey, he can't be perfect now can he?

Isabella had a shocking incident. And you know what, it was shocking! When they say these things I am all come on, but here...poor Bella. No wonder she is skittish. But she is trying and she loves to help people and she has even read medicine books. We can all guess where that takes her.

These two slowly becomes friends of a sorts. And yes he will see the light and she will find peace. But before that there is some drama with people in need and some people that need to be hit over the head, or the face. Oh yes. d bags.

A nice historical romance, with some interesting elements in it
Profile Image for Fae.
1,295 reviews26 followers
March 21, 2022
3.5 stars

As compared to the first two books of the series, this one was a wonder. I liked that both Bella and Joe are well matched in terms of their interests, and helpful personalities and chemistry.

While the previous 2 books had a lot of miscommunication between the hero and heroine, the miscommunication here was minimal. Though I was annoyed when Bella refused to hear joe out on some occasions, keeping her assumptions to herself, it wasn’t very bad.

I liked that joe was very gentle with Bella before and after knowing about her past. He was very patient and caring with her.

But alas while I liked both of them, I felt I wasn’t fully connected with them. Hence I didn’t really love love love them as characters.

In this book, I’m glad to see the end of Cassie’s father. However, it would have been nice if there was an actual scene of Joe proposing marriage. It kinda skipped to them already being affianced. The epilogue is missing as well. I suppose it will be covered in the next book. I hope.
Profile Image for Lu.
756 reviews25 followers
August 8, 2018
Joe is a sweet and honorable hero. He takes his medical duties seriously and tries to bring more modern medicine to his town but faces fierce opposition from an older doctor and also the vicar.

Isabella is a bluestocking heroine interested in medicine that suffered a trauma and is trying to recover from it in Joe’s little town.

The story is tender and the relationship between the MC’s is built slowly and deeply.

I wish there were a little less talk about medicine. Not that it was not extremely interesting, but sometimes I felt it took a little of the sparkle from the romance.

It was wonderful to meet again the other brothers and their wives. The Warriners are a great fictional family.
Profile Image for Skaistė Girtienė.
811 reviews129 followers
November 24, 2023
Pradžioje suintrigavo, ar gydytojo Vorinerio susižavėjimo objektas ir bus ta moteris, apie kurią istorija rutuliosis. Man patinka, kai paaiškėja, kad svajonės ir realybė yra skirtingi dalykai. Susidomėjusi pažinau veikėjus giliau, smagu buvo sutikti puslapiuose ir kitus brolius Vorinerius. Ir mane žavi stiprios moterys veikėjos, šiuo atveju besidominti mokslu ir medicina, ir net praktiškai tam gabi. O dar netikėta krizė, supurčiusi miestelį... Ir, aišku, kiekvieno praeities skausmai ir vaiduokliai, kurie gali stabdyti nuo žingsnio savo laimės link. Labai patiko.
1,353 reviews38 followers
January 4, 2018
Every Tuesday and Friday for the past twenty eight days, Dr Joe Warriner sat in his surgery, waiting to glimpse to woman of his dreams: the incandescent Lady Clarissa Beaumont. Instead that fateful day, her sister Isabella was alone. The dour, bookish and foreboding “Bella” Joe had seen hugging the walls at assemblies. But Bella had noticed the handsome doctor, were it not for the London “incident”, Bella could entertain wishes…

I have reached the conclusion that it has become impossible for me to review a book by Virginia Heath without making a complete and utter fool of myself, because I am entirely overwhelmed by Ms. Heath’s brilliance; by her boundless creativity; the sheer splendour of her incomparable prose; her deeply human characters; her sensitivity to human suffering; and her unparalleled storytelling abilities. I have raved about the two previous instalments of The Wild Warriners, and A WARRINER TO TEMPT HER might be the best of the three; it is such an outstanding series, I honestly couldn’t tell unless I read them all again. Dr Joe Warriner is a brilliant physician and a hopeless romantic fool; a consummate professional and clueless when it comes to women; and overall, a supremely delightful hero. Bella, who was once as dazzling as her sister, is a shell of her former self; she has been hurt badly, and seldom has it felt more gratifying to witness a person heal; what a beautiful character! And what a gorgeous, breathtaking romance theirs is; let me swoon!

Virginia Heath has done an inordinate amount of research into the state of medicine in Regency England, which made A WARRINER TO TEMPT HER positively enthralling on several fronts: the stubbornness of many medical professionals when faced with modernity; the appalling treatments for some maladies (I still shiver at the mention of hysteria); and the deadly consequences of the sheer stupidity of clinging to superstitions. Not to mention, of course, the injustice of banning women from studying medicine. While it is not necessary to have read the previous books in the series, readers familiar with A Warriner to Rescue Her will smile fondly at the mention of “Orange Blossom” and shout with unadulterated glee at the consequences of small-mindedness. Oh but that was ever so satisfying; I certainly did not see it coming, and it was a stroke of genius!

Might as I try, I will never be able to do justice to the splendour that is A WARRINER TO TEMPT HER, so I will conclude with this: if you love historical romance, you need to read this book, or any book by Virginia Heath, because I’m not quite sure if anyone can do it better.


I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
Profile Image for Diane Peterson.
1,127 reviews93 followers
December 19, 2017
Loved this book! Virginia Heath totally reads my mind when it comes to heroes. This one was just delicious -- a gorgeous, kind, brainy hunk. What more can you ask for?

Isabella Beaumont appears to be dour and withdrawn. She seems awful next to her pretty, vivacious sister. But Bella has a big secret -- she has been assaulted by bad man and is emotionally suffering. Bella forms a connection with Joe Warriner, the young physician in town because of her intense interest in medicine. They gradually become attracted to each other, but can Bella overcome her fear of men?

This was a "heart strings" book for me. That means that the story actually made me hurt physically with empathy and concern for the characters. That doesn't happen very often so I know the book has affected me deeply. Joe is super swoon-worthy and wonderful, but not perfect. He has a few things to learn about himself over the course of the book. Bella makes great strides with her self-confidence. They make a great couple. Also, I read the book in one day. It was just so yummy.

I have to note that the guy on the cover is one of the best looking guys I've ever seen!

ARC provided by the author.
Profile Image for Rose Blue.
644 reviews27 followers
January 25, 2018
4.5 Stars as reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-HH

After a vicious and near disastrous attack, Lady Isabella Beaumont is a shadow of her former self. As a year passes, and Bella still fears men and crowds, and the doctors can't seem to help, her family decides to try visiting the country. Though Bella still shuns men, she's found some solace in working with the children of the local foundling home. When the local doctor comes for his regular visit, Bella is always there, observing, albeit from a safe distance, as she has always been fascinated by medicine. Rather than romantic novels, Bella reads medical journals.

Dr. Joseph Warriner believes himself smitten with Clarissa, who is Bella's sister. She is beautiful, smiling and flirtatious - nothing like her dour sister who scowls at any man who dares to approach her. When one of the young boys at the home becomes ill, and Joe is unavailable, Bella calls on the knowledge she's gained from all her reading, and begins to treat him. Later, when a weary Joe returns from attending a difficult delivery, he finds that Bella's treatment has worked, and she did everything that he, himself, would have done. This is the beginning of Bella actually starting to assist Joe in his practice.

Though it doesn't happen immediately, Bella begins to feel at ease around Joe. She certainly admires his dedication as a doctor, and she trusts his honor and integrity as a man. Still, sometimes she takes one step forward and two steps back, as the attack on her a year ago still weighs heavily on her mind. Joe is amazed at the transformation in Bella as she assists him, something she clearly loves doing. Though he's puzzled by her wariness, he respects her need for keeping part of herself aloof. As Joe learns more of Bella's character, he grows to admire her, and finds her so much more interesting than her sister, who now seems shallow and vain to him. Unfortunately for him, Joe also finds Bella beautiful as she now bestows an occasional smile, and he begins to desire her in a way he's never felt for another woman.

Slowly, Bella begins to notice Joe as a man, not just a doctor. Despite all her fears, she longs for a kiss. It was beautiful to watch the slow process of the return of the vivacious woman Bella once was. Later in the story, I applauded the return of her courage, and her bravery in facing her fears. Joe is about as perfect as a man can be. Even without knowing Bella's story, his care and patience are swoonworthy.

A WARRINER TO TEMPT HER is excellent reading, and Virginia Heath has become one of my favorite authors in a short amount of time. This story contains plenty of emotion, some steam, wonderful characters who each have obstacles to overcome, and some villains who get their comeuppance. I greatly enjoyed this beautifully written romance, and I highly recommend A WARRINER TO TEMPT HER.
Profile Image for Rachel (Rae).
702 reviews59 followers
January 22, 2018
This book was so much more than I was expecting it was a much deeper and charming story and I loved it. With two fantastic characters who captured my attention completely. Bella has a vulnerability to her that was heartbreaking and I was willing her to find her way once again along with building up her broken confidence. Joe is pretty perfect and I'm sure I fell a little for him myself. He is strong, determined but has a wonderful sensitive and caring side that melted my heart. I couldn't help but root for these characters!

Even though I haven't read the other books in this series there was no confusion at all picking up this book mid series. A Warriner to Tempt Her is easily classed as a standalone although I really need to find the time to catch up with the Warriner brothers!

I loved the medical side to this story it added a little extra special something to the plot as both characters are progressive in their thinking. So it was lovely seeing Joe eager to share his medical expertise with Bella and treating her as his equal. Virginia Heath has written a story rich in detail showing the reader the medical side of that era along with bringing her characters to life. There is a heartwarming feel to this story that fully captured my attention and I was easily pulled into the story. There are themes of trust, friendship, love and family that was perfect for me.

A Warriner to Tempt Her is such an enjoyable story with a wonderful charm, a beautiful romance and a whole lot of heart!

Five stars from me!

With thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the invite to join the tour and Virginia Heath for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Profile Image for &#x1f989;Maggie Whitworth.
3,254 reviews113 followers
October 29, 2018
Awesome book !
So many good things to say about this one ,and not one bad thing .
It’s a wonderful story and a great addition to the series, up to now Jack was my favourite , and I think that’s still true , but if you like , thoughtful, strong , amusing , supportive and loving men , joe is for you .
His partner in crime is Bella , she’s had a rough time and needs to heal , she needs a friend and understanding, and most of all she needs to be in control , Joe gives her all that and more , showing her that no matter what he will be there for her .
A great book written by a brilliant author.
On to book 4 .
Can’t wait
2,948 reviews
May 26, 2021
I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this as much as I did since I usually hate romances. This was a journey for the heroine who was a victim of sexual assault and abuse. Her transformation and walk towards healing was realistic and believable. My only complaint is that the author did use the sexual act between the hero and heroine as a final healing moment for the heroine. In truth, this seemed a bit of a stretch and I wish the author had added more struggle with the heroine regarding the intimacy she shared with the hero since it almost seemed like sex was miraculous on her road to healing and peace.
Profile Image for Donna Maguire.
4,895 reviews120 followers
January 26, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

This is just the kind of book I read when I need a pick me up, I love historical fiction and this book was a genuine treat for me to read!

I love this period in history and I thought that the story was excellent and I loved Bella - it is a great touch that the author has her as a young woman in that period that was interested in giving back to her community and her interest in medical history and knowledge of the instruments from her reading was brilliant, liked she had real dimension to her personality too! As for Joe wanted to give him a big hug!

A really strong plot with fantastic main characters - 5 stars from me and a must read for anyone who loves a good historical romance novel!
49 reviews
January 11, 2018
I don’t know why I started reading Ms. Heath’s first book with Harlequin back in 2016, perhaps there was something about the blurb that caught my attention. Once I began reading, though, her writing definitely caught my attention. She is a superlative story-teller.

With each book I appreciate the quality of her writing more and more – I didn’t think they could get even better, but with A Warriner to Tempt Her Ms. Heath has surpassed my expectations.

Joe is the second youngest of the Warriner brothers and he’s a doctor. Lady Isabella (Bella) is a noblewoman whose family has brought her into the country to recover from a dreadful experience that has left her fearful.

With Joe’s gentle care and love, and with a little help from a smallpox epidemic, she finally recovers from her trauma and gets her HEA.

Virginia Heath’s meticulous research had me going to the internet to learn more about numerous medical subjects. Not only was A Warriner to Tempt Her a wonderful and satisfying read it was also fascinating.

A five star plus read.
Profile Image for Sometime.
1,718 reviews172 followers
January 25, 2018
First of all, this cover? Perfection.

I loved this book! I love Joe, the gentle doctor in the family. Bella is a great h. She is strong and resilient despite the trauma in her past. Joe is just the man to help her overcome her demons. A romance carried out in the middle of a smallpox outbreak was interesting, to say the least. This might be my favorite of the series.
Profile Image for SidneyKay.
621 reviews51 followers
November 21, 2019
Warriner Number 3 - Joe

On to the third book in the Wild Warriner series, A Warriner to Tempt Her. This story is about the smart Warriner brother, Joe. He is a doctor, so he must be smart. He also seems to be a little obsessed with the local beauty, Clarissa the Incomparable. In fact, he seems to have a little bit of a stalker feel about him in the beginning. Right away, he struck me as a tad bit shallow. He also seems to jump to wrong conclusions, especially when it comes to the beauty’s sister, Isabella.

This Wild Warriner story is not quite as light-hearted as the previous story. Both of our characters have some deep-seated problems. When Joe first crosses paths with Isabella, he thinks she is rather standoffish, and rather snobbish. But she has a big problem from her past which is overwhelming her. She is suffering from a violent sexual assault. She is living with fear. She is afraid to be with people, afraid of crowds. Her parents are trying to help as best they can, considering the time they live in. Her doctor is a true example of a physician of that time. Isabella has already been subjected to a couple of her doctor’s treatments. Of course, the history of medicine always makes me shudder. I believe some of those treatments were still being used way into the 20th century. Anyway, Isabella is trying to fix herself. She is forcing herself to face some of her fears. Eventually she does heal herself – but its slow going.

Something that I have found consistent in the Wild Warriner series is that the antagonists don’t wait until the end of the story to confess their secrets. This leaves time for a more fully developed relationship between our couple. I am also pretty impressed with the heroines in each of the books. Even though each of them had a different set of problems, they tried to overcome those problems themselves. I never had the feeling that these were TSTL women, nor were they overly stubborn. Even if they had support when they reached their goals, I had the feeling that they could have done it on their own.

While I liked Isabella quite a lot, I was less enchanted with Joe. Supposedly, this guy was a sensitive, smart, ahead-of-his-time doctor. However, his perception of the sisters, both Clarissa and Isabella was way off. And his initial obsession with Clarissa was just a little icky. By the way, Clarissa is an unlikable woman in this book, and I didn’t like her very much when she had her own book, The Mysterious Lord Millcroft.

Spoiler: Just so you know the villain from the previous books gets his just desserts in this story.

Overall, this was my least favorite of the Wild Warriner series, and that was due mainly to the hero. I was never able to like him. But don’t let that stop you, this is still a good read.

KaysBlog
Profile Image for Jéssica.
Author 1 book70 followers
February 25, 2018
[I received this book from the author. And I'm so thankful to Virginia not only for the amazing stories she writes, but also for sending me this book.]
Like the blurb said, this book is about Doctor Joseph 'Joe' Warriner, the third Warriner brother. We met Joe in book 1 and I felt like he had a kind personality, one that a doctor should have, no matter if it's during regency times or right now. So of course I was curious to know what Virginia had planned for him.

The book starts with Joseph waiting to see someone, a woman. So here I am, reading the book and patiently waiting to know who she is. And it all ends up being a surprise to me. I had no idea how something could take a turn and how this story was going to end up because that all thing surprised me.

And now you are probably getting mad that I'm now giving any specifics, but I don't want to give any spoilers so I'm trying to be careful.

Anyway, lets talk about Lady Isabella 'Bella' Beaumont. I loved her. Even thought her secret was giving her problems she was still trying to find herself, and find the strength, and part of herself, she had lost because of the incident. So, of course I loved her. Plus she's sweet to the kids and she tries to help out. She's smart and curious. No wonder Joe found her interesting, even I wanted to know more about her.

This book was very romantic but in a different tone, it had a different feel to it, definitely unlike the previous Warriner’s. This book was more restrained because of Bella’s past, but in my mind, that just made their relationship powerful and it wasn't just love, it was friendship, thrust and mutual interest for medicine.

And talking about Medicine. I can't imagine how much work Virginia Heath had to put in, doing research of all the medical facts so the book could be as accurate as possible. I loved that. It gave realism and without it, the story would make sense because Joe is a doctor.

I had no idea that the turns and twists the book would take, and I had no idea how the medical facts would play out in the story, how important medicine would be, but I'm telling you guys, it made total sense and it gave the world in the series this rich soil here the character could develop and the storyline could take it's course.

Now I'm not sure if I love Jamie or Joe more. I think it may be a difficult decision to make.

I read this book right after Jamie's book, the 2nd book, so I read two amazing romance books full of surprises, sweet moments, a few laughs and definitely love and friendship.

So, of course I have to say that, again, I do recommend Virginia's book. She hasn't disappoint me with her books, and she's in my list of favorite authors.

That been said, there is no doubt in my mind that this is a 5* read.
Profile Image for Winnifred D..
908 reviews35 followers
April 18, 2025
Tropes: doctor MMC; MFC has past trauma
Steam level: 2-3 (open-door sex toward the end but slow burn)
Part of a series, fine as a standalone.
TW: MFC was nearly raped and it is described in detail later in the book

3.5 stars I debated but couldn't quite bump up. I tend to like this author's writing (although her more recent, lighter-weight books are my cup of tea) and I think her heart was in the right place with this one. The medical research is solid and there's truly frightening, still-relevant insight into how those with mental distress, particularly women, were treated during that time period (plus a couple clever digs at religious hypocrisy and mob mentality). I also love a scholarly doctor MMC who wears specs, what can I say? 😉

If you are sensitive regarding the "MFC magically healed by a penis" trope, you might want to avoid this, but at least it's handled better than most in the genre; the MC's don't just jump into bed midway. But ultimately I had two more reasons that I couldn't bump to 4 stars.

1. The talk therapy concept. Bella's mental health starts to suddenly improve once she relays what happened to her in detail to Joe. Later she talks to her mom and even her dad about it. This would have been quite anachronistic for the time period, and although it is effective for some trauma survivors, merely the act of talking about it won't cause the fear to fade overnight. That's about as unrealistic as the "magical penis" concept.
2. Issues with characterization. Why is Bella's sister such a self-centered piece of work at the beginning and this is never addressed as the book goes on? She and Bella never talk anything over and there's no conversation with the parents, either. Even worse, my liking for Joe was dampened throughout by the fact that he's such an emotionally immature guy at the beginning, pining for the sister like he's 15 and never had a relationship in his life. Plus he keeps blowing off Bella even when it becomes pretty apparent she's troubled. As a doctor, wouldn't he have dealt with traumatized women before and picked up on the signs? I really only warmed up to him in the second half.

Overall: the author tries to tackle a dark theme but, as in most HR's, it's too tidily wrapped up and also better character development was needed. Some memorable scenes though.
Profile Image for Francisca Bahamondes.
112 reviews3 followers
May 15, 2021
I read this book some weeks ago so I'll do a quick review.
The story is about Lady Isabella Beaumont and Dr Joseph Warriner. Bella is new in the town where Joe has his practice and all his family live. This is the 3rd book in a series but it is possible to read as a standalone because the references to the happenings in the 2 previous books are explained.

Bella has a secret, she is in this small town trying to recover from an attack she suffered in London, she has what we would nowadays know as PTSD.

Joe is a benevolent physician full of new ideas and methods to apply in his practice but his family have bad reputation so he always has to battle against the prejudice of the people of the town in order to do his job. He also doesn't charge for his services if the people cannot pay.

It happens that Bella has a deep and serious interest in medicine but she is a woman, at a time when women were not allowed to attend university or barely had any education, so she is very happy to be of service at the infirmary of the foundling home founded by Joe's family, but she can't stand to have any contact with men, so she comes across as proud and unsociable to Joe, but then when they start having more of a professional relationship, she starts slowly to push away her fears. She likes him even if at the beginning Joe pines for Bella's sister, and Bella's father bans them from having any contact with him.

Anyway, they develop a professional relationship, then a friendship and then something more. Slowly Bella gains confidence and sees that Joe would never hurt her on purpose or force her into anything ... thanks to him she slowly improves...

There is more to the story of course, but it is a nice sweet story, with a touch of fire at some point, there is a lot of passion between them eventually. There are many obstacles in their way but they face them and conquer them.

Good research as well from the writer... I think I just would have liked a longer ending but it was a good topic to treat and it is not treated in a lightly manner, good story! recommended!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.