A man with nothing to lose, and a woman with everything to gain - and neither trusts the other an inch…
Count Anthony of Stratham almost drowned, and that's the second worst thing that happened to him this week.
Now dragged into a courtroom battle with the owner of the ship that sank, the twenty-eight-year-old Count seizes his chance for a better life - by blackmailing his adversary's daughter.
All it takes is one invitation; all it takes is one night of passion.
But Nerissa isn't ready to be ruined, by the devilishly handsome Count or anyone else, and she has more than enough tricks up her sleeve to take on the bankrupt lord.
Will Count Anthony stick to his resolve to ruin and blackmail his archenemies daughter? Or will Nerissa discover that there is more than one way to survive a catastrophe with a Count?
This is the seventh in a series of nine Ravishing Regencies.
This is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and part of a series that can be read in any order.
The Ravishing Regencies series: Whirlwind with a Wolfe Lost with a Lord Drenched with a Duke Shipwrecked with a Suitor Marooned with a Marquis Voyage with a Viscount Beached with a Baronet Catastrophe with a Count (coming July 2019) Emigrating with an Earl (coming September 2019)
Emily E.K. Murdoch is also known as Emily Murdoch.
Emily Murdoch is a medieval historian and writer. Throughout her career so far she has examined a codex and transcribed medieval sermons at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, designed part of an exhibition for the Yorkshire Museum, worked as a researcher for a BBC documentary presented by Ian Hislop, and worked at Polesden Lacey with the National Trust. She has a degree in History and English, and a Masters in Medieval Studies, both from the University of York. Emily is currently working on a new four part Regency novella series, two of which are now published.
Anthony Quiversley, Count of Stratham, washes ashore in Jamaica after nearly drowning on the journey from England, intent on exacting his revenge on Mr. Marcus Fairchild, the financial officer for the shipping company Anthony invested, and subsequently lost, his entire fortune in. Anthony doesn't count on Fairchild's lovely daughter, Nerissa, but soon decides that leaving her ruined would be the perfect revenge. The two have an instant connection but misunderstandings ensue and by the time Anthony realizes his heart is involved, it may be too late for him to be with Nerissa.
This was an enjoyable novella. I would've liked to see more development between Nerissa and Anthony; I felt like I was missing quite a few of the reasons she cited for loving him. Nonetheless, I did enjoy it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Catastrophe with a Count: A Steamy Regency Romance is the seventh book in the Ravishing Regencies series by Emily Murdoch. It can easily be read as a standalone.
Count Anthony of Stratham has travelled to Jamaica in order to confront the man that he believes is the cause of his financial ruin. He accuses the man and has his day in court with unsatisfactory results.
Nerissa Fairchild is the daughter of the man who has brought the Count into ruin. She much to her distress is attracted to him even when they have strong words about how she believes her father is innocent of the allegations against him. He is attracted to her too and when it crosses his mind that he could still ruin her father by ruining Nerissa's reputation he doesn't think twice about going forward with his plan.
A boat trip around the island not only sees Nerissa and Anthony (the count) as the only passengers but they find themselves in a storm and shipwrecked together after the sailors escaped in a small boat believing them drowned.
They end up spending the night alone where they soon learn more about each other and genuinely start appreciating each other. Liking each other and also being attracted to each other leads to passionate lovemaking and the perfect opportunity for Anthony to go ahead and ruin Nerissa. The problem is that he is not sure if he can go through with it. He is genuinely fond of her and believes they could have a future together but can he let her father get away with what he has done. Maybe the choice will be taken from him when a genuine misunderstanding could have terrible repercussions.
This was a fast-paced novella with an excellent plot. The only problem is that by fitting so much into it I felt that there were a lot of unanswered questions. Even the beginning had me feeling as if this was a continuation of an earlier book which it isn't. There were a couple of unbelievable moments too where I believe too much speech was happening given the circumstances the characters found themselves in. Despite that though, I enjoyed the story enough to forgive its faults, but would definitely love to read a full-length novel by this author. Given the space to expand on her plot and her characters, I imagine the author's books could be faultless.
I will definitely read more of Emily's books, novellas included and happily recommend this one. Just read it knowing that although it's not perfect, it IS an enjoyable read. I rate it 3.5 stars.
Catastrophe with a Count is book 7 in the Ravishing Regencies series by Emily Murdoch. Catastrophe with a Count can easily be read as a stand alone, although a few characters from the other books make very brief appearances in this story. I enjoyed this tale but did find myself wishing for more development between the hero Anthony Count of Stratham and Nerissa Farichild. In some ways it reminded me too much of Marooned with a Marquis book 4 in this series. However, Murdoch is a talented writer. She infuses humor into her stories as well as some delightful steam, and she never fails to entertain me. I was gifted a copy of this book.
This is an OK Regency romance, but I absolutely hated Anthony. The fact that he even considered seducing Nerissa for revenge, when she was completely innocent of what her father had done to him, makes him a monster in my book. It doesn't matter how much her father had hurt him, ruining her would have been despicable. I also really hated that he automatically assumed she would be his mistress when he realized she was attracted to him. He knew she was an innocent, but that didn't seem to bother him. No gentle woman of that time period would agree so easily to being a mistress -- the only ones that did were usually in desperate situations, which she was not. So, in all honesty, I really didn't want them to get together, because Nerissa deserved someone better.
I also didn't really believe they were in love. They didn't even like each other at first, and he wanted to hurt her for revenge against her father. I just didn't buy that either one of them would fall in love. They were definitely in lust (which was already unlikely since they didn't like each other), but their instalove was just too unlikely and unbelievable.
I liked Nerissa well enough, but thought her behavior didn't really fit the time period. I though it was very unlikely that she would have had sex with Anthony. To begin with, he was rude to her from the start, yet she was still attracted to him? I don't know about everyone else, but I am not attracted to men who are rude to me. She would have also been worried about her reputation. Women of that time period very rarely engaged in pre-marital sex, and especially not with someone they had only known a short time. Pre-marital sex was fairly common for betrothed couples, but not for others. I also thought it was ridiculous that she assumed they were betrothed simply because he offered her his protection and they had sex. I get that most women of that time period were very naive, but that was a bit of a stretch.
This one only gets 2 stars from me, simple because I could not stand Anthony. He was a miserable excuse for a man, and his behavior was despicable.
My rating system is below. 1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it. 2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws. 3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating. 4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one. 5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.
This is a short, sweet, steamy romance that packed a punch. I liked the story, but didn't care all that much for the characters. I found Anthony to be a bit wimpy, but at the same time, I thought Nerissa was a strong woman who knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to say it.
The story starts with Anthony Quiversly, Count of Stratham, washing up on a beach in Port Royal, Jamaica, after an apparent shipwreck. It quickly turned to him appearing in a court, claiming that Nerissa's father was responsible for his bankruptcy and that of others. He was penniless; destitute. All he had left was his manor and some land.
Nerissa was angry, of course, but when she finally spoke with him, a light came on and she began to see his side. But it took the two of them being alone on an island for her to listen. Both were victims of a shipwreck this time.
A huge misunderstanding ensues that leaves him befuddled and her humiliated. I can see how it all happened because despite Anthony's financial situation, he's still pretentious. He's a count and she's a commoner, don't you know.
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I think if it had been longer, it would have allowed for more character development and a smoother transition from dislike to love. I might have liked Anthony more than I did. Extending this might have answered some questions like, where did Anthony get the clothes to appear in court and attend a ball? Where did he get the money to get a room when he had nothing? What happened to the others on the ship that he was alone in the water? But it seems the idea behind this series is to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Mission accomplished. It took me no time at all to get it read and I enjoyed the story overall.
*I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.
This series of books is so much fun. Each book features strong, independent and feisty women who do not fit the usual Regency tinplate. These ladies are a little older and tired of the strict rules of society. They want so much more. Nerissa in Catastrophe with a Count is no exception, but this book has a twist. Set in Jamaica, Nerissa is also bored with the limitations that the more primitive society holds for a young woman and she is looking for adventure and independence. She does not expect to find love and passion with the very man who swears to be the enemy of her father and accuses him in court of swindling away his fortune! Count Anthony Stratham is desperate to regain his lost money and support his sister and save his estate. When Nerissa and Anthony get together they spark big time. She has nothing nice to say about him, but when they are thrown together in a shipwreck, they soon discover a strong attraction, adventure and maybe more. You will have to read this to find out! But the steam level is wonderful as they ignore the rules of society and let their passions run lose! Enjoy!
Anthony Count of Stratham washes ashore in Jamaica, he's travelled a long way from home to find and get some justice on the man who in his mind helped him on his way to being bankrupted and ruined. A first glance at the man’s daughter a spark seemed to occur but due to misunderstandings and circumstances bitterness gets in the way.
Anthony deciding to seduce Nerissa to get revenge on her father goes wrong when they both met again on a boat ride, only for a storm to appear and the boat to sink. What a catastrophe, the second boat he had been on in days sinking! Anthony and Nerissa manage to swim safely to shore, both getting to know and find they really like each other, finding a fierce attraction and desire which lead to steamy moments, a misunderstanding that eventually sorted itself out.
A lovely novella well worth reading with a happy ever after which has a snippet of the next story in Emily’s ravishing regency series which I cannot wait to read!
My Favourite of this Series! I was trying to work out which of Emily Murdoch's stories I had enjoyed the most and eventually came to the conclusion that it was this one. This wasn't an easy conclusion to come to and I suddenly realized that with each book, that particular one became my favourite. Such is the story telling ability of this writer. Each book is a definite improvement over the previous one. She is able to put in the right mix of excitement, the angst of falling in love, adventure, a good and novel background theme and keep it light and enjoyable at the same time. Each of her characters are well thought out and described and their personalities and natures make for interesting reading. I loved this book and recommend it to you as a very enjoyable one and hope you enjoy it as much as I have. I read an Advance Reader Copy and my review above is unbiased and given voluntarily.
ONE OUTSTANDING THRILL RIDE!!! Chaos in da house! We say bring it, Emily brought it! Satisfying is an understatement, this baby comes packing a punch that's sure to please. Action packed, fast paced, hard hitting, nailbiting, heart pounding, pulse racing, smooth flowing, page turning wonder that grabs your attention and holds it until the last word. Twixt and twined and put through the wringer as we witness all the trials and tribulations the characters face. You get drawn into this world so deep everything else ceases to exist. All the drama, uncertainty, angst and intrigue keep you riveted on a razors edge. The characters are authentic, original and realistic with such depth and individuality it adds a little spice to the mix to keep it interesting. All the scenes are so graphically detailed in such colorful descriptions to give you a full understanding and realism that flows through each scenario. Incredible job Emily, thanks for sharing this little gem with us.
Enjoyable escapism where, like the title implies, leads the hero from one emotionally charged catastrophe to the next. The opening instantly grabs your attention and draws you in, keeping you hooked with heated looks between the leads and each witty exchange of sparring banter, as Anthony and Nerissa navigate shared mishaps and wrongful assumptions that can't help but create a deeper more profound connection between the pair. This deep misguided need to want to hate the other is born from a seed of bitterness due to the grave consequences of a business investment gone sour and Anthony's desperate need to blame another by seeking retribution, (hoping to rectify the guilt caused by his subsequent bankruptcy), leaving Nerissa to be thrust into the dilemma of forced loyalty to her only surviving parent, her father - as he is accused of negligence and incompetence as the business' financial advisor whose actions indirectly led to the hero's financial downfall. An intriguing premise where each conflicting emotion is unavoidedly overruled by love and an unwavering bond brought on by shared peril where, as the reader, you get to enjoy some moments of welcomed sexual tension and touching musings too!! I love the fact both are delightfully stubborn and resourceful creatures yet still manage to strangely project an air of innocence and naivety that only seems to embellish the underlining element of lighthearted caper and suspenseful excitment as they attempt to dismiss moments of binding chemistry, sympathy and soul-deep understanding highlighted by glimpses of their true kindhearted, freespirited, charming and intriguing selves. Thus, making the misplaced contempt and witty-blush-developing- setdowns more character shapingly potent.
A fun read that allows you to happily wallow in a few hours of misadventure, bickering and love, that's been written in a warm and lighthearted way. That has the added warmth and the familiarity of previously met characters, through loose links to others in the series, yet in no way spoils or hinders the overall enjoyment of the tale. Well worth the read!!!
Catastrophe with a Count is a hot period romance about a bankrupted count and the daughter of the man who helped cause his ruin. It’s a fun story, but like the rest of the stories in the book, the main point is to have the situation force two characters together so they can get intimate and fall in love. These are short stories that could probably benefit from more fleshing out. The Count in this particular story isn’t very likable with his arrogant self righteousness, and the girl is hopelessly naive.
Contains graphic sex scenes.
The narrator is pretty well suited to the stories, though her male voices could use work, and her narration in the sex scenes at times can be a bit embarrassing. I’m not certain how much of that is the writing and how much is the narration.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Anthony is a Count who left England came to Jamaica broke busted and disgusted near drowned. He made it to court to confront Nerissa father who knew of the embezzled funds but did not stop the perpetrators! Anthony lost and the towns people had him in even more contempt. Nerissa hot and embarrassed decides to take a boat ride and of course Anthony was on it! The boat in a terrible storm sank and they escaped to a tiny island with each other. Anthony is older and much more experienced he should have made his intentions clear to Nerissa who was sheltered. Anthony was a arse! When he confessed his foolish actions at the town assembly I thought that was dumb but not as dumb as his next actions! Will Anthony redeem himself!? Will Nerissa keep having catastrophe with her count?
As with all the books to this series all are interconnected but each deals with its own hero/ heroine. This is Anthony, Count Stratham and Nerissa Fairchild's tale. This predominantly is set in Port Royal,Jamaica, and you are literally drowning with Anthony from page one. He's set on revenge for loss of investments in the shipping company which Nerissa's father controlled the finances. Needless to say things go left and the revenge on the father soon turns to the daughter but that doesn't work out as he plans either..ahhh love , bites ya when you least expect ! * grin* I reread this book just to refresh my memory , so for a quick afternoon escape I recommend this book to you , dear readers. Thank you Emily for another fun afternoon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A fast read that I enjoyed. Anthony, Count of Stratham was ruined...bankrupt because of Marcus Fairchild. Anthony was determined to get back his fortune and traveled to Jamaica to confront Mr Fairchild. In a twist of fate he almost drowned before he made it to port when the ship he was on sank. After he washed up onto shore he was confronted by a beautiful young woman. It turned out she was Miss Neeissa Fairchild, the daughter of the very man he was there to confront. Deciding to “ruin” the daughter of the man he lost everything to became his mission. In the end can he win his game against Nerissa or will he lose his heart in the process?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Title: Catastrophe with a Count Author: Emily E.K. Murdoch Format: Audio Narrator: Julia Eve Genter: Regency Romance, Enemies to Lovers Standalone: Yes Part of a Series: Book 7 of the Ravishing Regencies POV:Anthony and Nerissa Steam Level: Warm 4/5
I'm not a huge regency romance reader but this series is quite fun. I've read four books of this series and, while a bit formulaic, they are quite fun. I really liked Nerissa. She's funny, smart and sassy. Catastrophe with a Count is a fast-paced story that's great for a lazy afternoon.
I received this audiobook for free from Audiobook Obsession. This is my honest and voluntarr review.
This quick, light-hearted read was entertaining but doesn't really leave a lasting impression. I have always enjoyed reading books by this author but felt a little disappointed by this one. Count Anthony of Stratham seems to struggle with being honourable, although one can sympathise with his loss. The story ended on a slightly odd, but humourous note and it would appear that Anthony and his adversary's daughter managed to resolve their differences. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Catastrophe with a Count is the seventh book in the Ravishing Regencies series. It was a short sweet romance. It had an interesting storyline but some scenes didn’t make sense and there seemed to be gaps. Such as Count Stratham was struggling not to drown and then he is on the beach yelling for Mr. Fairchild. It left the reader wondering how he recovered so fast. It was a short book but it seemed rushed. But if you are looking for a short sweet book then this would be a good read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There was one catastrophe after another in this sexy historical romance. First the shipping company Anthony, Count Stratham invested in went bankrupt. Then he almost drowns on the way to Jamaica to confront the CFO, Mr. Fairchild for his negligence. Anthony is shipwrecked again with his daughter Nerissa. And then he has another catastrophe with her and her father do to misunderstandings about his intentions. The daughter and father were both silly and foolish with their actions, but so wasn’t Anthony journeying all the way from England to Jamaica for revenge.
A broke count looking for compensation for a loss by a rich but careless merchant does not get what he wants. But when he meets the merchants beautiful daughter and he promises her protection she expects marriage after their night of passion. The Count realizes his mistake and tells her he wanted her as a mistress. When she leaves him he realizes he wants her as a wife but he may have chased off the best thing he ever had. I received a complimentary copy and this review is voluntary.
Catastrophe with a Count (Ravishing Regencies #7) by Emily Murdoch is one of those books that keeps your interest throughout. Even though it is book 7 in the series it can be read as a standalone. I was pulled in right away and I did not want to put it down. This is a quick and easy to read novella. The characters were well defined and realistic. This was a well written romance with a little humor sprinkled in. I recommend this entertaining story and hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
A unique first meeting. Nerissa and Anthony's meeting was unique and it did not start out well at all. Then Anthony came up with a really stupid idea it will backfire, but before there is a great deal of hurt feelings and anguish. A quick read, good story, with great characters all in a well-written piece. I always enjoy Ms. Murdoch books and this is one I will recommend to all my friends. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Entertaining tale of Count Anthony of Stratham and Miss Nerissa Fairchild, sometime after the Hurricane of 1774. Count Anthony has traveled from London to Port Royal, Jamaica seeking retribution from the financial manager of the Olympic Shipping Co whose bankruptcy has wiped out his family’s coffers. I enjoyed reading this book.
A traumatic event brings two people, who don't really like each other, together. Emotions of all types run high from the event. They have to trust each other and help one another to make sure they are safe.
Very well rounded characters. I liked the anger in this book. It was justified in trying to get justice.
An entertaining quick read. Anthony was one unlucky man until he met Nerissa. Nerissa was an adventurous soul and bored. Together these two had sparks which lit a fire immediately. Misunderstandings led to a falling out, but love shone through to an HEA.
I received a copy of this story as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title. He came with vengeance in his heart, not realizing the man who he wanted to be punished for the misdeeds that had him penniless, would be the father of the woman that would enthral him. Disaster after disaster, only seemed to bring them closer together.
I listened to the audiobook of this story, as part of the box set. Narration was fine. Count Anthony has lost everything and will do anything to get back some of his money, even if it means blackmail. Nerissa is the daughter of his enemy and he will use her to get back at her Father. Only thing, his plan backfires. I was given a copy of this book by the author for an honest review.
I received an arc and the opinions and views are my own. Another wonderful story from a great author. This one has lots of shipwrecks and misunderstandings. The biggest being will the Count marry Nerissa? I would recommend this book to all it was a quick and delightful read.
This little romp is exactly as named. The only good thing about the story is that it is in the West Indies. Everything that happens here is beyond the ideals of society. The characters are likeable, but these two deserve to lose each other at the end of this story, even though they do not.
This was a quick, steamy read! As always, Ms. Murdoch draws you in quickly and never lets go until the end. Then you're just wishing that she hadn't let go just yet as you were having so much fun. Love this series. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
I found this a good book. Nerissa is a good character with a kind heart. Anthony wanted recompense for a catastrophe with the Olympic shipping company but he never reckoned for his feelings for his enemy's daughter.