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Lonely Lords #3
Ethan: Lord of Scandal
At the age of fourteen, Ethan Grey was banished by his titled father into a hell his legitimate siblings never learned of. Now that the old earl is dead, and Ethan is a widower with two children to raise, he finds himself attracted to Alice Portman, the boys’ scholarly, reserved governess. Alice also has a shadowed past, and she and Ethan must face the demon haunting them both if they’re to win their chance for a happily ever after.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2013
234 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
About the author
Grace Burrowes
190 books2,937 followersGrace Burrowes started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. She is the sixth out of seven children, raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life she spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. Her first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy job that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.
While reading yet still more romance novels, Grace opened her own law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (she had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World a few years ago. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")
Grace eventually got up the courage to start pitching her manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the RWA retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)
To contact Grace, email her at graceburrowes@yahoo.com.
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June 8, 2013
Grace Burrowes has upped her game with Ethan, giving the reader an intriguing plot with surprising twists populated by fully-developed, complex characters. Actually, there are two not so fully-developed characters – Ethan’s sons, Jeremiah, age six, and Joshua, age five. Be warned – if you don’t like children in your historical romance stories, this book is not for you. Me, I like adorable children mixing it up with the adults, and for sure these two boys are adorable.
Ethan Grey is the eldest son of the Earl of Bellefonte, but he is not the heir, as his mother was not married to the earl. Nevertheless, he grew up in the Bellefonte home with his eight half-siblings, one of whom, Nicholas, is the heir and the hero in Burrowes’ previous novel in the Lonely Lords series. At age 14, Ethan was sent off to a harsh public school and then to Cambridge. He married a woman who was his mistress, but she died after giving birth to the two boys. Ethan threw himself into his business ventures, and his successes have made him quite wealthy. He and the boys live quietly at Tydings, his Sussex estate.
As the story opens, Jeremiah and Joshua are visiting at their Uncle Nick’s Kent estate, Belle Maison, along with various other children and their parents (don’t even try to figure out who they all are; this is Grace Burrowes, so you can never quite know who all the players are). The children are in the charge of governess Alice Portman, who looks like every other governess – shapeless grey dress, severe bun, and spectacles. As it turns out, Alice is looking for a change in position, and Ethan needs to replace the boys’ recently departed tutor, so Alice returns to Tydings with Ethan’s family.
Alice quickly realizes that although Ethan loves his sons he doesn’t actually show them love. He devotes himself to business and lets others tend to the boys. Alice insists, however, that Ethan take more interest in his children, and he begins to enjoy being a father. He also begins to enjoy being in Alice’s company.
Alice may be the one who looks wrapped up and closed off, but it’s really Ethan who has shut himself off from the world. He is somewhat estranged from his siblings, even though he and Nick were very close as children. Nick, who has succeeded to the earldom, has been trying to rekindle those feelings, but Ethan remains aloof.
There is a lot going on beneath the surface. In addition to suffering from being a bastard son, Ethan endured horrific bullying at school, a trauma that still haunts him. Alice also endured heartache and physical injury in her teenage years; she has dealt with her trauma by leaving the family home and working as a governess even though her family is well off. Years later, both Ethan and Alice still are grappling with tremendous feelings of unresolved guilt. (It is rather too neat that both of them were tormented by the same man.)
I won’t go into the details of the plot developments because there are some well-done surprises, including a story line that I have not seen in historic romance before. Of course, there is growing affection between Ethan and Alice, and between Ethan and his boys. Various neighbors and relatives pop in from time to time – some of them from previous books and some from books yet to come – and some play an important role in unfolding events. The villain makes his appearance and get his comeuppance.
The real beauty of this story, however, is in the exploration of the effects of traumatic experiences on these two people and the exposition of how they begin to heal. As I’ve always said, Grace Burrowes is a wonderful storyteller, and in Ethan she tells a story of abuse, escape, healing, reconciliation, and love – both romantic and familial.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. One need not have read any of its predecessors to get pleasure from it.
Ethan Grey is the eldest son of the Earl of Bellefonte, but he is not the heir, as his mother was not married to the earl. Nevertheless, he grew up in the Bellefonte home with his eight half-siblings, one of whom, Nicholas, is the heir and the hero in Burrowes’ previous novel in the Lonely Lords series. At age 14, Ethan was sent off to a harsh public school and then to Cambridge. He married a woman who was his mistress, but she died after giving birth to the two boys. Ethan threw himself into his business ventures, and his successes have made him quite wealthy. He and the boys live quietly at Tydings, his Sussex estate.
As the story opens, Jeremiah and Joshua are visiting at their Uncle Nick’s Kent estate, Belle Maison, along with various other children and their parents (don’t even try to figure out who they all are; this is Grace Burrowes, so you can never quite know who all the players are). The children are in the charge of governess Alice Portman, who looks like every other governess – shapeless grey dress, severe bun, and spectacles. As it turns out, Alice is looking for a change in position, and Ethan needs to replace the boys’ recently departed tutor, so Alice returns to Tydings with Ethan’s family.
Alice quickly realizes that although Ethan loves his sons he doesn’t actually show them love. He devotes himself to business and lets others tend to the boys. Alice insists, however, that Ethan take more interest in his children, and he begins to enjoy being a father. He also begins to enjoy being in Alice’s company.
Alice may be the one who looks wrapped up and closed off, but it’s really Ethan who has shut himself off from the world. He is somewhat estranged from his siblings, even though he and Nick were very close as children. Nick, who has succeeded to the earldom, has been trying to rekindle those feelings, but Ethan remains aloof.
There is a lot going on beneath the surface. In addition to suffering from being a bastard son, Ethan endured horrific bullying at school, a trauma that still haunts him. Alice also endured heartache and physical injury in her teenage years; she has dealt with her trauma by leaving the family home and working as a governess even though her family is well off. Years later, both Ethan and Alice still are grappling with tremendous feelings of unresolved guilt. (It is rather too neat that both of them were tormented by the same man.)
I won’t go into the details of the plot developments because there are some well-done surprises, including a story line that I have not seen in historic romance before. Of course, there is growing affection between Ethan and Alice, and between Ethan and his boys. Various neighbors and relatives pop in from time to time – some of them from previous books and some from books yet to come – and some play an important role in unfolding events. The villain makes his appearance and get his comeuppance.
The real beauty of this story, however, is in the exploration of the effects of traumatic experiences on these two people and the exposition of how they begin to heal. As I’ve always said, Grace Burrowes is a wonderful storyteller, and in Ethan she tells a story of abuse, escape, healing, reconciliation, and love – both romantic and familial.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. One need not have read any of its predecessors to get pleasure from it.
August 31, 2013
Grace Burrowes never ceases to amaze me. How on earth she manages to be both prolific AND so damn good boggles the mind. I haven’t yet read all of her books (I have to catch up with the earlier Windham stories) but everything else I’ve read of hers has been a 4 or 5 star read for me, and Ethan is no exception.
Reclusive Ethan Grey is almost the exact opposite of his garrulous, younger half-brother Nicholas Haddonfield, now Earl Bellefonte. Where Nicholas is lively and open-hearted, Ethan is guarded; where Nicholas loves, he shows it, while Ethan does not. Both blessed with above average height and build and the golden good-looks that mark them out in any crowd, in terms of their respective personalities, the brothers are like chalk and cheese.
Ethan is a widower with two young sons, Jeremiah and Joshua. At the beginning of the book, the boys are staying with their uncle Nick and his wife, various members of the family and other houseguests and their children who are all in the care of governess Alice Portman. Alice currently working as governess to Priscilla Belmont, but as the girl has reached the age when she needs more than Alice can teach her, Miss Portman is looking to change her situation.
While it’s clear that Ethan adores his children, it’s also obvious that he has difficulty communicating this fact to them. He was miserable in his marriage and so buried himself in his work and looking after his estate, content to let others care for his boys.
But when he discovers that Joshua was regularly beaten by their former tutor, he realises it’s time he took more of an active role in their upbringing. Having met Miss Portman and seen how good she is with his children, he offers her a position as governess. She is a shrewd woman – and accepts the position on a trial basis, having gained from Ethan an undertaking to spend more time with the boys so that he can re-connect with them.
I’ve said elsewhere that I’m not normally a fan of children in romance novels, but there are some stories which make me disregard my own prejudices, and this is one of them. Both Jeremiah and Joshua are beautifully characterised; boys who crave their father’s love and attention while trying not to show it because men don’t wear their hearts on their sleeves. Their interaction with Ethan is just lovely to read, as is the delight he finds in being a father to them, and Ms Burrowes skilfully creates a real and loving family unit with Alice as the catalyst to bring it all together.
A genuine friendship quickly develops between Ethan and Alice, and before long, a romance, which is also a delight. Both Ethan and Alice have suffered trauma in their lives (although we don’t find out exactly what happened to them until quite late on in the book), and have retreated into themselves as a way to be able to cope with it. Alice comes from a wealthy and loving family, yet because of an old family scandal and the huge weight of guilt she bears as a result, she has chosen to live apart from them and earn her own living. Ethan, too, shut himself off from his family, believing himself to be irretrievably damaged as the result of the abuse he suffered at the school he was sent to aged fourteen. This was initially alluded to in Nicholas: Lord of Secrets – even though he was illegitimate, Ethan was brought up with the Haddonfield children and was especially close to Nick until their father separated them because of a misunderstanding.
Emotionally scarred so young, Ethan is convinced he is worthless, and furthermore, the abuse he suffered almost completely killed his interest in sex. When he found a woman who actually stirred his interest, he made her his mistress and then married her when she became pregnant. Deliberately, as he discovered later. The marriage was awful and his wife was unfaithful, throwing her infidelities in his face and blaming them on Ethan because of his dwindling interest in her. Ethan knows that Joshua is probably not his son, but that in no way alters his attitude toward the boy, which makes it all the more poignant when, near the end of the book, we discover the truth.
I absolutely loved this story, but if I had to say which was my favourite element, then it would have to be the continuation of the development of the relationship between Ethan and Nicholas that was begun in the previous book. Nick is a force of nature, huge in stature and huge of heart who desperately wants to regain the closeness he had shared with his brother when they were children. I adored the way that Ethan gradually opened up to let Nick back in, and the way that Nick never gave up on him even when he was rebuffed.
As I’ve come to expect from Ms Burrowes, the romance was tender and sweet and beautiful – two lonely, emotionally scarred people come together and learn that yes, it is possible to leave the past behind and stop letting what happened in the past govern the way they were living their lives in the present. It’s untimately a story about healing, I think, with Ethan repairing his relationships with his brother and his children, as well as the way in which Ethan and Alice come together to help each other and along the way discover that there is someone out there who is worth healing for.
The one negative thing I have to say is that it is rather too much of a coincidence that both Ethan and Alice suffered at the hands of the same person, but that really is all I can find to criticise.
I’m also growing to love the world Grace Burrowes is creating with these books. In Ethan we meet a number of characters who will be appearing in future stories (notably Gareth, Marquess of Heathgate who is Ethan’s neighbour and the only person who knows exactly what happened to Ethan at school, because he was the one who put a stop to it), as well as those who have appeared in her other books, such as Ben Hazlitt from the Windham’s series, who turns out to be Alice’s brother.
Each of the Lonely Lords series is designed so it can be read as a standalone, but I think that there is much to be gained by reading both this and its predecessor (Nicholas: Lord of Secrets) in order, to get the full effect of the wonderful relationship Ms Burrowes has written between the half-brothers.
Highly recommended.
Reclusive Ethan Grey is almost the exact opposite of his garrulous, younger half-brother Nicholas Haddonfield, now Earl Bellefonte. Where Nicholas is lively and open-hearted, Ethan is guarded; where Nicholas loves, he shows it, while Ethan does not. Both blessed with above average height and build and the golden good-looks that mark them out in any crowd, in terms of their respective personalities, the brothers are like chalk and cheese.
Ethan is a widower with two young sons, Jeremiah and Joshua. At the beginning of the book, the boys are staying with their uncle Nick and his wife, various members of the family and other houseguests and their children who are all in the care of governess Alice Portman. Alice currently working as governess to Priscilla Belmont, but as the girl has reached the age when she needs more than Alice can teach her, Miss Portman is looking to change her situation.
While it’s clear that Ethan adores his children, it’s also obvious that he has difficulty communicating this fact to them. He was miserable in his marriage and so buried himself in his work and looking after his estate, content to let others care for his boys.
But when he discovers that Joshua was regularly beaten by their former tutor, he realises it’s time he took more of an active role in their upbringing. Having met Miss Portman and seen how good she is with his children, he offers her a position as governess. She is a shrewd woman – and accepts the position on a trial basis, having gained from Ethan an undertaking to spend more time with the boys so that he can re-connect with them.
I’ve said elsewhere that I’m not normally a fan of children in romance novels, but there are some stories which make me disregard my own prejudices, and this is one of them. Both Jeremiah and Joshua are beautifully characterised; boys who crave their father’s love and attention while trying not to show it because men don’t wear their hearts on their sleeves. Their interaction with Ethan is just lovely to read, as is the delight he finds in being a father to them, and Ms Burrowes skilfully creates a real and loving family unit with Alice as the catalyst to bring it all together.
A genuine friendship quickly develops between Ethan and Alice, and before long, a romance, which is also a delight. Both Ethan and Alice have suffered trauma in their lives (although we don’t find out exactly what happened to them until quite late on in the book), and have retreated into themselves as a way to be able to cope with it. Alice comes from a wealthy and loving family, yet because of an old family scandal and the huge weight of guilt she bears as a result, she has chosen to live apart from them and earn her own living. Ethan, too, shut himself off from his family, believing himself to be irretrievably damaged as the result of the abuse he suffered at the school he was sent to aged fourteen. This was initially alluded to in Nicholas: Lord of Secrets – even though he was illegitimate, Ethan was brought up with the Haddonfield children and was especially close to Nick until their father separated them because of a misunderstanding.
Emotionally scarred so young, Ethan is convinced he is worthless, and furthermore, the abuse he suffered almost completely killed his interest in sex. When he found a woman who actually stirred his interest, he made her his mistress and then married her when she became pregnant. Deliberately, as he discovered later. The marriage was awful and his wife was unfaithful, throwing her infidelities in his face and blaming them on Ethan because of his dwindling interest in her. Ethan knows that Joshua is probably not his son, but that in no way alters his attitude toward the boy, which makes it all the more poignant when, near the end of the book, we discover the truth.
I absolutely loved this story, but if I had to say which was my favourite element, then it would have to be the continuation of the development of the relationship between Ethan and Nicholas that was begun in the previous book. Nick is a force of nature, huge in stature and huge of heart who desperately wants to regain the closeness he had shared with his brother when they were children. I adored the way that Ethan gradually opened up to let Nick back in, and the way that Nick never gave up on him even when he was rebuffed.
As I’ve come to expect from Ms Burrowes, the romance was tender and sweet and beautiful – two lonely, emotionally scarred people come together and learn that yes, it is possible to leave the past behind and stop letting what happened in the past govern the way they were living their lives in the present. It’s untimately a story about healing, I think, with Ethan repairing his relationships with his brother and his children, as well as the way in which Ethan and Alice come together to help each other and along the way discover that there is someone out there who is worth healing for.
The one negative thing I have to say is that it is rather too much of a coincidence that both Ethan and Alice suffered at the hands of the same person, but that really is all I can find to criticise.
I’m also growing to love the world Grace Burrowes is creating with these books. In Ethan we meet a number of characters who will be appearing in future stories (notably Gareth, Marquess of Heathgate who is Ethan’s neighbour and the only person who knows exactly what happened to Ethan at school, because he was the one who put a stop to it), as well as those who have appeared in her other books, such as Ben Hazlitt from the Windham’s series, who turns out to be Alice’s brother.
Each of the Lonely Lords series is designed so it can be read as a standalone, but I think that there is much to be gained by reading both this and its predecessor (Nicholas: Lord of Secrets) in order, to get the full effect of the wonderful relationship Ms Burrowes has written between the half-brothers.
Highly recommended.
October 19, 2022
Great rainy day read with H isolated from his family and his sons. The little boys are great characters, as is their new governess. She's a wonderful person, who reveals her terrible history to the H. There's an evil OM who does his best to make them all suffer, yet again. Loved the little boys, the horses and the couple regaining their confidence. Loved it.
February 14, 2015
reread 2/2015
3.5 I'm not 'into' historical romances, but I have to say that Grace Burrowes writes a pretty good one. I have no idea if there's any historical accuracy in her books, and I'm pretty sure that quite a bit of the 'sexual/seduction' scenes would be considered atypical for the time period, but that's okay. I prefer a bit more contemporary-ness in books I read.
3.5 I'm not 'into' historical romances, but I have to say that Grace Burrowes writes a pretty good one. I have no idea if there's any historical accuracy in her books, and I'm pretty sure that quite a bit of the 'sexual/seduction' scenes would be considered atypical for the time period, but that's okay. I prefer a bit more contemporary-ness in books I read.
August 24, 2021
**Trigger Warnings Below**
Heroine: Alice Portman, about 26. Born as Alexandra Portmaine, but has concealed her identity due to a scandal. Sister of Benjamin Hazlit, Earl of Hazelton. She’s been working as a governess.
Hero: Ethan Grey, about 34. Older half-brother of Nicholas the Earl of Bellefonte. He is believed to be illegitimate. He is a businessman.
Date: 18??
How they meet: Ethan meets Alice when visiting his brother Nick. She is a governess just leaving her present situation and he hires her to look after his two boys.
What happens: Alice moves in with Ethan and his sons and not only serves as a governess, but pushes Ethan to be a better parent to his sons. Alice is the first woman Ethan has felt an attraction to in years. He asks to have a “liaison” with her (basically for her to become his mistress, but remain his governess, or not, as she chooses). Events from their pasts that have haunted them re-emerge and bring about a crossroads in their relationship.
Trigger Warnings:
Verdict: This is a very child-centric book with an ending that gets dark, uncomfortable, and (unnecessarily) complex at the end. Unfortunately that all overshadows a very sweet love story between two people who slowly build trust in one another. Normally I just skim over the kiddie parts, but they take up a lot of the book, and since I liked the first two books and want to continue with the series I slogged through it.
Be warned, the book is a downer overall, so if you want to skip to book 4, here are what I think may be the salient points from this book:
Related books: Overlaps in characters and timeline with Nicholas: Lord of Secrets and Beckman: Lord of Sins.
Steam-level: Fairly low, but some intimate moments are portrayed. Somewhat explicit.
Rating: 2 stars -- just too dark and emotionally wrenching, as well as too child-centric for me
Heroine: Alice Portman, about 26. Born as Alexandra Portmaine, but has concealed her identity due to a scandal. Sister of Benjamin Hazlit, Earl of Hazelton. She’s been working as a governess.
Hero: Ethan Grey, about 34. Older half-brother of Nicholas the Earl of Bellefonte. He is believed to be illegitimate. He is a businessman.
Date: 18??
How they meet: Ethan meets Alice when visiting his brother Nick. She is a governess just leaving her present situation and he hires her to look after his two boys.
What happens: Alice moves in with Ethan and his sons and not only serves as a governess, but pushes Ethan to be a better parent to his sons. Alice is the first woman Ethan has felt an attraction to in years. He asks to have a “liaison” with her (basically for her to become his mistress, but remain his governess, or not, as she chooses). Events from their pasts that have haunted them re-emerge and bring about a crossroads in their relationship.
Trigger Warnings:
Verdict: This is a very child-centric book with an ending that gets dark, uncomfortable, and (unnecessarily) complex at the end. Unfortunately that all overshadows a very sweet love story between two people who slowly build trust in one another. Normally I just skim over the kiddie parts, but they take up a lot of the book, and since I liked the first two books and want to continue with the series I slogged through it.
Be warned, the book is a downer overall, so if you want to skip to book 4, here are what I think may be the salient points from this book:
Related books: Overlaps in characters and timeline with Nicholas: Lord of Secrets and Beckman: Lord of Sins.
Steam-level: Fairly low, but some intimate moments are portrayed. Somewhat explicit.
Rating: 2 stars -- just too dark and emotionally wrenching, as well as too child-centric for me
February 26, 2016
This one was much better than the second book in the series. I liked both Ethan and Alice but the whole feel of the story didn't really translate as historical romance. It felt a bit more contemporary romance playing dress up on horseback. Maybe the language, maybe the ease the characters had with each other, status, sex...
It's not bad, for sure, and it's got a lot of high ratings. I've just read other HR that I loved way more than this one.
It's not bad, for sure, and it's got a lot of high ratings. I've just read other HR that I loved way more than this one.
February 21, 2022
Totally Wonderful!
October 26, 2015
Disappointingly average
Having read four of the books in this series the author's formula, her 'go-to' plot and descriptive elements, are revealing themselves. For example, how each of the main character smells is described very early on. The Hero wonders at his attraction to a woman who hides the depth of her beauty in some form of drab dress. The heroine is dazzled by the Hero who is unutterably handsome and is to varying degrees, charming but also, with the exception of Nicholas (book2), reserved and to some greater or lesser extent, emotionally depressed.
With regard to the plot, both the H/h have incredible sexual attraction to one another which usually begins to be satisfied about 25-30% of the way into the story. Before that, however, there are allusions to BIG SECRETS in the past lives of both characters that stunts their happiness and maintains their resolve to NEVER MARRY. How the BIG SECRETS are revealed and resolved while the H/h get to know each other biblically is the primary plot element that drives the story. Of course, the H/h overcome the obstacles and marry. The author doesn't actually use the 'and they lived happily ever after' trope, but it's there nonetheless.
To her credit, Grace Burrowes' protagonists, one or both of them, usually have some element of their character that is distinctive. Ethan is no different and this difference is unusual for male characters in romance novels. Unfortunately, it isn't different enough to raise the level of this book above the dozens of other period romances you've probably read. It's just a typical romance novel that contains too many coincidences to be believable.
Bottom line: both characters are likable, but not terribly interesting. The writing is okay, but not moving or exciting and the action is slow even through the big kidnap scene. My best advice? Read Book 9: David. That's where I started before I circled back to read the series in order. Since 'David,' it's been a long, disappointing slide to 'just average.'
Having read four of the books in this series the author's formula, her 'go-to' plot and descriptive elements, are revealing themselves. For example, how each of the main character smells is described very early on. The Hero wonders at his attraction to a woman who hides the depth of her beauty in some form of drab dress. The heroine is dazzled by the Hero who is unutterably handsome and is to varying degrees, charming but also, with the exception of Nicholas (book2), reserved and to some greater or lesser extent, emotionally depressed.
With regard to the plot, both the H/h have incredible sexual attraction to one another which usually begins to be satisfied about 25-30% of the way into the story. Before that, however, there are allusions to BIG SECRETS in the past lives of both characters that stunts their happiness and maintains their resolve to NEVER MARRY. How the BIG SECRETS are revealed and resolved while the H/h get to know each other biblically is the primary plot element that drives the story. Of course, the H/h overcome the obstacles and marry. The author doesn't actually use the 'and they lived happily ever after' trope, but it's there nonetheless.
To her credit, Grace Burrowes' protagonists, one or both of them, usually have some element of their character that is distinctive. Ethan is no different and this difference is unusual for male characters in romance novels. Unfortunately, it isn't different enough to raise the level of this book above the dozens of other period romances you've probably read. It's just a typical romance novel that contains too many coincidences to be believable.
Bottom line: both characters are likable, but not terribly interesting. The writing is okay, but not moving or exciting and the action is slow even through the big kidnap scene. My best advice? Read Book 9: David. That's where I started before I circled back to read the series in order. Since 'David,' it's been a long, disappointing slide to 'just average.'
February 4, 2017
Alors... Comment dire... Cest une lecture assez dérangeante pour un A&P, pas du tout ce que je recherche ! Je pense que les coeurs sensibles peuvent s'abstenir sans problème...
Je n'ai pas lu les 2 premiers tomes car les avis n'étais pas très bon. Le résumé de celui-ci m'intéressait donc je me suis lancée. Mais j'aurai pu m'abstenir je pense.
Après, 3 étoiles quand même car le héros reste un personnage intéressant.
Je n'ai pas lu les 2 premiers tomes car les avis n'étais pas très bon. Le résumé de celui-ci m'intéressait donc je me suis lancée. Mais j'aurai pu m'abstenir je pense.
Après, 3 étoiles quand même car le héros reste un personnage intéressant.
June 27, 2013
This pulled me in from the very first page. All of Ms. Burrowes LONELY LORDS books have characters that pop up in each book. It's always a JOY to see them. While this is Ethan's book, Nicholas is everywhere in it. I keep having a hard time deciding which Lonely Lord I like the best. Darius, Nicholas...or Ethan. Each book stands alone, but reading them as a series is a joy.
Ethan is wounded in spirit. We get little peeks into what caused his trauma. And it's scary.
Alice has physical and mental issues as well. Her hip was badly damaged at one point and as we get teased with how that came to be, I began to have a sneaking suspicion of who lay at the base of both of their hurts.
There's a BAD GUY. Yes, I'm putting that in all caps. The BAD GUY was very adroitly inserted into the narrative and my anxiety over him just kept growing. He was truly evil and his intentions made me shudder.
The journey of our H/h was a lovely one. I love that "governess and the lord finding each other" trope. There's just something about that one that appeals to me. Both Ethan and Alice need someone to love them, to hold them, to care. My heart clenched a few times over their path. I also laughed, out loud, a couple of times! I love when that happens in a book.
Add in two adorable little boys, Jeremiah and Joshua, and quick visits by Nicholas, and that makes this a very fine read. One of the best parts is that there are other siblings in the family, and I hope I get to read about each and every one of them.
FIVE BOOKMARKS!
This one made my heart clench...
*Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks, for the opportunity to read ETHAN.
This review can be seen at my blog:
www.firstpagetothelast.com
Ethan is wounded in spirit. We get little peeks into what caused his trauma. And it's scary.
Alice has physical and mental issues as well. Her hip was badly damaged at one point and as we get teased with how that came to be, I began to have a sneaking suspicion of who lay at the base of both of their hurts.
There's a BAD GUY. Yes, I'm putting that in all caps. The BAD GUY was very adroitly inserted into the narrative and my anxiety over him just kept growing. He was truly evil and his intentions made me shudder.
The journey of our H/h was a lovely one. I love that "governess and the lord finding each other" trope. There's just something about that one that appeals to me. Both Ethan and Alice need someone to love them, to hold them, to care. My heart clenched a few times over their path. I also laughed, out loud, a couple of times! I love when that happens in a book.
Add in two adorable little boys, Jeremiah and Joshua, and quick visits by Nicholas, and that makes this a very fine read. One of the best parts is that there are other siblings in the family, and I hope I get to read about each and every one of them.
FIVE BOOKMARKS!
This one made my heart clench...
*Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks, for the opportunity to read ETHAN.
This review can be seen at my blog:
www.firstpagetothelast.com
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November 18, 2015I'll start by saying I really enjoyed the book. I'll also start by saying that I had to suspend my incredulity for some of the plot points. I guess I can't tell you those without revealing to many details. Anyway -- there are way too many coincidences in who was wronged by whom and who fathered whom, etc.
I really liked Ethan who is a sweet gentle soul who has been wronged by so many in his life -- those who should have loved him and cared for him.
I liked Alice too, but -- well -- her 'secret' didn't seem all that mind bending to me -- certainly not enough to have her becoming a governess and changing her name, etc.
So, Ethan is the brother of Nick Haddonfield (from Book 2 in the series). Actually, he is a half brother and by-blow of his father. Ethan and Nick were raised together until the age of 14 when the old Earl made some incorrect assumptions about the relationship between Nick and Ethan. The earl sent Ethan away and didn't let them attend any of the same schools, etc. again.
At that very first school, at the age of 14 -- a life altering event happened to Ethan. He never recovered from it and it tainted his entire life to this point.
Ethan meets Alice (who is a governess) at his brother Nick's house. Alice is just leaving her post because her charge has outgrown her. Ethan hires her to act as governess for his boys.
They each grow to care about the other and to sweetly heal each other. They conquer the bad buys and deal with two rambunctious boys at the same time. Nick and Ethan's relationship grows and starts to get back to what it once was.
A good read.
I really liked Ethan who is a sweet gentle soul who has been wronged by so many in his life -- those who should have loved him and cared for him.
I liked Alice too, but -- well -- her 'secret' didn't seem all that mind bending to me -- certainly not enough to have her becoming a governess and changing her name, etc.
So, Ethan is the brother of Nick Haddonfield (from Book 2 in the series). Actually, he is a half brother and by-blow of his father. Ethan and Nick were raised together until the age of 14 when the old Earl made some incorrect assumptions about the relationship between Nick and Ethan. The earl sent Ethan away and didn't let them attend any of the same schools, etc. again.
At that very first school, at the age of 14 -- a life altering event happened to Ethan. He never recovered from it and it tainted his entire life to this point.
Ethan meets Alice (who is a governess) at his brother Nick's house. Alice is just leaving her post because her charge has outgrown her. Ethan hires her to act as governess for his boys.
They each grow to care about the other and to sweetly heal each other. They conquer the bad buys and deal with two rambunctious boys at the same time. Nick and Ethan's relationship grows and starts to get back to what it once was.
A good read.
July 17, 2014
I've read three books by Grace Burrowes now and I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of her work. The premise and the characters are interesting but when it gets to the final third of the book, it tends to go downhill for me. In my opinion there's still far too much angst and twists that even though its a happy ending for all, it leaves me more bitter than sweet and just plain tired of peoples' misfortunes. So this 3 star rating is kind of a love/hate relationship here. There were instances in the novel that I truly loved - it was poignant and beautiful, but then there were scenes and revelations that I felt were unnecessary and wasn't needed to contribute to the overall storyline. In a way, I applaud Grace Burrowes for establishing such complex characters and relationships yet at the same time there's a part of me that thinks its getting a little too dramatic for my liking. Overall, I think this is the end of Lonely Lords for me, I somewhat enjoy reading the books but they tend to leave me relatively frustrated at the end regardless of the HEA.
April 6, 2022
A bastard son of an Earl, exiled as a teen from his father's family, and wounded by a bad marriage, hires a new governess for his two young sons, and finds himself gradually falling in lust, then in love, with the woman. Ditto the latter for the governess, who is conveniently the daughter of a nobleman herself, but because of past scandal has taken up governessing. Ethan, too, has major scandal and trauma in his past, so the two make a good couple. Yet in character they act like pretty much any other Burrowes' hero and heroine. So if you don't mind the repetitiveness of character from book to book, you should be fine. But if you're looking for something different, you won't find it here.
April 22, 2020
4.5 Stars
This is the third book in the Loneley Lords series by Grace Burrowes.
I am not sure what prompted me to buy this book. I am not really a Regency romance reader. But this story really stuck with me. Ethan is this aloof guy who had an awful wife and two great kids. Now that she’s dead, he has to take more of an interest in his children. But he isn’t really prompted to do anything until a lovely governess opens his eyes to what he was missing in his life.
I love how it all unfolded. This is the first book I have read in this series. It is easy to read as a standalone. This felt more like a normal romance but with some Regency flair. Their wording or meaning wasn’t hard to understand which is what I thought might trip me up in a book like this. It felt really natural.
It was a proper book and yes, there is sex in it but it isn’t overdone or too much. Just a taste and that taste is wonderful. I am sure I will try and read other books in this series too. Loved the setting.
If you are looking for a good Regency romance book, definitely check this one out.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
This is the third book in the Loneley Lords series by Grace Burrowes.
I am not sure what prompted me to buy this book. I am not really a Regency romance reader. But this story really stuck with me. Ethan is this aloof guy who had an awful wife and two great kids. Now that she’s dead, he has to take more of an interest in his children. But he isn’t really prompted to do anything until a lovely governess opens his eyes to what he was missing in his life.
I love how it all unfolded. This is the first book I have read in this series. It is easy to read as a standalone. This felt more like a normal romance but with some Regency flair. Their wording or meaning wasn’t hard to understand which is what I thought might trip me up in a book like this. It felt really natural.
It was a proper book and yes, there is sex in it but it isn’t overdone or too much. Just a taste and that taste is wonderful. I am sure I will try and read other books in this series too. Loved the setting.
If you are looking for a good Regency romance book, definitely check this one out.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
May 14, 2025
Ethan and Alice are both damaged people who’ve seen the ugly side of the aristocracy and come out worse for the experience. The story of their budding romance and the courage they show in admitting their weaknesses goes above and beyond the usual regency fare. This is an awesome series so far and I still have more to read.
July 31, 2017
I am making a conscious effort to read more romances. This one was excellent! That romance was sweet, and there was enough tension going on externally that it was believable. I really liked it! Can't wait to read more by this author
August 21, 2025
I've reluctantly accepted the fact that mainstream romance usually includes explicit sex nowadays, but the amount of it in this book annoyed me. I still enjoyed the underlying story and main characters, and particularly liked the two child secondary characters.
December 15, 2021
I dropped off on reading this for a good almost-three months because I felt like it was super slow going, but when I picked it back up again, I breezed right through. Sometimes you're just not in the mood for a book until you are.
I really liked this gentle book, where the affection and love between the characters really feel earned and methodical. This is also a book where I felt that there was a good balance of high-drama and low-stakes, and the crazier bits didn't feel too overdramatic or unnecessary. That's a pretty impressive balance to strike.
Also, I've never read Grace Burrowes before and I assumed that this would be pretty low heat, but it's not — it's certainly not graphic, but everything is super sensual and lovely.
I really liked this gentle book, where the affection and love between the characters really feel earned and methodical. This is also a book where I felt that there was a good balance of high-drama and low-stakes, and the crazier bits didn't feel too overdramatic or unnecessary. That's a pretty impressive balance to strike.
Also, I've never read Grace Burrowes before and I assumed that this would be pretty low heat, but it's not — it's certainly not graphic, but everything is super sensual and lovely.
June 2, 2013
Originally reviewed for The Book Vixen
In a Nutshell: Lovely, gentle book about the healing power of love and the emotional bonds that can form between people who are haunted by abuse.
The Set Up: Ethan was fourteen when he was ripped from his siblings and tossed into a hellish school. Now Ethan is a lone widower unable to connect to people around him until he meets Alice, the governess he hires for his two sons. But Ethan and Alice are both haunted by their pasts and must overcome them for a chance at life together.
Why I Read this Book: I’m a Grace Burrowes fan and have enjoyed many of her nuanced historical romances.
What I Liked: I love both Alice and Ethan. They’re not flashy people but they have cores of strength which I loved. Alice has built a life for herself and battles her anxiety like a warrior. Ethan’s past has scared him to the point where he desires connections with others but can’t seem to reach out to them. This character based romance works so well because of these two deeply injured characters and how much I cared about them. Burrowes successfully shows the inner strength of both Alice and Ethan even in the face of their pasts and she does this without maudlin sentimentality. I love damaged leads in my romance and both Alice and Ethan fit this model but do so with emotional balance that didn’t just play on my sympathies.
The sexual and emotional intimacies are brilliantly interwoven in Alice and Ethan’s romance. Given their histories, neither jumps into bed or throws open their hearts but their steps toward intimacy is captivating because of this. I love the many conversations between Alice and Ethan as they build their trust in each other.
What I Also Liked: I love both Ethan and Alice’s families. Ethan’s are the series focus, I think, so they play large roles, especially Ethan’s beloved brother. Alice’s brother is a great addition as well and her other siblings though never in a scene still come through as characters. Ethan’s charming children are super adorable plot moppets, especially at the end when Alice and Ethan need them to bring them back together again.
The plot of Ethan and Alice’s tormentor feeds into the character-based feel of the novel but also provides the sinister element to the plot. He’s perfectly creepy and the villain historical romances need.
What I Didn’t Like: I pick up Grace Burrowes’ books based upon the romances so I’ve missed a few that didn’t appeal to me and I think these couples whose stories I’m missing play big roles in Ethan. I felt a little lost by all of Ethan’s neighbors who I think were featured in previous books. They were very nice couples but the volume made me struggle to keep them all straight. I suppose readers who knew all the couples would love to catch up with them here but I was a tad overwhelmed by all the happy couples.
Second, Ethan’s brother plays a huge role in this novel. I should probably go back to read his story because he frankly came across as an asshole who slept with any woman and never thought about the consequences. He grovels here I suppose but his past atrocious behavior and his current flirting didn’t endear his character to me.
Finally, horrible cover in my opinion!
IMO: This is a lovely story about healing for both the hero and heroine that I highly recommend for historical readers.
*review copy from publisher via NetGalley*
In a Nutshell: Lovely, gentle book about the healing power of love and the emotional bonds that can form between people who are haunted by abuse.
The Set Up: Ethan was fourteen when he was ripped from his siblings and tossed into a hellish school. Now Ethan is a lone widower unable to connect to people around him until he meets Alice, the governess he hires for his two sons. But Ethan and Alice are both haunted by their pasts and must overcome them for a chance at life together.
Why I Read this Book: I’m a Grace Burrowes fan and have enjoyed many of her nuanced historical romances.
What I Liked: I love both Alice and Ethan. They’re not flashy people but they have cores of strength which I loved. Alice has built a life for herself and battles her anxiety like a warrior. Ethan’s past has scared him to the point where he desires connections with others but can’t seem to reach out to them. This character based romance works so well because of these two deeply injured characters and how much I cared about them. Burrowes successfully shows the inner strength of both Alice and Ethan even in the face of their pasts and she does this without maudlin sentimentality. I love damaged leads in my romance and both Alice and Ethan fit this model but do so with emotional balance that didn’t just play on my sympathies.
The sexual and emotional intimacies are brilliantly interwoven in Alice and Ethan’s romance. Given their histories, neither jumps into bed or throws open their hearts but their steps toward intimacy is captivating because of this. I love the many conversations between Alice and Ethan as they build their trust in each other.
What I Also Liked: I love both Ethan and Alice’s families. Ethan’s are the series focus, I think, so they play large roles, especially Ethan’s beloved brother. Alice’s brother is a great addition as well and her other siblings though never in a scene still come through as characters. Ethan’s charming children are super adorable plot moppets, especially at the end when Alice and Ethan need them to bring them back together again.
The plot of Ethan and Alice’s tormentor feeds into the character-based feel of the novel but also provides the sinister element to the plot. He’s perfectly creepy and the villain historical romances need.
What I Didn’t Like: I pick up Grace Burrowes’ books based upon the romances so I’ve missed a few that didn’t appeal to me and I think these couples whose stories I’m missing play big roles in Ethan. I felt a little lost by all of Ethan’s neighbors who I think were featured in previous books. They were very nice couples but the volume made me struggle to keep them all straight. I suppose readers who knew all the couples would love to catch up with them here but I was a tad overwhelmed by all the happy couples.
Second, Ethan’s brother plays a huge role in this novel. I should probably go back to read his story because he frankly came across as an asshole who slept with any woman and never thought about the consequences. He grovels here I suppose but his past atrocious behavior and his current flirting didn’t endear his character to me.
Finally, horrible cover in my opinion!
IMO: This is a lovely story about healing for both the hero and heroine that I highly recommend for historical readers.
*review copy from publisher via NetGalley*
June 12, 2020
Overall: 3.75 stars. A sweet romance between two people with traumatic pasts: they have great dialogue, and there’s some beautiful love confessions. My first novel by Grace Burrowes, but it won’t be my last!
Pros: I loved the two main characters, Ethan and Alice. Their relationship was so slow, steady, mature, and full of respect for each other’s needs. Each has their own trauma, and they’re respectful of that, and no one is rushing anyone into a situation they wouldn’t feel comfortable in. So much good consent talk in their sex scenes! Also: some lovely dialogue between them, especially their confessions of love.
I also feel the heroine’s physical disability (hip injury from a childhood horse-riding accident) and her PTSD/anxiety about riding horses again was very relatable and handled well (as was the hero’s PTSD from a childhood sexual assault).
Cons: I would have preferred a wee bit more historical accuracy: this book was a hybrid with some attention to historical detail and some more modern affectations: some parts of speech, and, what I think was the most notable, the fact that pretty much nobody was at all concerned about a lord sleeping with his governess. That would have been all kinds of taboo, but this book is like *shrug*. The reason this in particular stood out is that there’s no real source of conflict in the novel: a villain is dispatched, but he wasn’t impacting their lives in the present, and they don’t really have any qualms about being together due to propriety. Thus, it felt a little silly that the book carried on as those there were some mitigating circumstance to keep them apart when, in the book’s own logic, there wasn’t.
Pros: I loved the two main characters, Ethan and Alice. Their relationship was so slow, steady, mature, and full of respect for each other’s needs. Each has their own trauma, and they’re respectful of that, and no one is rushing anyone into a situation they wouldn’t feel comfortable in. So much good consent talk in their sex scenes! Also: some lovely dialogue between them, especially their confessions of love.
I also feel the heroine’s physical disability (hip injury from a childhood horse-riding accident) and her PTSD/anxiety about riding horses again was very relatable and handled well (as was the hero’s PTSD from a childhood sexual assault).
Cons: I would have preferred a wee bit more historical accuracy: this book was a hybrid with some attention to historical detail and some more modern affectations: some parts of speech, and, what I think was the most notable, the fact that pretty much nobody was at all concerned about a lord sleeping with his governess. That would have been all kinds of taboo, but this book is like *shrug*. The reason this in particular stood out is that there’s no real source of conflict in the novel: a villain is dispatched, but he wasn’t impacting their lives in the present, and they don’t really have any qualms about being together due to propriety. Thus, it felt a little silly that the book carried on as those there were some mitigating circumstance to keep them apart when, in the book’s own logic, there wasn’t.
June 18, 2013
ETHAN: LORD OF SCANDALS by Grace Burrowes is another exciting
Regency Historical Romance set in England. Book #3 of the "Lonely Lords",but can be read as a stand alone. See,"Darius",and "Nicholas". Can a two wounded souls finally find peace and happiness? Follow Ethan Grey,estranged from his beloved siblings for years and Alice Portman,a governess and so much more, on a journey of healing,forgiveness,secrets,and love. While, Ethan has been widowed for a few years,with two adorable sons to raise,he is lonely,secluded,wounded deep in his soul,until,he meets the straight laced, no nonsense governess,Alice,who has deep wounds herself and a secret. An epic tale of two wounded souls finding love,peace,and happiness after so many years of solitary. Danger lurks in the shadows for both Ethan,Alice and Ethan's young sons.Ethan and Alice both find healing and forgiveness in each others arms. Passion sparks off the page as well as the struggles of two adults, whose lives where changed forever in their youth by the same careless,reckless,evil teenager who grew into an even worst adult. A must read for historical romance readers,who enjoy a plot with a few twist and turns as you cheer Ethan and Alice toward their HEA. Love this author,her stories are not only intriguing,fast paced,filled with passion but also have the human side that only a talented author could provide. Well Done! Received for an honest review from the publisher.
RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
Regency Historical Romance set in England. Book #3 of the "Lonely Lords",but can be read as a stand alone. See,"Darius",and "Nicholas". Can a two wounded souls finally find peace and happiness? Follow Ethan Grey,estranged from his beloved siblings for years and Alice Portman,a governess and so much more, on a journey of healing,forgiveness,secrets,and love. While, Ethan has been widowed for a few years,with two adorable sons to raise,he is lonely,secluded,wounded deep in his soul,until,he meets the straight laced, no nonsense governess,Alice,who has deep wounds herself and a secret. An epic tale of two wounded souls finding love,peace,and happiness after so many years of solitary. Danger lurks in the shadows for both Ethan,Alice and Ethan's young sons.Ethan and Alice both find healing and forgiveness in each others arms. Passion sparks off the page as well as the struggles of two adults, whose lives where changed forever in their youth by the same careless,reckless,evil teenager who grew into an even worst adult. A must read for historical romance readers,who enjoy a plot with a few twist and turns as you cheer Ethan and Alice toward their HEA. Love this author,her stories are not only intriguing,fast paced,filled with passion but also have the human side that only a talented author could provide. Well Done! Received for an honest review from the publisher.
RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING: MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
September 10, 2013
This was a wonderful book! One of my favorite themes is when both main characters are emotionally or physically scarred and end up helping each other to "heal". It has often been a theme in books by my favorite author, Mary Balogh, and she is the mark by which I measure all other authors. This book definitely hits that mark! I didn't want the book to end.
When Alice and Ethan meet, there is an immediate connection. It wasn't an immediate "sexual" connection with fireworks and lightning. Instead it is something more subtle and allows the reader to witness a gradual growth of that connection. It is a beautiful relationship to watch "grow".
This is a book in the "Lost Lords" series, and while some of the characters from past books are featured in this one, it was fine as a "stand alone" read. It definitely has made me want to read the rest of the books in the series.
The other characters, including the other "Lost Lords" as well as Ethan's two young sons are all wonderfully written characters. I found myself smiling as I read certain scenes.. always a good thing when reading a book. The style of "banter" between characters reminds me of the style of Julia Quinn banter.. realistic, snarky and caring.
All in all, this was a beautiful, tender, sometimes heartbreaking love story.
Epilogue Whore Alert: There was no epilogue (booo!) .. but since Ms. Burrowes includes the characters from other books in this one, I'm assuming that we will get a glimpse of Alice and Ethan in future books in this series.
When Alice and Ethan meet, there is an immediate connection. It wasn't an immediate "sexual" connection with fireworks and lightning. Instead it is something more subtle and allows the reader to witness a gradual growth of that connection. It is a beautiful relationship to watch "grow".
This is a book in the "Lost Lords" series, and while some of the characters from past books are featured in this one, it was fine as a "stand alone" read. It definitely has made me want to read the rest of the books in the series.
The other characters, including the other "Lost Lords" as well as Ethan's two young sons are all wonderfully written characters. I found myself smiling as I read certain scenes.. always a good thing when reading a book. The style of "banter" between characters reminds me of the style of Julia Quinn banter.. realistic, snarky and caring.
All in all, this was a beautiful, tender, sometimes heartbreaking love story.
Epilogue Whore Alert: There was no epilogue (booo!) .. but since Ms. Burrowes includes the characters from other books in this one, I'm assuming that we will get a glimpse of Alice and Ethan in future books in this series.
March 18, 2015
Grace Burrowes' "Ethan, Lord of Scandals" - #3 in the Lonely Lords series Grace Burrowes just keeps getting better and better. So much to love about this book: Ethan, the hero who has spent more than half of his life getting over a traumatic assault when he was 14, Alice the heroine, who is suffering for herself and her sister, all the wonderful parts about horses and riding, which evidently Grace Burrowes knows a GREAT deal about, the gradually unfolding love between Ethan and Alice, Ethan's two sons Joshua and Jeremiah, who are great characters, and much much more!
I agree with some other reviewers that it's a little difficult to keep all the tertiary characters straight. Never was sure who exactly "Lady Warne" was, although I think she might have appeared in the previous book in this series, the one about Ethan's half-brother Nicholas. She played a fairly big role in Ethan's life prior to the time of this story, so I would have appreciated a proper explanation of who she is, rather than just some random person whose name was dropped into the story every once in a while.
After a second reading I have to lower the rating of this book - it didn't delight me nearly as much the second time around.
I agree with some other reviewers that it's a little difficult to keep all the tertiary characters straight. Never was sure who exactly "Lady Warne" was, although I think she might have appeared in the previous book in this series, the one about Ethan's half-brother Nicholas. She played a fairly big role in Ethan's life prior to the time of this story, so I would have appreciated a proper explanation of who she is, rather than just some random person whose name was dropped into the story every once in a while.
After a second reading I have to lower the rating of this book - it didn't delight me nearly as much the second time around.
July 18, 2013
DNF. Read two chapters.
I may need to change genres. All these romance stories/characters seem to be blending together.
The governess and the bastard wtih typical instant attraction. Heroine has a prickly nature and the hero enjoys pricking her, er, a, temper.
(Why the heck is that? Do men really enjoy making women angry?)
He's a widower who married to save his child from the lable of bastard. The marriage wasn't a good one. He has two sons.
Governess has a bad hip, doesn't enjoy physical exercise (or animals). Doesn't want to take care of two active boys (worried she won't be able to keep up with them) but agrees to do so.
So that's the level of conflict after two chapters. I moved on...
I may need to change genres. All these romance stories/characters seem to be blending together.
The governess and the bastard wtih typical instant attraction. Heroine has a prickly nature and the hero enjoys pricking her, er, a, temper.
(Why the heck is that? Do men really enjoy making women angry?)
He's a widower who married to save his child from the lable of bastard. The marriage wasn't a good one. He has two sons.
Governess has a bad hip, doesn't enjoy physical exercise (or animals). Doesn't want to take care of two active boys (worried she won't be able to keep up with them) but agrees to do so.
So that's the level of conflict after two chapters. I moved on...
August 1, 2015
I am making it my mission to read books from each author I met at a recent book signing. Ms Burrowes was especially kind, so I was looking forward to reading hers first.
The story was charming: the characters were well-written (but I'd wished I'd started at beginning of the series to make more sense of the backstory.) I intensely appreciated how the author didn't treat the reader at stupid: the vocabulary was advanced and the sentences well-written.
I don't like my romances too "spicy" and I enjoyed that aspect of this book, too.
My only complaint would be how the ending was wrapped up too tidily within just the last few pages, and how not much happened until Act 3. However, I would definitely recommend this book to others.
The story was charming: the characters were well-written (but I'd wished I'd started at beginning of the series to make more sense of the backstory.) I intensely appreciated how the author didn't treat the reader at stupid: the vocabulary was advanced and the sentences well-written.
I don't like my romances too "spicy" and I enjoyed that aspect of this book, too.
My only complaint would be how the ending was wrapped up too tidily within just the last few pages, and how not much happened until Act 3. However, I would definitely recommend this book to others.
April 2, 2015
And, again, Burrowes rocks. For the first 60% or so, this was shaping up to be my absolute favourite Burrowes and that really is saying something. I loved the initial interactions between Alice and Ethan. Burrowes is an absolute star with interesting conversation and writing children. This book has the best first kiss I've read. I rarely rave about a kiss, but it was brilliant. All that brilliance is, in some ways, the problem with book, because the back half and the sex didn't quite live up to the promise. It was still great, but loses a star because it didn't quite stick the landing. That said, you should still read it because it is, nonetheless, absolutely stellar.
June 23, 2014
One of the most boring books I have ever read. Both were raped by the same man, that different. I won't read the rest of the series after that mess
August 26, 2023
Lots of problems for me.
I am reading the series in order, but I'm now thinking that won't help in keeping characters and story lines straight. I know Gareth Alexander has his own book, #6, but here he is already happily married. So these books interweave, which will be annoying.
There are two kids in the book which aren't well-defined characters, but take up a big chunk of the story. They didn't bother me as kids in romance often do because they had a purpose other than to be adorable props, so that was better than expected, but still, not as good as it could have been.
I tagged "disability", but Alice's physical problems are not well handled, in several ways. For one -- and this runs through the whole book -- her treatment by others feels anachronistic. She is a governess, but she is always accommodated. As if. Also, while her panic attacks are handled well by Ethan who apparently has personal experience with them, when it comes to her bad hip, he is autocratic and heavy-handed, and it's only through authorial fiat that the "treatment" actually helps. The autocratic behaviour also comes to the fore when he offers her wine for dinner, she says wine doesn't agree with her, and so he hands her...wine. Later he wonders why she didn't just ask a servant for water -- why didn't he do that?
A lot of things feel anachronistic. Like, apparently George, one of Nick's brothers, is gay. Nobody but Alice raises an eyebrow, and even hers just go up for a second. Especially Ethan ought to have more of an issue with that (because of his deep, dark secret). But nah, they're just gonna make George their agent in mainland Europe, because people are taking notice of his affections; no biggie. No discussion, no nothing. And this is the same book in which the villain rapes anyone at all, indiscriminately, but with particular attention for young boys. So we get a pedophile rapist and a gay non-entity. I'm sorry, that's not good enough. I don't ask (well, I don't ask very loudly) that mainstream romance feature full-blown gay couples, but an occasional good relationship even during a time when it was illegal and deadly would not go amiss -- they did exist in reality. Or at least have a decent discussion where somebody speaks up for the gay guy when the "unnatural deviant" argument gets trotted out. Which also happened at the time. And I think that's especially necessary when you have a one-dimensional villain who is a pedophile; the quintessential bogeyman anti-gay conservatives still trot out to this day.
The way Alice takes to sex, especially considering her background, seems very modern. I mean, it's nice for a heroine not to shy away from a penis, but she's very enthusiastic.
Ethan charts a menstrual calendar. He was almost a hundred years ahead of his time; nobody actually understood the menstrual cycle in the Regency. Since many mammals have a bloody discharge during estrus, it was assumed that menstruation was the most fertile time for women, which is alas very wrong. It took until the early 20th century before people actually figured it out. He did mention sheaths, which did exist, but he didn't bother using them.
Beyond anachronisms, some things just don't make sense. Ethan has lived like a recluse and didn't socialize for years, but at some point his neighbours suddenly take a very active interest in him, too active and helpful an interest, really. They're apparently also all acquainted with Nick -- and yet, Nick never even heard a whisper that Ethan was married and had two kids? That's totally unbelievable; people gossiped like mad, and Ethan's situation was particularly juicy.
Also, what's with the names? Alice is really Alex/Alexandra (she lives under an assumed name because of the deep, dark secret). She tells Ethan that at some point. Now it would make sense that he'd call her Alice in front of others, and Alex or Alexandra when they're all lovely-dovey but he's all over the place with it instead.
And then we have stuff that I wish weren't in the book at all:
The situation between Ethan, his ex-mistress/wife, and Nick is OTT. The book didn't need that extra complication. The entire ending feels OTT as well, super dramatic, real time villainry -- meh.. And lastly, to me it didn't feel real that Alice would react like she did to Ethan finding out her deep, dark secret. She felt like she had agency, and it made no sense that she would have just thrown in the towel. I mean, by all means, have doubts and worry about it, but don't just give up.
That all said, I can see the bones of the story underneath the problems, and the bones aren't bad. I like both main characters, Ethan is a better man than his occasional autocratic behaviours seem to indicate (I actually think that's an authorial mistake; his character isn't consistent), and Alice is pleasant, smart, and a good fit for Ethan's broken family.
I am reading the series in order, but I'm now thinking that won't help in keeping characters and story lines straight. I know Gareth Alexander has his own book, #6, but here he is already happily married. So these books interweave, which will be annoying.
There are two kids in the book which aren't well-defined characters, but take up a big chunk of the story. They didn't bother me as kids in romance often do because they had a purpose other than to be adorable props, so that was better than expected, but still, not as good as it could have been.
I tagged "disability", but Alice's physical problems are not well handled, in several ways. For one -- and this runs through the whole book -- her treatment by others feels anachronistic. She is a governess, but she is always accommodated. As if. Also, while her panic attacks are handled well by Ethan who apparently has personal experience with them, when it comes to her bad hip, he is autocratic and heavy-handed, and it's only through authorial fiat that the "treatment" actually helps. The autocratic behaviour also comes to the fore when he offers her wine for dinner, she says wine doesn't agree with her, and so he hands her...wine. Later he wonders why she didn't just ask a servant for water -- why didn't he do that?
A lot of things feel anachronistic. Like, apparently George, one of Nick's brothers, is gay. Nobody but Alice raises an eyebrow, and even hers just go up for a second. Especially Ethan ought to have more of an issue with that (because of his deep, dark secret). But nah, they're just gonna make George their agent in mainland Europe, because people are taking notice of his affections; no biggie. No discussion, no nothing. And this is the same book in which the villain rapes anyone at all, indiscriminately, but with particular attention for young boys. So we get a pedophile rapist and a gay non-entity. I'm sorry, that's not good enough. I don't ask (well, I don't ask very loudly) that mainstream romance feature full-blown gay couples, but an occasional good relationship even during a time when it was illegal and deadly would not go amiss -- they did exist in reality. Or at least have a decent discussion where somebody speaks up for the gay guy when the "unnatural deviant" argument gets trotted out. Which also happened at the time. And I think that's especially necessary when you have a one-dimensional villain who is a pedophile; the quintessential bogeyman anti-gay conservatives still trot out to this day.
The way Alice takes to sex, especially considering her background, seems very modern. I mean, it's nice for a heroine not to shy away from a penis, but she's very enthusiastic.
Ethan charts a menstrual calendar. He was almost a hundred years ahead of his time; nobody actually understood the menstrual cycle in the Regency. Since many mammals have a bloody discharge during estrus, it was assumed that menstruation was the most fertile time for women, which is alas very wrong. It took until the early 20th century before people actually figured it out. He did mention sheaths, which did exist, but he didn't bother using them.
Beyond anachronisms, some things just don't make sense. Ethan has lived like a recluse and didn't socialize for years, but at some point his neighbours suddenly take a very active interest in him, too active and helpful an interest, really. They're apparently also all acquainted with Nick -- and yet, Nick never even heard a whisper that Ethan was married and had two kids? That's totally unbelievable; people gossiped like mad, and Ethan's situation was particularly juicy.
Also, what's with the names? Alice is really Alex/Alexandra (she lives under an assumed name because of the deep, dark secret). She tells Ethan that at some point. Now it would make sense that he'd call her Alice in front of others, and Alex or Alexandra when they're all lovely-dovey but he's all over the place with it instead.
And then we have stuff that I wish weren't in the book at all:
The situation between Ethan, his ex-mistress/wife, and Nick is OTT. The book didn't need that extra complication. The entire ending feels OTT as well, super dramatic, real time villainry -- meh.. And lastly, to me it didn't feel real that Alice would react like she did to Ethan finding out her deep, dark secret. She felt like she had agency, and it made no sense that she would have just thrown in the towel. I mean, by all means, have doubts and worry about it, but don't just give up.
That all said, I can see the bones of the story underneath the problems, and the bones aren't bad. I like both main characters, Ethan is a better man than his occasional autocratic behaviours seem to indicate (I actually think that's an authorial mistake; his character isn't consistent), and Alice is pleasant, smart, and a good fit for Ethan's broken family.
August 6, 2022
1.5 *
Content warnings for several topics, and the subject matter is NOT written well. I finished this book more out of stubbornness than enjoyment. This book is in the Lonely Lords Series, so if a person has read Lonely Lords 1 and 2, it is reasonable to expect that they will have all the information they need. However, for Burrows' books, each series is so intertwined with all the other series that no matter where you start or if you go in order, you never have the full picture or understand why this random characters is sticking their nose in other people's business, what the shared history is, or if the long pronouncements they make are referencing something the MC of this book had said in a previous book, or if Burrows' is just using a random side character (Gareth Marquess of Heathgate) to read Ethan's mind so that it can quickly be laid out for the reader to accept as fact because Heathgate said it rather than gradually having Ethan share his emotional state via conversations or via narration. The behavior of the neighbors makes leaps and jumps forward without reason. Ethan does not socialize with his neighbors for years, though he knows their names and one is an acquaintance from school. They arrive at a picnic, and instead of gradually building on acquaintanceship the neighbors are like "Great you're here! Now we will start arranging your life in ways we think will make you happy. Because we care about you so much!" Most of these neighbors are friends or acquaintances of Nick. All of these neighbors knew that Ethan was married and had two sons, and it wasn't like she was a secret prisoner in an attic so why wouldn't they mention her to Nick, even in passing? Because he didn't know for years. "My dear close friend Nick, How is your brother and his family faring?"
This is a reoccurring problem with Grace Burrows' romance novels, and the randomly important but only vaguely characterized side characters are off putting.
There is physical disability that shows up when convenient and disappears with some exercise and happiness. It is like a shadow by the end of the book. When it comes to Alice asking for accommodations so she can get places in relative physical and emotional comfort, Ethan has his own ideas. In the beginning he makes arrangements for her transportation without consulting her. Later he does consult her, but then over rules her. She's like "ANY other means of transport than riding a horse, no." Ethan: "I'll teach you to ride and I'll keep you safe." Alice: "no I don't want that." Ethan: "we can stop any time you say."
DUMBASS she already declined like 3 times by this point. And the book frames his handling of her disabilities as if they were thoughtful and necessary. BULLSHIT. But because Burrows wants his methods to be effective, they are. As someone who has hip pain like Alice how poorly it was written really pulled me out of the story.
Whether is is a physical injury or an emotional scar like Ethan has, I think recovery is more successful is it is lead by the survivor.
Imagine a rescue cat that you bring home from the shelter and it immediately hides under the bed or couch and only comes out to eat after all the humans have gone to bed. Several months pass, and the cat gradually allows itself to be seen by humans, and then will sit in the same room, but far away from the humans. A few more months pass, and the cat will now sit on the couch only a few feet away from a person and even enjoys a gentle ear scratch. Now imagine those humans grabbing the cat, shoving it into a harness and leash and dragging it outside because they insist that this is what it needs to heal and move on with its life.
That is how Gareth Marquess of Heathgate treats Ethan. He deserves better. I think it can be helpful to face trauma, and to try and hold perpetrators accountable, but let survivors do it at their own pace and on their own terms.
CW: discussions of rape, pedophilia, children in danger, falling from a horse, survivor's guilt, discussions of physical child abuse, manipulation into marriage.
Content warnings for several topics, and the subject matter is NOT written well. I finished this book more out of stubbornness than enjoyment. This book is in the Lonely Lords Series, so if a person has read Lonely Lords 1 and 2, it is reasonable to expect that they will have all the information they need. However, for Burrows' books, each series is so intertwined with all the other series that no matter where you start or if you go in order, you never have the full picture or understand why this random characters is sticking their nose in other people's business, what the shared history is, or if the long pronouncements they make are referencing something the MC of this book had said in a previous book, or if Burrows' is just using a random side character (Gareth Marquess of Heathgate) to read Ethan's mind so that it can quickly be laid out for the reader to accept as fact because Heathgate said it rather than gradually having Ethan share his emotional state via conversations or via narration. The behavior of the neighbors makes leaps and jumps forward without reason. Ethan does not socialize with his neighbors for years, though he knows their names and one is an acquaintance from school. They arrive at a picnic, and instead of gradually building on acquaintanceship the neighbors are like "Great you're here! Now we will start arranging your life in ways we think will make you happy. Because we care about you so much!" Most of these neighbors are friends or acquaintances of Nick. All of these neighbors knew that Ethan was married and had two sons, and it wasn't like she was a secret prisoner in an attic so why wouldn't they mention her to Nick, even in passing? Because he didn't know for years. "My dear close friend Nick, How is your brother and his family faring?"
This is a reoccurring problem with Grace Burrows' romance novels, and the randomly important but only vaguely characterized side characters are off putting.
There is physical disability that shows up when convenient and disappears with some exercise and happiness. It is like a shadow by the end of the book. When it comes to Alice asking for accommodations so she can get places in relative physical and emotional comfort, Ethan has his own ideas. In the beginning he makes arrangements for her transportation without consulting her. Later he does consult her, but then over rules her. She's like "ANY other means of transport than riding a horse, no." Ethan: "I'll teach you to ride and I'll keep you safe." Alice: "no I don't want that." Ethan: "we can stop any time you say."
DUMBASS she already declined like 3 times by this point. And the book frames his handling of her disabilities as if they were thoughtful and necessary. BULLSHIT. But because Burrows wants his methods to be effective, they are. As someone who has hip pain like Alice how poorly it was written really pulled me out of the story.
Whether is is a physical injury or an emotional scar like Ethan has, I think recovery is more successful is it is lead by the survivor.
Imagine a rescue cat that you bring home from the shelter and it immediately hides under the bed or couch and only comes out to eat after all the humans have gone to bed. Several months pass, and the cat gradually allows itself to be seen by humans, and then will sit in the same room, but far away from the humans. A few more months pass, and the cat will now sit on the couch only a few feet away from a person and even enjoys a gentle ear scratch. Now imagine those humans grabbing the cat, shoving it into a harness and leash and dragging it outside because they insist that this is what it needs to heal and move on with its life.
That is how Gareth Marquess of Heathgate treats Ethan. He deserves better. I think it can be helpful to face trauma, and to try and hold perpetrators accountable, but let survivors do it at their own pace and on their own terms.
CW: discussions of rape, pedophilia, children in danger, falling from a horse, survivor's guilt, discussions of physical child abuse, manipulation into marriage.
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