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The Wagers of Sin #3
Un pariu riscant
Georgiana Lucas despises the arrogant and cruel Marquess of Westmorland even before learning that he's won the deed to her friend Kitty's home in a card game. Still, Georgiana assures Kitty the marquess wouldn't possibly come all the way to Derbyshire to throw them out—until he shows up, bloody and unconscious. Fearing that Kitty would rather see him die, Georgiana blurts out that he's her fiancé. She'll nurse the hateful man back to health and make him vow to leave and never return. The man who wakes up, though, is nothing like the heartless rogue Georgiana thought she knew…
He wakes up with no memory of being assaulted—or of who he is. The bewitching beauty tending him so devotedly calls him Rob and claims she's his fiancée even as she avoids his touch. Though he can't remember how he won her hand, he's now determined to win her heart. But as his memory returns and the truth is revealed, Rob must decide if the game is up—or if he'll take a chance on a love that defies all odds.
He wakes up with no memory of being assaulted—or of who he is. The bewitching beauty tending him so devotedly calls him Rob and claims she's his fiancée even as she avoids his touch. Though he can't remember how he won her hand, he's now determined to win her heart. But as his memory returns and the truth is revealed, Rob must decide if the game is up—or if he'll take a chance on a love that defies all odds.
Unknown Binding
First published September 24, 2019
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About the author
Caroline Linden
57 books1,701 followersCaroline Linden was born a reader, not a writer. She earned a degree in mathematics from Harvard University and worked as a programmer in the financial services industry before realizing writing fiction is much more exciting than writing code. Her books have won the NEC-RWA Readers' Choice Award, the JNRW Golden Leaf, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and RWA's RITA Award, and have been translated into seventeen languages around the world. She lives in New England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
November 13, 2019
I've given this a B at AAR.
Amnesia plotlines aren’t easy to pull off well, so I’ll admit to a little trepidation when I picked up Caroline Linden’s When the Marquess was Mine, book three in her Wagers of Sin series. Fortunately, she handles that aspect of the plot well and also creates a wonderfully romantic love story with plenty of delicious sexual tension between two attractive leads. Where the book does come unstuck though, is in the final twenty percent or so, which feels like it belongs in a completely different novel. This section picks up a plotline set up at the beginning, but which then mostly disappears (of necessity because the hero can’t remember it!) until the last few chapters, so it seems like a complete add on, and the whole book feels unbalanced as a result.
Robert Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, heir to the Duke of Rowland, spends most of his time kicking up his heels with his similarly dissolute friends in London. He’s handsome, wealthy and popular, eschews the marriage mart and has a bit of a reputation for sharp-tongued arrogance, and on the evening of his twenty-ninth birthday, is joined for an evening of debauchery by a few of his closest friends. Ending up at the Vega club, they, along with a few hangers-on, settle in for some high-stakes play but things go awry when Sir Charles Winston ends up wagering his house in order to stay in the game. Rob, his friends and even the manager of the club try to dissuade him, but the man will not be gainsaid – and Rob ends up winning the pot.
Lady Georgiana Lucas is enjoying her visit at the Derbyshire home of her friend Kitty, Lady Winston, when Kitty receives a letter from her husband that implores her to deny admittance to the Marquess of Westmorland because he has behaved dishonourably and is intent on ensuring the ruin of the Winston family. Kitty is, naturally, very worried by this, but Charles has couched his letter in such vague terms she doesn’t know exactly what is going on. She doesn’t know Westmorland, but Georgiana has crossed paths with him occasionally in London and knows him to be tall, handsome and lethally charming – as well as an ill-mannered, mean-spirited and notorious rogue. She’s still smarting over the comments she’d overheard him make at a soirée in the spring, when he’d made some very unflattering remarkss about Georgiana and one of her friends, suggesting they were nothing but shallow, silly flirts who revelled in teasing men.
A few days later, and news of Winston’s loss in the card game has spread, together with stories maligning Westmorland’s honour and accusing him of stealing Winston’s house. Having received a very to-the-point letter from his mother telling him to do something about it, Rob decides upon a course of action and sets out for Derbyshire in order to carry it out. He’s not far from his destination when he’s set upon by three men and badly beaten. If not for Georgiana – out for a ride with her groom – he might have been killed, but she insists he be taken to Osborne House and a doctor sent for.
It’s not until they’re able to clean him up a bit that Georgiana recognises the bludgeoned man as Westmorland and has to think quickly if she’s to prevent Kitty from blowing up and refusing to help him (which Georgiana thinks she may well do, given that she’s received a couple more letters from Charles, each one painting the marquess as blacker than before.) So she tells Kitty that the man is Lord Sterling – the man to whom Georgiana has been betrothed for the past two years – and as Kitty has never seen Westmorland, she doesn’t question the assertion.
Rob is in a pretty bad way and it’s a few days before he regains consciousness. Georgiana worries about the truth coming out when he awakens, but to her surprise – and relief – he turns out to have no memory of who he is or why he is in Derbyshire. Georgiana is glad to have a bit of breathing space to work out how and when to tell the truth, but also feels guilty about lying to her friend. And as the days pass, and Westmorland starts to regain his strength – though not his memory – she starts to feel guilty about lying to him, too, especially as he’s turning out to be nothing like the haughty, arrogant individual she believed him to be.
Rob remembers nothing of the attack or of proposing to the beautiful young woman he awakes to find sitting at his bedside. And as he gets to know her, he starts to believe that he’s been a pretty miserable excuse for a fiancé over the past two years. Georgiana lets slip that she’s only received one letter from Sterling in all the time she’s been away from London, and that their betrothal has been so drawn out because her brother is being awkward about the settlements. Rob decides, then and there, that he’s been an idiot and decides to woo Georgiana all over again (as he thinks) and to show her that he’s no longer going to take her – or her affections – for granted.
This is, without doubt, the best part of the story. Rob is an absolutely gorgeous hero, sweet, affectionate and falling hard for the woman he believes is his fiancée, while Georgiana is tormented by guilt over the lies she keeps telling and by her growing feelings for a man other than the one she’s engaged to. Rob is charming and pays her the sort of attention she’s never received from any man – and she can’t deny the heady feelings of excitement and desire he evokes in her.
Rob and Georgiana have terrific chemistry and their romance is simply lovely. Rob is so obviously smitten and determined to be a better fiancé than he thinks he’s been, and I loved seeing him encourage Georgiana’s more adventurous side; she really blooms under his affection, becoming more confident and ready to stand up for herself and her wishes. And as Rob recovers his memory, he starts to realise that perhaps he needs to make some changes of his own and that he’s done things in the past that don’t exactly cover him in glory.
But there’s a big problem with the novel as a whole, and it’s one that has prevented me from awarding a higher grade.Early on, we learn that Rob is doing some sort of work for the government in order to help a friend who is trying to expose some illegal slave trading (Britain outlawed slavery in 1807, but there were companies that exploited the loopholes in the law and continued to deal in slaves in other British territories). It’s all a bit vague and disappears for most of the story until it pops up again near the end, when Rob and Georgiana and some of their friends conspire to lay a trap in the form of a high-stakes card game… and honestly, I was bored.
Setting aside the poorly placed and poorly executed subplot, When the Marquess was Mine features a beautifully developed, warm and sensual romance between two really engaging principals, and I really do recommend the book for that alone. But having the story dragging on for another few chapters once the HEA was assured was a bad idea because it meant I finished the book feeling irritated rather than satisfied.
Amnesia plotlines aren’t easy to pull off well, so I’ll admit to a little trepidation when I picked up Caroline Linden’s When the Marquess was Mine, book three in her Wagers of Sin series. Fortunately, she handles that aspect of the plot well and also creates a wonderfully romantic love story with plenty of delicious sexual tension between two attractive leads. Where the book does come unstuck though, is in the final twenty percent or so, which feels like it belongs in a completely different novel. This section picks up a plotline set up at the beginning, but which then mostly disappears (of necessity because the hero can’t remember it!) until the last few chapters, so it seems like a complete add on, and the whole book feels unbalanced as a result.
Robert Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, heir to the Duke of Rowland, spends most of his time kicking up his heels with his similarly dissolute friends in London. He’s handsome, wealthy and popular, eschews the marriage mart and has a bit of a reputation for sharp-tongued arrogance, and on the evening of his twenty-ninth birthday, is joined for an evening of debauchery by a few of his closest friends. Ending up at the Vega club, they, along with a few hangers-on, settle in for some high-stakes play but things go awry when Sir Charles Winston ends up wagering his house in order to stay in the game. Rob, his friends and even the manager of the club try to dissuade him, but the man will not be gainsaid – and Rob ends up winning the pot.
Lady Georgiana Lucas is enjoying her visit at the Derbyshire home of her friend Kitty, Lady Winston, when Kitty receives a letter from her husband that implores her to deny admittance to the Marquess of Westmorland because he has behaved dishonourably and is intent on ensuring the ruin of the Winston family. Kitty is, naturally, very worried by this, but Charles has couched his letter in such vague terms she doesn’t know exactly what is going on. She doesn’t know Westmorland, but Georgiana has crossed paths with him occasionally in London and knows him to be tall, handsome and lethally charming – as well as an ill-mannered, mean-spirited and notorious rogue. She’s still smarting over the comments she’d overheard him make at a soirée in the spring, when he’d made some very unflattering remarkss about Georgiana and one of her friends, suggesting they were nothing but shallow, silly flirts who revelled in teasing men.
A few days later, and news of Winston’s loss in the card game has spread, together with stories maligning Westmorland’s honour and accusing him of stealing Winston’s house. Having received a very to-the-point letter from his mother telling him to do something about it, Rob decides upon a course of action and sets out for Derbyshire in order to carry it out. He’s not far from his destination when he’s set upon by three men and badly beaten. If not for Georgiana – out for a ride with her groom – he might have been killed, but she insists he be taken to Osborne House and a doctor sent for.
It’s not until they’re able to clean him up a bit that Georgiana recognises the bludgeoned man as Westmorland and has to think quickly if she’s to prevent Kitty from blowing up and refusing to help him (which Georgiana thinks she may well do, given that she’s received a couple more letters from Charles, each one painting the marquess as blacker than before.) So she tells Kitty that the man is Lord Sterling – the man to whom Georgiana has been betrothed for the past two years – and as Kitty has never seen Westmorland, she doesn’t question the assertion.
Rob is in a pretty bad way and it’s a few days before he regains consciousness. Georgiana worries about the truth coming out when he awakens, but to her surprise – and relief – he turns out to have no memory of who he is or why he is in Derbyshire. Georgiana is glad to have a bit of breathing space to work out how and when to tell the truth, but also feels guilty about lying to her friend. And as the days pass, and Westmorland starts to regain his strength – though not his memory – she starts to feel guilty about lying to him, too, especially as he’s turning out to be nothing like the haughty, arrogant individual she believed him to be.
Rob remembers nothing of the attack or of proposing to the beautiful young woman he awakes to find sitting at his bedside. And as he gets to know her, he starts to believe that he’s been a pretty miserable excuse for a fiancé over the past two years. Georgiana lets slip that she’s only received one letter from Sterling in all the time she’s been away from London, and that their betrothal has been so drawn out because her brother is being awkward about the settlements. Rob decides, then and there, that he’s been an idiot and decides to woo Georgiana all over again (as he thinks) and to show her that he’s no longer going to take her – or her affections – for granted.
This is, without doubt, the best part of the story. Rob is an absolutely gorgeous hero, sweet, affectionate and falling hard for the woman he believes is his fiancée, while Georgiana is tormented by guilt over the lies she keeps telling and by her growing feelings for a man other than the one she’s engaged to. Rob is charming and pays her the sort of attention she’s never received from any man – and she can’t deny the heady feelings of excitement and desire he evokes in her.
Rob and Georgiana have terrific chemistry and their romance is simply lovely. Rob is so obviously smitten and determined to be a better fiancé than he thinks he’s been, and I loved seeing him encourage Georgiana’s more adventurous side; she really blooms under his affection, becoming more confident and ready to stand up for herself and her wishes. And as Rob recovers his memory, he starts to realise that perhaps he needs to make some changes of his own and that he’s done things in the past that don’t exactly cover him in glory.
But there’s a big problem with the novel as a whole, and it’s one that has prevented me from awarding a higher grade.Early on, we learn that Rob is doing some sort of work for the government in order to help a friend who is trying to expose some illegal slave trading (Britain outlawed slavery in 1807, but there were companies that exploited the loopholes in the law and continued to deal in slaves in other British territories). It’s all a bit vague and disappears for most of the story until it pops up again near the end, when Rob and Georgiana and some of their friends conspire to lay a trap in the form of a high-stakes card game… and honestly, I was bored.
Setting aside the poorly placed and poorly executed subplot, When the Marquess was Mine features a beautifully developed, warm and sensual romance between two really engaging principals, and I really do recommend the book for that alone. But having the story dragging on for another few chapters once the HEA was assured was a bad idea because it meant I finished the book feeling irritated rather than satisfied.
April 3, 2020
2.5 stars
What started out as an amusing story quickly turned into something rather boring. And then the book ends with solving a problem of slave ships by a coordinated attack...of gambling. Of all things. And did I mention that the Marquess seemingly spoke and thought like a woman for the majority of this book? His point of view was practically indistinguishable from Georgiana. This book was basically an entire wash for me minus the funny lying/amnesia plot at the beginning. Pass.
What started out as an amusing story quickly turned into something rather boring. And then the book ends with solving a problem of slave ships by a coordinated attack...of gambling. Of all things. And did I mention that the Marquess seemingly spoke and thought like a woman for the majority of this book? His point of view was practically indistinguishable from Georgiana. This book was basically an entire wash for me minus the funny lying/amnesia plot at the beginning. Pass.
November 7, 2020
This is third in a series (and last), but there's not much overlap and most of the story takes place outside of anything/place from the first two books. There's some parts with Sophie from the first book, and some events there are referenced. But you can definitely skip if you like.
I've been a bit tepid on the other stories in the series so I didn't have high expectations for this one. I don't know if that helped or not (probably), but this one knocked it out of the park. I liked Georgiana way better than I thought I would from the other two where she comes off as a somewhat gormless romantic with sap for brains. And I had some fear when we get her telling that first lie, claiming Westmorland as her fiancé. But Linden managed to put enough oomph behind the background that her lie actually made enough sense, given the urgency of the moment. And that let me take the time to appreciate her innate kindness and charm and to appreciate her somewhat uncertain wit. So I came to like her a lot.
And it was good to get to know Rob, both slightly before and then through his amnesia. Yes, that whole lost memory plot is overdone, but Linden put it to good use and I really enjoyed seeing him able to appreciate Georgiana from an insiders perspective but without prejudice or the cynicism of his normal self. I particularly liked seeing him regain his memory and taking deliberate steps to synthesize what he has learned into a stronger whole, letting go of some of his worst traits and embracing those he has learned through his ordeal.
The plot was a little weak-sauce and the final confrontation at Vega's felt contrived. But then, I've never appreciated the club's role as central catalyst so that's no surprise. It wasn't terribly intrusive, really, so I mostly rolled with it. Also, Georgiana's original fiancé, Stirling, is a complete enigma. I have no idea what his motives are or how he feels about her. He's kind of big-brothery but also a bit of a scoundrel but also kind of a fribble. It's all over the place is what I'm saying.
Less easy to ignore is that Rob's background breaks down as you get to know more. His family is lovely, loving and supportive and kind. Yeah, they're geographically distant but the fact remains that he has experienced kindness tempering power and arrogance bowing to love all of his life and since he cherishes his family and their home and the respect of his parents, his actions when in London make pretty much zero sense. His reputation is actively bad. He's known as an arrogant rake. And we know that this distresses his parents in ways that he doesn't want or like. So his starting point, pre-amnesia, is undermined entirely and I'm wondering if people (including the author) don't realize it because there's most of a novel between the start where we see that and the ending once he's reformed by his experience. So maybe it's just me seeing that as an unlikely break is what I'm saying.
At any rate, this is 4½ stars that I'm rounding up because I just liked their relationship so much. And yes, it probably doesn't fully deserve all of that but I did mention above that my expectation were pretty low, right?
A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene and it isn't very long so this is the low end of my steam tolerance. It was completely gratuitous, even so, because by the time it happens, they're in love, they know they're in love, and their trust is complete. So it was unnecessary and a little contrived to boot.
I've been a bit tepid on the other stories in the series so I didn't have high expectations for this one. I don't know if that helped or not (probably), but this one knocked it out of the park. I liked Georgiana way better than I thought I would from the other two where she comes off as a somewhat gormless romantic with sap for brains. And I had some fear when we get her telling that first lie, claiming Westmorland as her fiancé. But Linden managed to put enough oomph behind the background that her lie actually made enough sense, given the urgency of the moment. And that let me take the time to appreciate her innate kindness and charm and to appreciate her somewhat uncertain wit. So I came to like her a lot.
And it was good to get to know Rob, both slightly before and then through his amnesia. Yes, that whole lost memory plot is overdone, but Linden put it to good use and I really enjoyed seeing him able to appreciate Georgiana from an insiders perspective but without prejudice or the cynicism of his normal self. I particularly liked seeing him regain his memory and taking deliberate steps to synthesize what he has learned into a stronger whole, letting go of some of his worst traits and embracing those he has learned through his ordeal.
The plot was a little weak-sauce and the final confrontation at Vega's felt contrived. But then, I've never appreciated the club's role as central catalyst so that's no surprise. It wasn't terribly intrusive, really, so I mostly rolled with it. Also, Georgiana's original fiancé, Stirling, is a complete enigma. I have no idea what his motives are or how he feels about her. He's kind of big-brothery but also a bit of a scoundrel but also kind of a fribble. It's all over the place is what I'm saying.
Less easy to ignore is that Rob's background breaks down as you get to know more. His family is lovely, loving and supportive and kind. Yeah, they're geographically distant but the fact remains that he has experienced kindness tempering power and arrogance bowing to love all of his life and since he cherishes his family and their home and the respect of his parents, his actions when in London make pretty much zero sense. His reputation is actively bad. He's known as an arrogant rake. And we know that this distresses his parents in ways that he doesn't want or like. So his starting point, pre-amnesia, is undermined entirely and I'm wondering if people (including the author) don't realize it because there's most of a novel between the start where we see that and the ending once he's reformed by his experience. So maybe it's just me seeing that as an unlikely break is what I'm saying.
At any rate, this is 4½ stars that I'm rounding up because I just liked their relationship so much. And yes, it probably doesn't fully deserve all of that but I did mention above that my expectation were pretty low, right?
A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene and it isn't very long so this is the low end of my steam tolerance. It was completely gratuitous, even so, because by the time it happens, they're in love, they know they're in love, and their trust is complete. So it was unnecessary and a little contrived to boot.
September 27, 2025
5 yearning ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was fabulous! The love, the yearning, the growth and the fact that they constantly knew they loved each other. 🫶
Rob is a rake, the worst kind, he wins a deed to a house in a game of cards. The man who lost the house warns his wife Kitty not to let anyone near the house in a letter. Kitty the wife, has a visit from her best friend Georgina! Who is the best fmc in a very long time❤️ anyway. Are you still with me?😂
Rob goes to the house, but is assaulted on the way and left for dead. Georgina finds him, rescues him, and recognizes him. Because she is worried Kitty won’t let him stay and he would die, Georgina lies to Kitty and say he is her fiance Sterling. He has amnesia and thinks he is her fiancée!!!! And this is the set up.
It has has a Shakespearean “Much ado about nothing “ vibe in the best way. It’s funny and so very romantic. They way they fall in love minute by minute is beautifully written. I could feel it in my bones as they got to know each other. 🙌
For the first time in my HR readings, I actually LOVED the side characters, usually I fell they are filler, but not in this story. They all served a purpose ❤️
Should you read it? OMG YES!
I was in the mood for real romance, something to transport me away. And it certainly delivered ❤️
This was fabulous! The love, the yearning, the growth and the fact that they constantly knew they loved each other. 🫶
Rob is a rake, the worst kind, he wins a deed to a house in a game of cards. The man who lost the house warns his wife Kitty not to let anyone near the house in a letter. Kitty the wife, has a visit from her best friend Georgina! Who is the best fmc in a very long time❤️ anyway. Are you still with me?😂
Rob goes to the house, but is assaulted on the way and left for dead. Georgina finds him, rescues him, and recognizes him. Because she is worried Kitty won’t let him stay and he would die, Georgina lies to Kitty and say he is her fiance Sterling. He has amnesia and thinks he is her fiancée!!!! And this is the set up.
It has has a Shakespearean “Much ado about nothing “ vibe in the best way. It’s funny and so very romantic. They way they fall in love minute by minute is beautifully written. I could feel it in my bones as they got to know each other. 🙌
For the first time in my HR readings, I actually LOVED the side characters, usually I fell they are filler, but not in this story. They all served a purpose ❤️
Should you read it? OMG YES!
I was in the mood for real romance, something to transport me away. And it certainly delivered ❤️
September 30, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
What a delight this book turned out to be! I decided to read this book because I have been in the mood for a historical romance for a couple of weeks and the premise of this one sounded like something I would like. I am not going to lie, the gorgeous cover might have had something to do with my decision as well. Once I started reading, I knew that I had made a great decision. I had a great time with this book from beginning to end and found that it was rather hard to set aside.
Rob, the Marquess of Westmorland, wins the deed to a home in a rather high stakes card game. Somehow, he is made out to be the bad guy in the situation instead of the man that gambled the house away. When he finally decides what to do with the home, he sets out to take care of the situation but is gravely injured during the trip. Georgiana is staying with a friend who has just learned that her home is now owned by someone else. She goes out for a ride and finds an injured man and feels that she must save him. When she sees who the man is, she decides to say he is someone else to protect him. That one little decision ends up changing so much.
I loved Rob and Georgiana. These two were just perfect for each other. I haven't read a lot of books with a character experiencing memory loss as Rob does in this story but I thought that it was handled wonderfully in this book. Since Rob cannot remember anything about himself, we get to see who he really is at his core. I do think that the experience helped to make him a better man. Georgiana was with Rob every step of the way. She takes a lot of risks to help save him. Their chemistry is undeniable and it helps Georgiana put somethings in perspective about her own life.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This is the third book in a series but it worked very well as a stand-alone. I had a great time getting to know these characters and was eager to see them find their happily ever after even with the obstacles they faced. I will definitely be more of Caroline Linden's work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Avon Books.
Initial Thoughts
This was a lovely romance. I really liked Rob and Georgiana and thought that they made a great pair. I don't think that I have read many books with the loss of memory trope but I thought that this one was well done.
What a delight this book turned out to be! I decided to read this book because I have been in the mood for a historical romance for a couple of weeks and the premise of this one sounded like something I would like. I am not going to lie, the gorgeous cover might have had something to do with my decision as well. Once I started reading, I knew that I had made a great decision. I had a great time with this book from beginning to end and found that it was rather hard to set aside.
Rob, the Marquess of Westmorland, wins the deed to a home in a rather high stakes card game. Somehow, he is made out to be the bad guy in the situation instead of the man that gambled the house away. When he finally decides what to do with the home, he sets out to take care of the situation but is gravely injured during the trip. Georgiana is staying with a friend who has just learned that her home is now owned by someone else. She goes out for a ride and finds an injured man and feels that she must save him. When she sees who the man is, she decides to say he is someone else to protect him. That one little decision ends up changing so much.
I loved Rob and Georgiana. These two were just perfect for each other. I haven't read a lot of books with a character experiencing memory loss as Rob does in this story but I thought that it was handled wonderfully in this book. Since Rob cannot remember anything about himself, we get to see who he really is at his core. I do think that the experience helped to make him a better man. Georgiana was with Rob every step of the way. She takes a lot of risks to help save him. Their chemistry is undeniable and it helps Georgiana put somethings in perspective about her own life.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This is the third book in a series but it worked very well as a stand-alone. I had a great time getting to know these characters and was eager to see them find their happily ever after even with the obstacles they faced. I will definitely be more of Caroline Linden's work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Avon Books.
Initial Thoughts
This was a lovely romance. I really liked Rob and Georgiana and thought that they made a great pair. I don't think that I have read many books with the loss of memory trope but I thought that this one was well done.
December 17, 2025
5 yearning ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was fabulous! The love, the yearning, the growth and the fact that they constantly knew they loved each other. 🫶
Rob is a rake, the worst kind, he wins a deed to a house in a game of cards. The man who lost the house warns his wife Kitty not to let anyone near the house in a letter. Kitty the wife, has a visit from her best friend Georgina! Who is the best fmc in a very long time❤️ anyway. Are you still with me?😂
Rob goes to the house, but is assaulted on the way and left for dead. Georgina finds him, rescues him, and recognizes him. Because she is worried Kitty won’t let him stay and he would die, Georgina lies to Kitty and say he is her fiance Sterling. He has amnesia and thinks he is her fiancée!!!! And this is the set up.
It has has a Shakespearean “Much ado about nothing “ vibe in the best way. It’s funny and so very romantic. They way they fall in love minute by minute is beautifully written. I could feel it in my bones as they got to know each other. 🙌
This was fabulous! The love, the yearning, the growth and the fact that they constantly knew they loved each other. 🫶
Rob is a rake, the worst kind, he wins a deed to a house in a game of cards. The man who lost the house warns his wife Kitty not to let anyone near the house in a letter. Kitty the wife, has a visit from her best friend Georgina! Who is the best fmc in a very long time❤️ anyway. Are you still with me?😂
Rob goes to the house, but is assaulted on the way and left for dead. Georgina finds him, rescues him, and recognizes him. Because she is worried Kitty won’t let him stay and he would die, Georgina lies to Kitty and say he is her fiance Sterling. He has amnesia and thinks he is her fiancée!!!! And this is the set up.
It has has a Shakespearean “Much ado about nothing “ vibe in the best way. It’s funny and so very romantic. They way they fall in love minute by minute is beautifully written. I could feel it in my bones as they got to know each other. 🙌
September 13, 2019
Another great book by the always reliable Caroline Linden! I absolutely adored Rob, he's officially one of my favorite Linden heroes: charming, mischievous, willing to change and go after what he wants, and just adorable all around.
The only problem I had was the premise. Stories with the hero waking up with amnesia and the heroine lying to him about who he is (however it is rationalized and accepted by everyone within the story as "not so bad") never work for me. It's a personal pet peeve. I just hate this set-up, mostly because no one would read a story like this if the roles were reversed. Just imagine, a hero finding an unconscious woman, carrying her off to his home, and lying to her about who she is? Would anyone accept and forgive that? Just asking, because I know I wouldn't.
And yes, I know, she has her reasons and all, and if he forgives her, it can't be that bad. All I'm saying is, I have personal issues with this kind of behavior, and it's not something I can wrap my head around, in real life or in fiction. This says nothing about the quality of the writing or the story, I'm just trying to explain why I couldn't enjoy this book as much as many other reads do.
There was also a secondary plot that was suddenly introduced towards the end that I felt could have been introduced earlier as to give the two something to work on together for a while longer, but I did like the subplot itself, that was (as always) well done and interesting!
Anyway. It's not the worst story with this trope I tried (it IS a Caroline Linden book after all), and if you're okay with this trope, you will probably love this book, because it does have a lot going for it: the hero is just the sweetest guy, his family is adorable, and if you are a better person than me (which in all fairness is not very hard), I'm sure you will also forgive the heroine and like her. I liked that the two spend almost all their time together, getting to know each other slowly.
3.5 stars (mostly for Rob. Okay, entirely for Rob. ALL the stars just for Rob!)
*I received an Advanced Copy from the author via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
The only problem I had was the premise. Stories with the hero waking up with amnesia and the heroine lying to him about who he is (however it is rationalized and accepted by everyone within the story as "not so bad") never work for me. It's a personal pet peeve. I just hate this set-up, mostly because no one would read a story like this if the roles were reversed. Just imagine, a hero finding an unconscious woman, carrying her off to his home, and lying to her about who she is? Would anyone accept and forgive that? Just asking, because I know I wouldn't.
And yes, I know, she has her reasons and all, and if he forgives her, it can't be that bad. All I'm saying is, I have personal issues with this kind of behavior, and it's not something I can wrap my head around, in real life or in fiction. This says nothing about the quality of the writing or the story, I'm just trying to explain why I couldn't enjoy this book as much as many other reads do.
There was also a secondary plot that was suddenly introduced towards the end that I felt could have been introduced earlier as to give the two something to work on together for a while longer, but I did like the subplot itself, that was (as always) well done and interesting!
Anyway. It's not the worst story with this trope I tried (it IS a Caroline Linden book after all), and if you're okay with this trope, you will probably love this book, because it does have a lot going for it: the hero is just the sweetest guy, his family is adorable, and if you are a better person than me (which in all fairness is not very hard), I'm sure you will also forgive the heroine and like her. I liked that the two spend almost all their time together, getting to know each other slowly.
3.5 stars (mostly for Rob. Okay, entirely for Rob. ALL the stars just for Rob!)
*I received an Advanced Copy from the author via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
July 2, 2019
This was a really fun book. I adored Rob and Georgiana. It was sweet and funny. I loved the secondary characters, especially Rob’s brother Tom. And I liked seeing characters from previous books. The character development was good and hopefully we will see more books with this cast of characters.
February 2, 2021
4.5⭐
For me this was lovely. I really enjoyed the heroine mentality and was happy she was consistent in her actions. Although I don't enjoy amnesia stories, this was was nice and I liked the hero. But mostly his father. It is not often that we read of a happy aristocratic family. And I was glad to see it.
There's a little bit of talk about slavery, gambling and mean people.
For me this was lovely. I really enjoyed the heroine mentality and was happy she was consistent in her actions. Although I don't enjoy amnesia stories, this was was nice and I liked the hero. But mostly his father. It is not often that we read of a happy aristocratic family. And I was glad to see it.
There's a little bit of talk about slavery, gambling and mean people.
September 24, 2019
How the Marquess Was Mine is a surprisingly sweet story for the final installment of the Wagers of Sin series.
The crux of the story centers on an unexpected romance that emerges when an injury gives a haughty lord a fresh chance at life as a happier, kinder, more thoughtful man.
Georgiana is a refreshing heroine who doesn't always think clearly on her feet. I liked how she made the mistake and tried to mitigate it without having regrets about saving a life, even with the mess she made. Linden did a beautiful job portraying her stress, conviction, surprise, and developing love as Georgiana was confronted with a man nothing like she expected.
The romance in this was sweet, but well-developed. I was so glad Linden didn't cram in extra heat because it wasn't suited for this story. Georgiana had a fiance she remained loyal to (and brava Caroline Linden, there was no love triangle!!) and the tension was all the better as a result.
Rob was also a very likable character and I really appreciated how he processed through what had happened to him and didn't lash out at others. He was easygoing and funny and I loved his devotion to Georgiana.
The only quibbles I had were the following:
-It was not clearly explained how Rob's personality changed. People just said he was bad before but aside from Georgiana's example, we aren't given too many glimpses into how he changed as a result of his injury.
-Some of the final drama surrounding Rob's dabbling in the spy arena felt out of place and were not given enough page time earlier in the story for me to care much at the end.
Overall, a sweet story with likable leads, a well-executed amnesia plotline (I know it has been done before, but Linden does it well), and a final visit to the Vega Club. A nice way to spend an afternoon <3
The crux of the story centers on an unexpected romance that emerges when an injury gives a haughty lord a fresh chance at life as a happier, kinder, more thoughtful man.
Georgiana is a refreshing heroine who doesn't always think clearly on her feet. I liked how she made the mistake and tried to mitigate it without having regrets about saving a life, even with the mess she made. Linden did a beautiful job portraying her stress, conviction, surprise, and developing love as Georgiana was confronted with a man nothing like she expected.
The romance in this was sweet, but well-developed. I was so glad Linden didn't cram in extra heat because it wasn't suited for this story. Georgiana had a fiance she remained loyal to (and brava Caroline Linden, there was no love triangle!!) and the tension was all the better as a result.
Rob was also a very likable character and I really appreciated how he processed through what had happened to him and didn't lash out at others. He was easygoing and funny and I loved his devotion to Georgiana.
The only quibbles I had were the following:
-It was not clearly explained how Rob's personality changed. People just said he was bad before but aside from Georgiana's example, we aren't given too many glimpses into how he changed as a result of his injury.
-Some of the final drama surrounding Rob's dabbling in the spy arena felt out of place and were not given enough page time earlier in the story for me to care much at the end.
Overall, a sweet story with likable leads, a well-executed amnesia plotline (I know it has been done before, but Linden does it well), and a final visit to the Vega Club. A nice way to spend an afternoon <3
September 17, 2019
Series: The Wagers of Sin #3
Publication Date: 9/24/19
Number of Pages: 400
You know how a lake ripples when you toss in a small rock with the concentric circles of the ripples growing larger and larger? That is how the story of Lady Georgiana Lucas and Robert Churchill-Grey, Marquess of Westmoreland, goes. One small action leads to the next and on to the next. Normally I don’t care for the trope where one person misidentifies another when their memory is lost. However, I found it perfectly acceptable in this book because it was done out of fear, to save a man’s life, and to protect him while he healed.
Georgiana is happy in her life even though she’s lost both of her parents. She attends balls, soirees, garden parties, enjoys dancing, has lovely friends and a fiancé she’s loved since she was eight years old. She does, however, thoroughly dislike her despicable brother, and she’s not overly fond of her chaperone, Lady Sidlow.
Happily, Georgiana convinced her chaperone to allow her to travel to Maryfield to visit one of her best friends, Kitty, who has a new baby. While enjoying a fast ride across the countryside, she and the groom who was accompanying her came across three men beating another man to death. When the thugs run off and leave the man lying, unmoving, in the ditch, Georgiana knows she has to help him. She witnessed her father’s death and she absolutely cannot watch someone else die – she won’t. The groom is reluctant to help, but Georgiana insists and they take him back to Kitty’s house. When the man falls off the horse and turns on his back, Georgiana gasps. She recognizes the vile Marquess of Westmoreland – the dastard who is coming to throw her friend out of her home. Still, she can’t let him die and if she tells Kitty who he is, that is exactly what Kitty will do – she’ll leave him untreated and will let him die. So, Georgiana identifies the man as Lord Sterling, her betrothed, because she knows that Kitty will do all she can to save his life.
Westmoreland celebrated his twenty-ninth birthday with his friends in a drunken night of debauchery and gambling. He doesn’t even remember it the next day. Then he finds out he won a man’s home. Surely that isn’t so – he doesn’t want another home. But, the man shouldn’t bet his only estate in a card game. How can he remedy all of it?
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The characters are compelling and very relatable and the writing is excellent. It was lovely to see these two as they journeyed toward their HEA.
“We stand here today, besotted husband and adoring wire, due entirely to the actions of a drunken fool and his idiot mate.”
I also enjoyed meeting Tom, Westmoreland’s younger brother and would love to see him featured in a book.
I have read all of the other books in this series, but I believe this can be read as a stand-alone. Of course, the entire series has been great and you can’t go wrong with going back and reading those first.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 9/24/19
Number of Pages: 400
You know how a lake ripples when you toss in a small rock with the concentric circles of the ripples growing larger and larger? That is how the story of Lady Georgiana Lucas and Robert Churchill-Grey, Marquess of Westmoreland, goes. One small action leads to the next and on to the next. Normally I don’t care for the trope where one person misidentifies another when their memory is lost. However, I found it perfectly acceptable in this book because it was done out of fear, to save a man’s life, and to protect him while he healed.
Georgiana is happy in her life even though she’s lost both of her parents. She attends balls, soirees, garden parties, enjoys dancing, has lovely friends and a fiancé she’s loved since she was eight years old. She does, however, thoroughly dislike her despicable brother, and she’s not overly fond of her chaperone, Lady Sidlow.
Happily, Georgiana convinced her chaperone to allow her to travel to Maryfield to visit one of her best friends, Kitty, who has a new baby. While enjoying a fast ride across the countryside, she and the groom who was accompanying her came across three men beating another man to death. When the thugs run off and leave the man lying, unmoving, in the ditch, Georgiana knows she has to help him. She witnessed her father’s death and she absolutely cannot watch someone else die – she won’t. The groom is reluctant to help, but Georgiana insists and they take him back to Kitty’s house. When the man falls off the horse and turns on his back, Georgiana gasps. She recognizes the vile Marquess of Westmoreland – the dastard who is coming to throw her friend out of her home. Still, she can’t let him die and if she tells Kitty who he is, that is exactly what Kitty will do – she’ll leave him untreated and will let him die. So, Georgiana identifies the man as Lord Sterling, her betrothed, because she knows that Kitty will do all she can to save his life.
Westmoreland celebrated his twenty-ninth birthday with his friends in a drunken night of debauchery and gambling. He doesn’t even remember it the next day. Then he finds out he won a man’s home. Surely that isn’t so – he doesn’t want another home. But, the man shouldn’t bet his only estate in a card game. How can he remedy all of it?
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The characters are compelling and very relatable and the writing is excellent. It was lovely to see these two as they journeyed toward their HEA.
“We stand here today, besotted husband and adoring wire, due entirely to the actions of a drunken fool and his idiot mate.”
I also enjoyed meeting Tom, Westmoreland’s younger brother and would love to see him featured in a book.
I have read all of the other books in this series, but I believe this can be read as a stand-alone. Of course, the entire series has been great and you can’t go wrong with going back and reading those first.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 8, 2021
Loved it...will try to add more later
July 18, 2022
This was very good!! I loved how the amnesia trope worked here and the progression of the plot was very unique. I think it needed more spice and less everything else at the end but I’d totally read again! I also love Beverley’s narration.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶.75*/5
*one explicit scene which was good but short
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶.75*/5
*one explicit scene which was good but short
November 29, 2019
The first half of this book was a 5 stars. Things went a little down hill in the second half, but I still loved the story.
Georgiana was already a favorite of mine from previous books and I was enchanted by the way she risked herself to save Rob’s life even though she thought the worse of him.
It was so sweet to see she taking care of him and they getting to know each other (my favorite thing in romance books).
I like books that are centered in the relationship, that take the reader through all the small moments, the little things that together make love blossom.
In the second half the plot got a little wider and the magic was broken a little. I thought the scenes at the Vega club were distracting and unnecessary, and I couldn’t stop thinking that there could be a better way to stop the bad guy other than risking Georgiana’s reputation by taking her to a gambling club.
It was not bad, I just wish the story remained focused on them instead.
Georgiana was already a favorite of mine from previous books and I was enchanted by the way she risked herself to save Rob’s life even though she thought the worse of him.
It was so sweet to see she taking care of him and they getting to know each other (my favorite thing in romance books).
I like books that are centered in the relationship, that take the reader through all the small moments, the little things that together make love blossom.
In the second half the plot got a little wider and the magic was broken a little. I thought the scenes at the Vega club were distracting and unnecessary, and I couldn’t stop thinking that there could be a better way to stop the bad guy other than risking Georgiana’s reputation by taking her to a gambling club.
It was not bad, I just wish the story remained focused on them instead.
September 26, 2019
The Marquess of Westmorland is partying hard and carousing in town with friends, the evening of his birthday. He should certainly remember the night he won someone else's house at cards. But on his way to settle the strange deal the day after, trouble find Westmorland and he wakes up to the face of his fiancé, with no memories of her nor of who he is.
A letter. That's all because of a letter from her friend's husband, saying that he lost the deed to their house to the Marquess, that Georgiana, in an instant of panic, tell the people there that the injured and bloody man they rescued on the road is her fiancé, Sterling. Oh Sterling exist for real, and he's really her fiancé, but the unconscious man in the bed is in truth the Marquess of Westmorland. She knows him by reputation; one of a notorious rogue. The description she made of him before is of a despicable man. And she knows it to be true for having heard him mock people before. But when he wakes up, she discover a new man, different from the West of the ton, a man she could fall for. But will he still be real when his memory finally return?
It feels like the amnesia trope is doing a comeback (or I just randomly picked many books with it this year). Anyway, it can be a hit-or-miss for me depending on the characters or how it's all handle. It worked really well for me in this one, even with the hero's previous douche canoe behavior. It was probably easier for me to forgive because we didn't witness these moments and were told about it instead. I guess at the end of the day my enjoyment can be explain by Georgiana's goodness, courage and spirit, and that there's different parts in the story (the pretend relationship and how the MC react to that and towards each other, when the hero remember who he is and how it'll impact their new relationship, and also the last part that I can't talk about without spoiling). All that means that I was never bored reading this book. I'm not sure if there's more book to come in this series because I know Caroline Linden have a new one next year but I hope to read about some of the potential heroes we met in this one.
A letter. That's all because of a letter from her friend's husband, saying that he lost the deed to their house to the Marquess, that Georgiana, in an instant of panic, tell the people there that the injured and bloody man they rescued on the road is her fiancé, Sterling. Oh Sterling exist for real, and he's really her fiancé, but the unconscious man in the bed is in truth the Marquess of Westmorland. She knows him by reputation; one of a notorious rogue. The description she made of him before is of a despicable man. And she knows it to be true for having heard him mock people before. But when he wakes up, she discover a new man, different from the West of the ton, a man she could fall for. But will he still be real when his memory finally return?
It feels like the amnesia trope is doing a comeback (or I just randomly picked many books with it this year). Anyway, it can be a hit-or-miss for me depending on the characters or how it's all handle. It worked really well for me in this one, even with the hero's previous douche canoe behavior. It was probably easier for me to forgive because we didn't witness these moments and were told about it instead. I guess at the end of the day my enjoyment can be explain by Georgiana's goodness, courage and spirit, and that there's different parts in the story (the pretend relationship and how the MC react to that and towards each other, when the hero remember who he is and how it'll impact their new relationship, and also the last part that I can't talk about without spoiling). All that means that I was never bored reading this book. I'm not sure if there's more book to come in this series because I know Caroline Linden have a new one next year but I hope to read about some of the potential heroes we met in this one.
December 29, 2019
RTC...
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 7, 2019
ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!
This book was delightful . It’s actually very sweet and pretty low-angst. Yes, the plot is extraordinarily clichéd – off the top of my head, I can think of at least two other books with the amnesiac-hero plotline – but Linden’s writing is light and deft enough to infuse the story with appeal.
Unfortunately, I had to take a star off for two things . First, there was a weird attempt at becoming a spy novel, which fell totally flat. Next, some aspects of Rob’s behaviour wasn’t delved into deeply enough. On the whole, though, this book was a great way of passing a day.
Lady Georgiana Lucas (who, oddly, never seems to introduce herself as a ‘lady’) is currently staying with her old friend Kitty, trying to keep out of the way of her cruel elder brother Alistair. But one day they receive shocking news in a letter: Kitty’s husband Charles is claiming that he was cheated out of the deed to their house by none other than Robert Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, heir to a dukedom and one of the most dissipated men in the ton. Even worse, he says that Westmorland is on his way to the house to eject them from it.
Georgiana has personal experience with Westmorland. She once overheard him insult her badly at a ball, and she can well believe that he would kick out the house’s occupants to suit himself. When he shows up on their doorstep, it seems to prove that Charles was right. But things aren’t that simple – while Westmorland is present, he’s unconscious after being badly beaten by thugs. Georgiana’s tender heart knows that she can’t leave him to die alone, but nor will Kitty treat him if she knows of his true identity. So she does the only thing she can do: pretends that he’s her fiancé Lord Sterling, who fortunately is also named Robert. She’s prepated for him to reveal the truth the moment he wakes up. But when Westmorland opens his eyes, it turns out he’s lost his memory – and he isn’t the cruel marquess, but laughing, flirtatious Rob, who looks at her the way her real fiancé never has.
Their courtship process is the best part of the book . Rob is amazing here – sweet, and affectionate, determined to win the heart of the woman he thinks is his bride. Meanwhile, Georgiana is tormented by guilt, but she can’t deny how good it feels to have a man care for her for once. This lasted until around the 55% mark and is mostly why I’ve given the book such a high rating.
Unfortunately, the ending fizzled out . There’s an ultra-vague plotline about Rob doing some work for the Foreign Office as a pseudo-agent, which Georgiana gets caught up in. I found it boring and ill-explained. It was like the book thought it neededf to have something more than the romance driving it, so at the last moment Linden thought, ‘Hm! Let me add the typical spy elements, because I haven’t used enough historical romance tropes already!’ The spy/mystery aspect was therefore incredibly weak.
I also didn’t like that Rob’s past is never discussed. After his amnesia he just seems like a TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON. A good person for sure, but I didn’t understand how his past comments about Georgiana (and others) could just be swept away like that. The thing is, he is still the same person, so how could she not be interested in finding out how he could go from saying cruel things about her to falling in love with her just because of a hit on the head?
Overall
Despite my two complaints, this book (especially the first three-quarters) is a good read. Judging from reviews of the previous two books in the series, it’s a better read than them. Works fine as a standalone.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
This book was delightful . It’s actually very sweet and pretty low-angst. Yes, the plot is extraordinarily clichéd – off the top of my head, I can think of at least two other books with the amnesiac-hero plotline – but Linden’s writing is light and deft enough to infuse the story with appeal.
Unfortunately, I had to take a star off for two things . First, there was a weird attempt at becoming a spy novel, which fell totally flat. Next, some aspects of Rob’s behaviour wasn’t delved into deeply enough. On the whole, though, this book was a great way of passing a day.
Lady Georgiana Lucas (who, oddly, never seems to introduce herself as a ‘lady’) is currently staying with her old friend Kitty, trying to keep out of the way of her cruel elder brother Alistair. But one day they receive shocking news in a letter: Kitty’s husband Charles is claiming that he was cheated out of the deed to their house by none other than Robert Churchill-Gray, Marquess of Westmorland, heir to a dukedom and one of the most dissipated men in the ton. Even worse, he says that Westmorland is on his way to the house to eject them from it.
Georgiana has personal experience with Westmorland. She once overheard him insult her badly at a ball, and she can well believe that he would kick out the house’s occupants to suit himself. When he shows up on their doorstep, it seems to prove that Charles was right. But things aren’t that simple – while Westmorland is present, he’s unconscious after being badly beaten by thugs. Georgiana’s tender heart knows that she can’t leave him to die alone, but nor will Kitty treat him if she knows of his true identity. So she does the only thing she can do: pretends that he’s her fiancé Lord Sterling, who fortunately is also named Robert. She’s prepated for him to reveal the truth the moment he wakes up. But when Westmorland opens his eyes, it turns out he’s lost his memory – and he isn’t the cruel marquess, but laughing, flirtatious Rob, who looks at her the way her real fiancé never has.
Their courtship process is the best part of the book . Rob is amazing here – sweet, and affectionate, determined to win the heart of the woman he thinks is his bride. Meanwhile, Georgiana is tormented by guilt, but she can’t deny how good it feels to have a man care for her for once. This lasted until around the 55% mark and is mostly why I’ve given the book such a high rating.
Unfortunately, the ending fizzled out . There’s an ultra-vague plotline about Rob doing some work for the Foreign Office as a pseudo-agent, which Georgiana gets caught up in. I found it boring and ill-explained. It was like the book thought it neededf to have something more than the romance driving it, so at the last moment Linden thought, ‘Hm! Let me add the typical spy elements, because I haven’t used enough historical romance tropes already!’ The spy/mystery aspect was therefore incredibly weak.
I also didn’t like that Rob’s past is never discussed. After his amnesia he just seems like a TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON. A good person for sure, but I didn’t understand how his past comments about Georgiana (and others) could just be swept away like that. The thing is, he is still the same person, so how could she not be interested in finding out how he could go from saying cruel things about her to falling in love with her just because of a hit on the head?
Overall
Despite my two complaints, this book (especially the first three-quarters) is a good read. Judging from reviews of the previous two books in the series, it’s a better read than them. Works fine as a standalone.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
May 21, 2020
Caroline Linden has done a very good job of pulling off the always tricky amnesia plot. Great sexual tension between two attractive lead characters. It does run a bit off the rails toward the end, when the whole "secret agent" plot comes to the fore. Still, an enjoyable book from one of my favorite authors.
May 22, 2021
Agréablement surprise au cours de la lecture car ce n'était pas gagné, le début étant un peu laborieux. Mais le héros est charmant et tout file mieux une fois qu'il se réveille.
Je n'avais pas lu les 2 tomes précédents, je ne sais pas s'ils valent le coup.
Je n'avais pas lu les 2 tomes précédents, je ne sais pas s'ils valent le coup.
October 27, 2019
I was intrigued by this, mostly because I’m unsure of the use of amnesia as a plot line, but also because I’ve read so few where it’s the man who loses his memory.
I liked Georgiana and Rob well enough. They didn’t seem to be as fleshed out as I expected and I wasn’t fully committed to the story because of it. I did enjoy their scenes together and wanted more conversations between them. There are a good amount of secondary characters and several uses of titles and first names and I gave up trying to keep everyone straight.
Plot wise, it was all fluff, until the end. The last 1/4 of the story was jam packed with an entirely new thread and direction. It felt like conflict was an afterthought, when it could have been added organically throughout the story.
Overall, it was a quick read, but one I could have easily set down and not finished.
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Georgiana and Rob well enough. They didn’t seem to be as fleshed out as I expected and I wasn’t fully committed to the story because of it. I did enjoy their scenes together and wanted more conversations between them. There are a good amount of secondary characters and several uses of titles and first names and I gave up trying to keep everyone straight.
Plot wise, it was all fluff, until the end. The last 1/4 of the story was jam packed with an entirely new thread and direction. It felt like conflict was an afterthought, when it could have been added organically throughout the story.
Overall, it was a quick read, but one I could have easily set down and not finished.
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
September 30, 2019
>>>>> My Synopsis (Review follows): <<<<<
A night of drunken revelry, a wager of a house, an attack by highwaymen, and a little white lie could all lead to Georgiana Lucas' ruin or, perhaps, to her friend Kitty's salvation...
The Marquess of Westmorland is not a saint nor the nicest person in the ton, but he's also not the monster many believe him to be. When he wakes up after a night of celebratory fun, he finds he's won the deed to a house, although he remembers nothing about it. The last thing he needs is another piece of property or another lecture from his mother about it, but when he hears the rumors the fool of a man who he won the house from is spreading, he decides a lesson needs to be learned. So he sets off with the deed to the man's ancestral home with a plan that's just forming...
Georgiana believes there are no redeeming qualities to the Malicious Marquees, as she likes to refer to the Marquess of Westmorland. She met the scapegrace, who would one day become a duke, years ago and if she never saw him again, it would be too soon. But when she finds the louse bloody, beaten, and at death's door she finds she can't leave him to his fate. Osborne House is the obvious choice to take the man to, but Georgiana is unsure how Kitty, the Lady of the house, will receive him if she knows who he truly is. The Marquess won the deed to Kitty's house during a game of cards against Kitty's husband, Charles. Charles believes the Marquess is on his way to kick the occupants of said house out. So in an effort to save the man's life, Georgiana makes the split second decision to say he is someone else. The first name that enters her head is that of her fiance, Lord Sterling. Before she can stop herself, or think better of it, his name pops out. She figures she'll suffer the consequences of her actions later, but when he awakes things get even more complicated...
"Sterling," he said. At the door, his hand on the latch, the doctor paused. "Why do you keep saying that?"
For the first time, the doctor's smile faded. "Do you not know who that is?" The subtle change to his voice was deeply alarming.
Instead of replying he looked to the woman, who had been tugging the blankets into place but now stopped and raised her head to stare. Her perfect pink mouth formed a circle. Shocked.
"No," he said slowly.
The doctor adjusted his spectacles and came a step nearer. "No?" (...)
"Do you not recognize your fiancee, Lady Georgiana?"
He looked up at her, at her beautiful, fearful green eyes. "No," he said tensely.
"And do you not know your own name?"
"Of course I do," he said. "It's..." (...)
He didn't know his own name. There had been nothing on his lips...
>>>>> My Review : <<<<<
This is the third book in the Wagers of Sin series, and it was an utter pleasure to read. It can be read as a standalone, but be forewarned, you're going to want to read all the books in the series. I somehow missed reading the second book, and now I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of it. I loved this book so much, where do I begin?
First, I loved the amnesia scenario the author set up. At the beginning I feared it might be a historical rewrite of the movie 'Overboard' because the Marquess was said to be such a despicable character, but thankfully it was not. Our heroine is a sweet, kind, and caring individual who finds herself in the awkward position of having to lie to one of her best friends for an honorable reason--to save the Marquess of Westmorland's life. What seems like a little white lie quickly escalates, as lies often do, into a web that Georgiana finds difficult to extract herself from. As you can imagine, the lie leads to a whole lot of trouble and a number of awkward and funny situations.
Rob, the Marquess of Westmorland is handsome, smart, and a notorious rogue who tends to look down his nose at people and mock them. He's the heir of the Duke of Rowland, one of the oldest and richest titles in all of England, and he is considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors of the ton. He also happens to be ill-mannered and mean-spirited. Georgiana has witnessed his cruelty first hand and will not soon forget it. When Rob wakes up three days after he is attacked with amnesia, his personality is notably different. Rob appears to not be all she believed him to be, but is that just because of his amnesia, or is she now seeing a truer version of the man? If his memory returns will he go back to being the man she despises? Georgiana finds she likes the new and improved version of the Marquess and finds herself yearning for things she should not.
Normally I don't like it when a character ends up leaving her betrothed for another man, but in this instance, Georgiana's fiance, Lord Sterling, seemed to not have time for her. The two have been engaged for 2 years and her brother and fiance still hadn't come to terms over her marriage settlements even though her father had set aside specific funds for her dowry. Additionally, he never seemed to want to be with her. He was always gallivanting around with his friends instead of staying with her at various events and functions put on by the ton. When Rob believes himself to be Georgiana's betrothed, the attention he lavishes on her is in stark contrast to that of Sterling. It makes her question her relationship with her fiance, and that's when things get both complicated and interesting.
I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I absolutely loved it. It alternated between being serious, funny, endearing, sweet, and sexy. It also had a touch of drama mixed in towards the end which added whole other level to the story. The chemistry between Georgiana and Rob was so strong it practically scorched my fingers with ever turn of the page. It took some doing for Rob to win me over after finding out what had happened between him and Georgiana, but eventually, he did. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I HIGHLY recommend this one!
Notes to keep you in the Know:
You may wonder whether or not a person's personality can change for the better after severe head trauma, and the answer is 'yes'. Check out the article entitled 'When personality changes from bad to good" written by Christian Jarrett via the following link:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180...
Note: I received an eARC of the book from the publisher for review purposes. This in no way affected my review or rating. As an ARC is not a final version of the book, any quotes I have used are subject to change and will need to be verified against the final copy.
A night of drunken revelry, a wager of a house, an attack by highwaymen, and a little white lie could all lead to Georgiana Lucas' ruin or, perhaps, to her friend Kitty's salvation...
The Marquess of Westmorland is not a saint nor the nicest person in the ton, but he's also not the monster many believe him to be. When he wakes up after a night of celebratory fun, he finds he's won the deed to a house, although he remembers nothing about it. The last thing he needs is another piece of property or another lecture from his mother about it, but when he hears the rumors the fool of a man who he won the house from is spreading, he decides a lesson needs to be learned. So he sets off with the deed to the man's ancestral home with a plan that's just forming...
Georgiana believes there are no redeeming qualities to the Malicious Marquees, as she likes to refer to the Marquess of Westmorland. She met the scapegrace, who would one day become a duke, years ago and if she never saw him again, it would be too soon. But when she finds the louse bloody, beaten, and at death's door she finds she can't leave him to his fate. Osborne House is the obvious choice to take the man to, but Georgiana is unsure how Kitty, the Lady of the house, will receive him if she knows who he truly is. The Marquess won the deed to Kitty's house during a game of cards against Kitty's husband, Charles. Charles believes the Marquess is on his way to kick the occupants of said house out. So in an effort to save the man's life, Georgiana makes the split second decision to say he is someone else. The first name that enters her head is that of her fiance, Lord Sterling. Before she can stop herself, or think better of it, his name pops out. She figures she'll suffer the consequences of her actions later, but when he awakes things get even more complicated...
"Sterling," he said. At the door, his hand on the latch, the doctor paused. "Why do you keep saying that?"
For the first time, the doctor's smile faded. "Do you not know who that is?" The subtle change to his voice was deeply alarming.
Instead of replying he looked to the woman, who had been tugging the blankets into place but now stopped and raised her head to stare. Her perfect pink mouth formed a circle. Shocked.
"No," he said slowly.
The doctor adjusted his spectacles and came a step nearer. "No?" (...)
"Do you not recognize your fiancee, Lady Georgiana?"
He looked up at her, at her beautiful, fearful green eyes. "No," he said tensely.
"And do you not know your own name?"
"Of course I do," he said. "It's..." (...)
He didn't know his own name. There had been nothing on his lips...
>>>>> My Review : <<<<<
This is the third book in the Wagers of Sin series, and it was an utter pleasure to read. It can be read as a standalone, but be forewarned, you're going to want to read all the books in the series. I somehow missed reading the second book, and now I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of it. I loved this book so much, where do I begin?
First, I loved the amnesia scenario the author set up. At the beginning I feared it might be a historical rewrite of the movie 'Overboard' because the Marquess was said to be such a despicable character, but thankfully it was not. Our heroine is a sweet, kind, and caring individual who finds herself in the awkward position of having to lie to one of her best friends for an honorable reason--to save the Marquess of Westmorland's life. What seems like a little white lie quickly escalates, as lies often do, into a web that Georgiana finds difficult to extract herself from. As you can imagine, the lie leads to a whole lot of trouble and a number of awkward and funny situations.
Rob, the Marquess of Westmorland is handsome, smart, and a notorious rogue who tends to look down his nose at people and mock them. He's the heir of the Duke of Rowland, one of the oldest and richest titles in all of England, and he is considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors of the ton. He also happens to be ill-mannered and mean-spirited. Georgiana has witnessed his cruelty first hand and will not soon forget it. When Rob wakes up three days after he is attacked with amnesia, his personality is notably different. Rob appears to not be all she believed him to be, but is that just because of his amnesia, or is she now seeing a truer version of the man? If his memory returns will he go back to being the man she despises? Georgiana finds she likes the new and improved version of the Marquess and finds herself yearning for things she should not.
Normally I don't like it when a character ends up leaving her betrothed for another man, but in this instance, Georgiana's fiance, Lord Sterling, seemed to not have time for her. The two have been engaged for 2 years and her brother and fiance still hadn't come to terms over her marriage settlements even though her father had set aside specific funds for her dowry. Additionally, he never seemed to want to be with her. He was always gallivanting around with his friends instead of staying with her at various events and functions put on by the ton. When Rob believes himself to be Georgiana's betrothed, the attention he lavishes on her is in stark contrast to that of Sterling. It makes her question her relationship with her fiance, and that's when things get both complicated and interesting.
I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I absolutely loved it. It alternated between being serious, funny, endearing, sweet, and sexy. It also had a touch of drama mixed in towards the end which added whole other level to the story. The chemistry between Georgiana and Rob was so strong it practically scorched my fingers with ever turn of the page. It took some doing for Rob to win me over after finding out what had happened between him and Georgiana, but eventually, he did. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I HIGHLY recommend this one!
Notes to keep you in the Know:
You may wonder whether or not a person's personality can change for the better after severe head trauma, and the answer is 'yes'. Check out the article entitled 'When personality changes from bad to good" written by Christian Jarrett via the following link:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180...
Note: I received an eARC of the book from the publisher for review purposes. This in no way affected my review or rating. As an ARC is not a final version of the book, any quotes I have used are subject to change and will need to be verified against the final copy.
August 8, 2019
What a delight this story turned out to be!!
Lady Georgiana is at her friend Kitty's home to be far away from her cruel brother, when one day they discover that Kitty husband lost their home in a card game to the rakish Marquess of Westmorland, so our Georgie start thinking of ways she could help her dear friend and make him give back the home that was wagered, but as it happens when Rob was making his way to the house he is assaulted and ends up hitting his head, which makes him lose all memory of the past, including the card game he won. After that happened Georgie saw him and after helping him, took him with her to the home to make him recover well. But the problem was that before that happened she had said a lot of bad things about him to her friend and fearing that if her friend knew who he was she would try to take revenge blurted out that he was her beloved fiance Lord Sterling, starting then one deception that she did not know how to end.
This book is a very easy one to read and it is actually pretty light, it does not show darker themes, the writing is marvelous and it has such cuteness and tender moments between our lovesick couple.
I received the arc of this book from Edelweiss, all opinions are my own.
Lady Georgiana is at her friend Kitty's home to be far away from her cruel brother, when one day they discover that Kitty husband lost their home in a card game to the rakish Marquess of Westmorland, so our Georgie start thinking of ways she could help her dear friend and make him give back the home that was wagered, but as it happens when Rob was making his way to the house he is assaulted and ends up hitting his head, which makes him lose all memory of the past, including the card game he won. After that happened Georgie saw him and after helping him, took him with her to the home to make him recover well. But the problem was that before that happened she had said a lot of bad things about him to her friend and fearing that if her friend knew who he was she would try to take revenge blurted out that he was her beloved fiance Lord Sterling, starting then one deception that she did not know how to end.
This book is a very easy one to read and it is actually pretty light, it does not show darker themes, the writing is marvelous and it has such cuteness and tender moments between our lovesick couple.
I received the arc of this book from Edelweiss, all opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2020
The beginning starts of strong. The hero wins a house in a card game. He’s not going to steal someone’s home though. He heads off the the house to give the deed to the guy who gambled it away wife, figuring she would be responsible. But he gets attacked and left for dead on the road.
The heroine finds him and takes him to the manor that she’s staying at which is also the house he won. She thinks the lady of the house will let him die if she finds out he’s the guy stealing her house - so she lies and says it’s her fiancé.
But when he wakes up he can’t remember anything, so it works out 😂
It was really funny until the amnesia plot line was resolved. Then it was ok.
But that cover! Where is his bellybutton??? Why doesn’t he have one???
I’m here to ask the important questions.
The heroine finds him and takes him to the manor that she’s staying at which is also the house he won. She thinks the lady of the house will let him die if she finds out he’s the guy stealing her house - so she lies and says it’s her fiancé.
But when he wakes up he can’t remember anything, so it works out 😂
It was really funny until the amnesia plot line was resolved. Then it was ok.
But that cover! Where is his bellybutton??? Why doesn’t he have one???
I’m here to ask the important questions.
October 7, 2019
Review originally published at Romancing Romances.
I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
3.75*
Caroline Linden has become one of my go-to authors. Her books are always romantic and amusing, and this one was no different.
The main trope that’s present in the book is amnesia, and it’s a trope that sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Here, I think it worked perfectly.
Georgiana is a sweet girl, who saves a man’s life by saying he’s her fiancé, instead of the man the family she is with hates. Lord Westmorland – Rob – is a rake/rogue, and he won a house in a bet. But he’s not a bad guy so, to make sure the house is never lost again, he decides to give it to the man’s family, so that they know what happened, and can keep their property safe. But Kitty, Georgiana’s friend, has been warned that a bad man is arriving at her house to kick her, and her family, out of their home. And Kitty is fierce, so she has all the guns ready to protect what’s hers.
When Georgiana finds a man beaten almost to death, she decides she can’t leave him to die in the street, and gets him to Kitty’s house, and when she sees his face, and discovers that he’s Lord Westmorland (and she was the only one there who had actually met him), she knows she has to lie to make sure Kitty will help him. And, because Rob was beaten in the head, he loses his memory for some time.
Georgiana tends to Rob, and when he wakes up, they start spending more time together, and… I’m sure you can guess what happens. Georgiana and Rob’s love is something at risk, because she’s engaged to someone else, so when Rob’s brother comes to get him, and Rob’s gets his memory back, they come up with a plan, and decide not to see each other again. Of course, days past, and they keep thinking about each other.
There are some family problems regarding Georgiana’s family, and this is more developed at the end of the book. There’s also some mystery that is mostly dealt with at the very end of the book, so it’s not very important throughout the book, but it does drive the story at the end.
It’s a sweet story, with romance and funny moments, with a rakish hero, and a sweet heroine who finds her voice.
I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
3.75*
Caroline Linden has become one of my go-to authors. Her books are always romantic and amusing, and this one was no different.
The main trope that’s present in the book is amnesia, and it’s a trope that sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. Here, I think it worked perfectly.
Georgiana is a sweet girl, who saves a man’s life by saying he’s her fiancé, instead of the man the family she is with hates. Lord Westmorland – Rob – is a rake/rogue, and he won a house in a bet. But he’s not a bad guy so, to make sure the house is never lost again, he decides to give it to the man’s family, so that they know what happened, and can keep their property safe. But Kitty, Georgiana’s friend, has been warned that a bad man is arriving at her house to kick her, and her family, out of their home. And Kitty is fierce, so she has all the guns ready to protect what’s hers.
When Georgiana finds a man beaten almost to death, she decides she can’t leave him to die in the street, and gets him to Kitty’s house, and when she sees his face, and discovers that he’s Lord Westmorland (and she was the only one there who had actually met him), she knows she has to lie to make sure Kitty will help him. And, because Rob was beaten in the head, he loses his memory for some time.
Georgiana tends to Rob, and when he wakes up, they start spending more time together, and… I’m sure you can guess what happens. Georgiana and Rob’s love is something at risk, because she’s engaged to someone else, so when Rob’s brother comes to get him, and Rob’s gets his memory back, they come up with a plan, and decide not to see each other again. Of course, days past, and they keep thinking about each other.
There are some family problems regarding Georgiana’s family, and this is more developed at the end of the book. There’s also some mystery that is mostly dealt with at the very end of the book, so it’s not very important throughout the book, but it does drive the story at the end.
It’s a sweet story, with romance and funny moments, with a rakish hero, and a sweet heroine who finds her voice.
September 21, 2019
I think I just found my new favorite regency romance author. Holy smokes. I love love loveeeed Rob & Georgiana so much and they were just so perfect and wonderful and ooooof so many other words! (Watch me fangirl over them for *years*). Legitimately stayed up until 3am to finish this baby, so you KNOW it was good.
The story is this: boy with a bad reputation gets hurt. Girl with heart of gold helps him the only way she can think of in the moment—by saying they’re engaged. Boy wakes up and actually believes they’re engaged. Adorableness ensues!
The writing is superb. I felt so connected to these characters and their story and I loved how they helped and supported each other throughout the book. Their romance was so well done and genuine I definitely teared up a few times while reading it.
Additionally, I loved how in accordance with the romance plot line, there was also a bigger overarching plot that they had to navigate together. I just....I just loved this book. Please read it.
The story is this: boy with a bad reputation gets hurt. Girl with heart of gold helps him the only way she can think of in the moment—by saying they’re engaged. Boy wakes up and actually believes they’re engaged. Adorableness ensues!
The writing is superb. I felt so connected to these characters and their story and I loved how they helped and supported each other throughout the book. Their romance was so well done and genuine I definitely teared up a few times while reading it.
Additionally, I loved how in accordance with the romance plot line, there was also a bigger overarching plot that they had to navigate together. I just....I just loved this book. Please read it.
September 17, 2019
4.5 stars rounded up
Robert Churchill-Gray, the Marquess of Westmorland is an unabashed rake, but when he spends a wild night with his friends at the Vega Club and ends up winning the deed to a house owned by Sir Charles Winston, his life changes in ways that he could not even begin to comprehend!
Sir Charles spreads it about the Rob cheated and those rumors make it to his mother, who insists that Rob make things right! Rob has no intention of keeping the house, but is annoyed that Winston is blackening his name, he decides to return the deed to Winton’s wife and make it known what her husband did!! But when he is just a few miles from the house, he is attacked and violently beaten.
Lady Georgiana Lucas is visiting her friend Kitty, Lady Winston in Derbyshire when the letter comes from Sir Charles saying that there was some trouble in town and that if the Marquess of Westmorland shows up at the house, they are not to let him in!! Georgiana can only imagine what kind of trouble the marquess has caused, she is not acquainted with him, but she doesn’t like him because she has overheard him making cutting and snide remarks about herself and her friends, and she has even given him the nickname the malicious marquess. Bored of being cooped up in the house, Georgiana goes out riding and when she finds a man unconscious on the road, beaten beyond recognition, she refuses to leave him and brings him back to the house. It isn’t until he has been cleaned up a bit, that she recognizes him, she knows that Kitty has a vicious streak and worries he will die if he doesn’t get help, so she lies and says he is her betrothed Viscount Sterling. She immediately regrets her lie and worries what will happen when he wakes and tries to kick them out of the house!
But when Rob wakes, he has no memory of who he is or why he was in Derbyshire, he believes that Georgiana is his betrothed and thinks he is lucky to have such a wonderful fiancée. Georgiana wants to tell him the truth, but worries that it might cause a setback, but when his brother comes looking for him, she knows her time is up and she must tell him the truth.
Rob overhears her conversation with his brother – and his memory comes rushing back. He is upset to realize that Georgiana has lied to him, but is even more upset to realize she is not his betrothed. The next day she explains everything and they form a plan to have him leave without revealing who he is – he still doesn’t remember why he was in Derbyshire, his brother Tom has told him what happened, but he doesn’t know why he decided to go to the house in the first place. He also wonders why he and his friend Heathcote were gambling so deep, something tickles in the back of his mind that he and Heath were gambling as part of a mission to help Heath’s uncle, but these things are just not clear. They all agree it would be best for Rob to return to his family home and Georgiana will return to London. He doesn’t want things to end, but she is engaged and is not willing to jilt Viscount Sterling.
Georgiana has come to care for Rob, but she has loved Viscount Sterling her whole life – hasn’t she? When she returns to London, she begins to question her feelings for Sterling and his devotion for her.
Rob can’t seem to forget about Georgiana and wonders if he gave up too easily. When his father encourages him to follow his heart, he goes back to London, but the road to HEA is never easy and these two have more going against them than most couples…
This is a nicely paced, well written story with very likeable characters, witty banter, warm love scenes, a truly vile villain, long suffering chaperones, great secondary characters and cameos with Sophie and Wade as well as Lord Phillip, my only real complaint is that I did feel like the villain got off a little too easily. But overall, I enjoyed this story and would be happy to recommend. This is the third book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone without issue.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher.*
Robert Churchill-Gray, the Marquess of Westmorland is an unabashed rake, but when he spends a wild night with his friends at the Vega Club and ends up winning the deed to a house owned by Sir Charles Winston, his life changes in ways that he could not even begin to comprehend!
Sir Charles spreads it about the Rob cheated and those rumors make it to his mother, who insists that Rob make things right! Rob has no intention of keeping the house, but is annoyed that Winston is blackening his name, he decides to return the deed to Winton’s wife and make it known what her husband did!! But when he is just a few miles from the house, he is attacked and violently beaten.
Lady Georgiana Lucas is visiting her friend Kitty, Lady Winston in Derbyshire when the letter comes from Sir Charles saying that there was some trouble in town and that if the Marquess of Westmorland shows up at the house, they are not to let him in!! Georgiana can only imagine what kind of trouble the marquess has caused, she is not acquainted with him, but she doesn’t like him because she has overheard him making cutting and snide remarks about herself and her friends, and she has even given him the nickname the malicious marquess. Bored of being cooped up in the house, Georgiana goes out riding and when she finds a man unconscious on the road, beaten beyond recognition, she refuses to leave him and brings him back to the house. It isn’t until he has been cleaned up a bit, that she recognizes him, she knows that Kitty has a vicious streak and worries he will die if he doesn’t get help, so she lies and says he is her betrothed Viscount Sterling. She immediately regrets her lie and worries what will happen when he wakes and tries to kick them out of the house!
But when Rob wakes, he has no memory of who he is or why he was in Derbyshire, he believes that Georgiana is his betrothed and thinks he is lucky to have such a wonderful fiancée. Georgiana wants to tell him the truth, but worries that it might cause a setback, but when his brother comes looking for him, she knows her time is up and she must tell him the truth.
Rob overhears her conversation with his brother – and his memory comes rushing back. He is upset to realize that Georgiana has lied to him, but is even more upset to realize she is not his betrothed. The next day she explains everything and they form a plan to have him leave without revealing who he is – he still doesn’t remember why he was in Derbyshire, his brother Tom has told him what happened, but he doesn’t know why he decided to go to the house in the first place. He also wonders why he and his friend Heathcote were gambling so deep, something tickles in the back of his mind that he and Heath were gambling as part of a mission to help Heath’s uncle, but these things are just not clear. They all agree it would be best for Rob to return to his family home and Georgiana will return to London. He doesn’t want things to end, but she is engaged and is not willing to jilt Viscount Sterling.
Georgiana has come to care for Rob, but she has loved Viscount Sterling her whole life – hasn’t she? When she returns to London, she begins to question her feelings for Sterling and his devotion for her.
Rob can’t seem to forget about Georgiana and wonders if he gave up too easily. When his father encourages him to follow his heart, he goes back to London, but the road to HEA is never easy and these two have more going against them than most couples…
This is a nicely paced, well written story with very likeable characters, witty banter, warm love scenes, a truly vile villain, long suffering chaperones, great secondary characters and cameos with Sophie and Wade as well as Lord Phillip, my only real complaint is that I did feel like the villain got off a little too easily. But overall, I enjoyed this story and would be happy to recommend. This is the third book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone without issue.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher.*
September 23, 2019
What an absolute joy to read. I adored the characters and the unique twist on the amnesia trope and blazed my way through this in nearly one sitting. When Caroline Linden put Lady Georgiana and Robert Churchill-Gray together, sparks fly from the page.
When Lady Georgiana Lucas makes an impulsive decision, she does so with great panache. She finds herself in the predicament of holding a man's life in her hands and being the good girl, she lies to keep him alive. It's a completely understandable reaction. But what follows is not something she has thought through, and so to keep up pretenses, the lies grow bigger and bigger. But so does affection.
Rob, the Marquess of Westmoreland has just awoken from a near-death experience to see an angel, in the form of Georgiana. Why wouldn't he believe everything she tells him? As she continues to nurse him back to health, a bond grows and the electric connection solidifies. But there are many facts of life separating them and much will need to be tossed aside if we are to see these two together.
I have to say that this book invoked all the feelings that encompass the "warm fuzzies". I found myself smiling at their banter, I felt a flutter in my heart as they so easily develop a friendship, and I was immensely happy with Rob as he sets out to win her heart. They connect on such a cellular level and I loved how Georgiana stood up for herself and her happiness.
This is the first book by Caroline Linden that I've read and it won't be my last. Her writing is impeccable and her gift for storytelling kept me captivated. There's an element of suspense surrounding Georgiana's family fortune which drives the plot forward and gives us cause to be elated with the ending. 5 Stars and recommendation!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
When Lady Georgiana Lucas makes an impulsive decision, she does so with great panache. She finds herself in the predicament of holding a man's life in her hands and being the good girl, she lies to keep him alive. It's a completely understandable reaction. But what follows is not something she has thought through, and so to keep up pretenses, the lies grow bigger and bigger. But so does affection.
Rob, the Marquess of Westmoreland has just awoken from a near-death experience to see an angel, in the form of Georgiana. Why wouldn't he believe everything she tells him? As she continues to nurse him back to health, a bond grows and the electric connection solidifies. But there are many facts of life separating them and much will need to be tossed aside if we are to see these two together.
I have to say that this book invoked all the feelings that encompass the "warm fuzzies". I found myself smiling at their banter, I felt a flutter in my heart as they so easily develop a friendship, and I was immensely happy with Rob as he sets out to win her heart. They connect on such a cellular level and I loved how Georgiana stood up for herself and her happiness.
This is the first book by Caroline Linden that I've read and it won't be my last. Her writing is impeccable and her gift for storytelling kept me captivated. There's an element of suspense surrounding Georgiana's family fortune which drives the plot forward and gives us cause to be elated with the ending. 5 Stars and recommendation!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
November 9, 2023
The whole plot is rather bonkers... (amnesia! fake fiancé! ) ... but in overall, I enjoyed it! More so than the previous book.
Admitedly I was surprised when learning that the main male hero of this book WASN'T the original intended fiancé - since Georgiana had spoken about Sterling for the past two books. However, I think this book was able to show why that relationship wouldn't work.
The only thing that I wasn't completely satisfied about was Rob's "change of personality". I mean, his family was awesome. He didn't have absent parents. But somehow Rob gained reputation as being an a$$hole before he was attacked and nurtured by Georgiana? Was it simply because his circle of friends? But they all ended up wanting to so they weren't all too bad, right? So why acting as a$$hole in the first place? Just men being men??
But yes, apart from that, this one was fun to read.
Admitedly I was surprised when learning that the main male hero of this book WASN'T the original intended fiancé - since Georgiana had spoken about Sterling for the past two books. However, I think this book was able to show why that relationship wouldn't work.
The only thing that I wasn't completely satisfied about was Rob's "change of personality". I mean, his family was awesome. He didn't have absent parents. But somehow Rob gained reputation as being an a$$hole before he was attacked and nurtured by Georgiana? Was it simply because his circle of friends? But they all ended up wanting to so they weren't all too bad, right? So why acting as a$$hole in the first place? Just men being men??
But yes, apart from that, this one was fun to read.
March 9, 2022
Rep: Black side character
October 1, 2019
When the Marquess Was Mine is the third book in The Wagers of Sin series by Caroline Linden. It's completely stand-alone and I do think that the characters from the previous books make an appearance, but I am not certain.
Our hero, the Marquess of Westmorland aka Rob, one drunken night won the deeds to a house and thankfully when he sobered up he decided to return the deed to its owner. On his way to the house though, he was attacked and that resulted in him losing his memory. The house belonged to the husband of one of Georgiana's friends whose name was Kitty and our heroine happens to stay at their place when Rob was attacked. She recognizes who he is since she knew him from before and makes the rushed decision to lie about his identity in order for Kitty to provide him proper care. You see, Kitty's husband portrayed him as an awful person and warned his wife to now allow him into their home. When Rob wakes up, he has no idea who he is and Georgiana is keeping up with her lie.
I know that some people have issues with Georgiana's lies, but I believe that she did the best she could with the situation she was in. I am a big fan of the amnesia plots and this one was done very well. What I didn't like much was the secondary plot that had to do with Georgiana's actual fiance and the reasons why she hadn't married him in the 2 years she had been waiting for him. There is more than one can imagine and I believe that it could have been developed even more or not added at all. Sterling (the fiance) was an interesting character and I would like to see more of him.
I liked the romance between Georgiana and Rob. Georgiana is in love with the idea of Sterling rather than Sterling himself, but that didn't make the situation better. He was an obstacle. At least there was always a connection and a lot of chemistry between Georgiana and Rob that made the whole fiance plot a little more easy to digest. They had a lovely relationship!
Overall, I would recommend the book because it was a good story, with a good pace for most of it and likable characters.
Our hero, the Marquess of Westmorland aka Rob, one drunken night won the deeds to a house and thankfully when he sobered up he decided to return the deed to its owner. On his way to the house though, he was attacked and that resulted in him losing his memory. The house belonged to the husband of one of Georgiana's friends whose name was Kitty and our heroine happens to stay at their place when Rob was attacked. She recognizes who he is since she knew him from before and makes the rushed decision to lie about his identity in order for Kitty to provide him proper care. You see, Kitty's husband portrayed him as an awful person and warned his wife to now allow him into their home. When Rob wakes up, he has no idea who he is and Georgiana is keeping up with her lie.
I know that some people have issues with Georgiana's lies, but I believe that she did the best she could with the situation she was in. I am a big fan of the amnesia plots and this one was done very well. What I didn't like much was the secondary plot that had to do with Georgiana's actual fiance and the reasons why she hadn't married him in the 2 years she had been waiting for him. There is more than one can imagine and I believe that it could have been developed even more or not added at all. Sterling (the fiance) was an interesting character and I would like to see more of him.
I liked the romance between Georgiana and Rob. Georgiana is in love with the idea of Sterling rather than Sterling himself, but that didn't make the situation better. He was an obstacle. At least there was always a connection and a lot of chemistry between Georgiana and Rob that made the whole fiance plot a little more easy to digest. They had a lovely relationship!
Overall, I would recommend the book because it was a good story, with a good pace for most of it and likable characters.
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