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Rakes & Rebels: The Raveneau Family #3
Smuggler's Moon
A marriage begun in deception...
Julia Faircloth is used to managing the lives of her eccentric relatives, so when darkly compelling Lord Sebastian Trevarre arrives in Bath and proposes to her shy sister Sarah, she switches places with the bride to save her from what she imagines will be a shockingly carnal wedding night.
Against his better judgment, Sebastian can't resist consummating his accidental marriage to the most provoking, appealing woman he's ever known...and passions smolder as they continue to share a bed in his neglected, enchanting estate in Cornwall. Life there is turbulent, not least because Sebastian keeps many secrets. Will his reckless pursuits restore his fortune - or cost him the lady who holds his heart?
Step back in time to magical 1798 Cornwall, England, with Julia and Sebastian - and reunite with André and Devon Raveneau, as André discovers that his life and Sebastian's are inextricably linked.
Julia Faircloth is used to managing the lives of her eccentric relatives, so when darkly compelling Lord Sebastian Trevarre arrives in Bath and proposes to her shy sister Sarah, she switches places with the bride to save her from what she imagines will be a shockingly carnal wedding night.
Against his better judgment, Sebastian can't resist consummating his accidental marriage to the most provoking, appealing woman he's ever known...and passions smolder as they continue to share a bed in his neglected, enchanting estate in Cornwall. Life there is turbulent, not least because Sebastian keeps many secrets. Will his reckless pursuits restore his fortune - or cost him the lady who holds his heart?
Step back in time to magical 1798 Cornwall, England, with Julia and Sebastian - and reunite with André and Devon Raveneau, as André discovers that his life and Sebastian's are inextricably linked.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2014
839 people are currently reading
667 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Wright
59 books474 followersCynthia Wright is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, best known for her Rakes & Rebels series, 16 intertwining historical romances starring the irresistible Raveneau & Beauvisage families. Her other acclaimed series are Crowns & Kilts and Rogues Go West. Romantic Times Magazine hails Cynthia's novels as "Romance the way it was meant to be."
Cynthia lives in northern California. She enjoys riding a tandem bike and taking road trips in an airstream trailer with her Colombian-born husband, Alvaro & their corgi, Watson. She is also devoted to her two teenage grandsons who live nearby.
You are invited to visit Cynthia's website (where you can sign up for her newsletter and peruse the Books Page):
http://cynthiawrightauthor.com/
You are invited to join Cynthia's private Facebook reader group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/98606...
View her "Behind the Books" boards on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/cynthiawright77/
RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family series:
1 - SILVER STORM (André & Devon)
2 - HER HUSBAND, THE RAKE: a sequel novella (André & Devon)
3 - SMUGGLER'S MOON (Sebastian & Julia)
4 - THE SECRET OF LOVE (Gabriel & Isabella)
5 - SURRENDER THE STARS (Ryan & Lindsay)
6 - HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE (Justin & Mouette)
7 - HER IMPOSSIBLE HUSBAND (Justin & Mouette)
8 - HER SECRET ROGUE (Anthony & Frederica)
9 - HIS FIERY ANGEL (Benedict & Camille)
10 - HIS RECKLESS BARGAIN (Nathan & Adrienne)
11 - TEMPEST (Adam & Cathy)
RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family intertwines with RAKES & REBELS: The Beauvisage Family series:
1 - STOLEN BY A PIRATE: a prequel novella to RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Jean-Philippe & Antonia)
2 -RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Alec & Caro)
3 - TOUCH THE SUN (Lion & Meagan)
4 - SPRING FIRES (Nicholai & Lisette)
5 - HER DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (Grey & Natalya)
CROWNS & KILTS: The St. Briac Family
1 - YOU & NO OTHER (Thomas & Aimee)
2 - OF ONE HEART (Andrew & Micheline)
3 - ABDUCTED AT THE ALTAR (Christophe & Fiona)
4 - RETURN OF THE LOST BRIDE (Ciaran & Violette)
5 - QUEST OF THE HIGHLANDER (Lennox & Nora)
ROGUES GO WEST
1 - BRIGHTER THAN GOLD (Jack & Katie)
2 - IN A RENEGADE'S EMBRACE (Fox & Maddie)
3 - THE DUKE & THE COWGIRL (Geoff & Shelby)
Read less
Cynthia lives in northern California. She enjoys riding a tandem bike and taking road trips in an airstream trailer with her Colombian-born husband, Alvaro & their corgi, Watson. She is also devoted to her two teenage grandsons who live nearby.
You are invited to visit Cynthia's website (where you can sign up for her newsletter and peruse the Books Page):
http://cynthiawrightauthor.com/
You are invited to join Cynthia's private Facebook reader group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/98606...
View her "Behind the Books" boards on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/cynthiawright77/
RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family series:
1 - SILVER STORM (André & Devon)
2 - HER HUSBAND, THE RAKE: a sequel novella (André & Devon)
3 - SMUGGLER'S MOON (Sebastian & Julia)
4 - THE SECRET OF LOVE (Gabriel & Isabella)
5 - SURRENDER THE STARS (Ryan & Lindsay)
6 - HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE (Justin & Mouette)
7 - HER IMPOSSIBLE HUSBAND (Justin & Mouette)
8 - HER SECRET ROGUE (Anthony & Frederica)
9 - HIS FIERY ANGEL (Benedict & Camille)
10 - HIS RECKLESS BARGAIN (Nathan & Adrienne)
11 - TEMPEST (Adam & Cathy)
RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family intertwines with RAKES & REBELS: The Beauvisage Family series:
1 - STOLEN BY A PIRATE: a prequel novella to RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Jean-Philippe & Antonia)
2 -RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Alec & Caro)
3 - TOUCH THE SUN (Lion & Meagan)
4 - SPRING FIRES (Nicholai & Lisette)
5 - HER DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (Grey & Natalya)
CROWNS & KILTS: The St. Briac Family
1 - YOU & NO OTHER (Thomas & Aimee)
2 - OF ONE HEART (Andrew & Micheline)
3 - ABDUCTED AT THE ALTAR (Christophe & Fiona)
4 - RETURN OF THE LOST BRIDE (Ciaran & Violette)
5 - QUEST OF THE HIGHLANDER (Lennox & Nora)
ROGUES GO WEST
1 - BRIGHTER THAN GOLD (Jack & Katie)
2 - IN A RENEGADE'S EMBRACE (Fox & Maddie)
3 - THE DUKE & THE COWGIRL (Geoff & Shelby)
Read less
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
August 18, 2024
Review from 2014
A for narration / B for content.
Smuggler’s Moon is the first new book from Cynthia Wright in around twenty years, and is the first in a new series called The Raveneaus in Cornwall, set at the very end of the 18th century. Brother to a marquess, Lord Sebastian Trevarre has recently resigned his navy commission and returned to England with the intention of managing the horse-breeding business in Hampshire that he had helped his late mother to set up some years previously. But his brother has lost the bulk of the family fortune at the gaming tables, and Sebastian can think of only one way of amassing a suitably large amount of money quickly enough to enable him to achieve his goal. He repairs to Bath with the intention of gambling his way to solvency and meets with considerable success.
Not long after his arrival, he is unexpectedly confronted by Miss Julia Faircloth, who has discovered that her father owes Sebastian a great deal of money. Julia is one of life’s organisers and has spent most of her life managing the household because her parents were never able to deal with the practicalities of family life. There is a strong undercurrent of attraction between the pair from the moment they meet, but Sebastian recognises immediately that Julia is not the sort of woman who would make for an easy life. Which is why, following the sudden death of Mr Faircloth after he has lost his home and what little money he had left to Sebastian, the latter proposes marriage not to Julia, but to her timid sister, Sarah, believing she will make him a comfortable, docile wife who will allow him to do exactly as he pleases without challenge or interference.
Sarah is in love with someone else, and Julia, knowing her sister could never cope with a man like Sebastian, decides it’s down to her to find a way to keep a roof over her family’s head and to prevent Sarah’s marriage to a man who will make her miserable.
I admit, when I read in the synopsis that Julia tricks Sebastian into marrying her instead, I rolled my eyes at the idea. But Ms Wright actually manages to make it work fairly well, by setting up the scene in such a way as to make the possibility that Sebastian could mistake one sister for the other just vaguely plausible.
It’s only when the newlyweds arrive at Trevarre House in London that Sebastian learns the full extent of his brother’s recklessness. Not only has he gambled away the family fortune, he has sold off almost all his property and decamped to Italy.
Fortunately for Sebastian and his bride, the new owner of the London house is an old family friend, André Raveneau (hero of Silver Storm, first in Ms Wright’s Raveneau series), who insists they stay for a few days while Sebastian attempts to make sense of his situation. When all is said and done, he has only one place he can call his own – Trevarre House in Cornwall, a place he hates and would never willingly return. But he has no alternative, and begins to formulate a plan as to how he can make enough money to enable him to get out of Cornwall as quickly as he can, buy back the Hampshire estate and start breeding horses.
This plan, as anyone who knows anything about Cornwall at this period (or who is familiar with Winston Graham’s Poldark novels) will suspect, is going to have something to do with the “free trade” – or smuggling. It’s risky, but it offers large, swift profits, so Sebastian quickly gets to work, and with the help of his manservant, Keswick, and neighbour, Viscount Senwick, quickly puts his plans into motion.
While he is doing this, Julia – who has no idea about his intentions – rolls up her sleeves (literally as well as metaphorically) and gets to work on the house, cleaning, fixing and even cooking, battling with lazy servants and licking everything and everyone into shape. She’s an attractive heroine – strong and independently minded, but not to the extent of being TSTL. At Trevarre, she finds the home she has always longed for, and cannot understand Sebastian’s reluctance to put down roots there.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this story – in fact, I enjoyed it so much, I could have listened to it in one sitting if I hadn’t had other things to do! The descriptions of the Cornish landscape and villages are very evocative, the writing style is quite lyrical, and the story is well paced. The author takes the time to establish her settings and characters, and to develop a strong story outside of the romance while also giving the romance prominence and the time to evolve in a way that felt organic and naturalistic. Sebastian and Julia have great chemistry, the love scenes are sensual without being overly explicit, (although the author does occasionally indulge in the odd bit of purplish prose!) and most importantly, we see them getting to know each other, falling in love and working together to build something – a home and a marriage. It’s not all plain sailing (!) as there are secrets and other obstacles to be overcome, but they don’t throw petulant tantrums or blame each other; refreshingly, they adapt and try to find a way to work things out. There is a dash of adventure in the latter part of the book, too, as Sebastian’s schemes come to threaten both their marriage and their lives.
Rosalyn Landor’s performance in terms of both characterisation and narrative is every bit as good as I’ve come to expect from her. Every character is distinctly and appropriately voiced and she employs a wide variety of English regional accents as well as authentic-sounding French and American ones, switching seamlessly between them all on numerous occasions. Sebastian and Viscount Senwick, appear in many scenes together, but are always easy to tell apart, and Ms Landor once again exercises her talent for portraying smarmy villains in the form of Mr Adolphus Lynton, a former suitor of Julia’s, who is now an Excise Officer determined to smash the local smuggling rings.
The female roles are all similarly well-differentiated and the narration is smooth, nuanced and beautifully delivered. Ms Landor’s considerable vocal range and her ability to find the emotional heart of the characters continue to impress, and I’d recommend Smuggler’s Moon to anyone who enjoys an historical romance with a spot of derring-do and high-seas adventure.
A for narration / B for content.
Smuggler’s Moon is the first new book from Cynthia Wright in around twenty years, and is the first in a new series called The Raveneaus in Cornwall, set at the very end of the 18th century. Brother to a marquess, Lord Sebastian Trevarre has recently resigned his navy commission and returned to England with the intention of managing the horse-breeding business in Hampshire that he had helped his late mother to set up some years previously. But his brother has lost the bulk of the family fortune at the gaming tables, and Sebastian can think of only one way of amassing a suitably large amount of money quickly enough to enable him to achieve his goal. He repairs to Bath with the intention of gambling his way to solvency and meets with considerable success.
Not long after his arrival, he is unexpectedly confronted by Miss Julia Faircloth, who has discovered that her father owes Sebastian a great deal of money. Julia is one of life’s organisers and has spent most of her life managing the household because her parents were never able to deal with the practicalities of family life. There is a strong undercurrent of attraction between the pair from the moment they meet, but Sebastian recognises immediately that Julia is not the sort of woman who would make for an easy life. Which is why, following the sudden death of Mr Faircloth after he has lost his home and what little money he had left to Sebastian, the latter proposes marriage not to Julia, but to her timid sister, Sarah, believing she will make him a comfortable, docile wife who will allow him to do exactly as he pleases without challenge or interference.
Sarah is in love with someone else, and Julia, knowing her sister could never cope with a man like Sebastian, decides it’s down to her to find a way to keep a roof over her family’s head and to prevent Sarah’s marriage to a man who will make her miserable.
I admit, when I read in the synopsis that Julia tricks Sebastian into marrying her instead, I rolled my eyes at the idea. But Ms Wright actually manages to make it work fairly well, by setting up the scene in such a way as to make the possibility that Sebastian could mistake one sister for the other just vaguely plausible.
It’s only when the newlyweds arrive at Trevarre House in London that Sebastian learns the full extent of his brother’s recklessness. Not only has he gambled away the family fortune, he has sold off almost all his property and decamped to Italy.
Fortunately for Sebastian and his bride, the new owner of the London house is an old family friend, André Raveneau (hero of Silver Storm, first in Ms Wright’s Raveneau series), who insists they stay for a few days while Sebastian attempts to make sense of his situation. When all is said and done, he has only one place he can call his own – Trevarre House in Cornwall, a place he hates and would never willingly return. But he has no alternative, and begins to formulate a plan as to how he can make enough money to enable him to get out of Cornwall as quickly as he can, buy back the Hampshire estate and start breeding horses.
This plan, as anyone who knows anything about Cornwall at this period (or who is familiar with Winston Graham’s Poldark novels) will suspect, is going to have something to do with the “free trade” – or smuggling. It’s risky, but it offers large, swift profits, so Sebastian quickly gets to work, and with the help of his manservant, Keswick, and neighbour, Viscount Senwick, quickly puts his plans into motion.
While he is doing this, Julia – who has no idea about his intentions – rolls up her sleeves (literally as well as metaphorically) and gets to work on the house, cleaning, fixing and even cooking, battling with lazy servants and licking everything and everyone into shape. She’s an attractive heroine – strong and independently minded, but not to the extent of being TSTL. At Trevarre, she finds the home she has always longed for, and cannot understand Sebastian’s reluctance to put down roots there.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this story – in fact, I enjoyed it so much, I could have listened to it in one sitting if I hadn’t had other things to do! The descriptions of the Cornish landscape and villages are very evocative, the writing style is quite lyrical, and the story is well paced. The author takes the time to establish her settings and characters, and to develop a strong story outside of the romance while also giving the romance prominence and the time to evolve in a way that felt organic and naturalistic. Sebastian and Julia have great chemistry, the love scenes are sensual without being overly explicit, (although the author does occasionally indulge in the odd bit of purplish prose!) and most importantly, we see them getting to know each other, falling in love and working together to build something – a home and a marriage. It’s not all plain sailing (!) as there are secrets and other obstacles to be overcome, but they don’t throw petulant tantrums or blame each other; refreshingly, they adapt and try to find a way to work things out. There is a dash of adventure in the latter part of the book, too, as Sebastian’s schemes come to threaten both their marriage and their lives.
Rosalyn Landor’s performance in terms of both characterisation and narrative is every bit as good as I’ve come to expect from her. Every character is distinctly and appropriately voiced and she employs a wide variety of English regional accents as well as authentic-sounding French and American ones, switching seamlessly between them all on numerous occasions. Sebastian and Viscount Senwick, appear in many scenes together, but are always easy to tell apart, and Ms Landor once again exercises her talent for portraying smarmy villains in the form of Mr Adolphus Lynton, a former suitor of Julia’s, who is now an Excise Officer determined to smash the local smuggling rings.
The female roles are all similarly well-differentiated and the narration is smooth, nuanced and beautifully delivered. Ms Landor’s considerable vocal range and her ability to find the emotional heart of the characters continue to impress, and I’d recommend Smuggler’s Moon to anyone who enjoys an historical romance with a spot of derring-do and high-seas adventure.
May 6, 2015
Just OK..
A good story but I would have thought Sebastian would have been a LOT angrier about being tricked into marrying Julia instead of Sarah. He just seemed to kind of accept it. I can’t see a man accepting that so nonchalantly. It looks like he would have been livid.
And, good grief! If Julia was going to find a wounded animal did it have to be a vicious animal like a badger. It wasn’t like she could keep it. It seemed like it was just added to take up space in the book. It added nothing to the story. And then she went and found another one? Geeeez!
Anyway, it’s another really long book that repeats itself and is so wordy, 368 pages, and almost 11 hours on Audible. Think I’ll go back to 150 to 250 page books. They tell me a good story without all the claptrap of larger books.
By the time it got right down to the smuggling, about 75%, I just knew Julia was going to take the holier-than-thou attitude and tell Sebastian he had to quit immediately. I really got tired of her thinking she knew what was best for everyone around her, it became very irritating.
This book was really best in the last 25%. And the secondary characters, Sarah, Freddy, Polly, Keswick, Tristan, and that creep, Adolphus, were all great. Even the creep you just loved to hate.
I can’t see myself reading another book by this author unless she starts writing smaller ones. She can tell a good story, and write good sex scenes, but it could have had a lot less pages, IMO.
A good story but I would have thought Sebastian would have been a LOT angrier about being tricked into marrying Julia instead of Sarah. He just seemed to kind of accept it. I can’t see a man accepting that so nonchalantly. It looks like he would have been livid.
And, good grief! If Julia was going to find a wounded animal did it have to be a vicious animal like a badger. It wasn’t like she could keep it. It seemed like it was just added to take up space in the book. It added nothing to the story. And then she went and found another one? Geeeez!
Anyway, it’s another really long book that repeats itself and is so wordy, 368 pages, and almost 11 hours on Audible. Think I’ll go back to 150 to 250 page books. They tell me a good story without all the claptrap of larger books.
By the time it got right down to the smuggling, about 75%, I just knew Julia was going to take the holier-than-thou attitude and tell Sebastian he had to quit immediately. I really got tired of her thinking she knew what was best for everyone around her, it became very irritating.
This book was really best in the last 25%. And the secondary characters, Sarah, Freddy, Polly, Keswick, Tristan, and that creep, Adolphus, were all great. Even the creep you just loved to hate.
I can’t see myself reading another book by this author unless she starts writing smaller ones. She can tell a good story, and write good sex scenes, but it could have had a lot less pages, IMO.
July 10, 2018
I mostly listened to this book on Audible, but also read part of it — the narration of the book was enjoyable to listen to, which probably added to my enjoyment of the book.
There were, however, times that the descriptions were more drawn out than I thought needed to be, but as I stated in the last book I reviewed in this series, I might attest that to when this book was actually written, and how the times and styles of writing have changed. Neither good nor bad, just different and noticeable for me.
This series HAS kept me interested though and I’ve enjoyed how characters from previous books have played parts in each! This is not my normal timeframe of Historical romance reading, but I’m enjoying it none the less!
There were, however, times that the descriptions were more drawn out than I thought needed to be, but as I stated in the last book I reviewed in this series, I might attest that to when this book was actually written, and how the times and styles of writing have changed. Neither good nor bad, just different and noticeable for me.
This series HAS kept me interested though and I’ve enjoyed how characters from previous books have played parts in each! This is not my normal timeframe of Historical romance reading, but I’m enjoying it none the less!
January 4, 2021
5+ stars for Smugglers Moon. So many twists n turns to this wonderful story. I loved it when the setting moved to Cornwall, a favourite part of England of mine. Julia and Sebastian first meeting didn’t start off well, with a trick or two along the way their relationship blossomed. This was a thrilling and compelling story in more ways than one, I couldn’t put it down.
I love how Cynthia Wright weaves her stories and would highly recommend her books
I love how Cynthia Wright weaves her stories and would highly recommend her books
October 8, 2024
More slice of life than romance. I'm beginning to think this is how Cynthia Wright writes her romances.
January 24, 2014
Originally Reviewed For: Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
Smuggler's Moon takes place after Spring Fires and before Surrender the Stars.. we see Devon and Andre as parents but to children not grown adults. I'm not sure why, I just think Cindy likes that era.. Ok, enough with the build up, here's the real review..
Julia Fairchild is the only rational adult in her family, maybe the only rational member at all, that remains to be seen.. She has been taking care of the basics from a very young age as her parents seem unable to handle basic day to day life. But then her father had a purpose and now that he's inherited a home and a nice annuity one would think life would get just a little better. But nope, now it seems he has a need to gamble it away.. honestly just when life had a chance of being interesting. When he is found dead Julia is mortified to discover that Lord "Satan" AKA Lord Sebastian Trevarre has managed to win everything. The family is stranded, desperate and willing to sell of a daughter to make things better. Sebastian thinks he wants sweet sister Sarah but Julia knows that will never work. So she sacrifices all and marries him herself.
Lord Sebastian Trevarre is trying to discover how his scapegrace of a brother has managed to lose everything. A game of cards or two hundred it seems. Just returned from six years in the Navy, Sebastian has nothing. No estate that was promised him, no money and worse all of his prized breeding stock has been sold off. To say he is furious would be putting it mildly. But he has a plan.. if only that Julia Fairchild would leave him alone and stay out of his mind. Is it his fault her father insisted on that last bet? That money could send Sebastian back to the world he was born in. But for some reason Sebastian feels for the Fairchild family and offers a proposition. Let him marry meek and mild Miss Sarah and the rest of the family can stay in their home, he'll even give them an allowance. Perfect! Right? *rolls eyes* men can be so dense. Fortunately for him Julia has a plan...
In typical Wright fashion the heroine has a plan.. and it's not as insane as some of the other "plans" that her heroines have come up with. All she has to do is marry Sebastian herself.. and of course get him to accept that marriage rather than annul it. The plan is a bit simplistic and makes Sebastian look a little dimwitted but.. she did manage to get him plenty drunk so it works. Of course once married that's not the end of things.. Nope it seems like they are not only totally without funds but brother dear also sold off the London Townhouse.. to the Raveneaus, old friends of his mother's. Now the only place they have left to live is in a drafty, run down estate in Cornwall. A Place Sebastian hates..
Yet together they manage to collect an assortment of friends and create a life worth living. Working separately but eventually finding their way to each other.. When reality slaps them both upside the head. A sweet story, lacking the darkness that is in, in today's regency romances. This book gives hope.. it is romance pure and simple.. and it doesn't hurt that we see dear friends in the process.
Another name that might be familiar is St Briac.. yeppers.. Thomas' descendants play a part and they have that Mardouet swagger that I fell in love with. I was worried about timing and how she was going to play this out. Worry not, Cindy gave them a perfect history.
So.. what did I really think of this book? For those Wright lovers out there Cindy has managed to grow into today's writing expectations without losing the thing that makes it a work by Wright. A grown up Cynthia Wright book! I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to many more books from her.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Smuggler's Moon, provided by Ms Wright for an honest opinion.
Smuggler's Moon takes place after Spring Fires and before Surrender the Stars.. we see Devon and Andre as parents but to children not grown adults. I'm not sure why, I just think Cindy likes that era.. Ok, enough with the build up, here's the real review..
Julia Fairchild is the only rational adult in her family, maybe the only rational member at all, that remains to be seen.. She has been taking care of the basics from a very young age as her parents seem unable to handle basic day to day life. But then her father had a purpose and now that he's inherited a home and a nice annuity one would think life would get just a little better. But nope, now it seems he has a need to gamble it away.. honestly just when life had a chance of being interesting. When he is found dead Julia is mortified to discover that Lord "Satan" AKA Lord Sebastian Trevarre has managed to win everything. The family is stranded, desperate and willing to sell of a daughter to make things better. Sebastian thinks he wants sweet sister Sarah but Julia knows that will never work. So she sacrifices all and marries him herself.
Lord Sebastian Trevarre is trying to discover how his scapegrace of a brother has managed to lose everything. A game of cards or two hundred it seems. Just returned from six years in the Navy, Sebastian has nothing. No estate that was promised him, no money and worse all of his prized breeding stock has been sold off. To say he is furious would be putting it mildly. But he has a plan.. if only that Julia Fairchild would leave him alone and stay out of his mind. Is it his fault her father insisted on that last bet? That money could send Sebastian back to the world he was born in. But for some reason Sebastian feels for the Fairchild family and offers a proposition. Let him marry meek and mild Miss Sarah and the rest of the family can stay in their home, he'll even give them an allowance. Perfect! Right? *rolls eyes* men can be so dense. Fortunately for him Julia has a plan...
In typical Wright fashion the heroine has a plan.. and it's not as insane as some of the other "plans" that her heroines have come up with. All she has to do is marry Sebastian herself.. and of course get him to accept that marriage rather than annul it. The plan is a bit simplistic and makes Sebastian look a little dimwitted but.. she did manage to get him plenty drunk so it works. Of course once married that's not the end of things.. Nope it seems like they are not only totally without funds but brother dear also sold off the London Townhouse.. to the Raveneaus, old friends of his mother's. Now the only place they have left to live is in a drafty, run down estate in Cornwall. A Place Sebastian hates..
Yet together they manage to collect an assortment of friends and create a life worth living. Working separately but eventually finding their way to each other.. When reality slaps them both upside the head. A sweet story, lacking the darkness that is in, in today's regency romances. This book gives hope.. it is romance pure and simple.. and it doesn't hurt that we see dear friends in the process.
Another name that might be familiar is St Briac.. yeppers.. Thomas' descendants play a part and they have that Mardouet swagger that I fell in love with. I was worried about timing and how she was going to play this out. Worry not, Cindy gave them a perfect history.
So.. what did I really think of this book? For those Wright lovers out there Cindy has managed to grow into today's writing expectations without losing the thing that makes it a work by Wright. A grown up Cynthia Wright book! I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to many more books from her.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Smuggler's Moon, provided by Ms Wright for an honest opinion.
August 18, 2024
**0.5**
Recensione Luuuuunga, noiosa e cosí così,come il romanzo e tutta spoiler.⚠️
Sound on travellers, che ho trovato LA colonna sonora del libro che accompagnerà la recensione: ve la ricordate la canzone di Max Gazzè "ti sembra normale?" .
C'è l'inciso perfetto per descrivere la Julia Faircloth,la protagonista .
"Se fosse vero che una donna non sa
Cos'è un pensiero senza complicità
Proprio tu dovevi fare eccezione
Sei la quintessenza dell'avversione, pare
Ma sotto questa tua corazza lo so
C'è una ragazza che sta lì in bilico
Sopra il solito ancestrale timore
Che hanno tutti di lasciarsi soltanto andare
Dimmi a questo punto che son l'unico per te😏".
Lei è la sposa scambiata che dà il titolo al libro, lei che si "immola" al posto della sorella Sara a cui assomiglia quasi come una goccia d'acqua.
Decide di sacrificarsi perché Sara è quasi fidanzata con un poeta che la adora. e all'idea di sposare Lord Sebastian -o Satana- come lo ha dolcemente ribattezzato Julia, le si spezza il cuore.
Siccome Julia è quella abituata a risolvere i casini della famiglia (i genitori sono due che vivono nel mondo dei mammoli, si dice così anche da voi?), ma io penso soprattutto perché ha visto quanto è gnocco lord Sebastian che le fa provare sensazioni contrastanti e ondate di brividi sconosciuti, dice che ci penserà lei all'uomo che ha vinto a carte la casa di famiglia. Uomo che odia con tutta se stessa e a cui imputa le disgrazie capitate, ultima la morte del padre.
È talmente accecata dall'odio che non vede che lui sta facendo (quasi)un'opera pia: per consentire alla vedova e ai figli del defunto di restare nella loro dimora è disposto a sposare la più dolce delle sorelle Faircloth.
Un matrimonio senza amore, ma l'amore non c'entra qui. Per ora.
Insomma, attraverso un "raffinatissimo " escamotage - farlo ubriacare, celebrare il matrimonio nella penombra, e vi risparmio le altre assurdità -Lord Sebastian si lega per la vita a Julia.
Che io vorrei solo dire un paio di cose: ma la scrittrice non poteva farle gemelle 'ste sorelle?Si sarebbero risparmiate decine di pagine e tedio.
E perché lord Sebastian non ha annullato il matrimonio, dato che è stato fatto con l'inganno e Julia sarà eccitante, ma è come la sabbia nelle mutande? Solo perché han consumato? E poi : sei un libertino,hai avuto centinaia di signorine,ma proprio con la maggiore delle Faircloth?!
Qui per me già il romanzo poteva finire, ma no. Non è soltanto un romance,ci deve essere anche una parte avventurosa, di cui credo nessuno sentiva il bisogno .
Siccome lord Sebastian non è che navighi nell' oro per via dei debiti di gioco del fratello ( debiti che lui cercava di sanare nel medesimo modo,così ha conosciuto il padre di Julia .... Ma è un vizio di famiglia?), porta Julia nell' unico posto che gli è rimasto : una catapecchia in Cornovaglia che lei trova adorabile e che lei si mette a sistemare in stile " Case nella brughiera con Christina" o " Extreme makeover Cornovaglia edition".
Perché in Cornovaglia direte voi? Perché altrimenti come avrebbe fatto a darsi al brigantaggio per arrotondare e per aiutare i poveri pescatori che devono usare le acciughe come fertilizzante perché il sale costa un occhio della testa ?!
Comunque ad un certo punto un l'avvocato -mi pare- di famiglia gli domanda:
" Perché non vendere Turbans e utilizzare il ricavato per le vostre necessità finanziarie? Dopotutto, non è colpa vostra se quel tale Faircloth aveva il vizio del gioco! Avreste potuto comunque concedere alla famiglia una modesta rendita in nome della carità cristiana". Magari!!! Ma poi a pag 127 avremmo finito di leggere... Vuoi non frantumarti le ⚽⚽ per altre 300 pagine?...
Tornando alla "bizzarra" storia:
Mentre lui si diverte a metterla nel sacco a chi li stanga di tasse ( senza però rivelare il segreto a sua moglie: PERCHÉ?!), Julia non contenta di rassettare,cucinare, sollazzarsi col marito e poi prenderlo a male parole, fa passeggiate nella natura ,dove trova cuccioli feriti (tra cui un tasso) che porta a casa e rimette in sesto. A metà tra San Francesco e Licia Colò.
Che poi si capiscono le perplessità di un uomo che trova una bestia selvatica in giro per casa , no? No, se sei come Julia che deve sempre dire la sua.
Vi siete persi? Bene , perché ad un certo punto anche io ero lì a chiedermi " che cavolo sto leggendo ?!" .
ma non è finita qui :sulla scena spunta il vecchio pretendente di Julia, che manco a farlo apposta è "L' ispettore del Sale" che cerca di acchiappare i briganti ; spuntano la madre con un nuovo fidanzato e anche Sarah e Freddy. Senza dimenticare Lord Revenau che ha nel cuore un segreto che rivelerà in un colpo di scena così prevedibile che in tre battute è tutto risolto, addirittura è Lord Sebastian a dire " me lo aspettavo.".
Sarah informa che non sta più con il poeta, che gli è venuto a noia poco dopo che Julia si è sposata.
COSA?!COSA!?
Io l' avrei strozzata! Miss mammoletta fragile confida candidamente di essersi stufata del suo corteggiatore quando duecento pagine prima affermava che sarebbe morta senza di lui?! Ma io ti prendo a schiaffi a due a due finché non diventano dispari! Al posto di Julia l'avrei strozzata!! Ha fatto tutto 'sto casino per garantirle la sua storia della vita e lei se ne esce cosi.
E mi si era acceso un barlume di speranza : magari Julia va in crisi perché Sebastian sa che Sarah è libera e potrebbe voler lei, come già dall' inizio? Macché Julia ha una sicumera tale per cui il dubbio non la sfiora.
Il vero colpo di scena (?) c'è verso la fine, quando l' Ispettore del Sale spara a Julia e lei nemmeno se ne accorge, travolta com'è dalla consapevolezza di amare il suo uomo. E non lo deduco io, lo dice Tristan, amico di Sebastian:
“Non potevate sapere che era stata colpita; nemmeno lei se n’è accorta prima di vedere il sangue!"
Il dramma li unisce e fa pronunciare il tanto agognato " Ti amo/ voglio te/sei l'amore della mia vita". E perché non ricelebrare il matrimonio onesto (sic.)stavolta con tutti i crismi?
E grazie a Dio finisce la storia. Con una nota dell' autrice che dice che i luoghi della storia sono reali e che ha creato una bacheca su Pinterest.
E io mi son detta: dato che dalle descrizioni si capisce poco perché non veder la bacheca? ma la bacheca non c'è!!! L' Unica cosa che avrei visto con curiosità e gioia non c'è."Cribbio!!" Per dirlo come direbbe Julia.
Una cosa,una carina poteva esserci ,e invece non c'è!!
Questo romanzo è stato una perdita di tempo, son andata avanti per la sfida e per vedere fino a che punto osasse arrivare l' autrice in questo minestrone di roba.
- cambio d' identità
- mistero,intrighi
- avverbi dappertutto come il prezzemolo
- Julia che viene travolta . È il verbo che più è usato per lei e i sentimenti che prova.
-"l 'ampio petto, che era al tempo stesso duro, caldo e infinitamente attraente. "👩 Donne facciamo outing: anche i vostri mariti /compagni /fidanzati/ amici hanno il petto attraente????
- dialoghi senza pathos
- scene a caso
- personaggi che sembrano scemi e se lo dicono pure.
-un anello a forma di occhio ( un po' Schiaparelli,in po' conte Olaf se avete presente)
Quindi per questo romanzo il mio voto è 0,5 stelle. Solo perché il vichingo sculaccione è il metro di paragone... e qui siamo un filino sopra.
Buone letture e alla prossima e, come direbbe Luccisano, " me viene un po' da piagne"!😭
Recensione Luuuuunga, noiosa e cosí così,come il romanzo e tutta spoiler.⚠️
Sound on travellers, che ho trovato LA colonna sonora del libro che accompagnerà la recensione: ve la ricordate la canzone di Max Gazzè "ti sembra normale?" .
C'è l'inciso perfetto per descrivere la Julia Faircloth,la protagonista .
"Se fosse vero che una donna non sa
Cos'è un pensiero senza complicità
Proprio tu dovevi fare eccezione
Sei la quintessenza dell'avversione, pare
Ma sotto questa tua corazza lo so
C'è una ragazza che sta lì in bilico
Sopra il solito ancestrale timore
Che hanno tutti di lasciarsi soltanto andare
Dimmi a questo punto che son l'unico per te😏".
Lei è la sposa scambiata che dà il titolo al libro, lei che si "immola" al posto della sorella Sara a cui assomiglia quasi come una goccia d'acqua.
Decide di sacrificarsi perché Sara è quasi fidanzata con un poeta che la adora. e all'idea di sposare Lord Sebastian -o Satana- come lo ha dolcemente ribattezzato Julia, le si spezza il cuore.
Siccome Julia è quella abituata a risolvere i casini della famiglia (i genitori sono due che vivono nel mondo dei mammoli, si dice così anche da voi?), ma io penso soprattutto perché ha visto quanto è gnocco lord Sebastian che le fa provare sensazioni contrastanti e ondate di brividi sconosciuti, dice che ci penserà lei all'uomo che ha vinto a carte la casa di famiglia. Uomo che odia con tutta se stessa e a cui imputa le disgrazie capitate, ultima la morte del padre.
È talmente accecata dall'odio che non vede che lui sta facendo (quasi)un'opera pia: per consentire alla vedova e ai figli del defunto di restare nella loro dimora è disposto a sposare la più dolce delle sorelle Faircloth.
Un matrimonio senza amore, ma l'amore non c'entra qui. Per ora.
Insomma, attraverso un "raffinatissimo " escamotage - farlo ubriacare, celebrare il matrimonio nella penombra, e vi risparmio le altre assurdità -Lord Sebastian si lega per la vita a Julia.
Che io vorrei solo dire un paio di cose: ma la scrittrice non poteva farle gemelle 'ste sorelle?Si sarebbero risparmiate decine di pagine e tedio.
E perché lord Sebastian non ha annullato il matrimonio, dato che è stato fatto con l'inganno e Julia sarà eccitante, ma è come la sabbia nelle mutande? Solo perché han consumato? E poi : sei un libertino,hai avuto centinaia di signorine,ma proprio con la maggiore delle Faircloth?!
Qui per me già il romanzo poteva finire, ma no. Non è soltanto un romance,ci deve essere anche una parte avventurosa, di cui credo nessuno sentiva il bisogno .
Siccome lord Sebastian non è che navighi nell' oro per via dei debiti di gioco del fratello ( debiti che lui cercava di sanare nel medesimo modo,così ha conosciuto il padre di Julia .... Ma è un vizio di famiglia?), porta Julia nell' unico posto che gli è rimasto : una catapecchia in Cornovaglia che lei trova adorabile e che lei si mette a sistemare in stile " Case nella brughiera con Christina" o " Extreme makeover Cornovaglia edition".
Perché in Cornovaglia direte voi? Perché altrimenti come avrebbe fatto a darsi al brigantaggio per arrotondare e per aiutare i poveri pescatori che devono usare le acciughe come fertilizzante perché il sale costa un occhio della testa ?!
Comunque ad un certo punto un l'avvocato -mi pare- di famiglia gli domanda:
" Perché non vendere Turbans e utilizzare il ricavato per le vostre necessità finanziarie? Dopotutto, non è colpa vostra se quel tale Faircloth aveva il vizio del gioco! Avreste potuto comunque concedere alla famiglia una modesta rendita in nome della carità cristiana". Magari!!! Ma poi a pag 127 avremmo finito di leggere... Vuoi non frantumarti le ⚽⚽ per altre 300 pagine?...
Tornando alla "bizzarra" storia:
Mentre lui si diverte a metterla nel sacco a chi li stanga di tasse ( senza però rivelare il segreto a sua moglie: PERCHÉ?!), Julia non contenta di rassettare,cucinare, sollazzarsi col marito e poi prenderlo a male parole, fa passeggiate nella natura ,dove trova cuccioli feriti (tra cui un tasso) che porta a casa e rimette in sesto. A metà tra San Francesco e Licia Colò.
Che poi si capiscono le perplessità di un uomo che trova una bestia selvatica in giro per casa , no? No, se sei come Julia che deve sempre dire la sua.
Vi siete persi? Bene , perché ad un certo punto anche io ero lì a chiedermi " che cavolo sto leggendo ?!" .
ma non è finita qui :sulla scena spunta il vecchio pretendente di Julia, che manco a farlo apposta è "L' ispettore del Sale" che cerca di acchiappare i briganti ; spuntano la madre con un nuovo fidanzato e anche Sarah e Freddy. Senza dimenticare Lord Revenau che ha nel cuore un segreto che rivelerà in un colpo di scena così prevedibile che in tre battute è tutto risolto, addirittura è Lord Sebastian a dire " me lo aspettavo.".
Sarah informa che non sta più con il poeta, che gli è venuto a noia poco dopo che Julia si è sposata.
COSA?!COSA!?
Io l' avrei strozzata! Miss mammoletta fragile confida candidamente di essersi stufata del suo corteggiatore quando duecento pagine prima affermava che sarebbe morta senza di lui?! Ma io ti prendo a schiaffi a due a due finché non diventano dispari! Al posto di Julia l'avrei strozzata!! Ha fatto tutto 'sto casino per garantirle la sua storia della vita e lei se ne esce cosi.
E mi si era acceso un barlume di speranza : magari Julia va in crisi perché Sebastian sa che Sarah è libera e potrebbe voler lei, come già dall' inizio? Macché Julia ha una sicumera tale per cui il dubbio non la sfiora.
Il vero colpo di scena (?) c'è verso la fine, quando l' Ispettore del Sale spara a Julia e lei nemmeno se ne accorge, travolta com'è dalla consapevolezza di amare il suo uomo. E non lo deduco io, lo dice Tristan, amico di Sebastian:
“Non potevate sapere che era stata colpita; nemmeno lei se n’è accorta prima di vedere il sangue!"
Il dramma li unisce e fa pronunciare il tanto agognato " Ti amo/ voglio te/sei l'amore della mia vita". E perché non ricelebrare il matrimonio onesto (sic.)stavolta con tutti i crismi?
E grazie a Dio finisce la storia. Con una nota dell' autrice che dice che i luoghi della storia sono reali e che ha creato una bacheca su Pinterest.
E io mi son detta: dato che dalle descrizioni si capisce poco perché non veder la bacheca? ma la bacheca non c'è!!! L' Unica cosa che avrei visto con curiosità e gioia non c'è."Cribbio!!" Per dirlo come direbbe Julia.
Una cosa,una carina poteva esserci ,e invece non c'è!!
Questo romanzo è stato una perdita di tempo, son andata avanti per la sfida e per vedere fino a che punto osasse arrivare l' autrice in questo minestrone di roba.
- cambio d' identità
- mistero,intrighi
- avverbi dappertutto come il prezzemolo
- Julia che viene travolta . È il verbo che più è usato per lei e i sentimenti che prova.
-"l 'ampio petto, che era al tempo stesso duro, caldo e infinitamente attraente. "👩 Donne facciamo outing: anche i vostri mariti /compagni /fidanzati/ amici hanno il petto attraente????
- dialoghi senza pathos
- scene a caso
- personaggi che sembrano scemi e se lo dicono pure.
-un anello a forma di occhio ( un po' Schiaparelli,in po' conte Olaf se avete presente)
Quindi per questo romanzo il mio voto è 0,5 stelle. Solo perché il vichingo sculaccione è il metro di paragone... e qui siamo un filino sopra.
Buone letture e alla prossima e, come direbbe Luccisano, " me viene un po' da piagne"!😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2014
I liked this book. I liked Julia and Sebastian I liked Ms. Wright's writing style. I even liked the story. But I didn't love it and I don't think I would read it again.
It starts out really good, but lost something about two-thirds into the book. All of a sudden everything changes - secrets, feelings etc. Sebastian for no apparent reason to me just changes. I felt a bit lost.
There were also some random things in the book that added nothing but words to the story. I was wondering where the author was going with these scenes and when I finished the book I realized - they were just filler. If you cut those scenes the book would have been exactly the same - just shorter.
And regarding Andre's revelation - not sure how I feel about that. Andre is not my ideal hero to start with...
I can say this was a good light read - nothing special, but it held my interest.
It starts out really good, but lost something about two-thirds into the book. All of a sudden everything changes - secrets, feelings etc. Sebastian for no apparent reason to me just changes. I felt a bit lost.
There were also some random things in the book that added nothing but words to the story. I was wondering where the author was going with these scenes and when I finished the book I realized - they were just filler. If you cut those scenes the book would have been exactly the same - just shorter.
And regarding Andre's revelation - not sure how I feel about that. Andre is not my ideal hero to start with...
I can say this was a good light read - nothing special, but it held my interest.
October 8, 2015
Hooray! A Cynthia Wright audiobook with a great narrator. Rosalyn Landor does a wonderful job with this story. She's fantastic. The book was good. It was interesting throughout except, in my opinion, for the ending. After the encounter at the cave it felt like the book just fell off the cliff. I was very disappointed by the Andre Raveneau part in this story. I look forward to more in this series and I hope Rosalyn Landor is chosen to read them. What a difference a good narrator makes. This is the best of Cynthia Wright!
June 5, 2015
Good beginning, a little slow in the middle, better at the end. But mostly this book was a little too uneven for me to recommend it highly. A fun and different read in the end.
April 30, 2018
Julia è sempre stata ben cosciente del carattere fragile dei suoi genitori: ha dovuto occuparsi della sorella e del fratello quando la madre, di fronte a qualsiasi problema, si chiudeva nella propria stanza in preda a feroci mal di testa. Anche il padre, pur essendo amabile con i figli, ha sempre preferito chiudersi nella sua libreria, in compagnia dei libri che avrebbe dovuto vendere, piuttosto che occuparsi dell’andamento domestico.
Ma le cose, da qualche tempo a questa parte, sono cambiate. La famiglia ha ereditato una grossa somma di denaro e una bella tenuta da un anziano cugino, e la famiglia si è trasferita a Bath, ma se inizialmente la giovane donna ha pensato di essere finalmente serena, dopo qualche mese si è resa conto che suo padre è sprofondato nel vizio del gioco. Nonostante lei tenti invano di parlargli, l’uomo si rifiuta di ammettere il problema. Trovato un pagherò di grande entità, Julia si vede costretta a rivolgersi a Lord Sebastian Trevarre per indurlo a cancellare il debito del padre ed accusandolo di stare rovinando la sua famiglia. Quello che la giovane donna non sa però è che Sebastian si trova nelle sue stesse identiche condizioni: suo fratello, l’attuale Marchese, ha infatti venduto tutte le proprietà non legate al titolo ed è fuggito in Italia dopo aver perso tutto al gioco, anche i meravigliosi cavalli che Sebastian aveva allevato e che avrebbero dovuto essere suoi non appena si fosse congedato dalla marina. Ora Sebastian si trova a Bath, tentando di vincere al gioco abbastanza per poter riprendere possesso di alcuni dei suoi beni e l’incontro con la battagliera Julia, pur lasciandolo amareggiato, non può cambiare le sue necessità. Nonostante ciò, quando si trova di nuovo a giocare contro il padre di Julia, tenta di dissuaderlo dal puntare la proprietà di famiglia, ma l’uomo, intenzionato a rifarsi delle ingenti perdite, rifiuta, finendo per perdere tutto e per disperazione finisce anche per togliersi la vita.
Julia, così, all’apertura del testamento viene a sapere che non rimane nulla dell’eredità, nemmeno la sua casa, e nulla la dissuade dal credere Sebastian come unico colpevole della situazione. Quando il giovane Lord si presenta a casa per dare un’occhiata alla sua nuova proprietà, rimane colpito dalla giovane sorella di Julia, Sarah, che al contrario di lei è molto amabile, di carattere docile e sottomesso, e sentendosi colpevole per la situazione della famiglia le propone il matrimonio: lui sposerà Sarah e la famiglia potrà rimanere ad abitare nella proprietà. Sebbene la giovane donna sia innamorata di un altro, per il bene della madre e del fratello, accetta. Ma poi, disperata, si rivolge alla sorella su cui ha sempre contato per uscire da quella situazione e Julia, che non intende abbandonarla, decide di prendere il suo posto, ideando un folle piano.
Sebastian, che crede di aver ottenuto un matrimonio tranquillo in cui sua moglie ha un posto ben preciso e in cui i suoi sentimenti non verranno mai messi in gioco, si troverà invece sposato ad una donna che lo attrae moltissimo, ma che si rifiuta di essere messa da parte.
Il loro matrimonio non sembra essere nato sotto una buona stella anche se fra loro c’è una grande passione. Molti sono i segreti che Sebastian cela nel cuore e che il giovane nasconde alla moglie: la loro situazione finanziaria li costringe, infatti, ad andare in un’antica proprietà di famiglia in rovina che si trova in Cornovaglia, una terra che il giovane Lord odia con tutte le sue forze e che invece farà innamorare Julia con la sua asprezza.
Una nuova vita, non priva di pericoli, li aspetta e i due giovani dovranno imparare a fidarsi l’uno dell’altra prima di riuscire a vedere davvero dentro i propri cuori.
Affascinanti Lord, prodi contrabbandieri, dazieri del Re intenzionati a fermare il contrabbando e scene molto sensuali attendono il lettore nelle pagine di questo libro. Julia e Sebastian sono una coppia di personaggi forti e volitivi.
I loro dialoghi sono frizzanti, le scene passionali sono ardenti e molto belle, e anche i personaggi di contorno sono molto interessanti. Ritroviamo infatti la coppia di Tempesta d’argento, Devon e Andrè, sposati ormai da vent’anni e che hanno una parte di rilievo nella storia, come poi scopriremo. Un legame segreto con la famiglia di Sebastian.
Una trama corposa, piena di accadimenti in un libro molto piacevole, che solo in alcuni punti ha dei rallentamenti, ma del resto scusabile su quasi 4oo pagine.
Qualche piccolo refuso e una o due frasi che sembrano mancare di una parola che le completi (o almeno questa è stata la mia impressione) sono gli unici piccoli difetti rilevati in una traduzione buona e curata.
L’unica domanda che mi viene spontanea è perché non sia stata seguita la sequenza dei libri data da Goodreads e dall’autrice stessa della serie Rakes & Rebel che vede questo secondo libro come il quinto, saltandone quindi tre. Dato che l’autrice si autopubblica mi sembra per lo meno strano, ma a parte questo, se amate il romanzo storico, è sicuramente un libro da tenere in considerazione.
Lucia63 - per RFS
Ma le cose, da qualche tempo a questa parte, sono cambiate. La famiglia ha ereditato una grossa somma di denaro e una bella tenuta da un anziano cugino, e la famiglia si è trasferita a Bath, ma se inizialmente la giovane donna ha pensato di essere finalmente serena, dopo qualche mese si è resa conto che suo padre è sprofondato nel vizio del gioco. Nonostante lei tenti invano di parlargli, l’uomo si rifiuta di ammettere il problema. Trovato un pagherò di grande entità, Julia si vede costretta a rivolgersi a Lord Sebastian Trevarre per indurlo a cancellare il debito del padre ed accusandolo di stare rovinando la sua famiglia. Quello che la giovane donna non sa però è che Sebastian si trova nelle sue stesse identiche condizioni: suo fratello, l’attuale Marchese, ha infatti venduto tutte le proprietà non legate al titolo ed è fuggito in Italia dopo aver perso tutto al gioco, anche i meravigliosi cavalli che Sebastian aveva allevato e che avrebbero dovuto essere suoi non appena si fosse congedato dalla marina. Ora Sebastian si trova a Bath, tentando di vincere al gioco abbastanza per poter riprendere possesso di alcuni dei suoi beni e l’incontro con la battagliera Julia, pur lasciandolo amareggiato, non può cambiare le sue necessità. Nonostante ciò, quando si trova di nuovo a giocare contro il padre di Julia, tenta di dissuaderlo dal puntare la proprietà di famiglia, ma l’uomo, intenzionato a rifarsi delle ingenti perdite, rifiuta, finendo per perdere tutto e per disperazione finisce anche per togliersi la vita.
Julia, così, all’apertura del testamento viene a sapere che non rimane nulla dell’eredità, nemmeno la sua casa, e nulla la dissuade dal credere Sebastian come unico colpevole della situazione. Quando il giovane Lord si presenta a casa per dare un’occhiata alla sua nuova proprietà, rimane colpito dalla giovane sorella di Julia, Sarah, che al contrario di lei è molto amabile, di carattere docile e sottomesso, e sentendosi colpevole per la situazione della famiglia le propone il matrimonio: lui sposerà Sarah e la famiglia potrà rimanere ad abitare nella proprietà. Sebbene la giovane donna sia innamorata di un altro, per il bene della madre e del fratello, accetta. Ma poi, disperata, si rivolge alla sorella su cui ha sempre contato per uscire da quella situazione e Julia, che non intende abbandonarla, decide di prendere il suo posto, ideando un folle piano.
Sebastian, che crede di aver ottenuto un matrimonio tranquillo in cui sua moglie ha un posto ben preciso e in cui i suoi sentimenti non verranno mai messi in gioco, si troverà invece sposato ad una donna che lo attrae moltissimo, ma che si rifiuta di essere messa da parte.
Il loro matrimonio non sembra essere nato sotto una buona stella anche se fra loro c’è una grande passione. Molti sono i segreti che Sebastian cela nel cuore e che il giovane nasconde alla moglie: la loro situazione finanziaria li costringe, infatti, ad andare in un’antica proprietà di famiglia in rovina che si trova in Cornovaglia, una terra che il giovane Lord odia con tutte le sue forze e che invece farà innamorare Julia con la sua asprezza.
Una nuova vita, non priva di pericoli, li aspetta e i due giovani dovranno imparare a fidarsi l’uno dell’altra prima di riuscire a vedere davvero dentro i propri cuori.
Affascinanti Lord, prodi contrabbandieri, dazieri del Re intenzionati a fermare il contrabbando e scene molto sensuali attendono il lettore nelle pagine di questo libro. Julia e Sebastian sono una coppia di personaggi forti e volitivi.
I loro dialoghi sono frizzanti, le scene passionali sono ardenti e molto belle, e anche i personaggi di contorno sono molto interessanti. Ritroviamo infatti la coppia di Tempesta d’argento, Devon e Andrè, sposati ormai da vent’anni e che hanno una parte di rilievo nella storia, come poi scopriremo. Un legame segreto con la famiglia di Sebastian.
Una trama corposa, piena di accadimenti in un libro molto piacevole, che solo in alcuni punti ha dei rallentamenti, ma del resto scusabile su quasi 4oo pagine.
Qualche piccolo refuso e una o due frasi che sembrano mancare di una parola che le completi (o almeno questa è stata la mia impressione) sono gli unici piccoli difetti rilevati in una traduzione buona e curata.
L’unica domanda che mi viene spontanea è perché non sia stata seguita la sequenza dei libri data da Goodreads e dall’autrice stessa della serie Rakes & Rebel che vede questo secondo libro come il quinto, saltandone quindi tre. Dato che l’autrice si autopubblica mi sembra per lo meno strano, ma a parte questo, se amate il romanzo storico, è sicuramente un libro da tenere in considerazione.
Lucia63 - per RFS
March 15, 2022
Lady Julia & Lord Sebastian
Can a naval officer find love w/ an independent, spirited, head strong woman? Julia determined to protect her mother & sister Sarah from there father's gambling addiction that leads to his death. He gambled away their home to Lord Sebastian better known as Lord Satan. Julia trying to appeal to him to not throw her family out.
Lord Sebastian Trevarre has recently resigned his Naval commission to come back to his home in England to follow his dream that he started with his mother prior to her death of horse breeding Hampshire. Unfortunately, upon returning home he finds out that the Marquess his older brother George has gambled away the bulk of the family fortune to survive his exile to Italy.
Lord Sebastian has to move forward & find a way to rebuild the family fortune fast? Sebastian’s only way of getting his hands on a substantial large amount of money in a short period of time is to use his own skills at cards at the same gambling tables that destroyed his brother. Once he gets the fortune back on track, he can build his horse breeding business. While Sebastian is doing well in winning at the gambling tables. It’s not going well for his fellow opponent Mr. Faircloth in particular happens to be the father of Julia & Sara Faircloth. Lady Julia is the one that oversees everything in the family household. When the family knows that their father has been losing the family fortune they inherited. The family tries everything they can to keep their father on the Estate instead of going to the gambling tables. But it doesn’t stop him. When Lady Julia finds an IOU in her father’s coat pocket. She decides to be headstrong & go to Lord Sebastian Trevarre estate to convince him not to gamble with her father. Lord Sebastian doesn’t listen to Julia, but he does attempt to offer Mr. Faircloth to back out of their game. Unfortunately, his gambling addiction to the cards doesn’t want to listen to the subtle suggestion to stop playing. Instead, Lady Julia’s father gives away everything. Including their estate Turban & his beloved bookstore. When he realizes his shame & destruction, he decides to commit suicide.
When Lord Sebastian hears what Mr. Faircloth has done due to his public loss & shame. Sebastian offers to marry Julia’s younger sister Sara because he believes she will be more suitable in the role of the docile wife who will allow him to do exactly as he wants without challenge or interference.
Sara is in love with another as well as being timid, shy & intimidated by the Lord. She doesn’t want to marry him, but Sara will obey her mother & do her duty for the family. Get a title & they can stay on their estate that Lord Sabastian owns.
Julia, knowing her sister could never cope with a man like Sebastian, decides it’s down to her to find a way to keep a roof over her family’s head & prevent Sara having to marry a rouge who will make her miserable.
Until Julia comes up with a plan that only the sisters know. She will take the place of the bride to be-Sara. She will trick Lord Sebastian into thinking he is marrying one sister. When in fact he will be married to another.
Lord Sebastian is not happy with the deception that Lady Julia & her family has pulled over his eyes. But not for the reasons we might think? These two have unique undercurrent attraction for one another the moment they meet.
Though Lord Sabastian is left with a crumbing estate that was owned by his mother’s family in Cornwall, He wants to get home to the main estate to start his horse breeding business. Unfortunately, when the newlyweds arrive at Trevarre House in London Lord Sebastian learns the full extent of his brother’s gambling. He has gambled away the family fortune & sold off almost all of the family’s property to live the life of privilege in Italy. Except the estate that their mother’s family own in Cornwall. Plus, the solicitor has some jewelry that Sebastian’s mother left for him.
Sebastian takes Julia to the family’s dilapidated estate off the coast of Cornwall. While getting to know the village Sabastian realizes that the Salt tax has cost more than the residents can pay. Which effects people’s fish, if not preserved in salt. Which is why Lord Sebastian is planning to make his village prosperous again. With the help of Viscount Tristian how he has grown up with.
Julia quickly falls in love with Cornwall’s countryside, its residents; & the village feels the same way about Lady Julia & they think Lord Sabastian is lucky to have a woman like Julia.
The story really gets interesting after Sebastian realizes that holding back his secret identity as the pirate & being a smuggler could get both the village & Julia into trouble. Sebastian’s plans go awry when an English tax collector a man that wanted to marry Julia lays a trap for Sebastian & his crew when they attempt to do one big score. But when Julia finds out her husband could be in danger. She attempts to warn him to get injured trying to save them. The scene on the beach is truly heartwarming & Sebastian what is truly important. That making his wife & his mother’s family estate a success.
Can a naval officer find love w/ an independent, spirited, head strong woman? Julia determined to protect her mother & sister Sarah from there father's gambling addiction that leads to his death. He gambled away their home to Lord Sebastian better known as Lord Satan. Julia trying to appeal to him to not throw her family out.
Lord Sebastian Trevarre has recently resigned his Naval commission to come back to his home in England to follow his dream that he started with his mother prior to her death of horse breeding Hampshire. Unfortunately, upon returning home he finds out that the Marquess his older brother George has gambled away the bulk of the family fortune to survive his exile to Italy.
Lord Sebastian has to move forward & find a way to rebuild the family fortune fast? Sebastian’s only way of getting his hands on a substantial large amount of money in a short period of time is to use his own skills at cards at the same gambling tables that destroyed his brother. Once he gets the fortune back on track, he can build his horse breeding business. While Sebastian is doing well in winning at the gambling tables. It’s not going well for his fellow opponent Mr. Faircloth in particular happens to be the father of Julia & Sara Faircloth. Lady Julia is the one that oversees everything in the family household. When the family knows that their father has been losing the family fortune they inherited. The family tries everything they can to keep their father on the Estate instead of going to the gambling tables. But it doesn’t stop him. When Lady Julia finds an IOU in her father’s coat pocket. She decides to be headstrong & go to Lord Sebastian Trevarre estate to convince him not to gamble with her father. Lord Sebastian doesn’t listen to Julia, but he does attempt to offer Mr. Faircloth to back out of their game. Unfortunately, his gambling addiction to the cards doesn’t want to listen to the subtle suggestion to stop playing. Instead, Lady Julia’s father gives away everything. Including their estate Turban & his beloved bookstore. When he realizes his shame & destruction, he decides to commit suicide.
When Lord Sebastian hears what Mr. Faircloth has done due to his public loss & shame. Sebastian offers to marry Julia’s younger sister Sara because he believes she will be more suitable in the role of the docile wife who will allow him to do exactly as he wants without challenge or interference.
Sara is in love with another as well as being timid, shy & intimidated by the Lord. She doesn’t want to marry him, but Sara will obey her mother & do her duty for the family. Get a title & they can stay on their estate that Lord Sabastian owns.
Julia, knowing her sister could never cope with a man like Sebastian, decides it’s down to her to find a way to keep a roof over her family’s head & prevent Sara having to marry a rouge who will make her miserable.
Until Julia comes up with a plan that only the sisters know. She will take the place of the bride to be-Sara. She will trick Lord Sebastian into thinking he is marrying one sister. When in fact he will be married to another.
Lord Sebastian is not happy with the deception that Lady Julia & her family has pulled over his eyes. But not for the reasons we might think? These two have unique undercurrent attraction for one another the moment they meet.
Though Lord Sabastian is left with a crumbing estate that was owned by his mother’s family in Cornwall, He wants to get home to the main estate to start his horse breeding business. Unfortunately, when the newlyweds arrive at Trevarre House in London Lord Sebastian learns the full extent of his brother’s gambling. He has gambled away the family fortune & sold off almost all of the family’s property to live the life of privilege in Italy. Except the estate that their mother’s family own in Cornwall. Plus, the solicitor has some jewelry that Sebastian’s mother left for him.
Sebastian takes Julia to the family’s dilapidated estate off the coast of Cornwall. While getting to know the village Sabastian realizes that the Salt tax has cost more than the residents can pay. Which effects people’s fish, if not preserved in salt. Which is why Lord Sebastian is planning to make his village prosperous again. With the help of Viscount Tristian how he has grown up with.
Julia quickly falls in love with Cornwall’s countryside, its residents; & the village feels the same way about Lady Julia & they think Lord Sabastian is lucky to have a woman like Julia.
The story really gets interesting after Sebastian realizes that holding back his secret identity as the pirate & being a smuggler could get both the village & Julia into trouble. Sebastian’s plans go awry when an English tax collector a man that wanted to marry Julia lays a trap for Sebastian & his crew when they attempt to do one big score. But when Julia finds out her husband could be in danger. She attempts to warn him to get injured trying to save them. The scene on the beach is truly heartwarming & Sebastian what is truly important. That making his wife & his mother’s family estate a success.
September 4, 2024
Per la rubrica “Libri brutti e dove trovarli” eccomi qui con una nuova perla da condividere.
Gli SPOILER saranno inevitabili.
La signorina Julia Faircloth si è trasferita con la sua famiglia - madre, padre, una sorella e un fratello - da Londra a Bath perché hanno ereditato una bella casa.
Felicioni perché finalmente hanno una dimora degna di questo nome si apprestano ad una vita quieta e serena.
Ma il padre, ex libraio, pensa bene di darsi al gioco d’azzardo bruciandosi denaro e casa e non contento si uccide.
La famiglia si trova quindi nella 💩l’unica che può prendere in mano la situazione e’ Julia che, a quanto pare è quello che fa da tutta la vita perché nessun’altro in famiglia ne e’ in grado…e’ già qui abbiamo un’assaggio della simpatia del personaggio.
Il buon padre ha contratto debiti di gioco anche con Sebastian Trevarre, al quale Julia aveva già provato a chiedere di annullare i debiti del padre prima che lui morisse. Il tenebroso e affascinate Sebastian - che mica poteva essere con la pancetta e stempiato - pure lui con svariati debiti lasciati dal fratello le aveva risposto “Ma sei scema?” e per ribadire il concetto e far capire al lettore quanto è testosteronico se la era limonata.
Ma Sebastian ha anche un barlume di coscienza, al gioco ha vinto anche la casa dei Faircloth, così decide di chiedere a Sarah, sorella minore di Julia, di sposarlo per non lasciare la famiglia senza un tetto.
Sarah è una mammoletta timida, piagnucolosa e senza carattere che accetta per il bene familiare ma che e’ in realtà innamorata di un’altro.
Ma niente panico. Ci pensa Julia.
Con il piano più assurdo della storia, quello che non gli date due lire ma che invece funziona perché evidentemente sono tutti degli idioti.
Si sostituisce a sua sorella, inganna Sebastian con i nomi - lui un genio - e indossa un cappello che le copre il viso e si fa sposare al posto della sorella.
Giunti nel talamo nuziale, nonostante il buio e le accortezze di Julia, Sebastian la riconosce, si arrabbia molto e cosa fa? Potrebbe far annullare il matrimonio ma no…. ovviamente se la 🎺🎺🎺.
E questi sono solo i primi capitoli.
Il libro poi prosegue con vicissitudini varie, avventure varie anche in mare, contrabbandieri, veri padri ritrovati, qualcuno che sta per essere arrestato ma che si salva grazie all’ingegno. Fino al lieto fine e vissero tutti felici e contenti.
Decisamente troppo troppo troppo lungo per un libro di questo genere, avrei apprezzato di più il classico Harmony con la metà delle pagine. Le vicende sono tutte improbabili e scontate ma non sono riuscite a divertirmi come in altri libri del genere ma solo ad irritarmi.
I due protagonisti sono entrambi odiosi.
Sebastian è il cliché del testosterone ambulante, al grido di “adesso ti tocco e sarai mia” che poi e’ effettivamente quello che succede, si lamenta con la moglie ribadendo costantemente “sei la donna più irritante che io conosca…” e per meglio ribadire il concetto poi se porta a letto.
Julia e’ più odiosa della signorina Sara non ricordo più il cognome - quella del Lord Pirata- rendiamoci conto di che piaga di donna possa essere.
Parte che sembra debba spaccare il mondo e che solo lei può avere il controllo della sua famiglie e delle varie situazioni e poi al primo bacio di Sebastian non capisce più niente. Dopo la prima notte di nozze le sue ovaie iniziano a prendere il sopravvento sulla sua razionalità e il libro non fa che peggiorare.
Ho trovato la parte dedicata al contrabbando un po’ troppo tirata per le lunghe, peccato perché la vicende in sé era anche interessante ma questa sommata al ritrovato padre mi ha fatto scadere il libro ancora di più. Ci sono inoltre svariati errori di battitura che, se un libro e’ godibile, trovo irrilevanti, ma in libri così mi irritano ancora di più.
Io penso di appendere momentaneamente questo genere al chiodo e nei prossimi giorni mi disintossicherò da vichinghi, pirati e lord al testosterone e da donne che una volta scoperte le gioie del sesso non riescono piu’ a ragionare razionalmente.
Il mio consiglio e’ ovviamente di evitarlo.
Gli SPOILER saranno inevitabili.
La signorina Julia Faircloth si è trasferita con la sua famiglia - madre, padre, una sorella e un fratello - da Londra a Bath perché hanno ereditato una bella casa.
Felicioni perché finalmente hanno una dimora degna di questo nome si apprestano ad una vita quieta e serena.
Ma il padre, ex libraio, pensa bene di darsi al gioco d’azzardo bruciandosi denaro e casa e non contento si uccide.
La famiglia si trova quindi nella 💩l’unica che può prendere in mano la situazione e’ Julia che, a quanto pare è quello che fa da tutta la vita perché nessun’altro in famiglia ne e’ in grado…e’ già qui abbiamo un’assaggio della simpatia del personaggio.
Il buon padre ha contratto debiti di gioco anche con Sebastian Trevarre, al quale Julia aveva già provato a chiedere di annullare i debiti del padre prima che lui morisse. Il tenebroso e affascinate Sebastian - che mica poteva essere con la pancetta e stempiato - pure lui con svariati debiti lasciati dal fratello le aveva risposto “Ma sei scema?” e per ribadire il concetto e far capire al lettore quanto è testosteronico se la era limonata.
Ma Sebastian ha anche un barlume di coscienza, al gioco ha vinto anche la casa dei Faircloth, così decide di chiedere a Sarah, sorella minore di Julia, di sposarlo per non lasciare la famiglia senza un tetto.
Sarah è una mammoletta timida, piagnucolosa e senza carattere che accetta per il bene familiare ma che e’ in realtà innamorata di un’altro.
Ma niente panico. Ci pensa Julia.
Con il piano più assurdo della storia, quello che non gli date due lire ma che invece funziona perché evidentemente sono tutti degli idioti.
Si sostituisce a sua sorella, inganna Sebastian con i nomi - lui un genio - e indossa un cappello che le copre il viso e si fa sposare al posto della sorella.
Giunti nel talamo nuziale, nonostante il buio e le accortezze di Julia, Sebastian la riconosce, si arrabbia molto e cosa fa? Potrebbe far annullare il matrimonio ma no…. ovviamente se la 🎺🎺🎺.
E questi sono solo i primi capitoli.
Il libro poi prosegue con vicissitudini varie, avventure varie anche in mare, contrabbandieri, veri padri ritrovati, qualcuno che sta per essere arrestato ma che si salva grazie all’ingegno. Fino al lieto fine e vissero tutti felici e contenti.
Decisamente troppo troppo troppo lungo per un libro di questo genere, avrei apprezzato di più il classico Harmony con la metà delle pagine. Le vicende sono tutte improbabili e scontate ma non sono riuscite a divertirmi come in altri libri del genere ma solo ad irritarmi.
I due protagonisti sono entrambi odiosi.
Sebastian è il cliché del testosterone ambulante, al grido di “adesso ti tocco e sarai mia” che poi e’ effettivamente quello che succede, si lamenta con la moglie ribadendo costantemente “sei la donna più irritante che io conosca…” e per meglio ribadire il concetto poi se porta a letto.
Julia e’ più odiosa della signorina Sara non ricordo più il cognome - quella del Lord Pirata- rendiamoci conto di che piaga di donna possa essere.
Parte che sembra debba spaccare il mondo e che solo lei può avere il controllo della sua famiglie e delle varie situazioni e poi al primo bacio di Sebastian non capisce più niente. Dopo la prima notte di nozze le sue ovaie iniziano a prendere il sopravvento sulla sua razionalità e il libro non fa che peggiorare.
Ho trovato la parte dedicata al contrabbando un po’ troppo tirata per le lunghe, peccato perché la vicende in sé era anche interessante ma questa sommata al ritrovato padre mi ha fatto scadere il libro ancora di più. Ci sono inoltre svariati errori di battitura che, se un libro e’ godibile, trovo irrilevanti, ma in libri così mi irritano ancora di più.
Io penso di appendere momentaneamente questo genere al chiodo e nei prossimi giorni mi disintossicherò da vichinghi, pirati e lord al testosterone e da donne che una volta scoperte le gioie del sesso non riescono piu’ a ragionare razionalmente.
Il mio consiglio e’ ovviamente di evitarlo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2018
Smuggler’s Moon is an entertaining historical romance revolving around a mistaken identity marriage set primarily in 1798 Cornwall. This is the 2nd book about the Raveneau Family, which is part of the broader Rakes & Rebels series written by Cynthia Wright. Even though I did not listen to the first book in the series, I do not feel like I missed out on anything not knowing any of the Raveneau backstory.
This story begins in Bath where Lord Sebastian Trevarre is in desperate need of funds after his parent’s death and his brother gambled away the family’s fortune. Having served many years in the navy, he is very good at cards and is known for showing no mercy at the gambling tables. One afternoon he is visited by the headstrong and feisty Julia Faircloth after her father loses a substantial amount of money to him. She pleads with Sebastian not to gamble with her father any longer. However, Sebastian ignores her entreaties the following night and Julia’s father loses everything – including the sole source of the family’s income – a beloved bookstore. Feeling some remorse after Julia’s father kills himself in shame after such a public loss, Sebastian offers to marry Julia’s younger sister Sarah because she appears to be less of a handful than her sister. However, Sarah fancies herself in love with someone else, and under the guise of protecting Sarah’s young sensibilities from the dreaded wedding night, Julia decides to marry the arrogant Lord in her stead (in disguise). Sebastian quickly sees through the rouse but plays along to see how far Julia will take the deception. Little did he suspect Julia would not bulk at consummating their marriage; and, against his better judgment, he takes Julia to bed and quickly loses control over his life.
Like most books with hidden identity marriages, Sebastian takes Julia to the family’s dilapidated estate off the coast of Cornwall and he ignores her while he plans how to make his village prosperous again. Julia quickly falls in love with Cornwall’s countryside and its residents; the entire village can see what a wonderful woman the Lord married, even if he does not. The story really gets interesting after Sebastian realizes that holding back his plans for the village from Julia (let alone his feelings) will only get them both in trouble. Sebastian’s plans go awry when an English tax collector (an old war nemesis) lays a trap for Sebastian and his merry men, and Julia is injured trying to save them. The scene on the beach is truly heartwarming. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook and recommend it to anyone who enjoys 18th Century historical romance.
This story begins in Bath where Lord Sebastian Trevarre is in desperate need of funds after his parent’s death and his brother gambled away the family’s fortune. Having served many years in the navy, he is very good at cards and is known for showing no mercy at the gambling tables. One afternoon he is visited by the headstrong and feisty Julia Faircloth after her father loses a substantial amount of money to him. She pleads with Sebastian not to gamble with her father any longer. However, Sebastian ignores her entreaties the following night and Julia’s father loses everything – including the sole source of the family’s income – a beloved bookstore. Feeling some remorse after Julia’s father kills himself in shame after such a public loss, Sebastian offers to marry Julia’s younger sister Sarah because she appears to be less of a handful than her sister. However, Sarah fancies herself in love with someone else, and under the guise of protecting Sarah’s young sensibilities from the dreaded wedding night, Julia decides to marry the arrogant Lord in her stead (in disguise). Sebastian quickly sees through the rouse but plays along to see how far Julia will take the deception. Little did he suspect Julia would not bulk at consummating their marriage; and, against his better judgment, he takes Julia to bed and quickly loses control over his life.
Like most books with hidden identity marriages, Sebastian takes Julia to the family’s dilapidated estate off the coast of Cornwall and he ignores her while he plans how to make his village prosperous again. Julia quickly falls in love with Cornwall’s countryside and its residents; the entire village can see what a wonderful woman the Lord married, even if he does not. The story really gets interesting after Sebastian realizes that holding back his plans for the village from Julia (let alone his feelings) will only get them both in trouble. Sebastian’s plans go awry when an English tax collector (an old war nemesis) lays a trap for Sebastian and his merry men, and Julia is injured trying to save them. The scene on the beach is truly heartwarming. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook and recommend it to anyone who enjoys 18th Century historical romance.
October 7, 2023
3.5 to 4 stars
Ebook owned
I just bought this a week or so ago for some reason that I can’t remember. I believe I had a credit and was given a group of books to choose from. And I had bought some of this series in the past. ( I don’t remember them. I’ll have to reread. My rating on some were not favorable. )
This did not start out well for me. I did not care for Julia. I was surprised to find out she was 20! She came across as very young and naive and had some bratty moments. And in the beginning there wasn’t much personality shown for Sebastian: except the ever present “rake” adjective since he was the epitome of masculinity and handsome looks.
A little bit of a convoluted plot again with the wedding and how these two came together. Frankly my attitude towards Julia and Sebastian changed during their wedding night. It was just very adult attitudes and acceptance of the situation and let’s move forward for the story from there on out.
I really liked Julia’s personality once they got to Cornwall. And was very sympathetic to Sebastian’s personality as well. That was the thing about this couple: they shared in the tragedy of what gambling does to the family. Julia’s father lost the family’s home to Sebastian, who was trying to regain some fortune that his older brother had squandered away by gambling.
A couple of interesting things that worked for me is that I was aware of the history of Cornwall due to watching Poldark. (Very good show.) And then I learned something new about this time period: the eye ring thing was interesting and creepy.
I just appreciated the couple realizing their faults in themselves and learning how they could be better. Plus they genuinely seemed to accept the other for who they are. It does end with a very HEA feel and I didn’t mind the “cheesy-ness” of how everything seems to work out for her family and even Sebastian getting a real “father”.
Ebook owned
I just bought this a week or so ago for some reason that I can’t remember. I believe I had a credit and was given a group of books to choose from. And I had bought some of this series in the past. ( I don’t remember them. I’ll have to reread. My rating on some were not favorable. )
This did not start out well for me. I did not care for Julia. I was surprised to find out she was 20! She came across as very young and naive and had some bratty moments. And in the beginning there wasn’t much personality shown for Sebastian: except the ever present “rake” adjective since he was the epitome of masculinity and handsome looks.
A little bit of a convoluted plot again with the wedding and how these two came together. Frankly my attitude towards Julia and Sebastian changed during their wedding night. It was just very adult attitudes and acceptance of the situation and let’s move forward for the story from there on out.
I really liked Julia’s personality once they got to Cornwall. And was very sympathetic to Sebastian’s personality as well. That was the thing about this couple: they shared in the tragedy of what gambling does to the family. Julia’s father lost the family’s home to Sebastian, who was trying to regain some fortune that his older brother had squandered away by gambling.
A couple of interesting things that worked for me is that I was aware of the history of Cornwall due to watching Poldark. (Very good show.) And then I learned something new about this time period: the eye ring thing was interesting and creepy.
I just appreciated the couple realizing their faults in themselves and learning how they could be better. Plus they genuinely seemed to accept the other for who they are. It does end with a very HEA feel and I didn’t mind the “cheesy-ness” of how everything seems to work out for her family and even Sebastian getting a real “father”.
December 1, 2019
Not my cup of tea. The story felt imbalanced and unfinished. Julia takes her sister’s place at the altar and marries a man (Sebastian) she detests, basically, although of course there is attraction, which of course equals sexy times. I feel like the book would’ve been better without the whole bride switching ridiculousness. Then it could’ve been the story of a marriage of convenience turning into something more, which it is, more or less, but without the pall of unforgivable deception overhanging all. I like the idea of the husband’s being the infamous smuggler captain, too, but I think more time could have been devoted to the mystery of it. Instead, Julia disobeys Sebastian and goes to hang out at this mysterious cottage which just happens to be smugglers HQ, then she wakes up nude in a shipboard bed convinced she is about to be sold into white slavery. But she doesn’t get to sweat long because boom, there’s hubby at the door announcing his alter ego as “Captain Rogue” and, surprise, they get it on. Boring. The plot has potential but the execution was clumsy in my opinion. The sex scenes were lengthy and detailed but felt out of place and distant, as if they’d been pasted in.
Shout out to Rosalyn Landor - as always she’s amazing and I’ll happily listen to anything she reads.
Shout out to Rosalyn Landor - as always she’s amazing and I’ll happily listen to anything she reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2019
Nonostante la giovane età Julia è abituata a gestire la sua vita e quella della sua famiglia, dato che il più delle volte i suoi genitori non ne sono in grado. Ed è proprio a causa delle scelte fatte dal padre che Julia incontra lord Sebastian Travarre, il quale ha non pochi problemi da risolvere causati dal fratello George. Sebastian è attratto da Julia ma dato il forte temperamento della donna a lei preferisce la sorella Sahra, molto più timida e remissiva e la chiede in moglie. Sahra va in panico, non vuole sposare Sebastian e così anche questa volta Julia pensa a sistemare tutto sostituendosi alla sorella. Quando lord Sebastian scopre l’inganno vorrebbe poter rimandare indietro Julia ma invece consuma il matrimonio. Viste le loro condizioni economiche disastrose sono costretti ad andare nell’iMac proprietà rimasta a Sebastian in Cornovaglia. Ma Sebastian ha tanti segreti e rischia di perdere la moglie.
È una bella storia d’amore, di crescita e rinascita dei due protagonisti. Bella ambientazione ed anche i personaggi secondari sono ben descritti. Una lettura molto piacevole che sicuramente consiglio non priva di un poco di suspance che in una lettura non nuoce mai.
È una bella storia d’amore, di crescita e rinascita dei due protagonisti. Bella ambientazione ed anche i personaggi secondari sono ben descritti. Una lettura molto piacevole che sicuramente consiglio non priva di un poco di suspance che in una lettura non nuoce mai.
April 15, 2021
Julia is headstrong and managing because as eldest child of loving but irresponsible parents she has become used to getting things done.
After her father's death her family is in dire straits. Julia's younger sister Sarah grudgingly agrees to marry Sebastian who holds the deed to her family home. After meeting the rougish Lord Trevarre Julia decides that he is too brutish and unkind for her dear sister and trades places with Sarah as the bride. Unfortunately noone tells the groom of this change of plans until the wedding night.
Sebastian is trying to rebuild his family fortune after his elder brother squandered it and was exiled to Italy. His plans involve becoming a free-trader, smuggling goods between France and his decrepit estate in Cornwall. Now he has the added challenge of an unexpected wife who is beginning to grow on him....
I enjoyed the story, although I felt like it dragged a little in the middle. The main characters of the first book in the series reappeared which was nice. The ending was satisfying. I would read more of this series.
This book contains descriptive love scenes.
After her father's death her family is in dire straits. Julia's younger sister Sarah grudgingly agrees to marry Sebastian who holds the deed to her family home. After meeting the rougish Lord Trevarre Julia decides that he is too brutish and unkind for her dear sister and trades places with Sarah as the bride. Unfortunately noone tells the groom of this change of plans until the wedding night.
Sebastian is trying to rebuild his family fortune after his elder brother squandered it and was exiled to Italy. His plans involve becoming a free-trader, smuggling goods between France and his decrepit estate in Cornwall. Now he has the added challenge of an unexpected wife who is beginning to grow on him....
I enjoyed the story, although I felt like it dragged a little in the middle. The main characters of the first book in the series reappeared which was nice. The ending was satisfying. I would read more of this series.
This book contains descriptive love scenes.
July 23, 2019
This was a great book. I don't know what to say without giving anything away. These two hate each other to begin with. He wants a docile wife so he asks h's sister to marry him, being in the financial position they are in she as to say yes. To protect her sister from the evil H, the h decides to marry him pretending to be her sister.
I have to give the h tons of credit because she comes up with a way to make sure the marriage is legal and the H can't be like nope, I didn't marry you I actually married you sister. Yes the H was upset on the wedding night when he realized he was duped, but I think in the end the h is who he really wanted, even though he didn't want to fall in love.
The book was great reading about them falling in love but neither wanting to admit it first. There was some great adventure in the book as well.
I have to give the h tons of credit because she comes up with a way to make sure the marriage is legal and the H can't be like nope, I didn't marry you I actually married you sister. Yes the H was upset on the wedding night when he realized he was duped, but I think in the end the h is who he really wanted, even though he didn't want to fall in love.
The book was great reading about them falling in love but neither wanting to admit it first. There was some great adventure in the book as well.
August 30, 2017
Book 2 of the Raveneau family is brilliant. The story of responsible Julia and secretive Sebastian leads to a story of love and intrigue in Cornwall, England. The descriptions of the place are amazing in that they clearly indicate how one place relates to another and you can picture it in your mind's eye as you read the words. The relationship between Julia and Sebastian begins with deceit but ends in collaboration, trust and love. Andre and Devon from Book 1 also make an appearance which provides the reader with a connection to her previous book. I love Cynthia's style of writing and look forward to her books. This one, like the last one, I couldn't put down until I was falling asleep and had no choice. Highly recommended.
May 12, 2019
Julia's Faircloth's father after inheriting a home and money gambles it all away. Lord Sebastian Trevarre comes home to find that his brother has gambled their family's fortune away also. Lord Trevarre wins the Fairclothe's remaining and home at the gambling tables. Feisty Julia who is the backbone of the family tries to convince Sebastian to forgive the debt. Julia and Sebastian continue to antagonize each other when they continue to meet. In the end Sebastian proposes marriage to Julia's quiet, shy younger sister Sarah so that they might keep the family home. Julia and Sarah look alike and they hatch a plan that it will be Julia that marries Sebastian. It only gets more interesting from there. This book was a easy, fun read.
January 2, 2022
"Keswick watched him and sighed. When Julia had disappeared up the stairway, he muttered, 'We wonder if we are napping and having a very bizarre dream, my lord! Whatever possesed you to propose marriage to Miss Sarah Faircloth?'
Walking off in search of the whiskey, Sebastian replied cynically, 'I don't remember. It must have been divine inspiration.'"
At last a historical romance book with a cast of characters with good sense of humor and witty dialogues. I really enjoyed reading this book.
Walking off in search of the whiskey, Sebastian replied cynically, 'I don't remember. It must have been divine inspiration.'"
At last a historical romance book with a cast of characters with good sense of humor and witty dialogues. I really enjoyed reading this book.
July 26, 2022
One dimensional characters (she’s mulish, he’s a jerk), stilted, silly dialogue, the most disappointing wedding night ever, some pretty Cornwall scenery, and then the jerk decides at the halfway point in the novel that he’s going to become a smuggler and she can’t know about it because she might give them away and/or it’s for her own safety. I gave up at this point because the whole thing was predictable and tedious. Two stars because the girl was at least clever and an occasional passage in the book held my interest…until it didn’t.
August 27, 2018
Wow. I love this series
I thought it couldn't get any better after "Silver Storm" but I was wrong. Smuggler's Moon was wonderfully entertaining with an excellent surprise. Sebastian Trevarre is looking for a nice quiet docile wife and he thinks Sarah Faircloth is the answer. What he gets is something totally different. It's a very exciting story and to say more would give away too much. You'll love it!
I thought it couldn't get any better after "Silver Storm" but I was wrong. Smuggler's Moon was wonderfully entertaining with an excellent surprise. Sebastian Trevarre is looking for a nice quiet docile wife and he thinks Sarah Faircloth is the answer. What he gets is something totally different. It's a very exciting story and to say more would give away too much. You'll love it!
August 30, 2018
Thoroughly entertaining
This is the 5th book I've read from this author, and I fully intend to read more. I love this author and have enjoyed every book I have read of hers so far. I love all the adventure, romance, and history this author adds to her novels. The characters are beautifully written and very entertaining. I find these books hard to put down. Thank you for writing these lovely stories for all to read!
This is the 5th book I've read from this author, and I fully intend to read more. I love this author and have enjoyed every book I have read of hers so far. I love all the adventure, romance, and history this author adds to her novels. The characters are beautifully written and very entertaining. I find these books hard to put down. Thank you for writing these lovely stories for all to read!
January 26, 2021
Great read to while away my weekend.
This was a new author for me and I discovered that she is now one of my favorites. This tale was just as good as the books I have read by J. Lindsey. I'm looking forward to reading others in this series. It has the perfect mix of romance, excitement, intrigue, good guys and bad guys. Some stories get downright boring with just romance and sex, but this has just enough with an exciting background story as well. Very nice.
This was a new author for me and I discovered that she is now one of my favorites. This tale was just as good as the books I have read by J. Lindsey. I'm looking forward to reading others in this series. It has the perfect mix of romance, excitement, intrigue, good guys and bad guys. Some stories get downright boring with just romance and sex, but this has just enough with an exciting background story as well. Very nice.
April 28, 2021
A delight for the heart
I have read this story many times, and it always keeps its promises. It’s filled with surprises, heat and lots of adventures. Even though Sebastian and Julia start on the wrong foot, they will fall madly in love. Cynthia is quite talented at creating vivid spaces, complex characters and linking her stories to one another. I’m quite sure that I will revisit this story again!
I have read this story many times, and it always keeps its promises. It’s filled with surprises, heat and lots of adventures. Even though Sebastian and Julia start on the wrong foot, they will fall madly in love. Cynthia is quite talented at creating vivid spaces, complex characters and linking her stories to one another. I’m quite sure that I will revisit this story again!
August 27, 2018
I thought it couldn't get any better after "Silver Storm" but I was wrong. Smuggler's Moon was wonderfully entertaining with an excellent surprise. Sebastian Trevarre is looking for a nice quiet docile wife and he thinks Sarah Faircloth is the answer. What he gets is something totally different. It's a very exciting story and to say more would give away too much. You'll love it!
November 21, 2019
I loved this book. I just loved Julia. She wasn’t a meek whiny women , even though she certainly could have been due to circumstances that happened to her. Julia was a passionate problem solver, loved nature and wildlife. She could make the best out of every saturation. She’s one of my favorite female characters! I loved how this book turned out. Such a Sweet story!
November 16, 2020
Exceptionally good story of Sebastian and Julia's love. After tricking Sebastian into marrying her, Julia is taken to Cornwall where she falls in love with the land and finds herself falling in love with Sebastian. He also finds himself falling in love with Julia. When Sebastian chooses to become a smuggler to restore his fortune, lives are put in danger and a long buried secret is exposed.
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