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Would-Be Wallflowers #2
The Reluctant Countess
New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James returns to the Would-Be Wallflowers series with an enemies-to-lovers romance between a proper earl and an entirely improper lady—whom he can’t stop thinking about.
Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, has never made a fool of himself over a woman—until he meets Lady Yasmin Régnier. Yasmin is ineligible for his attentions in every way: not as a wife, certainly not as a mistress (she is a lady!), nor even as a friend, since they vehemently dislike each other. Her gowns are too low, and her skirts are dampened to cling to admittedly lovely thighs. She loves to gossip—and giggle.
She isn’t dignified, or polite, or even truly British, given that her father’s French ancestry clearly predominated. Not to mention the fact that her mother had been one of Napoleon’s mistresses, a fact she makes no effort to hide.
So what—in heaven’s name—possesses him to propose?
And what will he do if she says yes?
Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, has never made a fool of himself over a woman—until he meets Lady Yasmin Régnier. Yasmin is ineligible for his attentions in every way: not as a wife, certainly not as a mistress (she is a lady!), nor even as a friend, since they vehemently dislike each other. Her gowns are too low, and her skirts are dampened to cling to admittedly lovely thighs. She loves to gossip—and giggle.
She isn’t dignified, or polite, or even truly British, given that her father’s French ancestry clearly predominated. Not to mention the fact that her mother had been one of Napoleon’s mistresses, a fact she makes no effort to hide.
So what—in heaven’s name—possesses him to propose?
And what will he do if she says yes?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2022
599 people are currently reading
7836 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,526 followersNew York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.
Eloisa...on her double life:
When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.
When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.
So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.
One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.
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April 10, 2024
✨I would've been reluctant too, my God.✨
If you know me, you know that I loved How to Be a Wallflower with my entire heart, body, and soul. So naturally, The Reluctant Countess was one of my most anticipated reads. It did...not go well. Good fucking grief.
**I didn't try to actively spoil anything, but I definitely talk about spoilery parts of this book because I couldn't get around it. Proceed with caution but I truly don't think anything said here could ruin the book more than it ruined itself. And if you end up liking the book, I still can't foresee anything I said impacting your enjoyment. There are no plot twists or anything, just pain.**
In book 1, Lilford's sister, Lydia, makes an appearance and she seems like a lovely if awkward girl. I thought nothing of her. I was so innocent. She is quite literally the villain of this book and I was not prepared. She was horrible to Yasmin and truly ruined this book. She wasn't horrible in like one or two scenes. No. This book basically revolves around Lydia.
From the beginning, she hates Yasmin for absolutely no reason. She shames her, insults her, and is unreservedly cruel. She is quite literally the most ruthless hypocrite to grace the inferno. As the book continues, you understand *why* she is acting the way she is, but it is absolutely no excuse. She's in every other scene, a consistent plot point, the catalyst for fights between Giles and Yasmin, and a truly terrible person to every single character in this book. Just about every character is like "hey Yasmin maybe Giles isn't worth it because his sister is a literal biohazard." Truly, her fiancé had to be dragged to the altar.
✨
There was a moment where I truly thought she was going to get the proper punishment but no dice--she technically got ruined but Giles and Yasmin covered it up and she learned zero lessons. I thought she would've maybe chilled the fuck out after this or at some point on the page actively apologize to Yasmin but it NEVER HAPPENED.
At times Yasmin stands up for herself, but more often than not, she is stoic and the bigger person. It is 2022, I am done with taking the high road. We go low, we stay unhinged, we ride at dawn. Yasmin was simply too nice, and honestly she didn't really feel like the Yasmin from book 1. She understood that Lydia was a demon in petticoats, but she actively forgave her at the end and tried to convince Giles that Lydia was "trying." Trying to poison you in your sleep maybe.
✨
Giles was a flake. He was back and forth between being appalled by Lydia's actions (but doing nothing besides stoking her flames), or letting her read Yasmin to filth at every turn with absolutely no defense of the woman he supposedly loves. Lydia has a wedding (a large plot point) and Giles and Yasmin keep their relationship a secret as not to upset her which causes many issues. When he consistently refuses to acknowledge Yasmin's presence in public because of Lydia's *delicate constitution* and Yasmin is hurt by this, I lost any respect for him. Yasmin was a side character in this book. (I was also angry at Yasmin for being too nice, but her reasons at least made more sense.)
Lydia slut shames Yasmin repeatedly and Giles at one point (many points but this was the *main* one) sides with Lydia and also slut shames Yasmin. It is at this point where I stopped making excuses for Giles. There were some truly lovely scenes between Giles and Yasmin. The sex was very hot (hotter than book one) and their chemistry was great. I love me a starchy earl who's a little bit freaky in the sheets. When Lydia wasn't on the page or being talked about, the book was good! However, those moments were few and far between.
But cuteness doesn't excuse the fact that Giles, near the END of the book not the beginning, consistently brings up how Yasmin dresses. He was toxic, possessive, and jealous to a horrible extent and had zero trust in Yasmin. She dressed how she dressed because a. she actually had a sense of style and b. she felt CONFIDENT. She tried to cover up her body for him, but she felt uncomfortable, and men STILL hounded her. He BLAMED HER FOR MEN'S LECHEROUS ATTENTIONS (Lydia was harping in his ear). Of course, he eventually was like "wow I was wrong!" but it was too little too late.
✨
Eloisa said Lydia was in part inspired by Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I find that rich since Elizabeth actually stood up to the wench. Yasmin was forgiving right on through the epilogues. Fuck that. Lydia was 10x worse than anything de Bitch said. (There were other Pride and Prejudice references that I did enjoy, like Giles and his laughable attempts at proposals.)
I get that Lydia’s justice is in the ✨nuance✨ of her ending but I demand jail time for making me this fucking angry. I don’t care about the irony of her becoming her mother. I don’t care about her having an unhappy marriage. I want on page confrontation and thick chunky soup poured all over her toxic ass head. The crime did not fit the punishment. Good sex scenes did not mollify the punishment of reading this book.
✨
Overall, Lydia made this book wholly unreadable. The hint of her redemption in the epilogue absolutely took me out. Why make a character as horrible as she was, and not have an on page confrontation or SOMETHING that makes it all worth it??? You're telling me forgiveness is the friends we made along the way??? Absolutely not. (I do love when a character starts a villain and makes a true effort to change by the end of the book. I would have loved to read about Lydia and Yasmin having a sister dynamic with real love, but we got none of that.)
Go read A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman for all of the vibes The Reluctant Countess promised but didn't deliver.
⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
**Update: not Eloisa saying that she hates Lydia like girl why did you put us through that then?????? As the writer you simply could have Not or at the very least gotten her pushed in front of a train 😭**
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
_____
Initial reaction:
I’ve never been more disappointed in a book in my entire life. I hated nearly everything about it. My Instagram stories have all the ranting. I’m gonna go vomit. This was one of my most anticipated reads. Good fucking grief.
Of course the sex in this one was better than book 1. And there was another fun grandfather. The only two redeeming qualities.
If you know me, you know that I loved How to Be a Wallflower with my entire heart, body, and soul. So naturally, The Reluctant Countess was one of my most anticipated reads. It did...not go well. Good fucking grief.
**I didn't try to actively spoil anything, but I definitely talk about spoilery parts of this book because I couldn't get around it. Proceed with caution but I truly don't think anything said here could ruin the book more than it ruined itself. And if you end up liking the book, I still can't foresee anything I said impacting your enjoyment. There are no plot twists or anything, just pain.**
In book 1, Lilford's sister, Lydia, makes an appearance and she seems like a lovely if awkward girl. I thought nothing of her. I was so innocent. She is quite literally the villain of this book and I was not prepared. She was horrible to Yasmin and truly ruined this book. She wasn't horrible in like one or two scenes. No. This book basically revolves around Lydia.
From the beginning, she hates Yasmin for absolutely no reason. She shames her, insults her, and is unreservedly cruel. She is quite literally the most ruthless hypocrite to grace the inferno. As the book continues, you understand *why* she is acting the way she is, but it is absolutely no excuse. She's in every other scene, a consistent plot point, the catalyst for fights between Giles and Yasmin, and a truly terrible person to every single character in this book. Just about every character is like "hey Yasmin maybe Giles isn't worth it because his sister is a literal biohazard." Truly, her fiancé had to be dragged to the altar.
✨
There was a moment where I truly thought she was going to get the proper punishment but no dice--she technically got ruined but Giles and Yasmin covered it up and she learned zero lessons. I thought she would've maybe chilled the fuck out after this or at some point on the page actively apologize to Yasmin but it NEVER HAPPENED.
At times Yasmin stands up for herself, but more often than not, she is stoic and the bigger person. It is 2022, I am done with taking the high road. We go low, we stay unhinged, we ride at dawn. Yasmin was simply too nice, and honestly she didn't really feel like the Yasmin from book 1. She understood that Lydia was a demon in petticoats, but she actively forgave her at the end and tried to convince Giles that Lydia was "trying." Trying to poison you in your sleep maybe.
✨
Giles was a flake. He was back and forth between being appalled by Lydia's actions (but doing nothing besides stoking her flames), or letting her read Yasmin to filth at every turn with absolutely no defense of the woman he supposedly loves. Lydia has a wedding (a large plot point) and Giles and Yasmin keep their relationship a secret as not to upset her which causes many issues. When he consistently refuses to acknowledge Yasmin's presence in public because of Lydia's *delicate constitution* and Yasmin is hurt by this, I lost any respect for him. Yasmin was a side character in this book. (I was also angry at Yasmin for being too nice, but her reasons at least made more sense.)
Lydia slut shames Yasmin repeatedly and Giles at one point (many points but this was the *main* one) sides with Lydia and also slut shames Yasmin. It is at this point where I stopped making excuses for Giles. There were some truly lovely scenes between Giles and Yasmin. The sex was very hot (hotter than book one) and their chemistry was great. I love me a starchy earl who's a little bit freaky in the sheets. When Lydia wasn't on the page or being talked about, the book was good! However, those moments were few and far between.
But cuteness doesn't excuse the fact that Giles, near the END of the book not the beginning, consistently brings up how Yasmin dresses. He was toxic, possessive, and jealous to a horrible extent and had zero trust in Yasmin. She dressed how she dressed because a. she actually had a sense of style and b. she felt CONFIDENT. She tried to cover up her body for him, but she felt uncomfortable, and men STILL hounded her. He BLAMED HER FOR MEN'S LECHEROUS ATTENTIONS (Lydia was harping in his ear). Of course, he eventually was like "wow I was wrong!" but it was too little too late.
✨
Eloisa said Lydia was in part inspired by Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I find that rich since Elizabeth actually stood up to the wench. Yasmin was forgiving right on through the epilogues. Fuck that. Lydia was 10x worse than anything de Bitch said. (There were other Pride and Prejudice references that I did enjoy, like Giles and his laughable attempts at proposals.)
I get that Lydia’s justice is in the ✨nuance✨ of her ending but I demand jail time for making me this fucking angry. I don’t care about the irony of her becoming her mother. I don’t care about her having an unhappy marriage. I want on page confrontation and thick chunky soup poured all over her toxic ass head. The crime did not fit the punishment. Good sex scenes did not mollify the punishment of reading this book.
✨
Overall, Lydia made this book wholly unreadable. The hint of her redemption in the epilogue absolutely took me out. Why make a character as horrible as she was, and not have an on page confrontation or SOMETHING that makes it all worth it??? You're telling me forgiveness is the friends we made along the way??? Absolutely not. (I do love when a character starts a villain and makes a true effort to change by the end of the book. I would have loved to read about Lydia and Yasmin having a sister dynamic with real love, but we got none of that.)
Go read A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman for all of the vibes The Reluctant Countess promised but didn't deliver.
⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
**Update: not Eloisa saying that she hates Lydia like girl why did you put us through that then?????? As the writer you simply could have Not or at the very least gotten her pushed in front of a train 😭**
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
_____
Initial reaction:
I’ve never been more disappointed in a book in my entire life. I hated nearly everything about it. My Instagram stories have all the ranting. I’m gonna go vomit. This was one of my most anticipated reads. Good fucking grief.
Of course the sex in this one was better than book 1. And there was another fun grandfather. The only two redeeming qualities.
October 16, 2022
ARC provided Edelweiss and Avon in exchange for a honest review.
This was a disappointment and characters I could not connect with or liked. And found it very hard to believe all that took place and happened (drama, like soap opera drama) for the time period and era.
Okay pretty simple and to the point here.
I did not like the heroine. She has a scandalous past, because of her mother, her actions and her dress. But she also doesn't help her cause in my humble opinion with what she does either. I found her over the top and to be honest a little full of herself.
The hero, oh do not get me started on this jerk. What a total hypocrite. I mean nothing likable about him at all. Not attractive in any way, shape or form. He looks down at her and her "reputation" but is in constant lust for her.🙄
And lets talk about his sister, the villain of this story, she was unbelievable. What an absolute spoiled, rotten and unkind brat, these might be too nice to describe her actually.
And the story line was just not believable for the time period. And someone made a comment saying that a reader who reads this genre and expects historical romances to have any kind of authenticity about how things would have actually happened in these time periods is foolish. Question, why do I pick up a historical romance, for the time period and it's authenticity. And for it to be as close or as believable for the time period/era. Why would I pick up historical really expecting anything else, really. Some scenes and what took place just didn't jive or work for a historical romance. And I am aware that there seems to be a trend with some authors in the historical genre to reallllly stretchhhh the truth for the time period, but let me call it as I see it, a Contemporary Historical. I think that there needs to be a new label created just for those books. That way we all know what we are getting and are happy.
Do not recommend this book, big disappointment.
This was a disappointment and characters I could not connect with or liked. And found it very hard to believe all that took place and happened (drama, like soap opera drama) for the time period and era.
Okay pretty simple and to the point here.
I did not like the heroine. She has a scandalous past, because of her mother, her actions and her dress. But she also doesn't help her cause in my humble opinion with what she does either. I found her over the top and to be honest a little full of herself.
The hero, oh do not get me started on this jerk. What a total hypocrite. I mean nothing likable about him at all. Not attractive in any way, shape or form. He looks down at her and her "reputation" but is in constant lust for her.🙄
And lets talk about his sister, the villain of this story, she was unbelievable. What an absolute spoiled, rotten and unkind brat, these might be too nice to describe her actually.
And the story line was just not believable for the time period. And someone made a comment saying that a reader who reads this genre and expects historical romances to have any kind of authenticity about how things would have actually happened in these time periods is foolish. Question, why do I pick up a historical romance, for the time period and it's authenticity. And for it to be as close or as believable for the time period/era. Why would I pick up historical really expecting anything else, really. Some scenes and what took place just didn't jive or work for a historical romance. And I am aware that there seems to be a trend with some authors in the historical genre to reallllly stretchhhh the truth for the time period, but let me call it as I see it, a Contemporary Historical. I think that there needs to be a new label created just for those books. That way we all know what we are getting and are happy.
Do not recommend this book, big disappointment.
December 4, 2022
Note: My goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (would be 2 stars but I loved the heroine and her grandfather so I bumped it up!)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
Should I read in order?
This is the second book in James’s Would Be Wallflower series but I found it fine as a stand alone. There is some light character page time from the hero and heroine from book 1 (they are friends with the heroine from this book).
Basic plot:
Honestly...I’m struggling here. Giles doesn’t approve one bit of Yasmin, but proposes to her anyway. That’s all I got.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1816)
- Mostly London setting
- Medium steam (3 full scenes but lots of implied, partial, and alluded to additional scenes and kisses)
- Dislike to lovers-ish? At first at least. You walk into the story and are told they dislike each other
- English Earl hero, French heroine
- Scandalous heroine – she is trying to overcome her past from France
- You’re all right with a jealous, jerky hero
Ages:
- Heroine is 24, hero is 32
My thoughts:
I did try to like this one! Giles and Yasmin just don’t get along – and it’s no fault of Yasmin. Sure she bates him a bit, but really she’s just trying to get him to loosen up and talk to her instead of being a stick in the mud. Giles comes into the story judging her, acting superior to her, and for all the wrong reasons. Her mother was the mistress of Napoleon – as if she could help it. She wore too low cut of gowns – because she loves fashion and isn’t a prude.
And I love a good turn around story. I love jerk heroes if they can acknowledge their behavior and grovel a bit. But Giles is just...unlikable to me. And he doesn’t stop. He just keeps it going right up until almost the end of the book. Yasmin, I adored in this story. I hate that she is with Giles. She deserved infinitely better than him and I am left sad with this book.
I just didn’t quite get how and why this story took the path it did. We walk in on them basically not getting along, but then he kisses her. I had no tension build up for this and it seemed like he didn’t even like her or himself that he did it.
My favorite character in the story is Yasmin’s grandfather. I adore him. He was such a delight and loves his granddaughter unconditionally. And defends her always. Giles should have been half the man her grandfather is. How utterly disappointing.
I am also sensitive to downright nasty sister-in-law/mother-in-law characters because I lived it for too long – and the hero’s sister in this story is an absolute villain. Another thing that gets me is when there’s little or no repercussions for evil behavior and we don’t get it here. Basically all is forgiven. Boooo that can be for real life but in fiction I demand true villains be punished!
I’ll get into specifics below about the things Giles did that made me abhor him. I hope if you give this one a try you like it more than me! James is hit or miss for me. There have been a number I have absolutely adored, but this is not one.
Quotes and random thoughts:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (would be 2 stars but I loved the heroine and her grandfather so I bumped it up!)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )
Should I read in order?
This is the second book in James’s Would Be Wallflower series but I found it fine as a stand alone. There is some light character page time from the hero and heroine from book 1 (they are friends with the heroine from this book).
Basic plot:
Honestly...I’m struggling here. Giles doesn’t approve one bit of Yasmin, but proposes to her anyway. That’s all I got.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1816)
- Mostly London setting
- Medium steam (3 full scenes but lots of implied, partial, and alluded to additional scenes and kisses)
- Dislike to lovers-ish? At first at least. You walk into the story and are told they dislike each other
- English Earl hero, French heroine
- Scandalous heroine – she is trying to overcome her past from France
- You’re all right with a jealous, jerky hero
Ages:
- Heroine is 24, hero is 32
My thoughts:
I did try to like this one! Giles and Yasmin just don’t get along – and it’s no fault of Yasmin. Sure she bates him a bit, but really she’s just trying to get him to loosen up and talk to her instead of being a stick in the mud. Giles comes into the story judging her, acting superior to her, and for all the wrong reasons. Her mother was the mistress of Napoleon – as if she could help it. She wore too low cut of gowns – because she loves fashion and isn’t a prude.
And I love a good turn around story. I love jerk heroes if they can acknowledge their behavior and grovel a bit. But Giles is just...unlikable to me. And he doesn’t stop. He just keeps it going right up until almost the end of the book. Yasmin, I adored in this story. I hate that she is with Giles. She deserved infinitely better than him and I am left sad with this book.
I just didn’t quite get how and why this story took the path it did. We walk in on them basically not getting along, but then he kisses her. I had no tension build up for this and it seemed like he didn’t even like her or himself that he did it.
My favorite character in the story is Yasmin’s grandfather. I adore him. He was such a delight and loves his granddaughter unconditionally. And defends her always. Giles should have been half the man her grandfather is. How utterly disappointing.
I am also sensitive to downright nasty sister-in-law/mother-in-law characters because I lived it for too long – and the hero’s sister in this story is an absolute villain. Another thing that gets me is when there’s little or no repercussions for evil behavior and we don’t get it here. Basically all is forgiven. Boooo that can be for real life but in fiction I demand true villains be punished!
I’ll get into specifics below about the things Giles did that made me abhor him. I hope if you give this one a try you like it more than me! James is hit or miss for me. There have been a number I have absolutely adored, but this is not one.
Quotes and random thoughts:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
September 5, 2022
Give me an earl who only smiles for his lady 👏🏻🤤
Lady Yasmin has got some crazy scandals surrounding her. Her mom was Napoleon’s mistress (what?!) and a shady AF dude tricked her into thinking they were married only to blackmail her family. Now she’s outta France and trying to live her best life and ignore all the cut directs and rude comments (while every dude fawns over her.)
Giles, Lord Lilford, is freaking stodgy. He’s pretty judgmental, he hates gossip and scandal and he really hates the fact that he’s got the hots for Lady Yasmin. But he gets over that pretty quickly and decides, what the heck, make Lady Yasmin Lady Lilford and countess that girl up. Only he’s been super rude to her as a means to keep his distance and he’s gonna have to prove that he really cares for her.
I was really loving the beginning premise of this book. Yes to heroes who just can’t help themselves, yes to heroine who are like “Excuse me, you can’t just think I’m beautiful and think that’s enough to win me.” And I reaaaaaally love heroines who are out on sex. When she lays down the gauntlet that she will only have a platonic marriage, I was giddy. I love seduction that requires a crap ton of ground work!
There are some issues with this book, making it more of a 3.5 star read vs 4 star, but I still liked the pacing of it enough to finish it without being completely frustrated. It seemed like there wasn’t enough conflict to drive the story so there are a few lame things added to the mix that were more annoying than substantial.
The main primary god awful issue is Lydia, Giles’ evil-for-no-reason sister.
Lydia is the villain in this story and it didn’t make sense. She’s just evil to be evil. She’s trying to save her brother from a scandalous woman while Yasmin isn’t scandalous and Lydia is the freaking worst. She’s overdramatic, angry, shrieking harpy. I hate when the conflict between the hero and heroine is a family member who is just causing problems to cause problems. Any time Lydia was on page I was reading through narrowed eyes.
Overall, I’m happy with this read! And despite all the issues I think I enjoyed this one more than the first.
Lady Yasmin has got some crazy scandals surrounding her. Her mom was Napoleon’s mistress (what?!) and a shady AF dude tricked her into thinking they were married only to blackmail her family. Now she’s outta France and trying to live her best life and ignore all the cut directs and rude comments (while every dude fawns over her.)
Giles, Lord Lilford, is freaking stodgy. He’s pretty judgmental, he hates gossip and scandal and he really hates the fact that he’s got the hots for Lady Yasmin. But he gets over that pretty quickly and decides, what the heck, make Lady Yasmin Lady Lilford and countess that girl up. Only he’s been super rude to her as a means to keep his distance and he’s gonna have to prove that he really cares for her.
I was really loving the beginning premise of this book. Yes to heroes who just can’t help themselves, yes to heroine who are like “Excuse me, you can’t just think I’m beautiful and think that’s enough to win me.” And I reaaaaaally love heroines who are out on sex. When she lays down the gauntlet that she will only have a platonic marriage, I was giddy. I love seduction that requires a crap ton of ground work!
There are some issues with this book, making it more of a 3.5 star read vs 4 star, but I still liked the pacing of it enough to finish it without being completely frustrated. It seemed like there wasn’t enough conflict to drive the story so there are a few lame things added to the mix that were more annoying than substantial.
The main primary god awful issue is Lydia, Giles’ evil-for-no-reason sister.
Lydia is the villain in this story and it didn’t make sense. She’s just evil to be evil. She’s trying to save her brother from a scandalous woman while Yasmin isn’t scandalous and Lydia is the freaking worst. She’s overdramatic, angry, shrieking harpy. I hate when the conflict between the hero and heroine is a family member who is just causing problems to cause problems. Any time Lydia was on page I was reading through narrowed eyes.
Overall, I’m happy with this read! And despite all the issues I think I enjoyed this one more than the first.
March 3, 2023
Delicious
I read every new release by Eloisa James, and this is my favorite of her newest books. The conflict between Giles and Yasmin was subtle, but so well done. 😍😍
And my god! The intimacy. Eloisa James is a master at creating bonds between her characters. The long, seemingly inconsequential conversations are truly incredible and serve as foreplay for some serious heat.
If you're into character-driven romance, this author is a must read!
I read every new release by Eloisa James, and this is my favorite of her newest books. The conflict between Giles and Yasmin was subtle, but so well done. 😍😍
And my god! The intimacy. Eloisa James is a master at creating bonds between her characters. The long, seemingly inconsequential conversations are truly incredible and serve as foreplay for some serious heat.
If you're into character-driven romance, this author is a must read!
May 23, 2023
Four solid stars for this low(ish) angst romance focusing on reputation, appearance, and authenticity. Our two lovers, Giles and Yasmin, are that classic romance pairing: sunshine/grump, whimsical/starchy, carefree/serious. Not a lot of time is spent on the love story. Giles is uncomfortably pining for Yasmin at the beginning of the book, while she is also uncomfortably aware that he is the only man who's sparked her interest in the past year, so it's a given that they're attracted and ready for more. Instead, there's an examination of Regency slut shaming and the difference between reputation and authenticity means. Of course there's also the fantasy of an ending where the nice girl gets what she deserves, while the gossip mongers end up having their own shames revealed.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
10-Word Summaries:
Meg: Why are starchy aristocrats always into fast women? (Oh wait…)
Laine: You can't outrun your past, so flirt and dress seductively.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
10-Word Summaries:
Meg: Why are starchy aristocrats always into fast women? (Oh wait…)
Laine: You can't outrun your past, so flirt and dress seductively.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
July 27, 2023
2.5
Based on a few reviews, I went into this prepared to hate Lydia (the hero’s sister) but she was not as loathe some as I initially thought. I still wished she had her comeuppance though. Ugh! So unsatisfying!
The romance was okay. I enjoy the “opposites attract” trope, particularly when the hero fights against his attraction/lust for the heroine. I haven’t read the first book in the series so I wonder if I needed to because there was no buildup or tension to their relationship. The book begins with the hero already disliking/disapproving the heroine and a chapter later, Then a few chapters later, .
Other notes:
Not bad for my first book by Eloisa James since 2019 (4 years).
Based on a few reviews, I went into this prepared to hate Lydia (the hero’s sister) but she was not as loathe some as I initially thought. I still wished she had her comeuppance though. Ugh! So unsatisfying!
The romance was okay. I enjoy the “opposites attract” trope, particularly when the hero fights against his attraction/lust for the heroine. I haven’t read the first book in the series so I wonder if I needed to because there was no buildup or tension to their relationship. The book begins with the hero already disliking/disapproving the heroine and a chapter later, Then a few chapters later, .
Other notes:
Not bad for my first book by Eloisa James since 2019 (4 years).
December 5, 2022
I loved parts of this book, and I hated parts of it. After I finished reading it has taken be a couple of days to decide just how to review it. I loved Yasmin for the strong, compassionate woman she became after her disgrace at the age of 16. I really liked Giles for knowing who he wanted and not giving up on her. I absolutely hated Giles sister, Lydia. She was a horror. I hated Giles for the way he let Lydia manipulate him. The book kept me intrigued, but I was disappointed that Yasmin never got to snack Lydia upside the head a time or two.
Lady Yasmin Régnier's grandfather is a Duke, and she is tolerated in polite society, but will never be accepted by the women who rule that world. On the other hand, the men all like her just fine. She had a French father and a scandal or two in her background and her dresses are a tad on the immodest side. She is fun, full of life and has a smile for everyone, even those women who snub her. She has spent months trying to coax a smile out of a certain cranky earl.
Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford is just trying to get his headstrong sister engaged and married this Season. His attraction to the beautiful and totally unacceptable Yasmin Régnier is just not appropriate to that end. Lydia's behavior and character must be above reproach, lest someone resurrect their old family scandal. Associating with someone who typifies scandal just won't do. But at each ball he has the first waltz with the lovely Yasmin, and it is all he can do not to throttle the scores of men who are panting after her. 3 1/2-Stars
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Lady Yasmin Régnier's grandfather is a Duke, and she is tolerated in polite society, but will never be accepted by the women who rule that world. On the other hand, the men all like her just fine. She had a French father and a scandal or two in her background and her dresses are a tad on the immodest side. She is fun, full of life and has a smile for everyone, even those women who snub her. She has spent months trying to coax a smile out of a certain cranky earl.
Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford is just trying to get his headstrong sister engaged and married this Season. His attraction to the beautiful and totally unacceptable Yasmin Régnier is just not appropriate to that end. Lydia's behavior and character must be above reproach, lest someone resurrect their old family scandal. Associating with someone who typifies scandal just won't do. But at each ball he has the first waltz with the lovely Yasmin, and it is all he can do not to throttle the scores of men who are panting after her. 3 1/2-Stars
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
July 16, 2023
I’m really enjoying this series! I was excited after Cleo’s book to find out what happens with Yasmin and I wasn’t disappointed. I really loved Yasmin’s character. I did not love Lydia’s character but I think that was the point. Giles was interesting for me because I really liked him in Cleo’s book and then in this one he seemed stuffy and uptight. I’m not sure what else I was expecting from him but I wanted him to love Yasmin out loud but that wasn’t his style.
I’m not going to lie up until almost the end I was rooting for Silvester to win Yasmin over even though I knew that would happen. He was so fun and I can’t wait for his book! He might have my heart!
I’m not going to lie up until almost the end I was rooting for Silvester to win Yasmin over even though I knew that would happen. He was so fun and I can’t wait for his book! He might have my heart!
January 19, 2023
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, historical romance novel. It has a likable female protagonist, a caring male protagonist, a lovable grandfather, family and relationship drama, wit, humor and a happily ever after ending. This is the second entry in Ms. James' excellent Would Be Wallflower series, and can easily be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.
August 26, 2022
Mixed feelings after finishing this and I think most readers will come away feeling similarly!
Yasmin is an "unconventional" French lady. Kinda scandalous in what she wears and definitely scandalous in that her mother is well-known for being one of Napoleon's mistresses. So, when she flees to England after a scandal of her own (no wrongdoing of her own, I feel the need to add), it's no surprise that the hero is just another person who thinks she is beneath him. Or does he?
So, the main problem here lies in this premise. The Earl is instantly dislikable IMO because he's just like everyone else. Liking her, lusting after her, while simultaneously looking down on her. Let me also say this continues well into the book. *cough* the third act conflict*cough* He's troubled, and overall, just not that great.
The other negative of this book is the sister. Oh dear lord, the sister. She brings all the conflict and is just overall a chore to read about.I like morally gray characters, but she is just overall the absolute worst and I cannot .
Anyways, let's end on the positives.
Eloisa James brings the angst!! I was invested and dang was the tension palpable when both characters were in the same room. Also, the Earl is pretty quiet but NOTTT when they're alone. Dear me that's worth the read alone.
Sooo overall like 3.5 stars.
Yasmin is an "unconventional" French lady. Kinda scandalous in what she wears and definitely scandalous in that her mother is well-known for being one of Napoleon's mistresses. So, when she flees to England after a scandal of her own (no wrongdoing of her own, I feel the need to add), it's no surprise that the hero is just another person who thinks she is beneath him. Or does he?
So, the main problem here lies in this premise. The Earl is instantly dislikable IMO because he's just like everyone else. Liking her, lusting after her, while simultaneously looking down on her. Let me also say this continues well into the book. *cough* the third act conflict*cough* He's troubled, and overall, just not that great.
The other negative of this book is the sister. Oh dear lord, the sister. She brings all the conflict and is just overall a chore to read about.
Anyways, let's end on the positives.
Eloisa James brings the angst!! I was invested and dang was the tension palpable when both characters were in the same room. Also, the Earl is pretty quiet but NOTTT when they're alone. Dear me that's worth the read alone.
Sooo overall like 3.5 stars.
February 18, 2023
I was absolutely delighted and swept away in this second installment in Eloisa James' Would-be Wallflowers series. James creates such compelling characters and situations in this novel that I was fully engaged with this story. James' writing has an elegance of tone that easily sweeps the reader into the time period. James is also wonderful at crafting characters that feel fully developed and interesting. I think if you enjoy a historical that has a more authentic feel, is full of banter and charm, and delightfully sensual that Eloisa James is a delightful author to explore.
The hero and heroine class in this "proper"earl and "improper lady" romance between two opposites who challenge each others beliefs. I love the tension that James is able to build between these two. The novel jump starts with the reader fully aware of where these two stand with each other. I always find joy in a novel watching a hero be completely obsessed with the heroine and needing to work out why he just can not stop thinking about her. I love that through this novel, James is able to explore the ways rumors and the way people chose to present themselves can create prejudices in other. I love that through clothing the heroine is able to take control of her confidence and the way she interacts with society. I love that she is even able to show the hero that the way she dresses is for her. This novel also has the intriguing side plot of a "villain" in the hero's sister. Through this character James is able to fuller explore perception of a person and how societal rumors can make or break a ladies worth during this time period. I love that Yasmin, the heroine, is bold and strong in her own right. She knows her value and her worth and she never lets Giles out easily when he tries to stifle or judge her for preconceived notions. I love that through his sister and the woman he is going to love he has to learn and discover who to trust. I love that Yasmin is always open and honest with Giles, I love that Giles has to work out and grow to look past rumors, I love that Yasmin has a beautiful heart full of forgiveness. This book is beautifully steamy, and really helps to build the trust and understanding between Giles and Yasmin. Watching this relationship grow out of misunderstanding into a lovely and heartfelt romance is absolutely gratifying and heart warming.
I love an Eloisa James novel and would highly recommend this novel to any historical romance lover. Whether you are an old fan of James work or new to her, I think this is a wonderful look into her body of work. I so very highly recommend this novel.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The hero and heroine class in this "proper"earl and "improper lady" romance between two opposites who challenge each others beliefs. I love the tension that James is able to build between these two. The novel jump starts with the reader fully aware of where these two stand with each other. I always find joy in a novel watching a hero be completely obsessed with the heroine and needing to work out why he just can not stop thinking about her. I love that through this novel, James is able to explore the ways rumors and the way people chose to present themselves can create prejudices in other. I love that through clothing the heroine is able to take control of her confidence and the way she interacts with society. I love that she is even able to show the hero that the way she dresses is for her. This novel also has the intriguing side plot of a "villain" in the hero's sister. Through this character James is able to fuller explore perception of a person and how societal rumors can make or break a ladies worth during this time period. I love that Yasmin, the heroine, is bold and strong in her own right. She knows her value and her worth and she never lets Giles out easily when he tries to stifle or judge her for preconceived notions. I love that through his sister and the woman he is going to love he has to learn and discover who to trust. I love that Yasmin is always open and honest with Giles, I love that Giles has to work out and grow to look past rumors, I love that Yasmin has a beautiful heart full of forgiveness. This book is beautifully steamy, and really helps to build the trust and understanding between Giles and Yasmin. Watching this relationship grow out of misunderstanding into a lovely and heartfelt romance is absolutely gratifying and heart warming.
I love an Eloisa James novel and would highly recommend this novel to any historical romance lover. Whether you are an old fan of James work or new to her, I think this is a wonderful look into her body of work. I so very highly recommend this novel.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an eARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 4, 2022
Yasmin’s past has created a need for her to “act the part”. She’s living up to her reputation and in the process has attracted the attention of the Earl of Liliford. But he can do nothing except allow himself the first waltz. I was intrigued by this heroine and what her actions would be as she healed from the heartache she was dealt when she was younger. But I was disappointed that the storyline did not allow her to adjust as the era would dictate. However, removing myself from that thought process, I have to admit that I respect the fact that she wanted to remain true to who she was even if it was a result of pain from her past.
Giles was promising as I love a hero who denies himself what he wants and yet cannot stop himself from just a tiny taste of it. Allowing himself the first waltz and nothing more was pure torture the more he watched Yasmin and slowly came to know her. I did enjoy watching him fall but when things heated up with his sister, I admit I was disappointed in his lack of actions.
While I had a few issues with the characters, overall, I enjoyed them well enough. I liked their banter and the chemistry between them was obvious. The author gives us just a touch of history in Yasmin’s background but I struggled when so many of these character’s actions and behaviors were not in line with the time period. Overall, a nice enough read.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Steam
Giles was promising as I love a hero who denies himself what he wants and yet cannot stop himself from just a tiny taste of it. Allowing himself the first waltz and nothing more was pure torture the more he watched Yasmin and slowly came to know her. I did enjoy watching him fall but when things heated up with his sister, I admit I was disappointed in his lack of actions.
While I had a few issues with the characters, overall, I enjoyed them well enough. I liked their banter and the chemistry between them was obvious. The author gives us just a touch of history in Yasmin’s background but I struggled when so many of these character’s actions and behaviors were not in line with the time period. Overall, a nice enough read.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Steam
December 12, 2022
I can't remember the last time when I was so angry by a side character
my God but hero's sister was so annoying, condescending, and involved in this book
I was screaming multiple time
like Lydia
also, I don't care about this off-page nonsense if you make a character the main villain I need some resolution with it ....
weak ass hero who constantly made excuses for his awful sister downgraded the book
still, great heroine and very very steamy scenes
my God but hero's sister was so annoying, condescending, and involved in this book
I was screaming multiple time
like Lydia
also, I don't care about this off-page nonsense if you make a character the main villain I need some resolution with it ....
weak ass hero who constantly made excuses for his awful sister downgraded the book
still, great heroine and very very steamy scenes
October 5, 2022
For a book that was supposed to be around Yasmin and Giles, Giles' sister Lydia seemed to be the main character/villain of this story. She was disgusting and I could not stand anything about her. She absolutely ruined the book, but Giles was no prize either. He constantly took his sister's side, shamed Yasmin even while lusting after her and blaming her for everything.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 26, 2022
The Earl is awful and I did not understand why she stuck with him. Way too controlling and needy and a jerk about a lot of things. Her grandfather almost made up for it - he is truly awesome and I love him with heart eyes.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader copy.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader copy.
November 29, 2022
Title: The Reluctant Countess
Series: Would-Be Wallflowers
Author: Eloisa James
Release date: November 29, 2022
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance
I'm always excited to read the newest Eloisa James book because it's almost a given that it's going to be a fantastic read. Some I've loved more than others, but I can't recall any that totally missed the mark for me. I definitely enjoyed this second installment in the series a bit more than the first one. Lady Yasmin and Lord Giles were an enemies-to-lovers/opposites attract pairing that I had high hopes for since meeting them in How to be a Wallflower.
Giles is described as a stern, stone-faced aristocrat who likes to observe proprieties at all times.
Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, was censorious, buttoned down, and unsurprising. In a flock of British aristocrats, he blended right in.
Yasmine lives to stand out in a crowd and enjoy life to the fullest by flirting with anyone who catches her fancy. She's a bright, sparkling young woman that thumbs her nose at rules and restrictions.
You would think that these two would never stand a chance, but secretly they both feel an unwelcome attraction that grows despite their efforts to ignore it. Giles is looking for a woman with a reputation beyond reproach. His family was embroiled in a shameful scandal when his father was found to have stolen money from a church in his youth. The resulting gossip and censure caused him to take his life and destroy the family. Giles' painful childhood shaped him to be the man that he was-one that valued decorum and respectability above all else. If he could only erase the stigma attached to his family name, his sister would have a chance to find happiness and love. He has tried to shield her from the ugliness surrounding their parents, but Lydia is aware of what transpired and is already in self-destruct mode because of it. Unfortunately, he is a bit obtuse when it comes to his sister's faults. You can't fault him for his family loyalty, however, his sister was outrageously obnoxious and childish and she caused him quite a bit of harm because of it. She's one of those characters you wish you could throat punch and then do it about fifteen more times for good measure. Her selfish antics were the one, main frustration I had with the story.
Although Yasmine is the life of every party, but no one is aware that her bright smiles mask a lot of pain. She was horribly taken advantage of as a teenager back home in France, and like Giles, she suffered greatly from vicious gossip because of it. Yasmine was once naive and trusting, and that caused her to fall for the lies of a malicious fortune hunter. She escaped to the care of her grandfather in England and his title shields her from any fallback she would have felt because of her rebellious behavior. Yasmine is wealthy in her own right because of ample inheritances and has no desire to tie herself to a man and leave her heart open to hurt again.
One of her favorite rules for survival amongst the aristocracy—whether French or British—was that a show of weakness had to be avoided at all costs.
She never once lets her guard down, but for some reason Giles seems to get under her skin despite his apparent disapproval of her. He does act like a judgmental jerk at times towards her, but underneath his tough exterior he genuinely is a softie. Definitely a bit too much when it came to his sister, but he had good intentions most of the time. One thing about Eloisa James' heroes is that once they make their mind up to court someone, they go all in. Giles is no exception with his single-minded determination to win Yasmine's affection. He's also protective and immediately supportive when her painful past is revealed in a very public manner. Her grandfather was equally as understanding and loving and I actually adored their special relationship. Yes, he allowed her freedoms that were a bit unrealistic for that time, but she needed someone like him in her life. Her parents were one, big waste of space.
I only want you. I don’t care what society thinks if they see us in a curricle. “I just want you to sit beside me.”
I enjoyed the friction and the chase between these two as they got past their initial preconceptions of each other. She helped him to live in the moment and not worry so much about the opinions of others. He helped her to open her heart to love again so they could build a future together. There were lots of sweet moments between the two of them as they explored their unlikely attraction and got to know one another at a deeper level.
The next book in the series will be about bookish, freckled, bespectacled Lady Stella and Lord Silvester who didn't seem interested in her in the slightest. I'll be interested to see how his feelings for her evolve into love.
Not That Duke (Would-Be Wallflowers #3) is scheduled for publication in July 2023.
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December 3, 2022
Book #2 in the Would-Be Wallflowers series. An enemies to lovers and grumpy-sunshine hero Regency romance.
Giles Renwick, the Earl of Lilford is the grumpy-sunshine hero that hates being attracted to our heroine Lady Yasmin. She’s scandalous after all according to the ton.. but she makes him feel things he’s never felt for another woman. Lady Yasmin is an innocent being judged unfairly but has kept herself grounded. She’s down-to-earth and cheerful from the inside out.. and always sports a smile 😀 (and definitely dresses a little more provocative than most ladies of the ton). Yasmine has strong feelings for Giles but is unsure to where she fits in his life. After all.. he had always vehemently disliked her. Sound intriguing and a bit confusing? And let’s not forget his scheming younger sister that tries to make their life unbearable. Hatefulness and cruelty are only a small part behind the trouble that little villain causes 😈.
The highlight of my day was to sit back, relax.. and dive into this entertaining, gossipy story that matches an overprotective/jealous hero with a beautiful yet reluctant (will she? or won’t she?) french heroine. I didn’t care for Giles as much as I wanted to but found it to be interesting to never knowing where EJ would go with his character. I absolutely adored Yasmine!!! ♥️ 4 stars — Pub. 11/29/22.
Highly anticipating reading about The Duke of Huntington and Lady Stella who are up next in book #3 “Not That Duke,” out July 2023.
*Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Giles Renwick, the Earl of Lilford is the grumpy-sunshine hero that hates being attracted to our heroine Lady Yasmin. She’s scandalous after all according to the ton.. but she makes him feel things he’s never felt for another woman. Lady Yasmin is an innocent being judged unfairly but has kept herself grounded. She’s down-to-earth and cheerful from the inside out.. and always sports a smile 😀 (and definitely dresses a little more provocative than most ladies of the ton). Yasmine has strong feelings for Giles but is unsure to where she fits in his life. After all.. he had always vehemently disliked her. Sound intriguing and a bit confusing? And let’s not forget his scheming younger sister that tries to make their life unbearable. Hatefulness and cruelty are only a small part behind the trouble that little villain causes 😈.
The highlight of my day was to sit back, relax.. and dive into this entertaining, gossipy story that matches an overprotective/jealous hero with a beautiful yet reluctant (will she? or won’t she?) french heroine. I didn’t care for Giles as much as I wanted to but found it to be interesting to never knowing where EJ would go with his character. I absolutely adored Yasmine!!! ♥️ 4 stars — Pub. 11/29/22.
Highly anticipating reading about The Duke of Huntington and Lady Stella who are up next in book #3 “Not That Duke,” out July 2023.
*Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 19, 2023
Well this was a disappointment. I liked Lady Yasmin, really felt for her. Giles Renwick, Earl of Lilford, Definitely needed to up his game. Caddish behavior. I know he had a past to deal with. His sister is a horror. All in all it was a just so so story.
January 29, 2023
Eloisa James never disappoints. I love just about everything she writes and this one was no exception.
After a scandal in her past Yasmin is not looking for love.
Giles has no intention of marrying someone whose reputation has been ruined, but he is very attracted to her despite this. Yasmin is also drawn to him.
One of my favorite parts of this book was Yasmin's relationship with her grandfather and her friendships with Cleo and Mary.
One thing I didn't like was Lydia and her relationship with her brother Giles. I realize that she was needed as the villain, but she was just so horrible. It didn't seem very likely that someone like Giles would allow his little sister to get away with behaving as she did. She was only 17 years old, it felt off.
But overall I liked enough of the story to set that aside. Yasmin and Giles had amazing chemistry and this book has more sex scenes than I was expecting. That's always a bonus.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
After a scandal in her past Yasmin is not looking for love.
Giles has no intention of marrying someone whose reputation has been ruined, but he is very attracted to her despite this. Yasmin is also drawn to him.
One of my favorite parts of this book was Yasmin's relationship with her grandfather and her friendships with Cleo and Mary.
One thing I didn't like was Lydia and her relationship with her brother Giles. I realize that she was needed as the villain, but she was just so horrible. It didn't seem very likely that someone like Giles would allow his little sister to get away with behaving as she did. She was only 17 years old, it felt off.
But overall I liked enough of the story to set that aside. Yasmin and Giles had amazing chemistry and this book has more sex scenes than I was expecting. That's always a bonus.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
March 15, 2024
Coming back to reading Eloisa James and I do like her novels. This one was a good listen although Susan Duerden can be a bit as a narrator. I think she did a very good performance and I enjoyed the plot. Not sure why the sister, Lydia was not made to marry as she was caught compromised. I do love a lot of spicy in my HR's and sex was abundant. This was a nice audiobook listen to complete this in my series reads.
November 8, 2022
2/5 stars
This was just such a disaster I don’t even know where to begin.
I would have been reluctant as well to be quite honest, my ass would have been on the next ship for America away from that mess.
The romance was definitely not it. She had a bad experience with her first lover, he kept her as a secret and basically used her to get ahead and what happens with this Giles? He literally keeps their relationship a secret to avoid any issues with his brat of a sister. I just didn't like it. He was jealous and an ass telling her how to dress and that she was not dignified. Look at your sister sir, she was a mess!
Yasmin had little to no spine for me and she should have stood up for herself because ok not caring about the rumours and everything, but people were being plain nasty in front of her. Either own it or just clap back girlie.
The cherry on top in this book was the sister, Lydia. If I could have looked past certain things I couldn't with her. Giles should have confronted her at the end for what she did because she intentionally tried to ruin his life because she was feeling petty.
This was just such a disaster I don’t even know where to begin.
I would have been reluctant as well to be quite honest, my ass would have been on the next ship for America away from that mess.
The romance was definitely not it. She had a bad experience with her first lover, he kept her as a secret and basically used her to get ahead and what happens with this Giles? He literally keeps their relationship a secret to avoid any issues with his brat of a sister. I just didn't like it. He was jealous and an ass telling her how to dress and that she was not dignified. Look at your sister sir, she was a mess!
Yasmin had little to no spine for me and she should have stood up for herself because ok not caring about the rumours and everything, but people were being plain nasty in front of her. Either own it or just clap back girlie.
The cherry on top in this book was the sister, Lydia. If I could have looked past certain things I couldn't with her. Giles should have confronted her at the end for what she did because she intentionally tried to ruin his life because she was feeling petty.
January 4, 2023
Dnf @30%
Hate the sister character, she is everywhere. FMC becomes the secondary character in this story. And MMC is a big hypocrite and I don’t think the author will be able to make him redeem himself.
After browsing the reviews, I am right to dnf.
Hate the sister character, she is everywhere. FMC becomes the secondary character in this story. And MMC is a big hypocrite and I don’t think the author will be able to make him redeem himself.
After browsing the reviews, I am right to dnf.
March 4, 2023
Giles Renwick, the Earl of Lilford, has always carried himself with stiff propriety. Believing himself incapable of deep emotions, he has never truly given in to pursuit of a woman and determined never to do so, but that all goes out the window when he meets Lady Yasmin Regnier. She’s too much a lady to be his mistress but too scandalous to be a proper wife. Their mutual discord precludes them even being friends.
He abhors her provocative style of dress and her tendency to engage in vapid gossip. She lacks decorum, is only even half English and makes no real attempt to hide her mother’s scandalous affair with Napoleon. Despite all the marks against her, Giles still can’t seem to help himself and proposes to Yasmin anyway. He has no idea what he’ll do if she says yes, or even worse, no.
I’ve been looking forward to this story since I read the epilogue of the previous book. Yasmin and Giles were obviously meant to be together, but they did make for such an odd pairing that I was hard pressed at times to envision how this would work. Yasmin was a genuinely kind person, but she’d been taken advantage of and scorned by society, labeled as loose for no real reason. Giles was rather starched, a high stickler for propriety thanks to his parents who dragged their family name through the mud with scandal. He’d convinced himself he could never have Yasmin thanks to her scandalous reputation, causing him to treat her less than cordially. This, of course, created difficulties when Giles could no longer resist his feelings for Yasmin and wanted to court her in earnest; she was understandably skeptical of his true intentions. These two had a rather tumultuous, hot then cold relationship, but I enjoyed how character driven their story was and how inevitable it felt that they would eventually be together.
Yasmin stood up for herself and demanded to be loved for who she was or not at all, refusing to squeeze herself into some societal mold, and I loved that. There was also a villain in this story that I think many readers will enjoy rooting against and I cannot wait to see what sort of comeuppance is dished out in that quarter in a later book. I think perhaps my favorite relationship here was actually the one between Yasmin and her grandfather. Having lost my own grandfather six months ago, their interactions were bittersweet for me, but I loved them nonetheless. His unconditional support of Yasmin was everything. I enjoyed the way things worked out for Yasmin and Giles and I look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
He abhors her provocative style of dress and her tendency to engage in vapid gossip. She lacks decorum, is only even half English and makes no real attempt to hide her mother’s scandalous affair with Napoleon. Despite all the marks against her, Giles still can’t seem to help himself and proposes to Yasmin anyway. He has no idea what he’ll do if she says yes, or even worse, no.
I’ve been looking forward to this story since I read the epilogue of the previous book. Yasmin and Giles were obviously meant to be together, but they did make for such an odd pairing that I was hard pressed at times to envision how this would work. Yasmin was a genuinely kind person, but she’d been taken advantage of and scorned by society, labeled as loose for no real reason. Giles was rather starched, a high stickler for propriety thanks to his parents who dragged their family name through the mud with scandal. He’d convinced himself he could never have Yasmin thanks to her scandalous reputation, causing him to treat her less than cordially. This, of course, created difficulties when Giles could no longer resist his feelings for Yasmin and wanted to court her in earnest; she was understandably skeptical of his true intentions. These two had a rather tumultuous, hot then cold relationship, but I enjoyed how character driven their story was and how inevitable it felt that they would eventually be together.
Yasmin stood up for herself and demanded to be loved for who she was or not at all, refusing to squeeze herself into some societal mold, and I loved that. There was also a villain in this story that I think many readers will enjoy rooting against and I cannot wait to see what sort of comeuppance is dished out in that quarter in a later book. I think perhaps my favorite relationship here was actually the one between Yasmin and her grandfather. Having lost my own grandfather six months ago, their interactions were bittersweet for me, but I loved them nonetheless. His unconditional support of Yasmin was everything. I enjoyed the way things worked out for Yasmin and Giles and I look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
August 27, 2022
This was such a good book and I really loved the romance, the angst and the misunderstandings between Yasmin and Giles. Giles is a stuffy Duke who is trying to find the perfect wife but can’t stop yearning for Yasmin who is not the right sort for his Duchess. She loves to flirt, has a wealth of suitors and wears revealing clothing in the French fashion since she is half French. He always dances a waltz with her every ball which is the only indulgence he gives himself since she is not for him. Yasmin on the other hand isn’t all how she is at balls, in private she is very prudish and the opposite of what her appearance might suggest. She keeps making overtures to Giles trying to get him to laugh and to like her to no avail and his sister Lydia doesn’t like Yasmin at all and keeps interfering in their relationship. This was a great read and I really enjoyed all the back and forth between Giles and Yasmin, Giles getting over his objections once he actually gets to know Yasmin and learning how much he hurt Yasmin with his attitude and behavior since he made her feel worthless and bad about herself. This is my first Eloisa James book but won’t be my last.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.
June 2, 2023
Thank god EJ is back to her former self! Sometimes when I read her more recent books I thinks she really lost her spark: they are so weak and lame, the plot is non existent, the main couple has a few pages and minor characters have more pages than them, and so so boring!!! The Wilde series is an example, I basically DNF all of the first three books, then I gave up buying them because I understood I was losing my money worse than in a casino.
This one is a very nice surprise because its one of her latest works.
There’s angst, there’s a good plot, there’s the focus on the main couple, there are misunderstandings and deception. And there’s a couple of villains too, the hero’s younger sister and the heroine’s former fiancé who faked their marriage and ruined her reputation years before:
The heroine is half French, very beautiful and charming, she’s also sexy as hell and very open.
The hero is a pompous prick. He’s proper and sanctimonious and thinks she’s a shameless hussy but is of course the first one to be madly attracted to her.
His sister actually is the real slut, because she makes out with every male around and hates the heroine to the pint of blackmail her brother not to talk to her anymore.
I hated how he treated the heroine, guilty only of being beautiful and admired.
He wants her and proposes her but his prejudices never cease and he tries to change her and her behavior.
Hateful, really.
He blames her because other men are attracted to her, well he could have chosen a less beautiful one.
His sister is awful: she tries everything to separate them and even deceives them stealing their letters so they both think they’ve been jilted.
Eventually all is well but there’s angst and misunderstandings enough for my tastes.
I wish evil sisters had more comeuppance, it seems that the heroine was too forgiving with her.
Nice reading indeed.
This one is a very nice surprise because its one of her latest works.
There’s angst, there’s a good plot, there’s the focus on the main couple, there are misunderstandings and deception. And there’s a couple of villains too, the hero’s younger sister and the heroine’s former fiancé who faked their marriage and ruined her reputation years before:
The heroine is half French, very beautiful and charming, she’s also sexy as hell and very open.
The hero is a pompous prick. He’s proper and sanctimonious and thinks she’s a shameless hussy but is of course the first one to be madly attracted to her.
His sister actually is the real slut, because she makes out with every male around and hates the heroine to the pint of blackmail her brother not to talk to her anymore.
I hated how he treated the heroine, guilty only of being beautiful and admired.
He wants her and proposes her but his prejudices never cease and he tries to change her and her behavior.
Hateful, really.
He blames her because other men are attracted to her, well he could have chosen a less beautiful one.
His sister is awful: she tries everything to separate them and even deceives them stealing their letters so they both think they’ve been jilted.
Eventually all is well but there’s angst and misunderstandings enough for my tastes.
I wish evil sisters had more comeuppance, it seems that the heroine was too forgiving with her.
Nice reading indeed.
December 16, 2022
Meh. I can’t do dumb heroines.
November 14, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to both.
First of all, let me say that anyone who reads this genre and expects these books to have any kind of authenticity about how things would have actually happened in these time periods is foolish. I read this type of book every once in a while for the entertainment and because it's a nice change from so many dark stories about murder and death.
Having said that, this book just didn't cut it for me. Giles seemed like a total ass most of the time and his sister was a spoiled twit. The only characters I enjoyed were Yasmin and her grandfather (who was a hoot). I didn't see what Yasmin would possibly see in Giles since he was obnoxious to her most of the time.
I've read this author before and enjoyed her work. Sadly, I cannot say the same for this book.
First of all, let me say that anyone who reads this genre and expects these books to have any kind of authenticity about how things would have actually happened in these time periods is foolish. I read this type of book every once in a while for the entertainment and because it's a nice change from so many dark stories about murder and death.
Having said that, this book just didn't cut it for me. Giles seemed like a total ass most of the time and his sister was a spoiled twit. The only characters I enjoyed were Yasmin and her grandfather (who was a hoot). I didn't see what Yasmin would possibly see in Giles since he was obnoxious to her most of the time.
I've read this author before and enjoyed her work. Sadly, I cannot say the same for this book.
March 20, 2024
Di rado apprezzo quest’autrice, tediosa come poche. Tanto declama la sua preparazione universitaria e tanto scrive storie frivole, con personaggi scialbi e con scene di sesso (a mio parere) dozzinali e tendenti al volgare.
Qui si arriva a livelli eccelsi, con quasi trecento pagine sviluppate intorno al nulla.
L'aspetto buffo è che ho praticamente detto lo stesso del primo volume di questa serie, di cui non ricordavo praticamente nulla (in buona sostanza, cancellato appena chiuso il libro).
Mi spiace, ma tra Yasmin e Giles, è difficile decidere chi non buttare giù dalla torre.
Lei non sa se sposarsi, lui deve sposarsi per forza.
Lei ha un passato infangato e nel presente recita la parte della vanesia, grazie ai soldi del nonno. Nessun pensiero al mondo, a parte se stessa.
Lui si atteggia a moralista, vorrebbe rispettabilità e rigore, ma poi non ha in mente altro (che quello). Anche lui non ha nessun pensiero al mondo, a parte riempire l’agenda di eventi mondani e ipocrisie.
In mezzo a loro la sorella adolescente di lui, che, da brava adolescente, vive tutto come fosse una tragedia e non tollera di non essere al centro dell’attenzione. Figurarsi se prende bene i due che folleggiano e bisticciano.
Nel complesso, si scivola oltre il limite, senza neppure un senso logico. Cattiverie gratuite, malignità alle spalle, e tante danze infinite bramando un lontanissimo lieto fine.
La storia è tutta qua 🥱😴😑
Qui si arriva a livelli eccelsi, con quasi trecento pagine sviluppate intorno al nulla.
L'aspetto buffo è che ho praticamente detto lo stesso del primo volume di questa serie, di cui non ricordavo praticamente nulla (in buona sostanza, cancellato appena chiuso il libro).
Mi spiace, ma tra Yasmin e Giles, è difficile decidere chi non buttare giù dalla torre.
Lei non sa se sposarsi, lui deve sposarsi per forza.
Lei ha un passato infangato e nel presente recita la parte della vanesia, grazie ai soldi del nonno. Nessun pensiero al mondo, a parte se stessa.
Lui si atteggia a moralista, vorrebbe rispettabilità e rigore, ma poi non ha in mente altro (che quello). Anche lui non ha nessun pensiero al mondo, a parte riempire l’agenda di eventi mondani e ipocrisie.
In mezzo a loro la sorella adolescente di lui, che, da brava adolescente, vive tutto come fosse una tragedia e non tollera di non essere al centro dell’attenzione. Figurarsi se prende bene i due che folleggiano e bisticciano.
Nel complesso, si scivola oltre il limite, senza neppure un senso logico. Cattiverie gratuite, malignità alle spalle, e tante danze infinite bramando un lontanissimo lieto fine.
La storia è tutta qua 🥱😴😑
January 4, 2023
Eh. I liked the first book in the series a lot but this did not do it for me. Giles is an idiot and walks through life never questioning anything including a terribly written sibling whose nastiness is telegraphed every which way to everyone who can breathe and yet it escapes this man we are supposed to think is smart. Yasmine is peerless in her priggishness but dresses like a courtesan. Her mother is in love with Napoleon, so she is apparently genetically predisposed to have bad taste in men. She is also sloppily written so that the only attribute one can identify is a good rack. Everything that happens is predictable from about page 20. Yawn.
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