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Lady Most... #2
The Lady Most Willing...
Step into the glittering world of Regency and prepare to have your hearts warmed by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway . . .
During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from . . . as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton.
As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible.
During their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Scotland to visit their aged uncle in his decrepit castle, the Comte de Rocheforte and his cousin, Earl of Oakley, are presented with unique gifts: their uncle has raided an English lord's Christmas party and kidnapped four lovely would-be brides for his heirs to choose from . . . as well as one very angry duke, Lord Bretton.
As snow isolates the castle, and as hours grow into days, the most honourable intentions give away to temptations as surprising as they are irresistible.
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2012
489 people are currently reading
6867 people want to read
About the author
Julia Quinn
194 books46.1k followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don't read (or write) romance, and and if you watch reruns of the game show The Weakest Link you might just catch her winning the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code.
A graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, Ms. Quinn is one of only sixteen members of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. Her books have been translated into 32 languages, and she lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.
The Bridgertons, her popular series of historical romance, is currently in production by Shondaland as a Netflix original series starring Julie Andrews, Phoebe Dynevor, and Rége-Jean Page.
A graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges, Ms. Quinn is one of only sixteen members of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame. Her books have been translated into 32 languages, and she lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.
The Bridgertons, her popular series of historical romance, is currently in production by Shondaland as a Netflix original series starring Julie Andrews, Phoebe Dynevor, and Rége-Jean Page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 854 reviews
January 14, 2019
This is the story of several unlikely couples who come together over strange (well meaning kidnapping) circumstances, as told by three different authors. The first couple is written by Julia Quinn and that portion of the story deserved five stars easily. I literally laughed out loud several times and absolutely loved it. The second couple was by Eloisa James, and I would say it was good, maybe 3.5 stars. The last one by Connie Brockway was my least favorite, and was unfortunately for her the first time I had read anything by her, which didn't make me keen to seek out more. So really, based on averages this should be a three star read, but seriously the Julia Quinn part is so great I couldn't give this anything less than four.
December 11, 2012
Rating: A- ... Heat: Sweet to Warm
-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review.
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What kind of trouble can ten young ladies and gentlemen snowed in at a Scottish castle get into? Well, when the party includes a duke, an earl, a French comte, and a highland laird, the answer is: quite a lot.
Four young ladies, one by accident, and a duke, by coincidence, are kidnapped from a winter ball by Taran Ferguson, laird of Finovair castle, in hopes of matching three of said young ladies with his two nephews. Trapped at the castle for at least three days, many many hijinks ensue.
We first meet Catriona Burns, a gently bred young lady who, unfortunately, comes from a poor family. Which is why kidnapper extraordinaire, Taran, is surprised to see her get out of the getaway carriage. He wanted heiresses for his two nephews, which immediately disqualifies Catriona. Also there by coincidence is the Duke of Bretton, John Shevington, who was asleep in his carriage when it was ‘borrowed’ for the kidnapping. Finding themselves not part of the planned match making, Catriona and John find amusement with each other.
Part one was full of wit and humor—really, it’s Julia Quinn doing what she does best. Cute and sweet with a dash of fun. I loved every single second of Catriona and John’s flirty and fun banter. It put a constant smile on my face, which is why I wasn’t ready for it to end! Oh, sure, it’s wrapped up nicely, but... I wanted more of Catriona and John! Much more.
Next we meet Fiona Chrisholm—a bespectacled heiress with a less than stellar reputation. And, when compared to her half sister, Marilla, Fiona doesn’t expect to be noticed. But Byron Wotton, an Earl and the nephew of Taran Ferguson, can’t help but see the bookish and fiery redhead. Byron is... a bit tetchy. Grouchy and stuffy for someone his age. And Fiona can rile him up like no other!
Part two took me by surprise. Eloisa James always manages to pack such a punch in her novellas, I really shouldn’t have been surprised that I invested so much in both Byron and Fiona. But who can blame me? Byron was such a fuddy-duddy that you can't help but smile every time he says or does something particularly fuddy-duddy-ish. And Fiona’s heartbreaking (and unfortunately sort of hilarious) fall from grace years earlier only endeared me to her more.
Lastly comes Cecily, a quiet but determined young lady. Unlike our previous couples, Cecily is not willing to let the man choose her. She is going to choose the man. And she has set her hat upon Robin Parles, Comte and Taran’s nephew and heir. With a bad reputation as a rake, somewhat deserved but mostly not, Robin doesn’t feel he deserves Cecily. So it’s up to her to convince him otherwise!
I love the role reversals of part three. It was great to see the lady be the pursuer, even if poor Robin was less than thrilled. I haven’t previously read anything by Connie Brockway, but I enjoyed her writing immensely. There was an understated, quiet humor to both Cecily and Robin—I particularly enjoyed the image of poor Cecily stuffing bed drapes down the front of her borrowed dresses to maintain her modesty (the busts were much too spacious)!
If you are a fan of love at first sight romances, A Lady Most Willing is definitely for you! I love the idea of a novel in three parts—not quite an anthology, not really a novel, but something entirely unique. And so, so fun to read. Truly, I loved reading three different author’s voices tell us three different tales set in the same time and place. Just... magical. And refreshing.
-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review.
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December 3, 2023
I really liked this book. It is set at Christmas but could have happened at any time during a harsh winter in Scotland. I love the first story about Bret, the Duke of Bretton, and Miss Catriona Burns. It was a warm and sweet story. The story about the Earl of Oakley and Miss Fiona Chisholm was a tad on the disjointed side, but a wonderful story anyway. The story about Robin, Comte de Rochforte, and Lady Cecily Tarleton was the weakest of the three. I would love to know which author wrote which story. The three-part story made for a well-rounded tale.
Taran Ferguson is a Scottish Laird without a son to inherit his castle and lands. Not that there is much more than a moldering pile of rocks for a castle to be had. His heirs are his nephews, Byron and Robin, both of which haven't got much more than two pence to rub together. What Taran needs is a couple of heiresses to bring some much needed blunt into the family coffers. So, what does a Scottish Laird do? He kidnaps himself some heiresses, that's what he does.
What a cute, light-hearted, charming little story. Told in three parts. I loved the characters, Taran Ferguson, The Duke of Bretton, Earl of Oakley, Comte de Rocheforte, Miss Fiona Chisholm, Miss Marilla Chisholm, Catriona Burns and Lady Cecily Tarleton, plus a few servants and Taran's men. The romances were rather rushed as they had to be in order for the story to work.
Taran Ferguson is a Scottish Laird without a son to inherit his castle and lands. Not that there is much more than a moldering pile of rocks for a castle to be had. His heirs are his nephews, Byron and Robin, both of which haven't got much more than two pence to rub together. What Taran needs is a couple of heiresses to bring some much needed blunt into the family coffers. So, what does a Scottish Laird do? He kidnaps himself some heiresses, that's what he does.
What a cute, light-hearted, charming little story. Told in three parts. I loved the characters, Taran Ferguson, The Duke of Bretton, Earl of Oakley, Comte de Rocheforte, Miss Fiona Chisholm, Miss Marilla Chisholm, Catriona Burns and Lady Cecily Tarleton, plus a few servants and Taran's men. The romances were rather rushed as they had to be in order for the story to work.
February 19, 2025
The Mister Most Milling that this book comes to the end: me.
Nonetheless, here we have again the same problem: this novel is very, very, very close to one star, but one star (in the masters of the place sense...) is for " I didn't like it" with no mark at all for "pure garbage", which is not quite the case here.
Nonetheless, here we have again the same problem: this novel is very, very, very close to one star, but one star (in the masters of the place sense...) is for " I didn't like it" with no mark at all for "pure garbage", which is not quite the case here.
January 29, 2016
5 stars for the fabulous characters !!
Catriona and the Duke of Betton- 5 stars !!
Pretty sure this was JQ's couple ! They were adorable and hilarious !!
Fiona Crisholm and the Earl of Oakley -4 stars :)
Ms.James story was a bit more angst than the first one but lesser than the second.Great chemistry between the two couple.
Lady Cecily and the Comte de Rochefort-3 stars.
By Connie Brockway.
A bit more drama and angst compared to the other two.
An extra star for the hilarious epilogue !!
Catriona and the Duke of Betton- 5 stars !!
Pretty sure this was JQ's couple ! They were adorable and hilarious !!
Fiona Crisholm and the Earl of Oakley -4 stars :)
Ms.James story was a bit more angst than the first one but lesser than the second.Great chemistry between the two couple.
Lady Cecily and the Comte de Rochefort-3 stars.
By Connie Brockway.
A bit more drama and angst compared to the other two.
An extra star for the hilarious epilogue !!
December 20, 2024
Read: 12/16/24
The old laird kidnaps 4 heiress for his two nephews. He also kidnaps a Duke who was asleep in his carriage when it was kidnapped. The story is a love story of the three couples. So, 3 novellas in one book. The stories were cute, but this is also not the type of book.
I mainly choose it for a Christmas book. The only thing Christmasie was the party they were out, which the book started off with them already kidnapped.
The old laird kidnaps 4 heiress for his two nephews. He also kidnaps a Duke who was asleep in his carriage when it was kidnapped. The story is a love story of the three couples. So, 3 novellas in one book. The stories were cute, but this is also not the type of book.
I mainly choose it for a Christmas book. The only thing Christmasie was the party they were out, which the book started off with them already kidnapped.
March 17, 2014
If you can get The Lady Most Willing at as relatively low a price as I did, it might be worth clicking Amazon's tempting orange 'buy' button...but only if you meet the following criteria!
1) As other reviewers have noted, this is a three-part novel written by three different authors. I found the transition from one author to the next smoother than I'd feared it would be and even thought it was somewhat interesting to compare the slightly different writing styles, but if that kind of thing is jarring for you, I'd give this one a pass.
2) In order to derive much enjoyment from this collection, you should be a romance reader who buys into "instant love" without much (okay, any!) difficulty. Even as someone who can often merrily go along for the ride much when two strangers allegedly fall in love within a VERY, very short period of time, the stories here involve three couples who move with such supersonic speed from "who the hell are you?" to "Please marry me, my one true love!", and with so little transpiring other than a very quick conversation or two, that it was really, REALLY difficult to suspend my disbelief. On a related note, the character depth is minimal to nonexistent. Skillfully written short stories and novellas can create distinct, vibrant characters in impressively few pages; in these stories, only one of the heroes and one of the heroines truly came to life for me.
3) You should be craving a light, frothy, if-it-were-any-less-substantive-it-would-float-away read! I'm an ardent fan of witty, lighthearted romances that are low on angst and high on blissfully escapist fun, but even for me this one felt fairly hollow, shallow and so-what?!-ish.
On a brighter note, I really do like all of these authors' writing styles and found it a mildly to moderately engaging read---albeit a forgettable one. I hope this was helpful, and happy reading!
1) As other reviewers have noted, this is a three-part novel written by three different authors. I found the transition from one author to the next smoother than I'd feared it would be and even thought it was somewhat interesting to compare the slightly different writing styles, but if that kind of thing is jarring for you, I'd give this one a pass.
2) In order to derive much enjoyment from this collection, you should be a romance reader who buys into "instant love" without much (okay, any!) difficulty. Even as someone who can often merrily go along for the ride much when two strangers allegedly fall in love within a VERY, very short period of time, the stories here involve three couples who move with such supersonic speed from "who the hell are you?" to "Please marry me, my one true love!", and with so little transpiring other than a very quick conversation or two, that it was really, REALLY difficult to suspend my disbelief. On a related note, the character depth is minimal to nonexistent. Skillfully written short stories and novellas can create distinct, vibrant characters in impressively few pages; in these stories, only one of the heroes and one of the heroines truly came to life for me.
3) You should be craving a light, frothy, if-it-were-any-less-substantive-it-would-float-away read! I'm an ardent fan of witty, lighthearted romances that are low on angst and high on blissfully escapist fun, but even for me this one felt fairly hollow, shallow and so-what?!-ish.
On a brighter note, I really do like all of these authors' writing styles and found it a mildly to moderately engaging read---albeit a forgettable one. I hope this was helpful, and happy reading!
December 21, 2016
Even after countless re-reads, I still love this book. It's not perfect, and maybe more of a 4 star read, but since I end up going back to this whenever I need a really good laugh and a short, heartwarming story, I'm sticking to my original 5 stars. Granted, all three stories suffer from love at first sight (which most of the time I don't buy, but here it works for me), but still. I love this. And I dare anyone not to laugh at the caber tossing incident in Julia Quinn's awesome story :)
November 13, 2012
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
I was absolutely thrilled when The Lady Most Willing’s ARC showed up on edelweiss, because I have a massive soft spot for it’s predecessor, The Lady Most Likely. Likely was the first real “romance novel” I read, and that coupled with its unique anthology style stuck with me, so I was highly anticipating a return to the three authors.
Not a traditional sequel, Willing features an all new cast of characters in an entirely different country. What ties it back to the original is the structure. Again, each author will write a third of the novel, detailing a romantic connection between two characters as a group of Scottish and English gentry are stuck together during a snowstorm. The fact that they were brought together by a kidnapping by Byron and Robin’s uncle, well that’s what brings a freshness to Willing.
Taran Ferguson has a dilemma. The Scottish Laird is a widower with no heir and his sisters had the nerve to marry an Englishman and a Frenchman, each giving him a half-Scot nephew. Taran does not feel these nephews are up to snuff, as neither of them are showing the proper Scottish attitude to inherit Finovair Castle, particularly in the matrimony department. Having drunk a bit too much, Taran hatches an ingenious scheme. He’ll raid a ball at a nearby castle and kidnap several eligible young ladies, forcing his nephews to choose one.
Unfortunately, as most schemes hatched at the bottom of a scotch bottle, Taran doesn’t quite end up with what he bargained for. He does kidnap three heiresses, (although one of them is ruined and not marriage material,) but he also ends up with Miss Catriona Burns, lovely but poor and untitled, and the Duke of Bretton. One was scooped up in all the excitement, the other was sleeping in his carriage. I’ll leave you to imagine which is which. The octet is quickly trapped in the castle by a massive snowstorm, forcing everyone together into a great big orgasmic lovefest.
As with Likely, Quinn is hamstrung by going first and again her couple falls in love and agrees to wed in about the span of an afternoon. I really must pick up some of her longer books to see if she’s able to build tension when given more than 24 hours. This time there is external conflict carried through the entire novel, which greatly elevates everyone’s plotting, but the major conflict remains societal expectations and class. This section is no exception, dealing mostly with the heroine's feelings of unworth when compared to her intended. I thought her hero did the best at reassuring the H and I felt their connection most strongly.
James continues to be my least favorite of the trio with a can’t miss plot involving feuding sisters, Jane Austen, and a man who fell to his death trying to commit rape. And what does the plot resort to? Jealous alpha males compromising women and magical virginity detecting penises. I will say Fiona was my favorite of the three heroines and I really liked her chapter by herself in the barn. Shame about her hero. I enjoyed the novella more than James’ previous.
Brockway closes with a flatly ridiculous confection that is nonetheless humorous and charming, Her characters can lack depth, but they’re endearing and work well together. I don’t feel like we learn enough about Cecily to root for her specifically, as her characterization is the only one that feels like it was written by a different author. Her hero blends seamlessly with the rest of the book, making me think it’s not a mark against Brockway so much as an oversight when working with multiple personalities.
The end is typical full-blown fantasy, with a massive, multi-person wedding ending just as the pass opens and everyone’s father comes streaming in, out for blood. Of course, one look at how happy their daughters are, all is forgiven and no one’s reputation suffers. 9 months later, there are a gaggle of babies for everyone to coo over and silly things, like the fact that someone’s inheritance just got totally knackered, are forgotten. The end.
An easy, enjoyable read, the book mostly focuses on romantic love and less on the erotic. There is one steamy love scene, personally marred for me by the aforementioned virginity detecting peen, and a few fade to black moments. For the most part, everyone is satisfied with kisses and vows of undying love. There is no resolution to the conflict: once the person is beaten, they magically turn nice and get a happy ending too. The Lady Most Willing is sugar and spice and everything nice, a bubbly Christmas Regency without the overt holly and ivy. Bright and fun, but probably not destined to stick with me forever. 4 out of 5 stars.
I was absolutely thrilled when The Lady Most Willing’s ARC showed up on edelweiss, because I have a massive soft spot for it’s predecessor, The Lady Most Likely. Likely was the first real “romance novel” I read, and that coupled with its unique anthology style stuck with me, so I was highly anticipating a return to the three authors.
Not a traditional sequel, Willing features an all new cast of characters in an entirely different country. What ties it back to the original is the structure. Again, each author will write a third of the novel, detailing a romantic connection between two characters as a group of Scottish and English gentry are stuck together during a snowstorm. The fact that they were brought together by a kidnapping by Byron and Robin’s uncle, well that’s what brings a freshness to Willing.
Taran Ferguson has a dilemma. The Scottish Laird is a widower with no heir and his sisters had the nerve to marry an Englishman and a Frenchman, each giving him a half-Scot nephew. Taran does not feel these nephews are up to snuff, as neither of them are showing the proper Scottish attitude to inherit Finovair Castle, particularly in the matrimony department. Having drunk a bit too much, Taran hatches an ingenious scheme. He’ll raid a ball at a nearby castle and kidnap several eligible young ladies, forcing his nephews to choose one.
Unfortunately, as most schemes hatched at the bottom of a scotch bottle, Taran doesn’t quite end up with what he bargained for. He does kidnap three heiresses, (although one of them is ruined and not marriage material,) but he also ends up with Miss Catriona Burns, lovely but poor and untitled, and the Duke of Bretton. One was scooped up in all the excitement, the other was sleeping in his carriage. I’ll leave you to imagine which is which. The octet is quickly trapped in the castle by a massive snowstorm, forcing everyone together into a great big orgasmic lovefest.
As with Likely, Quinn is hamstrung by going first and again her couple falls in love and agrees to wed in about the span of an afternoon. I really must pick up some of her longer books to see if she’s able to build tension when given more than 24 hours. This time there is external conflict carried through the entire novel, which greatly elevates everyone’s plotting, but the major conflict remains societal expectations and class. This section is no exception, dealing mostly with the heroine's feelings of unworth when compared to her intended. I thought her hero did the best at reassuring the H and I felt their connection most strongly.
James continues to be my least favorite of the trio with a can’t miss plot involving feuding sisters, Jane Austen, and a man who fell to his death trying to commit rape. And what does the plot resort to? Jealous alpha males compromising women and magical virginity detecting penises. I will say Fiona was my favorite of the three heroines and I really liked her chapter by herself in the barn. Shame about her hero. I enjoyed the novella more than James’ previous.
Brockway closes with a flatly ridiculous confection that is nonetheless humorous and charming, Her characters can lack depth, but they’re endearing and work well together. I don’t feel like we learn enough about Cecily to root for her specifically, as her characterization is the only one that feels like it was written by a different author. Her hero blends seamlessly with the rest of the book, making me think it’s not a mark against Brockway so much as an oversight when working with multiple personalities.
The end is typical full-blown fantasy, with a massive, multi-person wedding ending just as the pass opens and everyone’s father comes streaming in, out for blood. Of course, one look at how happy their daughters are, all is forgiven and no one’s reputation suffers. 9 months later, there are a gaggle of babies for everyone to coo over and silly things, like the fact that someone’s inheritance just got totally knackered, are forgotten. The end.
An easy, enjoyable read, the book mostly focuses on romantic love and less on the erotic. There is one steamy love scene, personally marred for me by the aforementioned virginity detecting peen, and a few fade to black moments. For the most part, everyone is satisfied with kisses and vows of undying love. There is no resolution to the conflict: once the person is beaten, they magically turn nice and get a happy ending too. The Lady Most Willing is sugar and spice and everything nice, a bubbly Christmas Regency without the overt holly and ivy. Bright and fun, but probably not destined to stick with me forever. 4 out of 5 stars.
December 24, 2016
This was silly HR fluff....but I have to admit that I enjoyed it. I've never read a novel that was written in three parts by three different authors, but I think it mostly worked here and is an interesting concept. I'd read works by all three of these authors before, and I felt each of the sections stayed true to what I'd expected from each of them. The premise of this is pretty ridiculous- a batty older/middle-aged Scottish laird kidnaps women from a neighboring house party right before a nasty snowstorm so that they'd be stuck in the castle with his nephews, who he was hoping to marry off. I mean, you can't get a whole lot sillier than that, but I chose to just go with it. One must also GROSSLY overlook the love-at-first sight trope rampant in each of these stories. However, it ended up being pretty entertaining.
The first story by Julia Quinn is the most lighthearted and funniest of the three. At first I had a little bit of trouble following all of the characters and backstories (and of course, JQ's lack of skill in the dialogue department), but it overcame that to be good, cotton candy fun. Catriona, the only daughter of a wealthy Scottish family, is matched with a duke who is there by accident. That in and of itself is very far-fetched, but this section was full of double entendre and goofy jokes and puns that had me snorting. Pure maple syrupy HR, and honestly one of the better things I've read from JQ. It also worked pretty well with the shorter story format. I would rate this story alone at a 4.
The second story was the weakest, imo. It was the most emotional and serious of the three stories, and it suffered from the shorter story format. It seemed ludicrous to me to have the MC's doing so much deep conversing about their relationship and their pasts and motivations when they'd only. just. met. I found it kind of hard to follow at first, but it did get better. I have to say that I loved the h in this one (honestly, I loved all of the h's in all three stories!), but the story probably needed to be full-length or changed up to be less passionate in such a short amount of time. I'd rate this one a 3.
The third story was also a bit more serious, but not quite so much as the second. Here, Cecily and Robin both are rocked by a rather extreme case of love at first sight, but Robin thinks that Cecily is above him, so he tries his hardest to avoid her. Cecily is fun as she transforms from a seemingly cold, proper lady into a strong, independent woman who doesn't care what anyone thinks and will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. I'd rate this one a 4.
Overall, this is fun holiday HR that I would recommend. It's not perfect, but it's cute and has that guilty pleasure reading feel that makes you all warm and gushy inside.
The first story by Julia Quinn is the most lighthearted and funniest of the three. At first I had a little bit of trouble following all of the characters and backstories (and of course, JQ's lack of skill in the dialogue department), but it overcame that to be good, cotton candy fun. Catriona, the only daughter of a wealthy Scottish family, is matched with a duke who is there by accident. That in and of itself is very far-fetched, but this section was full of double entendre and goofy jokes and puns that had me snorting. Pure maple syrupy HR, and honestly one of the better things I've read from JQ. It also worked pretty well with the shorter story format. I would rate this story alone at a 4.
The second story was the weakest, imo. It was the most emotional and serious of the three stories, and it suffered from the shorter story format. It seemed ludicrous to me to have the MC's doing so much deep conversing about their relationship and their pasts and motivations when they'd only. just. met. I found it kind of hard to follow at first, but it did get better. I have to say that I loved the h in this one (honestly, I loved all of the h's in all three stories!), but the story probably needed to be full-length or changed up to be less passionate in such a short amount of time. I'd rate this one a 3.
The third story was also a bit more serious, but not quite so much as the second. Here, Cecily and Robin both are rocked by a rather extreme case of love at first sight, but Robin thinks that Cecily is above him, so he tries his hardest to avoid her. Cecily is fun as she transforms from a seemingly cold, proper lady into a strong, independent woman who doesn't care what anyone thinks and will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. I'd rate this one a 4.
Overall, this is fun holiday HR that I would recommend. It's not perfect, but it's cute and has that guilty pleasure reading feel that makes you all warm and gushy inside.
October 23, 2017
Good book with a Seven Brides for Seven Brothers type of theme. Taran Ferguson, older, stubborn, and rather unique laird of his clan is determined that his two nephews marry soon to secure the family legacy. They aren't cooperative, so one night he raids a neighboring estate, kidnapping four young women from a ball. And, unintentionally includes one highly irritated duke. The two nephews are horrified by their uncle's actions and try to make the best of things. Thanks to the weather, they are cut off, with no way to return the ladies to their homes.
The four women deal with the issue as befits their personalities. The first part of the book concentrates mainly on Catriona. Catriona is a local woman without much in the way of name or fortune, and according to Taran was taken by mistake. She is practical, familiar with Taran and his antics, and takes things as they come. John, Duke of Bretton, who was also an unintended captive, goes from irritated to amused pretty quickly, helped along by his growing interest in Catriona. I enjoyed their interactions, which were fun with a definite undercurrent of attraction. Catriona doesn't expect anything to come of it, as he is a duke and she is a nobody. John is smitten immediately and acts accordingly. The catalyst to his big moment was pretty funny, but the moment itself was sweet and romantic.
The story then moves on to Lord Oakley, one of Taran's nephews. Taran immediately starts in on Byron, haranguing him for not making any obvious attempts at winning one of the heiresses. Having been burned recently by discovering his fiancée in the arms of another man, Byron is in no hurry to try again. He is also accused of being too stuffy to appeal to a woman, and compared unfavorably to the other men. He isn't too happy to find himself the target of the determined Marilla, and at one point hides in the library to escape her. This brings him into contact with Marilla's sister, Fiona, a much quieter woman. Fiona has her own history to deal with. Her fiancé fell to his death while trying to climb to her window. She has been blamed for it and her reputation ruined. She has given up fighting to get anyone to believe the truth and resigned herself to spinsterhood. Enter Byron, disturbing her refuge in the library. I loved their encounter, as Fiona has an enjoyable time poking holes in his stuffiness. Byron begins to understand why he is the way he is and becomes determined to change, spurred on by his attraction to Fiona. She has realized that she is attracted to him also, but that her reputation makes anything between them impossible. A cruel comment from Marilla puts a hitch in Byron's plans and hurts Fiona. I liked that Byron recovered quickly from his shock and his attitude and actions proved to be worthy of Fiona. Things got a little heated in the cold stable when he finally shared his feelings.
The story is rounded out by Robin, Taran's other nephew. He is known throughout London as the Prince of Rakes. He is half-French, with an inherited title of Comte and little else. He hides behind his reputation so that he doesn't have to deal with the rejection of those who look down on him. He is struck dumb at the sight of Cecily, feeling that bolt of lightning that tells him that this is the woman for him. Except, she isn't. Cecily is the daughter of a wealthy earl, with a great fortune coming to her. She is young, beautiful, and seems to be the shy and retiring type that all the mothers want for their sons. The difficulty is that Cecily doesn't want one of those staid and boring men. She wants someone she can love and luckily has parents who have given her the freedom to choose. She also has much more confidence in herself than anyone realizes. She doesn't panic during the kidnapping, looking on it as something of an adventure. An adventure that becomes so much more when one look at Robin convinces her that he is the man she is meant to marry. But it isn't going to be easy because Robin is determined to do the honorable thing and stay away from her, while Cecily is equally determined to win her prize. It was great fun to see Robin fall more and more under her spell. I ached for him because he was so certain he was unworthy of her. Their scenes together were wonderful as they got to know each other, with the snowball scene being one of my favorites. I loved how Cecily really understood Robin and finally took matters into her own hands.
I really liked all the characters except for Marilla. I found her incredibly annoying. She treated her sister horribly and completely ignored Fiona's attempts to guide her into proper behavior. She was selfish and spoiled. She set her sights on a man and behaved very inappropriately in an attempt to win him. When she would lose out to another woman, she would simply move on to the next one in line. She was totally oblivious to the way the men did their best to avoid her. I kept waiting for her to realize that none of them wanted anything to do with her.
The epilogue was great, rounding out the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers theme with the arrival of the outraged fathers once the pass was clear. The confrontation in the chapel was terrific, especially when the pairings were revealed with one slightly surprising twist.
The four women deal with the issue as befits their personalities. The first part of the book concentrates mainly on Catriona. Catriona is a local woman without much in the way of name or fortune, and according to Taran was taken by mistake. She is practical, familiar with Taran and his antics, and takes things as they come. John, Duke of Bretton, who was also an unintended captive, goes from irritated to amused pretty quickly, helped along by his growing interest in Catriona. I enjoyed their interactions, which were fun with a definite undercurrent of attraction. Catriona doesn't expect anything to come of it, as he is a duke and she is a nobody. John is smitten immediately and acts accordingly. The catalyst to his big moment was pretty funny, but the moment itself was sweet and romantic.
The story then moves on to Lord Oakley, one of Taran's nephews. Taran immediately starts in on Byron, haranguing him for not making any obvious attempts at winning one of the heiresses. Having been burned recently by discovering his fiancée in the arms of another man, Byron is in no hurry to try again. He is also accused of being too stuffy to appeal to a woman, and compared unfavorably to the other men. He isn't too happy to find himself the target of the determined Marilla, and at one point hides in the library to escape her. This brings him into contact with Marilla's sister, Fiona, a much quieter woman. Fiona has her own history to deal with. Her fiancé fell to his death while trying to climb to her window. She has been blamed for it and her reputation ruined. She has given up fighting to get anyone to believe the truth and resigned herself to spinsterhood. Enter Byron, disturbing her refuge in the library. I loved their encounter, as Fiona has an enjoyable time poking holes in his stuffiness. Byron begins to understand why he is the way he is and becomes determined to change, spurred on by his attraction to Fiona. She has realized that she is attracted to him also, but that her reputation makes anything between them impossible. A cruel comment from Marilla puts a hitch in Byron's plans and hurts Fiona. I liked that Byron recovered quickly from his shock and his attitude and actions proved to be worthy of Fiona. Things got a little heated in the cold stable when he finally shared his feelings.
The story is rounded out by Robin, Taran's other nephew. He is known throughout London as the Prince of Rakes. He is half-French, with an inherited title of Comte and little else. He hides behind his reputation so that he doesn't have to deal with the rejection of those who look down on him. He is struck dumb at the sight of Cecily, feeling that bolt of lightning that tells him that this is the woman for him. Except, she isn't. Cecily is the daughter of a wealthy earl, with a great fortune coming to her. She is young, beautiful, and seems to be the shy and retiring type that all the mothers want for their sons. The difficulty is that Cecily doesn't want one of those staid and boring men. She wants someone she can love and luckily has parents who have given her the freedom to choose. She also has much more confidence in herself than anyone realizes. She doesn't panic during the kidnapping, looking on it as something of an adventure. An adventure that becomes so much more when one look at Robin convinces her that he is the man she is meant to marry. But it isn't going to be easy because Robin is determined to do the honorable thing and stay away from her, while Cecily is equally determined to win her prize. It was great fun to see Robin fall more and more under her spell. I ached for him because he was so certain he was unworthy of her. Their scenes together were wonderful as they got to know each other, with the snowball scene being one of my favorites. I loved how Cecily really understood Robin and finally took matters into her own hands.
I really liked all the characters except for Marilla. I found her incredibly annoying. She treated her sister horribly and completely ignored Fiona's attempts to guide her into proper behavior. She was selfish and spoiled. She set her sights on a man and behaved very inappropriately in an attempt to win him. When she would lose out to another woman, she would simply move on to the next one in line. She was totally oblivious to the way the men did their best to avoid her. I kept waiting for her to realize that none of them wanted anything to do with her.
The epilogue was great, rounding out the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers theme with the arrival of the outraged fathers once the pass was clear. The confrontation in the chapel was terrific, especially when the pairings were revealed with one slightly surprising twist.
October 21, 2017
3.5
Julia quinn habituou-me a melhor ... a sinopse prometia mais .
De todo o modo gostei. É uma leitura fácil e com algum humor . Achei o conceito do envolvimento de 3 autoras a relatarem os três romances, muito interessante.
Julia quinn habituou-me a melhor ... a sinopse prometia mais .
De todo o modo gostei. É uma leitura fácil e com algum humor . Achei o conceito do envolvimento de 3 autoras a relatarem os três romances, muito interessante.
December 26, 2012
Julia Quinn: 4*
Catriona and the Duke of Betton
It has what you can always expect from Ms. Quinn: amusing situations, great humor and believable characters.
Eloisa James: 4.5*
Fiona Crisholm and the Earl of Oakley
I would have guessed EJ's part with only reading the 1st chapter! I love her unique take on the situation and her sometimes outlandish ideas!
Connie Brockway: 3*
Lady Cecily and the Comte de Rochefort
I hate to say this, but Ms Brockway's part seemed rushed. The others could stand easily on their own, but I don't think Ms. Brockway has the gift of writing novellas...
What I Liked: the idea of the anthology, that it's a novel that has 3 couples with their own story
What I didn't like: that it wasn't longer
Favorite character: Miss Fiona
My least favorite character: Miss Marilla, a more bad-spirited character I have never seen
Favorite Quote:
“Your sister is a menace,” he spat. “Do you have any idea what she did to me? Any idea?”
“No,” Fiona said, tipping back her head in order to see his expression. “I’ve been right here all along. Something lacking sense, no doubt.”
He bared his teeth at her. “I am a calm man.”
“Oh, I can see that,” she said with some enjoyment.
“And I can see that you merely pretend to be a quiet, bookish young lady.”
“Well, I did tell you that I had a bad reputation,” she said, grinning at him the way she smiled only at her closest friends because . . . well . . . this was just so much fun. “But since we both seem to have a hidden dark side, may I say that yours is more interesting? I judged you a chilly aristocrat to the bone, but now you more resemble a barbarian.”
[EJ's part of the book]
Would I recommend the book: It's a good novel, amusing and easy to read. I don't think I'll ever re-read it but it's one of the best anthologies ever.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange of a honest review
Catriona and the Duke of Betton
It has what you can always expect from Ms. Quinn: amusing situations, great humor and believable characters.
Eloisa James: 4.5*
Fiona Crisholm and the Earl of Oakley
I would have guessed EJ's part with only reading the 1st chapter! I love her unique take on the situation and her sometimes outlandish ideas!
Connie Brockway: 3*
Lady Cecily and the Comte de Rochefort
I hate to say this, but Ms Brockway's part seemed rushed. The others could stand easily on their own, but I don't think Ms. Brockway has the gift of writing novellas...
What I Liked: the idea of the anthology, that it's a novel that has 3 couples with their own story
What I didn't like: that it wasn't longer
Favorite character: Miss Fiona
My least favorite character: Miss Marilla, a more bad-spirited character I have never seen
Favorite Quote:
“Your sister is a menace,” he spat. “Do you have any idea what she did to me? Any idea?”
“No,” Fiona said, tipping back her head in order to see his expression. “I’ve been right here all along. Something lacking sense, no doubt.”
He bared his teeth at her. “I am a calm man.”
“Oh, I can see that,” she said with some enjoyment.
“And I can see that you merely pretend to be a quiet, bookish young lady.”
“Well, I did tell you that I had a bad reputation,” she said, grinning at him the way she smiled only at her closest friends because . . . well . . . this was just so much fun. “But since we both seem to have a hidden dark side, may I say that yours is more interesting? I judged you a chilly aristocrat to the bone, but now you more resemble a barbarian.”
[EJ's part of the book]
Would I recommend the book: It's a good novel, amusing and easy to read. I don't think I'll ever re-read it but it's one of the best anthologies ever.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange of a honest review
March 25, 2021
Silly and amusing, a fun listen but it’s not a reread.
December 11, 2016
I feel its only fair to rate these stories separately. I enjoyed these, but I didn't love them. They were entirely too fast paced, even for me, who is always screaming at books for them to "hurry up and kiss!" Sooo here goes the reviews.
Julia Quinn's book: 3.5 stars. Catriona and The Duke of Bretton. They were very cute. I felt those two deserved to have a book of their own, so we could slow them tf down. I mean it felt like they were kissing by the 10th page. I know these are meant to be short romance stories but even a hopeless romantic like me felt like it was waaaay too soon for them to be in love. Even for a short book. I can sorta believe in love at first sight, but this was only a day.. I just had a hard time with it honestly.
Eloisa James' book: 3 stars. Fiona and the Earl of Oakley. They were okay. They're story wasn't flushed out enough, it suffered the same insta-love quickness, and I'm just not too big of a fan on James. She has the tendency to leave me rolling my eyes and not really liking her characters. Am I willing to read more stories by her? Yes, because I don't hate them. They just are never allthat. This is the part/couple that included the sex scene. And honestly I didn't care for it because for her to have gone through a scandal like that, you'd think she'd be smarter than she was.
Connie Brockway's book: 4 stars. Cecily and the Comte of (somewhere in France), Robin. I want to read a full length book by her! I really enjoyed her characters ESPECIALLY when he was hit in the back of the head with the snowball. I really enjoyed this story, although for such a short story the hero being a martyr for too damn long.
FINALLY, what I ABSOLUTELY HATED: MARILLA(I love the name tho?). She's Fiona's sister and I ABSOLUTELY hated her. She did the MOST. She was ANNOYING. There's a thin line between determined and desperate. And she overstepped the line. Now listen, no one is shaming women or anything, I know girls who are actually like this. So I don't think they were doing it for storyline sake. There's some selfish ass people out there, let me tell you folks. She's one of them. I hate her so very much. And it's weird how vain and self-centered she was and the fact that she ended up with old dude was farfetched and forced. I thought that was the dumbest touch. I'm rolling my eyes at it right now.
Quotes:
But then, of course, Lord Oakley had to spoil the whole thing. "You're tkaing her inside so that she might get air?"
"Shut up," the duke said.
Catriona had a feeling she might be falling in love.
He leaned toward her. "But I wouldn't mind if you kiss me. If you address me as Oakley once again, I shall kiss you. There: I've given you fair warning."
"Heavens, Comte, whatever are you doing here?" Lady Cecily asked.
Avoiding you, my love.(he meant this in the sweetest way)
Offering up a quick prayer, she stepped forward, cocked her arm, and let it fly. The snowball sailed true. Barely an arc altered its swift trajectory as it hurtled unerringly toward her proposed target in the middle of Robin's back. Except . . . except it slammed into the back of Robin's head instead and, with an audible thud burst apart.
For an eerie second, Robin seemed to freeze in mid-stride. Then, slowly, as though time was unfolding in molasses, the satchel slipped from his shoulder, his knees buckled, and he fell face-first into the snow, disappearing from Cecily's sight.
Julia Quinn's book: 3.5 stars. Catriona and The Duke of Bretton. They were very cute. I felt those two deserved to have a book of their own, so we could slow them tf down. I mean it felt like they were kissing by the 10th page. I know these are meant to be short romance stories but even a hopeless romantic like me felt like it was waaaay too soon for them to be in love. Even for a short book. I can sorta believe in love at first sight, but this was only a day.. I just had a hard time with it honestly.
Eloisa James' book: 3 stars. Fiona and the Earl of Oakley. They were okay. They're story wasn't flushed out enough, it suffered the same insta-love quickness, and I'm just not too big of a fan on James. She has the tendency to leave me rolling my eyes and not really liking her characters. Am I willing to read more stories by her? Yes, because I don't hate them. They just are never allthat. This is the part/couple that included the sex scene. And honestly I didn't care for it because for her to have gone through a scandal like that, you'd think she'd be smarter than she was.
Connie Brockway's book: 4 stars. Cecily and the Comte of (somewhere in France), Robin. I want to read a full length book by her! I really enjoyed her characters ESPECIALLY when he was hit in the back of the head with the snowball. I really enjoyed this story, although for such a short story the hero being a martyr for too damn long.
FINALLY, what I ABSOLUTELY HATED: MARILLA(I love the name tho?). She's Fiona's sister and I ABSOLUTELY hated her. She did the MOST. She was ANNOYING. There's a thin line between determined and desperate. And she overstepped the line. Now listen, no one is shaming women or anything, I know girls who are actually like this. So I don't think they were doing it for storyline sake. There's some selfish ass people out there, let me tell you folks. She's one of them. I hate her so very much. And it's weird how vain and self-centered she was and the fact that she ended up with old dude was farfetched and forced. I thought that was the dumbest touch. I'm rolling my eyes at it right now.
Quotes:
But then, of course, Lord Oakley had to spoil the whole thing. "You're tkaing her inside so that she might get air?"
"Shut up," the duke said.
Catriona had a feeling she might be falling in love.
He leaned toward her. "But I wouldn't mind if you kiss me. If you address me as Oakley once again, I shall kiss you. There: I've given you fair warning."
"Heavens, Comte, whatever are you doing here?" Lady Cecily asked.
Avoiding you, my love.(he meant this in the sweetest way)
Offering up a quick prayer, she stepped forward, cocked her arm, and let it fly. The snowball sailed true. Barely an arc altered its swift trajectory as it hurtled unerringly toward her proposed target in the middle of Robin's back. Except . . . except it slammed into the back of Robin's head instead and, with an audible thud burst apart.
For an eerie second, Robin seemed to freeze in mid-stride. Then, slowly, as though time was unfolding in molasses, the satchel slipped from his shoulder, his knees buckled, and he fell face-first into the snow, disappearing from Cecily's sight.
January 23, 2013
So (I think I've got the authors / characters matched up correctly! Do let me know if I am mistaken):
1) Julia Quinn's portion of this beast (Bret / Catriona) WAS DELIGHTFUL. The banter! She talks about Taran's scrawny arse! She's a good Scotswoman and he's a befuddled Duke! DELIGHTFUL. But far, far too short.
2) Eloise James's chunk of the novel (Fiona / Oakley) was...confusing? I felt like entire passages kept getting repeated, about Fiona's scandal and Oakley's betrayal and it was just nonsensical? I honestly felt confused several times, as if I'd turned a page back rather than forwards because I'd just read that. Also, James has a tendency to make things infinitely more complicated than they have to be? I don't know; it's a trend I noticed with her Pleasures series and it seems to continue here.
3) Connie Brockway's set of characters (Cecily / Robin) was entertaining, although somewhat marred by the "both characters immediately fall in love with one another and the rest of their courtship is marred by misunderstandings and attempts at seduction" trope. Which, is fine! I get misunderstandings and seduction. I LIKE SEDUCTION. But when both your characters spend half their time feeling ~betrayed and the other half of their time pledging their undying loyalty / love IN THEIR HEADS instead of OUT LOUD, it's underwhelming when the characters finally get their groove thangs on.
4 stars for Quinn's part; 2 for James's; 2.5 for Brockway's
1) Julia Quinn's portion of this beast (Bret / Catriona) WAS DELIGHTFUL. The banter! She talks about Taran's scrawny arse! She's a good Scotswoman and he's a befuddled Duke! DELIGHTFUL. But far, far too short.
2) Eloise James's chunk of the novel (Fiona / Oakley) was...confusing? I felt like entire passages kept getting repeated, about Fiona's scandal and Oakley's betrayal and it was just nonsensical? I honestly felt confused several times, as if I'd turned a page back rather than forwards because I'd just read that. Also, James has a tendency to make things infinitely more complicated than they have to be? I don't know; it's a trend I noticed with her Pleasures series and it seems to continue here.
3) Connie Brockway's set of characters (Cecily / Robin) was entertaining, although somewhat marred by the "both characters immediately fall in love with one another and the rest of their courtship is marred by misunderstandings and attempts at seduction" trope. Which, is fine! I get misunderstandings and seduction. I LIKE SEDUCTION. But when both your characters spend half their time feeling ~betrayed and the other half of their time pledging their undying loyalty / love IN THEIR HEADS instead of OUT LOUD, it's underwhelming when the characters finally get their groove thangs on.
4 stars for Quinn's part; 2 for James's; 2.5 for Brockway's
May 20, 2017
Nice little set of three stories all linked over a few days, where several women, kidnapped by a crazy Scot as potential wives for his nephews, are stuck in a draughty castle waiting for the snow to melt. There were some very funny moments, mostly because the Scot and one of the characters, Marilla, were really nuts.
Each story was engaging and sweet, and the characters very nicely drawn. I particularly liked how clearly different each H and each h were. They had plenty of character and were all dealing with different issues. I am a fan of both Julia Quinn and Eloisa James, but James' story was my favourite. It certainly was the steamiest and most passionate. Quinn's story was sweet and romantic, while James' story more physically intense. In this one there was a lovely scene in the library that even included some Jane Austen- how can that be bad? And most importantly, the H chose to not judge his love, despite her reputation, and did not allow her apparent lack of virginity to make a difference to his regard. If only more men in HR were like that!!
Brockway's story was probably the least interesting for me, I think because I am not really a fan of the woman doing the chasing and the man trying to get away, no matter what his reasons, but especially if he doesn't explain them to her! Nevertheless, I finished the book with a sigh and a silly smile on my face. Now onto The Lady Most Likely....
Each story was engaging and sweet, and the characters very nicely drawn. I particularly liked how clearly different each H and each h were. They had plenty of character and were all dealing with different issues. I am a fan of both Julia Quinn and Eloisa James, but James' story was my favourite. It certainly was the steamiest and most passionate. Quinn's story was sweet and romantic, while James' story more physically intense. In this one there was a lovely scene in the library that even included some Jane Austen- how can that be bad? And most importantly, the H chose to not judge his love, despite her reputation, and did not allow her apparent lack of virginity to make a difference to his regard. If only more men in HR were like that!!
Brockway's story was probably the least interesting for me, I think because I am not really a fan of the woman doing the chasing and the man trying to get away, no matter what his reasons, but especially if he doesn't explain them to her! Nevertheless, I finished the book with a sigh and a silly smile on my face. Now onto The Lady Most Likely....
September 30, 2012
3.5 stars
THE LADY MOST WILLING is certainly the most unique way of telling a story. With three authors with distinct writing styles, I thought reading this book would be a bit of a challenge. Initially, I had believed that there would be separate parts to this book, each showcasing a happily-ever-after. However, this story reads just like a regular novel, just with three pairings and a quicker pace.
Each happily-ever-after is fulfilling and satisfying, though I do wish readers could get a chance to have those romances fleshed out more. The fast pace is what made this novel work, but I also felt that events happened very quickly as well, sometimes to the point of overlooking areas in which an author should have spent more time on. Nevertheless, this book was funny, sweet and full of holiday fun! If you're looking to sample new authors but are not a fan of anthologies, then this is the perfect opportunity get a taste of new writing! Who knows, maybe you'll fall in love yourself!
Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction
THE LADY MOST WILLING is certainly the most unique way of telling a story. With three authors with distinct writing styles, I thought reading this book would be a bit of a challenge. Initially, I had believed that there would be separate parts to this book, each showcasing a happily-ever-after. However, this story reads just like a regular novel, just with three pairings and a quicker pace.
Each happily-ever-after is fulfilling and satisfying, though I do wish readers could get a chance to have those romances fleshed out more. The fast pace is what made this novel work, but I also felt that events happened very quickly as well, sometimes to the point of overlooking areas in which an author should have spent more time on. Nevertheless, this book was funny, sweet and full of holiday fun! If you're looking to sample new authors but are not a fan of anthologies, then this is the perfect opportunity get a taste of new writing! Who knows, maybe you'll fall in love yourself!
Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction
November 19, 2015
Reread
What's more wonderful than a man in kilt during Christmas?
NOTHING!
When Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway do a collab, trust me. You'll fight tooth and nail for a copy of that book. A duke, an earl, a French comte, a highland laird and ten young ladies stuck in a castle in the middle of a blizzard?
Christmas is going to be one crazy holiday.
June 1, 2015
That was so much fun!!! As always I loved the writing, was not a fan of insta-lust confused with love, and apart from that, I laughed and ingulfed it in one breath! Very entertaining :)
January 4, 2025
My reading experience was the same as with the first book in the series. The first two parts of the novel deserved 5 stars, but the last part deserved at most 2 stars. Julia Quinn and Eloisa James wrote their parts splendidly, the stories were funny, romantic and enjoyable. The last story of Lady Cecily finding her groom was just meh! It was boring and there was too much unnecessary drama. Only parts written by Julia Quinn and Eloisa James were well-written and enjoyable.
November 26, 2014
**some spoilers**
Ah man, I wish Julia had written this whole book, and to be honest the 4 stars rating is for her part of the story only, because the other two were rather disappointing.
One of the things that worried me the most about the idea of a novel in 3 parts, written by 3 authors, were the differences in the voices that, no doubt, the same characters were going to have when written by different people. Turns out this only bothered me in one part of the story, one part of the story written by the same author. I'm so sorry Eloisa James, but it was yours, madam. Oakley was just the most confusing and contradictory character.
For example, at some point Marilla kisses him when he wasn't expecting and he pushes her away as a reflex, she actually falls to the floor; the next day he's talking to himself, considering Marilla as a bride, even with all her flaws he thinks she would make a fine wife and he's determined to pursue her; and then, just a couple of hours later, he's running away from her, hiding behind doors, telling her sister over and over that she's not what he wants in a bride, AT ALL. Duuuude, do you suffer from a multiple personality disorder or something? I was seriously confused by this behavior.
Plus, the way he started flirting with Fiona was, again, so confusing and out of character. I understand that each author had little time to get the characters together, so all 3 stories are pretty much insta-love, but still, Oakley and Fiona were the weakest links for me. It didn't help that they spent waaay too much time talking about Marilla, and that their scene in the stables turned out awkward instead of steamy. Did nothing for my lady parts, really, and I resent that.
Connie Brockway's story was also meh for me. I liked a few things, like Cecily dressing up as a boy, the snow fight, and the game in the end, but overall the story felt too flat and rushed. I didn't understand how, why, or when the couple fell in love.
Now, Julia's story was just lovely and delicious and extremely funny! I laughed like a madwoman because of crazy old Taran and his equally crazy group of friends, who on one fine & cold Scottish night decided to go out and kidnap some ladies for Taran's nephews to choose from and marry. Julia's part of the story is about Catriona, the poor girl who gets kidnapped by mistake, because she's no heiress, and it broke my heart when they didn't even have a room for her and put her to sleep in a chilly servant's room--bastards. She didn't complain, but it still broke my heart.
I loved how Julia actually made it look possible for Catriona and the Duke to fall in love in such a short period of time, seriously, just the way they interact from the first moment, aaaaah! :3
Like, how she felt intimidated by his title but still managed to be herself around him, how they made each other laugh all the time, and how their instant connection seemed so natural and meant to be. The caber toss scene was hilarious, and I swooned when he picked her up, oh my God, John!
Gaaah, I wish the whole book was about Catriona and the duke.
Recommended to Julia Quinn fans---just because of her story.
Ah man, I wish Julia had written this whole book, and to be honest the 4 stars rating is for her part of the story only, because the other two were rather disappointing.
One of the things that worried me the most about the idea of a novel in 3 parts, written by 3 authors, were the differences in the voices that, no doubt, the same characters were going to have when written by different people. Turns out this only bothered me in one part of the story, one part of the story written by the same author. I'm so sorry Eloisa James, but it was yours, madam. Oakley was just the most confusing and contradictory character.
For example, at some point Marilla kisses him when he wasn't expecting and he pushes her away as a reflex, she actually falls to the floor; the next day he's talking to himself, considering Marilla as a bride, even with all her flaws he thinks she would make a fine wife and he's determined to pursue her; and then, just a couple of hours later, he's running away from her, hiding behind doors, telling her sister over and over that she's not what he wants in a bride, AT ALL. Duuuude, do you suffer from a multiple personality disorder or something? I was seriously confused by this behavior.
Plus, the way he started flirting with Fiona was, again, so confusing and out of character. I understand that each author had little time to get the characters together, so all 3 stories are pretty much insta-love, but still, Oakley and Fiona were the weakest links for me. It didn't help that they spent waaay too much time talking about Marilla, and that their scene in the stables turned out awkward instead of steamy. Did nothing for my lady parts, really, and I resent that.
Connie Brockway's story was also meh for me. I liked a few things, like Cecily dressing up as a boy, the snow fight, and the game in the end, but overall the story felt too flat and rushed. I didn't understand how, why, or when the couple fell in love.
Now, Julia's story was just lovely and delicious and extremely funny! I laughed like a madwoman because of crazy old Taran and his equally crazy group of friends, who on one fine & cold Scottish night decided to go out and kidnap some ladies for Taran's nephews to choose from and marry. Julia's part of the story is about Catriona, the poor girl who gets kidnapped by mistake, because she's no heiress, and it broke my heart when they didn't even have a room for her and put her to sleep in a chilly servant's room--bastards. She didn't complain, but it still broke my heart.
I loved how Julia actually made it look possible for Catriona and the Duke to fall in love in such a short period of time, seriously, just the way they interact from the first moment, aaaaah! :3
Like, how she felt intimidated by his title but still managed to be herself around him, how they made each other laugh all the time, and how their instant connection seemed so natural and meant to be. The caber toss scene was hilarious, and I swooned when he picked her up, oh my God, John!
Gaaah, I wish the whole book was about Catriona and the duke.
Recommended to Julia Quinn fans---just because of her story.
December 13, 2012
Taran Ferguson is a man who can wait no longer! His two nephews Robin and Byron, are his only heirs. Not only unwed, they aren’t even looking for love. Taran knew he could remedy the situation! He needed his heir to marry into money to repair his beloved Finovair Castle. So, he promptly kidnaps 4 lovely lasses from a ball to give the boys a choice. The only fly in the ointment was that they were loaded into the Duke of Bretton’s carriage instead of his own! Mother Nature, however, was on Taran’s side this wintry night! It was one of the worst snow storms anyone could remember, and after the group went through the pass on the way to Taran’s castle, the pass… well, it was impassable! Divine intervention at its best… some say the Seelie assisted!
When the ladies arrived at the castle, cold and tired, they weren’t worried… after all, it was just Taran. As each lovely lady came out of the carriage, Taran introduced them to his heir, Robin. His other nephew Byron, who was totally mortified, had assumed the job of handing each of the ladies out while Robin stood back, laughing hysterically. First to de-coach was Miss Catriona Burns, then Miss Fiona Chisholm. After Fiona was Lady Cecily Maycott who turns out the richest of all. The last, well, that would be Miss Marilla Chisholm, the beauty and the beast of them all. As they stood about in the snow talking, well, arguing outside of the castle, one more passenger de-coached… one Duke of Bretton.
for the full review follow this link:
http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2012/1...
When the ladies arrived at the castle, cold and tired, they weren’t worried… after all, it was just Taran. As each lovely lady came out of the carriage, Taran introduced them to his heir, Robin. His other nephew Byron, who was totally mortified, had assumed the job of handing each of the ladies out while Robin stood back, laughing hysterically. First to de-coach was Miss Catriona Burns, then Miss Fiona Chisholm. After Fiona was Lady Cecily Maycott who turns out the richest of all. The last, well, that would be Miss Marilla Chisholm, the beauty and the beast of them all. As they stood about in the snow talking, well, arguing outside of the castle, one more passenger de-coached… one Duke of Bretton.
for the full review follow this link:
http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2012/1...
November 20, 2025
I've been looking forward to reading The Lady Most Willing by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway for quite some time, and I was very excited when it arrived.
It turned out to be a brilliant book, but I was expecting that after reading The Lady Most Likely previously. I love the idea of a three part novel and it worked wonderfully with these authors. It flowed smoothly between stories, and it was almost like there had just been the one author.
My favourite story was probably the one with the Duke of Bretton and Catriona Burns, by Julia Quinn. Their romance was sweet, and infused with the delightful humour apparent in all of Julia Quinn's books.
I also thorughly enjoyed the stories from Eloisa James and Connie Brockway. I loved the way the Earl of Oakley was so different with Fiona, and we got to see beneath the stuffy facade. I also loved how Cecily was by all appearances the proper, demure young miss but when she fell for the rakish Robin she was an entirely different person, set on seducing him.
This is a brilliant, fun and enjoyable book, and I would highly recommend reading it!
It turned out to be a brilliant book, but I was expecting that after reading The Lady Most Likely previously. I love the idea of a three part novel and it worked wonderfully with these authors. It flowed smoothly between stories, and it was almost like there had just been the one author.
My favourite story was probably the one with the Duke of Bretton and Catriona Burns, by Julia Quinn. Their romance was sweet, and infused with the delightful humour apparent in all of Julia Quinn's books.
I also thorughly enjoyed the stories from Eloisa James and Connie Brockway. I loved the way the Earl of Oakley was so different with Fiona, and we got to see beneath the stuffy facade. I also loved how Cecily was by all appearances the proper, demure young miss but when she fell for the rakish Robin she was an entirely different person, set on seducing him.
This is a brilliant, fun and enjoyable book, and I would highly recommend reading it!
December 26, 2012
The lady doth protest too much, methinks. – Shakespeare
THE LADY MOST WILLING is a Shakespeare comedy in the making. Take one determined laird; add two marriage weary nephews; mix in four ladies; stir in one unexpected duke; and sprinkle with snow, thus trapping the group in a drafty Scottish castle. Turn up the heat as passion flairs between unexpected couples. Serve as a humorous romp from three rockstars in historical romances. Fans of Quinn, James, and Brockway will enjoy this collaborative effort that delivers the charm of all three authors. THE LADY MOST WILING demonstrates that the sum of all parts is pure escapism at its best!
THE LADY MOST WILLING is a Shakespeare comedy in the making. Take one determined laird; add two marriage weary nephews; mix in four ladies; stir in one unexpected duke; and sprinkle with snow, thus trapping the group in a drafty Scottish castle. Turn up the heat as passion flairs between unexpected couples. Serve as a humorous romp from three rockstars in historical romances. Fans of Quinn, James, and Brockway will enjoy this collaborative effort that delivers the charm of all three authors. THE LADY MOST WILING demonstrates that the sum of all parts is pure escapism at its best!
November 9, 2017
It was fun learning the kind of games (parlor games?) they used to play back then. Made me want to try a few the next time I have a gathering at my house.
There was one unlikable female character that just tried too hard to get a husband, but that was life back then for most women, so I'll let it pass.
It never bothered me before when I read novellas/short stories how quickly the H/h fall in love, but for some reason, it was really noticeable how fast each couple fell in love in this one, that I had to pause and ask, "Really? This soon? But how?" lol.
Way better than the first book.
There was one unlikable female character that just tried too hard to get a husband, but that was life back then for most women, so I'll let it pass.
It never bothered me before when I read novellas/short stories how quickly the H/h fall in love, but for some reason, it was really noticeable how fast each couple fell in love in this one, that I had to pause and ask, "Really? This soon? But how?" lol.
Way better than the first book.
March 5, 2018
The last book in this series was a nice listen for me. The three-part stories of the characters were enjoyable for the most part. Julie Quin, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway did a nice job with the reads. Although the first two were nicely written and flowed well. I thought the last story was a bit rushed but as always for me, and Susan Duerden as the narrator was excellent.
4-Stars
4-Stars
February 28, 2020
«Até os mares serem desertos, meu amor,
E as rochas ao sol se fundirem,
Nunca deixarei de te amar, meu amor,
Enquanto as areias da vida correrem.»
E as rochas ao sol se fundirem,
Nunca deixarei de te amar, meu amor,
Enquanto as areias da vida correrem.»
December 25, 2012
*ARC provided by Avon via Edelweiss
The Lady Most Willing, a book written by a trio of well known romance authors, was a charming experience for the holidays. It had the perfect amount of hilarious scenes, passionate confessions, witty debates and that special something that wove them all together. I must say that I enjoyed it very much, it was one of my most expected books this season and it didn’t fail me.
What intrigued me so much was the absurd but comical notion of an ancient Scottish Laird, Taran Ferguson, who decided once upon a winter, that his noble lineage must be continued and thus, his two bachelor nephews must be married. Problem is, who in their right minds would marry one of them in such short notice? The only obvious solution would be to kidnap three lovely young ladies so that each one of his nephews to have a choice.
Of course, like all well thought plans, it doesn’t go exactly smoothly. After they storm through Lord Maycott’s ballroom they manage to take Lady Cecily “the best of the bunch: worth a fortune and pretty as a penny”, a pair of Scottish sisters, namely Fiona Crisholm “a bit long on the shelf”, with a rather interesting reputation and her sister, Marilla, who is “very young, very blong, and very beautiful” with a particular penchant for titled young men. What they didn’t intend to kidnap was a couple of most unfortunate people, Ms. Catriona Burns “nice lass, no money” and the Duke of Bretton who was happily sleeping in his own carriage at the time of the kidnapping.
The authors cleverly drop hints even from the characters first meaning and it’s rather easy to figure out the main pairings.
Julia Quinn’s part involved the story of the romance between two very unlikely characters (due to their social background) namely Catriona Burns and Duke Bretton. Known for her witty and ingenious style, Quinn weaves a convincing romantic story between two individuals who, under other circumstances, wouldn’t have thought they belonged together. Catriona is comfortable putting the duke in his place with a disarming honesty that will make the reader snicker happily and Bretton is surprised to find someone who treats him as a human being and sees behind his ducal mask.
Then came Eloisa James` story with two characters I knew would give me headaches. Ms. Fiona Crisholm was ruined by her fiance’s death and now she has an infamous reputation in all Scotland. That doesn’t bother one bit because she is now free. She knows that this scandal ruined all her chances at a normal marriage so she dreams of leaving the country, going to Italy, making wine out of berries, having a baby out of wedlock. Why not? She’s rich, she’s beautiful and she’s independent.
This is until she meets Lord Oakley, cold and careful Lord Oakley who always says the right thing and does the right thing. She’s intrigued by his carefully knit façade and does her best to irritate him in order to get a reaction out of him. This leads to several interesting debates, where clashing personalities and matching witts will make the reader turn the pages faster to find out where this is going. Out of the three love stories, this was the one I enjoyed best. In very short time, they go through the whole spectrum of emotions from mutual disdain to regret, intrigue, lust and love.
The last part is Connie Brockway’s story. Lady Cecily always believed in true love seeing as her parents match was one of love and her father gives her the chance to make her choice and marry whomever catches her eye. That person happens to be the self titled, Prince of Rakes also known in the civilized society as Robin Parles, Comte de Rochefort. A penniless Comte but a Comte nevertheless. Their love is one at first sight, no matter how silly that seems. They feel an instant connection between them and prim and proper Lady Cecily decides to seduce him. The prince of rakes doesn’t stand of chance against her.
I give this book a rating of 3.5 stars seeing as I found the development between the characters kind of sudden and rushed. I think I would’ve enjoyed it even more if we would’ve gotten to see the three stories developing in time, over the course of the book. Nevertheless, it was a cute book who made my day a little bit brighter.
The Lady Most Willing, a book written by a trio of well known romance authors, was a charming experience for the holidays. It had the perfect amount of hilarious scenes, passionate confessions, witty debates and that special something that wove them all together. I must say that I enjoyed it very much, it was one of my most expected books this season and it didn’t fail me.
What intrigued me so much was the absurd but comical notion of an ancient Scottish Laird, Taran Ferguson, who decided once upon a winter, that his noble lineage must be continued and thus, his two bachelor nephews must be married. Problem is, who in their right minds would marry one of them in such short notice? The only obvious solution would be to kidnap three lovely young ladies so that each one of his nephews to have a choice.
Of course, like all well thought plans, it doesn’t go exactly smoothly. After they storm through Lord Maycott’s ballroom they manage to take Lady Cecily “the best of the bunch: worth a fortune and pretty as a penny”, a pair of Scottish sisters, namely Fiona Crisholm “a bit long on the shelf”, with a rather interesting reputation and her sister, Marilla, who is “very young, very blong, and very beautiful” with a particular penchant for titled young men. What they didn’t intend to kidnap was a couple of most unfortunate people, Ms. Catriona Burns “nice lass, no money” and the Duke of Bretton who was happily sleeping in his own carriage at the time of the kidnapping.
The authors cleverly drop hints even from the characters first meaning and it’s rather easy to figure out the main pairings.
Julia Quinn’s part involved the story of the romance between two very unlikely characters (due to their social background) namely Catriona Burns and Duke Bretton. Known for her witty and ingenious style, Quinn weaves a convincing romantic story between two individuals who, under other circumstances, wouldn’t have thought they belonged together. Catriona is comfortable putting the duke in his place with a disarming honesty that will make the reader snicker happily and Bretton is surprised to find someone who treats him as a human being and sees behind his ducal mask.
Then came Eloisa James` story with two characters I knew would give me headaches. Ms. Fiona Crisholm was ruined by her fiance’s death and now she has an infamous reputation in all Scotland. That doesn’t bother one bit because she is now free. She knows that this scandal ruined all her chances at a normal marriage so she dreams of leaving the country, going to Italy, making wine out of berries, having a baby out of wedlock. Why not? She’s rich, she’s beautiful and she’s independent.
This is until she meets Lord Oakley, cold and careful Lord Oakley who always says the right thing and does the right thing. She’s intrigued by his carefully knit façade and does her best to irritate him in order to get a reaction out of him. This leads to several interesting debates, where clashing personalities and matching witts will make the reader turn the pages faster to find out where this is going. Out of the three love stories, this was the one I enjoyed best. In very short time, they go through the whole spectrum of emotions from mutual disdain to regret, intrigue, lust and love.
The last part is Connie Brockway’s story. Lady Cecily always believed in true love seeing as her parents match was one of love and her father gives her the chance to make her choice and marry whomever catches her eye. That person happens to be the self titled, Prince of Rakes also known in the civilized society as Robin Parles, Comte de Rochefort. A penniless Comte but a Comte nevertheless. Their love is one at first sight, no matter how silly that seems. They feel an instant connection between them and prim and proper Lady Cecily decides to seduce him. The prince of rakes doesn’t stand of chance against her.
I give this book a rating of 3.5 stars seeing as I found the development between the characters kind of sudden and rushed. I think I would’ve enjoyed it even more if we would’ve gotten to see the three stories developing in time, over the course of the book. Nevertheless, it was a cute book who made my day a little bit brighter.
October 25, 2017
Alors ça se lit plutôt bien, vu que je l'ai dévoré en 1 jour (et une nuit vive les vacances XD ).
ici on a 3 histoires qui se suivent, chacune écrite par une auteure différente, et je dois avouer avoir préféré la première sans doute écrite par Julia Quinn, qui est la plus drôle à lire.
Qui dit 3 histoires dans un roman dit aussi un certaine frustration quand on avance et qu'on change de couple puisque le début de relation est en quelque sorte résumé (mais hyper légère la frustration parce que c'est quand même bien fait ça s'enchaîne logiquement et le changement d'auteur et donc de style est un bon point pour l'identification des couples)
Bon par contre on a 3 histoires et 4 couples à la fin...
ici on a 3 histoires qui se suivent, chacune écrite par une auteure différente, et je dois avouer avoir préféré la première sans doute écrite par Julia Quinn, qui est la plus drôle à lire.
Qui dit 3 histoires dans un roman dit aussi un certaine frustration quand on avance et qu'on change de couple puisque le début de relation est en quelque sorte résumé (mais hyper légère la frustration parce que c'est quand même bien fait ça s'enchaîne logiquement et le changement d'auteur et donc de style est un bon point pour l'identification des couples)
Bon par contre on a 3 histoires et 4 couples à la fin...
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