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Duchess Quartet #2
Fool for Love
The Woman
Lady Henrietta Maclellan longs for the romantic swirl of a London season. But as a rusticating country maiden, she has always kept her sensuous nature firmly under wraps—until she meets Simon Darby. Simon makes her want to whisper promises late at night, exchange kisses on a balcony, receive illicit love notes. So Henrietta lets her imagination soar and writes...
The Letter
A very steamy love letter that becomes shockingly public. Everyone supposes that he has written it to her, but the truth hardly matters in the face of the scandal to come if they don't marry at once. But nothing has quite prepared Henrietta for the pure sensuality of...
The Man
Simon has vowed he will never turn himself into a fool over a woman. So, while debutantes swoon as he disdainfully strides past the lovely ladies of the ton, he ignores them all...until Henrietta. Could it be possible that he has been the foolish one all along?
Lady Henrietta Maclellan longs for the romantic swirl of a London season. But as a rusticating country maiden, she has always kept her sensuous nature firmly under wraps—until she meets Simon Darby. Simon makes her want to whisper promises late at night, exchange kisses on a balcony, receive illicit love notes. So Henrietta lets her imagination soar and writes...
The Letter
A very steamy love letter that becomes shockingly public. Everyone supposes that he has written it to her, but the truth hardly matters in the face of the scandal to come if they don't marry at once. But nothing has quite prepared Henrietta for the pure sensuality of...
The Man
Simon has vowed he will never turn himself into a fool over a woman. So, while debutantes swoon as he disdainfully strides past the lovely ladies of the ton, he ignores them all...until Henrietta. Could it be possible that he has been the foolish one all along?
351 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 29, 2003
323 people are currently reading
2049 people want to read
About the author
Eloisa James
123 books9,541 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
September 27, 2017
*** 4 ***
Well, this one was much better than the first in this series. Once again, for those who do not know me, I have different standards for different genres. Historical Romance, having a special place in my heart, since it was the genre with which I learned to read as a child (my grandma always had some dramatic HR with a boudoir cover art on her nightstand and those were my first valiant attempts to figure out the scribbles on the pages:), is usually the genre I cut most slack to authors, followed by UF. The reason why is that we read those for the tried and true formulas, which give us the good feels at the end and we can go on dealing with the daily grind with a little bit lighter heart.
Eloisa James has so much talent, it is scary! I love, love, loooove the ease with which she can write a bucolic scene and make it just as fun as a passionate and flirtatious corset-ripper episode. She is great with light banter and can convey a mood change with fines. But darn it, something seems to always be missing. Usually it is the plot, but come on, who reads those romances for the plot anyway. So, I often wonder what is that thing, which seems to be missing when I finish one of her books... Luckily, this time around, she seems to have found just the right balance of ingredients in order to make a fun, sexy and pleasing love story, where we could root for both H and h without making us feel guilty about it. Lady Henrietta Maclellan, the country gentry woman with a limp, and her suitor, the London dandy Simon Darby, are not perfect, but they have very noble cores, which I am finding myself to crave more and more, since the way both Historical and Contemporary Romance are trending at this time is with a lot of random sex and very little to speak of the characters of the players... Call me old fashioned, but I have been over-saturated with the cult for the bad boy or girl and I feel like the lack of honor and some more positive qualities in our protagonists or anti-heroes, together with the political reality we live in, have slowly started eroding my faith in humanity... I think may be I am getting old:):):)
"..."His tongue invaded her mouth in the way that the Cossacks invaded small villages: invasion first, questions after."..."
Henrietta and Simon have good chemistry and are both strong-willed and stubborn. Life events have made Simon soul guardian of his small sisters, who are mostly a pain in the ass, but adorable nonetheless. He believes the best and easiest way to go is to get married so his new wife would take care of them. He uses them as a pretext to go visit his aunt-by-marriage in the country, who is pregnant and he suspects the babe is not his late uncle's. In the small country village he meets Henrietta and is immediately smitten. Only she has some medical issues and complications ensue.
As I said, on the hit-and-miss game we always play with Eloisa's books, this one is more on the hit side, so I would recommend it as a light afternoon read for the lovers of this genre:) I am certainly going to continue reading her works, because she is always able to give me joy with her words!
I wish You all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
Well, this one was much better than the first in this series. Once again, for those who do not know me, I have different standards for different genres. Historical Romance, having a special place in my heart, since it was the genre with which I learned to read as a child (my grandma always had some dramatic HR with a boudoir cover art on her nightstand and those were my first valiant attempts to figure out the scribbles on the pages:), is usually the genre I cut most slack to authors, followed by UF. The reason why is that we read those for the tried and true formulas, which give us the good feels at the end and we can go on dealing with the daily grind with a little bit lighter heart.
Eloisa James has so much talent, it is scary! I love, love, loooove the ease with which she can write a bucolic scene and make it just as fun as a passionate and flirtatious corset-ripper episode. She is great with light banter and can convey a mood change with fines. But darn it, something seems to always be missing. Usually it is the plot, but come on, who reads those romances for the plot anyway. So, I often wonder what is that thing, which seems to be missing when I finish one of her books... Luckily, this time around, she seems to have found just the right balance of ingredients in order to make a fun, sexy and pleasing love story, where we could root for both H and h without making us feel guilty about it. Lady Henrietta Maclellan, the country gentry woman with a limp, and her suitor, the London dandy Simon Darby, are not perfect, but they have very noble cores, which I am finding myself to crave more and more, since the way both Historical and Contemporary Romance are trending at this time is with a lot of random sex and very little to speak of the characters of the players... Call me old fashioned, but I have been over-saturated with the cult for the bad boy or girl and I feel like the lack of honor and some more positive qualities in our protagonists or anti-heroes, together with the political reality we live in, have slowly started eroding my faith in humanity... I think may be I am getting old:):):)
"..."His tongue invaded her mouth in the way that the Cossacks invaded small villages: invasion first, questions after."..."
Henrietta and Simon have good chemistry and are both strong-willed and stubborn. Life events have made Simon soul guardian of his small sisters, who are mostly a pain in the ass, but adorable nonetheless. He believes the best and easiest way to go is to get married so his new wife would take care of them. He uses them as a pretext to go visit his aunt-by-marriage in the country, who is pregnant and he suspects the babe is not his late uncle's. In the small country village he meets Henrietta and is immediately smitten. Only she has some medical issues and complications ensue.
As I said, on the hit-and-miss game we always play with Eloisa's books, this one is more on the hit side, so I would recommend it as a light afternoon read for the lovers of this genre:) I am certainly going to continue reading her works, because she is always able to give me joy with her words!
I wish You all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!
July 22, 2025
Early Eloisa James is hit-or-miss for me, and this one was both and neither, in that the hits still had problems and the misses had nice moments.
Mostly hit:
The main characters, Henrietta and Simon. Henrietta has been told and accepted many things as true which aren’t: that her mother died in childbirth and Henrietta barely survived because of her mother’s weak hip joint, which Henrietta inherited and, therefore, would inevitably die in childbirth herself. That her weak hip and occasional limp are a deformity which preclude marriage and childbearing. That no man would want a woman who couldn’t have children. That Simon needs to marry an heiress. That all men keep mistresses even as they force the unpleasant and messy act of sex on their wives, who must lie still as their duty. That women cannot get pregnant the first time they have intercourse. The mountain of misinformation that Henrietta believes is mindboggling, even in a time when women weren’t allowed to know anything about their bodies and reproduction. She never questions anything she is told, which eventually makes her look too passive and a bit of a dullard. Simon is a sympathetic guy, and finds himself attracted to Henrietta-of-the-lovely-face but ascerbic tongue and drab clothing because…she doesn’t fawn on him? Still, Henrietta and Simon’s relationship is mostly entertaining and mostly believable and carries the book.
And the kids were all too real. And hilarious.
Mostly miss: (Esme rant ahead)
Esme and Lord Bonnington are a secondary love interest, whose thread started in the first book of the series and seemingly will continue into the next. Lord Bonnington is a dream: a formerly starchy, propriety-bound marquess who gave Esme his virginity and ruined his reputation to protect hers, a scandal which drove him to Italy. His love for Esme is so great that he sneaks back into England and becomes her gardener in order to be near her. Esme is a mean (to Bonnington), stupid twit who deserves none of it.
“I was wrong to blame you for my husband’s death,” she said in an offhand way, as if she were excusing herself for a negligible misstep. But the bitter words she flung at Sebastian the last time she saw him echoed in her head: You think I would marry you? The man who killed my husband? I wouldn’t take your hand in marriage even if you weren’t a stodgy—boring—virgin!
Esme is pregnant, but lies about her due date.
It would convince him that the baby was not his but Miles’s. And that was essential, because—because—she wasn’t sure why.
Exactly, and there’s the problem—nothing Esme says or does makes sense. She insists she doesn’t love Bonnington when she does, and insists she loved her husband, who flaunted his mistress publicly and in front of her, when she didn’t, and I have no idea why. Eloisa James has a disconcerting habit of populating her books with superficial, nonsensical flibbertygibbets and Esme is the worst I’ve run across so far. Run, Bonnington, you gorgeous, delicious faux gardener, run from this horrible woman as fast and far away as possible. Save yourself.
This was readable because the writer is gifted, but felt overly-contrived and one character made me grind my teeth until my jaw hurt.
Mostly hit:
The main characters, Henrietta and Simon. Henrietta has been told and accepted many things as true which aren’t: that her mother died in childbirth and Henrietta barely survived because of her mother’s weak hip joint, which Henrietta inherited and, therefore, would inevitably die in childbirth herself. That her weak hip and occasional limp are a deformity which preclude marriage and childbearing. That no man would want a woman who couldn’t have children. That Simon needs to marry an heiress. That all men keep mistresses even as they force the unpleasant and messy act of sex on their wives, who must lie still as their duty. That women cannot get pregnant the first time they have intercourse. The mountain of misinformation that Henrietta believes is mindboggling, even in a time when women weren’t allowed to know anything about their bodies and reproduction. She never questions anything she is told, which eventually makes her look too passive and a bit of a dullard. Simon is a sympathetic guy, and finds himself attracted to Henrietta-of-the-lovely-face but ascerbic tongue and drab clothing because…she doesn’t fawn on him? Still, Henrietta and Simon’s relationship is mostly entertaining and mostly believable and carries the book.
And the kids were all too real. And hilarious.
Mostly miss: (Esme rant ahead)
Esme and Lord Bonnington are a secondary love interest, whose thread started in the first book of the series and seemingly will continue into the next. Lord Bonnington is a dream: a formerly starchy, propriety-bound marquess who gave Esme his virginity and ruined his reputation to protect hers, a scandal which drove him to Italy. His love for Esme is so great that he sneaks back into England and becomes her gardener in order to be near her. Esme is a mean (to Bonnington), stupid twit who deserves none of it.
“I was wrong to blame you for my husband’s death,” she said in an offhand way, as if she were excusing herself for a negligible misstep. But the bitter words she flung at Sebastian the last time she saw him echoed in her head: You think I would marry you? The man who killed my husband? I wouldn’t take your hand in marriage even if you weren’t a stodgy—boring—virgin!
Esme is pregnant, but lies about her due date.
It would convince him that the baby was not his but Miles’s. And that was essential, because—because—she wasn’t sure why.
Exactly, and there’s the problem—nothing Esme says or does makes sense. She insists she doesn’t love Bonnington when she does, and insists she loved her husband, who flaunted his mistress publicly and in front of her, when she didn’t, and I have no idea why. Eloisa James has a disconcerting habit of populating her books with superficial, nonsensical flibbertygibbets and Esme is the worst I’ve run across so far. Run, Bonnington, you gorgeous, delicious faux gardener, run from this horrible woman as fast and far away as possible. Save yourself.
This was readable because the writer is gifted, but felt overly-contrived and one character made me grind my teeth until my jaw hurt.
February 24, 2022
First book of 2022 for me.
I've gotta say, it was actually exceed my expectations. It's been awhile since I read an Eloise James book and this one kinda impressed me again. I kinda love the fluffy feeling we get initially and the dynamic between the flustered hero and his sisters. I just wished that part was stretched out longer. Also, I love the heroine in this one. She knows what she wants and she'll do every dirty trick in the book to get the man she wants.
All in all, definitely recommended. Especially for those days you just want a light, fluffy and with little drama in your HR.
I've gotta say, it was actually exceed my expectations. It's been awhile since I read an Eloise James book and this one kinda impressed me again. I kinda love the fluffy feeling we get initially and the dynamic between the flustered hero and his sisters. I just wished that part was stretched out longer. Also, I love the heroine in this one. She knows what she wants and she'll do every dirty trick in the book to get the man she wants.
All in all, definitely recommended. Especially for those days you just want a light, fluffy and with little drama in your HR.
October 27, 2025
Second read 10/25
Enjoyed this story just as much as the first book.
It is assumed that Henrietta cannot have children. Darby is true hero in this respect.
Enjoyable book with double romance.
What I especially appreciated was the attraction and chemistry between Esme and Sebastian(?). She was all big and pregnant yet he had such a hots for her no matter what.
But Henrietta and Darby story was enthralling as well. Lots of snappy dialogue and obstacles to overcome and husbands to snare.
Great plot.
Enjoyed this story just as much as the first book.
It is assumed that Henrietta cannot have children. Darby is true hero in this respect.
Enjoyable book with double romance.
What I especially appreciated was the attraction and chemistry between Esme and Sebastian(?). She was all big and pregnant yet he had such a hots for her no matter what.
But Henrietta and Darby story was enthralling as well. Lots of snappy dialogue and obstacles to overcome and husbands to snare.
Great plot.
February 10, 2009
This book was ridiculous and silly and absurd. And nothing happened. Nothing. It was bad fluff from start to finish. But I didn’t hate it. And decided to give it an extra star because Eloisa James is funny.
I read this book during a self-imposed week of “NO INTERNET” so was unable to do any preliminary research about this book before reading it. All I had to go on was the book itself, which provided very little help in that area: Is it part of a series? (Yes.) Are there any recycled characters? (YES.) Will I be confused? (No, but I took a star away anyway.) Was the author born in Minnesota? (Yes!) Is the author a Harvard educated professor? (Yes.) Even the blurb on the back cover was only minimally related to the story.
According to the back of the book, Lady Henrietta is a proper lady who “keeps her sensual nature under wraps” and after letting her “imagination soar” she writes “a very steamy letter that becomes shockingly public. Everyone supposes that he [Lord Darby:] has written it to her, but the truth hardly matters in the face of the scandal to come if they don’t marry at once.” That’s sort of true. Sort of. Except all of that happens in three chapters. Three chapters out of forty-six.
So what actually did happen? Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out. I know there was a lot of vomiting. And playing with toy soldiers. And limping. And gossip. And a poor motherless child. And that Henrietta’s lame hip means she can’t bear children, which means she can’t have sex, which means she can’t get married. And that’s very sad because she loves babies and she’s read a lot of nineteenth century parenting books. And so she befriends Darby’s preschool-age sisters. But Darby’s aunt is a ho-bag and now she’s pregnant and who is the father? And what’s up with the gardener? And is Darby poor? Or is he wealthy?
On one page, someone refers to Satan as “Old Scratch” which is my all-time favorite satanic nickname ever. And on page 333, there’s a paragraph where Mr. Darby is referred to as both Mr. Darby and Mr. Darcy, which is one of my biggest complaints with mass media paperback romances because calling a character by the wrong name happens far, far too frequently. For shame, editors, for shame!
There was also a lot of description of Lord Darby dressed in velvet and lace. And reminders that even though he was covered in lace, head to toe, that he was still very manly and masculine and assuredly not effeminate. And is he prettier than Henrietta? She sure seems to think so…
Obviously Henrietta and Darby find a way to overcome the no-sex barrier (this book does qualify as a bodice ripper, after all) and along the way, the characters have a number of hysterical conversations about nineteenth century birth control, mistresses, virginity and where do babies come from, anyway?
Overall it was okay. The plot was simple and there were too many characters for how little actually occurred between the first and last page but if I’d read the first book in the quartet before inadvertently reading the second, that may not have been a complaint. The book was funny and I laughed.
I read this book during a self-imposed week of “NO INTERNET” so was unable to do any preliminary research about this book before reading it. All I had to go on was the book itself, which provided very little help in that area: Is it part of a series? (Yes.) Are there any recycled characters? (YES.) Will I be confused? (No, but I took a star away anyway.) Was the author born in Minnesota? (Yes!) Is the author a Harvard educated professor? (Yes.) Even the blurb on the back cover was only minimally related to the story.
According to the back of the book, Lady Henrietta is a proper lady who “keeps her sensual nature under wraps” and after letting her “imagination soar” she writes “a very steamy letter that becomes shockingly public. Everyone supposes that he [Lord Darby:] has written it to her, but the truth hardly matters in the face of the scandal to come if they don’t marry at once.” That’s sort of true. Sort of. Except all of that happens in three chapters. Three chapters out of forty-six.
So what actually did happen? Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out. I know there was a lot of vomiting. And playing with toy soldiers. And limping. And gossip. And a poor motherless child. And that Henrietta’s lame hip means she can’t bear children, which means she can’t have sex, which means she can’t get married. And that’s very sad because she loves babies and she’s read a lot of nineteenth century parenting books. And so she befriends Darby’s preschool-age sisters. But Darby’s aunt is a ho-bag and now she’s pregnant and who is the father? And what’s up with the gardener? And is Darby poor? Or is he wealthy?
On one page, someone refers to Satan as “Old Scratch” which is my all-time favorite satanic nickname ever. And on page 333, there’s a paragraph where Mr. Darby is referred to as both Mr. Darby and Mr. Darcy, which is one of my biggest complaints with mass media paperback romances because calling a character by the wrong name happens far, far too frequently. For shame, editors, for shame!
There was also a lot of description of Lord Darby dressed in velvet and lace. And reminders that even though he was covered in lace, head to toe, that he was still very manly and masculine and assuredly not effeminate. And is he prettier than Henrietta? She sure seems to think so…
Obviously Henrietta and Darby find a way to overcome the no-sex barrier (this book does qualify as a bodice ripper, after all) and along the way, the characters have a number of hysterical conversations about nineteenth century birth control, mistresses, virginity and where do babies come from, anyway?
Overall it was okay. The plot was simple and there were too many characters for how little actually occurred between the first and last page but if I’d read the first book in the quartet before inadvertently reading the second, that may not have been a complaint. The book was funny and I laughed.
March 1, 2022
3 Estrellitas. Ha estado bastante bien ésta continuación del cuartero de duquesas (aunque no entiendo por qué se llamó así la serie, cuando solo hay una duquesa).
"Loca de amor" es el segundo libro de la serie y aquí tenemos a Simon Darby y a Henrietta Maclellan como protagonistas. Hace cosa de año y medio leí el primer libro, y como es lógico, no recordaba nada de él cuando empecé éste, así que si estos personajes salieron en el primero no lo sé.
Simon Darby es un lechuguno emparentado con la aristocracia, que podría rivalizar en moda con Brummell. Es el heredero de un condado y su tío, lord Rawlings falleció en el anterior libro en el dormitorio de su esposa, cuando tuvieron relaciones maritales. Lady Rawlings resultó embarazada tras muchos años de estéril matrimonio; pero ahora la sociedad cuchichea sobre quién es el padre del bebé, y el sexo del mismo, pues si es niño, Darby quedaría desbancado.
Cuando Darby oye estos rumores, decide hacer las maletas y visitar a su tía Rawlings y averiguar qué hay de cierto en ello. En el viaje, irán con él sus dos pequeñísimas hermanas (su padre y su madrastra han fallecido recientemente y le han dejado al cuidado de dos niñas), una de cuatro años, Josie, y un bebé de un año que vomita todo lo que come, Anabel (curioso que la autora haya empleado de nuevo estos nombres, que ya fueron los de las protagonistas de su otra serie, las hermanas Essex).
Una vez llegan a la mansión de su tía, cerca de Bath, se encontrarán en el pueblo con Henrietta Maclellan, una señorita remilgada y carne de solterona, que ha encontrado a las pequeñas hermanas de Darby intentando escapar.
Henrietta es la hija mayor de un conde. Su madre falleció de parto cuando la tuvo a ella, según los médicos por una malformación en la cadera, una malformación que ha heredado Henrietta. Aunque su padre tampoco vive ya, Henrietta se ha criado con su madrastra y su hermana Imogen, y siempre ha creído todo lo que han dicho quienes la rodeaban; que no podría casarse nunca porque si lo hacía y se quedaba embarazada, moriría de parto como su madre. Así que Henrietta siempre se ha resignado con ser una solterona, hecho que no le impide soñar de vez en cuando.
La llegada de Darby al pueblo supone una novedad para la limitada sociedad campestre. Lady Rawlings es amiga de Henrietta, y ésta será invitada a todas las veladas que da la dama. En éstas veladas, Lady Rawlings se da cuenta del potencial que puede haber entre Henrietta y su sobrino, y planeará el mejor método para que puedan estar juntos.
Sí, cuando ambos se conocen se gustan. Nadie puede negar que Darby es guapo y encantador, heredero de un título (si el embarazo de Lady Rawlings no llega a buen puerto), y pobre como una rata (o eso se cree). Con todo lo dicho, se considera que Darby necesita una heredera, y Henrietta puede ser la novia adecuada, es dócil, hermosa y a Darby no parece importarle su cojera. Además Darby no necesita realmente una familia y no es capaz de encontrar una niñera para sus hermanas. Da la casualidad de que Henrietta ha cogido cariño a las niñas y ella no puede tener hijos propios, esto mismo tampoco parece importarle a Darby.
Así que cuando cae en la trampa, cae con todas. Darby se resigna, pero pronto se da cuenta de que su nueva situación puede ser lo mejor que le ha ocurrido en su vida.
La novela tiene ciertos toques que recuerdan a las comedias de enredo, pero me ha tenido despistada no recordar apenas el primer libro. La historia ha estado entretenida y me ha tenido enganchada a ella, pero tampoco me ha atrapado como otras del género.
El romance, no sabría decirlo muy bien, pero me ha fallado algo. Sí, se gustan, pero no entiendes muy bien cuándo o cómo se fija él en una chica como Henrietta, hasta el punto de querer casarse con ella, cuando desde el principio no es un hombre familiar. Es obvio que Henrietta cae fácilmente enamorada de él, pero los comportamientos que han tenido al final del libro me han dejado algo confusa y no sé cuándo se han enamorado ni por qué.
A pesar de ello, la he disfrutado lo suficiente, y tengo ganas de los siguientes libros. No sé quiénes son los protagonistas del tercero, pero sí tengo muchas ganas del cuarto, el libro de Helene y Rees, el conde infiel que ha estado paseándole a su esposa a todas sus amantes y que ha salido bastante en "Loca de amor", al ser el mejor amigo de Darby.
"Loca de amor" es el segundo libro de la serie y aquí tenemos a Simon Darby y a Henrietta Maclellan como protagonistas. Hace cosa de año y medio leí el primer libro, y como es lógico, no recordaba nada de él cuando empecé éste, así que si estos personajes salieron en el primero no lo sé.
Simon Darby es un lechuguno emparentado con la aristocracia, que podría rivalizar en moda con Brummell. Es el heredero de un condado y su tío, lord Rawlings falleció en el anterior libro en el dormitorio de su esposa, cuando tuvieron relaciones maritales. Lady Rawlings resultó embarazada tras muchos años de estéril matrimonio; pero ahora la sociedad cuchichea sobre quién es el padre del bebé, y el sexo del mismo, pues si es niño, Darby quedaría desbancado.
Cuando Darby oye estos rumores, decide hacer las maletas y visitar a su tía Rawlings y averiguar qué hay de cierto en ello. En el viaje, irán con él sus dos pequeñísimas hermanas (su padre y su madrastra han fallecido recientemente y le han dejado al cuidado de dos niñas), una de cuatro años, Josie, y un bebé de un año que vomita todo lo que come, Anabel (curioso que la autora haya empleado de nuevo estos nombres, que ya fueron los de las protagonistas de su otra serie, las hermanas Essex).
Una vez llegan a la mansión de su tía, cerca de Bath, se encontrarán en el pueblo con Henrietta Maclellan, una señorita remilgada y carne de solterona, que ha encontrado a las pequeñas hermanas de Darby intentando escapar.
Henrietta es la hija mayor de un conde. Su madre falleció de parto cuando la tuvo a ella, según los médicos por una malformación en la cadera, una malformación que ha heredado Henrietta. Aunque su padre tampoco vive ya, Henrietta se ha criado con su madrastra y su hermana Imogen, y siempre ha creído todo lo que han dicho quienes la rodeaban; que no podría casarse nunca porque si lo hacía y se quedaba embarazada, moriría de parto como su madre. Así que Henrietta siempre se ha resignado con ser una solterona, hecho que no le impide soñar de vez en cuando.
La llegada de Darby al pueblo supone una novedad para la limitada sociedad campestre. Lady Rawlings es amiga de Henrietta, y ésta será invitada a todas las veladas que da la dama. En éstas veladas, Lady Rawlings se da cuenta del potencial que puede haber entre Henrietta y su sobrino, y planeará el mejor método para que puedan estar juntos.
Sí, cuando ambos se conocen se gustan. Nadie puede negar que Darby es guapo y encantador, heredero de un título (si el embarazo de Lady Rawlings no llega a buen puerto), y pobre como una rata (o eso se cree). Con todo lo dicho, se considera que Darby necesita una heredera, y Henrietta puede ser la novia adecuada, es dócil, hermosa y a Darby no parece importarle su cojera. Además Darby no necesita realmente una familia y no es capaz de encontrar una niñera para sus hermanas. Da la casualidad de que Henrietta ha cogido cariño a las niñas y ella no puede tener hijos propios, esto mismo tampoco parece importarle a Darby.
Así que cuando cae en la trampa, cae con todas. Darby se resigna, pero pronto se da cuenta de que su nueva situación puede ser lo mejor que le ha ocurrido en su vida.
La novela tiene ciertos toques que recuerdan a las comedias de enredo, pero me ha tenido despistada no recordar apenas el primer libro. La historia ha estado entretenida y me ha tenido enganchada a ella, pero tampoco me ha atrapado como otras del género.
El romance, no sabría decirlo muy bien, pero me ha fallado algo. Sí, se gustan, pero no entiendes muy bien cuándo o cómo se fija él en una chica como Henrietta, hasta el punto de querer casarse con ella, cuando desde el principio no es un hombre familiar. Es obvio que Henrietta cae fácilmente enamorada de él, pero los comportamientos que han tenido al final del libro me han dejado algo confusa y no sé cuándo se han enamorado ni por qué.
A pesar de ello, la he disfrutado lo suficiente, y tengo ganas de los siguientes libros. No sé quiénes son los protagonistas del tercero, pero sí tengo muchas ganas del cuarto, el libro de Helene y Rees, el conde infiel que ha estado paseándole a su esposa a todas sus amantes y que ha salido bastante en "Loca de amor", al ser el mejor amigo de Darby.
July 31, 2016
This book was so weird. It was SUPER long (or maybe it just seemed that way) but nothing happened. The pacing was so bad, the main couple forgives and makes up for the entire premise of the novel in the space of a page. Like, literally one page. And this is after HUNDREDS of pages of both of those characters whining and pining and thinking and gnashing their teeth about their situation. And then it's super happy baby time and everything is perfect. I don't think I've ever read a book with such uneven pacing.
I also have a lot of questions that somehow, SOMEHOW didn't get answered in this exceedingly long novel. Did Esme's story even really get resolved? Did I ever really even care about it? Why did I read the second book in this series without reading the first? Will the two terrible background characters ever get back together? Are either one of them even remotely close to being likeable human beings? Was no one seriously worried about that poor baby who threw up like three times a day in a horrible Exorcist-like fashion? That's not normal, right?
Oh my gosh, after writing all this why did I give it two stars? Well it's Eloisa James and I REFUSE to give her a one star review. But I'm glad this isn't the first thing I read from her, because I probably wouldn't ever have picked up another book and she's one of my favorite authors.
I also have a lot of questions that somehow, SOMEHOW didn't get answered in this exceedingly long novel. Did Esme's story even really get resolved? Did I ever really even care about it? Why did I read the second book in this series without reading the first? Will the two terrible background characters ever get back together? Are either one of them even remotely close to being likeable human beings? Was no one seriously worried about that poor baby who threw up like three times a day in a horrible Exorcist-like fashion? That's not normal, right?
Oh my gosh, after writing all this why did I give it two stars? Well it's Eloisa James and I REFUSE to give her a one star review. But I'm glad this isn't the first thing I read from her, because I probably wouldn't ever have picked up another book and she's one of my favorite authors.
January 6, 2015
There is so much to adore about this book. The heroine is smart and interesting the hero while not wanting to fall in love is reasonable and witty.
The fun of the letter makes the book as does the longing in both characters for love and the wonderful secondary casts.
James always writes a full world where the heroine never stands alone. This tapestry makes for wonderful realistic and compelling romances every time.
The end of the book was less engaging than the start but it was a lovely read.
The fun of the letter makes the book as does the longing in both characters for love and the wonderful secondary casts.
James always writes a full world where the heroine never stands alone. This tapestry makes for wonderful realistic and compelling romances every time.
The end of the book was less engaging than the start but it was a lovely read.
March 5, 2022
Henrietta and Simon-main couple. Side couples: Esme and Sebastian. Helene, Rees and his opera mistress.
I liked Henrietta and Simon's chemistry together.
Sebastian was a completely different guy than he was in book one. I found it weird that he tells Esme that he has loved her from the moment he saw her especially since he had no trouble telling Gina he loved her in book one. He also asked Gina to marry him even though she too was also married in book one. I do like this new version of Sebastian better.
I liked Henrietta and Simon's chemistry together.
Sebastian was a completely different guy than he was in book one. I found it weird that he tells Esme that he has loved her from the moment he saw her especially since he had no trouble telling Gina he loved her in book one. He also asked Gina to marry him even though she too was also married in book one. I do like this new version of Sebastian better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2021
I like Eloisa James as an author and most of her books. Fools for Love was a delightful and witty story between Lady Henrietta and Lord Darby. Comical at times and enjoyable.
November 12, 2021
Where to begin? This book was all over the place. The opening is characteristically chaotic for James. There are a lot of characters to meet, a lot of shouting, and one intriguing premise. Eventually, both the heroine and the reader figure out what's going on, but that clarity doesn't last long. Fool for Love is a mess in more ways than one, and it's so disappointing.
Henrietta Maclellan has a bad leg that causes her to limp, which makes her an unusual heroine, and I was immediately drawn to her. However, the more I got to know her, the more I found her prudish, idiotic, and even dangerous. When we first meet her, she pours water onto little Josie's because the four year old was having a tantrum. I know we've all wanted to do this to children when they're being ludicrous, but that doesn't mean you actually do it! I was actually quite frustrated by the way James thought it was "endearing" when women burst into violent bouts of rage by throwing things at men or dousing children with water. Just because these women are "desirable" and "petite", doesn't mean they should be excused for exhibitions of violence.
The only saving grace in this book was the hero, Simon Darby. He's a certified dandy, and consequently unnerves every country gentleman of his acquaintance by his discussion of lace and waistcoats. I found him quite refreshing and fun. His adoration of Henrietta carried the book, seeing as she never reciprocated. The man was turned on despite the fact that she rarely kissed him back. Henrietta is described, multiple times, as keeping her lips shut or not touching him, but this still manages to drive Darby wild. Most people would be put off by someone so uninterested, but to each his own, I guess.
The big conflict comes in regards to Henrietta's hip condition. She's been told all her life that her disability will not only prevent her from having children but that she will die likely in the process. Naturally, this just makes her long for a child all the more. Honestly, while I personally want children of my own one day, I was looking forward to reading about a heroine who didn't fit the traditional mold. Darby is very uninterested in having children, being content with raising his two step-sisters (even when he does have his own child, he's quite clear he's only excited about it because his wife wants the kid). This promised to be a modern family in a historical romance novel, and I was excited for that. Alas, that was not to be.
Throughout the novel, Henrietta insists that having a child made her complete as a woman. Without a natural child, she as a woman was a failure. This message is pretty persistent, and I didn't care for it at all. Darby makes it crystal clear that he loves her for her and that they are still a family, even if it's unconventional. Yet, she can't grow from her obsession to be a "real woman". I think this message is pretty damaging, and I could not enjoy the book due to this.
Esme and Judge Frollo - excuse me, Sebastian - reappear in this novel, and they're just as infuriating in this book. Sebastian is even bigger of a hypocrite, if you can believe it. Not only does he admit he would've happily killed Esme's ex-husband to be with her, he also declares that anyone who couldn't appreciate Esme is a boar, despite the fact that he was planning on doing the very same thing to his fiancé, who is also his beloved's best friend, might I add. Truly, they're the worst couple in regency romance, and I wish they would just move to Italy together so I never have to read about them again.
Between the extremely damaging message about what makes a "woman" and the hypocritical relationship between Esme and Sebastian, there was very little to like about this book. The reasons I rated it two starts instead of one is because the children in this book were actually pretty well-written and not at all precocious plot devices. Additionally, the book itself is well-written, if the pacing is off due to the balancing of the two "romances". Unfortunately, that's not enough to save it, the way it saved the first book in this series.
Henrietta Maclellan has a bad leg that causes her to limp, which makes her an unusual heroine, and I was immediately drawn to her. However, the more I got to know her, the more I found her prudish, idiotic, and even dangerous. When we first meet her, she pours water onto little Josie's because the four year old was having a tantrum. I know we've all wanted to do this to children when they're being ludicrous, but that doesn't mean you actually do it! I was actually quite frustrated by the way James thought it was "endearing" when women burst into violent bouts of rage by throwing things at men or dousing children with water. Just because these women are "desirable" and "petite", doesn't mean they should be excused for exhibitions of violence.
The only saving grace in this book was the hero, Simon Darby. He's a certified dandy, and consequently unnerves every country gentleman of his acquaintance by his discussion of lace and waistcoats. I found him quite refreshing and fun. His adoration of Henrietta carried the book, seeing as she never reciprocated. The man was turned on despite the fact that she rarely kissed him back. Henrietta is described, multiple times, as keeping her lips shut or not touching him, but this still manages to drive Darby wild. Most people would be put off by someone so uninterested, but to each his own, I guess.
The big conflict comes in regards to Henrietta's hip condition. She's been told all her life that her disability will not only prevent her from having children but that she will die likely in the process. Naturally, this just makes her long for a child all the more. Honestly, while I personally want children of my own one day, I was looking forward to reading about a heroine who didn't fit the traditional mold. Darby is very uninterested in having children, being content with raising his two step-sisters (even when he does have his own child, he's quite clear he's only excited about it because his wife wants the kid). This promised to be a modern family in a historical romance novel, and I was excited for that. Alas, that was not to be.
Throughout the novel, Henrietta insists that having a child made her complete as a woman. Without a natural child, she as a woman was a failure. This message is pretty persistent, and I didn't care for it at all. Darby makes it crystal clear that he loves her for her and that they are still a family, even if it's unconventional. Yet, she can't grow from her obsession to be a "real woman". I think this message is pretty damaging, and I could not enjoy the book due to this.
Esme and Judge Frollo - excuse me, Sebastian - reappear in this novel, and they're just as infuriating in this book. Sebastian is even bigger of a hypocrite, if you can believe it. Not only does he admit he would've happily killed Esme's ex-husband to be with her, he also declares that anyone who couldn't appreciate Esme is a boar, despite the fact that he was planning on doing the very same thing to his fiancé, who is also his beloved's best friend, might I add. Truly, they're the worst couple in regency romance, and I wish they would just move to Italy together so I never have to read about them again.
Between the extremely damaging message about what makes a "woman" and the hypocritical relationship between Esme and Sebastian, there was very little to like about this book. The reasons I rated it two starts instead of one is because the children in this book were actually pretty well-written and not at all precocious plot devices. Additionally, the book itself is well-written, if the pacing is off due to the balancing of the two "romances". Unfortunately, that's not enough to save it, the way it saved the first book in this series.
August 1, 2022
This is really close to four stars but not quite there. Maybe 3.85…or 3.75
Henrietta can never have children. Doctors have told her that if she gets pregnant that she AND the baby will die. But Henrietta wants Simon Darby. He’s the guardian of his two younger sisters and she will just be a mother to them! And he can have a mistress! It’s the perfect solution! Except Simon is an honorable dude and there’s no way he’s taking a mistress when he marries. But how the F can he marry Henrietta when bedding her might kill her? Dun dun duuuuuuunnnn.
This book was never gonna be a five star read for me regardless of the swoon simply because I know the HEA is coming and I know how this trope plays out. Kinda takes the fun out of it for me.
My only issue with Henrietta is how incredibly selfish she was to trap Simon into marrying her. It just felt so shady and underhanded! Writing a love letter to herself from him and then having it read aloud at a party is the kind of thing you hear villains doing in HR. But Simon didn’t seem too put off by it so I recovered quickly.
But the real star of this story isn’t even the two MCs. Who are great in their own way, but omg, the real stars are Esme and Sebastian.
I reaaaally reaaally love Esme and Sebastian. I think if it had just been Simon and Henrietta I would’ve docked this book a whole star rating. But the added element of pregnant Esme and gardener Sebastian was just PERFECTION! Gah! These two! I wanted a resolution here but I guess it’s gonna go onto the next book.
Henrietta can never have children. Doctors have told her that if she gets pregnant that she AND the baby will die. But Henrietta wants Simon Darby. He’s the guardian of his two younger sisters and she will just be a mother to them! And he can have a mistress! It’s the perfect solution! Except Simon is an honorable dude and there’s no way he’s taking a mistress when he marries. But how the F can he marry Henrietta when bedding her might kill her? Dun dun duuuuuuunnnn.
This book was never gonna be a five star read for me regardless of the swoon simply because I know the HEA is coming and I know how this trope plays out. Kinda takes the fun out of it for me.
My only issue with Henrietta is how incredibly selfish she was to trap Simon into marrying her. It just felt so shady and underhanded! Writing a love letter to herself from him and then having it read aloud at a party is the kind of thing you hear villains doing in HR. But Simon didn’t seem too put off by it so I recovered quickly.
But the real star of this story isn’t even the two MCs. Who are great in their own way, but omg, the real stars are Esme and Sebastian.
I reaaaally reaaally love Esme and Sebastian. I think if it had just been Simon and Henrietta I would’ve docked this book a whole star rating. But the added element of pregnant Esme and gardener Sebastian was just PERFECTION! Gah! These two! I wanted a resolution here but I guess it’s gonna go onto the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2015
This is one of those super-solid four stars that only didn't get five because it didn't reach that emotional level that true five stars books do for me.
But I liked it a lot. It's another one without a great description (this seems a theme for James's books). What's missing from this description is that the couple already likes each other a lot before SCANDAL forces them into marriage. It's also rather misleading about the scandal.
But yeah. I liked it. It's one of those where both characters are pretty practical, which is a thing I like. And it had good kids. And the characters TALKED ABOUT THINGS, even embarrassing things. That was great.
And I like the way Esme's story is being told, too. And ohhh Rees. I like you a lot, even though you are a terrible husband at the moment.
But I liked it a lot. It's another one without a great description (this seems a theme for James's books). What's missing from this description is that the couple already likes each other a lot before SCANDAL forces them into marriage. It's also rather misleading about the scandal.
But yeah. I liked it. It's one of those where both characters are pretty practical, which is a thing I like. And it had good kids. And the characters TALKED ABOUT THINGS, even embarrassing things. That was great.
And I like the way Esme's story is being told, too. And ohhh Rees. I like you a lot, even though you are a terrible husband at the moment.
May 9, 2013
First James novel I ever read. Did a great job of ensnaring me. true awesomeness
March 4, 2023
I was super excited about this one, wasn't very happy with the main character trying to trap Darby in marriage but other than that this was mostly all smiles. A little underwhelming compared to the synapsis but I don't mind an overall chill romance.
July 26, 2023
I bought this book at a book sale this year. First book from my many books that I have read. This was myfirst Eloisa James’s books. She has a refreshingly down to earth style writing about small children and people in a small rural setting. I really felt like you got to see into all the towns characters not just the MC. This love story really was two for the price of one and one estranged couple. The first couple are H Simon Darby 30 from London who has guardianship of his two half sisters Josie and Annabel and Lady Henrietta Maclellan 18 but born lame and can’t bear children. The second couple are H Sebastian Bennington a Marquess and Lady Esme Rawlings. The estranged couple are H Rees and Helene both passionate about music but not one another.
Review I liked:
While this book is definitely about Henrietta and Simon, it's also about Esme and Sebastian... unfortunately, because it's Henrietta's and Simon's story, we're left hanging with Esme and Sebastian. I can only hope that the next book in the series ("A Wild Pursuit") will tell us more.
My recommendation is that you MUST read the first book, "Duchess in Love", before reading this one. If you don't, you won't understand the sub-plot starring Lady Esme Rawlings and her "gardener", Sebastian.
I wasn't certain I would like this book from its description. I was pleased to find Esme and Sebastian in the story -- and sorry that the description didn't include at least a mention of them.
Simon is all that we'd expect in a Regency romance hero -- titled, arrogant, passionate, and a good guy behind the rake mask. Henrietta is what we'd expect of a Regency romance heroine -- beautiful without realizing it, witty, intelligent, and outspoken. But Henrietta is also what we don't expect -- she's lame in one hip, which means she'll never bear children. What she doesn't realize is that the general consensus is that her infirmity also means she cannot perform her marital duties, and since those lead to childbearing, Henrietta shouldn't be married at all.
Simon and Henrietta learn this cold fact in a sobering way. Simon has uncovered the passionate side of Henrietta and can't contemplate a marriage to her without consummation. Henrietta is naive enough to think that they can live as most of the ton do -- Simon will take a mistress to take care of his "baser" needs, and she and Simon can live comfortably in a companionable marriage. When she realizes this can't be, Esme comes to the rescue.
Esme tells Henrietta about a form of birth control in that day -- a sheath. No, not what you think, it's more like a diaphragm that's soaked in vinegar before being inserted. And since Esme believes that Simon and Henrietta are perfect for one another, she also arranges for Henrietta to be compromised so that Simon must marry her. Simon has already gone to Henrietta's step-mother to ask permission to marry her; that's when the harsh reality of her infirmity was made perfectly clear to him. So Esme decides that the love letter that Henrietta wrote to herself (supposedly from Simon) is just the thing to spring the trap at an at-home dinner party.
Once Henrietta and Simon are married, Henrietta can't imagine what the horrid fuss was about marital duties; she finds them quite enjoyable. Until she discovers that she's pregnant. Now what? Simon won't risk losing her. As much as she wants the child, she has to think about Josie and Anabel, who now look to Henrietta as their mother.
----------------------
I did enjoy this book immensely. It surprises me, a little, because authors like Eloisa James follow the formula perfectly and still manage to create new stories, new situations, and new characters that pull the readers in! I loved that Simon was so protective of Henrietta! I loved the interchange between the two of them, when he's trying to get a reaction from her, and she remains completely calm. But when he kisses her... they both lose themselves to that moment.
Well done, enjoyable book. I just wish, as I've said, that we had more resolution with Esme and Sebastian. They made this book for me, too. I like the changes in Sebastian. And while I fear that unless Esme has a girl there's no hope for their love, I can't wait to find out more!
Review I liked:
While this book is definitely about Henrietta and Simon, it's also about Esme and Sebastian... unfortunately, because it's Henrietta's and Simon's story, we're left hanging with Esme and Sebastian. I can only hope that the next book in the series ("A Wild Pursuit") will tell us more.
My recommendation is that you MUST read the first book, "Duchess in Love", before reading this one. If you don't, you won't understand the sub-plot starring Lady Esme Rawlings and her "gardener", Sebastian.
I wasn't certain I would like this book from its description. I was pleased to find Esme and Sebastian in the story -- and sorry that the description didn't include at least a mention of them.
Simon is all that we'd expect in a Regency romance hero -- titled, arrogant, passionate, and a good guy behind the rake mask. Henrietta is what we'd expect of a Regency romance heroine -- beautiful without realizing it, witty, intelligent, and outspoken. But Henrietta is also what we don't expect -- she's lame in one hip, which means she'll never bear children. What she doesn't realize is that the general consensus is that her infirmity also means she cannot perform her marital duties, and since those lead to childbearing, Henrietta shouldn't be married at all.
Simon and Henrietta learn this cold fact in a sobering way. Simon has uncovered the passionate side of Henrietta and can't contemplate a marriage to her without consummation. Henrietta is naive enough to think that they can live as most of the ton do -- Simon will take a mistress to take care of his "baser" needs, and she and Simon can live comfortably in a companionable marriage. When she realizes this can't be, Esme comes to the rescue.
Esme tells Henrietta about a form of birth control in that day -- a sheath. No, not what you think, it's more like a diaphragm that's soaked in vinegar before being inserted. And since Esme believes that Simon and Henrietta are perfect for one another, she also arranges for Henrietta to be compromised so that Simon must marry her. Simon has already gone to Henrietta's step-mother to ask permission to marry her; that's when the harsh reality of her infirmity was made perfectly clear to him. So Esme decides that the love letter that Henrietta wrote to herself (supposedly from Simon) is just the thing to spring the trap at an at-home dinner party.
Once Henrietta and Simon are married, Henrietta can't imagine what the horrid fuss was about marital duties; she finds them quite enjoyable. Until she discovers that she's pregnant. Now what? Simon won't risk losing her. As much as she wants the child, she has to think about Josie and Anabel, who now look to Henrietta as their mother.
----------------------
I did enjoy this book immensely. It surprises me, a little, because authors like Eloisa James follow the formula perfectly and still manage to create new stories, new situations, and new characters that pull the readers in! I loved that Simon was so protective of Henrietta! I loved the interchange between the two of them, when he's trying to get a reaction from her, and she remains completely calm. But when he kisses her... they both lose themselves to that moment.
Well done, enjoyable book. I just wish, as I've said, that we had more resolution with Esme and Sebastian. They made this book for me, too. I like the changes in Sebastian. And while I fear that unless Esme has a girl there's no hope for their love, I can't wait to find out more!
July 8, 2017
This one wasn't bad not my favorite from this author but the hero was actually great in this
September 24, 2024
3,5 stars and Justine Eyre is a great narrator!
May 7, 2025
Boze me sacuvaj ja zaista imam neku mazohisticku crtu u sebi
November 23, 2011
While this book is definitely about Henrietta and Simon, it's also about Esme and Sebastian... unfortunately, because it's Henrietta's and Simon's story, we're left hanging with Esme and Sebastian. I can only hope that the next book in the series ("A Wild Pursuit") will tell us more.
My recommendation is that you MUST read the first book, "Duchess in Love", before reading this one. If you don't, you won't understand the sub-plot starring Lady Esme Rawlings and her "gardener", Sebastian.
I wasn't certain I would like this book from its description. I was pleased to find Esme and Sebastian in the story -- and sorry that the description didn't include at least a mention of them.
Simon is all that we'd expect in a Regency romance hero -- titled, arrogant, passionate, and a good guy behind the rake mask. Henrietta is what we'd expect of a Regency romance heroine -- beautiful without realizing it, witty, intelligent, and outspoken. But Henrietta is also what we don't expect -- she's lame in one hip, which means she'll never bear children. What she doesn't realize is that the general consensus is that her infirmity also means she cannot perform her marital duties, and since those lead to childbearing, Henrietta shouldn't be married at all.
Simon and Henrietta learn this cold fact in a sobering way. Simon has uncovered the passionate side of Henrietta and can't contemplate a marriage to her without consummation. Henrietta is naive enough to think that they can live as most of the ton do -- Simon will take a mistress to take care of his "baser" needs, and she and Simon can live comfortably in a companionable marriage. When she realizes this can't be, Esme comes to the rescue.
Esme tells Henrietta about a form of birth control in that day -- a sheath. No, not what you think, it's more like a diaphragm that's soaked in vinegar before being inserted. And since Esme believes that Simon and Henrietta are perfect for one another, she also arranges for Henrietta to be compromised so that Simon must marry her. Simon has already gone to Henrietta's step-mother to ask permission to marry her; that's when the harsh reality of her infirmity was made perfectly clear to him. So Esme decides that the love letter that Henrietta wrote to herself (supposedly from Simon) is just the thing to spring the trap at an at-home dinner party.
Once Henrietta and Simon are married, Henrietta can't imagine what the horrid fuss was about marital duties; she finds them quite enjoyable. Until she discovers that she's pregnant. Now what? Simon won't risk losing her. As much as she wants the child, she has to think about Josie and Anabel, who now look to Henrietta as their mother.
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I did enjoy this book immensely. It surprises me, a little, because authors like Eloisa James follow the formula perfectly and still manage to create new stories, new situations, and new characters that pull the readers in! I loved that Simon was so protective of Henrietta! I loved the interchange between the two of them, when he's trying to get a reaction from her, and she remains completely calm. But when he kisses her... they both lose themselves to that moment.
Well done, enjoyable book. I just wish, as I've said, that we had more resolution with Esme and Sebastian. They made this book for me, too. I like the changes in Sebastian. And while I fear that unless Esme has a girl there's no hope for their love, I can't wait to find out more!
My recommendation is that you MUST read the first book, "Duchess in Love", before reading this one. If you don't, you won't understand the sub-plot starring Lady Esme Rawlings and her "gardener", Sebastian.
I wasn't certain I would like this book from its description. I was pleased to find Esme and Sebastian in the story -- and sorry that the description didn't include at least a mention of them.
Simon is all that we'd expect in a Regency romance hero -- titled, arrogant, passionate, and a good guy behind the rake mask. Henrietta is what we'd expect of a Regency romance heroine -- beautiful without realizing it, witty, intelligent, and outspoken. But Henrietta is also what we don't expect -- she's lame in one hip, which means she'll never bear children. What she doesn't realize is that the general consensus is that her infirmity also means she cannot perform her marital duties, and since those lead to childbearing, Henrietta shouldn't be married at all.
Simon and Henrietta learn this cold fact in a sobering way. Simon has uncovered the passionate side of Henrietta and can't contemplate a marriage to her without consummation. Henrietta is naive enough to think that they can live as most of the ton do -- Simon will take a mistress to take care of his "baser" needs, and she and Simon can live comfortably in a companionable marriage. When she realizes this can't be, Esme comes to the rescue.
Esme tells Henrietta about a form of birth control in that day -- a sheath. No, not what you think, it's more like a diaphragm that's soaked in vinegar before being inserted. And since Esme believes that Simon and Henrietta are perfect for one another, she also arranges for Henrietta to be compromised so that Simon must marry her. Simon has already gone to Henrietta's step-mother to ask permission to marry her; that's when the harsh reality of her infirmity was made perfectly clear to him. So Esme decides that the love letter that Henrietta wrote to herself (supposedly from Simon) is just the thing to spring the trap at an at-home dinner party.
Once Henrietta and Simon are married, Henrietta can't imagine what the horrid fuss was about marital duties; she finds them quite enjoyable. Until she discovers that she's pregnant. Now what? Simon won't risk losing her. As much as she wants the child, she has to think about Josie and Anabel, who now look to Henrietta as their mother.
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I did enjoy this book immensely. It surprises me, a little, because authors like Eloisa James follow the formula perfectly and still manage to create new stories, new situations, and new characters that pull the readers in! I loved that Simon was so protective of Henrietta! I loved the interchange between the two of them, when he's trying to get a reaction from her, and she remains completely calm. But when he kisses her... they both lose themselves to that moment.
Well done, enjoyable book. I just wish, as I've said, that we had more resolution with Esme and Sebastian. They made this book for me, too. I like the changes in Sebastian. And while I fear that unless Esme has a girl there's no hope for their love, I can't wait to find out more!
August 23, 2021
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
This was an okay (if not a little silly) read. However, given that I can usually devour historical romances in a few hours I think the fact this one took me over a week to finish speaks volumes. I never really engaged with the characters or with the outcome of the story and it just seemed to drag a little with some weird pacing.
Also Ms James likes to blur the lines of romance with her books (well the ones that I have read anyway) with themes of infidelity and deceit not being uncommon. In this book, everyone is lying to everyone either about their fortune, paternity or about writing fake letters to purposely trap someone into marriage so it is a little hard to get onboard with it all. Also, when the lead male character talks ad nauseam about his lace and is quite narcissistic in general it is a little hard not to roll your eyes and long for a Wentworth or Darcy. However, in the end it all comes together and turned out to be an okay read.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Readers 2021 Winter Challenge: Read the second book in a series
This was an okay (if not a little silly) read. However, given that I can usually devour historical romances in a few hours I think the fact this one took me over a week to finish speaks volumes. I never really engaged with the characters or with the outcome of the story and it just seemed to drag a little with some weird pacing.
Also Ms James likes to blur the lines of romance with her books (well the ones that I have read anyway) with themes of infidelity and deceit not being uncommon. In this book, everyone is lying to everyone either about their fortune, paternity or about writing fake letters to purposely trap someone into marriage so it is a little hard to get onboard with it all. Also, when the lead male character talks ad nauseam about his lace and is quite narcissistic in general it is a little hard not to roll your eyes and long for a Wentworth or Darcy. However, in the end it all comes together and turned out to be an okay read.
Reading Challenge
Aussie Readers 2021 Winter Challenge: Read the second book in a series
March 26, 2018
Well, it was good. But the side story, which played into the main character possibly being disinherited, is never even touched at the end. Thus, no idea who the earldom goes to. The whole story just ended rather abruptly, though I'm not sure where else it would've gone..
June 11, 2023
I was way more invested in Esme and Sebastian’s story than i was in Henrietta’s and Simon’s.
January 19, 2025
I ADORED this. It was so sweet, funny, romantic. I just loved it. Simon and Henrietta were perfect together, and little Josie and Anabel were so cute and funny!! This was such a lighthearted read and I am so happy Simon and Henrietta had their beautiful ending. I wished the ending hadn’t been so rushed, the leading up to it was such a source of tension in the book, and I just wanted a bit more drama and such to match it, but that’s alright!! This story made me so happy; much like the title, I became a giddy fool whilst reading this. Sigh. 4.5 stars! ❤️
March 25, 2025
Definitely better than the first, but still... just not as good as some of her others.
Simon and Henrietta were more fun to root for, but when it all comes down to a lack of communication it just aggravates me.
I think I'm only staying in this series to find out whether Esme finally gets her head out of her ass, stops letting her pride get in the way and marries Sebastian.
Simon and Henrietta were more fun to root for, but when it all comes down to a lack of communication it just aggravates me.
I think I'm only staying in this series to find out whether Esme finally gets her head out of her ass, stops letting her pride get in the way and marries Sebastian.
September 25, 2019
I enjoyed this book so much. A very drama free courtship. I fell in love with Simon.
September 16, 2019
I wanted to like this book,
i really did. Unfortunately it was a disappointment. The first book of the series was marginally better, and this one had some potential I thought. But the problems started early and never ended.
Some of it was editing. The author appeared rushed and couldn’t be bothered to make sure the hero’s eyes were the same color in the beginning as they were later on. (Blue and then black). She seems to not understand punctuating dialogue; quotation marks were missing and/or misplaced with some regularity. (This was true in books 1 and 3 too.)
Some of it was inconsistency. How could a young woman who allegedly understood how animals mated (and whose life depended on it) not understand that intercourse could result in pregnancy? It suspends credulity that she could have a conversation about “sheathes” with an experienced woman, and then be in the marital bed with an experienced “rake” who we are supposed to believe did not know that a virgin could get pregnant. And then once she is pregnant, she decides she must not have intercourse at all anymore. Wait. What?
Some of it was even sillier. All the spitting up for example. And then in the epilogue, the author describes the new-born baby as being able to distinguish faces. Ridiculous.
And finally, the book ends without the reader finding out the sex of the widow’s baby. I am now in the middle of book 3 in the series. I am sick of the characters and regret to inform you that although the woman has still not had her baby, I no longer care to keep reading to find out what it is.
i really did. Unfortunately it was a disappointment. The first book of the series was marginally better, and this one had some potential I thought. But the problems started early and never ended.
Some of it was editing. The author appeared rushed and couldn’t be bothered to make sure the hero’s eyes were the same color in the beginning as they were later on. (Blue and then black). She seems to not understand punctuating dialogue; quotation marks were missing and/or misplaced with some regularity. (This was true in books 1 and 3 too.)
Some of it was inconsistency. How could a young woman who allegedly understood how animals mated (and whose life depended on it) not understand that intercourse could result in pregnancy? It suspends credulity that she could have a conversation about “sheathes” with an experienced woman, and then be in the marital bed with an experienced “rake” who we are supposed to believe did not know that a virgin could get pregnant. And then once she is pregnant, she decides she must not have intercourse at all anymore. Wait. What?
Some of it was even sillier. All the spitting up for example. And then in the epilogue, the author describes the new-born baby as being able to distinguish faces. Ridiculous.
And finally, the book ends without the reader finding out the sex of the widow’s baby. I am now in the middle of book 3 in the series. I am sick of the characters and regret to inform you that although the woman has still not had her baby, I no longer care to keep reading to find out what it is.
March 27, 2016
This book has (IMO) the best virgin deflowering scene I've read. It was laugh out loud funny in parts but also sweet and sensual in equal measure. It fit the two characters perfectly. The humor is typical Eloisa James and in most other respects, it's a standard historical romance novel. I was impressed with the character development that she very subtly showed with the hero, Simon. In the beginning, he's a typical English gentleman--think George Banks in the beginning of Mary Poppins and yet through Henrietta's interference, he actually begins playing with his young step-sister and interacting more positively with her. Little by little through the story he grows as a character--the trip back to London was really the point where that growth was most obvious. He is a bit of a fop in terms of his clothing (although his attachment to lace does take on a very canny connotation when his business interest is revealed). There really wasn't a lot of change in Henrietta's character, but she was a solid character throughout; it's always interesting to have a lead character with some sort of physical defect and see how the level of knowledge available at the time deals with that issue. The scene where they waltz was very nearly a tear-jerker for me, just beautifully handled.
I would have liked to know what Esme had by the end of the book (boy or girl), but otherwise this was a decent, light-hearted romance.
I would have liked to know what Esme had by the end of the book (boy or girl), but otherwise this was a decent, light-hearted romance.
November 24, 2015
Simon and Henrietta's story is one made to steal your heart. Henrietta determination to live and love despite all the years of being told that she would or could never.
The fact that Simon loved her first...
This is a fact that is never addressed after the moment on the side of the country road. That sweet,private, moment between Simon's sheltered heart and his passion adled brain.
The fact that he did love her first just sits quietly in the back of one's mind as the nonstop drama that is brought about by Henrietta's lack of knowledge about the truth of her condition wars with the life that she so richly deserves.
Simon is a leading man to love. He makes no secret of the fact that he is treading alien waters. Both in his newfound guardianship of his two young sisters, and in his marriage to and understanding of his rather complex wife.
But he is a man determined to be as patient and present as possible. In all respects.
As usual, Miss James has chosen with this book to share the dramatic spotlight with a side story that serves as a great filler for the times when there is a lull in things between Simon and his lady.
This is a very emotionally charged story that will make readers hunger for the happily.
These are just my thoughts immediately after finishing this book. My review is by no means complete.
Thank you for bearing with my rambles.
The fact that Simon loved her first...
This is a fact that is never addressed after the moment on the side of the country road. That sweet,private, moment between Simon's sheltered heart and his passion adled brain.
The fact that he did love her first just sits quietly in the back of one's mind as the nonstop drama that is brought about by Henrietta's lack of knowledge about the truth of her condition wars with the life that she so richly deserves.
Simon is a leading man to love. He makes no secret of the fact that he is treading alien waters. Both in his newfound guardianship of his two young sisters, and in his marriage to and understanding of his rather complex wife.
But he is a man determined to be as patient and present as possible. In all respects.
As usual, Miss James has chosen with this book to share the dramatic spotlight with a side story that serves as a great filler for the times when there is a lull in things between Simon and his lady.
This is a very emotionally charged story that will make readers hunger for the happily.
These are just my thoughts immediately after finishing this book. My review is by no means complete.
Thank you for bearing with my rambles.
July 8, 2019
I found this overly weighted down by very contrived drama, which is not my thing at all. Eloisa James can write well, but sometimes reason seems to fall by the wayside. Sometimes the heroine seemed like a steady sort, and then she would fly into being totally irrational, and somehow men found her utterly charming when she was rude? I don't know. It was just too much. There were some nice aspects too, but they were overwhelmed by the problems for me.
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