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The Burgundy Club #1
The Wild Marquis
The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man.
He is notorious for his wretched morals and is never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Ejected from his father’s house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past?
A moment’s indiscretion?
A night’s passion?
Or a lifetime of love?
Even the wildest rakes have their weaknesses . . .
He is notorious for his wretched morals and is never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Ejected from his father’s house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past?
A moment’s indiscretion?
A night’s passion?
Or a lifetime of love?
Even the wildest rakes have their weaknesses . . .
372 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 9, 2010
97 people are currently reading
1683 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Neville
27 books515 followersMiranda Neville grew up in England, loving the books of Georgette Heyer and other Regency romances. She lived in Vermont with her daughter and an immensely talented cat, who made a book trailer for her novel, The Importance of Being Wicked. Her historical romances published by Avon include the popular Burgundy Club series, about Regency book collectors, and The Wild Quartet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
November 6, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It concentrated a fair amount on plot development, so if you're looking for pure steam or pure romance, you won't find it here, but don't let that stop you from reading it.
There are some things about this book I really appreciated and were quite different than your average HR. First, I read this out of order, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all. The main 3 heroes of the series do figure, but this is primarily about this hero, and the others are only sketched as much as they need to be. As for the hero himself, he's great. You can just tell he loves women. He loves being with them, looking at them, making love to them and talking to them. It makes a pleasant change to have a real woman-loving hero. The heroine herself matches him nicely. She's intelligent, and has found herself in the merchant class, and is trying to make a life for herself. As a novelty, she's not on the breadline, and not the most successful either, but she could easily survive on her own. There is a history of tradeswomen in the City of London, primarily taking over their husband's businesses when widowed, but the law allowed them pretty much the same rights as men for centuries before this period, and I like that the heroine represents something other than the aristocracy. Also, the dialogue and interactions between the hero and heroine remain true. The hero is a bit of a joker, and the dialogue reflects that.
What I absolutely LOVED, and which represented a wonderful, refreshing change, was that the first sexual encounter between the hero and heroine wasn't some earth-shattering, ground-shaking life-altering experience. The heroine doesn't lose her marbles (she actually remembers an appointment at the beginning of foreplay), and the hero relishes a nice post-coital chat, after a very enjoyable romp. You can almost imagine them having a post-coital cup of tea. This is just so much more human than usual, and makes a lovely change. Their later encounters have laughter in them as well as intimacy, and it all sounds so much more fun than the usual HR, and easier to relate to.
Also, the plot really kept me interested. Now, I may not be the sharpest knife, but there were a couple of twists that I honestly couldn't predict, and the author's knowledge of books and also of England shine through.
Very enjoyable 5 stars, and looking forward to the third book in the series, although I may just sneak the second in there for a re-read first.
There are some things about this book I really appreciated and were quite different than your average HR. First, I read this out of order, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all. The main 3 heroes of the series do figure, but this is primarily about this hero, and the others are only sketched as much as they need to be. As for the hero himself, he's great. You can just tell he loves women. He loves being with them, looking at them, making love to them and talking to them. It makes a pleasant change to have a real woman-loving hero. The heroine herself matches him nicely. She's intelligent, and has found herself in the merchant class, and is trying to make a life for herself. As a novelty, she's not on the breadline, and not the most successful either, but she could easily survive on her own. There is a history of tradeswomen in the City of London, primarily taking over their husband's businesses when widowed, but the law allowed them pretty much the same rights as men for centuries before this period, and I like that the heroine represents something other than the aristocracy. Also, the dialogue and interactions between the hero and heroine remain true. The hero is a bit of a joker, and the dialogue reflects that.
What I absolutely LOVED, and which represented a wonderful, refreshing change, was that the first sexual encounter between the hero and heroine wasn't some earth-shattering, ground-shaking life-altering experience. The heroine doesn't lose her marbles (she actually remembers an appointment at the beginning of foreplay), and the hero relishes a nice post-coital chat, after a very enjoyable romp. You can almost imagine them having a post-coital cup of tea. This is just so much more human than usual, and makes a lovely change. Their later encounters have laughter in them as well as intimacy, and it all sounds so much more fun than the usual HR, and easier to relate to.
Also, the plot really kept me interested. Now, I may not be the sharpest knife, but there were a couple of twists that I honestly couldn't predict, and the author's knowledge of books and also of England shine through.
Very enjoyable 5 stars, and looking forward to the third book in the series, although I may just sneak the second in there for a re-read first.
March 13, 2016
I read this, my first book by Miranda Neville, on the recommendation of a friend and I wasn’t disappointed. It was an extremely enjoyable mix of mystery and romance and the setting – the world of London’s bibliophiles – was both original and fascinating. I’m sure that Ms Neville’s experience of working in the rare books and manuscripts department of Sotheby’s proved invaluable in providing authenticity to the story.
Cain (Chase’s nickname) was thrown out of the house at the age of sixteen, accused by his late father of a terrible crime he did not commit. Left vulnerable and penniless in London, he was rescued and given shelter at Mrs. Rafferty’s bordello by two kindly prostitutes. A social outcast, over the past eight years, he has lived a hedonistic lifestyle estranged from his mother and younger sister.
He is handsome, charming, witty and intelligent but, beneath that rakish mask, he is also a thoughtful and compassionate man. I love how he treats women, including Juliana, with consideration and respect and then there are his acts of generosity towards his former servants and prostitutes seeking help or sanctuary. I think Juliana’s words sum up Cain’s character perfectly.
“You are the kindest person I know,” she said. “You protect women. You love your sister, your friends, even your mother. You possess uncommon intelligence and powers of perception. Without them I would never have found out about my parents. You are clever and witty and the best of companions. You have only to look at me with your beautiful eyes to make me want to make love to you.”
Cain and Juliana share a common bond as Juliana’s illegitimate birth makes her a social outcast too and she also knows the pain and loneliness of being exiled from the only home she has never known I admired the way she has made her own way in a world that offered women very little opportunity. Cain sees her hard work, intelligence and determination in contrast to his own idle and frivolous life and it spurs him to take up those responsibilities that come with his title that he has long neglected.
I felt so sad that Cain had not seen his family for so many years, particularly as it was obvious how much he adored his sister, Esther, and their meeting after so many years was such an emotional one.
He took her in his arms and hugged her, as he had the day his father dismissed him from the house. Just as he had then, he murmured comforting words, rubbed her back, and dried her tears.
I admired his determination to reform his character to secure guardianship of Esther. It was easy to feel Cain’s pain at his mother’s continued rejection of him.
“As my mother you have my respect and affection. I hope that one day you will be able to return them.”
I liked how Cain and Juliana talked openly to each other and, when they consummated their relationship, their lovemaking wasn’t perfect as in so many other books I’ve read. The lovemaking scene in the carriage is one of the most sensual and humorous I’ve read.
The story is filled with humour as well and one the funniest scenes is where Cain is trying to identify what a book cover is made from.
“Interesting texture,” he said, stroking the worn cover. “A male beast, I believe, but not entirely virile. A rather shy badger? Am I right? Is it badger skin?”
“No.”
“A bashful beaver? No?”
He rested his head on her chest, which was heaving with laughter, and appeared to be lost in deep thought. “I’m on the wrong track,” he mused. “I know! It’s a smaller animal but a strong one. A stout stoat? A rapacious rat?"
There are some colourful secondary characters, none more so than Cain’s rather “unusual” housekeeper, Mrs Melisande Duchamp, who has no scruples about speaking her mind!
She emitted a crack of laughter. “Purview! That’s a good one. Especially since it was me what taught you how to keep ’em in good order. Lusty little bastard you were. And is it within my purview to know why you’re upsetting the household by calling for your breakfast at nine in the morning?”
There is also Quarto, Juliana’s rather ineffective guard dog, who only seems to growl at Cain and has rather unfortunate sniffing habits when it comes to females!!
We are introduced to Sebastian Iverley and Tarquin Compton, two book collectors, who are future heroes of the series. I am particularly intrigued by the bespectacled, badly dressed Iverley who hates women and look forward to reading his downfall in book 2 of the series, The Dangerous Viscount .
The mystery element involving the truth surrounding Juliana’s birth and the murder of her husband is neatly woven around the romance but never overshadows it. There is quite a nail-biting climax but, as with all good romances, the villain is suitably dispatched allowing Cain and Juliana to have their HEA.
My Verdict: An extremely enjoyable story with an original setting, interesting characters and the perfect balance of mystery and romance.
REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS
Burgundy Club series (click on book cover for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:
https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...
Cain (Chase’s nickname) was thrown out of the house at the age of sixteen, accused by his late father of a terrible crime he did not commit. Left vulnerable and penniless in London, he was rescued and given shelter at Mrs. Rafferty’s bordello by two kindly prostitutes. A social outcast, over the past eight years, he has lived a hedonistic lifestyle estranged from his mother and younger sister.
He is handsome, charming, witty and intelligent but, beneath that rakish mask, he is also a thoughtful and compassionate man. I love how he treats women, including Juliana, with consideration and respect and then there are his acts of generosity towards his former servants and prostitutes seeking help or sanctuary. I think Juliana’s words sum up Cain’s character perfectly.
“You are the kindest person I know,” she said. “You protect women. You love your sister, your friends, even your mother. You possess uncommon intelligence and powers of perception. Without them I would never have found out about my parents. You are clever and witty and the best of companions. You have only to look at me with your beautiful eyes to make me want to make love to you.”
Cain and Juliana share a common bond as Juliana’s illegitimate birth makes her a social outcast too and she also knows the pain and loneliness of being exiled from the only home she has never known I admired the way she has made her own way in a world that offered women very little opportunity. Cain sees her hard work, intelligence and determination in contrast to his own idle and frivolous life and it spurs him to take up those responsibilities that come with his title that he has long neglected.
I felt so sad that Cain had not seen his family for so many years, particularly as it was obvious how much he adored his sister, Esther, and their meeting after so many years was such an emotional one.
He took her in his arms and hugged her, as he had the day his father dismissed him from the house. Just as he had then, he murmured comforting words, rubbed her back, and dried her tears.
I admired his determination to reform his character to secure guardianship of Esther. It was easy to feel Cain’s pain at his mother’s continued rejection of him.
“As my mother you have my respect and affection. I hope that one day you will be able to return them.”
I liked how Cain and Juliana talked openly to each other and, when they consummated their relationship, their lovemaking wasn’t perfect as in so many other books I’ve read. The lovemaking scene in the carriage is one of the most sensual and humorous I’ve read.
The story is filled with humour as well and one the funniest scenes is where Cain is trying to identify what a book cover is made from.
“Interesting texture,” he said, stroking the worn cover. “A male beast, I believe, but not entirely virile. A rather shy badger? Am I right? Is it badger skin?”
“No.”
“A bashful beaver? No?”
He rested his head on her chest, which was heaving with laughter, and appeared to be lost in deep thought. “I’m on the wrong track,” he mused. “I know! It’s a smaller animal but a strong one. A stout stoat? A rapacious rat?"
There are some colourful secondary characters, none more so than Cain’s rather “unusual” housekeeper, Mrs Melisande Duchamp, who has no scruples about speaking her mind!
She emitted a crack of laughter. “Purview! That’s a good one. Especially since it was me what taught you how to keep ’em in good order. Lusty little bastard you were. And is it within my purview to know why you’re upsetting the household by calling for your breakfast at nine in the morning?”
There is also Quarto, Juliana’s rather ineffective guard dog, who only seems to growl at Cain and has rather unfortunate sniffing habits when it comes to females!!
We are introduced to Sebastian Iverley and Tarquin Compton, two book collectors, who are future heroes of the series. I am particularly intrigued by the bespectacled, badly dressed Iverley who hates women and look forward to reading his downfall in book 2 of the series, The Dangerous Viscount .
The mystery element involving the truth surrounding Juliana’s birth and the murder of her husband is neatly woven around the romance but never overshadows it. There is quite a nail-biting climax but, as with all good romances, the villain is suitably dispatched allowing Cain and Juliana to have their HEA.
My Verdict: An extremely enjoyable story with an original setting, interesting characters and the perfect balance of mystery and romance.
REVIEW RATING: 4/5 STARS
Burgundy Club series (click on book cover for more details):
This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:
https://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com...
July 30, 2023
I really like the H who hides his sweet nature after being mis-treated by his family. The independent h is working in a man's world, dismissed by men who ignore her expertise. He's quite different and when they form an unlikely partnership, they solve a murder mystery. I really like the H's thoughts about the women in his life. Unusual man for the times.
November 16, 2010
I have to say right up front that this was a fun book. MN is a NTM author and this will not be the last. Lord Cain Chase is a man for the ladies...all the ladies. He says he has an understanding of how their brain works and so far it has served him in good stead. But he has come across the little female bookseller, JC Merton, and gets a good look at her body...errr...brain, all thoughts of those other ladies and their brains go out the window.
Now he needs Juliana's help to secure a book that had been in his family for generations. How did it end up at an auction when he knew it was in his house. The one he was thrown of when he was 16. There are rumors of debauching of maids that took place or maybe even animal sacrifices!
Once she begins the quest for his book and her past with Cain's help, to locate the truth of her parentage, strange things start happening in Juliana's little bookshop. Things that hint of murder and hidden truths.
There was some fun moments in this book and yes there was a mystery, but it never overshadowed the fact that Juliana and Cain were falling in love with one another. There were also some sad moments, when Cain discovered the truth about his father and the legacy of pain he left behind. I am so glad that I picked this up on a recommend and I suggest you do to if you want a cute fun read.
Now he needs Juliana's help to secure a book that had been in his family for generations. How did it end up at an auction when he knew it was in his house. The one he was thrown of when he was 16. There are rumors of debauching of maids that took place or maybe even animal sacrifices!
Once she begins the quest for his book and her past with Cain's help, to locate the truth of her parentage, strange things start happening in Juliana's little bookshop. Things that hint of murder and hidden truths.
There was some fun moments in this book and yes there was a mystery, but it never overshadowed the fact that Juliana and Cain were falling in love with one another. There were also some sad moments, when Cain discovered the truth about his father and the legacy of pain he left behind. I am so glad that I picked this up on a recommend and I suggest you do to if you want a cute fun read.
June 27, 2017
The problem I have with rakes is not their promiscuity, but the blatant hypocrisy and sexism that often accompanies their character. The way most authors write heroes, they had sex with scores of women before meeting the heroine, but don't have one kind word to say about any of them. A lot of heroes put other women down to make the heroine feel special. They say, "I slept with tons of women but they never meant anything to me!" Why is that a good thing? To me it just shows how little respect they have for women in general.
Chase/ Cain is a rake. He had slept with prostitutes, widows, courtesans and a good deal of other ladies but never once thought about any of them with disrespect. He thinks of women as people. Not things to be "conquered" and boasted about. It is easy to see, and believe, his being a rake because he is genuinely charming and popular with all kinds of women.
My favourite scene in the entire book was when Cain and Juliana are returning from a book auction and he finds out there's no one to cook or serve her meals. So he drops her off at her house/bookshop and returns with his footmen carrying dinner to her.
You may have read about heroes boasting about sleeping with a lot of prostitutes in a brothel. But how many heroes worried about the horrifying conditions they lived in? How many treated them with basic human decency? Out of all the romance novels I've read, I can sadly count them on one hand.
Also, he is delightfully respectful of boundaries. He brought wine along with dinner and the Juliana is drunk. To distract him from bidding on her favourite book, she wants to seduce him. He catches on pretty quick and is up for it (heh) but then:
I never quite understood the concept of a book-boyfriend until I read this book. Sometimes you come across a hero too good to be true, and you can't help but wish people like him were real and prevalent.
My one pet peeve was the heroine. Compared to the vibrant hero, Juliana fell flat. She never fought as hard for their relationship as Cain. She snapped and insulted him when he was trying to help (and she apologised for it later) but a little more passion on her part would've been great.
Chase/ Cain is a rake. He had slept with prostitutes, widows, courtesans and a good deal of other ladies but never once thought about any of them with disrespect. He thinks of women as people. Not things to be "conquered" and boasted about. It is easy to see, and believe, his being a rake because he is genuinely charming and popular with all kinds of women.
Though the ladies of the ton might eschew his presence in their drawing rooms, some of their number were more than willing to welcome a marquis, however disreputable, into the bedchamber. Lady or actress, wife or whore, they were all women beneath their garments. And Cain knew the truth that eluded many men. That what made a woman beddable had little to do with the particulars of her appearance and everything to do with what went on in her head.
My favourite scene in the entire book was when Cain and Juliana are returning from a book auction and he finds out there's no one to cook or serve her meals. So he drops her off at her house/bookshop and returns with his footmen carrying dinner to her.
They were willing boys, his footmen, if on the unrefined side. He wondered what she’d think if he told her they were the sons of a whore from Mrs. Rafferty’s. Their mother, Bet, along with Mel, had rescued him after he’d been robbed and beaten his second day in London. She’d been his first woman. That was in the old innocent days when the brothel had seemed like heaven on earth to a randy youth, and all its inhabitants angels of the most deliciously fallen variety. Later he’d discovered the dismal and dangerous reality of bordello life. Bet was dead, of the pox, and he mourned her still. When his fortunes changed he’d given her boys a home. Mel had cared for them until they became old enough to work.
You may have read about heroes boasting about sleeping with a lot of prostitutes in a brothel. But how many heroes worried about the horrifying conditions they lived in? How many treated them with basic human decency? Out of all the romance novels I've read, I can sadly count them on one hand.
Also, he is delightfully respectful of boundaries. He brought wine along with dinner and the Juliana is drunk. To distract him from bidding on her favourite book, she wants to seduce him. He catches on pretty quick and is up for it (heh) but then:
He deepened the kiss, inhaling her breath. She was every bit as delicious as he’d suspected, tasting both honeyed and spicy.
And of his best Bordeaux.
He never seduced intoxicated women. It was one of his rules.
His mouth stilled, though his hands continued to caress her back and hips. Unwillingly he made his mind overcome his senses, engulfed by the warmth and fragrance of Juliana’s body. He recalled her second glass of wine, the sway of her body as she’d returned to the room with her hair a glorious golden cloud. And the fact that she was behaving in a manner surely foreign to her better judgment.
I never quite understood the concept of a book-boyfriend until I read this book. Sometimes you come across a hero too good to be true, and you can't help but wish people like him were real and prevalent.
My one pet peeve was the heroine. Compared to the vibrant hero, Juliana fell flat. She never fought as hard for their relationship as Cain. She snapped and insulted him when he was trying to help (and she apologised for it later) but a little more passion on her part would've been great.
September 23, 2017
The reason why I enjoyed this book so much is because it gives off Amanda Quick vibes... and I've got a soft spot for her.
The author did a good job of researching the 19th century bibliophiles and I also liked the added mystery. The hero is very likeable even though he is a rake.
What I disliked was the cheesy parts about Juliana's secret . I think the author could have explored their relationship a bit better because even though Chase has a depth to his character, I found Juliana to be a bit... unconvincing.
All in all, I would recommend it to those in search of a light HR read.
The author did a good job of researching the 19th century bibliophiles and I also liked the added mystery. The hero is very likeable even though he is a rake.
What I disliked was the cheesy parts about Juliana's secret . I think the author could have explored their relationship a bit better because even though Chase has a depth to his character, I found Juliana to be a bit... unconvincing.
All in all, I would recommend it to those in search of a light HR read.
October 18, 2010
With a likable hero and heroine and a colorful cast of secondary characters (including a very large dog named Quarto), I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic tale set against the backdrop of the Regency-era rare books market. Chase and Juliana's relationship was at turns sexy, funny and sweet. And when it came down to it, they were friends as well as lovers, which made seeing them happy together at the end all the more satisfying. Add to that the fact that Neville's use of historical detail is spot on, and this is a book that goes straight onto my keeper shelf.
September 11, 2013
3 1/2 stars. A rare Regency romance with a good mystery in it -- one that's meaningful to the plot, and guessable without being too obvious. The romance is good too, but I never entirely connected with the characters. It's a well-written, original book with a fresh setting, but lacked a certain oomph.
December 5, 2010
This book was different, and reminded me of a sexier version of Laura Lee Guhrke. Juliana is a widow whose husband died a violent death. She's struggling to maintain her bookstore and build her reputation as a bookwoman in the face of those who believe a woman is not as capable as a man. Chase has a man-whore reputation, and he prides himself on the caricature of himself that he's built to hide all his angst. But she doesn't let him hide, and Chase brings sunshine to her daily life. I liked them as individuals, and I loved them as a couple. His hidden depths didn't feel too mushy, nor did he feel too unemotional. He cared, and his time in the seedy underworld was truly a benefit to his personality. I hope to see them in the future Burgundy Club novels; I know that this is a keeper on my shelf!
February 20, 2022
I loved this book SO MUCH. A new to me author who has a somewhat limited backlist and who has passed away :(
One thing that this author does is she lovingly focuses on everyday life details that feel time-appropriate. For example, there are some side characters who are VERY religious, and people who are very religious are never really present in historicals, despite the fact that there were MANY VERY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BACK THEN. I understand that they're not fun to write, they're possibly incompatible with a modern, secular readership, but the presence of that type of person in this book reminded me that, yes, history was a real thing, and if we take it upon ourselves to glorify certain aspects of history, we should be intentional with the dark, unromantic parts too.
Another great use of detail: Before the hero and heroine do bedsport-y things (lol bedsport), he monologues (internally) about "feminine clutter":
Sure, this is not a rocket science passage, but it made me think, oh yeah, how DID people live back then, and not in the hazy "there were aristocrats and they went dancing sometimes" way that HRs like to stay at the level of. It made the characters' lives richer and more vivid, and it also gave me a lot of detail into the hero's general interior world, and I'm a real sucker for characters who have really rich inner worlds, observing and taking note of their surroundings.
Another thing I really fucking loved about this book was the heroine. She works in trade, had a nebulous upbringing, and is now a widow who owns a bookshop. Her previous marriage was very much one of convenience — she was fond of her husband and they were friends, but she didn't feel romantic love with him. I loved (once again) when the author shared details of their marriage — how sex was this awkward, quiet thing that her husband did to her once in a while, and how that was all she knew. This is the kind of detail that authors always gloss over?! It's always that widows "had bad sex" or "had boring sex," but Miranda Neville actually writes a memory where the heroine thinks back to how whenever her former husband wanted sex, he'd cough and tell her to get ready, he would penetrate, and then they'd be done when he was done.
And this ties more broadly into how the heroine knows she has her own physical desires, but never really had a venue to explore them until she meets the hero. Once she starts sleeping with the hero, there's a learning process too — where she has to figure out what she likes and doesn't like. This is one of the VERY, VERY FEW BOOKS (maybe the only historical I've read?) where there's penetration and then heroine thinks to herself that that sensation isn't as good as when her clitoris is being touched, and then the hero picks up on that because she's not as responsive, and then changes tactics to stimulate her clit simultaneously. SHOOT IT INTO MY FUCKING VEINS.
The hero is also super lovely, because he gives the heroine the space to explore herself and her own place in the world, and I just — UGH — fucking loved it. There's another scene in the book where after a lot of bad news on the heroine's part, she's upset and in the carriage they're traveling in, she wants sex and she decides to take control and not let him do anything to her that she doesn't want. The hero recognizes that this is in reaction to being in a world where men controlled every aspect of her life, and if this is what she needs, he'll give it to her. ASDLFKJASD;FKLASDLKFASLKF god, that's perfect.
The only reason why this is not a full 5 stars is that the plot around the two characters was ... very dull at times, though YMMV. The framework around this whole series is that there are book dealers and book buyers and the heroine is a book seller who works on behalf of the hero to get books that he wants for his collection. While some of the details are interesting and clearly grounded in research — and the author herself was a rare books expert who worked for Sotheby's! — it was very easy for me to put down the book when the plot details dragged on. There's also a lot of, at times confusing, backstory around the heroine and hero's upbringings that I wasn't super invested in.
But the characters and their relationships themselves were truly superb.
One thing that this author does is she lovingly focuses on everyday life details that feel time-appropriate. For example, there are some side characters who are VERY religious, and people who are very religious are never really present in historicals, despite the fact that there were MANY VERY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BACK THEN. I understand that they're not fun to write, they're possibly incompatible with a modern, secular readership, but the presence of that type of person in this book reminded me that, yes, history was a real thing, and if we take it upon ourselves to glorify certain aspects of history, we should be intentional with the dark, unromantic parts too.
Another great use of detail: Before the hero and heroine do bedsport-y things (lol bedsport), he monologues (internally) about "feminine clutter":
He'd known women who hated to reveal an untidy room. For himself, he enjoyed the sight of feminine clutter: stockings draped over a chair, discarded gowns piled on the bed, bottles of perfume and cosmetics unstoppered on a dressing table and lending their mingled scents to the ambience. Not that he suspected Juliana possessed an abundance of feminine fripperies: that was something he'd love to change.
Sure, this is not a rocket science passage, but it made me think, oh yeah, how DID people live back then, and not in the hazy "there were aristocrats and they went dancing sometimes" way that HRs like to stay at the level of. It made the characters' lives richer and more vivid, and it also gave me a lot of detail into the hero's general interior world, and I'm a real sucker for characters who have really rich inner worlds, observing and taking note of their surroundings.
Another thing I really fucking loved about this book was the heroine. She works in trade, had a nebulous upbringing, and is now a widow who owns a bookshop. Her previous marriage was very much one of convenience — she was fond of her husband and they were friends, but she didn't feel romantic love with him. I loved (once again) when the author shared details of their marriage — how sex was this awkward, quiet thing that her husband did to her once in a while, and how that was all she knew. This is the kind of detail that authors always gloss over?! It's always that widows "had bad sex" or "had boring sex," but Miranda Neville actually writes a memory where the heroine thinks back to how whenever her former husband wanted sex, he'd cough and tell her to get ready, he would penetrate, and then they'd be done when he was done.
And this ties more broadly into how the heroine knows she has her own physical desires, but never really had a venue to explore them until she meets the hero. Once she starts sleeping with the hero, there's a learning process too — where she has to figure out what she likes and doesn't like. This is one of the VERY, VERY FEW BOOKS (maybe the only historical I've read?) where there's penetration and then heroine thinks to herself that that sensation isn't as good as when her clitoris is being touched, and then the hero picks up on that because she's not as responsive, and then changes tactics to stimulate her clit simultaneously. SHOOT IT INTO MY FUCKING VEINS.
The hero is also super lovely, because he gives the heroine the space to explore herself and her own place in the world, and I just — UGH — fucking loved it. There's another scene in the book where after a lot of bad news on the heroine's part, she's upset and in the carriage they're traveling in, she wants sex and she decides to take control and not let him do anything to her that she doesn't want. The hero recognizes that this is in reaction to being in a world where men controlled every aspect of her life, and if this is what she needs, he'll give it to her. ASDLFKJASD;FKLASDLKFASLKF god, that's perfect.
The only reason why this is not a full 5 stars is that the plot around the two characters was ... very dull at times, though YMMV. The framework around this whole series is that there are book dealers and book buyers and the heroine is a book seller who works on behalf of the hero to get books that he wants for his collection. While some of the details are interesting and clearly grounded in research — and the author herself was a rare books expert who worked for Sotheby's! — it was very easy for me to put down the book when the plot details dragged on. There's also a lot of, at times confusing, backstory around the heroine and hero's upbringings that I wasn't super invested in.
But the characters and their relationships themselves were truly superb.
August 31, 2022
I liked the heroine of this book. She's a strong and independent woman with a trade who is also good at what she does and not afraid to show it in a room full of men who think less of her. She's determined, she's brave and she doesn't instantly fall madly in love with the hero. I liked how their relationship progressed; it felt realistic...but I could have gone for a little more spice, tension and excitement overall. I enjoy my books to have more conflict between the MCs and most of this book's conflict was external and it was pretty lackluster in my opinion. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not my preference. I also got a little bored by the hero's mother and the ending felt drawn out. Overall, it was fine but I wasn't craving to finish it.
June 25, 2016
I'm trying to catch up on some long overdue reviews. This is the first book in Miranda Neville's Burgundy Club series. The entire series is wonderful! Widowed Julia Merton owns a bookshop specializing in rare books. The Marquis of Chase needs help acquiring a certain book at an auction.
Chase had been kicked out of his home years ago. He falls for Julia and protects her as someone is searching the bookshop at night. Julia's past has some unanswered questions. He needs to marry to get guardianship of his sister. There are so many plots going on and I can't spoil them. Chase and 2 other book collectors start the Burgundy Club - no women allowed. Chase and Julia do get their HEA and it's worth reading!
4.5 rounding to 5 for a very well written book.
Chase had been kicked out of his home years ago. He falls for Julia and protects her as someone is searching the bookshop at night. Julia's past has some unanswered questions. He needs to marry to get guardianship of his sister. There are so many plots going on and I can't spoil them. Chase and 2 other book collectors start the Burgundy Club - no women allowed. Chase and Julia do get their HEA and it's worth reading!
4.5 rounding to 5 for a very well written book.
February 24, 2015
I never read historicals! But I met this author, and she was so smart and entertaining that I wanted to read her stuff! And I loved this book. Who can resist a female book collector vs. the handsome rake?
I enjoyed every page of this very accomplished book, and it gave me a new appreciation for the art of the historical. There's an excellent mystery novel wrapped into the same corset as this romance. That could not be easy to pull off.
Kudos, Ms. Neville!
I enjoyed every page of this very accomplished book, and it gave me a new appreciation for the art of the historical. There's an excellent mystery novel wrapped into the same corset as this romance. That could not be easy to pull off.
Kudos, Ms. Neville!
October 18, 2022
Adored this!! Just loved it! Everything about it!
Both MC's in this were simply the best, but Cain....that man can get it. Who doesn't love a man that loves women. One that respects, acknowledges, worships, cherishes? OMG SO sexy.
Both MC's in this were simply the best, but Cain....that man can get it. Who doesn't love a man that loves women. One that respects, acknowledges, worships, cherishes? OMG SO sexy.
January 15, 2021
A historical romance male lead who is respectful of women?? Does such a book exist? Indeed it does.
October 16, 2014
This was, in a word, adorable. Both the hero and heroine were genuinely NICE people who fell in love in one of the more realistic journeys I've seen yet in HR. I thought that this book read like a contemporary romance set in Regency England; by that I meant that the romance was pretty much on equal footing - and a large part of that is due to Cain.
Cain - the Marquis of Chase, is a rake with hidden depth. But in this case, he genuinely loved and respected women; he says: ' women are just as intelligent and usually nicer' than men and he believes it and you can see by the way he treats the women in his life. He never once looked down on Juliana because of her sex and was literally her white knight in every sense. Of course, he earned his reputation of a libertine and even lived at a brothel - but his experience away from home didn't make him cynical in the heart or destroy an essential goodness in him but only widened his horizons so that he had a better understanding of the impoverished and unfortunate. The angst associated with him was well justified and treated with appropriate solemnity. He reminded me of Ransom from Waking Up The Duke in that he was a kind hearted man with a reputation of a libertine.
Which brings me to a little segway regarding rakes. I feel like the rakes in HRs are normally assholes who have a tortured past and therefore either hate women because of said tortured past or cultivated their rogue reputation as revenge or some form of twisted comeback; but Cain and many others I have read about were just men who enjoyed women, were popular with women and therefore had an abundance of experience. I find that I much rather read about these types of rakes - without the misogyny. I think I just find it refreshing after immersing myself in so many HRs where women are not viewed in the best light.
Anyway, Juliana was also another vital part of the book - although no where near as charismatic as Cain - she engaged my heartstrings and the scene where she talks about her mother for the first time with Cain made my chest ache and I just wanted to reach into the book and hug her for a long time. Despite the fragility and vulnerability she had, she was a very independent and fiercely intelligent woman - and I respected how much she achieved in life despite all the hardships and obstacles in her way.
There was also a nice bit of history and bibliophilic trivia interspersed within the book and I think they must have been pretty accurate as I was able to google the references that I remembered and also learnt a bit of interesting history in the progress.
The supporting characters in the book were also colourful and entertaining - my favourite was Quartos (you will know what I mean when you read it). I also found it interesting and disturbing when reading about Cain's mother and father - there is some really messed up domestic issues there and there wasn't a perfect resolution, which I respected because it is realistic and a bow tied ending would have taken away from the gravity of the situation and detracted from the intelligence of the entire book.
I really liked this book and I truly loved the characters - even though there was a spark missing that prevented me elevating my rating - I would recommend it to any HR fans and any romance fans as well.
Cain - the Marquis of Chase, is a rake with hidden depth. But in this case, he genuinely loved and respected women; he says: ' women are just as intelligent and usually nicer' than men and he believes it and you can see by the way he treats the women in his life. He never once looked down on Juliana because of her sex and was literally her white knight in every sense. Of course, he earned his reputation of a libertine and even lived at a brothel - but his experience away from home didn't make him cynical in the heart or destroy an essential goodness in him but only widened his horizons so that he had a better understanding of the impoverished and unfortunate. The angst associated with him was well justified and treated with appropriate solemnity. He reminded me of Ransom from Waking Up The Duke in that he was a kind hearted man with a reputation of a libertine.
Which brings me to a little segway regarding rakes. I feel like the rakes in HRs are normally assholes who have a tortured past and therefore either hate women because of said tortured past or cultivated their rogue reputation as revenge or some form of twisted comeback; but Cain and many others I have read about were just men who enjoyed women, were popular with women and therefore had an abundance of experience. I find that I much rather read about these types of rakes - without the misogyny. I think I just find it refreshing after immersing myself in so many HRs where women are not viewed in the best light.
Anyway, Juliana was also another vital part of the book - although no where near as charismatic as Cain - she engaged my heartstrings and the scene where she talks about her mother for the first time with Cain made my chest ache and I just wanted to reach into the book and hug her for a long time. Despite the fragility and vulnerability she had, she was a very independent and fiercely intelligent woman - and I respected how much she achieved in life despite all the hardships and obstacles in her way.
There was also a nice bit of history and bibliophilic trivia interspersed within the book and I think they must have been pretty accurate as I was able to google the references that I remembered and also learnt a bit of interesting history in the progress.
The supporting characters in the book were also colourful and entertaining - my favourite was Quartos (you will know what I mean when you read it). I also found it interesting and disturbing when reading about Cain's mother and father - there is some really messed up domestic issues there and there wasn't a perfect resolution, which I respected because it is realistic and a bow tied ending would have taken away from the gravity of the situation and detracted from the intelligence of the entire book.
I really liked this book and I truly loved the characters - even though there was a spark missing that prevented me elevating my rating - I would recommend it to any HR fans and any romance fans as well.
April 9, 2013
Juliana, has worked hard to become a upstanding book seller and shopkeeper. She has had to do much to make sure no scandal could ever be attached to her, and hide a secret that could very well ruin her for the rest of her life. When she meets the Marquis of Chase, she knows that he is big trouble. The kind that would tempt her in a variety of wickedness and pure bliss. She knows she must stay away from him, and with warnings from all of her friends, she know she should be smart. However, she knows he has the money and connections to get her a certain book that she has been searching for, for quite some time. A book that could contain all the answers she could ever need about her roots and true parentage. When she and Chase strike up a bargain, she wonders if she has sealed a deal with the devil himself. Cain, when a teenager, was kicked out of his school by his father, and out of his home when accused of a action he didn't commit. But because of his love for his mother and sister, he knew he must leave. So he has spent his life making his own way, and even though no one in the Ton would accept him into their home, he doesn't care. He lives his life for pleasure and fun. When he meets Juliana he is instantly drawn to her. But will a few nights be enough to satisfy him or will he want forever? This is the first book I have read from this author. I have been wanting to read from her for quite some time now. But I hadn't gotten around to it until now. What drew me into the book was the blurb...and the cover too. But I just love a good disreputable rake that is utterly irresistable. I was surprised expected some amazing read, which turned out to be a little above average. It just didn't sing to me until the second half of the book. My usual rule is if I don't get into it 100 pages in, to just put it down. However I decided to try to push that limit a bit further. I am glad that I did however, because I did enjoy the last half of the book. That is where it got really good. The plot for all of the story was good, but there was just something about the beginning that I had the hardest time getting into. So it took me two days to read which it normally takes me one. I did enjoy the chemistry between Cain and Juliana and I felt like there was enough conflict to keep me interested. I felt like Juliana was a little to bland for me, she just didn't have as much spunk as I expected. Her reasons for resisting Cain I thought was a bit ridiculous at times, but she eventually pulled through and at the end of the book I started to like her LOL. Cain was totally intriguing in every way. He had the seductive appeal, but he also could be very sensitive at times, it just broke my heart to see him struggle throughout the story. Overall a interesting story, that I had a hard time getting into and it took a while, but once I did get into the story I enjoyed it. It didn't call out to me or make my toes curl, but it was a average enjoyable read. I do plan on reading more from this author, see what her other books are like.
February 22, 2013
I've read so much historical romance set in the Regency period that it's rare when I find a book set in a completely new environment. This was one of them. Set in the book collecting world, there were very few balls and soirees. Most of the gatherings centered around auctions or discussions about books. How refreshing!
From the beginning, it stroke me how real the world felt. The discussions about bindings, editions, and how crazy everybody was about the books reminded me a lot of us here in Goodreads. :) Then I read that the author actually worked with rare books at Sotheby's! Her inside knowledge definitely shows in the story here.
Cain and Juliana were a wonderful couple. He was a such a great person disguised as a rake. It always bothers me when rich tortured rakes in HR spend so much money on nonsense when clearly there are poor people out there with problems WAY bigger than theirs that they could help. Cain is not one of these rakes. He actually pays attention to others and doesn't wallow in his misery like we usually see with these types of characters. Oh and he was average height for a change! I really liked that. :)
Juliana was great too. She was the perfect combination of independent woman who still felt natural for the time. She was definitely angry that her gender didn't accord her the same respect as other booksellers but she wasn't "feisty" or mean about it. She tried to work on the things she could change and didn't feel like a modern woman in disguise.
The suspense plot was very well done and it fit perfectly with the plot. I realized early on the identity of Juliana's father but I missed the Romeo and Juliet clue!
I'm definitely reading the second in the series, sooner rather than later.
From the beginning, it stroke me how real the world felt. The discussions about bindings, editions, and how crazy everybody was about the books reminded me a lot of us here in Goodreads. :) Then I read that the author actually worked with rare books at Sotheby's! Her inside knowledge definitely shows in the story here.
Cain and Juliana were a wonderful couple. He was a such a great person disguised as a rake. It always bothers me when rich tortured rakes in HR spend so much money on nonsense when clearly there are poor people out there with problems WAY bigger than theirs that they could help. Cain is not one of these rakes. He actually pays attention to others and doesn't wallow in his misery like we usually see with these types of characters. Oh and he was average height for a change! I really liked that. :)
Juliana was great too. She was the perfect combination of independent woman who still felt natural for the time. She was definitely angry that her gender didn't accord her the same respect as other booksellers but she wasn't "feisty" or mean about it. She tried to work on the things she could change and didn't feel like a modern woman in disguise.
The suspense plot was very well done and it fit perfectly with the plot. I realized early on the identity of Juliana's father but I missed the Romeo and Juliet clue!
I'm definitely reading the second in the series, sooner rather than later.
March 20, 2012
I truly enjoyed Neville's first installment of the Burgandy club. This book was sweet, romantic, exciting, and greatly appealing to fellow book lovers.
The main characters are Cain (The Marquis of Chase) and Juliana. While Cain was pretty common in being a sly man, renown for his sexual premise but secretly a wounded, sensitive soul. Blah blah. In that sense, I felt like it was pretty common but I fell in love with Juliana. A recent widow, she was nevertheless a strong women trying to make do in a man's world. She is cunning and intelligent in the novel and it is exciting to see her become more free and open as her relationship with Cain goes on.
Then there's the books. The story is primarily focused on the world of book collectors with Juliana being a bookseller. Throughout the story they go to very important auctions, which may seem to being boring reading for some.
Wrong.
I was shocked to find these auction scenes more exciting than a fight scene and more intelligent than game of wits. The lives of the bibliophiles was amusing and interesting.
But the book wasn't perfect. The plot, aside from the book aspect, was pretty common, though I won't give it away to those who wish to read it. The romance, while spicy at times, seemed to go at a nice pace at the beginning and then seemed to stutter in the middle to wait for the plot points to catch up, leaving some pretty boring scenes.
In the end, I gave the book a 3, for it wasn't a mind blowing piece of work but I did enjoy it.
The main characters are Cain (The Marquis of Chase) and Juliana. While Cain was pretty common in being a sly man, renown for his sexual premise but secretly a wounded, sensitive soul. Blah blah. In that sense, I felt like it was pretty common but I fell in love with Juliana. A recent widow, she was nevertheless a strong women trying to make do in a man's world. She is cunning and intelligent in the novel and it is exciting to see her become more free and open as her relationship with Cain goes on.
Then there's the books. The story is primarily focused on the world of book collectors with Juliana being a bookseller. Throughout the story they go to very important auctions, which may seem to being boring reading for some.
Wrong.
I was shocked to find these auction scenes more exciting than a fight scene and more intelligent than game of wits. The lives of the bibliophiles was amusing and interesting.
But the book wasn't perfect. The plot, aside from the book aspect, was pretty common, though I won't give it away to those who wish to read it. The romance, while spicy at times, seemed to go at a nice pace at the beginning and then seemed to stutter in the middle to wait for the plot points to catch up, leaving some pretty boring scenes.
In the end, I gave the book a 3, for it wasn't a mind blowing piece of work but I did enjoy it.
November 20, 2010
The first half of the book was interesting and I thought the book had great potential, but in the end it was disappointing - too many plots to keep straight and sorted out, and several of them came and went without really being resolved. The book auction was supposed to be exciting and suspenseful, but I lost interest in it because there were too many books to keep track of and too many confusing histories - the authors, publishers, previous owners, current owners, sellers and buyers all got jumbled together in my mind and toward the end I couldn't tell which was which any more. The hero was far too perfect, although he was a fun character, but the heroine didn't come alive as a person for me, so the love story didn't really work (although the love scenes themselves were good). Maybe I just prefer character-driven stories ...
January 15, 2011
I had never read Neville before and only did so because of the comment by Eloisa James. It had a good plot but I wasn't thrilled over the first half - Neville put so much info into the chapters that I lost touch with the characters. I almost didn't finish it. I hate wasting time on a bad train wreck. But I am so glad that I went back to finish the book!!
It had a few twists to the book and once I started reading the book again I couldn't put it down!! WOW... it just got better and better. The story all came together little by little and finished with a bang! I am now hooked and look forward to reading the next one!
It had a few twists to the book and once I started reading the book again I couldn't put it down!! WOW... it just got better and better. The story all came together little by little and finished with a bang! I am now hooked and look forward to reading the next one!
August 24, 2010
Arrrrgh, flipping 15 pages to go and I'm dying to finish but real life is intervening :(
FINISHED! And so enjoyed it. Anyone w/a love for books and unusual heroines and conversations and situations that are atypical not yawn*inducing will enjoy this. Bring on the next in the Burgundy Club series. And yes, a book can be both angsty & humourous: my fave kind!
FINISHED! And so enjoyed it. Anyone w/a love for books and unusual heroines and conversations and situations that are atypical not yawn*inducing will enjoy this. Bring on the next in the Burgundy Club series. And yes, a book can be both angsty & humourous: my fave kind!
March 30, 2015
1.5 stars
These days I suffer from exam stress and insomnia. Reading helps me cope, and that is the only reason I read this book to the end. What a boring, lackluster couple/story? Nope. Not a good one. At all.
These days I suffer from exam stress and insomnia. Reading helps me cope, and that is the only reason I read this book to the end. What a boring, lackluster couple/story? Nope. Not a good one. At all.
October 20, 2018
England 1819. I came away with mixed feelings.
Learning about rare books and their bindings etc
was fascinating.
Cain's (1st name John) pious father cast him out from
home at 16 b/c father accused him of a false vile act.
Cain enjoyed women of all sorts, especially the light
skirt variety. Cain became Marquis & later learned RE
his hypocritical late father. Cain became interested
in rare books to be auctioned by Sotheby & hired the
h to represent him.
Juliana served as a bookshop owner who taught her-
self RE rare books. Her late spouse owned the shop
& left her in debt. She gave mixed messages to Cain
RE her job assignment, their relationship, her feelings,
sex. She found underneath all of Cain's layers a decent
man and good brother.
Questions answered-
Who murdered Juliana's spouse?
Who was her father?
Who messed with her head?
Did someone wish to harm her?
Who won the valued manuscript at auction?
Learning about rare books and their bindings etc
was fascinating.
Cain's (1st name John) pious father cast him out from
home at 16 b/c father accused him of a false vile act.
Cain enjoyed women of all sorts, especially the light
skirt variety. Cain became Marquis & later learned RE
his hypocritical late father. Cain became interested
in rare books to be auctioned by Sotheby & hired the
h to represent him.
Juliana served as a bookshop owner who taught her-
self RE rare books. Her late spouse owned the shop
& left her in debt. She gave mixed messages to Cain
RE her job assignment, their relationship, her feelings,
sex. She found underneath all of Cain's layers a decent
man and good brother.
Questions answered-
Who murdered Juliana's spouse?
Who was her father?
Who messed with her head?
Did someone wish to harm her?
Who won the valued manuscript at auction?
May 10, 2025
I really enjoyed the genealogical mystery in this novel, as well as the setting in the world of marketing antique books. Oh, yes, there is murder most foul as well. Being a bibliophile myself, albeit a modern one, this 19th century puzzle occupied me for several days. Time well spent!
February 17, 2013
I'd read this one before, but because it wasn't rated on Goodreads I goofed and bought it again. So I'll rate it based on the 2nd read—tougher in some ways because I know the story. But nicer in other ways, because if, once I recognize the story I still want to finish, it is going to get an extra star just because the story holds up for a second reading.
This one begins with Joseph Merton, a drunk, happy, soon-to-be filthy, stinkin', rich bookstore owner. He's headed home from a buying trip with a buttload of books he can't wait to dig into. But when he returns to his room at the inn…
Let's just say it isn't good.
Almost a year later, dashing Cain, Marquess of Chase, is eyeing a precious book that was once owned by his family. He's not quite clear how it ended up in the estate of Sir Thomas Tarleton, and he's not even sure why he wants it back. But he does. A friend of a friend tells him to talk to J.C. Merton, bookseller, so he heads off to the parts of London where merchants conduct trade.
He's a bit surprised to learn that J.C. is a woman.
Yeah, she hides it well. But he's got a sharp eye and he can see the beauty underneath.
Juliana Merton has been struggling to stay afloat since her husband's death. Lots of customers have defected because theyare idiots worry that she as a woman won't know a good book from a penny dreadful.
So she's thrilled to get a new customer, even if he's a renowned debauchee and man-ho. She heard he actually lived in a brothel before he was a gigolo. He's so inept at keeping his breeches buttoned he might as well not even wear 'em.
But she can't afford to be picky about clients. And the book he wants is the most expensive, exclusive, fancy-assed item in the auction. The auction is to be staged in lots, over several days, separated by convenient weeks so other stuff can happen in between.
Juliana sets about teaching Cain A) the rudiments of identifying a decent book.
And B) the fundaments (tee hee) of auction strategy.
While he's busy schooling her on
Meanwhile, things (other than the couple) are going "bump" in the night in her shop, and Cain finds out stuff about his dad that he doesn't want to know, even if it explains a lot of sh*t.
But for Cain it's a good thing. Long-lost relatives abound.
Good story. Good mystery. Pretty damn good chemistry. Four stars (it probably got 3 on first reading but because it holds up on a second reading I'll add one).
This one begins with Joseph Merton, a drunk, happy, soon-to-be filthy, stinkin', rich bookstore owner. He's headed home from a buying trip with a buttload of books he can't wait to dig into. But when he returns to his room at the inn…
Let's just say it isn't good.
Almost a year later, dashing Cain, Marquess of Chase, is eyeing a precious book that was once owned by his family. He's not quite clear how it ended up in the estate of Sir Thomas Tarleton, and he's not even sure why he wants it back. But he does. A friend of a friend tells him to talk to J.C. Merton, bookseller, so he heads off to the parts of London where merchants conduct trade.
He's a bit surprised to learn that J.C. is a woman.
Yeah, she hides it well. But he's got a sharp eye and he can see the beauty underneath.
Juliana Merton has been struggling to stay afloat since her husband's death. Lots of customers have defected because they
So she's thrilled to get a new customer, even if he's a renowned debauchee and man-ho. She heard he actually lived in a brothel before he was a gigolo. He's so inept at keeping his breeches buttoned he might as well not even wear 'em.
But she can't afford to be picky about clients. And the book he wants is the most expensive, exclusive, fancy-assed item in the auction. The auction is to be staged in lots, over several days, separated by convenient weeks so other stuff can happen in between.
Juliana sets about teaching Cain A) the rudiments of identifying a decent book.
And B) the fundaments (tee hee) of auction strategy.
While he's busy schooling her on
Meanwhile, things (other than the couple) are going "bump" in the night in her shop, and Cain finds out stuff about his dad that he doesn't want to know, even if it explains a lot of sh*t.
But for Cain it's a good thing. Long-lost relatives abound.
Good story. Good mystery. Pretty damn good chemistry. Four stars (it probably got 3 on first reading but because it holds up on a second reading I'll add one).
December 26, 2012
3.5 Sterne
Eine Reihe über Büchersammler müsste mir eigentlich gefallen, habe ich mir jedenfalls beim Kauf gedacht und habe damit zumindest nicht ganz falsch gelegen. Auch wenn mir The Wild Marquis jetzt nicht so gut gefallen hat wie erwartet werde ich der Autorin mit dem zweiten Band der Reihe bestimmt noch eine Chance geben, denn die Geschichte hatte Potential.
Ein Problem war, dass die erste Hälfte extrem zäh zu lesen war, es ist kaum etwas passiert, außer, dass über die bevorstehende Bücherauktion geredet wurde und auch über die Protagonisten hat man wenig erfahren. Nachdem dann aber deren Vergangenheit etwas mehr in den Vordergrund gerückt wurde wurde auch die Geschichte spannender. Ich muss sagen, dass ich Julianas Vergangenheit wirklich sehr interessant und auch überraschend fand, allerdings fehlte mir bei Cain/John/Chaste etwas. Seine Geschichte hatte Potential, aber ich war etwas enttäuscht, dass Neville dann doch so wenig tiefgründig auf ihn eingegangen ist, da hätte man viel mehr Emotionen herausholen können. Zudem fand ich seine Mutter ziemlich erschreckend, sie wirkte tatsächlich psychisch total labil und verrückt. Ach, wirklcih sehr schade, so viel Potential wurde einfach verschenkt, weil zu seicht und oberflächlich auf die Thematiken eingegangen wurde. Während der Anfang viel zu langatmig war fühlte sich das Ende so fast schon zu überhastet an.
Ebenso ging es mir bei der Liebesgeschichte. Sie konnte mich emotional nicht wirklich packen, weil ich nicht nachvollziehen konnte, wieso die beiden sich lieben. Also so richtig lieben und nicht nur mögen. Es war einfach so seicht, eben wie auch die restliche Geschichte ohne tiefere Emotionen, auch wenn die Ideen von Neville an sich echt gut waren.
Cain/John, ich weiß gar nicht wie ich ihn nennen soll, hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Auch wenn er nach Außen wie ein unverantwortlicher Lebemann wirkt ist er doch im Herzen ganz anders und das fand ich sehr sympathisch. Im Gegensatz dazu fand ich Juliane nervig, cih weiß nicht genau wie so, aber sie war mir unsympathisch. Ihre ganze Art sollte wohl perfekt und engelshaft herüberkommen, aber ich fand sie zu perfekt, um sympathisch zu sein. Außerdem hatte ich das Gefühl, dass sie sich nicht um die Gefühle anderer scherrt und sich daher manchmal wie ein Elefant im Porzellanladen benimmt.
Außerdem fand ich die Sache mit der Verhütung merkwürdig. Beim ersten Mal wird das ganze noch thematisiert und danach wird nicht mehr verhütet? Ich meine, wann hätte sie beim zweiten Mal Zeit gehabt einen Schwamm einzuführen? Oder in der Kutsche? Wenn die Autorin damit anfängt muss sie es auch konsequent zu Ende führen, ist jedenfalls meine Meinung.
Fazit:
Potential ist da, die Umsetzung ist aber nicht gut gelungen.
Eine Reihe über Büchersammler müsste mir eigentlich gefallen, habe ich mir jedenfalls beim Kauf gedacht und habe damit zumindest nicht ganz falsch gelegen. Auch wenn mir The Wild Marquis jetzt nicht so gut gefallen hat wie erwartet werde ich der Autorin mit dem zweiten Band der Reihe bestimmt noch eine Chance geben, denn die Geschichte hatte Potential.
Ein Problem war, dass die erste Hälfte extrem zäh zu lesen war, es ist kaum etwas passiert, außer, dass über die bevorstehende Bücherauktion geredet wurde und auch über die Protagonisten hat man wenig erfahren. Nachdem dann aber deren Vergangenheit etwas mehr in den Vordergrund gerückt wurde wurde auch die Geschichte spannender. Ich muss sagen, dass ich Julianas Vergangenheit wirklich sehr interessant und auch überraschend fand, allerdings fehlte mir bei Cain/John/Chaste etwas. Seine Geschichte hatte Potential, aber ich war etwas enttäuscht, dass Neville dann doch so wenig tiefgründig auf ihn eingegangen ist, da hätte man viel mehr Emotionen herausholen können. Zudem fand ich seine Mutter ziemlich erschreckend, sie wirkte tatsächlich psychisch total labil und verrückt. Ach, wirklcih sehr schade, so viel Potential wurde einfach verschenkt, weil zu seicht und oberflächlich auf die Thematiken eingegangen wurde. Während der Anfang viel zu langatmig war fühlte sich das Ende so fast schon zu überhastet an.
Ebenso ging es mir bei der Liebesgeschichte. Sie konnte mich emotional nicht wirklich packen, weil ich nicht nachvollziehen konnte, wieso die beiden sich lieben. Also so richtig lieben und nicht nur mögen. Es war einfach so seicht, eben wie auch die restliche Geschichte ohne tiefere Emotionen, auch wenn die Ideen von Neville an sich echt gut waren.
Cain/John, ich weiß gar nicht wie ich ihn nennen soll, hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Auch wenn er nach Außen wie ein unverantwortlicher Lebemann wirkt ist er doch im Herzen ganz anders und das fand ich sehr sympathisch. Im Gegensatz dazu fand ich Juliane nervig, cih weiß nicht genau wie so, aber sie war mir unsympathisch. Ihre ganze Art sollte wohl perfekt und engelshaft herüberkommen, aber ich fand sie zu perfekt, um sympathisch zu sein. Außerdem hatte ich das Gefühl, dass sie sich nicht um die Gefühle anderer scherrt und sich daher manchmal wie ein Elefant im Porzellanladen benimmt.
Außerdem fand ich die Sache mit der Verhütung merkwürdig. Beim ersten Mal wird das ganze noch thematisiert und danach wird nicht mehr verhütet? Ich meine, wann hätte sie beim zweiten Mal Zeit gehabt einen Schwamm einzuführen? Oder in der Kutsche? Wenn die Autorin damit anfängt muss sie es auch konsequent zu Ende führen, ist jedenfalls meine Meinung.
Fazit:
Potential ist da, die Umsetzung ist aber nicht gut gelungen.
August 10, 2010
My Amazon review copied here.
This is my first book by this author. She has a unique story in The Wild Marquis. The characters are likable and well developed. If this author writes a book in the future maybe a little more traditionally, I think I would enjoy it more.
****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS BELOW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!****
Now I guess for my complaints. Does anyone realize our heroine Juliana never interacts with any of our hero Cain's staff or family on page? Juliana never steps into Cain's "world" so to speak. I think that was the major aspect of the book that bothered me. In a way this book seemed very one sided- meaning that most of this book takes place at the auction, Juliana's bookshop, or a neutral place such as a carriage, an inn etc.
Another thing that really bothered me was Juliana is supposed to be a rare book seller/buyer and yet her shop is filthy. It mentions multiple times the windows are grimy and that the floor is dusty. That can only lead me, as a reader, to assume all the books in her shop have a layer of dust on them as well. Which presents the problem (to me) that she isn't trying too hard to be seen as a successful tradeswoman. Admittedly she is a one woman shopkeeper and must do everything herself, however how can she expect noblemen to patronize her shop if its constantly unkempt.
I, also, found it quite hard to believe that she'd fall so quickly into bed with Cain, even if he is a Marquis. Juliana admits she didn't like sex with her husband, but jumps into bed with Cain in less than a week(?). For a widow who owns her own shop(with the stigma that has at the time) and is trying to gain prominence into the book selling world you would think she would have more concern for her reputation.
One last item, I think the book could have used a little more story. Meaning if at the end we could have seen Juliana and Cain attempting the noble lifestyle with all that that entailed, that might have changed my rating. Even as an epilogue. Instead it ends with them fiancees, with not much else settled.
*****END SPOILERS*****
All in all this book just wasn't a keeper for me. As another reviewer mentioned if your looking for a seduction story, this isn't it, if your looking for more of a mystery as the main story this might be for you. Hope this helps.
This is my first book by this author. She has a unique story in The Wild Marquis. The characters are likable and well developed. If this author writes a book in the future maybe a little more traditionally, I think I would enjoy it more.
****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS BELOW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!****
Now I guess for my complaints. Does anyone realize our heroine Juliana never interacts with any of our hero Cain's staff or family on page? Juliana never steps into Cain's "world" so to speak. I think that was the major aspect of the book that bothered me. In a way this book seemed very one sided- meaning that most of this book takes place at the auction, Juliana's bookshop, or a neutral place such as a carriage, an inn etc.
Another thing that really bothered me was Juliana is supposed to be a rare book seller/buyer and yet her shop is filthy. It mentions multiple times the windows are grimy and that the floor is dusty. That can only lead me, as a reader, to assume all the books in her shop have a layer of dust on them as well. Which presents the problem (to me) that she isn't trying too hard to be seen as a successful tradeswoman. Admittedly she is a one woman shopkeeper and must do everything herself, however how can she expect noblemen to patronize her shop if its constantly unkempt.
I, also, found it quite hard to believe that she'd fall so quickly into bed with Cain, even if he is a Marquis. Juliana admits she didn't like sex with her husband, but jumps into bed with Cain in less than a week(?). For a widow who owns her own shop(with the stigma that has at the time) and is trying to gain prominence into the book selling world you would think she would have more concern for her reputation.
One last item, I think the book could have used a little more story. Meaning if at the end we could have seen Juliana and Cain attempting the noble lifestyle with all that that entailed, that might have changed my rating. Even as an epilogue. Instead it ends with them fiancees, with not much else settled.
*****END SPOILERS*****
All in all this book just wasn't a keeper for me. As another reviewer mentioned if your looking for a seduction story, this isn't it, if your looking for more of a mystery as the main story this might be for you. Hope this helps.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2011
The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man but when he is directed to a bookseller to gain information and help purchasing rare books in an auction he meets Juliana Merton. Even though she is dressed dowdily in her widow weeds, he can see her beauty beneath and the sparks start to fly. Juliana is in desperate need of the funds she would receive by representing Chase at the auction and agrees to help him, even though she finds it hard to believe this notorious rake is truly serious about books. Imagine her surprise when she discovers he is and is most interested in the rarest book being sold, The Burgundy Hours. But Juliana also has another reason for wanting to be at the auction, some of the books being sold belonged to her benefactor who raised her and she believes some of them were her mothers, whom she never knew. This begins an interesting mystery storyline that leads to discoveries about Julianas past but doesn't overshadow the love growing between Juliana and Chase.
I really enjoyed this book. I was not expecting the storyline to revolve so much around a bookseller and a book auction which I found fun and fascinating. Chases history is dark and very sad and heartbreaking. I thought I sort of knew why he was kicked out of his home at sixteen, but I was way off. The truth, when Juliana discovered it, was definitely shocking and the more Chase learned of his own past, the more secrets are dug out. I enjoyed watching Chase grow from a notorious rake barely tolerated by society to a gentleman that stands up for what he knows is right and protects what he loves. Yes he is a bit overbearing and presumptuous with Juliana but she holds her own with him and together they heal from the hurt from their past to make a future together. This was my first Miranda Neville novel and I already have the next in the series, The Dangerous Viscount ready to go and the third, The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton ready from Netgalley. 4 solid stars
I really enjoyed this book. I was not expecting the storyline to revolve so much around a bookseller and a book auction which I found fun and fascinating. Chases history is dark and very sad and heartbreaking. I thought I sort of knew why he was kicked out of his home at sixteen, but I was way off. The truth, when Juliana discovered it, was definitely shocking and the more Chase learned of his own past, the more secrets are dug out. I enjoyed watching Chase grow from a notorious rake barely tolerated by society to a gentleman that stands up for what he knows is right and protects what he loves. Yes he is a bit overbearing and presumptuous with Juliana but she holds her own with him and together they heal from the hurt from their past to make a future together. This was my first Miranda Neville novel and I already have the next in the series, The Dangerous Viscount ready to go and the third, The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton ready from Netgalley. 4 solid stars
September 16, 2010
What an interesting historical romance. We've got a little bit of everything: romance, intrigue, and books!
I was surprised by Juliana's profession, or perhaps that she'd adopted her husband's and continued to be moderately successful with it. Then again, as her dowry was used to open the bookstore, I suspect she'd have a vested interest to keep it successful. She and Chase do emit some sparks, when their romance comes right down to it, so I'm anxious to see if they will reappear in future books. The Wild Marquis was a nice break from the usual historical romances I've read lately. Cannot wait to read The Dangerous Viscount.
I was surprised by Juliana's profession, or perhaps that she'd adopted her husband's and continued to be moderately successful with it. Then again, as her dowry was used to open the bookstore, I suspect she'd have a vested interest to keep it successful. She and Chase do emit some sparks, when their romance comes right down to it, so I'm anxious to see if they will reappear in future books. The Wild Marquis was a nice break from the usual historical romances I've read lately. Cannot wait to read The Dangerous Viscount.
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