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The Burgundy Club #4
Confessions from an Arranged Marriage
A Historical Romance Novel
370 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2012
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1358 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
June 10, 2022
Minerva is Comprised by the rakish Lord Blakeney. She is then forced to marry the future Duke of Hampton.
This is a nice, Hate to Love story. Which is set around Politics, Blackmail, and Dyslexia.
This is a nice, Hate to Love story. Which is set around Politics, Blackmail, and Dyslexia.
February 9, 2021
Minerva and Blake. Meh. 1) Was not happy that we got to see him compare his mistress to Minerva after he had kissed Minerva and already agreed to marry Minerva because he ruined Minerva. 2)Too much politics for me. 3)Their chemistry seemed off even from the start. Maybe because he was so happy sexing it up with his mistress. How disrespectful to appear at the opera (complete with sex benefits) with his mistress three days before his wedding to Minerva. 4) Even the hero's final talk with his dad was ruined by both of them talking and naming their previous mistress's. 5)The story was boring and both the heroine and the hero were meh to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2015
2.5/5. Politically ambitious and precocious 19 yo Minerva was compromised by rakish, hedonistic Blake, heir to a powerful dukedom, in a case of mistaken identity. Forced to marry, these two quarrelling long term acquaintances slowly grew more appreciative of one another. Blake had greater depth than Minerva gave him credit for initially, and Minerva, well she really is as ambitious and power-hungry as he thought, only it became an attractive quality somehow - to him, not to me. She continuously evaluated every situation to see how it can best be turned around for political gain. Even the discovery of Blake's affliction was with some glee as she realised how it can enable her to take on a greater role as his right hand person - not to support him as a life partner, but to allow her to realise her dream of attaining parliamentary power. Poor man was likeable enough, but suffered a bad case of low self-esteem such that he was happy enough to let her be the brain in their marriage and he the brawn. And that was how the unsatisfying epilogue ended.
May 13, 2022
A favourite Hero, a very physical man who compromises the heroine. They are both horrified as they don't like each other and their marriage does not suit. It was great to watch them slowly build their relationship and overcome so many challenges in the first weeks of their marriage. This is a very slow burn romance. I liked seeing the H realise how much he needed her.
March 31, 2012
Really enjoyable match up a previously (in earlier book) unlikable hero and a beloved (in previous books) heroine. I thought Blake and Minerva ended up being excellently well matched, though at the beginning I had my doubts. Neville did a great job of explaining some of Blake's bad behavior. And I appreciate that she isn't afraid to let her characters be real people with faults who grow and change as they go through life. Loved it.
March 3, 2012
Minerva Montrose had gone to lie down to alleviate her migraine never knowing that her life would forever be changed by the simple act. She is flabbergasted to wake up to a man's head beneath her skirts--and not just any man. Oh no. Only the most unreliable, most insufferable man in all of London, Lord Blakeney. Realizing what must happen after they are discovered, the couple agrees to marry and attempt to make it look like a love match. Ha! The mutual loathing between Minerva and Blake is deep and surely nothing good can come of it....or can it?
Blake can not believe the hole he has dug for himself. Honestly, trying to play a joke on a friend gets him leg-shackled to the most annoying, superior woman in all of London. The heir to a dukedom, he is a gentleman beneath his devil-may-care attitude and he knows his duty. What he is not expecting though is to actually discover what a delight Minerva is. But as Blake is hiding a shameful secret beneath his fun facade, he is reluctant to take Minerva into his confidence even when a new tragedy forces him to become more of a man than he may be ready for.
This was another wonderful romance from the delightful Miranda Neville! I love a good marriage of convenience story and this is an excellent one. Our couple already has a slight history together (The Dangerous Viscount) and you could just fell the mutual dislike they felt for each other. Sigh, but the ones that dislike each other the most are the ones that fall for each other the hardest. Minerva has high hopes to do something worthwhile in the political area and since her marriage will allow her to eventually be duchess to a powerful political seat, she is happy to try and find her place amongst all the men. What she can not understand is how Blake can just blow off so much regarding the political force of his family. But even with her hesitations due to these feelings, she still starts to slowly see Blake as a wonderful, caring man who needs the love of a good woman. And while Blake's secret prevents him from being as vocal about matters as Minerva would like, he does take the time to listen to her and in the process he discovers that Minerva is passionate and caring about those around her. Overall, I really enjoyed this story! There was a bit too much emphasis on the political side for me (that just doesn't interest me much) but it does not hinder the story enough to really bother me. This is a sweet, sexy romance of a couple forced together by scandal that discover each other through the bonds of their marriage. I do wish we had seen a bit more resolution to Blakes secret and I do also wish he had confided in Minerva sooner than he did but overall, well done. I would recommend this book for fans of marriage of convenience mixed with a sexy couple who loathe each other already but come to find the real, passionate natures of each other. 4 stars
I received an eARC of this book from Avon via edelweiss
Blake can not believe the hole he has dug for himself. Honestly, trying to play a joke on a friend gets him leg-shackled to the most annoying, superior woman in all of London. The heir to a dukedom, he is a gentleman beneath his devil-may-care attitude and he knows his duty. What he is not expecting though is to actually discover what a delight Minerva is. But as Blake is hiding a shameful secret beneath his fun facade, he is reluctant to take Minerva into his confidence even when a new tragedy forces him to become more of a man than he may be ready for.
This was another wonderful romance from the delightful Miranda Neville! I love a good marriage of convenience story and this is an excellent one. Our couple already has a slight history together (The Dangerous Viscount) and you could just fell the mutual dislike they felt for each other. Sigh, but the ones that dislike each other the most are the ones that fall for each other the hardest. Minerva has high hopes to do something worthwhile in the political area and since her marriage will allow her to eventually be duchess to a powerful political seat, she is happy to try and find her place amongst all the men. What she can not understand is how Blake can just blow off so much regarding the political force of his family. But even with her hesitations due to these feelings, she still starts to slowly see Blake as a wonderful, caring man who needs the love of a good woman. And while Blake's secret prevents him from being as vocal about matters as Minerva would like, he does take the time to listen to her and in the process he discovers that Minerva is passionate and caring about those around her. Overall, I really enjoyed this story! There was a bit too much emphasis on the political side for me (that just doesn't interest me much) but it does not hinder the story enough to really bother me. This is a sweet, sexy romance of a couple forced together by scandal that discover each other through the bonds of their marriage. I do wish we had seen a bit more resolution to Blakes secret and I do also wish he had confided in Minerva sooner than he did but overall, well done. I would recommend this book for fans of marriage of convenience mixed with a sexy couple who loathe each other already but come to find the real, passionate natures of each other. 4 stars
I received an eARC of this book from Avon via edelweiss
July 28, 2018
Nice story.
June 5, 2013
I am a bit sad to see the series concluded now that I have read the last and final book. I have really enjoyed seeing the variety of sets of stories that have been put in place in this series.I found that the first half was alright, didn't exactly completely draw me into the story, but once I got about halfway, that is when it started to really pick up. Despite the slower start, I definitely had fun with this one.
Minerva has always had ambition and has a passion for the political arena. She wants a marriage with a man that has the same desire to make a difference as she does. She knows that her views can be a bit radical, wanting equality for everyone. But her plans get put on hold when she ends up caught in a compromising position that is no fault of her own, and is forced to marry Lord Blakely or face a horrendeous scandal. She has no desire to marry Blake, since all he cares about is sports and horses. He has no intellectual drive that she knows of, and there couldn't be a worse possible match for her. Blake has never been able to read. He had to force his way through his studies, his brain has never been able to make sense of jumbled letters that make no sense. He is the heir to a Dukedom, and he knows his father is always disappointed in him. He has always known that he will have to marry one day, but he has no clue that drunk one night, that he would end up compromising Minnie, and end up having to marry her. A woman he fears of ever learning his secret. But when they go to Paris, passion is awakened, and he starts to believe that their marriage could turn into something special.
My heart just broke for Blake in this story. I was totally on his side through the whole story. He has struggled with a certain mental condition, that was not known of back in the 1800's. With no help, only criticism and censure from his family and peers. I felt like he did a good job with handling tough situations, and even though he could care less about politics, I loved seeing the way he was with Minnie and what he would do for her. Blake loves sports and women, but he is the honorable kind, sensitive to others and can be very reasonable at times. Minnie wasn't my favorite, I mean she was a average heroine, but I didn't find her too likeable. There were some aspects of her characters I did like, but I felt that she was too judgemental at times, and had politics on the brain almost too obsessive I found at times. But overall I did like how she reacts to finding out about Blake's secret. She did have a sweet nature that I really liked.
Overall I did enjoy this story quite a bit, not my favorite of the series, but it was a fun and it had some interesting look on politics back in this era in England. I liked how this author also put a mental condition into one of the characters that added a certain conflict to the story, that made me like it even more. It was also a fun setting from Paris to London, and seeing this couple interact and see how right they are for each other. Both are clever, just in different areas and I enjoyed seeing how well they complimented each other. A sweet and romantic story that is very moving!! LOVED IT!
Minerva has always had ambition and has a passion for the political arena. She wants a marriage with a man that has the same desire to make a difference as she does. She knows that her views can be a bit radical, wanting equality for everyone. But her plans get put on hold when she ends up caught in a compromising position that is no fault of her own, and is forced to marry Lord Blakely or face a horrendeous scandal. She has no desire to marry Blake, since all he cares about is sports and horses. He has no intellectual drive that she knows of, and there couldn't be a worse possible match for her. Blake has never been able to read. He had to force his way through his studies, his brain has never been able to make sense of jumbled letters that make no sense. He is the heir to a Dukedom, and he knows his father is always disappointed in him. He has always known that he will have to marry one day, but he has no clue that drunk one night, that he would end up compromising Minnie, and end up having to marry her. A woman he fears of ever learning his secret. But when they go to Paris, passion is awakened, and he starts to believe that their marriage could turn into something special.
My heart just broke for Blake in this story. I was totally on his side through the whole story. He has struggled with a certain mental condition, that was not known of back in the 1800's. With no help, only criticism and censure from his family and peers. I felt like he did a good job with handling tough situations, and even though he could care less about politics, I loved seeing the way he was with Minnie and what he would do for her. Blake loves sports and women, but he is the honorable kind, sensitive to others and can be very reasonable at times. Minnie wasn't my favorite, I mean she was a average heroine, but I didn't find her too likeable. There were some aspects of her characters I did like, but I felt that she was too judgemental at times, and had politics on the brain almost too obsessive I found at times. But overall I did like how she reacts to finding out about Blake's secret. She did have a sweet nature that I really liked.
Overall I did enjoy this story quite a bit, not my favorite of the series, but it was a fun and it had some interesting look on politics back in this era in England. I liked how this author also put a mental condition into one of the characters that added a certain conflict to the story, that made me like it even more. It was also a fun setting from Paris to London, and seeing this couple interact and see how right they are for each other. Both are clever, just in different areas and I enjoyed seeing how well they complimented each other. A sweet and romantic story that is very moving!! LOVED IT!
November 25, 2013
Oh my goodness, this is the only book I have read that made me seriously want to throw it at something or stomp on it, I absolutely detest the heroine. I mean I get it she's very clever and is very into politics, but seriously she's also portrayed (at least to me) as a self serving, manipulative, abrasive and thoroughly unlikable person (I felt so bad for the hero when after 4 attempts I finally finished the book and read their so-called HEA).
I read this book due to its having a refreshingly "dumb" hero, but I absolutely hated the fact that it seemed the hero was "remade" at the end by the heroine, I cannot see how one can have a HEA when you basically have to change to be another person and give up things you like and wish to do to suit your partner. (Granted, the author did explain why he did that, but I cannot help but think that a large part of that is due to the heroine, that doesn't even care that there's a lot more to being an aristocrat than influencing the politics (like if she's SOOO into helping people and the greater good, shouldn't she start off by going on visits on the estates and see who needs help like other heroines of aristocratic class do?) I just am totally revolted by this power-hungry, selfish chit.
There are tons of clever heroines about, and I am totally delighted in reading those witty dialogues (amanda quick's heroines are all blue-stockings with smart mouths) The best one in my opinion is Jessica from Lord of Scoundrels; this girl is just not smart, you actually see her Machiavelli machinations quite a lot(including manipulating the hero to think and say things), but I'm totally cheering for her because she has the hero's well-being in mind and you can see that she cares a lot for him. But here I don't even see any love shown (except for politics) and to be frank it would seem that the heroine here are happy with her lot halfway through because she figured she can still be a great hostess via her marriage to the hero (like the hero accused).
The hero is actually a very sweet character, and I totally feel his pain, but with such a bulldozer female in the book, he is shown as weak and wimpy. Just a very disappointing book.
I read this book due to its having a refreshingly "dumb" hero, but I absolutely hated the fact that it seemed the hero was "remade" at the end by the heroine, I cannot see how one can have a HEA when you basically have to change to be another person and give up things you like and wish to do to suit your partner. (Granted, the author did explain why he did that, but I cannot help but think that a large part of that is due to the heroine, that doesn't even care that there's a lot more to being an aristocrat than influencing the politics (like if she's SOOO into helping people and the greater good, shouldn't she start off by going on visits on the estates and see who needs help like other heroines of aristocratic class do?) I just am totally revolted by this power-hungry, selfish chit.
There are tons of clever heroines about, and I am totally delighted in reading those witty dialogues (amanda quick's heroines are all blue-stockings with smart mouths) The best one in my opinion is Jessica from Lord of Scoundrels; this girl is just not smart, you actually see her Machiavelli machinations quite a lot(including manipulating the hero to think and say things), but I'm totally cheering for her because she has the hero's well-being in mind and you can see that she cares a lot for him. But here I don't even see any love shown (except for politics) and to be frank it would seem that the heroine here are happy with her lot halfway through because she figured she can still be a great hostess via her marriage to the hero (like the hero accused).
The hero is actually a very sweet character, and I totally feel his pain, but with such a bulldozer female in the book, he is shown as weak and wimpy. Just a very disappointing book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2012
This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.
Expected Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon
Author’s Website: http://mirandaneville.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 4, The Burgundy Club
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
This is my first Miranda Neville book, but it will not be my last. Full of chemistry, a surprising amount of humor, and some very sweet romance, I loved the dynamic between Minerva and Blake. Blake's "secret" combined with the animosity between him and Minerva in the beginning sets the stage for some lively adventure as well as a well-paced romance, and I appreciated the fact that it worked well as a standalone despite being part of a previously established series.
Highly recommended for fans of historical couples forced into marriage to avoid scandal, of enemies to lovers, and of sweetly steamy romance with a generous dash of humor.
A very solid 4.5/5 Stars.
Expected Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon
Author’s Website: http://mirandaneville.com/
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 4, The Burgundy Club
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Steamy
This is my first Miranda Neville book, but it will not be my last. Full of chemistry, a surprising amount of humor, and some very sweet romance, I loved the dynamic between Minerva and Blake. Blake's "secret" combined with the animosity between him and Minerva in the beginning sets the stage for some lively adventure as well as a well-paced romance, and I appreciated the fact that it worked well as a standalone despite being part of a previously established series.
Highly recommended for fans of historical couples forced into marriage to avoid scandal, of enemies to lovers, and of sweetly steamy romance with a generous dash of humor.
A very solid 4.5/5 Stars.
February 19, 2012
Minerva’s deepening respect for the man Blake is empowers him to become more, and he is able when she needs him most to be commanding and powerful, every inch the duke with generations of dukes behind him. Perhaps the greatest evidence of the changes in Blake is his acceptance of what he is and what he is not, a self-acceptance tempered by his regret that he cannot be the man Minerva wants. And Minerva’s response to his self-acceptance is a lovely reminder that these two have grown into two people who like and respect one another as well as healthily lusting after one another.
Sigh! I’m a believer. Happily ever after all the way.
See full review at Heroes and Heartbreakers:
http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com...
Sigh! I’m a believer. Happily ever after all the way.
See full review at Heroes and Heartbreakers:
http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com...
November 20, 2015
This is one of those books where I liked the beginning a lot, but was pretty bored by the end, and almost forgot to write a review for. It is also one of those books that I put down for a while, so that didn't help things, probably.
Also it is a comprised marriage, not an arranged marriage.
But the contents of it were fine? Oh, there's the requisite at the end, but overall I liked the characters and how the relationship developed. I like that it wasn't a "past her prime" heroine and that both characters worked to make the best of the marriage. And I REALLY liked that
So, sorry, book. I think it's probably me, not you.
Also it is a comprised marriage, not an arranged marriage.
But the contents of it were fine? Oh, there's the requisite at the end, but overall I liked the characters and how the relationship developed. I like that it wasn't a "past her prime" heroine and that both characters worked to make the best of the marriage. And I REALLY liked that
So, sorry, book. I think it's probably me, not you.
March 17, 2025
Even though I didn’t like Book #2 in this series all that much, I was intrigued enough by how the heck Miranda would get Minerva and Blake together to a HEA knowing what I knew of them from that story that I immediately picked this one up.
While there were a lot of challenges this couple faced, unlike Book 2, I felt like the challenges were authentic and handled in a way that made sense. The characters didn’t really change, but the reader came to understand them and more satisfyingly, the characters came to understand and love each other for who they were.
Neville delved into the ducal role in a way that I found really cool. Most authors these days just make everyone dukes and then the dukes don’t do anything but have lots of money and servants. Neville explored the responsibilities, political arena, decisions, and day to day impact of the title and how it played out with the characters’ fledgling marriage and I was into it. They both have huge shoes to fill, they both make mistakes and say stupid things, but then they both also think about it, feel bad, apologize to each other, try to make the most of things, and muddle through until they eventually find that harmony that smooths over so many rough spots.
This was a satisfying story I inhaled and couldn’t wait to get back to. Imperfect characters, lots of mistakes, but ultimately finding that none of it mattered because they loved each other anyway. Recommended. Can be read as a standalone though Book 2 reveals a lot of these two characters’ history and their families.
While there were a lot of challenges this couple faced, unlike Book 2, I felt like the challenges were authentic and handled in a way that made sense. The characters didn’t really change, but the reader came to understand them and more satisfyingly, the characters came to understand and love each other for who they were.
Neville delved into the ducal role in a way that I found really cool. Most authors these days just make everyone dukes and then the dukes don’t do anything but have lots of money and servants. Neville explored the responsibilities, political arena, decisions, and day to day impact of the title and how it played out with the characters’ fledgling marriage and I was into it. They both have huge shoes to fill, they both make mistakes and say stupid things, but then they both also think about it, feel bad, apologize to each other, try to make the most of things, and muddle through until they eventually find that harmony that smooths over so many rough spots.
This was a satisfying story I inhaled and couldn’t wait to get back to. Imperfect characters, lots of mistakes, but ultimately finding that none of it mattered because they loved each other anyway. Recommended. Can be read as a standalone though Book 2 reveals a lot of these two characters’ history and their families.
February 7, 2017
Minerva Montrose is going to shape England's destiny because reasons. Arthur "Blake" Vanderlin is going to do nothing of the kind because secrets. After a case of mistaken identity leaves to a marriage of necessity, they have to stumble through their shit together.
1. This was...not my favorite.
2. Blake and Min are kind of assholes to one another for just a little too long. At least internally. Like, Minerva is just so derisive of Blake, even though he's doing the best he can and has shown a smattering of intelligence. Ultimately, it left me cold.
3. There's just something about the prose I do not like. It's so...flat. It tells. It gives very little in the way of development. That is to say, these characters truly felt like things created for the text: too much is revealed when it is convenient rather than presented as a facet of the hero/ine. None of it felt organic or thoughtful, rather convenient and dull. And this is a highly personal thing, but it truly took me out of the book and left me very put out.
4. The politics, and subsequently, Minerva's Big Plans. They read rather like a freight engine tearing down on anyone who dared get in their path, which felt extraordinarily selfish to me. Also her supposed drive for reform did not feel rooted in anything tangible: it was an assigned trait to further the plot.
5. I would summarize with: there are better MOC books out there, and better books with Heroes with Secrets, and better books overall.
1. This was...not my favorite.
2. Blake and Min are kind of assholes to one another for just a little too long. At least internally. Like, Minerva is just so derisive of Blake, even though he's doing the best he can and has shown a smattering of intelligence. Ultimately, it left me cold.
3. There's just something about the prose I do not like. It's so...flat. It tells. It gives very little in the way of development. That is to say, these characters truly felt like things created for the text: too much is revealed when it is convenient rather than presented as a facet of the hero/ine. None of it felt organic or thoughtful, rather convenient and dull. And this is a highly personal thing, but it truly took me out of the book and left me very put out.
4. The politics, and subsequently, Minerva's Big Plans. They read rather like a freight engine tearing down on anyone who dared get in their path, which felt extraordinarily selfish to me. Also her supposed drive for reform did not feel rooted in anything tangible: it was an assigned trait to further the plot.
5. I would summarize with: there are better MOC books out there, and better books with Heroes with Secrets, and better books overall.
July 24, 2012
Really, really annoying heroine - her sense of entitlement to her dream of becoming a "great political hostess" was completely over the top. Has anyone, anywhere, met a 19-year-old girl whose dream in life is to be a "political hostess" and power-behind-the-throne??? The villain in the story was not consistently characterized, especially his final evil deed at the end, which was silly and seemed tacked on. However, the hero was terrific and his approach to his problem seemed believable to me, but his final reconciliation with his father did not, considering the father's previous, extremely negative and disparaging attitude towards his son.
May 3, 2013
The first and the last books of this series were the best. In between was okay, but not in the 'really liked it' category. I am overlooking Blake holding onto his 'secret' until the last few pages of this book. If I think about it, the 'secret' was hovering around in the first book and came to a conclusion in the last book. While I sympathize with Blake for holding it close, I think he could have shared it a little bit earlier in this book...at least to his wife. No, I am not going to share the 'secret' or what prompted him to finally reveal it. I will just enjoy the 'happily ever after'. Hope you do, too!
August 15, 2014
I genuinely liked this book. I like all of Miranda Neville's books. Good story, good characters, humor, sweetness ... it's all there. This one didn't get to me like #2 and #3 of the Burgundy Club series, however, it was a very well-written and enjoyable book.
September 24, 2015
LOVED this story about Blake and Miranda which sums up the Burgandy Club I believe. What was most enjoyable was the development of both of their characters. Such a lovely story and may read it again!
August 11, 2021
what a fucking gem
April 20, 2012
A standard Romanceville arranged marriage? Not really.
I love marriage-in-trouble romance stories! And, I've had a hankering for one. Confessions from An Arranged Marriage hit the spot. A lot of the time, this story reminded me of some of the older traditional romances, the ones before Mary Balogh, by such authors as Mira Stable, Rachelle Edwards, Margaret Sebastian, Iona Charles, Freda Michael, and Sandra Heath - only this one had sex in it.
What made me think of older romances was our hero, Blake. He has a mistress you see. So what, you say. A lot of heroes have mistresses. Yes, yes, my dears, but this hero does not drop the mistress as soon as the heroine appears. I find it interesting that in more current romance novels, the hero has been celibate for a year or so when the heroine first steps into his line of vision and he can never think of another woman for the rest of the story. So, it didn't bother me that Blake doesn't dump his mistress right away. In fact, I found it more realistic than the no-sex-in a year routine. And, it was a nice change, added a little bit more tension.
Unlike a lot of the more modern historical romances, you don't necessarily like this couple. Both Minerva and Blake were interesting characters and they both came with some baggage. It was very fascinating watching all that baggage unravel.
Let's start with Minerva. Minerva has political aspirations. Or as much aspirations as a woman of that time period could have. She wants to be the great hostess for her husband. She wants to be the woman behind the great man, maybe even the woman behind the next prime minister. So, she's ambitious and she wants an ambitious man. Now, did it throw me a little that she was only 19? Not really, I think that some women in that time period had influence in the political arena. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire comes to mind, although, she may have been a little older than 19. I also try to remember my 19-year-old political mind and I believe I was pretty involved in the whole process. I was also a little idealistic, just like Minerva's character. So, I bought her political neediness. And, you could also see her immaturity peeping through in her snobbery and inability to accept the flaws of others.
And, let me tell you Blake had a lot of flaws. He is handsome (this is a flaw for Minerva), loved by most women, loves horses, loves to drink...he's an all round ne'er-do-well. He does his bad-boy-rake routine with gusto.
By the way, these two people don't like each other. At. All. And, it's not one of those pretend dislikes, while all the time secretly lusting...no-siree. He thinks she's boring, selfish, and tedious and she thinks he's a womanizing horse-mad idiot. They were made for each other.
Things happen, they are forced to marry, he has a secret, she misunderstands. All those things which happen in other books; however, the way Ms. Neville slowly has this couple solve all their problems was a treat. It wasn't a quick fix, and there were times I wanted to yell "tell her now," but I liked the pacing of Ms. Neville's story and I wouldn't have done it any other way.
When the story was over, these two people love each other and I was pretty sure that their marriage would last. My biggest complaint with the story was the political doo-dah (I have lost my youthful zeal) and the long explanation over what bill was being passed and why. I like Blake, could feel my eyes glazing over. Overall, I would recommend this story. Confessions from an Arranged Marriage takes its time slowly building the romance, and I savored every minute of it.
KaysBlog
I love marriage-in-trouble romance stories! And, I've had a hankering for one. Confessions from An Arranged Marriage hit the spot. A lot of the time, this story reminded me of some of the older traditional romances, the ones before Mary Balogh, by such authors as Mira Stable, Rachelle Edwards, Margaret Sebastian, Iona Charles, Freda Michael, and Sandra Heath - only this one had sex in it.
What made me think of older romances was our hero, Blake. He has a mistress you see. So what, you say. A lot of heroes have mistresses. Yes, yes, my dears, but this hero does not drop the mistress as soon as the heroine appears. I find it interesting that in more current romance novels, the hero has been celibate for a year or so when the heroine first steps into his line of vision and he can never think of another woman for the rest of the story. So, it didn't bother me that Blake doesn't dump his mistress right away. In fact, I found it more realistic than the no-sex-in a year routine. And, it was a nice change, added a little bit more tension.
Unlike a lot of the more modern historical romances, you don't necessarily like this couple. Both Minerva and Blake were interesting characters and they both came with some baggage. It was very fascinating watching all that baggage unravel.
Let's start with Minerva. Minerva has political aspirations. Or as much aspirations as a woman of that time period could have. She wants to be the great hostess for her husband. She wants to be the woman behind the great man, maybe even the woman behind the next prime minister. So, she's ambitious and she wants an ambitious man. Now, did it throw me a little that she was only 19? Not really, I think that some women in that time period had influence in the political arena. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire comes to mind, although, she may have been a little older than 19. I also try to remember my 19-year-old political mind and I believe I was pretty involved in the whole process. I was also a little idealistic, just like Minerva's character. So, I bought her political neediness. And, you could also see her immaturity peeping through in her snobbery and inability to accept the flaws of others.
And, let me tell you Blake had a lot of flaws. He is handsome (this is a flaw for Minerva), loved by most women, loves horses, loves to drink...he's an all round ne'er-do-well. He does his bad-boy-rake routine with gusto.
By the way, these two people don't like each other. At. All. And, it's not one of those pretend dislikes, while all the time secretly lusting...no-siree. He thinks she's boring, selfish, and tedious and she thinks he's a womanizing horse-mad idiot. They were made for each other.
Things happen, they are forced to marry, he has a secret, she misunderstands. All those things which happen in other books; however, the way Ms. Neville slowly has this couple solve all their problems was a treat. It wasn't a quick fix, and there were times I wanted to yell "tell her now," but I liked the pacing of Ms. Neville's story and I wouldn't have done it any other way.
When the story was over, these two people love each other and I was pretty sure that their marriage would last. My biggest complaint with the story was the political doo-dah (I have lost my youthful zeal) and the long explanation over what bill was being passed and why. I like Blake, could feel my eyes glazing over. Overall, I would recommend this story. Confessions from an Arranged Marriage takes its time slowly building the romance, and I savored every minute of it.
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2012
This is the first book I've read by Miranda Neville & I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't usually read series out of order but I saw this recommended to me on Amazon & bought it straight away, not realizing it was the fifth in a series. It's no matter though, the story of Minnie/Blake stands very well on its own.
Minnie is a woman who pines for political power & influence & Blake is born into the very thing but wants nothing to do with any of it. She's a voracious & opinionated reader & he's of the sporty end & prefers to be with his horses. A funny if not cliched turn (her epic migraines are never mentioned again in this book) causes their paths to cross in such a way that marriage is the only choice to avert scandal & that's where the story really takes off. It's quite clear early on that Blake isn't the slacker Minnie (& most others) regards him as. He has a secret that he's been keeping for years & will go to most any length to continue to keep.
It was very easy to feel for Blake as the story unfolded & while I wanted him to fess up to Minnie, I could understand why he was so reticent. Huntley, our resident extortionist, was reason enough to make anyone wary of divulging a secret ever again in life. For Minnie's part, she was very informed & smart in a good many ways but she was just as stunted when it came to reading people or having any clue about why Blake was the way he was. I suppose that could make Minnie seem inconsiderate & put some readers off, but I liked it because it was clear that she too was flawed. It was as though she couldn't conceive of people relating to the world of books & reading in any other way than she did, so watching her grow over the course of the story was interesting. I did feel badly for both of them often as they stumbled along in the story. Also, I was worried when Blake became Hampton because I kept thinking that as he was relying on his secretaries (or anyone other than Amanda) to give him summaries of all things before he signed all things political, he could be signing anything (much like the IOU Huntley had him sign before). His vulnerability made me anxious & I wanted someone, anyone, to tell Minnie before something drastic happened! In the end, that wasn't the drastic event I needed to worry myself over but the one that presented itself was handled well, even if it was a bit predictable.
The romance between Minnie/Blake was very well done & believable & not overwrought & sappy. I appreciated that. It was nice to watch them evolve as people & as a couple & I cheered for them. Their having genuine affection for one another was sweet but I most enjoyed that they had mutual respect & felt protective & supportive of each other. I'm a huge historical fiction fan so I was probably a bit predisposed to enjoy this & I would read others in the series.
Minnie is a woman who pines for political power & influence & Blake is born into the very thing but wants nothing to do with any of it. She's a voracious & opinionated reader & he's of the sporty end & prefers to be with his horses. A funny if not cliched turn (her epic migraines are never mentioned again in this book) causes their paths to cross in such a way that marriage is the only choice to avert scandal & that's where the story really takes off. It's quite clear early on that Blake isn't the slacker Minnie (& most others) regards him as. He has a secret that he's been keeping for years & will go to most any length to continue to keep.
It was very easy to feel for Blake as the story unfolded & while I wanted him to fess up to Minnie, I could understand why he was so reticent. Huntley, our resident extortionist, was reason enough to make anyone wary of divulging a secret ever again in life. For Minnie's part, she was very informed & smart in a good many ways but she was just as stunted when it came to reading people or having any clue about why Blake was the way he was. I suppose that could make Minnie seem inconsiderate & put some readers off, but I liked it because it was clear that she too was flawed. It was as though she couldn't conceive of people relating to the world of books & reading in any other way than she did, so watching her grow over the course of the story was interesting. I did feel badly for both of them often as they stumbled along in the story. Also, I was worried when Blake became Hampton because I kept thinking that as he was relying on his secretaries (or anyone other than Amanda) to give him summaries of all things before he signed all things political, he could be signing anything (much like the IOU Huntley had him sign before). His vulnerability made me anxious & I wanted someone, anyone, to tell Minnie before something drastic happened! In the end, that wasn't the drastic event I needed to worry myself over but the one that presented itself was handled well, even if it was a bit predictable.
The romance between Minnie/Blake was very well done & believable & not overwrought & sappy. I appreciated that. It was nice to watch them evolve as people & as a couple & I cheered for them. Their having genuine affection for one another was sweet but I most enjoyed that they had mutual respect & felt protective & supportive of each other. I'm a huge historical fiction fan so I was probably a bit predisposed to enjoy this & I would read others in the series.
June 23, 2012
(June) Huh - read the whole book - thought something felt familiar - discovered I'd read another in this series (The Amorous Education of Celia Seton). I liked that book ok, definitely enjoyed this one more. (and I don't recall Minerva or Blake in the other book at all - guess I forget more details than I thought!) Other reviews complained about this book being too political - I disagree. I hate politics, would run screaming from a book about historical politics - but while politics definitely play a role here, it did not take over the book. I liked that H/h did not fall in love right away. I felt for both characters, and enjoyed watching them tentatively open up to one another and mature throughout the book (one minor nitpick - I know women back in the olden days matured...faster?... but to have Minerva be soooo politically astute at 19 was just odd to me!).
**Slight Spoiler** I've read several historicals where a character is dyslexic. I find it annoying when with just the right amount of effort they can miraculously be taught to read - and fast enough that they are reading Shakespeare by the end of the book! Here there was no magical fix. And that made sense to me. I used to teach 1st grade and let me tell you, teaching reading is hard for someone trained in it. For someone who has no idea how to do it (other than using the Power of LUUUUUV), with someone who needs unconventional techniques - sorry, don't buy that is it was that common or easy!
**Slight Spoiler** I've read several historicals where a character is dyslexic. I find it annoying when with just the right amount of effort they can miraculously be taught to read - and fast enough that they are reading Shakespeare by the end of the book! Here there was no magical fix. And that made sense to me. I used to teach 1st grade and let me tell you, teaching reading is hard for someone trained in it. For someone who has no idea how to do it (other than using the Power of LUUUUUV), with someone who needs unconventional techniques - sorry, don't buy that is it was that common or easy!
March 1, 2016
The heroine, for someone who reads A LOT, she is stupid, annoying and very much a bitch!
On the other hand, I did found myself liking the hero though.
The hero succeeded in making me feel compassionate for him because of how he felt about his lacking, his many insecurities on how he is going to take future responsibilities and his fear of being rejected or ridiculed for his inability was wonderfully portrayed.
However, the arrogance of the heroine over her own vanity left little to be desired. A scholar is never ignorant but always curious. Miranda (the heroine aka minnie) was anything but for she is very much of a judgmental person.
She didn't care for the hero and very quickly shelved him as a useless and viewed herself as to be better than him and pretty much better than everyone really . And oh ma GAWD!! It was such a dDdDRrRaAaAaGgGgg.
Final verdict, did not see much connection between H/h ,
not much of steaminess (like AT ALL!) and soon.
On the other hand, I did found myself liking the hero though.
The hero succeeded in making me feel compassionate for him because of how he felt about his lacking, his many insecurities on how he is going to take future responsibilities and his fear of being rejected or ridiculed for his inability was wonderfully portrayed.
However, the arrogance of the heroine over her own vanity left little to be desired. A scholar is never ignorant but always curious. Miranda (the heroine aka minnie) was anything but for she is very much of a judgmental person.
She didn't care for the hero and very quickly shelved him as a useless and viewed herself as to be better than him and pretty much better than everyone really . And oh ma GAWD!! It was such a dDdDRrRaAaAaGgGgg.
Final verdict, did not see much connection between H/h ,
not much of steaminess (like AT ALL!) and soon.
March 5, 2017
I felt like reading something a little different, so I took my chances with this one. Miranda Neville clearly did a lot of research for the novel and there was a definite sense of realism in regard to the political context. However, the pacing of the story was slow and the main characters felt inconsistent and bland.
For once, I would like to read a story where the wife or husband isn't perfectly beautiful and love isn't immediately drawn out from hatred and indifference.
For once, I would like to read a story where the wife or husband isn't perfectly beautiful and love isn't immediately drawn out from hatred and indifference.
May 6, 2025
This is the most politically centered romance I have ever read—and it works! Progressive, focused on humanitarian reforms, all about social justice: dare I say a 19th century version of “woke” concerns? Read it for its contemporary parallels, not to mention its steamy Minerva/Blake interactions.
April 29, 2012
Surveying the room, his glance came to rest on her. His lips twisted into a derisive half smile and their eyes met in mutual displeasure. He shoved his back away from the wall and ambled over to her.
"Our dance, I believe, Miss Montrose." He hadn't changed one bit.
Minerva felt a strong desire to slap his arrogant face. "Lord Blakeney," she said with the merest hint of a curtsey. I believe 'our dance' was over half an hour ago."
"This one will do just as well."
Miss Minerva Montrose had a plan and it was a good one. She wanted to be close to a man who would wield political power and be his helpmate. She knew her politics and had hand picked the man she felt would be the best candidate for what she was looking for in a husband and his name was Thomas Parkes. She'd selected him based upon newspaper articles which discussed his "budding" political career. She'd managed to capture his attention and hoped he'd offer for her soon and that they could be wed before the end of the season, but that was before Lord Blakeney ruined everything...
Lord Blakeney was a scoundrel. His parents, the Duke and Duchess of Hampton, had hoped his self imposed two year exile to a country estate had curbed his wild ways and gotten him to grow up. Upon arriving back to London, however, it became clear it hadn't as he seemed to pick up his bad habits where he had left off. Tonight he managed to be late to the opening of the ball his parents were hosting. The Duke and Duchess were presenting Miss Minerva Montrose to the ton for her first season. He and Ms. Montrose were acquainted and shared a mutual aversion for each other. He had no intention of spending any more time than necessary with the "ambitious miss"'. He only wanted to get back to his newly acquired mistress. In a strange twist of fate, of his own making, he changed everything when he accidentally mistook her sleeping form for that of another. When the two were found in a compromising position, he'd ruined her in the eyes of the ton and thereby sealed and intertwined their fates. The two would have to wed.
I truly enjoyed this book. Minerva was such a fun character and I liked her from the very beginning. She was an ambitious woman living in the wrong time. A time when women were not thought to be good for much more than breeding, needlepoint, and looking pretty. Can you even imagine being intellectually equivalent or superior to a man only to have your opinions scoffed at because of your gender? Minerva had hoped to find a loophole to her circumstances by marrying someone who would admire her for her brains and not just her beauty. When scandal forced her to marry a man who looked to be the exact opposite of what she wanted, she thought her hopes and aspirations were dashed.
Lord Blakeney (aka Blake) was thought to be a lazy handsome devil who was undeserving of his future position as a Duke. What nobody, but a select few, knew was that he had a secret. He attempted to hide his reading difficulty by feigning disinterest. In a time when learning disabilities, like dyslexia, were still unknown, he struggled with both reading and writing. He'd always felt a bit of a failure and was embarrassed by it.
At first I really disliked Blake. His resentment of his father's treatment of him for not being able to learn manifested into a rift between the two that seemed insurmountable. His plans for vengeance, which involved Minerva, were unfair. She entered the marriage in good faith and had no clue why he acted the way he did. Luckily, he later redeemed himself in my eyes, and I ended up adoring him. While it took some time, the two slowly began to like each other and then things quickly heated up between the two.
Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I enjoyed all the turmoil and misunderstandings. I liked how the drama that was unfolding was set against the backdrop of a politically charged period in time, a period of reform. The contrasts between Minerva being both vulnerable yet strong and innocent yet wise were fun. The story gives us a lovely glimpse of the woman she'll become and the marriage she and Blake will share. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
"Our dance, I believe, Miss Montrose." He hadn't changed one bit.
Minerva felt a strong desire to slap his arrogant face. "Lord Blakeney," she said with the merest hint of a curtsey. I believe 'our dance' was over half an hour ago."
"This one will do just as well."
Miss Minerva Montrose had a plan and it was a good one. She wanted to be close to a man who would wield political power and be his helpmate. She knew her politics and had hand picked the man she felt would be the best candidate for what she was looking for in a husband and his name was Thomas Parkes. She'd selected him based upon newspaper articles which discussed his "budding" political career. She'd managed to capture his attention and hoped he'd offer for her soon and that they could be wed before the end of the season, but that was before Lord Blakeney ruined everything...
Lord Blakeney was a scoundrel. His parents, the Duke and Duchess of Hampton, had hoped his self imposed two year exile to a country estate had curbed his wild ways and gotten him to grow up. Upon arriving back to London, however, it became clear it hadn't as he seemed to pick up his bad habits where he had left off. Tonight he managed to be late to the opening of the ball his parents were hosting. The Duke and Duchess were presenting Miss Minerva Montrose to the ton for her first season. He and Ms. Montrose were acquainted and shared a mutual aversion for each other. He had no intention of spending any more time than necessary with the "ambitious miss"'. He only wanted to get back to his newly acquired mistress. In a strange twist of fate, of his own making, he changed everything when he accidentally mistook her sleeping form for that of another. When the two were found in a compromising position, he'd ruined her in the eyes of the ton and thereby sealed and intertwined their fates. The two would have to wed.
I truly enjoyed this book. Minerva was such a fun character and I liked her from the very beginning. She was an ambitious woman living in the wrong time. A time when women were not thought to be good for much more than breeding, needlepoint, and looking pretty. Can you even imagine being intellectually equivalent or superior to a man only to have your opinions scoffed at because of your gender? Minerva had hoped to find a loophole to her circumstances by marrying someone who would admire her for her brains and not just her beauty. When scandal forced her to marry a man who looked to be the exact opposite of what she wanted, she thought her hopes and aspirations were dashed.
Lord Blakeney (aka Blake) was thought to be a lazy handsome devil who was undeserving of his future position as a Duke. What nobody, but a select few, knew was that he had a secret. He attempted to hide his reading difficulty by feigning disinterest. In a time when learning disabilities, like dyslexia, were still unknown, he struggled with both reading and writing. He'd always felt a bit of a failure and was embarrassed by it.
At first I really disliked Blake. His resentment of his father's treatment of him for not being able to learn manifested into a rift between the two that seemed insurmountable. His plans for vengeance, which involved Minerva, were unfair. She entered the marriage in good faith and had no clue why he acted the way he did. Luckily, he later redeemed himself in my eyes, and I ended up adoring him. While it took some time, the two slowly began to like each other and then things quickly heated up between the two.
Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I enjoyed all the turmoil and misunderstandings. I liked how the drama that was unfolding was set against the backdrop of a politically charged period in time, a period of reform. The contrasts between Minerva being both vulnerable yet strong and innocent yet wise were fun. The story gives us a lovely glimpse of the woman she'll become and the marriage she and Blake will share. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
July 13, 2014
Well, this book came as a surprise for me. I never expected to like it so much. i think the factor of making this a great read for me was the characters. The plot was simple, there were hardly any drama or twists and it maybe a tad bit predictable. But it was the characters that won me over.
The heroine is sweet and innocent and I love her passion for politics. Knowing this gave me a dimensional view of her. Unlike other heroines, she has substance other than being beautiful. She has flaws, too but it made her more human to me. Her prejudice of the hero, in the first part of the book and her understanding when she found out the truth moved me. This quote is one I would remember forever:
“With great difficulty she’d bitten back her questions about the hold his former schoolmate had over him. Ever since their engagement she’d suspected Blake had a secret. He might be persuaded to tell her if she insisted; she’d always been good at arguing her friends and family into submission. But Blake could be incredibly stubborn. She also learned every day that marriage wasn’t the same as dealing with a recalcitrant brother. She wanted to win her husband’s trust.”
Excerpt From: Neville, Miranda. “Confessions From an Arranged Marriage.” HarperCollins US, 2012-04-01. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.
She wasn't a patient girl, she explained it in the story but she was willing to wait for Blake because she has a great respect for the man; and earning his trust despite already knowing his secret is important to her. Readers know how much Minerva values intelligence. In a time where the term dyslexic is nonexistent and condemn it as stupidity, he would have been considered an idiot. She would have confirmed her prejudice with finding out his secret. However, she didn't. This time she sees Blake in a different light and understands him. She realizes there is more to being smart than just knowing things.
The hero is naive in a way, and too guarded. He hardly trusts anyone that he is dyslexic. He has been afraid of other people knowing because he was betrayed by a friend. This particular person knew about his inability to read and used it as a leverage against him. There are some decisions that would define your life forever, and allowing himself to be blackmailed is one of those. He did not fight back, though having every means to do so as he is a peer of the realm, a duke at that, because at the end of the day his fear is greater than his strength.
His exchange with his father was heart wrenching, and when Blake wasn't able to confide in his father before he died was enough to make me cry. His relationship with his father can be summarized into this:
“Suppose he’d told his father. Suppose he’d explained his inability to master the simple act of reading, instead of taking every measure to disguise it. He knew why he’d never been tempted. As long as he was perceived as lazy rather than brainless he had a chance to one day win his respect. Laziness could be cured; stupidity was forever.”
Excerpt From: Neville, Miranda. “Confessions From an Arranged Marriage.” HarperCollins US, 2012-04-01. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.
I think this book could be divided into two parts in reference to Blake. The first would be his estranged relationship with his father and the second would be him hiding his disability again from his wife. In the first, he deeply regretted not being able to tell his father: in the second showed the growth of his character. He no longer fears the opinions of other as long as his wife thinks highly of him.
The heroine is sweet and innocent and I love her passion for politics. Knowing this gave me a dimensional view of her. Unlike other heroines, she has substance other than being beautiful. She has flaws, too but it made her more human to me. Her prejudice of the hero, in the first part of the book and her understanding when she found out the truth moved me. This quote is one I would remember forever:
“With great difficulty she’d bitten back her questions about the hold his former schoolmate had over him. Ever since their engagement she’d suspected Blake had a secret. He might be persuaded to tell her if she insisted; she’d always been good at arguing her friends and family into submission. But Blake could be incredibly stubborn. She also learned every day that marriage wasn’t the same as dealing with a recalcitrant brother. She wanted to win her husband’s trust.”
Excerpt From: Neville, Miranda. “Confessions From an Arranged Marriage.” HarperCollins US, 2012-04-01. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.
She wasn't a patient girl, she explained it in the story but she was willing to wait for Blake because she has a great respect for the man; and earning his trust despite already knowing his secret is important to her. Readers know how much Minerva values intelligence. In a time where the term dyslexic is nonexistent and condemn it as stupidity, he would have been considered an idiot. She would have confirmed her prejudice with finding out his secret. However, she didn't. This time she sees Blake in a different light and understands him. She realizes there is more to being smart than just knowing things.
The hero is naive in a way, and too guarded. He hardly trusts anyone that he is dyslexic. He has been afraid of other people knowing because he was betrayed by a friend. This particular person knew about his inability to read and used it as a leverage against him. There are some decisions that would define your life forever, and allowing himself to be blackmailed is one of those. He did not fight back, though having every means to do so as he is a peer of the realm, a duke at that, because at the end of the day his fear is greater than his strength.
His exchange with his father was heart wrenching, and when Blake wasn't able to confide in his father before he died was enough to make me cry. His relationship with his father can be summarized into this:
“Suppose he’d told his father. Suppose he’d explained his inability to master the simple act of reading, instead of taking every measure to disguise it. He knew why he’d never been tempted. As long as he was perceived as lazy rather than brainless he had a chance to one day win his respect. Laziness could be cured; stupidity was forever.”
Excerpt From: Neville, Miranda. “Confessions From an Arranged Marriage.” HarperCollins US, 2012-04-01. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.
I think this book could be divided into two parts in reference to Blake. The first would be his estranged relationship with his father and the second would be him hiding his disability again from his wife. In the first, he deeply regretted not being able to tell his father: in the second showed the growth of his character. He no longer fears the opinions of other as long as his wife thinks highly of him.
December 23, 2015
Miranda Neville has become one of my favorite historical romance authors with her sexy and unique Burgundy Club series. I have thoroughly enjoyed her fun twists on romance cliches and how she makes classic plots her own. That being said, I was a little hesitant about Confessions From An Arranged Marriage. The hero, Lord Blakeney, has not been shown in the best light throughout the series especially in his treatment of his cousin in The Dangerous Viscount. In my opinion, it takes a skilled writer to make a reader care about a former villainous character and Neville has shown her talent by accomplishing this with Blakeney.
The story begins at a ball where Lord Blakeney, who has recently returned from a country exile, gets caught in a scandalous situation with Minerva Montrose and offers marriage to save her, and his, reputation. These are two people who could not be more different and are forced into a difficult situation. The rest of the book shows how Blake and Minerva learn to make the best of their marriage and discover surprising things about their new spouse.
In the earlier Burgundy Club books, Lord Blakeney was shown to be an arrogant rake who seemed to care only about his own fortunes regardless of the percussions for other people. But, in this book, readers learn about a deep dark secret that Blakeney (Blake) has kept hidden from his family and society for years which helps explain his early actions. I enjoyed Neville's depiction of Blake and how she revealed the lengths he went to in order to hide the truth. His fear of disappointing his family, his friends, and eventually Minerva weigh heavily on his mind.
Minerva is a young heroine with high political aspirations. Before her marriage to Lord Blakeney, she desired a marriage with a up and coming politician that she could help raise in the upper echelons of that world. Her intelligence and ambition are admirable and make her stand out from the other historical ladies. At times, I found it difficult to warm up to Minerva, but I think much of that is due to her youth and reluctance to accept Blakeney for who he truly is until later in the story.
As I mentioned earlier, Blake and Minerva are in a difficult position with the scandalous start to their marriage, but they both make an effort to make the most of it. They are opposites, but strive to find things in common to discuss. A big part of the love story is understanding each other and through that knowledge finding someone they can't imagine living without.
There was a lot of political talk throughout this book and it was fairly interesting. Neville definitely did her research on the issues that were important at the time. I did find it getting a little long-winded and sympathized with Blakeney when he expressed his waning interest to Minerva and his family.
Miranda Neville continues to take common romance tropes and giving them a fresh twist. She is not afraid to give her characters flaws which makes them relatable to the reader. Confessions From An Arranged Marriage is not your typical historical romance and I highly recommend it to those who are looking for something a little different. I look forward to reading more of her work soon!
See more reviews on my blog.
The story begins at a ball where Lord Blakeney, who has recently returned from a country exile, gets caught in a scandalous situation with Minerva Montrose and offers marriage to save her, and his, reputation. These are two people who could not be more different and are forced into a difficult situation. The rest of the book shows how Blake and Minerva learn to make the best of their marriage and discover surprising things about their new spouse.
In the earlier Burgundy Club books, Lord Blakeney was shown to be an arrogant rake who seemed to care only about his own fortunes regardless of the percussions for other people. But, in this book, readers learn about a deep dark secret that Blakeney (Blake) has kept hidden from his family and society for years which helps explain his early actions. I enjoyed Neville's depiction of Blake and how she revealed the lengths he went to in order to hide the truth. His fear of disappointing his family, his friends, and eventually Minerva weigh heavily on his mind.
Minerva is a young heroine with high political aspirations. Before her marriage to Lord Blakeney, she desired a marriage with a up and coming politician that she could help raise in the upper echelons of that world. Her intelligence and ambition are admirable and make her stand out from the other historical ladies. At times, I found it difficult to warm up to Minerva, but I think much of that is due to her youth and reluctance to accept Blakeney for who he truly is until later in the story.
As I mentioned earlier, Blake and Minerva are in a difficult position with the scandalous start to their marriage, but they both make an effort to make the most of it. They are opposites, but strive to find things in common to discuss. A big part of the love story is understanding each other and through that knowledge finding someone they can't imagine living without.
There was a lot of political talk throughout this book and it was fairly interesting. Neville definitely did her research on the issues that were important at the time. I did find it getting a little long-winded and sympathized with Blakeney when he expressed his waning interest to Minerva and his family.
Miranda Neville continues to take common romance tropes and giving them a fresh twist. She is not afraid to give her characters flaws which makes them relatable to the reader. Confessions From An Arranged Marriage is not your typical historical romance and I highly recommend it to those who are looking for something a little different. I look forward to reading more of her work soon!
See more reviews on my blog.
March 26, 2012
Minerva is different than the regular young miss coming out to the ton. She is beautiful and knows her manners, but instead of frivolity, her interests lie in politics. Her dream is to marry a man with political aspirations and help him effect change. But those hopes were dashed when Lord Blakeney confused her for another woman at a party. As she slept off a migraine in the library, he drunkenly thought she was someone else and put his head up her dress. Of course, that was the moment other people began to walk in the room.
The couple is forced to marry to avoid scandal and neither is happy about it. Blake just wants to live a life free of constraints...a life that includes his sexy and worldly mistress. And though he is next in line to the Dukedom and is devilishly handsome, Minerva can think of nothing but the fact that Blake is notoriously stupid. What the reader learns quickly, is that Blake is not really stupid, but likely dyslexic. He's never been able to read well and cultivated the image of a lazy rake to hide behind. He is terribly ashamed of his shortcomings and he knows that his academic wife would reject him further if she ever knew the truth.
It was very hard for me to like Minerva. Even though she is not wealthy or of high station, she is so very snobby that it's nearly unbearable. She is constantly ruminating about how stupid Blake is and she is completely self-absorbed with her political machinations. Blake was an ok hero, but I never really felt like he got his due. He never really gets over the belief that he is anything more than the brawn in their relationship and that was a shame. It took him a really long time to share his secret --and I don't blame him one bit.
Tying into Minerva's whole reformist yearnings, there is a lot of political weaving in the book. And there is a little blackmail scheme and a dab of danger at the end. But the story really focuses on the mismatched pairing of Blake and Minerva. I can see why she eventually falls for him, but I'm not so sure why he ever falls for her.
This is the fourth book in the Burgandy Club series and it made frequent references to the events of The Dangerous Viscount, which I have not read. Things are explained fairly well, but I was very aware that the books were tied together. This could be read as a standalone, but I feel like it would be better for those who have a history with the series. 3 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
The couple is forced to marry to avoid scandal and neither is happy about it. Blake just wants to live a life free of constraints...a life that includes his sexy and worldly mistress. And though he is next in line to the Dukedom and is devilishly handsome, Minerva can think of nothing but the fact that Blake is notoriously stupid. What the reader learns quickly, is that Blake is not really stupid, but likely dyslexic. He's never been able to read well and cultivated the image of a lazy rake to hide behind. He is terribly ashamed of his shortcomings and he knows that his academic wife would reject him further if she ever knew the truth.
It was very hard for me to like Minerva. Even though she is not wealthy or of high station, she is so very snobby that it's nearly unbearable. She is constantly ruminating about how stupid Blake is and she is completely self-absorbed with her political machinations. Blake was an ok hero, but I never really felt like he got his due. He never really gets over the belief that he is anything more than the brawn in their relationship and that was a shame. It took him a really long time to share his secret --and I don't blame him one bit.
Tying into Minerva's whole reformist yearnings, there is a lot of political weaving in the book. And there is a little blackmail scheme and a dab of danger at the end. But the story really focuses on the mismatched pairing of Blake and Minerva. I can see why she eventually falls for him, but I'm not so sure why he ever falls for her.
This is the fourth book in the Burgandy Club series and it made frequent references to the events of The Dangerous Viscount, which I have not read. Things are explained fairly well, but I was very aware that the books were tied together. This could be read as a standalone, but I feel like it would be better for those who have a history with the series. 3 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
July 3, 2012
Originally posted at PaperbackDolls.com.
In all my years of reading historical romance, I’ve never seen dyslexia addressed in any of them even though it probably existed then. I was surprised to see it surface here, but it was presented in a sympathetic manner making the character even more endearing.
Lord Blakeney (Blake) is cursed with what we now know as dyslexia, but during that particular time in history, he’s simply considered stupid. It’s hurtful to be ridiculed, but for a Duke’s son it’s even more so. How’s he supposed to command respect when people think he’s an idiot? Eventually he learns to read, but it’s a painfully slow process. He manages to get through school by paying a friend to do his homework, which leaves him susceptible to all sorts of nefarious plots.
Minerva is his complete opposite—serious and studious with no learning problems. Her parents encourage her to use her brain and form her own opinions…one of which happens to be that Blake is an idiot. She decides it’s bad enough to marry someone you don’t love, but to be saddled with an idiot is worse. Though she’s well educated, Minerva hasn’t learned much about compassion. Without taking the time to get to know Blake, she treats him like an imbecile and misses no opportunity to insult him. In return, he avoids showing any emotion around her, figuring if he doesn’t reveal weakness, there’s nothing for her to use against him.
After a while, I began to wonder if these two had any chance of making it at all, and I wanted to smack Minerva for being such a snooty, spoiled brat. I must admit, though, she did have some redeeming qualities, and I actually felt a little sorry for her when she thought Blake had a mistress.
When Blake’s father dies unexpectedly, he starts to depend on Minerva to keep the masses at bay long enough for him to mourn and take the reins of his father’s empire. Little by little, they come to realize there’s a spark between them that could flutter into a flame if given a chance. And they almost miss it.
This book had me fussing and fuming at Minerva for being an unfeeling, spoiled prima donna. Blake needed to trust someone, and in order to do so he had to let down his guard, but with her condescending attitude, it almost didn’t happen. It took some time for both of them to show character growth, but by the end of the book, I was a happy camper.
In all my years of reading historical romance, I’ve never seen dyslexia addressed in any of them even though it probably existed then. I was surprised to see it surface here, but it was presented in a sympathetic manner making the character even more endearing.
Lord Blakeney (Blake) is cursed with what we now know as dyslexia, but during that particular time in history, he’s simply considered stupid. It’s hurtful to be ridiculed, but for a Duke’s son it’s even more so. How’s he supposed to command respect when people think he’s an idiot? Eventually he learns to read, but it’s a painfully slow process. He manages to get through school by paying a friend to do his homework, which leaves him susceptible to all sorts of nefarious plots.
Minerva is his complete opposite—serious and studious with no learning problems. Her parents encourage her to use her brain and form her own opinions…one of which happens to be that Blake is an idiot. She decides it’s bad enough to marry someone you don’t love, but to be saddled with an idiot is worse. Though she’s well educated, Minerva hasn’t learned much about compassion. Without taking the time to get to know Blake, she treats him like an imbecile and misses no opportunity to insult him. In return, he avoids showing any emotion around her, figuring if he doesn’t reveal weakness, there’s nothing for her to use against him.
After a while, I began to wonder if these two had any chance of making it at all, and I wanted to smack Minerva for being such a snooty, spoiled brat. I must admit, though, she did have some redeeming qualities, and I actually felt a little sorry for her when she thought Blake had a mistress.
When Blake’s father dies unexpectedly, he starts to depend on Minerva to keep the masses at bay long enough for him to mourn and take the reins of his father’s empire. Little by little, they come to realize there’s a spark between them that could flutter into a flame if given a chance. And they almost miss it.
This book had me fussing and fuming at Minerva for being an unfeeling, spoiled prima donna. Blake needed to trust someone, and in order to do so he had to let down his guard, but with her condescending attitude, it almost didn’t happen. It took some time for both of them to show character growth, but by the end of the book, I was a happy camper.
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