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Sinful Suitors #1
The Art of Sinning
American artist Jeremy Keane refuses to return home and take over his father’s business. He’d much rather sample bevvies of beauties abroad, in search of a model for the provocative masterpiece he’s driven to paint. When he meets Lady Yvette Barlow at a London wedding, he realizes she’s perfect for his work—and determines to capture the young heiress’s defiant spirit and breathtaking sensuality on canvas.
No stranger to scandal, Yvette agrees to be Keane’s subject—in exchange for his help gaining entry to the city’s brothels he knows intimately, so she can track a missing woman and solve a family mystery. But when their practical partnership leads to lessons in the art of sinning, can they find a bold and lasting love?
No stranger to scandal, Yvette agrees to be Keane’s subject—in exchange for his help gaining entry to the city’s brothels he knows intimately, so she can track a missing woman and solve a family mystery. But when their practical partnership leads to lessons in the art of sinning, can they find a bold and lasting love?
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First published July 21, 2015
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About the author
Sabrina Jeffries
86 books4,795 followersSabrina Jeffries is the NYT bestselling author of over 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent writing in a coffee-fueled haze of dreams and madness is spent traveling with her husband and adult autistic son or indulging in one of her passions—jigsaw puzzles, chocolate, and music. With over 11 million books published in print and electronically in 25 different languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction, and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world.
She always dreams big.
She always dreams big.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 440 reviews
October 24, 2016
“I’m no goddess,” she said, even as she exulted in his flatteries. “I’m a woman, with earthly needs and wants, not a creature of fantasy.”
“How well I know. Because I’m a man with earthly needs and wants, all of which have been centered around you for days now. You have no idea how desperately I desire you.”
This is my second historical romance by Sabrina Jeffries and like the first book, it was without a doubt 5 ++ stars. I'm suddenly realizing that Jeffries is an automatic buy author for me, her books are the perfect blend of sensuous romance, emotional angst and superb writing. Once I started this book, I found myself immersed in the story. I'll be honest and tell you that I prefer titled regency heroes, I have a soft spot for earls, marquess and barons but I'm mostly fond of Dukes. So imagine my surprise when I immediately fell for a plain old American heir, an artist at that! Artists have a bad reputation in historical romance.
Jeffries once again gives the reader an emotional story with unconventional characters. Yvette is on her way to being on the shelf, her unfashionable exotic looks bring the wrong sort of attention. If it isn't fortune hunters, then its rakes and rogues who take an interest in her. So understandably she resigns herself to never marrying. Jeremy is an infamous rake, who regularly visits the nunneries according to the ton. Jeremy is running from the demons in his past, estranged from his family in America he's a lone soul until Yvette starts making him remember what it is to be close to another person.
Both characters are not what they seem, both have been prematurely judged by society. I think that's probably why they were so drawn to one another. I loved how uncomplicated the plot was, yes there was mystery and intrigue but Jeffries doesn't overwhelm the reader with event after event leaving my head spinning. Like I said, I just sink into her stories.
This is perfect for readers who enjoy sumptuous romance and very emotional angst!
“You taste like sin, my Juno,” he murmured against her.”
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May 20, 2015
4 can't wait for the rest of the series stars
What a wonderful start for a promising new series!
I loved many aspects about this read, but most of all the main characters were great to read about.
Jeremy, the hero, is an American artist in London, trying to find a new muse for a new piece. He is immediately drawn to Yvette, a nearly-on-the-shelf debutante and is determined to make her portrait.
Yvette agrees, but in exchange for her being his inspiration, Jeremy has to help her explore the dirty and gritty sides of London.
It's pretty clear that the term boring doesn't apply to the plot, and it is indeed fast-paced and has an interesting mystery going. But Jeremy and Yvette aren't boring, either, no. They have quite a chemistry going and at first try to hide it through their funny and refreshing banter. But they also feel very real and both have issues that a looked into while reading further.
I also liked Yvette's brother and Jeremy's sister quite a lot, and I'm really curious about who will be paired up next, seeing that there's no info about that yet.
Expect Sabrina Jeffries as we know and love her, with her well-known action-filled plots and witty and charming characters.
ARC via NetGalley
What a wonderful start for a promising new series!
I loved many aspects about this read, but most of all the main characters were great to read about.
Jeremy, the hero, is an American artist in London, trying to find a new muse for a new piece. He is immediately drawn to Yvette, a nearly-on-the-shelf debutante and is determined to make her portrait.
Yvette agrees, but in exchange for her being his inspiration, Jeremy has to help her explore the dirty and gritty sides of London.
It's pretty clear that the term boring doesn't apply to the plot, and it is indeed fast-paced and has an interesting mystery going. But Jeremy and Yvette aren't boring, either, no. They have quite a chemistry going and at first try to hide it through their funny and refreshing banter. But they also feel very real and both have issues that a looked into while reading further.
I also liked Yvette's brother and Jeremy's sister quite a lot, and I'm really curious about who will be paired up next, seeing that there's no info about that yet.
Expect Sabrina Jeffries as we know and love her, with her well-known action-filled plots and witty and charming characters.
ARC via NetGalley
February 9, 2018
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4, because the narrator was good. Interesting plot and some repeat characters from the previous series. I thought the h&h well matched, and the writing was well paced.
January 16, 2016
Summary
Jeremy Keane, is an american artist, and is looking to get his name well-known. At a ball, he sees a woman who is so different from the other debutantes, she is high-spirited and full of passion and he is drawn to her, he needs to paint her. Yvette knows scandal, her family has lived and survived it, but she is desperate to get into a brothel and find her nephew. So she comes to an agreement with Jeremy, she will be his model for his artwork, if he will take her to a brothel in Covent Gardens so she can find a small boy who is innocent. Jeremy escaped America to travel abroad, and now resides in England. He refuses to open himself up to real feeling again, because it almost destroyed him the first time.Now he is faced with a woman who is so much more than he realized. She may be a model, but she has high opinions and she goes after what she wants. But soon Jeremy and Yvette will be drawn into a game of sensuality, but which one will win..
The Hero
Jeremy, grew up in America, and was always expected to take over his fathers mill buisiness, there was just one problem...his art. He loves his paints and had a passion for doing art, and he refused to give it up. But his father was determined to win him over to his way of thinking, but Jeremy found himself caught up in a situation that almost broke him body and soul. He loved his mother and sister and even his father, but he couldn't stay in America. He traveled across Europe paining sensual pieces and making a name for himself. He is content in England, but he has yet to find that one model that could win him the prestige that he needs. Jeremy is quite a charming hero, he is much deeper than he appears on the surface and many people on see what he allows them to see. I love how roguish he can be, and many other times he has honor and stands on it. But boy does he have an American attitude that I just loved seeing, especially interaction with the Brits.
The Heroine
Yvette was almost ruined by scandal years ago. She stands on her own, is intelligent and to many she is known as a "bluestocking". She isn't ashamed of who she is but has yet to find a real win worthy suitor that she could come to care for and share her life with. Yvette isn't afraid of scandal, even if she almost made a huge mistake years ago. But her brother saved her from a awful position that she was put in. Ever since she doesn't trust men or their intentions. When she hears that one of her foolish brothers, Samuel has a illegitimate son who is living in a brothel she decides she must take action to find him, even if it means that she will have to agree to a scandalous agreement with a rogue, a rogue she can seem to resist. Yvette is strong and cunning, I loved her intelligence and her caring nature. She is quick-witted and can battle any man with her words.
Plot and StoryLine
The Art Of Sinning was a captivating romance that had me from the beginning. I love what Sabrina Jeffries is doing with this new series, and including an artist as one of her main characters...genius. This is a warm and slow burning romance, we see build up of tension between Jeremy and Yvette, from the beginning they have some sparks but they don't act on it for some time except through battling away with words and quick responses. It was quite interesting seeing how these two finally come together and having to face their pasts. We see beneath the surface of Jeremy and Yvette. We see a little mystery get solved and boy this one brother Samuel he is quite awful when he learn the true extent of what he has done to Yvette. But her other brother...well it should be fun to see him in the next book. *wink*. I think what was most charming about The Art Of Sinning was the bantering between Jeremy and Yvette. They build a bond to each other, its more like friendship but more than that, they like each other but don't act on what they feel. They just go with the flow and try to remain in control. I couldn't help but admire the way this story evolved, and the focus is the emotional bridges these two form with each other and how they help each other overcome their pasts and embrace a future together. A Warm and gentle romance that has me eager for the second book.
The Cover
I love the simplicity of this cover. I love the embrace, and the smirk on the male model's face...so Jeremy Keane.
Overall View
The Art Of Sinning is an enchanting love story that is sweet and fun, with enough emotional connection to keep you satisfied...simply wonderful!!
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
April 12, 2022
This was my first Sabrina Jeffries and I really enjoyed it.
Artist hero and a spinster heroine. He paints her portrait and she demands he help her with a favor. The more time they spend together, the more sparks fly.
The hero has some ghosts in his past that keep him from loving her and she is determined to get it out of him.
It was a great time with some triggers in the past. But great hope for the future.
4.5 Stars
2.5 on the spice scale
Artist hero and a spinster heroine. He paints her portrait and she demands he help her with a favor. The more time they spend together, the more sparks fly.
The hero has some ghosts in his past that keep him from loving her and she is determined to get it out of him.
It was a great time with some triggers in the past. But great hope for the future.
4.5 Stars
2.5 on the spice scale
September 16, 2016
I've given this a B at AAR.
The Art of Sinning is the first book in a new series from Ms Jeffries, and is related to her previous The Duke's Men books. In How the Scoundrel Seduces, we met Jeremy Keane, an American artist and businessman who, even though he was the rightful heir to an earldom, wanted nothing to do with the title and was happy to relinquish those rights to his cousin, Lady Zoe. Like the books in the previous series, this one has a strong mystery element running through it, but it is less prominent than before. That doesn’t mean it’s uninteresting, just that it’s lower key and allows the romance more space to develop as a result.
Jeremy is a successful artist, having gained a name for himself with his grand depictions of historical and mythological paintings, but who has since eschewed that kind of art in favour of what he describes as the “raw drama of real life”. Even though he turned his back on an earldom, he is nonetheless a wealthy man, his family having made a large fortune in the textile manufacturing business. But despite repeated pleas from his mother and sister to return home to help them manage it, Jeremy has no intention of doing so, and actually wants to sign over his half of the business to his sister.
At the ball to celebrate the marriage of Dominck Manton, Viscount Rathmoor and Jane Vernon (When the Viscount Falls.), Jeremy catches sight of a Junoesque beauty and is immediately seized with the desire to paint her. He thinks she would make the perfect model for his next project, although when he discovers that she is Lady Yvette Barlow, sister to the Earl of Blakeborough, he realises his chances of using her as a model for his next work – an allegory depicting everyday struggles and violence - are nil.
In conversation with Blakeborough, Jeremy discovers that the earl is rather worried about his sister's marriage prospects. She is twenty-three, has a mind of her own and isn't afraid of using it, and wouldn't make the demure, biddable wife most men of the ton seem to want. She’s also tall, red-haired and built along athletic lines, which doesn’t at all fit with the current vogue for petite blondes. Jeremy privately thinks the men of the ton must be a bunch of blind idiots not to appreciate her, and is commiserating with her brother when the earl suggests that he commission Jeremy to paint her portrait. After all, a portrait showing Yvette to her best advantage painted by a famous artist can't help but improve her prospects. Jeremy is reluctant, but when Blakeborough continues to insist, he realises that he might, with Lady Yvette's co-operation, be able to turn the situation to his advantage.
Taking the opportunity to speak to her afforded by a waltz, Jeremy tells Yvette of her brother's request and then asks if she would consider sitting for his other project in secret. Yvette agrees, but on one condition. She has a private situation to investigate which requires her to track down a woman she believes is currently employed at a Covent Garden brothel. Jeremy's reputation for spending a lot of time with ladies of the night is well known, so he should easily be able to sneak Yvette into the establishment in question.
Naturally, Jeremy is appalled at the idea of taking a well-bred young woman to such a place, but those are her terms. No brothel, no modelling. Reluctantly, Jeremy agrees, and the bargain is struck.
Jeremy is a sexy and slightly unconventional hero and both he and Yvette are well-drawn characters who are struggling to come to terms with events in their pasts. Jeremy’s English family has no idea that he is actually a widower, and that the loss of his wife and child is one of the chief reasons he has no wish to return to America. He projects the image of a devil-may-care scoundrel, choosing not to correct the widespread assumptions made about his frequent visits to London’s brothels – but deep down, is a decent man who wants to do the right thing while also being convinced that he is not cut out for romantic love. Yvette is intelligent, witty and forthright, but had a bad experience some years previously when the man she thought loved her tried to blackmail her into marriage. She has always been conscious that her looks don’t fit the currently fashionable ideal and is worried that men are only interested in her money, so she is an interesting mix of vulnerability and confidence.
The secret sittings afford Jeremy and Yvette plenty of time to actually talk and get to know each other before things heat up between them, although there is plenty of humorous and sexually-charged banter going on right from their first meeting. I also enjoyed the relationship that develops between Jeremy and Blakeborough, which moves from an initial wariness to what looks set to become a deep and firm friendship between two men who, by their own admissions, have tended to be loners. The relationship between Yvette and her brother is also very well done; they care deeply for each other, but there are barriers between them which neither has quite understood how to cross; and I liked the way their relationship is written and how they are eventually brought closer together.
The secondary characters are strongly drawn, with Blakeborough having the makings of an interesting and attractive hero for a future book. There’s a twist – of sorts – near the end that I didn’t see coming and rather liked, and I enjoyed the story overall, despite a few niggles. One of those is that there is an incredible amount of repetition of two particular phrases. I read this on my Kindle, so I was able to count them: Jeremy says or thinks “Thunderation” eighteen times, and Yvette says or thinks “Heavenly Day” seventeen times.
If “Thunderation” was meant to be Jeremy’s favoured swear-word, I’d much rather he’d said “bollocks”, or “bloody hell”, or whatever more normally used phrases would have fit, because “Thunderation” just makes him sound like a twit. And as for “Heavenly Day”… this from a woman who is compiling a dictionary of cant terms. I’m sure that Yvette could have come up with far more creative phrases. I’m also a little weary of the hero who, for some reason, believes he is not capable of love. Jeremy certainly has his reasons for being cautious, but I didn’t quite follow the thought processes that took him from “I married my wife because she was pregnant, but I didn’t love her", to "because I didn't love her it must mean I can’t love anyone.”
Other than those things, however, The Art of Sinning is a promising start to this new series from Ms Jeffries and I'm interested enough in the future potential pairings glimpsed here to want to read more.
The Art of Sinning is the first book in a new series from Ms Jeffries, and is related to her previous The Duke's Men books. In How the Scoundrel Seduces, we met Jeremy Keane, an American artist and businessman who, even though he was the rightful heir to an earldom, wanted nothing to do with the title and was happy to relinquish those rights to his cousin, Lady Zoe. Like the books in the previous series, this one has a strong mystery element running through it, but it is less prominent than before. That doesn’t mean it’s uninteresting, just that it’s lower key and allows the romance more space to develop as a result.
Jeremy is a successful artist, having gained a name for himself with his grand depictions of historical and mythological paintings, but who has since eschewed that kind of art in favour of what he describes as the “raw drama of real life”. Even though he turned his back on an earldom, he is nonetheless a wealthy man, his family having made a large fortune in the textile manufacturing business. But despite repeated pleas from his mother and sister to return home to help them manage it, Jeremy has no intention of doing so, and actually wants to sign over his half of the business to his sister.
At the ball to celebrate the marriage of Dominck Manton, Viscount Rathmoor and Jane Vernon (When the Viscount Falls.), Jeremy catches sight of a Junoesque beauty and is immediately seized with the desire to paint her. He thinks she would make the perfect model for his next project, although when he discovers that she is Lady Yvette Barlow, sister to the Earl of Blakeborough, he realises his chances of using her as a model for his next work – an allegory depicting everyday struggles and violence - are nil.
In conversation with Blakeborough, Jeremy discovers that the earl is rather worried about his sister's marriage prospects. She is twenty-three, has a mind of her own and isn't afraid of using it, and wouldn't make the demure, biddable wife most men of the ton seem to want. She’s also tall, red-haired and built along athletic lines, which doesn’t at all fit with the current vogue for petite blondes. Jeremy privately thinks the men of the ton must be a bunch of blind idiots not to appreciate her, and is commiserating with her brother when the earl suggests that he commission Jeremy to paint her portrait. After all, a portrait showing Yvette to her best advantage painted by a famous artist can't help but improve her prospects. Jeremy is reluctant, but when Blakeborough continues to insist, he realises that he might, with Lady Yvette's co-operation, be able to turn the situation to his advantage.
Taking the opportunity to speak to her afforded by a waltz, Jeremy tells Yvette of her brother's request and then asks if she would consider sitting for his other project in secret. Yvette agrees, but on one condition. She has a private situation to investigate which requires her to track down a woman she believes is currently employed at a Covent Garden brothel. Jeremy's reputation for spending a lot of time with ladies of the night is well known, so he should easily be able to sneak Yvette into the establishment in question.
Naturally, Jeremy is appalled at the idea of taking a well-bred young woman to such a place, but those are her terms. No brothel, no modelling. Reluctantly, Jeremy agrees, and the bargain is struck.
Jeremy is a sexy and slightly unconventional hero and both he and Yvette are well-drawn characters who are struggling to come to terms with events in their pasts. Jeremy’s English family has no idea that he is actually a widower, and that the loss of his wife and child is one of the chief reasons he has no wish to return to America. He projects the image of a devil-may-care scoundrel, choosing not to correct the widespread assumptions made about his frequent visits to London’s brothels – but deep down, is a decent man who wants to do the right thing while also being convinced that he is not cut out for romantic love. Yvette is intelligent, witty and forthright, but had a bad experience some years previously when the man she thought loved her tried to blackmail her into marriage. She has always been conscious that her looks don’t fit the currently fashionable ideal and is worried that men are only interested in her money, so she is an interesting mix of vulnerability and confidence.
The secret sittings afford Jeremy and Yvette plenty of time to actually talk and get to know each other before things heat up between them, although there is plenty of humorous and sexually-charged banter going on right from their first meeting. I also enjoyed the relationship that develops between Jeremy and Blakeborough, which moves from an initial wariness to what looks set to become a deep and firm friendship between two men who, by their own admissions, have tended to be loners. The relationship between Yvette and her brother is also very well done; they care deeply for each other, but there are barriers between them which neither has quite understood how to cross; and I liked the way their relationship is written and how they are eventually brought closer together.
The secondary characters are strongly drawn, with Blakeborough having the makings of an interesting and attractive hero for a future book. There’s a twist – of sorts – near the end that I didn’t see coming and rather liked, and I enjoyed the story overall, despite a few niggles. One of those is that there is an incredible amount of repetition of two particular phrases. I read this on my Kindle, so I was able to count them: Jeremy says or thinks “Thunderation” eighteen times, and Yvette says or thinks “Heavenly Day” seventeen times.
If “Thunderation” was meant to be Jeremy’s favoured swear-word, I’d much rather he’d said “bollocks”, or “bloody hell”, or whatever more normally used phrases would have fit, because “Thunderation” just makes him sound like a twit. And as for “Heavenly Day”… this from a woman who is compiling a dictionary of cant terms. I’m sure that Yvette could have come up with far more creative phrases. I’m also a little weary of the hero who, for some reason, believes he is not capable of love. Jeremy certainly has his reasons for being cautious, but I didn’t quite follow the thought processes that took him from “I married my wife because she was pregnant, but I didn’t love her", to "because I didn't love her it must mean I can’t love anyone.”
Other than those things, however, The Art of Sinning is a promising start to this new series from Ms Jeffries and I'm interested enough in the future potential pairings glimpsed here to want to read more.
December 20, 2024
Jeremy Keane does art and wants to do an art of Lady Yvette Barlow. When he approaches her about posing for his obvious masterpiece, she negotiates entry into a brothel in order to attempt to find her brother Samuel's former mistress and son. Meanwhile, doing an art results in Intense Eye Contact, Emotional Resonance, and Feelings of Lust.
1. I don't always vibe with Jeffries books, but this one worked for me! I haven't read any of the preceding series (that I'm aware of), so the beginning was a little confusing as the story opens with some lingering ~drama from that quarter but it was relatively minor confusion. And for whatever reason: this time the notes landed in a way that was pleasing to mine ear.
(Today's a weird day: I acknowledge it.)
2. (A tangent: I don't like the cover of this book. There's something unsettling about the eye contact that just doesn't resonate with me as a reader, like the connection isn't between the heroine and hero but rather (in this case) the hero and audience? And...IDK. Not my thing, but also not really relevant to the actual text inside the book. But These Are My Thoughts; look upon them and join me with the struggle.)
3. I don't have much to say about either Jeremy or Yvette individually: they both have their histories and requisite painful secrets that threaten their happiness...forever—but Jeffries isn't too heavy handed with them, and there is a nice sense of progress as Jeremy and Yvette actually start talking to one another about things. It's not all smooth sailing—Jeremy, for example, has his apprentice do some digging with the servants to get preliminary information—but once they start talking it establishes a candor and partnership between the two that makes sense and is believable.
(I especially like how they both have moments of showing up to conversations about their relationship armed with information relevant to the meetings as provided by the other half of the relationship. Like, Jeremy's conversation with Edwin about the douche-bro who attempted to blackmail Yvette: he knows all about it, and engages Edwin from a place of confidence and carefulness, both because he already knows and because he wants to protect Yvette in case Edwin doesn't know. It's nice!)
4. The "revelation" of Jeremy's unanswered grief related to his first wife was a tad overdone, I will admit. There's almost enough in the text to justify it, but ultimately it was semi-sour note in an otherwise solid romance.
5. The brothel thread was pretty weak, too: the rest of the romance is about conversations and understanding and acknowledging the tension between them, and then the plot about having to visit Covent Gardens bawdy houses to try and discover Yvette's brother's misplaced lady-friend was...melodramatic in a way that didn't quite work? But because they find all the information they need at the first brothel they visit (....of course) and Jeremy uses his ~connections to get answers off page... it's minor. Still there, still side-eying, but: minor.
5.5 Oh yeah, Jeremy's leverage over his connections was such a weird thing that clearly requires more context from other books? And the fact that it's left as an outstanding question between Jeremy and Yvette was Also a Choice, but I choose grace due to the fact that it's clearly an artifact from the previous series and not some nonsense generated specifically for this book.
6. At first I thought the use of the street cant was going to be obnoxious (and for a bit there, it was!) but it settled out nicely into occasional references vs. in-your-face usage.
7. A solid romance that I enjoyed. I'm going with 3.5 stars, rounding down because it made me not want to read the series previous to this because of the nonsense.
1. I don't always vibe with Jeffries books, but this one worked for me! I haven't read any of the preceding series (that I'm aware of), so the beginning was a little confusing as the story opens with some lingering ~drama from that quarter but it was relatively minor confusion. And for whatever reason: this time the notes landed in a way that was pleasing to mine ear.
(Today's a weird day: I acknowledge it.)
2. (A tangent: I don't like the cover of this book. There's something unsettling about the eye contact that just doesn't resonate with me as a reader, like the connection isn't between the heroine and hero but rather (in this case) the hero and audience? And...IDK. Not my thing, but also not really relevant to the actual text inside the book. But These Are My Thoughts; look upon them and join me with the struggle.)
3. I don't have much to say about either Jeremy or Yvette individually: they both have their histories and requisite painful secrets that threaten their happiness...forever—but Jeffries isn't too heavy handed with them, and there is a nice sense of progress as Jeremy and Yvette actually start talking to one another about things. It's not all smooth sailing—Jeremy, for example, has his apprentice do some digging with the servants to get preliminary information—but once they start talking it establishes a candor and partnership between the two that makes sense and is believable.
(I especially like how they both have moments of showing up to conversations about their relationship armed with information relevant to the meetings as provided by the other half of the relationship. Like, Jeremy's conversation with Edwin about the douche-bro who attempted to blackmail Yvette: he knows all about it, and engages Edwin from a place of confidence and carefulness, both because he already knows and because he wants to protect Yvette in case Edwin doesn't know. It's nice!)
4. The "revelation" of Jeremy's unanswered grief related to his first wife was a tad overdone, I will admit. There's almost enough in the text to justify it, but ultimately it was semi-sour note in an otherwise solid romance.
5. The brothel thread was pretty weak, too: the rest of the romance is about conversations and understanding and acknowledging the tension between them, and then the plot about having to visit Covent Gardens bawdy houses to try and discover Yvette's brother's misplaced lady-friend was...melodramatic in a way that didn't quite work? But because they find all the information they need at the first brothel they visit (....of course) and Jeremy uses his ~connections to get answers off page... it's minor. Still there, still side-eying, but: minor.
5.5 Oh yeah, Jeremy's leverage over his connections was such a weird thing that clearly requires more context from other books? And the fact that it's left as an outstanding question between Jeremy and Yvette was Also a Choice, but I choose grace due to the fact that it's clearly an artifact from the previous series and not some nonsense generated specifically for this book.
6. At first I thought the use of the street cant was going to be obnoxious (and for a bit there, it was!) but it settled out nicely into occasional references vs. in-your-face usage.
7. A solid romance that I enjoyed. I'm going with 3.5 stars, rounding down because it made me not want to read the series previous to this because of the nonsense.
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August 3, 2015
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book... for more, visit Punya Reviews...
I’m heartbroken and disappointed over the latest Sabrina Jeffies book, the first in a new series called The Sinful Suitors, The Art of Sinning. I dived in, thinking I’ll have a good time nonetheless as I do with any SJ book. Unfortunately, that was not the case. This simply turned out to be... boring.
When I read about The Sinful Suitors, I wasn’t surprised to find that it’s connected to The Duke’s Men. Most of SJ’s series are interlinked thru characters; secondary characters of one series having their own books in a new one. I’d recommend you read both Hellions of the Hallstead Hall and The Duke’s Men series, though The Sinful Suitors doesn’t connect with the former directly at all. There maybe the mention of a character of her older series here and there, but you’d recognize them only if you’ve read the series. It won’t be hindering your enjoyment.
The Art of Sinning starts with Jeremy Keane, a famous American artist new to England in hopes to garner the same name he has had in other countries. He was introduced in book 3 of The Duke’s Men, How the Scoundrel Seduces, as the h Zoe’s distant cousin, also the living male heir to her father’s legacy seeing Zoe was the only child. Lord Olivier wanted Zoe to marry Jeremy in hopes to unite the two brunches, also to keep whatever is theirs in the family. However, some vital things were unraveled regarding Zoe’s birth, which led her to meet Tristan Bonnaud, an investigator of The Duke’s Men, a PI company.
Well, after that Jeremy knew Zoe isn’t going to be his. Not that he was attracted to her in that way. Actually, though they liked each-other, Zoe and Jeremy had no visible attraction. Jeremy wasn’t interested in the money and property either since he’s rich on his own. Not only he comes from a very financially prosperous family, but also he had his own earnings, and a reputation build on his artwork; Good or bad, that’s debatable though. Jeremy was known as a womanizer, and soon London was abuzz with the gossip of him frequenting brothels every day. That was also another reason why Zoe had doubts about him. Jeremy seemed like a nice guy (minus the rakish reputation), even with a bit of a don’t-give-a-damn attitude but I didn’t think him important enough to have his own book.
Jeremy is also superbly good-looking; blonde with blue eyes so no one doubted his rakish reputation. Everybody knew he was trying to make a mark here in London but he had another reason to escape America. He hasn’t been back to his own country for more than 10 yrs. now, travelling all around the world. His father has passed on, leaving their mills and other business ventures to his slightly younger sister, Amelia. Jeremy was supposed to be running it all but of course he had no interest beyond his own venture in Art. I can understand that; my mother being an artist/painter... they live in their own world, it’s true. LOL
When the story opens up, Jeremy has been attending Jane and Dom’s wedding (story in The Duke’s Men #4, If the Viscount Falls). He also meets up with Zoe and Tristan, now happily married, all the while trying to escape Zoe’s very unsubtle matchmaking. Jeremy’s head is filled with an idea of a new artwork, which may just be his biggest masterpiece yet. It’s something to do with Art being sacrificed to Commerce. Marriage is definitely not on his forethought. Jeremy is looking for the perfect model for his ‘Art’. He had no luck with his ‘usual ventures’ to find that model and was quite frustrated over it....... but then, Yvette Barlow walks into the room and Jeremy had eyes for no one else but her.
Yvette was a completely new character. She’s the sister of Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough, who was also Jane’s ex-fiancé. Edwin is broody, a way too serious man who likes to keep to himself. Sarcasm is always lost on him. But he loves his sister. It pains him to see how his younger brother, the rogue the bunch, Samuel turned out to be (story also in book 4) but there’s no saving him. He was a gone case way before this latest mess with Jane’s cousin; the elopement-turned-abduction that had seen Samuel to the gaol. Yvette also loves her brothers, hoping that she could somehow save Samuel from the misery of his own making. Recently he came to her with a letter that contains the news of another by blow with a former actress who maybe now living in a brothel. He had asked for Yvette’s help in posting the letter so that his son can be helped. But Yvette won’t just stand back and watch when her nephew maybe suffering for the lack of a better life. Since Edwin refuses to help, she’d taken it on herself to help Samuel and her unseen nephew.
When Jeremy notices Yvette, he promptly makes inquiry. Not a big problem as he was already on the way to becoming chummy with Edwin, who informs him that it’s his sister he’s eyeing (... so back off Keane! kinda thing). When he refuses to let her become Jeremy’s model, he somehow manages to strike a bargain of sort. I thought it was… childish. You see, both Amanda and Yvette are in their, shall we say, spinsterhood. Even though Yvette is tall and beautiful, she was burned by love once and has not had the courage to trust another man. Edwin was worried about her, wanting to see her settled. And Jeremy wanted Amanda married so she’d leave off her infernal nagging for him to return home. It didn’t help that she and their mother are already on their way to England, so Jeremy also wanted Amanda married and settled. So this is what Edwin and Jeremy came up with; they’d help see each-other’s sisters settled. For that Jeremy would paint a portrait of Yvette, er, to help the cause even though he doesn’t do portraits at all. In turn, Edwin would see that Amanda is also settled. What Edwin didn’t know is that Jeremy was planning to find a way to convince Yvette to become his Art. Won’t be a big deal for him since he’d be living in their estate, Stoke Towers, for the time being. All Jeremy has to do is to light up his charm in a way that she can’t even think of saying ‘no’.
But Yvette was not a demure or shy lady. She was vocal, stubborn and would actively pursue if something interests her. Apart from the fact she found Mr. Keane sinfully handsome, Yvette thought he’s the correct person to help her with finding her nephew. She was looking for someone who knew, er, brothels well and would be discrete about the whole thing as Edwin can’t know about her ‘adventure’ (or misadventure, however you see it). When Jeremy offers her that deal about being the model for his masterpiece, Yvette also drives a hard bargain. She’d do it only if Jeremy helps her locating her nephew.
Edwin remains in the dark about their bargain when Jeremy comes to Stoke Towers to paint Yvette. He was already drowned in lust, very much attracted to her, knowing this won’t do any good since Edwin wouldn’t approve of the match. Moreover, he himself wasn’t amenable to another marriage... which is when we learn that Jeremy was married once for a short time a long ago. It was obvious that his wife and a baby boy she’d borne had died; probably the reason why Jeremy didn’t return to America, to escape the painful memory of their death. We still don’t know what happened that made him so haunted but he remains adamant of never marrying again. I assumed the wife died in childbirth as a few times Jeremy thought about Yvette with his child, then shoving the idea away, shuddering. He’s determined to ignore his feelings and keep Lady Yvette as far away from him as possible.
But easier said than done, mainly because the lady in question is as nosy as they come. I absolutely didn’t like Yvette’s nosiness in things that weren’t her business and the way she began poking and prodding Jeremy to divulge his past, the reasons why he doesn’t return to his country etc. etc. I mean, they were virtual strangers who just met. How can she expect him to divulge his private matters to her, just like that? She keeps questioning him on their sessions, with few direct answers in return yet evade Jeremy’s question about her own problems. When that failed and the secret sittings after midnight (for that masterpiece) turned to kissing and groping, she begins daydreaming about marrying him. Jeremy would push her away, then they’d go about it again... then she’d bring up marriage and he’d close up. Pretty much this is what happened in the first 50%. Needless to say, I got tired of this at one point.
In between, as promised, Jeremy makes certain that Yvette gets to visit a brothel in Covent Garden. She doesn’t confide much yet expects Jeremy’s full co-operation, which is another dumb move IMO. Jeremy had to coax her to come forward with more info, even then she holds back the important parts. I mean I can’t blame him. He needed to know what he’s dealing with, right? It’s when they visit the brothel is when things begins unraveling about this matter. For one, Yvette learns that Jeremy is hardly the whoremonger people here think of him; that he only uses the prostitutes as his models. Oh he’s no saint but he doesn’t shag anything and everything in skirt. When Yvette gets into an argument with not-very-forthcoming-with-information Madame of the brothel, almost blowing their cover as Jeremy Keane and some actress, he learns why she’s here after all. Yvette requests him to keep this secret until they can find the boy and make certain it’s Samuel’s child.
At that point, Jeremy’s mother and sister reach London. Jeremy was reluctant to meet them but Amanda finds him before he could escape them. His reluctance to meet with his sister fuels Yvette’s nosiness and she turns it into an arsenal to prod him with. Why the hell he’s ignoring his legacy, ignoring it all? Why does he refuse to return? There must be something sinister going and she needs to unearth it no matter what! *SMH* She pokes and prods at him again, but Jeremy isn’t going to tell her. He leaves for London for a while, his mind in a whirlwind. There, he decides to leave off the paintings, then sneak off Stoke Tower in the middle of the night so that he doesn’t have to face Yvette and her disappointments. By then, Jeremy knew of her association with a sleazy friend of Samuel’s, a Lt. Ruston. He couldn’t get the exact details of their courtship and why it was broken. Why Yvette was so reluctant to marry until now, for that matter. Even then, the thought of her with Ruston made him blind with jealousy. But Jeremy won’t marry, so this was his plan to skirt around the complications that were already arising from his association with her. But Yvette catches him before he could sneak off, and they end up having sex when I was least expecting them to...... Jeremy’s now determined to marry her because of the circumstances. When Yvette gets the idea that that’s on his mind, now she refuses to cooperate. She wants to marry for love, not duty! As if she’s going to make Jeremy fall in love with her by force, if not, then manipulation.
Not to mention every time she said ‘Heavenly Day’ or he said ‘Thunderation’ in the story.... Someone shoot me now!
Over the course of the story, both showed an insufferable amount of stubbornness, Yvette more than Jeremy IMO, to have their own say and way in everything , which brought trouble more than once, silly misunderstanding and a sh!t load of frustrating moments for me. But which bothered me exceptionally was that apart from the above and intro to new characters here and there, nothing exiting was happening. Simply NADA. The whole book was filled with either Yvette or Jeremy pushing each-other away with reasoning as to why they shouldn’t be doing this or that, then going ahead and doing it anyway. As the story went on, it got old. For me it was pretty much like Please, PLEASE make up your freakin’ minds! I was not only bored, I was annoyed as hell.
Did I mention that one drunken night when Edwin and Jeremy becomes fast friends over... er, drinks? And from that drunken stupor comes forth this ‘stellar’ idea of a new club where the guardians of wards/sisters etc. would come together to save their female relatives from rogues and seducers, even if it means lopping off their ‘horns’. *blank stare* Guess I didn’t, probably because I myself wasn’t sure what the hell was that! I found it ridiculous to say the least. When this ends, the discussion of that new club was still ongoing. Guess we’ll see later if it comes to fruition or not. :/
Moving on...
Previously, I was pretty sure Amanda’s going to be paired with Edwin, but it seems that that’s not gonna be the case. There’s another pair of new characters, Warren, Lord Knightford and his ward, Clarissa. Knightford is a rake through and through but he’s also Edwin’s good friend, as Clarissa is Yvette’s. And it seems there’s something going on between Clarissa and Edwin that’s got nothing to do with big brotherly emotions. I wonder how that’s going to turn out. Guess, won’t know until I read their book.
In the end, all the truths are revealed, as we get to know the whole of Jeremy’s past and the reasons behind his guilty feelings. The Duke’s Men help find Samuel’s boy, though that part is very hastily dealt with, considering it was why Yvette and Jeremy came together in the first place. There were more of Yvette-Jeremy dramas with broken engagement etc. because she thought Jeremy was ‘too bound by his past’ to move forward with her bla bla bla. Poor Jeremy, he had to prove himself more than once to convince to Yvette that he deserves her, while she did nothing but moan and complain. By then, I simply didn’t care much.
Honestly, I can go on and on but the fact remains, this was not Ms. Jeffries’ best work IMO, not even close. This, by any means, isn’t a statement about her writing but just that, for me, the plotline and the characters were uninteresting. I literally had to push myself to finish it. But I’d very much like to overlook this and wait for the next installment with fingers crossed. 3.25 stars, wish I could rate it higher.
I was auto-approved for this ARC from Pocket Books via edelweiss which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.
I’m heartbroken and disappointed over the latest Sabrina Jeffies book, the first in a new series called The Sinful Suitors, The Art of Sinning. I dived in, thinking I’ll have a good time nonetheless as I do with any SJ book. Unfortunately, that was not the case. This simply turned out to be... boring.
When I read about The Sinful Suitors, I wasn’t surprised to find that it’s connected to The Duke’s Men. Most of SJ’s series are interlinked thru characters; secondary characters of one series having their own books in a new one. I’d recommend you read both Hellions of the Hallstead Hall and The Duke’s Men series, though The Sinful Suitors doesn’t connect with the former directly at all. There maybe the mention of a character of her older series here and there, but you’d recognize them only if you’ve read the series. It won’t be hindering your enjoyment.
The Art of Sinning starts with Jeremy Keane, a famous American artist new to England in hopes to garner the same name he has had in other countries. He was introduced in book 3 of The Duke’s Men, How the Scoundrel Seduces, as the h Zoe’s distant cousin, also the living male heir to her father’s legacy seeing Zoe was the only child. Lord Olivier wanted Zoe to marry Jeremy in hopes to unite the two brunches, also to keep whatever is theirs in the family. However, some vital things were unraveled regarding Zoe’s birth, which led her to meet Tristan Bonnaud, an investigator of The Duke’s Men, a PI company.
Well, after that Jeremy knew Zoe isn’t going to be his. Not that he was attracted to her in that way. Actually, though they liked each-other, Zoe and Jeremy had no visible attraction. Jeremy wasn’t interested in the money and property either since he’s rich on his own. Not only he comes from a very financially prosperous family, but also he had his own earnings, and a reputation build on his artwork; Good or bad, that’s debatable though. Jeremy was known as a womanizer, and soon London was abuzz with the gossip of him frequenting brothels every day. That was also another reason why Zoe had doubts about him. Jeremy seemed like a nice guy (minus the rakish reputation), even with a bit of a don’t-give-a-damn attitude but I didn’t think him important enough to have his own book.
Jeremy is also superbly good-looking; blonde with blue eyes so no one doubted his rakish reputation. Everybody knew he was trying to make a mark here in London but he had another reason to escape America. He hasn’t been back to his own country for more than 10 yrs. now, travelling all around the world. His father has passed on, leaving their mills and other business ventures to his slightly younger sister, Amelia. Jeremy was supposed to be running it all but of course he had no interest beyond his own venture in Art. I can understand that; my mother being an artist/painter... they live in their own world, it’s true. LOL
When the story opens up, Jeremy has been attending Jane and Dom’s wedding (story in The Duke’s Men #4, If the Viscount Falls). He also meets up with Zoe and Tristan, now happily married, all the while trying to escape Zoe’s very unsubtle matchmaking. Jeremy’s head is filled with an idea of a new artwork, which may just be his biggest masterpiece yet. It’s something to do with Art being sacrificed to Commerce. Marriage is definitely not on his forethought. Jeremy is looking for the perfect model for his ‘Art’. He had no luck with his ‘usual ventures’ to find that model and was quite frustrated over it....... but then, Yvette Barlow walks into the room and Jeremy had eyes for no one else but her.
Yvette was a completely new character. She’s the sister of Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough, who was also Jane’s ex-fiancé. Edwin is broody, a way too serious man who likes to keep to himself. Sarcasm is always lost on him. But he loves his sister. It pains him to see how his younger brother, the rogue the bunch, Samuel turned out to be (story also in book 4) but there’s no saving him. He was a gone case way before this latest mess with Jane’s cousin; the elopement-turned-abduction that had seen Samuel to the gaol. Yvette also loves her brothers, hoping that she could somehow save Samuel from the misery of his own making. Recently he came to her with a letter that contains the news of another by blow with a former actress who maybe now living in a brothel. He had asked for Yvette’s help in posting the letter so that his son can be helped. But Yvette won’t just stand back and watch when her nephew maybe suffering for the lack of a better life. Since Edwin refuses to help, she’d taken it on herself to help Samuel and her unseen nephew.
When Jeremy notices Yvette, he promptly makes inquiry. Not a big problem as he was already on the way to becoming chummy with Edwin, who informs him that it’s his sister he’s eyeing (... so back off Keane! kinda thing). When he refuses to let her become Jeremy’s model, he somehow manages to strike a bargain of sort. I thought it was… childish. You see, both Amanda and Yvette are in their, shall we say, spinsterhood. Even though Yvette is tall and beautiful, she was burned by love once and has not had the courage to trust another man. Edwin was worried about her, wanting to see her settled. And Jeremy wanted Amanda married so she’d leave off her infernal nagging for him to return home. It didn’t help that she and their mother are already on their way to England, so Jeremy also wanted Amanda married and settled. So this is what Edwin and Jeremy came up with; they’d help see each-other’s sisters settled. For that Jeremy would paint a portrait of Yvette, er, to help the cause even though he doesn’t do portraits at all. In turn, Edwin would see that Amanda is also settled. What Edwin didn’t know is that Jeremy was planning to find a way to convince Yvette to become his Art. Won’t be a big deal for him since he’d be living in their estate, Stoke Towers, for the time being. All Jeremy has to do is to light up his charm in a way that she can’t even think of saying ‘no’.
But Yvette was not a demure or shy lady. She was vocal, stubborn and would actively pursue if something interests her. Apart from the fact she found Mr. Keane sinfully handsome, Yvette thought he’s the correct person to help her with finding her nephew. She was looking for someone who knew, er, brothels well and would be discrete about the whole thing as Edwin can’t know about her ‘adventure’ (or misadventure, however you see it). When Jeremy offers her that deal about being the model for his masterpiece, Yvette also drives a hard bargain. She’d do it only if Jeremy helps her locating her nephew.
Edwin remains in the dark about their bargain when Jeremy comes to Stoke Towers to paint Yvette. He was already drowned in lust, very much attracted to her, knowing this won’t do any good since Edwin wouldn’t approve of the match. Moreover, he himself wasn’t amenable to another marriage... which is when we learn that Jeremy was married once for a short time a long ago. It was obvious that his wife and a baby boy she’d borne had died; probably the reason why Jeremy didn’t return to America, to escape the painful memory of their death. We still don’t know what happened that made him so haunted but he remains adamant of never marrying again. I assumed the wife died in childbirth as a few times Jeremy thought about Yvette with his child, then shoving the idea away, shuddering. He’s determined to ignore his feelings and keep Lady Yvette as far away from him as possible.
But easier said than done, mainly because the lady in question is as nosy as they come. I absolutely didn’t like Yvette’s nosiness in things that weren’t her business and the way she began poking and prodding Jeremy to divulge his past, the reasons why he doesn’t return to his country etc. etc. I mean, they were virtual strangers who just met. How can she expect him to divulge his private matters to her, just like that? She keeps questioning him on their sessions, with few direct answers in return yet evade Jeremy’s question about her own problems. When that failed and the secret sittings after midnight (for that masterpiece) turned to kissing and groping, she begins daydreaming about marrying him. Jeremy would push her away, then they’d go about it again... then she’d bring up marriage and he’d close up. Pretty much this is what happened in the first 50%. Needless to say, I got tired of this at one point.
In between, as promised, Jeremy makes certain that Yvette gets to visit a brothel in Covent Garden. She doesn’t confide much yet expects Jeremy’s full co-operation, which is another dumb move IMO. Jeremy had to coax her to come forward with more info, even then she holds back the important parts. I mean I can’t blame him. He needed to know what he’s dealing with, right? It’s when they visit the brothel is when things begins unraveling about this matter. For one, Yvette learns that Jeremy is hardly the whoremonger people here think of him; that he only uses the prostitutes as his models. Oh he’s no saint but he doesn’t shag anything and everything in skirt. When Yvette gets into an argument with not-very-forthcoming-with-information Madame of the brothel, almost blowing their cover as Jeremy Keane and some actress, he learns why she’s here after all. Yvette requests him to keep this secret until they can find the boy and make certain it’s Samuel’s child.
At that point, Jeremy’s mother and sister reach London. Jeremy was reluctant to meet them but Amanda finds him before he could escape them. His reluctance to meet with his sister fuels Yvette’s nosiness and she turns it into an arsenal to prod him with. Why the hell he’s ignoring his legacy, ignoring it all? Why does he refuse to return? There must be something sinister going and she needs to unearth it no matter what! *SMH* She pokes and prods at him again, but Jeremy isn’t going to tell her. He leaves for London for a while, his mind in a whirlwind. There, he decides to leave off the paintings, then sneak off Stoke Tower in the middle of the night so that he doesn’t have to face Yvette and her disappointments. By then, Jeremy knew of her association with a sleazy friend of Samuel’s, a Lt. Ruston. He couldn’t get the exact details of their courtship and why it was broken. Why Yvette was so reluctant to marry until now, for that matter. Even then, the thought of her with Ruston made him blind with jealousy. But Jeremy won’t marry, so this was his plan to skirt around the complications that were already arising from his association with her. But Yvette catches him before he could sneak off, and they end up having sex when I was least expecting them to...... Jeremy’s now determined to marry her because of the circumstances. When Yvette gets the idea that that’s on his mind, now she refuses to cooperate. She wants to marry for love, not duty! As if she’s going to make Jeremy fall in love with her by force, if not, then manipulation.
Not to mention every time she said ‘Heavenly Day’ or he said ‘Thunderation’ in the story.... Someone shoot me now!
Over the course of the story, both showed an insufferable amount of stubbornness, Yvette more than Jeremy IMO, to have their own say and way in everything , which brought trouble more than once, silly misunderstanding and a sh!t load of frustrating moments for me. But which bothered me exceptionally was that apart from the above and intro to new characters here and there, nothing exiting was happening. Simply NADA. The whole book was filled with either Yvette or Jeremy pushing each-other away with reasoning as to why they shouldn’t be doing this or that, then going ahead and doing it anyway. As the story went on, it got old. For me it was pretty much like Please, PLEASE make up your freakin’ minds! I was not only bored, I was annoyed as hell.
Did I mention that one drunken night when Edwin and Jeremy becomes fast friends over... er, drinks? And from that drunken stupor comes forth this ‘stellar’ idea of a new club where the guardians of wards/sisters etc. would come together to save their female relatives from rogues and seducers, even if it means lopping off their ‘horns’. *blank stare* Guess I didn’t, probably because I myself wasn’t sure what the hell was that! I found it ridiculous to say the least. When this ends, the discussion of that new club was still ongoing. Guess we’ll see later if it comes to fruition or not. :/
Moving on...
Previously, I was pretty sure Amanda’s going to be paired with Edwin, but it seems that that’s not gonna be the case. There’s another pair of new characters, Warren, Lord Knightford and his ward, Clarissa. Knightford is a rake through and through but he’s also Edwin’s good friend, as Clarissa is Yvette’s. And it seems there’s something going on between Clarissa and Edwin that’s got nothing to do with big brotherly emotions. I wonder how that’s going to turn out. Guess, won’t know until I read their book.
In the end, all the truths are revealed, as we get to know the whole of Jeremy’s past and the reasons behind his guilty feelings. The Duke’s Men help find Samuel’s boy, though that part is very hastily dealt with, considering it was why Yvette and Jeremy came together in the first place. There were more of Yvette-Jeremy dramas with broken engagement etc. because she thought Jeremy was ‘too bound by his past’ to move forward with her bla bla bla. Poor Jeremy, he had to prove himself more than once to convince to Yvette that he deserves her, while she did nothing but moan and complain. By then, I simply didn’t care much.
Honestly, I can go on and on but the fact remains, this was not Ms. Jeffries’ best work IMO, not even close. This, by any means, isn’t a statement about her writing but just that, for me, the plotline and the characters were uninteresting. I literally had to push myself to finish it. But I’d very much like to overlook this and wait for the next installment with fingers crossed. 3.25 stars, wish I could rate it higher.
I was auto-approved for this ARC from Pocket Books via edelweiss which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2015
Jeffries has a habit of weaving past characters into her new books and we see some familiar faces. Our hero American painter, Jeremy Keene was first introduced in The Duke’s Men series and I was glad to read his story. It is unusual to have an American as our hero and Jeremy’s backstory and reasons for being abroad were interesting. Paint, passion, and a strong-headed Juno soon have him very busy. He has a reputation as a rogue who spends a lot of his time in the nunneries but we soon learn there is much more to Jeremy. While attending a wedding and looking for reasons to flee he spots Lady Yvette Barlow. He realizes she will be the perfect model for his latest masterpiece. He soon finds himself making deals not only with Yvette but also with her older brother just to paint Yvette. I love these types of “arrangement” tropes because things inevitably go wrong and usually in the most delicious ways.
Yvette is headstrong and well aware of two things. She is drawn to rakes and rakes are trouble. However, she needs Jeremy’s help gaining entry into the cities brothels and agrees to pose for him in exchange for his help. Edwin the Earl of Blakeborough wants to see his sister happily wed, but fears her outspokenness will hinder her prospects. I really liked Edwin. (as in I swooned and need to know more) The man comes off as a stodgy stuffed shirt, but as Jeffries peeled back his layers, I liked what we discovered. We meet other secondary character and see some beloved ones.
Unlike the Duke’ Men which weaved in suspense and danger The Art of Sinning focuses more on the characters themselves and their issues with love, trust, guilt etc. There is a small mystery thread concerning Yvette’ family and it added interest and excitement. The overall arc thread concerning men of the ton and their sisters/charges was an interesting one and I liked the concept. It should prove to be interesting and I am already excited for the stories to come.
The romance was slow-building and began with heated chemistry and wicked thoughts. Both characters tried to avoid acting on these feelings due to past experiences. We get a little banter as Yvette manages to unhinge Jeremy. Frustration, fear, trust and lack of communication hamper their progress but Jeffries did not overdo the angst allowing me to become engaged. We do finally get some heat and as always it was heated and beautifully done. I totally loved the play on the title. It is always fun to discover its meaning for the characters.
My only pet peeve was Jeremy’s overuse of the terms “thunderation.” I did not count the number of times he said this but it had to be well over a dozen times. After a while, the word had me rolling my eyes, which pulled me out of the story a little.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Yvette is headstrong and well aware of two things. She is drawn to rakes and rakes are trouble. However, she needs Jeremy’s help gaining entry into the cities brothels and agrees to pose for him in exchange for his help. Edwin the Earl of Blakeborough wants to see his sister happily wed, but fears her outspokenness will hinder her prospects. I really liked Edwin. (as in I swooned and need to know more) The man comes off as a stodgy stuffed shirt, but as Jeffries peeled back his layers, I liked what we discovered. We meet other secondary character and see some beloved ones.
Unlike the Duke’ Men which weaved in suspense and danger The Art of Sinning focuses more on the characters themselves and their issues with love, trust, guilt etc. There is a small mystery thread concerning Yvette’ family and it added interest and excitement. The overall arc thread concerning men of the ton and their sisters/charges was an interesting one and I liked the concept. It should prove to be interesting and I am already excited for the stories to come.
The romance was slow-building and began with heated chemistry and wicked thoughts. Both characters tried to avoid acting on these feelings due to past experiences. We get a little banter as Yvette manages to unhinge Jeremy. Frustration, fear, trust and lack of communication hamper their progress but Jeffries did not overdo the angst allowing me to become engaged. We do finally get some heat and as always it was heated and beautifully done. I totally loved the play on the title. It is always fun to discover its meaning for the characters.
My only pet peeve was Jeremy’s overuse of the terms “thunderation.” I did not count the number of times he said this but it had to be well over a dozen times. After a while, the word had me rolling my eyes, which pulled me out of the story a little.
Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
May 11, 2015
Jeremy is quite the charmer, "Jeremy.” He nipped her earlobe, sending a frisson of sensation through her. “Call me Jeremy when we’re alone." I love Yvette that girl was honest and pure and was always surprising Jeremy with her wit and answers, "don’t want to marry, yes, I know.” She raised an eyebrow. “So much for your claim to selfishness. A selfish man wouldn’t care if he ruined me. A selfish man wouldn’t care if I were left enceinte." These two talk about anything and everything nothing is off the table even when they're naked:
"What?” he asked, clearly startled.
“On statues, the men’s privates are . . . well . . . small and demure.”
“Demure.” He uttered a choked laugh. “That’s because the men aren’t aroused, sweetheart. An aroused man looks very different from a man with his pr*** at rest."
I enjoyed this book
"What?” he asked, clearly startled.
“On statues, the men’s privates are . . . well . . . small and demure.”
“Demure.” He uttered a choked laugh. “That’s because the men aren’t aroused, sweetheart. An aroused man looks very different from a man with his pr*** at rest."
I enjoyed this book
September 3, 2018
This was a fun story. Historical romance isn't really my genre, but I did enjoy this story. It had a couple steamy moments, but not many. I couldn't help but laugh at some of the sayings they used. He would say," Thunderation!" She would say, "Heavenly Day!" One thing I can say is that it had an interesting twist in the end.
October 28, 2015
*I received a free ARC of The Art of Sinning from Gallery via Netgalley in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*
The Art of Sinning is a delicious tale of forbidden love and attraction, made very tense because of the time it is set in, and I loved every look, pun and touch!
The Art of Sinning is a delicious tale of forbidden love and attraction, made very tense because of the time it is set in, and I loved every look, pun and touch!
March 27, 2016
The opening chapter of this novel captured me immediately, I liked the premise, it was unusual and the story promised to be an interesting one. Having never read a Sabrina Jeffries novel before I was quite excited to have found another author I thought I could look forward to reading more of.
When Jeremy Keane, American artist of some repute spots Lady Yvette Barlow at a mutual friend's/relatives wedding, he is captivated by her unusual, statuesque beauty. She is the woman he has been searching for, the perfect model for a particularly controversial painting he wishes to paint. But first Jeremy must gain the approval of her brother and this is no mean feat as he is Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough and he takes his brotherly duties VERY seriously.
A deal is eventually struck, one openly with Edward's approval, but another privately with Yvette herself. Jeremy has long since grown tired of painting the portraits of simpering misses, his tastes now run more to the outrageous and he has won acclaim and notoriety through his unusual 'true to life depictions' but to allay Edward's suspicions he must paint the type of portrait he abhors if he is to be able to stay and pain his 'Juno' - the very epitome of the Majestic Roman goddess - in the manner in which he wishes. This last to be done in the dead of night without Edwin's knowledge.
Yvette herself is no pushover, she has a very preposterous proposition of her own - if Jeremy wishes for her to pose secretly for his painting, she wants something in return. It is rumoured that Jeremy is a regular visitor to the City's brothels, he must take her, without her brother's knowledge, to search for a woman Yvette must speak with. Reluctantly he agrees as he MUST paint this woman he has been searching for, for so long, it goes against the grain, however, as at heart he is a gentleman, and does not like deceiving the Earl.
Jeremy and Yvette were immediately attracted to each other and this was well done. I had a vision, as described, of a tall, beautiful, majestic woman. She has quite low self esteem, which seemed at odds with her rather sharp tongue and strong opinions but still I liked her. Jeremy is absolutely gorgeous, very tall (something which immediately appeals to Yvette as she is tired of gentlemen's eyes being on a level with her bosom when dancing!)
'a golden haired Adonis with eyes as deep blue as the estate's prize delphiniums'.
He is quite a tortured soul with a heartbreaking secret in his past from which he is running, this only adds to his appeal. Yvette too has 'a past', though not one which I thought too shocking but does explain her lack of worth.
The slow build up of attraction and simmering sexual awareness was adequately achieved, though not in my opinion, spine tinglingly so. When they eventually got down to business my immediate thought was 'well thank God for that!'
I liked the secondary character of Edwin, Earl of Blakeborough immensely, he was a little stuffy and correct but loving and honourable to his sister, quietly and discreetly going about his duties as head of the family without expecting or wanting thanks. He quite put me in mind of Edward in Mary Balogh's, The Secret Mistress....I hope he finds his true love later in the series, I may even be tempted to read it.
On the downside, there is a very modern feel to the writing, the usual (unfortunate) smattering of Americanisms, and the incredibly repetitive use of two particular phrases. One reviewer on Goodreads counted eighteen instances of one and seventeen of the other; it's really very noticable and I was taken out of the story each time one of them was uttered. I didn't go to the trouble of adding them up myself, but obviously, I'm not the only reader frustrated by this. Apart from the foregoing it is an enjoyable story, the first in a new series and I'm really hoping that the put-upon-Edwin's HEA is next. A solid 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from net galley for an honest review.
When Jeremy Keane, American artist of some repute spots Lady Yvette Barlow at a mutual friend's/relatives wedding, he is captivated by her unusual, statuesque beauty. She is the woman he has been searching for, the perfect model for a particularly controversial painting he wishes to paint. But first Jeremy must gain the approval of her brother and this is no mean feat as he is Edwin Barlow, the Earl of Blakeborough and he takes his brotherly duties VERY seriously.
A deal is eventually struck, one openly with Edward's approval, but another privately with Yvette herself. Jeremy has long since grown tired of painting the portraits of simpering misses, his tastes now run more to the outrageous and he has won acclaim and notoriety through his unusual 'true to life depictions' but to allay Edward's suspicions he must paint the type of portrait he abhors if he is to be able to stay and pain his 'Juno' - the very epitome of the Majestic Roman goddess - in the manner in which he wishes. This last to be done in the dead of night without Edwin's knowledge.
Yvette herself is no pushover, she has a very preposterous proposition of her own - if Jeremy wishes for her to pose secretly for his painting, she wants something in return. It is rumoured that Jeremy is a regular visitor to the City's brothels, he must take her, without her brother's knowledge, to search for a woman Yvette must speak with. Reluctantly he agrees as he MUST paint this woman he has been searching for, for so long, it goes against the grain, however, as at heart he is a gentleman, and does not like deceiving the Earl.
Jeremy and Yvette were immediately attracted to each other and this was well done. I had a vision, as described, of a tall, beautiful, majestic woman. She has quite low self esteem, which seemed at odds with her rather sharp tongue and strong opinions but still I liked her. Jeremy is absolutely gorgeous, very tall (something which immediately appeals to Yvette as she is tired of gentlemen's eyes being on a level with her bosom when dancing!)
'a golden haired Adonis with eyes as deep blue as the estate's prize delphiniums'.
He is quite a tortured soul with a heartbreaking secret in his past from which he is running, this only adds to his appeal. Yvette too has 'a past', though not one which I thought too shocking but does explain her lack of worth.
The slow build up of attraction and simmering sexual awareness was adequately achieved, though not in my opinion, spine tinglingly so. When they eventually got down to business my immediate thought was 'well thank God for that!'
I liked the secondary character of Edwin, Earl of Blakeborough immensely, he was a little stuffy and correct but loving and honourable to his sister, quietly and discreetly going about his duties as head of the family without expecting or wanting thanks. He quite put me in mind of Edward in Mary Balogh's, The Secret Mistress....I hope he finds his true love later in the series, I may even be tempted to read it.
On the downside, there is a very modern feel to the writing, the usual (unfortunate) smattering of Americanisms, and the incredibly repetitive use of two particular phrases. One reviewer on Goodreads counted eighteen instances of one and seventeen of the other; it's really very noticable and I was taken out of the story each time one of them was uttered. I didn't go to the trouble of adding them up myself, but obviously, I'm not the only reader frustrated by this. Apart from the foregoing it is an enjoyable story, the first in a new series and I'm really hoping that the put-upon-Edwin's HEA is next. A solid 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from net galley for an honest review.
August 17, 2022
Arc provided by netgalley in response for an honest review
Sebring Jeffries does it again...!!!
What a great start to a new series...!! Completely love and adore this book..!
I love Yvette.. She was strong headed and not like the delicate protagonists in so many novels.
And I have been in love with Jeremy since Zoe's book. When I found out he was getting his own book I couldn't wait. Although there wasn't much mentioned about Yvette in earlier books.. She's so very easy to like and perfectly matches Jeremy.
The last 50 pages are the best part. I loved the twist. You would clearly not have expected it.
What I also love about this book is how it introduces you to the other characters to come in the series.. I absolutely cannot wait for Edwin and Clarissa's book and also Amanda's book....!!!
Love you SJ.. Waiting for Edwin's book...!!
Sebring Jeffries does it again...!!!
What a great start to a new series...!! Completely love and adore this book..!
I love Yvette.. She was strong headed and not like the delicate protagonists in so many novels.
And I have been in love with Jeremy since Zoe's book. When I found out he was getting his own book I couldn't wait. Although there wasn't much mentioned about Yvette in earlier books.. She's so very easy to like and perfectly matches Jeremy.
The last 50 pages are the best part. I loved the twist. You would clearly not have expected it.
What I also love about this book is how it introduces you to the other characters to come in the series.. I absolutely cannot wait for Edwin and Clarissa's book and also Amanda's book....!!!
Love you SJ.. Waiting for Edwin's book...!!
July 14, 2015
Sabrina Jeffries writing is like comfort food - heartwarming and necessary for when reality gets too challenging. This first offering from her new series lives up to her previous work. It's charming, steamy, romantic goodness! The characters are familiar, yet different enough that it doesn't feel like a repeat read. The plot moves fast and although it is intricate, you can follow it without being detracted from the romance. The dialogue is witty and humorous, a staple for this author. Honestly I loved every second and can't wait for the second book. Too bad that the wait will be unbearable 8 months :(
ACR provided by NetGalley
ACR provided by NetGalley
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August 22, 2015Maybe I'll pick this up laterrrr. Not feeling it.
April 25, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up because I enjoyed it. Lots of modernisms and some plot holes but engaging nevertheless.
November 18, 2017
Thanks to me doing NaNoWriMo, this book took me way longer than it should've. Still, it was enjoyable. I loved the opinionated and managing Yvette, paired with the rakish American artist Jeremy(who was quite a bit different than he seemed). The plot was interesting too, with Yvette hunting for her illegitimate nephew, and Jeremy using Yvette in a painting. Loved the great sibling relationship Edwin and Yvette had, too. This was mostly fun with some emotional moments. A great start to the series. I can't wait to read more Sabrina Jeffries.
July 22, 2019
3.75 stars rounded up
It took DAYS for me to get into the set-up ... but I'll blame my reading mood. Because once I got into it, I found this story delightful. I liked the idea of the men establishing a club specifically to share "insider's knowledge" as to help their female family members avoid bad men like them *laugh*.
Jeremy and Yvette are quite a pair ... I liked their banters, and their first time was rather fun to read. I'm looking forward to read the other pairs...
It took DAYS for me to get into the set-up ... but I'll blame my reading mood. Because once I got into it, I found this story delightful. I liked the idea of the men establishing a club specifically to share "insider's knowledge" as to help their female family members avoid bad men like them *laugh*.
Jeremy and Yvette are quite a pair ... I liked their banters, and their first time was rather fun to read. I'm looking forward to read the other pairs...
October 22, 2024
Sabrina Jeffries will always hold a special place in my heart because after reading one of her books, I started picking up more and more historical romances and have officially become obsessed with the genre. I really enjoyed this story and liked the characters. I loved how this was a little bit for forced proximity with Yvette getting her portrait painted by Jeremy. I enjoyed the plot, especially the ending when Jeremy opened up and we learned more about his past. I thought the ending where he overcame his obstacles was a very special part and loved how Yvette truly wanted to find someone who loved her for her. The audiobook was easy to listen to and I really liked this book overall.
February 8, 2018
American artist Jeremy Keane is far more interested in completing his next masterpiece than running the family textile mills. He’s also far more interested in rakish pursuits than settling down. It would take someone out of the ordinary to capture his interest, and Lady Yvette Barlow is exactly that person. Jeremy is captivated by her from the first and is desperate to paint her. Now if only he can convince her…
Yvette can spot a scoundrel a mile away, and having been burned once by a rake she is in no hurry to repeat the experience. But Jeremy catches her off-guard, tempts her and challenges her in ways she’s never known. And the more time they spend together, the harder it is for either of them to resist the passion brewing between them. But both Jeremy and Yvette have ghosts that haunt them. Ghosts that might keep them from ever risking their hearts for a chance at love.
Sabrina Jeffries kicks off her Sinful Suitors series with the utterly charming The Art of Sinning. Yvette and Jeremy are winning characters and their romance was lovely to watch unfold. Yvette is outspoken, bright, and a truly fun heroine. It’s easy to see why Jeremy is taken with her. She’s no ordinary woman but a veritable Juno (to borrow Jeremy’s favorite description of her). Not to mention her unusual interests – her work to build a slang dictionary had me grinning. Yvette has a lot of love to give, but she was badly betrayed in the past and thus is wary of rakes. And boy is Jeremy a rake in the beginning. He’s a bold artist, one who wears the mask of rogue rather well. But beneath the surface is a man with scars caused by the death of his wife and child – scars that have never truly healed. I loved watching both Yvette and Jeremy come into their own as they worked to leave the past behind, though taking leaps of faith comes more easily to Yvette than Jeremy.
As individuals, Yvette and Jeremy are great characters. But as a couple, they shine. Their banter made me grin more than once over the course of the story. They’re so well-matched in every way that it’s easy to root for them. Their love story develops organically; I liked that they fit as both friends and lovers. It isn’t easy for them to get their happily ever after, but Ms. Jeffries makes every bump in the road worth it. The result is a romance that’s emotional as well as sensual and I couldn’t have been more pleased. I finished The Art of Sinning one well-satisfied reader and I cannot wait to see what Ms. Jeffries has in store for Yvette’s brother, Edwin.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Yvette can spot a scoundrel a mile away, and having been burned once by a rake she is in no hurry to repeat the experience. But Jeremy catches her off-guard, tempts her and challenges her in ways she’s never known. And the more time they spend together, the harder it is for either of them to resist the passion brewing between them. But both Jeremy and Yvette have ghosts that haunt them. Ghosts that might keep them from ever risking their hearts for a chance at love.
Sabrina Jeffries kicks off her Sinful Suitors series with the utterly charming The Art of Sinning. Yvette and Jeremy are winning characters and their romance was lovely to watch unfold. Yvette is outspoken, bright, and a truly fun heroine. It’s easy to see why Jeremy is taken with her. She’s no ordinary woman but a veritable Juno (to borrow Jeremy’s favorite description of her). Not to mention her unusual interests – her work to build a slang dictionary had me grinning. Yvette has a lot of love to give, but she was badly betrayed in the past and thus is wary of rakes. And boy is Jeremy a rake in the beginning. He’s a bold artist, one who wears the mask of rogue rather well. But beneath the surface is a man with scars caused by the death of his wife and child – scars that have never truly healed. I loved watching both Yvette and Jeremy come into their own as they worked to leave the past behind, though taking leaps of faith comes more easily to Yvette than Jeremy.
As individuals, Yvette and Jeremy are great characters. But as a couple, they shine. Their banter made me grin more than once over the course of the story. They’re so well-matched in every way that it’s easy to root for them. Their love story develops organically; I liked that they fit as both friends and lovers. It isn’t easy for them to get their happily ever after, but Ms. Jeffries makes every bump in the road worth it. The result is a romance that’s emotional as well as sensual and I couldn’t have been more pleased. I finished The Art of Sinning one well-satisfied reader and I cannot wait to see what Ms. Jeffries has in store for Yvette’s brother, Edwin.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
January 7, 2017
Na Sabrinu Jeffries mám slabosť. Priznávam bez mučenia. No toto je prvá kniha, ktorú v jej tvorbe musím zaradiť medzi priemerné diela. Pritom téma romance je zaujímavá, prevedenie taktiež nie je úplne zlé. Naopak, je výborné, v podstate taký Sabrinin štandard.
Úvodné kapitoly boli skvelé, vtipné presne na miestach, kde vtipné mali byť, iskrivé tak ako sa na správnu romancu patrí a všetko sa zdalo byť v dokonalom poriadku. Až kým sme neprišli do domu grófa Blakeborougha a Jeremy nezačal Yvette maľovať...
Rozmýšľala som nad príčinou, čo mi kazilo príjemný pôžitok z čítania. A prišla som na to, že... zvyšok recenzie nájdete tu: http://kokinakniznica.blogspot.sk/201...
Úvodné kapitoly boli skvelé, vtipné presne na miestach, kde vtipné mali byť, iskrivé tak ako sa na správnu romancu patrí a všetko sa zdalo byť v dokonalom poriadku. Až kým sme neprišli do domu grófa Blakeborougha a Jeremy nezačal Yvette maľovať...
Rozmýšľala som nad príčinou, čo mi kazilo príjemný pôžitok z čítania. A prišla som na to, že... zvyšok recenzie nájdete tu: http://kokinakniznica.blogspot.sk/201...
February 3, 2017
This book was so disappointing. The concept was a good one but it quickly became apparent that Jeffries knows nothing about art or oil painting, mills, and had no clear plan going into this one. The characters are all over the place both in terms of their baffling personalities and lack of chemistry. Their physical relationship seems angry rather than living in any way, not quite old school 1980's rape romance but not too far off. Even in the end I wasn't convinced Jeremy and Yvette even liked each other. The angst of their past relationships was flimsy and ill explained and at best the plot was shaky. The idea of St. George's Club which has its origins in this book was always confusing to me in later books, and honestly this one did nothing to clear it up. Big miss on this one.
August 18, 2015
What happened to the Sabrina Jeffries of old!? There's so zing to either the characters nor the book as a whole.
November 25, 2016
3,5
Good to read but it's not memorable for forever .
Good to read but it's not memorable for forever .
November 16, 2018
I've totally been reading this series out of order and I was anxious to go back and catch up on the books I had missed. Not to say that I have good memory or that I remember the characters in this book being part of the books I've read. However, as soon as I started reading THE ART OF SINNING I knew it would deliver a sweet yet sensual story, just as I was expecting.For one, the hero is an artist and the heroine is to be his muse. Her brother makes a deal for him to paint her portrait and of course he bargains with the heroine for a more private painting they can work on at night, alone.
In essence, this is not a very complicated plot. The heroine is trying to find her nephew and she needs the hero's help. And he's been running away from his past, the death of his wife and child at childbirth and the anger he's carried since for himself and his father. But the characters are just adorable. You can't help but want to see how things will turn out for them and to see them overcome those past issues they both have. I also loved how the actual "art of sinning" was woven through the story. It gave it that sensual something I was looking for.
Overall, again, this is a great installment in the series (yeah, I know it's the first one!). I think for me the full length books in this series are much better than the novellas and I'll definitely make sure I catch up on any I haven't read yet.
*Reviewed by Francesca❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
February 13, 2019
Not my favorite by Jeffries, the thing I liked best about this book was the picture of the hero on the cover -- and I don't usually go for blondes. Lol
March 22, 2017
3.5*
Cute regency romance with some depth to it. I definitely recommend for fans of the genre... Liked both the hero and heroine - as well as the "side characters" ....
Cute regency romance with some depth to it. I definitely recommend for fans of the genre... Liked both the hero and heroine - as well as the "side characters" ....
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