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Drake's Rakes #1
Barely a Lady
Olivia Grace has secrets that could destroy her. One of the greatest of these is the Earl of Gracechurch, who married and divorced her five years earlier. Abandoned and disgraced, Grace has survived those years at the edge of respectability. Then she stumbles over Jack on the battlefield of Waterloo, and he becomes an even more dangerous secret. For not only is he unconscious, he is clad in an enemy uniform.But worse, when Jack finally wakes in Olivia's care, he can't remember how he came to be on a battlefield in Belgium. In fact, he can remember nothing of the last five years. He thinks he and Olivia are still blissfully together. To keep him from being hanged for a traitor, Olivia must pretend she and Jack are still married. To unearth the real traitors, Olivia and Jack must unravel the truth hidden within his faulty memory. To save themselves and the friends who have given them sanctuary, they must stand against their enemies, even as they both keep their secrets.In the end, can they risk everything to help Jack recover his lost memories, even though the truth may destroy them both?
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2010
86 people are currently reading
3210 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Dreyer
74 books766 followersNew York Times bestselling, award-winning author Eileen Dreyer, known as Kathleen Korbel to her Silhouette readers, has published 28 romance novels, 8 medico-forensic suspenses, and 7 short stories.
2012 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her first foray into historical romance, the Drake's Rakes series, which follow the lives of a group of British aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. After publication of the first trilogy in the series, she has just signed for the next trilogy, following the graduates of the aptly named Last Chance Academy, who each finds herself crossing swords with Drake's Rakes. Eileen spent time not only in England and Italy, but India to research the series (it's a filthy job, but somebody has to do it).
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
Dreyer won her first publishing award in 1987, being named the best new Contemporary Romance Author by RT Bookclub. Since that time she has also garnered not only five other writing awards from RT, but five RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, which secures her only the fourth place in the Romance Writers of America prestigious Hall of Fame. Since extending her reach to suspense, she has also garnered a coveted Anthony Award nomination.
A frequent speaker at conferences, she maintains membership in Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and, just in case things go wrong, Emergency Nurses Association and International Association of Forensic Nurses.
Eileen is an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She's also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, although she doesn't see herself actively working in the field, unless this writing thing doesn't pan out.
Get in touch: eileendreyer@eileendreyer.com
2012 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her first foray into historical romance, the Drake's Rakes series, which follow the lives of a group of British aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. After publication of the first trilogy in the series, she has just signed for the next trilogy, following the graduates of the aptly named Last Chance Academy, who each finds herself crossing swords with Drake's Rakes. Eileen spent time not only in England and Italy, but India to research the series (it's a filthy job, but somebody has to do it).
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
Dreyer won her first publishing award in 1987, being named the best new Contemporary Romance Author by RT Bookclub. Since that time she has also garnered not only five other writing awards from RT, but five RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, which secures her only the fourth place in the Romance Writers of America prestigious Hall of Fame. Since extending her reach to suspense, she has also garnered a coveted Anthony Award nomination.
A frequent speaker at conferences, she maintains membership in Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and, just in case things go wrong, Emergency Nurses Association and International Association of Forensic Nurses.
Eileen is an addicted traveler, having sung in some of the best Irish pubs in the world, and admits she sees research as a handy way to salve her insatiable curiosity. She counts film producers, police detectives and Olympic athletes as some of her sources and friends. She's also trained in forensic nursing and death investigation, although she doesn't see herself actively working in the field, unless this writing thing doesn't pan out.
Get in touch: eileendreyer@eileendreyer.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
July 4, 2017
Where to start? Where to start! First, in a nut shell the best things about this book are the cover art and Lady Bea. That's it for me. Everything after that had such great potential, but I think this was a case of too many plot devices, themes, whatever going on, too many balls to juggle and not an experienced juggler. I was so disappointed with this one, I wanted to love it so much, but just couldn't.
Right off the bat I was immediately taken out of the story with the first sentence of the second or third paragraph. I don't have the book in front of me, and I'm not getting up to check, but the line goes something like "The smell of cordite, overridden horses and . . . blah blah blah hung in the air." CORDITE? Okay, admittedly I wasn't absolutely sure until I confirmed with my hubby, but we watch lots of History Channel stuff, mostly about wars, (he's in control of the remote, I'm usually reading) and yes, I did remember correctly that cordite wasn't invented until the 1880's. This story takes place in 1815. I remember this little factoid because it was created to replace gunpowder. I say created as in it's made up of nitroglycerin, which wasn't even invented until 1847 (I looked it up). All this to say, if you're writing historical, please take longer than two paragraphs to mess up the facts. After this, I couldn't get excited. I found this author likes to use inane words, she's really getting use of her thesaurus, and it was just sort of random and weird to me. I'd give more examples, but again, not getting up to check. Also, Lady Bea, who I loved, spoke only in phrases and idioms, some I'm fairly sure had no business being mentioned during 1815. I'm not going to say for certain, but after cordite I didn't want to be babysitting my iphone to double check anything I had doubts about.
Another thing, the hero Jack treats Olivia, Livvie (can't stand that nickname, BTW) like total crap. Probably one of the most arrogant asses I've every read about. Case in point, they were supposedly happily married, and a few people hint around she's unfaithful, with her cousin of all things, and he finds her upset and mussed in her cousin's arms, assumes the worst, calls the cousin out, kills him, banishes her, divorces her (he knows she's pregnant with his child as well) and never has a second thought about her. While he's away in the 5 years, he sleeps with a spy. Now, this is not something I like to read, but at this point I'm not totally disgusted, yet. He assumed the worst, they were divorced, whoever he wants to sleep with in the meantime, whatever. Makes me like him a lot less, but whatever. Here's where the ick factor comes in, the part I totally lost all hope of every liking the hero and wanted to slap some sense into the heroine: He's taking a much needed bath, she's helping him wash in the most euphemistically way, he's kissing her, then pauses in the middle of kissing her to say he doesn't know how he thought he could be happy with Mimi!!!!! Mimi is mysterious spy mistress. Now Olivia knew of her before this, but I guess she assumed it was done, I couldn't have overlooked it so easily, but I guess she could. But he's making out with her and brings the other woman's name!!! Of course she gets mad, but before they can even fight about it properly, the house is going up in flames. But really it's not, because it's decent enough for them to spend the night in, and they cuddle all night. She's not ever really discussed between them again. How dismally stupid.
Then there was the whole mystery of where had Jack been for the last 5 years, only it was never really discussed either. He was a spy. That's about it. He doesn't explain himself really well, and Olivia never asks. There's a silly line about how she had faith in him, so he didn't really need to explain. Faith in a man who kicked you and his unborn child to the curb and never looked back? Nice. Then there was Jack's creepy cousin Gervaise, who is down right evil in the things he's done to her, but aside from Mimi the mysterious mistress spy killing him in the end, no one else gives him his just desserts. Not even Jack when he learns that Gervaise made it so Olivia had to sleep with him for her survival, or when he found out Gervaise tried twice to kill his son, the son he wasn't there to protect. I also thought how Lady Kate made such fast friends with Olivia at a ball where Olivia was a governess and hanging with the servants to be completely unrealistic. A duchess wouldn't think 'Hey, let's hang with the old biddies and governesses for some juicy gossip,' no matter how scandalous she is. Lady Bea's condition is wacky, strange and again, completely unrealistic, but I did love it. How can you not love someone who talks in riddles and idioms only because her brain can't handle regular words? It's almost like Jeopardy or Password, or some kooky regency game, and I loved playing along. But it was odd for her to shouting out random things. Lady Kate also adopts misfits as staff it seems, but nothing is really said about that. Earl Drake has a group of men, spies, he calls Drake's Rakes, but again, nothing is really said about it, even though it's the name of the series. Jack and Olivia live on the same estate in the epilogue, but don't get remarried for awhile, but it's not said how she's getting along in a society that hated her.
Jack never really seems like his own person, Olivia forgets all her troubles once she sees Jack, the author started out with an interesting premise but had too much other stuff going on to do it justice, I just couldn't get into this. I'll probably read one of this author, just to see if it was a fluke, but I'm gonna guess probably not.
Right off the bat I was immediately taken out of the story with the first sentence of the second or third paragraph. I don't have the book in front of me, and I'm not getting up to check, but the line goes something like "The smell of cordite, overridden horses and . . . blah blah blah hung in the air." CORDITE? Okay, admittedly I wasn't absolutely sure until I confirmed with my hubby, but we watch lots of History Channel stuff, mostly about wars, (he's in control of the remote, I'm usually reading) and yes, I did remember correctly that cordite wasn't invented until the 1880's. This story takes place in 1815. I remember this little factoid because it was created to replace gunpowder. I say created as in it's made up of nitroglycerin, which wasn't even invented until 1847 (I looked it up). All this to say, if you're writing historical, please take longer than two paragraphs to mess up the facts. After this, I couldn't get excited. I found this author likes to use inane words, she's really getting use of her thesaurus, and it was just sort of random and weird to me. I'd give more examples, but again, not getting up to check. Also, Lady Bea, who I loved, spoke only in phrases and idioms, some I'm fairly sure had no business being mentioned during 1815. I'm not going to say for certain, but after cordite I didn't want to be babysitting my iphone to double check anything I had doubts about.
Another thing, the hero Jack treats Olivia, Livvie (can't stand that nickname, BTW) like total crap. Probably one of the most arrogant asses I've every read about. Case in point, they were supposedly happily married, and a few people hint around she's unfaithful, with her cousin of all things, and he finds her upset and mussed in her cousin's arms, assumes the worst, calls the cousin out, kills him, banishes her, divorces her (he knows she's pregnant with his child as well) and never has a second thought about her. While he's away in the 5 years, he sleeps with a spy. Now, this is not something I like to read, but at this point I'm not totally disgusted, yet. He assumed the worst, they were divorced, whoever he wants to sleep with in the meantime, whatever. Makes me like him a lot less, but whatever. Here's where the ick factor comes in, the part I totally lost all hope of every liking the hero and wanted to slap some sense into the heroine: He's taking a much needed bath, she's helping him wash in the most euphemistically way, he's kissing her, then pauses in the middle of kissing her to say he doesn't know how he thought he could be happy with Mimi!!!!! Mimi is mysterious spy mistress. Now Olivia knew of her before this, but I guess she assumed it was done, I couldn't have overlooked it so easily, but I guess she could. But he's making out with her and brings the other woman's name!!! Of course she gets mad, but before they can even fight about it properly, the house is going up in flames. But really it's not, because it's decent enough for them to spend the night in, and they cuddle all night. She's not ever really discussed between them again. How dismally stupid.
Then there was the whole mystery of where had Jack been for the last 5 years, only it was never really discussed either. He was a spy. That's about it. He doesn't explain himself really well, and Olivia never asks. There's a silly line about how she had faith in him, so he didn't really need to explain. Faith in a man who kicked you and his unborn child to the curb and never looked back? Nice. Then there was Jack's creepy cousin Gervaise, who is down right evil in the things he's done to her, but aside from Mimi the mysterious mistress spy killing him in the end, no one else gives him his just desserts. Not even Jack when he learns that Gervaise made it so Olivia had to sleep with him for her survival, or when he found out Gervaise tried twice to kill his son, the son he wasn't there to protect. I also thought how Lady Kate made such fast friends with Olivia at a ball where Olivia was a governess and hanging with the servants to be completely unrealistic. A duchess wouldn't think 'Hey, let's hang with the old biddies and governesses for some juicy gossip,' no matter how scandalous she is. Lady Bea's condition is wacky, strange and again, completely unrealistic, but I did love it. How can you not love someone who talks in riddles and idioms only because her brain can't handle regular words? It's almost like Jeopardy or Password, or some kooky regency game, and I loved playing along. But it was odd for her to shouting out random things. Lady Kate also adopts misfits as staff it seems, but nothing is really said about that. Earl Drake has a group of men, spies, he calls Drake's Rakes, but again, nothing is really said about it, even though it's the name of the series. Jack and Olivia live on the same estate in the epilogue, but don't get remarried for awhile, but it's not said how she's getting along in a society that hated her.
Jack never really seems like his own person, Olivia forgets all her troubles once she sees Jack, the author started out with an interesting premise but had too much other stuff going on to do it justice, I just couldn't get into this. I'll probably read one of this author, just to see if it was a fluke, but I'm gonna guess probably not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2021
He had abandoned her as recklessly as he’d loved her
This book wrenches your heart out, puts it back and wrenches it out again and in between tramples on it too. I can understand the mixed reviews for this book but it scores high on the angst scale.
And that's where the book scores highly for me - an unapologetic angst-lover.
I am rating this book high even as I confess that the h/H relationship's 'repair and reconnect' seems bedeviled by many irritants like his utter lack of faith in her, the horrible treatment he metes out to her in the past and then his hazy but disturbing (for the reader) memories of the ow. {You don't even want to know how he reacts when he sees the ow's picture in book #2! Brief but telling!}
There’s not much interaction between the h and H for much of the book. The brief flashbacks, and hazy view of the past titillates and adds to the crescendo of emotional wreck that is the h’s life.
Its so angsty that it actually hurts. Why women give men second chances when they least deserve it and how easily they throw their love and gentleness back in their face.
Thus said, I like how the author ‘follows the drum’ right into the battlefields of Belgium rather than just the cursorily mentioning the H’s great valor and the injuries/scars/trauma he has suffered for England.
And unlike with many such books where we have this ‘band of girls’ (the present and future hs) quite annoyingly doing and managing stuff, I actually liked these women – all of them. It’s the men who lack, men who stumble. Yes, we girls should stick together.
This book wrenches your heart out, puts it back and wrenches it out again and in between tramples on it too. I can understand the mixed reviews for this book but it scores high on the angst scale.
And that's where the book scores highly for me - an unapologetic angst-lover.
I am rating this book high even as I confess that the h/H relationship's 'repair and reconnect' seems bedeviled by many irritants like his utter lack of faith in her, the horrible treatment he metes out to her in the past and then his hazy but disturbing (for the reader) memories of the ow. {You don't even want to know how he reacts when he sees the ow's picture in book #2! Brief but telling!}
There’s not much interaction between the h and H for much of the book. The brief flashbacks, and hazy view of the past titillates and adds to the crescendo of emotional wreck that is the h’s life.
Its so angsty that it actually hurts. Why women give men second chances when they least deserve it and how easily they throw their love and gentleness back in their face.
Thus said, I like how the author ‘follows the drum’ right into the battlefields of Belgium rather than just the cursorily mentioning the H’s great valor and the injuries/scars/trauma he has suffered for England.
And unlike with many such books where we have this ‘band of girls’ (the present and future hs) quite annoyingly doing and managing stuff, I actually liked these women – all of them. It’s the men who lack, men who stumble. Yes, we girls should stick together.
April 16, 2018
Mixed review.
I succumbed and read it. It's well written and I will definitely keep an eye out for another Eileen Dreyer, but wanting to smother the H or, hey, have him get falsely accused then hung (or is it hanged) for treason, oh the irony, has me rate it at 2 stars.
Plot:
The hero divorced the heroine because he thought she had had an affair with her cousin. He killed said (innocent) cousin in a duel, turned his back on his pregnant wife and fled the country.
The hero is the quintessential golden-haired frat boy that was never told no by anyone. He gets what he wants with minimal effort.
Apparently, one character has a brain. His son, the off page plot moppet. When he is finally introduced to us and his father, he has the presence of mind to ask...
The moment when Jamie, wide-eyed and serious, took the measure of the man who claimed to be his father. “And just where have you been?” he demanded.
His voice suspiciously gruff, Jack knelt before his son. “Trying to get back to you and your mother.” “Why did it take so long?”
“Because I had to learn how to be a good father first.”
And Jamie, hands on small hips, leaned his head back and frowned. “Well,” he said. “I suppose we could let you try.”
They do. At least the hero turns his back on his awful family and makes promises to the heroine we all hope he keeps.
I succumbed and read it. It's well written and I will definitely keep an eye out for another Eileen Dreyer, but wanting to smother the H or, hey, have him get falsely accused then hung (or is it hanged) for treason, oh the irony, has me rate it at 2 stars.
Plot:
The hero divorced the heroine because he thought she had had an affair with her cousin. He killed said (innocent) cousin in a duel, turned his back on his pregnant wife and fled the country.
The hero is the quintessential golden-haired frat boy that was never told no by anyone. He gets what he wants with minimal effort.
Apparently, one character has a brain. His son, the off page plot moppet. When he is finally introduced to us and his father, he has the presence of mind to ask...
The moment when Jamie, wide-eyed and serious, took the measure of the man who claimed to be his father. “And just where have you been?” he demanded.
His voice suspiciously gruff, Jack knelt before his son. “Trying to get back to you and your mother.” “Why did it take so long?”
“Because I had to learn how to be a good father first.”
And Jamie, hands on small hips, leaned his head back and frowned. “Well,” he said. “I suppose we could let you try.”
They do. At least the hero turns his back on his awful family and makes promises to the heroine we all hope he keeps.
November 16, 2012
This is an “allergy attack” book. You know, the book that makes your eyes water and your nose run, and you tell everyone who asks what’s wrong that you’re having an allergy attack because you don’t want them to know you’re
over a romance novel?
So break out the Claritin (or a hanky) if you plan to read…
Olivia Grace is broke and homeless again, caring for soldiers wounded at Waterloo and trying to avoid an outwardly handsome, charming fellow who wants her as his mistress, and reckons the best way to endear himself to her is to try to kill her son.
Out on the battlefield, she's trying to help her friend Grace find her missing father when she finds him. Jack Wyndham, Earl of Gracechurch, badly wounded on the battlefield—in a French uniform, and carrying French dispatches.
Jack Wyndham, the man who married her and claimed to love her, then abruptly ejected her from their home, pregnant and without a farthing. Who killed her cousin in a duel, and then initiated a spectacle of a divorce, telling the world she was a whore, all without ever giving her a chance to tell her side. Because of Jack, Olivia’s own family turned their backs. She struggled to survive—nearly starved at times and she’s had to send her son away and live in hiding, because Jack left them both vulnerable to his vicious family. That Jack Wyndham.
Despite the fact that Jack betrayed her without blinking, Liv refuses to believe he would betray his country. She takes off the French jacket and replaces it with a dead Brit’s, and has Jack carried back to the house she’s sharing with her new friends, the also-scandalous Kate, dowager Duchess of a really crusty old man (that’s going to be an interesting story) and Grace Fairchild(yeah, between Olivia Grace, "Your Grace," and Grace Fairchild, I got a little confused too) the friend whose missing father was a high military muckity.
Liv nurses Jack for days while he’s unconscious and feverish, determined to protect him until he wakes and can explain himself. I’d wait until he was awake, too, but only so I could see his face when I turned his ass in. That’s just me, though. Olivia…
When Jack finally does wake up, he’s all…
Seems Jack's brain has jumped back in time five years. He thinks he and Livvie are still married and wildly in love. And guess what? A doctor warns that if Jack finds out the truth before he remembers on his own,
The doctor advises Liv to pretend to be Jack’s ever-lovin’ wife again—and she’s just
I truly, desperately wanted to see the moment when she could finally tell him how she really felt.
But by then she’s all
If a story makes me so angry with the hero and frustrated with the heroine that I cry, and yet manages to leave me happy with the HEA anyway, it's a damn good story.
This one gets…
May 30, 2020
Olivia and the Jackass. I decided to start reading at 75%. (then went back and skimmed the first part) I get drawn to these car crash novels hoping for redemption at the end, like a moth to a flame. Hmm... not in this one imho.
Really, Jack was unforgivable.
Safety... well it's pretty awful.
Honestly, this is in my top 10 most unromantic novels ever called a romance!
But if your looking for a whole lotta angst, this one's a sure bet.
Really, Jack was unforgivable.
Safety... well it's pretty awful.
Honestly, this is in my top 10 most unromantic novels ever called a romance!
But if your looking for a whole lotta angst, this one's a sure bet.
November 3, 2011
83% of the story is she must lie because the truth will hurt his health. He hurt her and she must act like he didn’t.
STORY BRIEF:
Jack an earl married Olivia, the vicar’s daughter. His cousin Gervaise told lies causing Jack and others to think Olivia had a gambling problem and had sex with other men while married to Jack. Jack believed Gervaise, divorced her, and left England for five years. His family and her family also believed the lies and disowned her, refusing to help. She was pregnant. The book begins five years later during the Waterloo battle in Belgium. Olivia is nursing wounded British soldiers. She discovers Jack, unconscious, in the battlefield, wearing a French uniform. She removes the French uniform and replaces it with a British one. She takes him to safety and tends to his wounds. He has amnesia. He can’t remember anything of the past five years other than knowing Olivia is his wife. The doctor tells Olivia and others they must not tell Jack anything about his past because it will either give him brain fever or kill him.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I bought this because it won a Reviewer’s Award for 2010 from RT Book Reviews magazine. I am sad to say that we have very different tastes. I was bored for the first 328 pages. Olivia must pretend to be Jack’s wife so he won’t be stressed. He hurt her, she doesn’t want to be around him, but she is forced to pretend. We are mired in her ponderings and her approach/avoidance feelings. Add to this that he mentions another woman’s name, Mimi, while dreaming and again during a moment of passion with Olivia. This adds to Olivia’s hurt. He can’t remember anything about Mimi, but he thinks he loved her. Finally at page 328 Olivia tells him the truth of what happened five years ago. He believes her. I kept thinking why didn’t she tell him the truth back then? I suppose the author wants us to think that Jack has matured and is more open to thinking now (instead of impulsive reactions).
Finally the last 60 pages felt more like a story, but they too were lacking. Olivia and Jack share some truths and start to reconnect, but there is not much of a developing relationship. Jack is still missing memory, so there is mystery about why two bad guys want to harm him. At the end of the book, someone else explains what was going on. I would have preferred Jack remembering this and talking about it. It would have been better to “show” some of his actions during his time with the French. It would have been better to “show” thoughts, motivations, and actions of the bad guys and Mimi. None of these things were fleshed out and developed. They are just briefly summarized at the very end of the book, resulting in a tidy wrap up.
I would have liked seeing how Gervaise was so all knowing that he could set up the scene with Tristan in 1810. If Jack killed Tristan and had to leave the country, why is he now allowed back? I would have liked seeing what Mimi did to get into the jail at the end. I wanted to see more about the list.
Most of the sex scenes were remembering a sex scene, dreaming of sex, or starting a sex scene but stopping or being interrupted. The scenes were more about physical reactions than emotional desire. They could have used more sensuality.
DATA:
Story length: 392 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 6. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 20. Setting: 1815 Belgium and England. Copyright: 2010. Genre: regency romance, amnesia.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Eileen Dreyer books.
2 ½ stars. A Man To Die For. Copyrt 1991
1 star. The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes. Copyrt 2007 (co-authored with Jennifer Crusie and Anne Stuart)
STORY BRIEF:
Jack an earl married Olivia, the vicar’s daughter. His cousin Gervaise told lies causing Jack and others to think Olivia had a gambling problem and had sex with other men while married to Jack. Jack believed Gervaise, divorced her, and left England for five years. His family and her family also believed the lies and disowned her, refusing to help. She was pregnant. The book begins five years later during the Waterloo battle in Belgium. Olivia is nursing wounded British soldiers. She discovers Jack, unconscious, in the battlefield, wearing a French uniform. She removes the French uniform and replaces it with a British one. She takes him to safety and tends to his wounds. He has amnesia. He can’t remember anything of the past five years other than knowing Olivia is his wife. The doctor tells Olivia and others they must not tell Jack anything about his past because it will either give him brain fever or kill him.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I bought this because it won a Reviewer’s Award for 2010 from RT Book Reviews magazine. I am sad to say that we have very different tastes. I was bored for the first 328 pages. Olivia must pretend to be Jack’s wife so he won’t be stressed. He hurt her, she doesn’t want to be around him, but she is forced to pretend. We are mired in her ponderings and her approach/avoidance feelings. Add to this that he mentions another woman’s name, Mimi, while dreaming and again during a moment of passion with Olivia. This adds to Olivia’s hurt. He can’t remember anything about Mimi, but he thinks he loved her. Finally at page 328 Olivia tells him the truth of what happened five years ago. He believes her. I kept thinking why didn’t she tell him the truth back then? I suppose the author wants us to think that Jack has matured and is more open to thinking now (instead of impulsive reactions).
Finally the last 60 pages felt more like a story, but they too were lacking. Olivia and Jack share some truths and start to reconnect, but there is not much of a developing relationship. Jack is still missing memory, so there is mystery about why two bad guys want to harm him. At the end of the book, someone else explains what was going on. I would have preferred Jack remembering this and talking about it. It would have been better to “show” some of his actions during his time with the French. It would have been better to “show” thoughts, motivations, and actions of the bad guys and Mimi. None of these things were fleshed out and developed. They are just briefly summarized at the very end of the book, resulting in a tidy wrap up.
I would have liked seeing how Gervaise was so all knowing that he could set up the scene with Tristan in 1810. If Jack killed Tristan and had to leave the country, why is he now allowed back? I would have liked seeing what Mimi did to get into the jail at the end. I wanted to see more about the list.
Most of the sex scenes were remembering a sex scene, dreaming of sex, or starting a sex scene but stopping or being interrupted. The scenes were more about physical reactions than emotional desire. They could have used more sensuality.
DATA:
Story length: 392 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 6. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 20. Setting: 1815 Belgium and England. Copyright: 2010. Genre: regency romance, amnesia.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Eileen Dreyer books.
2 ½ stars. A Man To Die For. Copyrt 1991
1 star. The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes. Copyrt 2007 (co-authored with Jennifer Crusie and Anne Stuart)
July 1, 2017
Ok, to be fair, i have to say Amnesiac romances just aren't my thing. Keeping that in mind, I really didn't care for this book. The way the hero treated the heroine pre-amnesia was downright deplorable. Now, I'm the first to admit in the world of romance novels, people move mountains, overcome to odds, and find love in seemingly impossible situations. However, I also believe that for the romantic aspect of a novel to be enthralling, it has to be somewhat believable.
It wasn't the worst book I've read but by far it wasn't the best, which is unfortunate because this will probably be the first and last book I read from this author.
It wasn't the worst book I've read but by far it wasn't the best, which is unfortunate because this will probably be the first and last book I read from this author.
July 12, 2020
3.5 stars
I read this years ago and thought I would re-read. I am in the minority - I liked it (I am also in the minority because I like book 2 - I re-read after reading this one.) The book is well-written. The H was young, privileged and a golden boy most of his life when he fell head over heels with the parson's daughter. His cousin and family poison his mind over time after the H and h marry. When manufactured circumstances occur, H doesn't listen to h and throws her out of the house while pregnant. H kills h's cousin in a duel and leaves the country. He becomes a spy and lives his life accordingly over the next 5 years. The h, who suffers horribly over the same 5 years, finds the H unconscious on the battlefield in a French uniform. When he wakens, he has amnesia and the intrigue begins and secrets are slowly revealed.
The angst is good. My one beef (and why I deducted stars) is that the H's (while enduring emotional suffering) do not grovel or grovel enough in comparison to the h's suffering.
I read book 2 immediately after this one.
I read this years ago and thought I would re-read. I am in the minority - I liked it (I am also in the minority because I like book 2 - I re-read after reading this one.) The book is well-written. The H was young, privileged and a golden boy most of his life when he fell head over heels with the parson's daughter. His cousin and family poison his mind over time after the H and h marry. When manufactured circumstances occur, H doesn't listen to h and throws her out of the house while pregnant. H kills h's cousin in a duel and leaves the country. He becomes a spy and lives his life accordingly over the next 5 years. The h, who suffers horribly over the same 5 years, finds the H unconscious on the battlefield in a French uniform. When he wakens, he has amnesia and the intrigue begins and secrets are slowly revealed.
The angst is good. My one beef (and why I deducted stars) is that the H's (while enduring emotional suffering) do not grovel or grovel enough in comparison to the h's suffering.
I read book 2 immediately after this one.
February 17, 2015
Oh hell no he didn't. One of the worst heroes ever written and a truly unbelievable reconciliation. Loser hero believes tales about his virginal vicar's daughter bride, tosses her pregnant ass to the curb, divorces her, kills her innocent cousin in a duel, becomes a spy, falls in love with another spy, gets wounded at Waterloo, gets amnesia that conveniently covers the 5 years since the ass curb kicking, and ultimately finds out the truth and promises to kiss it and make it better. Can I just say that Jack is pretty damn lucky it was TSTL Olivia that found him on the battlefield and not me. Me, if I'd found the bum wounded wearing an enemy uniform it would have taken me about 2 seconds to decide to find the guards and then do a jig as his ass was dragged to prison and hopefully the end of a short rope.
October 20, 2011
Amazing story!
This is the first book in Eileen Dreyer's 'Drake's Rakes' series.
This was not what I expected at all and I was absolutely taken by the story right from the start.
The Author keeps you intrigued till the very end! "Barely A Lady" is a Historical Romance, but there is so much more going on in this story. There is murder, mystery, deception, as well as honor, loyalty, and of course love.
I highly recommend this book!
I look forward to reading the next book in this Series!
This is the first book in Eileen Dreyer's 'Drake's Rakes' series.
This was not what I expected at all and I was absolutely taken by the story right from the start.
The Author keeps you intrigued till the very end! "Barely A Lady" is a Historical Romance, but there is so much more going on in this story. There is murder, mystery, deception, as well as honor, loyalty, and of course love.
I highly recommend this book!
I look forward to reading the next book in this Series!
March 6, 2011
4.5/5 rating. I'm waffling back and forth with this one and here are the reasons why. Part of me wants to give this book a straight 5 stars because it was a tightly wound, intriguing and passionate story of how love can sustain us, break us and ultimately test us to the core. It has a definite Othello theme running through the plot, although this isn't so pronounced that you keep thinking of Shakespeare all the way through. This book felt more like a historical fiction in some areas, which I have to say I didn't mind - although I am an avid reader of historical fiction so maybe that was why? I enjoyed every minute of detail about the war, and the author has a true talent for creating vivid scenes and landscapes that you can all but touch with your own hands while reading.
The ups and downs of this story are truly amazing. I was on the edge of my seat more than once, and I felt every heartbreak, every trauma, every unimaginable horror that the heroine felt while reading. She loves unconditionally and forever and although given the circumstances some may see this as a weakness - the heroine, Olivia, herself often saw it as such - i couldn't help but admire her strength of character while she faced the wrath, condemnation, betrayal and dismissal from not only society and her own family, but her beloved husband as well - all for crimes she neither committed nor had any notion of until they had already been played out to the end, effectively destroying her character before she even had a chance to defend herself. I could go into tons of detail here, but to do that I would need to give too many spoilers. From the first page of the prologue you have questions as a reader and I kept reading with rapt attention to see where this story and where these characters would take me. It was like I was unraveling a great mystery which I loved. The twists and turns were essential to the plot rather than forced to bring about change in the h/h and their relationship.
Now, the reason I would give this less than 5 stars is because although I loved the heroine, I had a hard time with the hero. Not because he was an ass and essentially treated his wife in the most unimaginable way, turning on her at a moments notice, but because I felt like he wasn't fully drawn as a character. Without giving anything essential away (it's all on the back cover) Jack has amnesia and wakes up thinking it is 5 years earlier, 1810 and that he and Olivia are still happily married. He is the man from her past, although he seems more serious, more capable and darker. I wanted to feel more of who this man was. I wanted to see in his actions, his words, how it was that he could have loved Olivia so much and still do the things he did to her.
This question, however, was a driving force of the plot itself. HOW HOW HOW? You want to scream it at Jack and blister him to dust, but you also understand Olivia's motivation through out and I couldn't help but understand her conflicted emotions where this man was concerned. She hated him for betraying her, for not having the faith in her he should have. But she also recognizes his faults and her years away from him have forced her to grow up.
Another downside is that as you're dragged through this immeasurable heartache of a story - emotional roller coaster anyone? You get to the end and everything IMO was tied up way too neatly. The lovely picture perfect ending in no way reflected how I thought it should have wrapped up. There were parts I enjoyed, but all in all the husband found his forgiveness but because we didn't get to actually see Jack redeem himself for all the misery he put Olivia through, their happily ever after fell a little flat for me. I can say though that the rest of the book is so engrossing that by the end it hardly mattered.
I'm anticipating the next two in the series. Grace and Lady Kate's stories, Lady Kate's especially as she is a forced to be reckoned with in this intro story. I can't wait to unravel her tale of heartache and see her find love with the man who broke her heart long ago. There is only one slim mention of her hero in this book, but from Kate's reaction you can bet her story with Harry Lidge will be a good one.
I highly recommend this read.
The ups and downs of this story are truly amazing. I was on the edge of my seat more than once, and I felt every heartbreak, every trauma, every unimaginable horror that the heroine felt while reading. She loves unconditionally and forever and although given the circumstances some may see this as a weakness - the heroine, Olivia, herself often saw it as such - i couldn't help but admire her strength of character while she faced the wrath, condemnation, betrayal and dismissal from not only society and her own family, but her beloved husband as well - all for crimes she neither committed nor had any notion of until they had already been played out to the end, effectively destroying her character before she even had a chance to defend herself. I could go into tons of detail here, but to do that I would need to give too many spoilers. From the first page of the prologue you have questions as a reader and I kept reading with rapt attention to see where this story and where these characters would take me. It was like I was unraveling a great mystery which I loved. The twists and turns were essential to the plot rather than forced to bring about change in the h/h and their relationship.
Now, the reason I would give this less than 5 stars is because although I loved the heroine, I had a hard time with the hero. Not because he was an ass and essentially treated his wife in the most unimaginable way, turning on her at a moments notice, but because I felt like he wasn't fully drawn as a character. Without giving anything essential away (it's all on the back cover) Jack has amnesia and wakes up thinking it is 5 years earlier, 1810 and that he and Olivia are still happily married. He is the man from her past, although he seems more serious, more capable and darker. I wanted to feel more of who this man was. I wanted to see in his actions, his words, how it was that he could have loved Olivia so much and still do the things he did to her.
This question, however, was a driving force of the plot itself. HOW HOW HOW? You want to scream it at Jack and blister him to dust, but you also understand Olivia's motivation through out and I couldn't help but understand her conflicted emotions where this man was concerned. She hated him for betraying her, for not having the faith in her he should have. But she also recognizes his faults and her years away from him have forced her to grow up.
Another downside is that as you're dragged through this immeasurable heartache of a story - emotional roller coaster anyone? You get to the end and everything IMO was tied up way too neatly. The lovely picture perfect ending in no way reflected how I thought it should have wrapped up. There were parts I enjoyed, but all in all the husband found his forgiveness but because we didn't get to actually see Jack redeem himself for all the misery he put Olivia through, their happily ever after fell a little flat for me. I can say though that the rest of the book is so engrossing that by the end it hardly mattered.
I'm anticipating the next two in the series. Grace and Lady Kate's stories, Lady Kate's especially as she is a forced to be reckoned with in this intro story. I can't wait to unravel her tale of heartache and see her find love with the man who broke her heart long ago. There is only one slim mention of her hero in this book, but from Kate's reaction you can bet her story with Harry Lidge will be a good one.
I highly recommend this read.
October 13, 2015
This was a really heart wrenching read. Not sure I could have forgiven Jack as quick as Olivia did and wish that Jack was a lot more harsher with his family then he was. Looking forward to reading Grace's story. Kate is a wonderful character and glad I read her book first.
April 28, 2017
Barely a Lady was a decent read, with really good characters (specially the secondary ones) and well-developed plot, based on the aftermath of the battle of Waterloo. The problem? The main character's relationship was so uneven that I can't imagine they could ever be happy together. How could she trust him again after what he did to her?
You see, 5 years ago, Jack divorced her because she was supposedly cuckolding him with her own cousin. Not only that, but he called out the cousin and left her pregnant and in penury. Since then, poor Olivia has to scrap by, while being persecuted by Jack's cousin, Gervaise, a Iago like character who convinced Jack that Olivia was up to no good. Jack's naivete didn't say much for his character - I kept thinking...did the man never saw Othello? How could he believe implicitly somebody who's telling tales about his wife without suspecting Gervaise's motives?
Unlike Jack, Olivia trusts his honor implicitly, so when she finds him injured in a battlefield wearing an enemy uniform, she immediately knows there's more to the tale and convinces her friends to help him. Jack wakes up with amnesia, still thinking they're married, and poor Olivia has to pretend that she still his wife. Yup, the woman is pretty much a saint. Not to say she wasn't full of rage, sorrow, sadness and every emotion you can imagine but she STILL put Jack first.
Given what she went through, this book needed WAY more groveling than we eventually got. He did some good things for her at the end but it wasn't enough.
I really liked the secondary characters - Kate specifically - so I'm definitely continuing the series.
You see, 5 years ago, Jack divorced her because she was supposedly cuckolding him with her own cousin. Not only that, but he called out the cousin and left her pregnant and in penury. Since then, poor Olivia has to scrap by, while being persecuted by Jack's cousin, Gervaise, a Iago like character who convinced Jack that Olivia was up to no good. Jack's naivete didn't say much for his character - I kept thinking...did the man never saw Othello? How could he believe implicitly somebody who's telling tales about his wife without suspecting Gervaise's motives?
Unlike Jack, Olivia trusts his honor implicitly, so when she finds him injured in a battlefield wearing an enemy uniform, she immediately knows there's more to the tale and convinces her friends to help him. Jack wakes up with amnesia, still thinking they're married, and poor Olivia has to pretend that she still his wife. Yup, the woman is pretty much a saint. Not to say she wasn't full of rage, sorrow, sadness and every emotion you can imagine but she STILL put Jack first.
Given what she went through, this book needed WAY more groveling than we eventually got. He did some good things for her at the end but it wasn't enough.
I really liked the secondary characters - Kate specifically - so I'm definitely continuing the series.
August 29, 2015
I think I read somewhere that Barely a Lady is Eileen Dreyer’s debut novel. Or was that just debut historical novel? Either way, it’s a remarkable achievement. Barely a Lady is a rich, complex novel with excellent depth, rich characterisations and a compelling plot. I’ve found another author to glom!
The blurb does a good enough job of summarising the book, so I will take the liberty of repeating it here:
But this is just the bones of the story. The rest you must discover yourself, as the author slowly reveals pieces of the puzzle and tantalises you with the mystery. For those of you rolling your eyes at the amnesia trope, it’s all in the skill of the writer. Dreyer lends appropriate gravitas to the story and really makes it work.
I was really impressed by the author’s vivid prose. The battlefield was depicted extraordinarily well to the point where the destruction and despair of the aftermath nearly leaks from the page. I could almost smell the smoking ruins and hear the moans of the wounded. This level of talent is apparent throughout the novel.
All the characters were fully realised and the scenes were rendered so well that you could almost visualise yourself right there with them. On reflection, it was really quite impressive – although you probably won’t notice it at the time because you’ll be too caught up in the story. The emotion doesn’t let the story down either. It is equally as strong.
I saw small shades of Sherry Thomas in Eileen Dreyer’s writing, in the evocative prose and the way that she slowly revealed the mystery and still managed to surprise. That’s pretty high praise for me. I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with.
The blurb does a good enough job of summarising the book, so I will take the liberty of repeating it here:
“Olivia Grace has secrets that could destroy her. One of the greatest of these is the Earl of Gracechurch, who married and divorced her five years earlier. Abandoned and disgraced, Grace has survived those years at the edge of respectability. Then she stumbles over Jack on the battlefield of Waterloo, and he becomes an even more dangerous secret. For not only is he unconscious, he is clad in an enemy uniform.
But worse, when Jack finally wakes in Olivia's care, he can't remember how he came to be on a battlefield in Belgium. In fact, he can remember nothing of the last five years. He thinks he and Olivia are still blissfully together. To keep him from being hanged for a traitor, Olivia must pretend she and Jack are still married.
To unearth the real traitors, Olivia and Jack must unravel the truth hidden within his faulty memory. To save themselves and the friends who have given them sanctuary, they must stand against their enemies, even as they both keep their secrets.
In the end, can they risk everything to help Jack recover his lost memories, even though the truth may destroy them both?”
But this is just the bones of the story. The rest you must discover yourself, as the author slowly reveals pieces of the puzzle and tantalises you with the mystery. For those of you rolling your eyes at the amnesia trope, it’s all in the skill of the writer. Dreyer lends appropriate gravitas to the story and really makes it work.
I was really impressed by the author’s vivid prose. The battlefield was depicted extraordinarily well to the point where the destruction and despair of the aftermath nearly leaks from the page. I could almost smell the smoking ruins and hear the moans of the wounded. This level of talent is apparent throughout the novel.
All the characters were fully realised and the scenes were rendered so well that you could almost visualise yourself right there with them. On reflection, it was really quite impressive – although you probably won’t notice it at the time because you’ll be too caught up in the story. The emotion doesn’t let the story down either. It is equally as strong.
I saw small shades of Sherry Thomas in Eileen Dreyer’s writing, in the evocative prose and the way that she slowly revealed the mystery and still managed to surprise. That’s pretty high praise for me. I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with.
August 5, 2010
Eileen Dreyer is an award-winning author who has been writing for years. She’s written category books under the name Kathleen Korbel and mystery-thrillers set mostly in St. Louis. BARELY A LADY is her first historical romance and boy is it a doozy! Eileen has a wonderful, rich historical voice that makes you feel you’re right in Brussels on the eve of Waterloo. I read this book in almost one sitting and loved every word.
December 10, 2021
I’m in the minority, but I liked this one. The angst level is very high. I wished the H had had to grovel more. This was well-written and an interesting plot. I don’t generally like amnesia plots, but it worked in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2010
Five years ago, jack Wyndham, Earl of Gracechurch, kicked out his wife, Olivia, over a misunderstanding instigated by his jealous cousin Gervaise. Olivia changed her last name to Grace after the scandalous divorce and lived trying to forget her love for Jack, while trying to hide from the malicious Gervaise. She is among a group of women tending soldiers injured in Waterloo, when she comes face to face with a near-death Jack, wearing a French uniform. Even after all he's done to hurt her, she takes it upon herself to nurse him back to health. As he comes to, she realizes Jack has amnesia and believes them to still be married.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I have some problems with the story, but Dreyer's writing style is addictive! I was turning the pages as quickly as possible, and there was never a slow moment.
I was reminded a little of Sherri Thomas and Meredith Duran's writing, in that the leads are very flawed and have dealt with a lot over long periods of time. Add in a war, and you've got a really sweeping tale of love and hardship.
Sigh, I wanted to like Jack, I really did. He just seemed so...likeable. I was ready to forgive him for the divorce, but then he started to remember his affair with Mimi. I don't know what is worse, reading about the hero telling another woman that he loves her or reading his love scenes with her. Jack didn't have to be a monk while they were divorced, but the Mimi affair was too much for me. Poor Olivia, already having to deal with so much on her own, and then she has to deal with Mimi.
I did enjoy all of the supporting characters, especially Grace and Diccan. I really looked forward to their scenes.
I liked the style of the book, with all the past secrets being revealed slowly throughout the book. There was a lot going on, and it was a bit like a mystery unraveling. I also liked that the characters were re-united after a long time apart. I just would rather not have to be so upset with the hero for most of the book!
I do think I'll read the other books in the series because I really liked the author's style, even though I had problems with the story itself.
This book was provided for review by Hachette.
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
I have mixed feelings about this book. I have some problems with the story, but Dreyer's writing style is addictive! I was turning the pages as quickly as possible, and there was never a slow moment.
I was reminded a little of Sherri Thomas and Meredith Duran's writing, in that the leads are very flawed and have dealt with a lot over long periods of time. Add in a war, and you've got a really sweeping tale of love and hardship.
Sigh, I wanted to like Jack, I really did. He just seemed so...likeable. I was ready to forgive him for the divorce, but then he started to remember his affair with Mimi. I don't know what is worse, reading about the hero telling another woman that he loves her or reading his love scenes with her. Jack didn't have to be a monk while they were divorced, but the Mimi affair was too much for me. Poor Olivia, already having to deal with so much on her own, and then she has to deal with Mimi.
I did enjoy all of the supporting characters, especially Grace and Diccan. I really looked forward to their scenes.
I liked the style of the book, with all the past secrets being revealed slowly throughout the book. There was a lot going on, and it was a bit like a mystery unraveling. I also liked that the characters were re-united after a long time apart. I just would rather not have to be so upset with the hero for most of the book!
I do think I'll read the other books in the series because I really liked the author's style, even though I had problems with the story itself.
This book was provided for review by Hachette.
reviewed for http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com
May 14, 2011
It is a rare author who can write engagingly about betrayal, separation or infidelity but to tell a wonderful story with all these very challenging themes is a tremendous accomplishment. I admit to some interest in reading this book after reading very polar reviews, it seemed to be a love it or leave it type of book. The main plot is the H and h fall in love, his family disapproves and does EVERYTHING in its power to end the relationship. This includes a series of lies by a villain to set up the h as a victim. The central theme revolves around the breach of trust that occurs when the H trusts this reprehensible character, rather than the h. As one of the great secondary characters says, the H "failed at his first fence".
This is not a book of how much pain and suffering one can cause and be summarily forgiven for. Neither is it about how much a character can grovel. It is an exploration of how love is not enough without trust. If there is atonement and forgiveness, when trust is violated love can prevail.
The author has very deftly handled both characters so that as the reader, I was drawn into a sympathetic point of view for both. Of course, you could dislike the H for the choices he made, but as the story reveals, he had had a "charmed" existence and never had to cope with the harsh realities of life, and was thus too immature to face the test and perform well. It was not an irredeemable character flaw, but rather, a lack of maturity and therefore, forgivable with the right blend of atonement.
The story would not have worked either if the h had been drawn as a weak push over, who too easily forgave the very reprehensible behaviour of the H. Infidelity is a theme which I almost never see done with enough insight to generate empathy for the perpetrator. In BAL, while there was a little glossing over, there was a believable resolution to this as well.
I am curious as to how this couple's story will be played out in remainder of the series and whether the villainous mistress will make an appearance in the future books which I undoubtedly look forward to. This book will be enjoyable to re-read as it is a complex, well written and multi-layered story, with best of all a HEA!
This is not a book of how much pain and suffering one can cause and be summarily forgiven for. Neither is it about how much a character can grovel. It is an exploration of how love is not enough without trust. If there is atonement and forgiveness, when trust is violated love can prevail.
The author has very deftly handled both characters so that as the reader, I was drawn into a sympathetic point of view for both. Of course, you could dislike the H for the choices he made, but as the story reveals, he had had a "charmed" existence and never had to cope with the harsh realities of life, and was thus too immature to face the test and perform well. It was not an irredeemable character flaw, but rather, a lack of maturity and therefore, forgivable with the right blend of atonement.
The story would not have worked either if the h had been drawn as a weak push over, who too easily forgave the very reprehensible behaviour of the H. Infidelity is a theme which I almost never see done with enough insight to generate empathy for the perpetrator. In BAL, while there was a little glossing over, there was a believable resolution to this as well.
I am curious as to how this couple's story will be played out in remainder of the series and whether the villainous mistress will make an appearance in the future books which I undoubtedly look forward to. This book will be enjoyable to re-read as it is a complex, well written and multi-layered story, with best of all a HEA!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2010
Best Historical Romance I've ever read!
BARELY A LADY is Eileen Dreyers first Historical book in the new Drake's Rakes series.
I can't say I've read tons of Historical Romances, but I have read my share, and I can honestly say this was the most thrilling and exciting romance I've ever read. I'm more of a paranormal gal, but to put a paranormal theme into this book would only diminish it.
When I wasn't laughing or completely in a reading trance, I was crying my eyes out.(My fiance actually took pictures of me crying. :P)
Barely A Lady is a Regency Historical romance set in Belgium and Brussels in 1815. The heroin, Olivia Grace is a strong willed, hurt soul. I took to Olivia almost immediately. She has been living for the last 5 years hiding from her awful past. Olivia isn't the only strong female. Lady Kate, Grace, and Lady Bea are each a force to be reckoned with, together they can accomplish anything.(Especially, a good laugh!) It won't be long until everyone of these ladies have a spot in your heart.
Barely a lady is a novel your won't soon forget. Brilliantly written, I am now a forever fan of Dreyer. A delightful, heart-warming tale. I cannot wait to read Never A Gentlemen In April 2011!
BARELY A LADY is Eileen Dreyers first Historical book in the new Drake's Rakes series.
I can't say I've read tons of Historical Romances, but I have read my share, and I can honestly say this was the most thrilling and exciting romance I've ever read. I'm more of a paranormal gal, but to put a paranormal theme into this book would only diminish it.
When I wasn't laughing or completely in a reading trance, I was crying my eyes out.(My fiance actually took pictures of me crying. :P)
Barely A Lady is a Regency Historical romance set in Belgium and Brussels in 1815. The heroin, Olivia Grace is a strong willed, hurt soul. I took to Olivia almost immediately. She has been living for the last 5 years hiding from her awful past. Olivia isn't the only strong female. Lady Kate, Grace, and Lady Bea are each a force to be reckoned with, together they can accomplish anything.(Especially, a good laugh!) It won't be long until everyone of these ladies have a spot in your heart.
Barely a lady is a novel your won't soon forget. Brilliantly written, I am now a forever fan of Dreyer. A delightful, heart-warming tale. I cannot wait to read Never A Gentlemen In April 2011!
July 26, 2010
Wow. Talk about an emotional train wreck. Maybe I was just overtired (staying up late every night the past week reading will do that to you), but this book had my eyes stinging several times. My only complaint is what an ASSHAT Jack was at times. Jeeze, was he really THAT blind and easily led? But he made up for it in the end.
Olivia definitely wrenched my heartstrings though. To go through so much and still want the person who tore her soul out was difficult for me to understand (still is) but her character was so well written that I just went with it.
I will admit that I'm desperate for the next book in this series. The teaser chapter totally sucked me in, much faster than Barely a Lady did (and that was pretty damn quick!). Why do I have to wait for August 2011 for it??
Olivia definitely wrenched my heartstrings though. To go through so much and still want the person who tore her soul out was difficult for me to understand (still is) but her character was so well written that I just went with it.
I will admit that I'm desperate for the next book in this series. The teaser chapter totally sucked me in, much faster than Barely a Lady did (and that was pretty damn quick!). Why do I have to wait for August 2011 for it??
Read
June 17, 2024This was a very frustrating read. It's a high-angst second chance romance set around Waterloo, but the way information about the couples' separation is distributed to the reader is, frankly, baffling. Dreyer could have done two things to make this work: spent enough time in the past that I understood why this couple ever loved each other in the first place, or framed their past as youthful fascination, making their more jaded and mature selves the version that fall in love.
It's so annoying because I want heartache, I want to read about devastatingly bad behavior, and Dreyer is incredibly bold with what she'll put on page. It's missing the heart though, and you need that for anguish.
It's so annoying because I want heartache, I want to read about devastatingly bad behavior, and Dreyer is incredibly bold with what she'll put on page. It's missing the heart though, and you need that for anguish.
November 20, 2012
While this book had a very promising premise the execution was very poor. There were a lot of secrets that were supposed to create surprises and twists in the story, but unfortunately the revelations created more questions than they answered. It was quite confusing at times, but as I already said, the premise was good, so the book wasn't a completely waste of time.
November 22, 2010
Kudos to this book for trying to have a plot. The mystery surrounding Jack's appearance on the battlefield lasts until the very end, but it was really dragged out. The reader doesn't actually learn anything new about it for hundreds of pages, then there's this sudden reveal at the end. There were two villains in the story (the Surgeon and the Axman) whose purposes confused me. There was no reason to include them other than in an attempt to heighten the suspense in the story. I never got a good idea why they were so desperate to find Jack.
But what really knocked this book down in my opinion was how easy Olivia finds it to forgive Jack. I just didn't buy the continuing attraction she had, and her inability to fight it. Yes, historical romances are typically brimming with angst, but I was so furious at Jack's TSTL actions that Olivia overlooking that angered me. He threw her out, pregnant and dissolute, to become a homeless beggar? And his kisses are so passionate they can make her forget that? Doubtful.
Another reviewer commented that this was "spicier" than many other historical romances, but I don't agree. I didn't find it overly spicy. I think there were three love scenes. Two of them were flashbacks to their marriage, and one of those was a quickie, while the other gets interrupted before the end.
The narration was unevenly paced. It was mostly Olivia, with a little bit of Jack thrown in. Maybe if there were more parts seen through his eyes, I might have felt more forgiving toward him (though I doubt it). Then there's a random section or two where we follow Lady Kate, and another where we see the villains making devious plans. Those little bits seemed to be tossed in to give a feeling of suspense, rather than having an actual purpose within the plot.
***SMALL SPOILERS***
His relationship with Mimi was also problematic for me. Fine, he thought his wife cheated, and after the divorce he was free to sleep with whomever he chose. But in one of Jack's flashbacks he remembers thinking that at the time he was happier with Mimi than he ever was with Olivia. That, coupled with his actions to her when finding her with her cousin, turned me off completely to Jack.
***SPOILERS***
The ending was so bizarre I didn't even know what to think. Mimi is still alive, and visits Gervaise to kill him.....WHAT?! That was so far out of left field I couldn't have guessed that ending. We're not talking about the plot-twisty "Wow - didn't see that one coming!" type of thing either. This is a "WTF - is this the ending to an earlier, discarded draft of the story?" This is a series, so maybe Mimi's actions will be explained in a subsequent novel. But for someone who won't be reading any further in the series, it was a confusing ending.
But what really knocked this book down in my opinion was how easy Olivia finds it to forgive Jack. I just didn't buy the continuing attraction she had, and her inability to fight it. Yes, historical romances are typically brimming with angst, but I was so furious at Jack's TSTL actions that Olivia overlooking that angered me. He threw her out, pregnant and dissolute, to become a homeless beggar? And his kisses are so passionate they can make her forget that? Doubtful.
Another reviewer commented that this was "spicier" than many other historical romances, but I don't agree. I didn't find it overly spicy. I think there were three love scenes. Two of them were flashbacks to their marriage, and one of those was a quickie, while the other gets interrupted before the end.
The narration was unevenly paced. It was mostly Olivia, with a little bit of Jack thrown in. Maybe if there were more parts seen through his eyes, I might have felt more forgiving toward him (though I doubt it). Then there's a random section or two where we follow Lady Kate, and another where we see the villains making devious plans. Those little bits seemed to be tossed in to give a feeling of suspense, rather than having an actual purpose within the plot.
***SMALL SPOILERS***
His relationship with Mimi was also problematic for me. Fine, he thought his wife cheated, and after the divorce he was free to sleep with whomever he chose. But in one of Jack's flashbacks he remembers thinking that at the time he was happier with Mimi than he ever was with Olivia. That, coupled with his actions to her when finding her with her cousin, turned me off completely to Jack.
***SPOILERS***
The ending was so bizarre I didn't even know what to think. Mimi is still alive, and visits Gervaise to kill him.....WHAT?! That was so far out of left field I couldn't have guessed that ending. We're not talking about the plot-twisty "Wow - didn't see that one coming!" type of thing either. This is a "WTF - is this the ending to an earlier, discarded draft of the story?" This is a series, so maybe Mimi's actions will be explained in a subsequent novel. But for someone who won't be reading any further in the series, it was a confusing ending.
December 21, 2013
After having her reputation and life stripped from her, Olivia Grace has been spending her time as a paid companion for the last five years. Her newest acquaintance puts her directly back into her ex-husband Jack Wyndham, Earl of Gracechurch's path. Finding Jack in a controversial situation as well as close to death, Olivia must decide if she can put the horrid accusations he made against her behind , in order to care for the one she once loved.
Brilliantly written, you are immediately
transferred into the Napoleonic era and swept into a mystery where Jacks actions are questionable. Not only is Jack in rough shape he also is amnesic and when it comes to his wife, he has no idea the pain he had once caused her five years ago.
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=4291
Brilliantly written, you are immediately
transferred into the Napoleonic era and swept into a mystery where Jacks actions are questionable. Not only is Jack in rough shape he also is amnesic and when it comes to his wife, he has no idea the pain he had once caused her five years ago.
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=4291
November 30, 2011
This was my first Eileen Dreyer read and I can't wait to read the rest of this series! There was nothing soft and flowery in this book. I will also admit that I was not a fan at all of the hero. But this story was really about Olivia and everything she went through, which was almost over the top, but so well woven into the story that it was believable. I would have left Jack on the battlefield to rot.
August 10, 2010
Really good, can't wait for the next in the series.
November 14, 2021
To be honest it probably deserves another star or two because the angst was quite wrenching and the female characters were great, but I am so annoyed and disgusted with Jack that all pleasure has been sucked out of this read.
He had the sincere thought that he was happier with the other woman than he had ever been with Olivia. His memories of being with Mimi were much too passionate, sexy, and joyful for my taste. She of the perfect, perky, pomegranate breasts that he couldn't keep his mouth off of, who he calls out for when he's sick and delirious, whose portrait he carried around, whose name comes out of his mouth when he's kissing Olivia. He actually loved Mimi, like truly. He actually thought sex with her was better.
Meanwhile haggard, weary, too-thin Olivia is sitting around in her ugly gray dress like, hey treat me like garbage some more, I will forgive you. I was appalled at how easily Jack got off; the things Olivia went through were on the extreme end and I'd anticipated a lot more groveling. She really disappointed me. The most Olivia ever did, really, in response to the terrible treatment she received was to sit like a statue outside in the garden for several hours. You really showed him, girl! Jack only felt bad because he happened to see her sitting there. He could've taken a nap and missed her big scene altogether. Super unsatisfying.
The ending did not do justice to the buildup. It was so interesting at first, all the mystery surrounding their past and current circumstances. The reveals were just not good enough, and the wrap-up was wholly unsatisfying. Some parts were downright bizarre (). Overall this book left me disgruntled, frustrated, and confused.
He had the sincere thought that he was happier with the other woman than he had ever been with Olivia. His memories of being with Mimi were much too passionate, sexy, and joyful for my taste. She of the perfect, perky, pomegranate breasts that he couldn't keep his mouth off of, who he calls out for when he's sick and delirious, whose portrait he carried around, whose name comes out of his mouth when he's kissing Olivia. He actually loved Mimi, like truly. He actually thought sex with her was better.
Meanwhile haggard, weary, too-thin Olivia is sitting around in her ugly gray dress like, hey treat me like garbage some more, I will forgive you. I was appalled at how easily Jack got off; the things Olivia went through were on the extreme end and I'd anticipated a lot more groveling. She really disappointed me. The most Olivia ever did, really, in response to the terrible treatment she received was to sit like a statue outside in the garden for several hours. You really showed him, girl! Jack only felt bad because he happened to see her sitting there. He could've taken a nap and missed her big scene altogether. Super unsatisfying.
The ending did not do justice to the buildup. It was so interesting at first, all the mystery surrounding their past and current circumstances. The reveals were just not good enough, and the wrap-up was wholly unsatisfying. Some parts were downright bizarre (). Overall this book left me disgruntled, frustrated, and confused.
January 10, 2021
Yeah I didn't love this.
Jack needs to grovel more and Jack's thing with his French mistress, Mimi, is uncomfortable. I'm all for hero and OW, heroine and OM, but I felt like Jack liked Mimi more than Livvie at times, or that he could be more himself with Mimi. Correct me if I'm wrong but it's Livvie who has these intense flashbacks of their good times, but all Jack can remember is his intense flashbacks with Mimi. At least, that is what I can recall. I felt like Jack had a lot of fun with Mimi and he yearned for those memories, but then his blank slate with Livvie makes their relationship simple, in contrast. As a reader, I don't want to feel that the hero has a more intense relationship to his mistress than to the heroine, and that feeling's just there.
I'm not saying Jack has to realize, I never loved Mimi the way I love Livvie!
But at least acknowledge and work through, ok why do I feel so comfortable with Mimi? What is she giving me that I'm not getting from Livvie? And why am I going to Mimi for this if me and Livvie have only been separated for 2 weeks or so?
I understand Jack is supposed to be this golden boy who failed to clear his first hurdle, as Lady Kate puts so well, but eh. I think Mary Balogh's Slightly Dangerous does the "husband-who-ruins-his-relationship-with-wife-due-to-jealous-relation" much better.
Jack needs to grovel more and Jack's thing with his French mistress, Mimi, is uncomfortable. I'm all for hero and OW, heroine and OM, but I felt like Jack liked Mimi more than Livvie at times, or that he could be more himself with Mimi. Correct me if I'm wrong but it's Livvie who has these intense flashbacks of their good times, but all Jack can remember is his intense flashbacks with Mimi. At least, that is what I can recall. I felt like Jack had a lot of fun with Mimi and he yearned for those memories, but then his blank slate with Livvie makes their relationship simple, in contrast. As a reader, I don't want to feel that the hero has a more intense relationship to his mistress than to the heroine, and that feeling's just there.
I'm not saying Jack has to realize, I never loved Mimi the way I love Livvie!
But at least acknowledge and work through, ok why do I feel so comfortable with Mimi? What is she giving me that I'm not getting from Livvie? And why am I going to Mimi for this if me and Livvie have only been separated for 2 weeks or so?
I understand Jack is supposed to be this golden boy who failed to clear his first hurdle, as Lady Kate puts so well, but eh. I think Mary Balogh's Slightly Dangerous does the "husband-who-ruins-his-relationship-with-wife-due-to-jealous-relation" much better.
October 2, 2011
4 stars – Historical/Regency Romance
November 2, 2013
4.5
I loved this book. Once I started, I couldn't put it down.
I absolutely hated Jack's reaction when he got his memory back, but he totally made up for it.
Full review to come.
I loved this book. Once I started, I couldn't put it down.
I absolutely hated Jack's reaction when he got his memory back, but he totally made up for it.
Full review to come.
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