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Saint Georges #2
The Finer Things
The Power...The Passion...The Incomparable Romance of Brenda Joyce
The Pretender
An orphan from London's East End, a fugitive from the poorhouse, Violet Cooper was tired of sleeping on stoops and being hungry and cold. But she dared to enter a world forbidden to her and her kind. Even marriage to a gentle, elderly knight and the title Lady Goodwin could not open closed doors, stop the cold stares, or hush the shadowy rumors of murder.
The Aristocrat
He was a man of the world. The rules of Victorian society did not interest him, nor could a gauche pretender with a Cockney accent possibly turn his head. Yet Theodore Blake, second son of the Earl of Harding, was immediately compelled by Violet—and soon found himself defending the vulnerable young widow in the face of a murder investigation. But wedding vows were the only way to save her from a certain hanging.
The Finer Things
Two people from different worlds were brought together by passion, bound together by whispered accusations, and torn apart by scandal and misfortune. The world claimed they should never love each other. Their hearts claimed otherwise.
The Pretender
An orphan from London's East End, a fugitive from the poorhouse, Violet Cooper was tired of sleeping on stoops and being hungry and cold. But she dared to enter a world forbidden to her and her kind. Even marriage to a gentle, elderly knight and the title Lady Goodwin could not open closed doors, stop the cold stares, or hush the shadowy rumors of murder.
The Aristocrat
He was a man of the world. The rules of Victorian society did not interest him, nor could a gauche pretender with a Cockney accent possibly turn his head. Yet Theodore Blake, second son of the Earl of Harding, was immediately compelled by Violet—and soon found himself defending the vulnerable young widow in the face of a murder investigation. But wedding vows were the only way to save her from a certain hanging.
The Finer Things
Two people from different worlds were brought together by passion, bound together by whispered accusations, and torn apart by scandal and misfortune. The world claimed they should never love each other. Their hearts claimed otherwise.
375 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 1997
19 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Joyce
106 books1,300 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 26, 2017
Reread
This is amongst my most favourite books, I literally read my paperback copy till it turned to sawdust. I love this book. I have read this book countless times and I am still gripped with the emotions i had when I first read it about 10+ years ago.
Violet, an orphan from the slums is accused of murdering her husband. Violet, who married her husband to avoid poverty is the only suspect. Luckily for her, Blake who is instantly attracted to her agrees to help her and he does, with several ups and downs along the way.
Some might not like this book because Violet was incredibly naive, even more so from someone who grew up in St Giles. She acted like a child most of the times, not just because she was not learned enough to understand but because she read a lot into every small gesture that Blake performed.
That alone might turn some readers off but I really did like Violet, she had such a sad story and I love seeing Blake fall in love with her.
One of the best books out there.
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I cant count how many times i have read this book, its like my 'go to' book whenever i want to read a story that encompasses all aspect of romance for me. A fantastic read
This is amongst my most favourite books, I literally read my paperback copy till it turned to sawdust. I love this book. I have read this book countless times and I am still gripped with the emotions i had when I first read it about 10+ years ago.
Violet, an orphan from the slums is accused of murdering her husband. Violet, who married her husband to avoid poverty is the only suspect. Luckily for her, Blake who is instantly attracted to her agrees to help her and he does, with several ups and downs along the way.
Some might not like this book because Violet was incredibly naive, even more so from someone who grew up in St Giles. She acted like a child most of the times, not just because she was not learned enough to understand but because she read a lot into every small gesture that Blake performed.
That alone might turn some readers off but I really did like Violet, she had such a sad story and I love seeing Blake fall in love with her.
One of the best books out there.
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I cant count how many times i have read this book, its like my 'go to' book whenever i want to read a story that encompasses all aspect of romance for me. A fantastic read
December 27, 2023
NB: As a general comment, here is a link to a more general complaint of mine regarding romance novels (this novel was cited as an example of the problems I discuss in my complaint).
This is easily one of the WORST books I have ever read.
The term I would use: a pile of shit. Yep.
Spoiler alert (but seriously, don't read this godawful mess)...
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OK.
Good points:
I like historical romance, in general. I can't say anything good about this at all, though. This was truly awful. It reminded me an earworm, actually: it was basically this godawful thing that I *wished* I could do away with but made myself finish because I'm a masochist like that and wtf why do I do this to myself???? So it never ended and I really WANTED it to end and go away but it just didn't. So I'm venting a little here.
Bad points:
Characters: The main character, Violette, throughout the entire book, always had things done TO her and never BY her. So since she took so little space as a character in this narrative, I am going to exemplify just how passive she was by not saying anything more about her here.
All the characters were insipid and uninteresting. However the one I absolutely HATED was the main male character, Blake.
This is what I would have liked to see happen to Blake.
Why? Simply put, the guy was a complete and utter asshole and a waste of space.
...He knows that a vulnerable young woman is married to a much older man. He realizes that there is an attraction between them. He also realizes that she came from a difficult background and yet he pursues her regardless (i.e. he actually makes out with/kisses her).
Remember: he pursues her despite the fact that an affair between the two of them might cause her irreparable harm (while he didn't know she was an orphan who had lived on the street at this point, it was obvious she was from the lower classes and had 'married up', so it wouldn't have been difficult to conclude that proceeding with caution might be the ethical thing to do here). But apparently this is a-okay because this woman is the main female character and he just couldn't help himself.
Later, when the main female character is charged with a murder she didn't commit, he does help her, but basically he never lets her forget just how far above her he is. For example, there is a point in the book where she tries to ask him about himself and why he doesn't want to marry, and he cuttingly remarks that she is not allowed to ask him that question (I am paraphrasing here, but this was the gist of it).
It takes most of the book before he admits that he loves her, ostensibly because (for a good part of the book at least) he supposedly wasn't over this woman he had 'loved' (the quotes are mine) in the past. However it really felt that the main reason was that the main female character was just never good enough for him. This impression was reinforced by the fact that he and his family were supposedly friendly to this woman but would bemoan her taste in clothes, her manner of speaking, her everything really, and encourage her to 'better' herself by becoming more like them. It is only once she is sufficiently like them that he begins to see her as a potential wife, really.
World building: The world building (e.g. details about England of the time) were not too badly done, although briefly touched on. (Okay, I guess I managed to say something nice after all.)
Plot: OMG but the plot was dumb.
I agree with you, Jean-Luc. I really, really do.
It starts out with Violet/te (*gag*) being mistreated by most of the village where she moved to with her first husband. Her first (elderly) husband dies after six months of marriage (she is eventually accused of her husband's murder, as I describe below, in large part because the husband's daughter is a horrible witch -didn't you know that women who are not young and/or physically attractive are ALWAYS horrible witches?). It is discovered the first husband was bankrupt so he actually left Violet/te (*gag*) with nothing. She runs away to London where eventually Blake/asshole finds her and he gets her a job and gives her some money. Then it turns out there will be a trial so he marries her so that she can be tried in the House of Lords rather than as a commoner (what is peculiar here, as I saw another review here point out, is that she already wasn't a commoner as a result of her first marriage, but whatevs, I guess).
She and Blake marry and agree to have the marriage annulled once the trial is over but then of course they realize they are crazy about each other (what they actually had in common I never knew, but okay) and do the deed. She realizes that he will never love her so she leaves London despite the upcoming trial, and goes to live in Paris.
...Of course, once she arrives in Paris she realizes that she is pregnant, and (of course) she decides not to tell Blake (I'm not touching the ethics of that one with a ten foot pole, either). There is a useless other lord character who is courting her. She argues with Blake once he comes to Paris and finds out about the baby -by this point, you should also know that Blake is now engaged to another woman who was a longtime friend of his family (i.e. named Catherine) and who was the one who actually taught Violette how to 'better' herself.
...I'm also skipping over a lot of idiocy here: Blake's older brother got injured while protecting Violette from the lecherous advances of some lordling who knew just from hearing her talk that she 'wasn't a lady'. He becomes paraplegic and he and Catherine (who actually love each other) agonize over the impossibility of their union now that he can't knock her up for the good of the Earldom. Or something. So she gets engaged to the guy's brother, even though she doesn't love him and the brother (i.e. Blake) loves Violette.
...Meanwhile there is Ralph Horn who is another orphan she grew up with on the streets of London and who saved her, when she was a child, from a procurer/pimp (of course she never saved herself!). Of course Ralph wants Violette as well and he is a suspect in the first husband's murder.
Violette goes back to England to give their child to Blake's family because he can 'give her a better life'. She is of course arrested and thrown in jail, and only rescued when the real killer is caught.
...wtf did I just read?
Do you know, I really, really want back the time I spent on this crap?
Truly, one of the most godawful books I have EVER read. Don't bother!!
This is easily one of the WORST books I have ever read.
The term I would use: a pile of shit. Yep.
Spoiler alert (but seriously, don't read this godawful mess)...
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
OK.
Good points:
I like historical romance, in general. I can't say anything good about this at all, though. This was truly awful. It reminded me an earworm, actually: it was basically this godawful thing that I *wished* I could do away with but made myself finish because I'm a masochist like that and wtf why do I do this to myself???? So it never ended and I really WANTED it to end and go away but it just didn't. So I'm venting a little here.
Bad points:
Characters: The main character, Violette, throughout the entire book, always had things done TO her and never BY her. So since she took so little space as a character in this narrative, I am going to exemplify just how passive she was by not saying anything more about her here.
All the characters were insipid and uninteresting. However the one I absolutely HATED was the main male character, Blake.
This is what I would have liked to see happen to Blake.
Why? Simply put, the guy was a complete and utter asshole and a waste of space.
...He knows that a vulnerable young woman is married to a much older man. He realizes that there is an attraction between them. He also realizes that she came from a difficult background and yet he pursues her regardless (i.e. he actually makes out with/kisses her).
Remember: he pursues her despite the fact that an affair between the two of them might cause her irreparable harm (while he didn't know she was an orphan who had lived on the street at this point, it was obvious she was from the lower classes and had 'married up', so it wouldn't have been difficult to conclude that proceeding with caution might be the ethical thing to do here). But apparently this is a-okay because this woman is the main female character and he just couldn't help himself.
Later, when the main female character is charged with a murder she didn't commit, he does help her, but basically he never lets her forget just how far above her he is. For example, there is a point in the book where she tries to ask him about himself and why he doesn't want to marry, and he cuttingly remarks that she is not allowed to ask him that question (I am paraphrasing here, but this was the gist of it).
It takes most of the book before he admits that he loves her, ostensibly because (for a good part of the book at least) he supposedly wasn't over this woman he had 'loved' (the quotes are mine) in the past. However it really felt that the main reason was that the main female character was just never good enough for him. This impression was reinforced by the fact that he and his family were supposedly friendly to this woman but would bemoan her taste in clothes, her manner of speaking, her everything really, and encourage her to 'better' herself by becoming more like them. It is only once she is sufficiently like them that he begins to see her as a potential wife, really.
World building: The world building (e.g. details about England of the time) were not too badly done, although briefly touched on. (Okay, I guess I managed to say something nice after all.)
Plot: OMG but the plot was dumb.
I agree with you, Jean-Luc. I really, really do.
It starts out with Violet/te (*gag*) being mistreated by most of the village where she moved to with her first husband. Her first (elderly) husband dies after six months of marriage (she is eventually accused of her husband's murder, as I describe below, in large part because the husband's daughter is a horrible witch -didn't you know that women who are not young and/or physically attractive are ALWAYS horrible witches?). It is discovered the first husband was bankrupt so he actually left Violet/te (*gag*) with nothing. She runs away to London where eventually Blake/asshole finds her and he gets her a job and gives her some money. Then it turns out there will be a trial so he marries her so that she can be tried in the House of Lords rather than as a commoner (what is peculiar here, as I saw another review here point out, is that she already wasn't a commoner as a result of her first marriage, but whatevs, I guess).
She and Blake marry and agree to have the marriage annulled once the trial is over but then of course they realize they are crazy about each other (what they actually had in common I never knew, but okay) and do the deed. She realizes that he will never love her so she leaves London despite the upcoming trial, and goes to live in Paris.
...Of course, once she arrives in Paris she realizes that she is pregnant, and (of course) she decides not to tell Blake (I'm not touching the ethics of that one with a ten foot pole, either). There is a useless other lord character who is courting her. She argues with Blake once he comes to Paris and finds out about the baby -by this point, you should also know that Blake is now engaged to another woman who was a longtime friend of his family (i.e. named Catherine) and who was the one who actually taught Violette how to 'better' herself.
...I'm also skipping over a lot of idiocy here: Blake's older brother got injured while protecting Violette from the lecherous advances of some lordling who knew just from hearing her talk that she 'wasn't a lady'. He becomes paraplegic and he and Catherine (who actually love each other) agonize over the impossibility of their union now that he can't knock her up for the good of the Earldom. Or something. So she gets engaged to the guy's brother, even though she doesn't love him and the brother (i.e. Blake) loves Violette.
...Meanwhile there is Ralph Horn who is another orphan she grew up with on the streets of London and who saved her, when she was a child, from a procurer/pimp (of course she never saved herself!). Of course Ralph wants Violette as well and he is a suspect in the first husband's murder.
Violette goes back to England to give their child to Blake's family because he can 'give her a better life'. She is of course arrested and thrown in jail, and only rescued when the real killer is caught.
...wtf did I just read?
Do you know, I really, really want back the time I spent on this crap?
Truly, one of the most godawful books I have EVER read. Don't bother!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2020
Needed to read this after a romance reading slump. I pretty much love anything Brenda Joyce does and The Finer Things is now one of my new favourites by her! I was a bit worried since some of the reviews expressed frustration with the heroine and Brenda Joyce has paired doormat heroines with d-bags that walk all over them (A Dangerous Love, The Prize are some of the worst offenders).
However, I enjoyed this so much that I stayed up very late to read this. I have no regrets.
I just LOVE the way Brenda Joyce writes. She always pulls me in, I savour each word. I'm also a big sucker for love stories between different classes and here Violette is a Cockney woman raised on the streets that meets the brother of an Earl, Theodore Blake. I find the trope problematic but I just love the Cinderella/Pretty Woman aspect.
I loved Violette and Blake's story. Violette was innocent and industrious. Violette wanted to learn and she did. She wanted to improve herself so that she could have a roof over her head, so that she could escape her poverty and have a good life. She believed in her own happy ending, even if she didn't always know if it was going to be with Blake, or starting her own modiste shop, but she had dreams. Violette's innocence reminded me of Lizzie's in The Masquerade in that she loved the hero with all her heart.
I am totally fine with a heroine loving the hero with all her heart if the hero is also unable to control himself in that regard. Theodore Blake had a very hard time accepting his feelings but he always managed to protect her and essentially treat her like his beloved, so I loved it. Blake was a second son who decided to be financier. He also built row houses in London for the poor working class. Blake was so kind. He -and his family - never looked down at Violette but were always kind to her. Blake protected her and her safety was always his number one priority, and he never expected anything from her.
I loved the love triangle - love square? Brenda Joyce ALWAYS writes amazing love triangles. Like, every time a rival speaks with the heroine, the jealousy is sooo good. I'm always thinking, the hero's not going to like this (^_^)
This was just so good. The action was great. I was surprised and didn't know where the story would take me. Just based on previous stories with a similar premise, I expected the story would take us to Violette becoming popular among the Ton, securing a proposal from another man, and having Blake swoop in. However, that did not happen. It's so much better, and I think it had a lot to do with how Brenda Joyce chose to tie up the murder plot, which was perfect.
However, I enjoyed this so much that I stayed up very late to read this. I have no regrets.
I just LOVE the way Brenda Joyce writes. She always pulls me in, I savour each word. I'm also a big sucker for love stories between different classes and here Violette is a Cockney woman raised on the streets that meets the brother of an Earl, Theodore Blake. I find the trope problematic but I just love the Cinderella/Pretty Woman aspect.
I loved Violette and Blake's story. Violette was innocent and industrious. Violette wanted to learn and she did. She wanted to improve herself so that she could have a roof over her head, so that she could escape her poverty and have a good life. She believed in her own happy ending, even if she didn't always know if it was going to be with Blake, or starting her own modiste shop, but she had dreams. Violette's innocence reminded me of Lizzie's in The Masquerade in that she loved the hero with all her heart.
I am totally fine with a heroine loving the hero with all her heart if the hero is also unable to control himself in that regard. Theodore Blake had a very hard time accepting his feelings but he always managed to protect her and essentially treat her like his beloved, so I loved it. Blake was a second son who decided to be financier. He also built row houses in London for the poor working class. Blake was so kind. He -and his family - never looked down at Violette but were always kind to her. Blake protected her and her safety was always his number one priority, and he never expected anything from her.
I loved the love triangle - love square? Brenda Joyce ALWAYS writes amazing love triangles. Like, every time a rival speaks with the heroine, the jealousy is sooo good. I'm always thinking, the hero's not going to like this (^_^)
This was just so good. The action was great. I was surprised and didn't know where the story would take me. Just based on previous stories with a similar premise, I expected the story would take us to Violette becoming popular among the Ton, securing a proposal from another man, and having Blake swoop in. However, that did not happen. It's so much better, and I think it had a lot to do with how Brenda Joyce chose to tie up the murder plot, which was perfect.
November 9, 2017
Several mistakes that should have been corrected by a good editor:
Why a widow of a peer, who is already a lady needs to marry a peer to be in trial in Lords` court? She should already have that privilege as no matter what her origins are she is a lady now.
Why a man has to adopt his own daughter?
Her reason for leaving her husband was flimsy or not played out well.
Both H and h were very immature and unfortunately didn`t see much improvement in any of them until the end of the book.
h, even though unwittingly caused so many distractions in so many people`s lives in the book that felt like she was bad news (luck) for almost anybody who had contact with her.
Why a widow of a peer, who is already a lady needs to marry a peer to be in trial in Lords` court? She should already have that privilege as no matter what her origins are she is a lady now.
Why a man has to adopt his own daughter?
Her reason for leaving her husband was flimsy or not played out well.
Both H and h were very immature and unfortunately didn`t see much improvement in any of them until the end of the book.
h, even though unwittingly caused so many distractions in so many people`s lives in the book that felt like she was bad news (luck) for almost anybody who had contact with her.
April 27, 2010
This book had it all....a great love story that didnt leave me bored and a secondary story that I was also interested in and that didnt leave me hanging as to an an outcome. I cried and I loved it....that a big 5 stars from me!One of my new all time favorites. I will read more of Ms Joyce's historicals for sure!
June 8, 2018
good read , keeps you wanting to know more, need a box of tissues by your side.
Read
November 14, 2015Voilet was ten years old and searching for her father in an opium den in London. She located him and he soon passed out. Violet left with her friend Ralph. They were approached by a man that was trying to recruit Violet as a prostitute. Ralph told Violet that he was no good and to run away. They both ran and they ended up in a well-to-do neighborhood and snuck onto the property called Harding House. A party was going on and Violet and Ralph watched through the windows. A couple came out onto the patio to dance. (It was Blake Harding and Gabriella.) Violet watched them kiss and she was entranced. She was also hungry and they were noticed as they grabbed some food. They ran but Violet was caught and sent to a workhouse. Violet swore that she was going to be rich and fancy one day. She fell asleep dreaming of dancing with a prince of a man like the one she had seen.
Now Violette Cooper/Goodwin was using the french version of her name upon the request of her husband. He was old enough to be her great grandfather but Violette cared for him because he was nice to her. He treated her well but he was not in good health. Ralph was still with her as an employee of sorts. She loved him like a brother. Sir Thomas was neighbor to the Hardings and introduced Violette to them. Blake was there when she went to visit and he was taken with her. He had feelings for her that he hadn't had for another woman since Gabriella and he didn't trust them. Gabriella had acted like she loved him and then married someone else after seeing Blake for almost three years. She was thirty to Blake's eighteen. Blake's brother, Jon, and friend, Catherine warned Blake against getting involved with Violette because she was much younger than Blake's 28 years and she was married to their neighbor. Blake couldn't stay away. He invited her to dinner at their house soon after they met. Ralph warned Violet that Blake just wanted to bed her. Violette remembered Blake from eight years previous and they went for a walk in his gardens and Blake kissed her. Violette told him that she had never been kissed like that before. Violet was very outspoken and often spoke without knowing that she shouldn't. Violette felt guilty after they had kissed. Blake apologized and told her that he was leaving Tamrah and returning to London in a few days. Violette knew she would miss him and did her best not to cry. She had never felt like that before.
Violet went home and found Sir Thomas dead in his room. She felt guilty for being at the Harding's home having a good time. There was a funeral and Thomas's daughter, Joanna, came to the house the next morning and ordered Violette to leave. The Harding family had arrived just prior to Joanna and Blake and Jon searched the house and found Thomas's will. The house was left to Violette and his money went to Joanna. Joanna was furious but the Harding's made her leave.
Blake went back to the house later to talk to Violette to suggest that she sell the house because she didn't have money to keep it. He told Violette that it was either that or find another husband. Violette mistook his advice and thought he was suggesting that she marry him. He explained that wasn't what he was saying and she was embarrassed. Violette and Blake both found out soon after that morning that Joanna was spreading gossip that Violette and Ralph had killed Sir Thomas and that the two of them were lovers. They also found out that Sir Thomas was deep in debt, his accounts given to Joanna were frozen and the house would be sold. Violette and Ralph ran off. To Blake, it made them look guilty but Violette and Ralph had only taken Violette's personal belongings.
Violette and Ralph had returned to London. They rented a place they could afford with what they had with them. Ralph soon got a job on the docks but quickly came home later and later, if at all. Violette had no luck finding a job. She decided to go to the Harding's house to find Blake and ask for his help. She found Blake at his club and he followed her home and saw how she was living. Ralph came home while Blake was there and implied that he and Violette were living together as more than brother and sister. Violette was furious and Blake left angry. Blake offered Violette money and found a job for her. Ralph accused Violette of sleeping with Blake to get the money.
Violette opened a bank account with the money Blake had given her and went to work at a dress shop owned by Lady Allister. One of the male customers, Lord Farrow, asked Violette out when she had been there almost a week. Blake's mother and friend, Catherine where there to witness the invitation. Violette turned him down but Blake came by to check on her after he found out. He suggested that Violette stay away from him and Violette told him that he shouldn't be concerned with what she did. Blake made it clear that he wouldn't marry her because she was of a lower class. Violette was hurt but hid it from Blake. Violette told Blake that maybe Lord Farrow would fall in love with her and ask her to marry him.
Three weeks later, Catherine had invited Violette to a ball and Harding House. It was Violette's first ball and she was excited. Ralph told her that things would turn out badly and he kissed her. Violette was surprised that Ralph was indeed jealous. She had always thought of him as a brother.
Catherine had asked Blake to watch over Violette at the ball so that she would not embarrass herself. Blake and her took went for a walk outside because Violette was getting hot. Blake kissed her again. Blake could tell that Violette was upset because he again told Violette that he wasn't interested in courting her. He sent Catherine to her and Violette told her that Blake had kissed her and she decided that she needed to give Violette lessons. As Violette was leaving the ball, she was approached by Joanna who loudly accused Violette of poisoning her late husband. Blake then had one of his carriages drive Violette home.
Violette went to see Catherine the next morning and she began her lessons. Catherine hired someone to teach Violette to talk, dance, read and write. Blake saw her again after another couple of weeks and his brother, Jon, had told him about her lessons. Blake was impressed but refused to acknowledge that he was interested in Violette.
A couple of policemen visited the Harding's and asked questions about Violette's behavior around the time that her husband died. The policemen told the Harding's that Violette had been accused murdering her husband and they were asking questions in order to decide whether or not to exhume his body to do more checking to see if there were any signs that he had been poisoned.
Blake avoided Violette until the next ball. They saw each other and Catherine suggested that Violette try and make Blake jealous. That didn't seem to be working and a couple of women made rude comments about Violette pretending to be a member of the ton. Violette left the room they were in and was confronted by a couple of men. Fred Stanhope refused to let her pass by them. They were blocking her way when Jon approached them and tried to leave with Violette. Fred was drunk and began a fight with Jon and they both fell over the banister. Fred Stanhope died and Jon woke up paralyzed from the waist down. He was mad at the world but didn't blame Violette. None of the family blamed her but she blamed herself.
The police soon came to see Violette at her work and had decided to arrest her for murder. Blake insisted that Violette move into the Harding House so he could watch over her. Jon suggested that Blake marry Violette because she would be tried by her peers and if they were married, she would be tried in the House of the Lords. Blake agreed because he didn't think she would be convicted by people who knew their family name and were friends of their father.
Sir Thomas had been poisoned by arsenic but it was discovered that he had been poisoned for longer than Violette and he had been married. It seemed that his housekeeper had been purchasing arsenic for over a year. Blake had also been looking for Ralph but Ralph had not been to work or back at their house. He had also returned to Tamrah and found out the same thing of the poison. He returned to see Violette and told her.
Blake and Violette were married but Blake was spending most of his time away from home. Violette felt very lonely and decided that she would approach Blake one night to see if she could get Blake to fall in love with her by being available to him. They made love and Violettte thought that everything would be fine now. It wasn't that easy. Blake was still afraid that she might be found guilty and he was also very upset when he found out that Ralph was in his house. He confronted Ralph and pretty much threw him out. Blake was furious about Violette letting Ralph stay in his house. Blake made the comment about the house being not 'theirs' just because they had slept together. Violette was hurt and decided that she needed to run away. Blake had only married her to keep her from going to prison and he would never love her like she loved him. She left a note with Ralph telling Blake that he was right and their marriage would never work. She wanted a divorce.
Ralph and Violette went to Paris. Ralph found a job but hated it and soon quit and began to stay out later and later until sometimes he didn't see him for days. He was hanging out with a rough crowd that Violette didn't care for. Violette quickly got a job at a women's clothing store, somewhat like the one she had in England with Lady Allister. She didn't get a chance to say good bye to Catherine so she sent her a note telling her where she lived and was working in Paris. Catherine told Blake and he said that he didn't care. He was staying out late drinking most nights. Catherine could tell he did still care.
Lord Farrow soon came to see Violette. He told her that he was going to rent a place in Paris and would be spending quite a bit of time there and he wanted to see her. Violette hesitated, but agreed. They saw each other quite often until it became obvious that Violette was pregnant. Lord Farrow came to see her at her house and told her that he didn't care that she was pregnant so they continued to go places together.
Violette received her divorce papers in the mail. She found out that she had been divorced for three weeks before she got the papers. She also knew that there never had been a trial so she was a fugitive in England and could not return. Catherine and her kept in touch and she found out news of the family from Farrow.
Catherine went to see Jon one day and told him that she was in love with him. Jon had not improved any and told her that he would never marry. Catherine was hurt. Jon and his father went to Blake the next day and told him that he needed to remarry to have an heir to take over his properties one day. They proposed Catherine. Blake refused but they would not take no for an answer. Blake went to see Catherine and she also refused at first but agreed to think on it. They eventually agreed to marry.
Violette found out and sent a letter congratulating them. Blake decided to go see Violette and Charlotte was happy. She knew Blake was in love with her and she was in love with Jon. Blake arrived in Paris to discover Violette close to her due date. He told her that he would find her a better place to live and stay until the child was born. He was still very much attracted to her. They argued at first because he wanted to take the child home and raise it with his family and a few days later he changed his mind. He began to search for, and found, a new place for Violette to live within a few days. He went to talk to Violette about interviewing some nurses and they ended up making love. Violette's water broke and she went to the hospital and after eight hours delivered a baby girl. Violette thought that after sleeping with Blake everything would be fine. Violette asked Blake if he wanted to hold their daughter and Blake looked at her strangely and told her good bye and left. Violette cried.
When Sarah was three months old, Violette took her to London to give her to Blake to raise. She wanted Sarah to be raised as a lady and give her all the things that Violette never had as a child. She took the baby to Harding House and gave the baby to the countess and Catherine and left. She went back to the hotel where she was staying and when Blake came home and found out that his baby was there and she was named after his mother, he cried.
That evening, Robert Farrow and Violette were supposed to have dinner together but Violette had no appetite. Robert asked Violette to marry him and she agreed. Blake and Catherine talked to each other and decided to break off their engagement.
Blake realized that he loved Violette and went to see her the next morning and noticed her engagement ring. Blake knew that he had lost Violette. He arrived as Violette was being arrested. She was taken to prison and kept there until the trial. Blake and his attorney went to see Sir Thomas's daughter one more time and she again refused to admit that she had poisoned her father. They arrived home and Ralph was there. He admitted that he had poisoned Sir Thomas when he found out that Violette was going to be tried and found guilty of the murder. Violette was freed and left with Robert.
At the Harding House, Catherine went to see Jon and found out that he had gotten a new invention that was a chair with wheels so that he could get around. Catherine asked him to marry her and told him that if he said no that she would never marry. Jon finally agreed. They would get married and adopt a child or children.
Violette told Robert after he took her home that she could not marry him. She didn't love his as she should and that wasn't fair to him. She went to see Sarah for one last time before she returned to Paris. Blake brought Sarah to her and told her he loved her. Violette told Blake that she had broken off her engagement with Robert. The told each other that they would never love another and agreed to get back together.
Now Violette Cooper/Goodwin was using the french version of her name upon the request of her husband. He was old enough to be her great grandfather but Violette cared for him because he was nice to her. He treated her well but he was not in good health. Ralph was still with her as an employee of sorts. She loved him like a brother. Sir Thomas was neighbor to the Hardings and introduced Violette to them. Blake was there when she went to visit and he was taken with her. He had feelings for her that he hadn't had for another woman since Gabriella and he didn't trust them. Gabriella had acted like she loved him and then married someone else after seeing Blake for almost three years. She was thirty to Blake's eighteen. Blake's brother, Jon, and friend, Catherine warned Blake against getting involved with Violette because she was much younger than Blake's 28 years and she was married to their neighbor. Blake couldn't stay away. He invited her to dinner at their house soon after they met. Ralph warned Violet that Blake just wanted to bed her. Violette remembered Blake from eight years previous and they went for a walk in his gardens and Blake kissed her. Violette told him that she had never been kissed like that before. Violet was very outspoken and often spoke without knowing that she shouldn't. Violette felt guilty after they had kissed. Blake apologized and told her that he was leaving Tamrah and returning to London in a few days. Violette knew she would miss him and did her best not to cry. She had never felt like that before.
Violet went home and found Sir Thomas dead in his room. She felt guilty for being at the Harding's home having a good time. There was a funeral and Thomas's daughter, Joanna, came to the house the next morning and ordered Violette to leave. The Harding family had arrived just prior to Joanna and Blake and Jon searched the house and found Thomas's will. The house was left to Violette and his money went to Joanna. Joanna was furious but the Harding's made her leave.
Blake went back to the house later to talk to Violette to suggest that she sell the house because she didn't have money to keep it. He told Violette that it was either that or find another husband. Violette mistook his advice and thought he was suggesting that she marry him. He explained that wasn't what he was saying and she was embarrassed. Violette and Blake both found out soon after that morning that Joanna was spreading gossip that Violette and Ralph had killed Sir Thomas and that the two of them were lovers. They also found out that Sir Thomas was deep in debt, his accounts given to Joanna were frozen and the house would be sold. Violette and Ralph ran off. To Blake, it made them look guilty but Violette and Ralph had only taken Violette's personal belongings.
Violette and Ralph had returned to London. They rented a place they could afford with what they had with them. Ralph soon got a job on the docks but quickly came home later and later, if at all. Violette had no luck finding a job. She decided to go to the Harding's house to find Blake and ask for his help. She found Blake at his club and he followed her home and saw how she was living. Ralph came home while Blake was there and implied that he and Violette were living together as more than brother and sister. Violette was furious and Blake left angry. Blake offered Violette money and found a job for her. Ralph accused Violette of sleeping with Blake to get the money.
Violette opened a bank account with the money Blake had given her and went to work at a dress shop owned by Lady Allister. One of the male customers, Lord Farrow, asked Violette out when she had been there almost a week. Blake's mother and friend, Catherine where there to witness the invitation. Violette turned him down but Blake came by to check on her after he found out. He suggested that Violette stay away from him and Violette told him that he shouldn't be concerned with what she did. Blake made it clear that he wouldn't marry her because she was of a lower class. Violette was hurt but hid it from Blake. Violette told Blake that maybe Lord Farrow would fall in love with her and ask her to marry him.
Three weeks later, Catherine had invited Violette to a ball and Harding House. It was Violette's first ball and she was excited. Ralph told her that things would turn out badly and he kissed her. Violette was surprised that Ralph was indeed jealous. She had always thought of him as a brother.
Catherine had asked Blake to watch over Violette at the ball so that she would not embarrass herself. Blake and her took went for a walk outside because Violette was getting hot. Blake kissed her again. Blake could tell that Violette was upset because he again told Violette that he wasn't interested in courting her. He sent Catherine to her and Violette told her that Blake had kissed her and she decided that she needed to give Violette lessons. As Violette was leaving the ball, she was approached by Joanna who loudly accused Violette of poisoning her late husband. Blake then had one of his carriages drive Violette home.
Violette went to see Catherine the next morning and she began her lessons. Catherine hired someone to teach Violette to talk, dance, read and write. Blake saw her again after another couple of weeks and his brother, Jon, had told him about her lessons. Blake was impressed but refused to acknowledge that he was interested in Violette.
A couple of policemen visited the Harding's and asked questions about Violette's behavior around the time that her husband died. The policemen told the Harding's that Violette had been accused murdering her husband and they were asking questions in order to decide whether or not to exhume his body to do more checking to see if there were any signs that he had been poisoned.
Blake avoided Violette until the next ball. They saw each other and Catherine suggested that Violette try and make Blake jealous. That didn't seem to be working and a couple of women made rude comments about Violette pretending to be a member of the ton. Violette left the room they were in and was confronted by a couple of men. Fred Stanhope refused to let her pass by them. They were blocking her way when Jon approached them and tried to leave with Violette. Fred was drunk and began a fight with Jon and they both fell over the banister. Fred Stanhope died and Jon woke up paralyzed from the waist down. He was mad at the world but didn't blame Violette. None of the family blamed her but she blamed herself.
The police soon came to see Violette at her work and had decided to arrest her for murder. Blake insisted that Violette move into the Harding House so he could watch over her. Jon suggested that Blake marry Violette because she would be tried by her peers and if they were married, she would be tried in the House of the Lords. Blake agreed because he didn't think she would be convicted by people who knew their family name and were friends of their father.
Sir Thomas had been poisoned by arsenic but it was discovered that he had been poisoned for longer than Violette and he had been married. It seemed that his housekeeper had been purchasing arsenic for over a year. Blake had also been looking for Ralph but Ralph had not been to work or back at their house. He had also returned to Tamrah and found out the same thing of the poison. He returned to see Violette and told her.
Blake and Violette were married but Blake was spending most of his time away from home. Violette felt very lonely and decided that she would approach Blake one night to see if she could get Blake to fall in love with her by being available to him. They made love and Violettte thought that everything would be fine now. It wasn't that easy. Blake was still afraid that she might be found guilty and he was also very upset when he found out that Ralph was in his house. He confronted Ralph and pretty much threw him out. Blake was furious about Violette letting Ralph stay in his house. Blake made the comment about the house being not 'theirs' just because they had slept together. Violette was hurt and decided that she needed to run away. Blake had only married her to keep her from going to prison and he would never love her like she loved him. She left a note with Ralph telling Blake that he was right and their marriage would never work. She wanted a divorce.
Ralph and Violette went to Paris. Ralph found a job but hated it and soon quit and began to stay out later and later until sometimes he didn't see him for days. He was hanging out with a rough crowd that Violette didn't care for. Violette quickly got a job at a women's clothing store, somewhat like the one she had in England with Lady Allister. She didn't get a chance to say good bye to Catherine so she sent her a note telling her where she lived and was working in Paris. Catherine told Blake and he said that he didn't care. He was staying out late drinking most nights. Catherine could tell he did still care.
Lord Farrow soon came to see Violette. He told her that he was going to rent a place in Paris and would be spending quite a bit of time there and he wanted to see her. Violette hesitated, but agreed. They saw each other quite often until it became obvious that Violette was pregnant. Lord Farrow came to see her at her house and told her that he didn't care that she was pregnant so they continued to go places together.
Violette received her divorce papers in the mail. She found out that she had been divorced for three weeks before she got the papers. She also knew that there never had been a trial so she was a fugitive in England and could not return. Catherine and her kept in touch and she found out news of the family from Farrow.
Catherine went to see Jon one day and told him that she was in love with him. Jon had not improved any and told her that he would never marry. Catherine was hurt. Jon and his father went to Blake the next day and told him that he needed to remarry to have an heir to take over his properties one day. They proposed Catherine. Blake refused but they would not take no for an answer. Blake went to see Catherine and she also refused at first but agreed to think on it. They eventually agreed to marry.
Violette found out and sent a letter congratulating them. Blake decided to go see Violette and Charlotte was happy. She knew Blake was in love with her and she was in love with Jon. Blake arrived in Paris to discover Violette close to her due date. He told her that he would find her a better place to live and stay until the child was born. He was still very much attracted to her. They argued at first because he wanted to take the child home and raise it with his family and a few days later he changed his mind. He began to search for, and found, a new place for Violette to live within a few days. He went to talk to Violette about interviewing some nurses and they ended up making love. Violette's water broke and she went to the hospital and after eight hours delivered a baby girl. Violette thought that after sleeping with Blake everything would be fine. Violette asked Blake if he wanted to hold their daughter and Blake looked at her strangely and told her good bye and left. Violette cried.
When Sarah was three months old, Violette took her to London to give her to Blake to raise. She wanted Sarah to be raised as a lady and give her all the things that Violette never had as a child. She took the baby to Harding House and gave the baby to the countess and Catherine and left. She went back to the hotel where she was staying and when Blake came home and found out that his baby was there and she was named after his mother, he cried.
That evening, Robert Farrow and Violette were supposed to have dinner together but Violette had no appetite. Robert asked Violette to marry him and she agreed. Blake and Catherine talked to each other and decided to break off their engagement.
Blake realized that he loved Violette and went to see her the next morning and noticed her engagement ring. Blake knew that he had lost Violette. He arrived as Violette was being arrested. She was taken to prison and kept there until the trial. Blake and his attorney went to see Sir Thomas's daughter one more time and she again refused to admit that she had poisoned her father. They arrived home and Ralph was there. He admitted that he had poisoned Sir Thomas when he found out that Violette was going to be tried and found guilty of the murder. Violette was freed and left with Robert.
At the Harding House, Catherine went to see Jon and found out that he had gotten a new invention that was a chair with wheels so that he could get around. Catherine asked him to marry her and told him that if he said no that she would never marry. Jon finally agreed. They would get married and adopt a child or children.
Violette told Robert after he took her home that she could not marry him. She didn't love his as she should and that wasn't fair to him. She went to see Sarah for one last time before she returned to Paris. Blake brought Sarah to her and told her he loved her. Violette told Blake that she had broken off her engagement with Robert. The told each other that they would never love another and agreed to get back together.
September 9, 2024
Couverture horrible ! Héroïne un peu naïve mais que d’émotions
April 26, 2010
Such a good book! I've read it twice; it just really hits close to home for me, for some random reason.
May 2, 2011
Emotional roller coaster ride! The lovers are constantly physically and emotionally torn apart! The reader really feels their turmoil in a manner that hurts so good! The romance was wonderful!
August 13, 2012
Although you were born poor you can elevate yourself to whatever position you want in life. There will be struggles and heartaches but the path to greatness is smoothly paved.
June 5, 2017
Is there a stupider more overwrought book than this own in existence? 🙄
March 30, 2021
I can't open the novel 😭
I've read it before... Hardcopy
And it was incredible..
I've read it before... Hardcopy
And it was incredible..
November 18, 2010
I absolutely loved this book. It made me cry but its so very good.
November 30, 2023
2.5 Oh boy...I don't know where to start.
We are first introduced to the heroine, Violet, who is from the slums of London. She married a gentleman and rises from being a shop girl to being a lady. One night, she attends a dinner at the Harding's house. When Violet returns from this dinner, her husband is found dead. He was really old so everyone assumed it was old age. However, her husband's daughter accuses Violet of poisoning him and because one thing leads to another, the hero, Blake, is forced to marry Violet to save her.
Blake, who is the second son of the Harding family, is instantly attracted to Violet. However, he notes multiple time over and over how uneducated she sounds and how some of her actions are unladylike....which obviously make sense because the girl is from St. Giles not Buckingham Palace and doesn't know how society works.
We see from the beginning of the book that the hero doesn't see Violet as worthy because of her background, and this doesn't change throughout the book. He isn't rude about it or disrespectful. He pities her and that's even worse. The only thing he could focus on was how young she looked and acted (really cringey) and how beautiful she was.
He didn't love or appreciate anything about the heroine besides her looks. Although I didn't like the heroine because she was just too over the top naive, she did continuously think about how she was going to survive, what kind of job she could get, how was she going to pay for the roof over her head, etc. GIVING THE HERO ENOUGH TO LOVE ABOUT HER but all he focused on was the fact that she wasn't part of society but she was so beautiful.
I can't get over how shallow he was and honestly him trying to save her was probably so he could feel good about himself. At one point the heroine runs away to France but he doesn't chase her. Instead, when he gets a request from her to divorce, he signs the paper, sends them through mail, and proceeds to get engaged to someone else...
ALTHOUGH I didn't care one bit about the romance, the writing and story was entertaining enough to keep my attention. I really do love Brenda Joyce's writing and it's unfortunate that these two characters ruined the story.
We are first introduced to the heroine, Violet, who is from the slums of London. She married a gentleman and rises from being a shop girl to being a lady. One night, she attends a dinner at the Harding's house. When Violet returns from this dinner, her husband is found dead. He was really old so everyone assumed it was old age. However, her husband's daughter accuses Violet of poisoning him and because one thing leads to another, the hero, Blake, is forced to marry Violet to save her.
Blake, who is the second son of the Harding family, is instantly attracted to Violet. However, he notes multiple time over and over how uneducated she sounds and how some of her actions are unladylike....which obviously make sense because the girl is from St. Giles not Buckingham Palace and doesn't know how society works.
We see from the beginning of the book that the hero doesn't see Violet as worthy because of her background, and this doesn't change throughout the book. He isn't rude about it or disrespectful. He pities her and that's even worse. The only thing he could focus on was how young she looked and acted (really cringey) and how beautiful she was.
He didn't love or appreciate anything about the heroine besides her looks. Although I didn't like the heroine because she was just too over the top naive, she did continuously think about how she was going to survive, what kind of job she could get, how was she going to pay for the roof over her head, etc. GIVING THE HERO ENOUGH TO LOVE ABOUT HER but all he focused on was the fact that she wasn't part of society but she was so beautiful.
I can't get over how shallow he was and honestly him trying to save her was probably so he could feel good about himself. At one point the heroine runs away to France but he doesn't chase her. Instead, when he gets a request from her to divorce, he signs the paper, sends them through mail, and proceeds to get engaged to someone else...
ALTHOUGH I didn't care one bit about the romance, the writing and story was entertaining enough to keep my attention. I really do love Brenda Joyce's writing and it's unfortunate that these two characters ruined the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2022
This book is anything but bored. The anachronistic melodrama element feels unrealistically dated:
So much had happened yet not much, all they needed is to embrace their emotions and then communicate with each other. All they did was deny, run, deny and run, a disaster waiting to happen.
The first half of the story focused on Violette, our heroine, her inner tremours of being poor, and the journey from rags to riches. She was unworldly naive and gullible (sometimes stupid) despite her origin. I found it difficult to relate to her, such naivety often belongs to debutantes, not orphaned street urchins.
The second half was a muddled mess of catastrophe, mixed with a murder mystery, OW/OM drama, secondary characters tragedy, abandonment, betrayal, and all hardships a woman hardly able to bear.
Surprisingly, Farrow's character grew on me.
So much had happened yet not much, all they needed is to embrace their emotions and then communicate with each other. All they did was deny, run, deny and run, a disaster waiting to happen.
The first half of the story focused on Violette, our heroine, her inner tremours of being poor, and the journey from rags to riches. She was unworldly naive and gullible (sometimes stupid) despite her origin. I found it difficult to relate to her, such naivety often belongs to debutantes, not orphaned street urchins.
The second half was a muddled mess of catastrophe, mixed with a murder mystery, OW/OM drama, secondary characters tragedy, abandonment, betrayal, and all hardships a woman hardly able to bear.
Surprisingly, Farrow's character grew on me.
November 14, 2022
*spoilers* I can see why some people got frustrated with this book. The h is very young and makes dumb choices that an 18 year old would make. She is also an orphan from the slums of London and is constantly in survival mode. Her story is so pathetic and sad- I just wanted to hug her. She is not the conventional strong heroine. She throws herself at the H several times (even after rejections), flees her husband (putting herself in danger) and she hides a secret baby (she feared the baby would be taken away though). That being said, I could not put the book down. It was very melodramatic (in a good way) with OTT storylines. There are like two love triangles going on but I actually really liked the Om and Ow. Also, she matures and has great character growth by the end of the book that made up for the beginning’s irritations. It made it more realistic to me.
October 4, 2024
Although I had read the blurbs before reading the book, knowing full well who she gonna ends up with, I was kinda bummed that it wasn’t Ralph who was the love of her life. The first 10% of the story got me so hooked of how they escaped their poor and dire circumstances as orphans. There should be no one who knew Violette better than Ralph and to think that he had always loved her since young but she fell for the asshole Blake instead made me wanna wring her neck. Throughout the years, Ralph had stuck to her side and helped bring coins (through thievery) to fund their lifestyle together. But of course, with all the safrifices he had made for her, they didn’t come close to rich bearing and good looks that Blake had. It’s one of those books where bad boys prevailed over the good ones and I hate it.
December 6, 2019
Saya membaca hingga halaman ke 613/858 dan berfikir, "Kenapa saya masih membaca kebodohan demi kebodohan yang diperlihatkan oleh sang heroin. Belum lagi pertanyaan -pertanyaan yang ia ajukan. Uugghhh..!!! TSTL
June 11, 2021
I spent way too much money on this book. What a waste.
I'm on a Brenda Joyce kick right now and so far it's been smooth sailing. This one, however, just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two MC's....it lacked passion and spark.
I'm on a Brenda Joyce kick right now and so far it's been smooth sailing. This one, however, just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two MC's....it lacked passion and spark.
December 22, 2024
Just okay - I enjoyed the plot of this story (although incredibly far fetched) but the constant “wrong place at the wrong time” and the back and forth between characters with “he loves me, he loves me not” was overdone and exhausting
August 10, 2019
A tale of total stupidity.
Read
September 6, 2022DNF at 24%
Didn’t like the H or the h.
She says she didn’t marry the old man for his money, she married him to better herself???!!!
Wtf? Isn’t that the same? Sounds like a load of crap.
Didn’t like the H or the h.
She says she didn’t marry the old man for his money, she married him to better herself???!!!
Wtf? Isn’t that the same? Sounds like a load of crap.
March 2, 2023
I so so so love this book,the passion between violet and Blake is so real,I sometimes forget its just a book.
Want to read
January 2, 2024Hoopla
October 25, 2024
Interesting storyline and well written. It had a Pygmalion feel to it. However, the wishy washy characters became quite frustrating. It wasn’t my cup of tea.
March 18, 2025
Wonderful Book!!
This book was so entertaining. Just finished reading a second time. Loved it as much as the first. I love historical romances and this one was at the top.
This book was so entertaining. Just finished reading a second time. Loved it as much as the first. I love historical romances and this one was at the top.
May 16, 2015
Oh wow. Okay first let me say Brenda Joyce is an amazing story teller. She has the ability to bring each of her characters to life in such a way that you feel you have known them for years.
This particular story just didn't work for me. There was too much "wishy-washy" for me. I'm a direct person, and often when I pick up a book with hero/heroines that don't share their thoughts or feelings...I just get perturbed.
I did enjoy the book! I read all of it! Brenda Is one of my all time favorite authors.
3.5 stars for a good read. Would have been 4 if they had been more open with each other, and if the heroine would stop running away. :) would have been a 5 if I could have had more of an ENDING!!!
This particular story just didn't work for me. There was too much "wishy-washy" for me. I'm a direct person, and often when I pick up a book with hero/heroines that don't share their thoughts or feelings...I just get perturbed.
I did enjoy the book! I read all of it! Brenda Is one of my all time favorite authors.
3.5 stars for a good read. Would have been 4 if they had been more open with each other, and if the heroine would stop running away. :) would have been a 5 if I could have had more of an ENDING!!!
September 10, 2024
💕 Theodore Blake & Violet Cooper 💕
⭐Saint Georges⭐
Book 1: Beyond Scandal
Book 2: The Finer Things
⭐Saint Georges⭐
Book 1: Beyond Scandal
Book 2: The Finer Things
August 29, 2015
Que j'en veux au héros de ne pas savoir ce qu'il veut ! Il ne déclare sa flamme que dans la toute dernière page. Que de temps perdu et de péripéties inutiles !
Quand à elle, elle me semble bien naïve pour une fille qui est née et a grandi dans la rue !
Quand à elle, elle me semble bien naïve pour une fille qui est née et a grandi dans la rue !
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