A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man

The Courtesans #1

by Celeste Bradley, Susan Donovan

Regency London’s most celebrated courtesan, The Blackbird, was a woman before her time—uninhibited, financially independent, and free to live by her own rules. Schooled in the sensual arts by the one man she loved the most, she recorded every wicked detail in her diaries…

When Boston museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont unearths The Blackbird’s steamy memoirs, she’s aroused and challenged by what she finds. Could the courtesan’s diaries  be used as a modern girl’s guide to finding love and empowerment? One curious curator—and one very lucky man—are about to find out…

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Erotica

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 24, 2012

About the author

Visit me at www.CelesteBradley.com or facebook.com/CelesteBradleyAuthor :)
Go to CelesteBradley.com/newsletter for my Voice of Society newsletter.

Hi, my name is Celeste Bradley and I write "brain chocolate." That is, I write fun and sexy escapism is for hardworking women everywhere. We deserve a little man-candy, too!

Reviewers like to say I write about misfit heroines getting the man of their dreams. Maybe that's true, but don't we all feel like misfits sometimes? Even if the rest of the world thinks we have all our balls in the air, aren't we juggling like mad on the inside, desperately trying not to drop one?

I love this manic, scattered life I lead. I love to write, craft, garden, bake and mother, even if I don't always do it all perfectly. I love living in the Southwest, with its big sky and vast desert views. I love venturing out of my quiet life to meet readers and other writers, and then I love to come back to my haven, full of ideas and renewed passion and creativity.

Maybe one of those times I'll meet you!

Hugs,
and thanks for reading!

Reviews

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 A Perfect Tutorial Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
When I first started reading romance novels, I was fortunate to have stumbled upon a Dollar bookstore. Everything was there... and I took full advantage. There I discovered so many favorite authors, too numerous to mention. One of them was Victoria Dahl and the other Susan Donovan.

When learning about these women, I discovered of Ms. Dahl introduction to the Romance genre through Celeste Bradley's writing. It made me curious to read her, too. I also was taken by Susan Donovan's creativity and humor. She was another author that bookstore allowed me to binge on.

Then I discovered Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan had a new project; they were going to write together mixing their styles and genres... Historical and Contemporary Romance. Now, both already had the reputations of putting steam on the page... So I was primed and ready to read.

I even found this interview between these two authors discussing how this book came about and it was fascinating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiguQ...

This story took two very different time periods, with two different situations and blended them together... so that you were captivated by how both women were trying to be in charge of their lives and desires.

Our modern day woman was able to grow and vastly learn from our courtesan not just the art of love and seduction... but also how to assert herself, push the boundaries of what she thinks she should be and forge ahead grabbing life's thrills with two hands.

This book had some of the most sensual and sexy times I had read. They came from the journal of this courtesan, over two hundred years ago. The way she was trained, the reasons why she pursued this training in the first place.... all of it was exactly current for today. Her name was Ophelia and she did not want to not be a pawn of arranged marriage. She wanted to marry for love. The only way she could possible escape her father's choice was to Ruin Herself...and the best way to do that was to go to The Best and Most Sought After Courtesan, The Swan.

Now if you think on this...our young woman of past times was actually very forward thinking...She saw this woman, The Swan, have all the control of her life. She picked who she would be with...She was the one in charge and that called to our gal.

Boston museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont is our current times woman. She has dedicated herself to her career and her position at the Museum puts her in the right place at the right time. She is working on the exhibit the museum is doing on this very prominent woman of Boston's Abolitionist history. Piper discovers these scandalous journals and they capture her mind.

Her mind, body and soul had been captured by her past teacher...the crush was all consuming and she finally threw herself at him only to be turned away. Now years later, this man is back... and he is in her world...where she has to deal with him all of the time.

Piper decides she is going to take a page from Ophelia's journal and learn everything she was taught. That should work in turning this past crush's head....

We get to experience both the past lessons in real time from our courtesan and then how Piper works all of them in her pursuit of her man.

I have revisited this book because this writing duo has finally written the follow up to this, Breathe.
I. Cannot. Wait.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Revisit to a Time...
When a Woman's Only Way to Control...
Was to be The Courtesan....

Where another from a Different Age...
Needs to Break Out of Her Shell...

How the Lessons from the Past...
Show the way in the Future...

A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man


For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Splage · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthusiastic 5 Star read! This book was a historical/contemporary/erotica fusion and a fabulous surprise. I really thought this was an anthology by two authors (not always my favorite type of read) and the back cover description did not overly appeal to me.

What a cool concept! I don't think I can summarize the story and do it any justice because it was so clever and involved. Although it did take little while to get into it because there were two major stories going, flipping back and forth from past and present, as well as, lots of foreshadowing.

It is a parallel between Ophelia Harrington, which is a young lady in 1800 London about to be married off to the pompous, conceited Lord Ashford and, the second story, Piper is a museum curator of present time who is sort of an ugly duckling trying to fit in. Ophelia wants none of this arranged marriage and instead decides she wants to be free to make her choices. Her choice is to become a courtesan and she talks the Swan, an infamous courtesan of the time, to transform her. Piper's life is dramatically changed as she accidently stumbles across Ophelia's diaries of her life as a courtesan and Piper decides to follow Ophelia's guide to catch the man that got away and broke her heart. Ooh la la, let's just say the diaries are very descriptive and very sensual. There are so many more twist and turns to the story that I couldn't put it down. All the characters are transformed in this book; the H&h of both eras, the parents, the aunt and uncle, the ancestors and many more. They all grow into better people. I loved experiencing it!

The ending was so fulfilling because all of the loose ends were tied up perfectly and then what a bonus!!, you got an epilogue too.

[Tammy Walton Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy smokes, this book had some hot parts. Yes, that pun was completely intended. ;D

My GR friend Tammy sent this book to me (thanks, Tam!) because she thought smutty old me would like it. And boy oh boy, does she have my number.

Where to begin? For anyone who hasn't read the back of the book, it's written by two women -- one a contemporary romance author and one a historical romance author. I'd never read either before. I could tell there were 2 different people writing, and although I definitely preferred the historical writing to the contemporary the switch didn't seem to be jarring. (Except for the love scenes -- the differences there jumped right out at me.)

It's the story of a mousy, repressed museum curator (and one of the biggest romance stereotypes I've come across) named Piper, and her discovery of the secret diaries of Ophelia Harrington while preparing an exhibit. The book flips between the past and the present -- we get to read a book about Ophelia inside of a book about Piper.

After Piper reads the diaries, she enlists her best friend to help her reinvent herself. She gets a makeover then re-enacts the diaries -- having a virtual fuckfest with a seriously hot Irishman on loan to the museum for six months. (They have a history, of course, he was her prof or something and she got drunk, peeled off her clothes for him and he bailed, which then completely retarded her social/sexual progress.)

You might be able to tell, the contemporary part of the story was almost a complete fail for me. While the story itself was novel, the execution was like a dirty Harlequin romance. It had a promising start but it didn't hold me. I didn't buy the love story, the sex scenes were tawdry compared to the historical and I thought the "makeover" was predictable.

HOWEVER....

The historical section of the book was AMAZING. Oh, how I liked it. I liked the tone, the writing, the story, the depth of the characters and I especially liked the steamy parts (which was most of the first half of the book). WOW. The story was fascinating, and I found myself skimming through the modern day part of the story to get back to the story of Ophelia and "Sir". I tend to like courtesan stories anyway, so this one was right up my alley. I would have loved to read an entire book about Ophelia.

I don't know that I'll read any of Susan Donovan's work, as the contemporary part of the story didn't thrill me, but I'm thinking I should be picking up a Celeste Bradley. And soon.

4 stars.

[Christine (KizzieReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy, did this ever pack a punch!! It was captivating, and once I got past the first little bit, it was a page turner. I didn't know how I was going to feel about Piper's parts, but it definitely got better after her makeover. Not saying that she was not an interesting character before, but it seemed that with the makeover, and the help of the Courtesan's diaries, her confidence level rose, and she was able to come into herself and stand up for what she wanted and believed in.

The Blackbird's parts were very, very, very steamy! I guessed what the twist was on her part, long beforehand, but it did not take anything away from the story. Some parts were vulgar, and overly graphic, so if you have a problem with that, you might not want to pick up this book, as there is a lot of it. I see why it was in there, but I think it could have been a little less.

[♥ Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

What a FANTASTIC (and oooooh so very Naughty!) read!! I've never read anything by Celeste Bradley or Susan Donovan before so this was a wonderful find for me!

I loved the writing, I loved the story and I loved all of the characters!

Kudos to the two authors in the way they each told their separate stories, one historical and the other contemporary, and put them together and made it all work! It was an amazing read for me!

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Era da un bel bezzo che un extra-passion non mi piaceva così tanto!

Questo romanzo è difficilmente etichettabile in un'unica categoria, perché è equamente diviso tra una parte contemporanea (meno erotica e più romantica) e una parte ambientata nell'ottocento (molto più erotica e passionale). Questo, forse, ha fatto un po' storcere il naso a qualche lettrice più attenta all'aspetto del romanzo storico. Da parte mia, io ho accettato qualche licenza letteraria rispetto all'epoca descritta, perché la vicenda compensava ampiamente in emozioni e godibilità.

Nel presente Piper, classica studiosa nerd intenta ad allestire una mostra su un'eroina del passato (un mito per la città e un simbolo nella lotta contro la schiavitù), si ritrova per le mani tre diari "delicatissimi" in cui l'eroina riporta in modo candido e molto sincero le sue vicissitudini prima di imbarcarsi per l'America e divenire una leggenda irreprensibile.
Cosa fare? Mantenere la discrezione o indagare sul perché Ophelia Harrington scelse la carriera della cortigiana e la esercitò senza vergogna prima del matrimonio?

Per più ragioni Piper nel presente non sta attraversando un bel momento: il suo lavoro è a rischio, la sua famiglia non la considera, l'uomo di cui si era innamorata è fuggito via di fronte alle sue avances e non s'è fatto più vedere. Soltanto un'amica sexy e bellissima sta al suo fianco, ma questo a volte può non essere il massimo.
Eppure, proprio leggendo le pagine e le annotazioni di secoli prima, Piper scoprirà una Ophelia diversa e una stessa Piper diversa, trovando coraggio e audacia insospettabili.

Come dicevo, un romanzo che ho letto d'un fiato, passando dalle scene divertenti della povera Piper ai resoconti accurati dell'educazione dell'indomita Ophelia da parte del misterioso Sir.
Diciamo che questa lettura è stata una ventata d'aria fresca, con un finale all'altezza (in entrambe le epoche) pieno di speranza.
Confermo che ci sono scene hot e molto forti, ma dategli una possibilità.

[ALPHAreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

In present-day Boston museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont has made the discovery of her career. While organizing an exhibit for the life and times of infamous and beloved Boston abolitionist Ophelia Harrington, Piper stumbles across a hidden diary. . . written in the flourished hand of Ophelia herself, the diary is an extraordinary insight into the young activist’s very private life – her life before politics and family, when she was London’s notorious ‘Blackbird’ – a highly sought-after courtesan, once accused of murder.

For Piper, this museum exhibit is a last-ditch effort to keep her job. With the country in recession and last season’s disastrous exhibit still hanging over her head, the last thing Piper needs is a contentious diary labelling one of Boston’s most beloved historic figures as a scarlet woman. And then Mick Malloy swaggers into town . . . Mick, her old university teacher and first (and last) lustful crush. Until the night that Mick shattered Piper’s confidence – the repercussions of that ego-damaging turn-down carrying into Piper’s thirty-year-old spinsterhood still. Mick is now a big-wig archaeological superstar, in town to help the family business and organize a reality TV show.

Her job hanging on the line and her first love making a reappearance – Piper turns to Ophelia’s sumptuous diary entries for guidance. And as Piper decides to take hold of her life and reinvent herself, she reads Ophelia doing the same from 1813 as she learns the art of seduction under the tutelage of a masked-man known only as ‘Sir’ – a man who will hold Ophelia’s heart (and Piper’s fascination) for twelve long years.

‘A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man’ is the contemporary/historical romance combo from authors Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan.

I have been dying to read this book ever since it came out in May. I read a fantastic review from reputable bookish source, Julie of ‘Outlandish Dreaming’ . . . not to mention Susan Donovan piquing my interest last year when I read her (incredible) contemporary romance ‘He Loves Lucy’. I was also curious of a romance written by two authors covering two romantic sub-genres – Donovan writing the contemporary, and Bradley the historical. So even before I cracked this book open I had an inkling this book was something special – and I was right.

I thought I was a pretty old-hat romantic reader at this point – but Donovan and Bradley have delivered an entirely new romantic enterprise with ‘Courtesan’s Guide’. I love contemporary romances, and I adore historical romances – but never have I read a book that combines the two so splendidly and seamlessly. The beginning of the book is told from present-day Boston, with Piper reading excerpts from Ophelia’s discovered diary. Piper’s spinster-predicament is covered, and her re-romance with Mick quickly established . . . and then as she becomes consumed with winning Mick over and taking her life by the horns, Celeste Bradley takes over the reins and the narrative switches to Ophelia back in 1813 as she begins her courtesan-quest. From there on in the two women’s tales are told simultaneously and alternating – their romances running concurrently.

Ophelia’s world is turned upside-down when her uncle and aunt auction her hand in marriage. Disgusted by the prospect of being bought and bartered, Ophelia seeks out one of the most infamous and exalted ladies of London – the Swan. She is a courtesan extraordinaire – coveted and carefree, gorgeous and graceful. Ophelia throws herself on the Swan’s mercy and tutelage, relieved when the lady agrees to help Ophelia and find her a protector. Thus, she is introduced to ‘Sir’ – the mysterious masked man who is her instructor in the carnal arts. For one week Sir teaches Ophelia all she will need to know about pleasing men and enamouring herself to society. The two share a luscious and precious bond – and though Ophelia spends the next few years as a highly sought-after courtesan, luxuriating in the finest men’s beds, she never forgets the man who taught her everything she knows . . . about love, lust and longing.

Meanwhile, in present-day Boston, homey and plain Piper is mortified when her ages-old crush waltzes into town. She has been hung-up on him since grad school, and while Mick has been off cavorting around the world she has been stuck under-paid, under-appreciated and under-sexed – pining for a man who never wanted her to begin with. But that’s all going to change thanks to Ophelia’s words of wicked wisdom.

I loved both Ophelia and Piper – two very different women with delicious stories to tell. Admittedly, Piper and Ophelia’s respective stories could have been books unto themselves . . . but things are so much more interesting and better balanced with Bradley and Donovan sharing the pen.

If we’d just had Ophelia’s story I’m not sure I would have been terribly patient with her boudoir-shenanigans and bed-hopping. The small slice of her life that we read is fiercely independent and forward-thinking – she was a woman who didn’t want to be tied down to a man, let alone bargained into marrying one. She saw a loophole in society – where men’s mistresses are free to live alone, make their own money and choose their partners – but who are still beloved by London society for their titillating behaviour and trend-setting. As it is, with the book split between two worlds, we only ever read about Ophelia’s explicit time with Sir – and her other paramours are brushed over and easily summarised.

I was a woman free to be extraordinarily unwise.
What a delightful notion.

Likewise, Piper’s story could have been fairly ho-hum – the story of a plain jane turned makeover miracle isn’t exactly original, and the tale would have been over in a matter of chapters. So, while both Ophelia and Piper’s stories could have carried their own book – each is strengthened by linking to the other in ‘Courtesan’s Guide’.

Both stories, combined, are titillatingly delicious. Piper and Mick’s romance is sweetly sensual, while Ophelia and Sir have a scorching romance. Both love stories are equally fervent and beautifully tender – we wonder if Piper and Mick will let work get in the way of their newfound love, while Sir and Ophelia battle each other’s wills and then the court of law.

And at the centre of the plot is Piper’s determination to tell Ophelia’s true X-rated story. Ophelia’s tale tells of the London marriage-mart and the few options for women of the times . . . her history also lends evidence to her future abolition activism, and Piper believes it is a tale worth telling (no matter how raunchy!).

“I’m going to lose my job, you know. Probably right there on the spot.” Her words were flat. “And there won’t be a lot of choices for me afterward. The museum world isn’t exactly clamouring for over-budget, renegade feminist curators these days.”
Mick slipped an arm around her shoulders. “But the world is always in need of women brave enough to fight the establishment.”
She looked up at him sideways, a small smile touching her lips.

I knew I would love Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan’s ‘A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man’ – but I couldn’t predict how much. I absolutely, thoroughly and unabashedly adored this book, and it’s going on the 2011 favourite’s list for sure! I intend to read more books by both authors, and keep my fingers firmly crossed that they decide to write another romance-duet.

[KatieH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.
I received this book through Goodreads First Read without really even knowing what it was about.
The two authors of this novel did an excellent job of intertwining the lives of two very extraordinary women separated by hundreds of years and paralleling their lives of lust, love, and freedom.
I read this book in under a day and was easily captivated. I would have given the book 5 stars for its sheer genius, ingenuity, and bewitching love story, except that the erotic nature was a little overwhelming at times.
Be warned. This book should be X-rated. I'm sure there are more erotic books out there, but I've never read any of them. It was a lot and I was not at all expecting it, but it was still amazing.
As much as I fell in love with Piper and her story, I found myself unable to wait until I could hear about Ophelia and Sir.
Gosh...this story. I seriously feel all over the place, but it was definitely amazing and is a definite must-read, sexually explicit moments aside.
Like I said before, if not for the "naughty" parts, I would have given this book a 5, although I feel without those parts the book may not have the same substance.
Either way, I was hooked, and I LOVED the ending. :)

[Darbella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same book as Unbound Unbound.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Courtesan's Guide to Getting Your Man is definitely one of the better romance novels out there. It has a relatable plot that is actually coherent and the chemistry between the romantic leads was well-written. First things first, I liked that the novel consisted of two stories and it blended really well together.

I enjoyed Ophelia's story much better. She was willing to do whatever it took for her freedom and given the time she was born into, I appreciated that a lot. I was a little surprised at the portrayal of a courtesan's life though; it made it look really glamorous, which I don't think is the truth. I did think her chemistry with The Swan was much better than their modern counterparts, more sizzling and more passionate. Ophelia is an extremely brave, loyal and headstrong character and I admired that. I was a little surprised at the true identity of The Swan and I thought Ophelia would be too, but it seemed like she took it pretty well.

Piper's story, while modern-day, was a little less interesting than Ophelia. Her story was pretty much about getting a guy as well as her job security in portraying Ophelia's life. She was however, rather endearing so she's not that bad of a character.

The ending was satisfying, with all the loose ends tired up as well. Well done indeed! Definitely recommend to all looking for a good romance novel!

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book on a Goodreads First Reads giveaway!

I am an avid romance reader - historical, contemporary, paranormal, erotic - I like them all. I envy an author the imagination to create and the skill it takes to tell a story and keep the reader completely enthralled. I even envy my fellow readers here on Goodreads your eloquent reviews :) I have such a difficult time “reviewing” what I read... I just can’t seem to find the words to express what makes one story so much better than another in my mind.

That being said, I really had to do more than just rate this book. I loved it! It had the requisite heart and heat that I love in a romance, or in this case romances! While Piper & Mick's love story makes for a great read, I was sucked in entirely by Ophelia and Malcolm Harrington's love affair. It was a fantastic read that swept me up. The ending, even knowing what was coming, made my heart pound and tears roll down my face. That’s powerful stuff! A top ten in my favorites; I will definitely read again!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Holy porno, Batman,” she mumbled, not removing her eyes from the page. “This shit is flaming hot! It’s like a two-hundred-year-old guide to releasing your inner harlot!”

Indeed! Unbound is like your guide to exploring the seductress in you. Well, it’s not just about sensuality and erotic desires but also the confidence and freedom it brings to women to live life to the fullest. I noticed this book while walking down the bookstore. I was intrigued by the cover so I read the blurb. It was mysterious and obviously interesting after checking out the cover so I noted to read the reviews first before buying. I’m glad it has good feedbacks but it still took me two visits to the bookstore to finally buy it. Right now, I have nothing else to wish but to read it over and over again. Gosh. I’m in love. I may have become an apprentice of Blackbird in the process of reading this book. Haha! Definitely a must-read! ;)



This is how blind you are at first to the wonders that you can do onto the face of the earth. But as you go along the story, you’ll discover the depths and capabilities that a woman can do especially in this contemporary world.
Unfold your inner desires…



Well, let me start by saying that I LOVE THE BOOK FROM COVER TO COVER!. Alright, that is an understatement. I simply adore and love it overall. A collaboration of two magnificent authors would definitely bring out the best of their abilities. One is accomplished in writing contemporary novels while the other is proficient in historical romances. I definitely wouldn’t miss this for the world. Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley are the two brains who expertly wrote such intimate and thought-provoking novel. I mainly read contemporary romance and for it to be interweaved with historical romance is superb! This will be my first venture to some other subgenres of romance, and historical/regency is probably a good take for now. I’m just so glad the book found me before I find it myself. Know what I mean? Haha! Crazy, I know!

The dynamics of the story was incredible. With the alternating story of the Blackbird and Piper’s world, you’ll see the differences between the olden time and the modern time that we are today – from wardrobe, etiquette, economic class, social standing and freedom of speech.

Imagine the Blackbird to be as daring as this – beautiful, seductive, classy and sexy.



Here’s the sexy, intelligent and fun Piper Chase-Pierpont.



Unbound is an extraordinary story about two different couples set in two different time. Both will test their love for a length of time before realizing that they’re meant to be together for eternity. A lot of surprises await you. This book is filled with fantastic revelations and a heart-warming conclusion. You will certainly fall in love over and over again for each and every character especially with Sir, Ophelia, Blackbird, Piper and Mick. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil anything to you guys as much as I would love to. But this is a remarkable story and it’ll be too bad if you know ahead of time what happens to these amazing characters.

The seven day training of the Blackbird was undeniably arousing. I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher than her Sir and the Swan. It’s not just a learning experience for Blackbird alone, but the reader would certainly get some pointers of ‘releasing their inner harlot.’ ;)



Piper’s makeover and change of demeanor, in following the steps of the Blackbird was a good start to releasing her outer and inner beauty coupled with her intelligence and gentleness. Aside from her softer side, there’s also a part of her which can be very sexy and overly provocative, if wanted. Here’s how I envisioned Mick and Piper undeniably captivated with each other.

“I wanted this. I wanted to experience everything, to feel everything, to live, fully and unrepentantly, to such the marrow out of every moment of freedom. I wanted to touch and be touched, to love and be loved, to fuck and be fucked.”

Well, this is certainly a remarkable quote. The aforementioned quote says a lot especially in a place and time where freedom is only an idea and choices are almost non-existent.

This has been a heart-warming story for me and honestly, it took me longer than usual to finish my review since I was speechless at first to write something about the book and I want to do justice for it in writing a satisfying review.

The plot was magnificent if you haven’t noticed. Pacing was perfect, characters were wonderful and the storytelling is incredible. If you’re looking for a romance story filled with excitement, sexiness, mysteries, wonders, life lessons, drama and enough humor, this is the book for you! Grab a copy now and start reading! ;)

PERFECT FIVE STARS.
CHEERS.

[Amanda Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn’t heard jack-squat about this book when The Book Pimp sent me an email with the list of her most recent acquisitions for the library. I’m honestly not even sure what made me decide to have her put this aside for me. I mean, the title…it has some seriously potential cheese waves. The cover is very pretty, but I had yet to lay my eyes on it so I had no way of knowing.

I picked up A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man after finishing Kate Noble’s Follow My Lead. I was coming down of a good-book high and feeling happ, so I figured it’d be safe to pick up a book I knew very little about. From the first page, I was screwed. And in a good way, a delicious way. I was hooked.

It makes sense to me, now, how two authors wrote this book. It’s the story of two women from two completely different time periods who wrestle with similar restrictions and desires. Our modern day woman, Piper, stumbles upon secret diaries written by Ophelia Harrington, a staunch abolitionist and historical figure. Literally. She trips over the woman’s trunk and out stumble three volumes of old and unseen diaries from a false-bottom. Ever the scientist and historian, Piper voraciously reads them up and discovers that Ophelia Harrington was, in fact, a celebrated courtesan in London before coming to America.

The novel artfully tangos between present and past, and we get to watch Piper go from sheltered and repressed museum curator to a woman empowered and full of bravery. She takes it upon herself to embody Ophelia’s life mantra, literally taking the steps Ophelia took two hundred years earlier when she decided to become a courtesan rather then be “sold” into a marriage she had no say in. Mind you, Piper doesn’t become a prostitute. Instead, she sets her sights on her man from the past, the one-who-got-away, who just so happens to have arrived back in Boston. HUZZAH.

I would be ruining it for you to go into any further detail, but know this. This book was epically raunchy and knee-meltingly romantic. Rare is the book that manages to be both ridiculously smutty AND mindbogglingly romantic. I’m floored, FLOORED I TELL YOU! that none of the other blogs I follow seem to have picked up this book. This was a FANTASTIC read, one that I’m adding to my personal library ASAP.

When you need book that will intrigue and capture you while making your toes curl and your heart pound, pick up A Courtesan’s Guide to Getting Your Man by Celeste Bradley & Susan Donovan. You won’t regret it.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Hell Batman!
I won this book through Goodreads First Reads and I have to say I was pleasantly suprised.

The book is split up into two stories, one about a girl in the past and one in the present. The book flips back and forth where appropriate and it's quite the story.

Ophelia is the main character from the past and is being made to wed a man she does not want. She decides to become a courtesan - aka a prostitute - so she is always free to chose whomever she desires.

Piper is the main character taking on the present day role. She find a diary, a very naughty diary, written by Ophelia and hidden in a trunk in the museum where she works.

The story flips back and forth between reading about Ophelia's story and Piper living her's. Both authors connected the stories smoothly and I was constantly wanting more.

There is a ton of sex in this book. Piper's storyline is pretty tame as far as the sexual desires go but Phew, It got pretty heated reading some of Ophelia's endeavors. There were several times I had to put the book down just because it got to be almost too much. Ophelia is just learning how to become a prostitute and is being taught by someone refered to only as "Sir" and he wears a partial face mask. My My My some of there sex scenes were pretty visual. I really enjoyed the fact that although the book is very sexual, it was done quite tastefully.

Also, there is a small twist at the end of the book that I didn't see coming. It ended as a happy love story. *Sigh* It was great.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads first reads giveaway.
Wow. I read this book in less than one day. This is probably one of my favorite books that I have won from a Goodreads first reads giveaway.

Piper is a curator that works in a museum who discovers the journey of a woman who lived over 100 years ago. The exhibit she is suppose to organize is based on Ophelia Harrington the woman who wrote the journals. She finds herself enjoying reading Ophelia's journals. She uses Ophelia's journals to inspire her to chase after the guy she likes. She met him while in grad school and still likes him 10 years later. Her friend helps her transform and regain her confidence. My favorite part is when she transforms and She walks into a coffee shop and this college boy asks for her number and she says she's 30.

I think I liked Ophelia's parts of the story more. Ophelia escaped an arranged marriage in order to become a courtesan. I like the whole book overall but I liked Ophelia's parts parts of the story the best. "Sir" is really mysterious. The pacing was done well and I wasn't ever bored of this book. The ending was nearly perfect. Who knew that Lord Malcolm was actually Sir? I surely didn't!! I'm glad they ended up together.


There's a good storyline. It has light humor and lots and lots of romance. Must read.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I can't believe I completely read through this book as fast as I did! I just could not put it down!

First of all, I was very lucky to receive this book through the First Reads program. I don't normally read romance, so I never would have picked up this book. However, I would have seriously missed out on a great story if I had never read this book!

This story follows two women from different time periods. One from London in the 1800's and the other from modern day Boston. The modern day woman, Piper, has lived her life hidden behind her books without ever having truly felt comfortable in her own skin. She finds the diaries of Ophelia, a girl from 19th century London, who prizes her freedom above all else and decides to trade in an arranged marriage for the life of a courtesan. Ophelia learns the sins of a courtesan from a handsome masked man she only knows as Sir. Reading these diaries, Piper uses the lessons inside to confront the one man she ever really loved.

I truly loved reading the stories of Piper and Ophelia side by side. The blooming romances in this book just made me feel so lighthearted. Also, I don't want to give any part of the ending away, but it was truly perfect! Of course there were quite a few scintillating moments, but those were really just yummy toppings on an already amazing cake!

This book will be sticking around on my bookshelf to be reread in the future! A perfect pick me up!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I received this book for free through Goodread's First Reads Giveaway program.

Once I started this book, I just couldn't put it down! I stayed up way too late last night because I couldn't bear the thought of putting down the book and not finding out what happened to Ophelia and "Sir". Normally I am not a fan of historical romance, but I found that piece of the story to be way more entrancing than the parallel contemporary story. I knew this book would have some steamy scenes based on the title, but I wasn't prepared for how HOT and RATED R this book would be. And even better, the sexy and provocative parts of the book were not over the top, like in many "sexy" books. These authors did a beautiful job of crafting an intimate, exciting and intriguing storyline, while empowering the lead female characters. The storyline was also just plain fantastic. The story didn't just revolve around the sexual liasons of the characters, but rather used them as a piece of a multi-faceted plot. I was actually sad when the book ended, because my time with these characters had come to an end. This one of the best giveaways I have ever won and cannot wait to read the book again!!

[Romanticamente Fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voto - 3.5
"Era risaputo che la mostra su Ophelia Harrington costituiva la sua ultima opportunità La direzione del museo aveva già tagliato diverse posizioni importanti, chiarendo senza mezzi termini che uno dei due curatori senior rimasti sarebbe stato il prossimo. Quindi, o lei oppure quella faina leccapiedi che rispondeva al nome di Lincoln Northcutt. Piper sapeva bene perché il Consiglio d’amministrazione aveva approvato la mostra suOphelia. Anzitutto sarebbe stata a costo zero o quasi, visto che lei era riuscita a convincere l’eccentrica matriarca di famiglia, Claudia Harrington-Howell, a prestare al museo tutti gli effetti personali dell’illustre antenata senza chiedere alcun compenso. In secondo luogo, si trattava di un argomento che non suscitava polemiche. Infine, c’era il fatto che la direzione cercava da tempo di convincere Claudia a entrare nel Consiglio, mettendo così mano alla capace borsa. Chissà perché, ma Piper era convinta che svelare al mondo intero i trascorsi da puttana lasciva e godereccia dell’amatissima antenata di Claudia non avrebbe aiutato il museo a raggiungere quell’obiettivo."
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Due storie parallele che si incrociano tramite i diari di una donna che ha fatto della propria libertà, lo scopo della sua vita. Ophelia e Piper sono due donne di epoche diverse: la prima, vissuta negli anni della Reggenza, ha dovuto lottare per poter vivere come voleva, la seconda, pur vivendo in un periodo di grande libertà, è prigioniera del suo carattere riservato e delle insicurezze che le ha lasciato il vivere con due genitori geniali ma freddi e senza slanci. Oltre a questo c’è il ricordo, che non l’ha mai abbandonata, del rifiuto vissuto quando per la prima volta ha tentato un timido approccio sentimentale con l’unico uomo che abbia mai amato e che l’ha respinta. Ora Piper è curatrice di un museo e sta per allestire la mostra che le permetterà o meno di tenersi il suo lavoro, è dedicata proprio a Ophelia, una delle più famose abolizioniste americane, una matrona che tutti rispettano per il suo impegno e che la storia dipinge come un’eroina. Ma Piper, grazie a una provvidenziale caduta, scopre in uno dei reperti dati al museo tre diari che svelano una parte della vita della donna che nessuno conosce, quella in cui era Blackbird, una delle più belle e ricercate cortigiane di Londra e anche una donna che ha rischiato di finire impiccata per omicidio. Ora però Piper si trova a un bivio: dire la verità e rischiare il licenziamento, oppure tacere e lasciare che il mondo continui a ignorare chi sia stata davvero questa donna coraggiosa e audace, che ha lottato lungamente, sia per sé stessa che per gli altri, per la libertà di poter scegliere.

Due protagoniste diversissime per un libro abbastanza particolare: da una parte Ophelia, così desiderosa di vivere come anela, che pur di sfuggire al matrimonio che gli zii hanno disposto per lei decide di diventare una cortigiana, facendosi aiutare da Swan, la più famosa fra di loro, che si presta ad aiutarla facendole incontrare Sir, l’uomo che le insegnerà tutto quello che c’è da sapere sul sesso e sulla seduzione, un uomo mascherato di cui Ophelia conoscerà l’identità solo dopo molti anni e che sicuramente vi stupirà. Un uomo che in vari modi continuerà a starle a fianco e aiutarla per gran parte della sua vita, senza che lei quasi se ne accorga. È questa la parte più sensuale del libro, con molte scene di sesso anche ben descritto, e sicuramente anche quella più interessante e dalla trama più articolata. Verremo infatti continuamente rimandati da un’epoca all’altra, seguendo le vicende di entrambe le donne. Per Piper scoprire quel diario è come togliersi una benda dagli occhi, per la prima volta si rende conto che lei, pur godendo di tutte le libertà attuali, si è negata la scoperta della sua sessualità dopo un unico tentativo non riuscito. Seguire l’iniziazione puntigliosamente raccontata di Ophelia le fa desiderare di cambiare, specialmente ora che nella sua vita è riapparso Mick, l’uomo che al tempo l’aveva rifiutata, ma che non l’ha mai dimenticata… e allora perché non sfruttare l’insegnamento di questa donna così sensuale e prendersi ciò che ha sempre desiderato?

I diari di una Cortigiana è un libro piacevole, anche se non mi ha particolarmente entusiasmata… la storia della vita di Ophelia è sicuramente interessante ma mi sorgono dei dubbi sulla possibilità che una giovane donna, in quel periodo storico, avesse potuto agire come narrato. Durante la sua iniziazione con Sir, Ophelia si reca di sera a casa di Swan, con gli abiti della sua cameriera, e nessuno si accorge che passa la notte fuori, e come ci arriva? I suoi zii l’hanno praticamente venduta a un nobile di loro conoscenza eppure non vegliano su di lei, sapendo quanto lei sia contraria, e quanto questo matrimonio sia la loro ultima spiaggia? Ed essendo sotto la tutela dello zio, come poteva Ophelia avere accesso alla sua eredità, affittare casa e comprare mobili senza che lui ne fosse venuto al corrente? Ricordiamoci che siamo in un’epoca in cui le donne erano considerate poco più che bambine. Questi sono alcuni dei dubbi che mi sono venuti durante la lettura e che non trovano risposta adeguata, per non parlare poi di Malcolm Ashford, un personaggio alquanto singolare. Detto questo è una lettura che fa passare piacevolmente qualche ora, la scrittura delle autrici è sicuramente bella e tutto è ben confezionato, ma la parte storica è davvero troppo fantasiosa e ha troppa poca attinenza con la realtà dell’epoca descritta. La storia di Piper e Mick, poi, mi ha lasciata abbastanza indifferente: sono due personaggi che non sono riusciti ad entrare nelle mie simpatie. Non è questo un libro che sono tentata di rileggere, ma come sempre questa è una considerazione strettamente personale.
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Lucia63 - per RFS

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinfully sexy. I have not read a romance novel in quite a while, this was a great way to get reintroduced to romance novels. The characters in the book are mainly delightful and of course you must have your evil with the good. The bad characters are people you can really dislike and are glad to see get their just rewards in the end. The book makes you smile in the end with the happy ever after, which everyone deserves. I look forward to reading more books by both of the authors. This book was a Goodreads First reads win. Extremely glad I won a copy of this book because I would not have read it otherwise and I would have missed a great book. The story line was great but with this book who needed a story line it was just dreamy and steamy.
updated May 23, 2011 06:54am · delete

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this as an advanced reader's copy. I absolutely love Susan Donovan's writing, but am not familiar with Celeste Bradley. Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I looked forward to reading it. If it's not clear already, it should be - this is an erotic book and is very explicit. Unfortunately I did not find Ophelia to be the least bit likable or compelling. There was very little modern day storyline, and then when there was, it seemed to rush itself. I was also a little put off by the "feminism" angle it was pushing and felt that it was a little much to try to relate that in with the story - it felt forced.

[Kai C · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good friend Tierra gave me this book to read, and I was not sure of it at all. I think I asked her multiple times, saying "is it really good? Will i enjoy it? Is it cheesy?". She was so nice about it. answering me over and over again.she said its really really good and i would like for sure. I read it and loved it. Was hot and gosh darn good! I found myself wanting to talk about how far i gotten and how good it was to Tierra. I read this book when i should have been doing other things; it was that good. Loved it. there is nothing else i could say.One must read it to fully understand why I gave it a Five*wink wink.Hot stuff here;] love me some book nookie

[Lindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRILLIANT! This is now on my list of all-time favorite books. Steamy, passionate, tender and moving, Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan have collaborated to create a truly outstanding book. I stayed up late and woke up early just so I could keep reading. This is not your garden variety anthology; the two stories are expertly connected and interwoven. The sex scenes are very graphic (which I love), so readers should keep that in mind. This is definitely a must read.

[summer · Rating 2 out of 5]

i don't know what it was about this book that made it feel like such a laborious read for me. the message of being a strong, independent woman who wanted to be author of her own destiny and was not above doing something provocative to get it was totally overwhelmed by the feeling of trying to finish an arduous read. almost didn't finish it but i hate not finishing what i start so i trudged on but man was it tiring. nothing against the authors or the message but it just didn't hold me at all.

[Judi Niermann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book free through Goodreads. Looking forward to jumping in.
This was a very interesting read. I liked the plot of the abolitionist who was once a courtesan, but the sex scenes were too long, too frequent, over the top and cheesy. Keep i nmind that's just my opinion. If you like to read about others having sex, this is for you. It's just not my cup of tea.

[Katie(babs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one hot book! Probably the hottest Bradley and Donovan have ever written. Love how we go back and forth from the present to the past. Mick, you Irish stud, take me!

A much recommended read for historical and contemporary fans.

[Rachel Loke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say I'm utterly mindblown by this book. Holy smokes, I'm still swooning. Shall write a review when my insides are not mushed up.

[Alice hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a roller coaster ride of a book...with I think the most surprising ending for me to date! Fabulous two stories intertwined!

[Raven Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in awhile a book comes a long and captures you from page one until the very last page. This is exactly what happened with me when I read “Unbound” by Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan. I could not put this book down, it was sooo entertaining! I loved how the authors combined both of their writing strengths into this wonderful erotic romance. You are drawn into the past of the Ophelia Harrington (The Blackbird) Courtesan’s life, and how her back story paints the picture of how she became one of London’s most alluring Courtesans. You are then moved into the future of Boston’s museum curator Piper Chase-Pierpont where she finds the Blackbird’s secret diaries of her experiences and also the story of her life as a Courtesan.

Ophelia Harrington does not want to be arranged to a man who does not love her and is only marrying him because her uncle made an arrangement with Lord Malcolm Ashford for a huge amount of money. Ophelia wishes her parents were alive and that she could have someone to look up to, but Ophelia must take care of herself and she has decided that she will peruse her life as a Courtesan.. but, will it be all that glamorous?

Ophelia decides to contact London’s more gorgeous Courtesan called “The Swan” and ask her to teach her how to be a proper Courtesan. Ophelia will be taught by a man who will ignite Ophelia’s deepest sexual desires. Desires she never knew she had. Ophelia’s teacher will show her “The Seven Sins of the Courtesan.” Will Ophelia obey her luscious masked teacher, Sir? Will she allows Sir have his way with her?

Ophelia must shorty decide if this is what she truly wants in her life. Can she accept that she will no longer be able go back to the way things were? Will Ophelia let The Blackbird out and live to be London’s most seductive and alluring Courtesan? Will Ophelia find out just “who” Sir really is? What is behind the mask, and will she be able to move on past Sir in the future?

Ophelia Harrington will turn London upside-down as one of the best Courtesan’s around all the while lead London’s women’s movement. Will Ophelia Harrington (The Blackbird) ever be able to love a man and only have “one” man in her life, or will she always be a courtesan and never be able to open her heart up again?

Piper Chase-Pierpont has one more chance to show Boston’s museum that she can put together a great Ophelia Harrington exhibit since her last museum exhibit failed miserably. Piper has not had the best of luck with her job or love life. That is until Piper comes across the biggest find of her life by complete accident. Piper comes across Ophelia Harrington (The Blackbird) London’s biggest Courtesan’s personal diary. Piper starts to read the Blackbird’s diary and is immediately is drawn into the Blackbird’s World. Piper comes up with an idea, and that is to use the Blackbirds life as a Courtesan as the main theme in her exhibit instead of her life as a women’s leader, but will the public want to read about the Blackbirds sexual encounters and how she seduced almost every man in London? Will it work?

Piper has never gotten over the one man who turned her life upside down and made her weak in the knees. Mick Malloy was the only man who could ignite Piper’s desires. Piper has no idea until one afternoon when Mick is brought on to work at the museum. Piper is stopped dead in her tracks with all of the old emotions soon rising to the surface again. Piper decides to channel the Blackbird and decides to change her appearance and use someone of the techniques that Sir taught Ophelia to be The Blackbird, but will this turn Mick off? Will he want anything to do with Piper, or will Piper finally get a second chance at seducing Mick Malloy into her bedroom once and for all?

Piper and Ophelia are very similar in that both are looking to spread their wings in the world, and find their “inner women.” Will Piper and Ophelia finally find love and that one man who can tame them, bringing them pure bliss? Find out what happens to Piper and Ophelia and this HOT novel “Unbound” by Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan. HOT, HOT, HOT!

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5/5

"Unbound" tells two stories: first, we are introduced to Piper Chase-Pierpont, a twenty-nine year old museum curator working on her next opening. After the disappointment of her previous showing, this is crucial to her career- which makes the exclusive discovery of 100+ year journals even more interesting.

Within the journals, we are introduced to Ophelia Harrington, a young woman in the 1800s about to be married off to a man she dislikes. In her search for independence and free-will, Ophelia presents herself to the Swan, an infamous courtesan, requesting that she be taught as well. During her "training", Ophelia falls for a mysterious Sir and documents their interactions in her diary.

Despite the perspectives being very different, I found it hard to distinguish between the two. The two characters were not distinct in their own narrations, which left me sometimes a page or two in and unsure whose story we were following.

More importantly however, I found the attitudes of all the characters to be majorly off-putting. Mick's original disappointment with Piper's looks, her best friend's attitude towards Piper's makeover and everyones attitudes about the results, and Mick's brother's attitudes towards women were more than off-putting. As well, I found the final reveal of Sir's identity to be manipulative instead of exciting.

Overall, this book highlights the parts of the romance genre that I dislike, and I'd recommend readers look elsewhere.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sitting on my bookshelf for years until I finally decided to read it before getting rid of it. Now, after reading this book it will go back on my bookshelf as I loved every bit of it and will not even think about getting rid of it. Initially I was unsure about two authors writing a book together from different time periods but I got sucked into both Piper and Ophelia’s worlds. I loved the idea behind the book about being free to be yourself in all ways and accepting of yourself. When Mick tells Piper that she’s showing strength and that it makes her sexy, I feel this is the whole book. Confidence in yourself. But at the same time, addressing how pride can also lead to misinformation and heartache. I enjoyed piper and micks story but I absolutely loved Ophelia and Sir the most. Overall this book really was a joy to read.