A Wicked Liaison (UK)

Title: A Wicked Liaison
Author: Christine Merrill
UK Copyright: 2007 (Mills & Boon)
UK ISBN: 978-0-263-86237-9
US Copyright: 2009 (Harlequin); pgs. 276
Series: Harlequin Historical #953
US ISBN: 978-0-373-29553-1
Sensuality: Warm
Genre: Historical Romance — Regency

Constance Townley, the young Dowager Duchess of Wellford, is in a bind. The small allowance the new duke, Freddy, gives her isn’t enough to maintain her London residence. Freddy would prefer that she retire to the dower house on his estate. Constance, only thirty, hopes to remarry and that requires her to remain in London. Her late husband had the deed to the residence, and all of the furnishings, put in Constance’s name. Unfortunately, Freddy also has the deed and he’s avoiding her. If she could sell her townhouse and find a smaller, more economical residence, Constance could live comfortably until she receives a suitable marriage proposal. Unfortunately, the men who call on her lately are only offering “carte blanche”, to keep her as a mistress. After twelve years of marriage and no children to show for it, it is believed that Constance is barren. Men of the nobility need sons to ensure the family name continues. A woman like Constance is more attractive as a mistress than a wife.

Very few people know how desperate Constance has become.  Unfortunately, one of the few is Lord John “Jack” Barton. He’s unscrupulous and cold. He views Constance as an object, an ornament, to be collected and looked at. He’ll do anything to manipulate her into doing what he wants He’s slowly backing Constance into a corner until she has no other choice than to give into him. Constance has no one to turn to for help. However, unbeknown to her, someone is about to come to her rescue. Someone who’s known and loved her for years.

Anthony de Portnay Smythe is professional thief. In the past, his skills kept his two widowed sisters-in-law, nephews, and niece from the poor house. Thanks to careful investing and the marriage of the ladies, Tony’s talents are no longer required and he’s feeling a little unneeded in that department. However, since making the acquaintance of St John Radwell, Earl of Stanton, Tony’s talents have been called upon for the good of the nation. Stanton has a job for him. A Treasury official has settled a large gaming debt by being blackmailed into handing over engraving plates for the ten-pound note.

Stanton needs Tony to steal them back, if at all possible, before the counterfeiter has the chance put the money in circulation. It has to be done discreetly, too, so as to not destabilize the markets and cause panic. He advise Tony to also search the house of the man’s supposed mistress, just to be sure he hasn’t hidden them there. The would-be counterfeiter: Lord Barton; his supposed mistress: Constance Townley

Comments: I really loved this book. Ms. Merrill, as I’ve said before, is one of my favorite Harlequin Historical authors (I think she might even be the favorite).

My favorite character was Patrick, Tony’s valet. Patrick was a thief once, and he is the person who taught Tony. He’s also Tony’s confidant, knows all about his unrequited love for the duchess, and the one who tells Tony when he’s making a mistake by not revealing his true identity to Connie sooner rather than later. I enjoyed reading their scenes together because they’re usually where Tony is explaining why he hasn’t said anything to Connie and Patrick pointing out the flaws to his reasoning. There is even a face-palm moment for Patrick during one such conversation.

Though he’s a thief, Tony is otherwise a true gentleman — he is the third son of an earl. He’s caring, polite, well-mannered. He’s also funny, witty, and confident when it comes to his “profession”. When it comes to Connie, he’s afraid to tell her the truth of his identity, that he’s someone she’s known since they were children, because he’s afraid of the rejection. I liked him a lot, and I could understand why it was important for him that Connie recognize him without being told. And I love how she figures it out.

I liked Connie very much. I thought she was true to her time. Raised to make the best marriage possible — she did that. When her older husband died, she expected to be provided for (and she really was, if Freddy hadn’t been an idiot) so she wouldn’t have to worry about where her next meal came from. She wanted to remarry, so she played by the rules, remained respectable and keep an eye out for the best possible offer — just like she’d be raised. It’s not her fault that the men only see her as a potential mistress. She does the best she can and she does make mistakes. I like that she tries to stand up to Barton — usually only to fail, but she does try — and that she eventually gets the better of him.

Favorite Quote:
“Did you find the deed?”
“What? No ‘Hello, Tony. So good to see you. Lovely dancing this evening. . .’ No preamble. Small talk? Chit-chat?”
– Constance, Tony

Started: 21 April 2010
Finished: 3 May 2010

Rating:

LOVED IT !!

Disclaimer: I purchased this book.

Being behind on reviews has had an unexpected plus side.

By having that gap between finishing the book and when I actually sit down to put my thoughts on paper, I have a better take on which books stay with me.  Since I have to refresh my memory on some points, I usually have to do a little re-reading.  If I really love the book, I tend to keep reading after I found whatever it was that prompted me to refer to the book.  That’s a bit annoying, since I should be writing, not reading.  The harder it is for me to put aside the book, the more likely the book is going to be a 5-star book, flaws and all.

With that in mind, I’m going to go ahead and give ratings to the books I’ve already posted.  I’ll eventually update the individual review posts.  Reminder: anything I give a 3-Star or above is a guarantee that I will try other books from the author.

Five Stars:  LOVED!

• Dawnkeepers (Jessica Andersen)
• Bedded for Diamonds (a.k.a. Priceless) (Kelly Hunter)
• Ravenous (Sharon Ashwood)
• Dark Crusade (Lori Devoti)

Four Stars: Liked a lot!

• Driven (Eve Kenin)
• An Unladylike Offer (Christine Merrill)
• Ace is Wild (Penny McCall)

Three Stars: Enjoyable Read

• Slave to Sensation (Nalini Singh)
• Cousin Kate (Georgette Heyer)
• Shadow Game (Christine Feehan)

An Unladylike Offer

Author: Christine Merrill
Copyright: 2007 (Harlequin); 290 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-373-29462-6
Series: Harlequin Historical # 862 (Regency)
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Esme Canville and St John Radwell
Where & When: England

An Unladylike Offer can be read as a stand-alone, but to get a better understanding of St John’s past, particularly in regards to his brother Marcus, Duke of Haughleigh, I would recommend reading The Inconvenient Duchess first.

After five years of fighting in the wars, St John is back in England. He misses his childhood home and he even misses is brother. Once, when they were children, they had been partners in mischief and ready for adventure, but their parents — in a bitter and loveless marriage — pitted them against each other. He made a vow that, if he survived, he would make peace with Marcus.

Toward that goal, St John is trying to reform his character by avoiding new scandal. The Prince Regent, wishing to reward him for his honorable service, has promised him an earldom — provided he behaves himself while waiting for the current, heir-less, holder of that title to pass on. St John doesn’t know how long the old earl will live, but whatever the length of time, he believes it to be worth it if it secures him an income and help him show Marcus he’s a changed man. If he can approach his brother as a peer — a man with honor and responsibilities, and maybe even a wife — his claims of being reformed will carry more weight. However, his good intentions get derailed when Esme Canville shows up, offering to be his mistress.

Esme’s father — a cruel and abusive man — has arranged a marriage for her to the Earl of Halverston, an older man who will no doubt be as horrible as her father (as far as she can tell from her one brief glimpse of him). She is desperate to avoid the marriage and escape her father. If she is ruined, her father will have no choice but to call off the betrothal. St John tries to talk her out of her plans, but she determined to go through with it — with him or with someone else. Fortunately for them both, she snatches his laudanum-laced brandy from his hand and downs it (knowing full well what the glass contained). She passes out, making it easier for St John to take her to the one person he can rely on to protect Esme from herself and others: Marcus.

Though the duke believes he is up to no good, St John is able to convince the duchess to take Esme under her wing and learn the truth of the situation before sending her back to her father. Miranda does exactly that. She comes up with a barely plausible plan, she admits, that will allow Esme time to find a man she prefers and marry him. Marcus grudgingly allows Miranda to include St John in her plans, neither man realizing that Miranda’s plan involves St. John marrying Esme.

Esme is a heroine in pursuit. Though she goes along with Miranda’s plans by considering the other eligible men introduced to her, Esme’s fallen for St John and nothing he does seems to frighten her off. She knows he’s not the cad he once was because he didn’t take advantage of her when he had the chance. Yet, no matter how much he seems to enjoy her company — or how much it seems as if he wants her — St John refuses to offer for her. It’s maddening, and she’s running out of time.

The situation is no better for St John. He’s taking laudanum to avoid the nightmares of what happened in Portugal. He’s trying to prove to his brother that he’s changed, while following Marcus’s orders to discourage Esme by acting like a rake. Talk about cross-purposes. Marcus isn’t convinced of his sincerity, at first, and is still disappointed in him. St John finds himself falling in love with Esme, but can’t — in good conscience — make an offer for her when he has no means of support. Plus, he hasn’t banished the nightmares of Portugal, which includes another heartbreak.

My favorite aspect of the story was the brothers and St John’s struggles to convince Marcus that he was truly sorry for the past and that he was mending his ways. It really touched me, more so than the romance. Probably because I have two brothers who are close. Of course, they are nothing like Marcus and St John. I loved Marcus for going along with St John’s schemes to rescue Esme from her father — gate crashing the betrothal party, consorting with prostitutes and a thief — without so much as blinking an eye. It shows how far he’s come in trusting St John’s judgment.

As to the romance, I liked that Esme calls St John out for being “oh, no, something bad will happened to you” if he admits that he loves her. Esme tells him his more afraid of getting his heart broken again than her well-being. He really needed to hear that it wasn’t his fault that the women he loved died, and it shows that she knows and understands him more than he realizes. But Esme doesn’t know as much as she thinks, as she learns shortly after. Esme is finally successful in her quest to seduce St John, and comes to realize that she’s been acting selfishly. St John’s sense of honor will require him to marry her, and cost him his hard won efforts to reconcile with Marcus and repair his reputation.

Christine Merrill is currently my favorite Harlequin Historical author. Most of her books were/are published first in the UK before they are published in North America. I’ve decided not to wait for Miss Winthorpe’s Elopement to make it across the pond. A Wicked Liaison — which features a character from An Unladylike Offer — will be published this summer in North America (realized this after I ordered it from the UK — I didn’t look closely enough). Looking forward to them both.

Favorite quotes:
“All right. I frighten Lord Canville into giving us his only child, or bludgeon him into cooperation with my title. What are we to do with Esme Canville and her imaginary fever?”
– Marcus, Duke of Haughleigh

“But we do not need your best behavior, St John. We need for you to be a fate worse than death.”
– Miranda lays out her plan

“Finally, the duel I knew must come, that would settle things between us, once and for all. And in the middle of it, you fell asleep. My pride may never recover.”
– Marcus

Started: 7 February 2009
Finished: 9 February 2009

Rating:
TBA

The Mistletoe Wager

Author: Christine Merrill
Copyright: 2008 (Harlequin); pgs. 277
Series: Harlequin Historical # 925
Sensuality: Warm

This Christmas romance has two couples, Harry and Elise, the Earl and Countess of Anneslea. Harry and Elise are estranged at the start of the book, but are still very much in love with each other. The other couple is Nicholas Tremaine and Rosalind Morley, two people who haven’t seen each other in years and have every reason to hate each other. Nicholas is Elise’s ex-betrothed and Rosalind is Harry’s half-sister.

The book opens with Harry inviting Nicholas to his Christmas house party. Nicholas is a bit of a humbug about Christmas and initially refuses. Since Harry has an ulterior motive for wanting Tremaine to come, he makes a bet and proceeds to invite all within hearing to his house party. To ensure that Tremaine comes, he sweetens the bet by informing Tremaine that he will divorce Elise, if that’s what she desires.

Harry believes that the reason Elise has been unhappy is due to the fact that she has come to regret breaking her engagement to Tremaine and accepting Harry’s proposal. Harry had hoped that Elise would, over time, come to love him as much as he loves her. He wants her to be happy and if divorcing him will free her to go back to the man she still cares for, then Harry will do it. But not without trying to win her back first by reminding her of all the happy times they had at Christmas. Elise loves the holiday and brought her traditions with her from Germany. Tremaine’s distaste for the trappings of the season are well-known and Harry hopes to use that in his favor.

Once she learns of the bet and promise, Elise talks Tremaine into taking her with him. She’s curious to see who Harry will have standing in as hostess and is afraid that he may have taken a lover. Her argument with Harry revolves around the fact that Harry doesn’t talk to her — really talk to her. He doesn’t confide in her; she doesn’t know his mind. She never knows if he’s angry with her, or upset with the fact that, after five years of marriage, there is still no sign of a child. She even renews her close friendship with Tremaine in the hopes that he would be jealous and tell her that he doesn’t like her giving another man so much of her attention. He just smiles and calmly accepts it. Though Harry’s an affectionate husband — there has never been a lack of interest in their marriage bed — Elise still feels that Harry can’t possibly love her passionately because he didn’t stop her from leaving nor has he demanded that she return to their country home.

For his part, Tremaine doesn’t want to be in the middle of the Anneslea’s marital problems. Though he cares for her, Elise is just his friend, not his lover. Nick knows that the pair really love each other — even if they can’t see it. So, he grits his teeth and willingly plays the would-be-lover, hoping the charade will be short. However, he gets more than he bargains for when they arrive for the party.

Five years ago, Nicholas kissed a young woman he had just met at a Christmas ball. Her strict father demanded that he make an offer for her, but Nicholas was betrothed to Elise and refused. The kiss had been a spur of the moment thing under some mistletoe, as he truthfully told Elise when she learned of it, and he had no intentions of breaking off with her. However, Elise was hurt and angry, so she released him from the engagement. Labeled a rogue for such stupid mistake, Nick has lived his life as one, never settling down. He never knew the name of the young woman, and never saw her again until he arrived at Harry’s house party.

Rosalind has lived unhappily in the country since that incident. She’s turned down suitor after suitor, all who seemed to offer a life no different than the one she lives now. Though she spent only an hour or so in his company, Rosalind had fallen in love with Nicholas and she has never gotten over him. At first, they try to avoid each other, but Rosalind quickly realizes that Nick would make the perfect accomplice in her scheme to get Harry and Elise back together. As much as she loves her brother, and glad for the chance to get away from her father for a spell, Rosalind is not having a happy holiday season. Harry’s haphazard party planning and the servants’ loyalty to Elise have made things difficult for her. If she can successfully reconcile the couple, then hostess duties can be turned over to their rightful owner. Nick will go along with her plans, if it means he can return to London sooner rather than later. But no matter what she does, her efforts end in disaster, no thanks to the couple she is trying to reconcile.

I really enjoyed this book. It was quiet funny at times.  The author balances the story between all four characters. Since in Harry and Elise’s problems lie in their inability to communicate without mistaking intent, it was good to have a second couple to read about because misunderstandings like that can make a book frustrating. Rosalind and Nicholas’ conversations are wittier and I liked couple a lot.

Started: 30 November 2008
Finished: 7 December 2008

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Hallowe'en Husbands

Author(s): Lisa Plumley, Denise Lynn, Christine Merrill
Copyright: 2008 (Harlequin); pgs. 281
Series: Harlequin Historical #917 – Halloween Anthology
Sensuality: Varies

I picked up this book primarily for the Christine Merrill short story.  I read The Inconvenient Duchess and liked it. I had not read anything by the other two contributors, so this was an opportunity to discover new authors.

“Marriage at Morrow Creek” by Lisa Plumley (Western)
From the Back:  The only thing Rose Tillson ever wanted was a life of travel beneath the Western stars — and to marry secret sweetheart Will Gavigan!  All Rose needs is a small dose of Hallow’en magic to make Will realize she’s the girl of his dreams.

I did not finish this story.  Western-set historicals are not something I usually read, but I figured a short story would be something I could handle.  I couldn’t get into the story.  If the author writes contemporaries or set in other historical subgenres (Regency, Medieval, etc.), I would be interested in trying something else from her.

“Wedding at Warehaven” by Denise Lynn (Medieval)
From the Back:  When Brigit of Warehaven casts a simple spell to reveal her true love’s identity, she never expects to wed him that same night!  But until the mischievous trickeries of All Hallow’s Eve are over, Randall FitzHenry cannot truly claim his bride’s heart.

I liked this story very much.  The ways of society in those days — when a king could order two strangers to wed regardless of their personal preferences — worked well in a short story and made the relationship believable.  Brigit and Randall are likable characters.  Brigit is very mature and tries to do right by her people in her father’s absence, and Randall respects that.  Because of the loyalty between her and her people, Randall treads carefully in his dealings with both. Randall is a decent guy.  He came to Warehaven, on the king’s orders, to seize control of the keep and get to the bottom of the rumors that certain pagan practices have been reinstated.  He’s also a fair man.  When Brigit’s brothers-in-law refuse to tell him where the lord disappeared to, Randall locks them up in their chambers — with their wives — instead of tossing them in a cell.  He’s not interested in using violence, unless it becomes absolutely necessary, to get the answers he seeks.  As he tells Brigit later, “I do not kill for the sake of killing.  I do not murder innocent men.”

“Master of Penlowen” by Christine Merrill (Regency)
From the Back:  Arabella Scott cannot decide whether she’s been saved or abducted when she is rescued from highwaymen by a darkly brooding stranger.  In his eerily cold, dilapidated home, she has no choice but to trust her cavalry officer rescuer.

I really enjoyed this story.  It was darker and creepier than the others.  Lieutenant Richard Acherton, Arabella’s rescuer, is obsessed with solving the mystery — and finding the hidden treasure — of Penlowen, his ancestral home.  The quest has driven the Achertons to insanity and suicide, and Richard is determined that the curse ends with him — he either solves it or dies trying, leaving no heir.  He wants a home and a family, but without the treasure, he can’t afford to support a wife and children. Even driven as he is, Richard hasn’t failed to notice Arabella.  He finds her to be quiet lovely and is impressed with the fact that she didn’t swoon or go into hysterics when confronted by highwaymen.  For her part, Arabella is a little afraid of Richard — thinks he’s mad as a hatter, except she can’t deny what she experienced first-hand.  Both of them are alone in the world, with little to look forward to — Richard, genteel poverty; Arabella, a paid companion with no life of her own.  Success will mean they can have a life of their own choosing — Richard promises Arabella half of the treasure, if she will help him.  And since this is a romance, you know they’re going to end up together anyway.

Started: 22 October  2008
Finished: 1 November 2008

Rating:

Enjoyed it!

The Inconvenient Duchess

Who: Miranda Grey and Marcus Radwell, Duke of Haughleigh

Miranda Grey is sent off to Devon to make a respectable match. The daughter of an impoverished gentleman, Miranda has never had the means to attend assemblies, have a Season, or associate with her her equals in consequence. In desperation, her guardian has contacted a old school fellow — the Dowager Duchess of Haughleigh — with the hope that a marriage can be arranged with one of her unmarried sons or, at the very least, some respectable gentleman of the dowager’s acquaintance. Miranda imagines that she will end up with a scholarly, much older, country gentleman. Instead, she finds herself marrying the moody duke less than day after she arrives.

Marcus has been married before. It was not a happy marriage and it ended in tragedy. He and his brother, St John (sin-jin, I think), have hated each other for years, having been pitted against each other by their unhappily married parents. Given such history, Marcus is wary of giving his heart to another. Before he will commit himself irrevocably to Miranda, he’s determined to learn her history. With that in mind, he goes to London and leaves Miranda to her own devices. He takes the time to leave her a note (which goes astray), explaining:

“Take two weeks alone, and use it to rest from your journey and adjust to your new home before we begin anew. I will do my best to leave my temper in the city and return to you a contrite and respectful husband.”

Though she never gets the note, Miranda feels it’s her duty to get the household back into order and start refurbishing the long-neglected manor. She faces down the disgruntled and disrespectful housekeeper (great scene — further illustrates that Miranda isn’t a pushover) and worries that Marcus will be angry at her for spending so much money getting his home back in order. She finds a friend in her new brother-in-law who, despite the fact that Marcus has ordered him to leave, has returned to keep Miranda company. St John is the opposite of Marcus: fair-haired and carefree. He continually reminders Miranda that:

“…,if you need a strong arm to support you, and my brother is nowhere to be found, you can always call on me.”

Poor, unhappy Miranda feels grateful. Seemingly abandoned by her husband on their wedding night, she is glad to have someone who is willing to show her the estate and keep her company. However, appearances aren’t what they seem, just as the Great Jane herself wrote in Pride and Prejudice:

“There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it.”

I enjoyed this book very much, despite the flaws (i.e.,what was Anthony Grey’s correct title?)

I thought the love story unfolded realistically. It wasn’t love at first sight for them. Their fears and insecurities were also realistic. Neither had good role models for successful relationships, so they blunder. Marcus’s ability to realize he was making mistakes and tries to fix them took some of the sting out of his bullying. His decision not to tell Miranda everything he did in London made sense, even though it did have unforeseeable consequences. He wanted Miranda to be happy with her decision to be his wife, instead of feeling as if she was staying out of obligation for his generosity.

I was satisfied with how things were handled regarding St John. He was as much a victim of the past as Marcus was and he was worth redeeming, I think.

Favorite Quotes:
“Of course I’m the duke. This is my home you’ve come to. Who were you expecting to find? The Prince Regent?”
– Marcus

“Is the cook available? Sober? Alive? Do we even have a cook, Wilkins?”
– Miranda

Started: 28 March 2008
Finished: 3 April 2008

Liked A Lot

Rating: