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Longhope Abbey #1
A Beastly Kind of Earl
An outcast fighting for her future...
Thea Knight loves a spot of mischief. She especially loves her current mischief: masquerading as her sister, while finalizing her scheme to expose the dastardly knaves whose lies ruined her life.
Then Lord Luxborough, big, bad-tempered, and scarred, upends her game by maneuvering her into marriage. But her sister’s name is on the license, so the marriage won’t be valid. Thea’s idea? Keep pretending to be her sister until she can run away.
A recluse haunted by his past...
Rafe Landcross, Earl of Luxborough, has no love for mischief. Or marriage. Or people, for that matter. The last thing he wants is a wife—but if he marries, he’ll receive a large sum of much-needed money.
Then he learns that Thea Knight is using a false name. Rafe’s idea? Pretend he doesn’t know her true identity, marry her, and send her packing once the money is his.
A compelling attraction that changes their lives...
But as passion ignites and secrets emerge, the mutual deception turns tricky fast. Rafe and Thea face irresistible temptations, unsettling revelations, and a countdown to the day when Thea must leave...
Fun, tender, and steamy, this Gothic-flavored historical romance tells of a fake marriage between a grumpy, scarred hero and a trickster heroine who reminds him how to play.
Thea Knight loves a spot of mischief. She especially loves her current mischief: masquerading as her sister, while finalizing her scheme to expose the dastardly knaves whose lies ruined her life.
Then Lord Luxborough, big, bad-tempered, and scarred, upends her game by maneuvering her into marriage. But her sister’s name is on the license, so the marriage won’t be valid. Thea’s idea? Keep pretending to be her sister until she can run away.
A recluse haunted by his past...
Rafe Landcross, Earl of Luxborough, has no love for mischief. Or marriage. Or people, for that matter. The last thing he wants is a wife—but if he marries, he’ll receive a large sum of much-needed money.
Then he learns that Thea Knight is using a false name. Rafe’s idea? Pretend he doesn’t know her true identity, marry her, and send her packing once the money is his.
A compelling attraction that changes their lives...
But as passion ignites and secrets emerge, the mutual deception turns tricky fast. Rafe and Thea face irresistible temptations, unsettling revelations, and a countdown to the day when Thea must leave...
Fun, tender, and steamy, this Gothic-flavored historical romance tells of a fake marriage between a grumpy, scarred hero and a trickster heroine who reminds him how to play.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2019
About the author
Mia Vincy
6 books794 followersMia Vincy wandered the world for years, sometimes backpacking, sometimes working variously as a journalist, communications specialist, and copyeditor. She always carried a tattered book or three in her backpack, until the advent of the e-reader meant she could carry thousands of books at once.
Mia eventually settled in a country town in Victoria, Australia, to write historical romances, in between bike rides through the countryside and muttering at the walls.
Mia eventually settled in a country town in Victoria, Australia, to write historical romances, in between bike rides through the countryside and muttering at the walls.
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January 21, 2020
When I read Mia Vincy’s début historical romance, A Wicked Kind of Husband, near the end of last year, I was impressed and utterly captivated – it made my list of Best Books of 2018. With its likeable, complex characters, witty dialogue and wonderfully perceptive writing, it stood out like a a highly-polished gemstone amid the generally poor showing made by HR last year, and I, like many fans of the genre, have been eagerly awaiting the author’s next book, hoping for more of the same. So I’m delighted to report that with A Beastly Kind of Earl, Ms. Vincy is two-for-two; this story of a young woman determined to salvage her reputation after two so-called gentlemen maliciously ruin it, and a reclusive earl carrying a whole shedload of guilt is funny, charming and deceptively insightful, featuring two wonderfully rounded protagonists, an engaging secondary cast and a beautifully developed romance that just oozes sexual tension and chemistry.
About three years before the story opens, Thea Knight, the daughter of a wealthy tradesman, is disowned and sent away to live in quiet obscurity as companion to an elderly termagant after she is labelled a “sly, scheming seductress” and accused of attempting to trap a young gentleman into marriage. With her reputation in tatters, the only people not to turn their backs on her are her sister, Helen, and her friend, Lady Arabella Larke; even Thea’s own parents – a pair of social climbers – believe the lies told about her and are adamant that her blackened name must not be allowed to ruin her sister’s marital prospects. They wash their hands of her.
But Thea is not one to be so summarily squashed. Somehow, she has retained her sense of fun and her natural optimism, and is determined to make sure that society learns the truth about Percy Russell, the son of Lord Ventnor – and to expose his lies. To this end, she has been saving money in order to have a pamphlet telling her side of the story printed and circulated throughout society, and when the story begins, hopes to soon be able to make plans for its publication. But first thing first; she has to aid Helen in her scheme to elope with the young man she loves and has been forbidden to marry… who happens to be Beau Russell, Percy’s brother and Lord Ventnor’s eldest son. Helen and Thea meet at a small coaching inn in Warwickshire in order to switch places; Thea will join a small house-party at Lady Arabella’s home while Helen and her intended make for Gretna to be married.
Rafe Landcross had no thought of inheriting the title of Earl of Luxborough, and certainly didn’t want it at the cost of the lives of his father and two elder brothers. A large, dark and dour man, he bears the scars of a Jaguar attack sustained in the forests of New Spain (part of Mexico today) and, a keen botanist, much prefers the company of his plants to society. His reclusiveness and curt, abrasive manner have led to all sorts of rumours circulating about him – including one that he murdered his wife, Lord Ventnor’s daughter.
The subject of nasty rumours herself, Thea is sure this cannot be true, but even so, has no desire to meet Luxborough – which is unfortunate as he, too, is to be a guest at the small party at Arabella’s home. Even though he rarely – if ever – leaves his estate, the earl has been tempted to do so by the prospect of obtaining some rare plant specimens being conveyed there by Lord Ventnor. But Ventnor wants a favour in return, namely that Rafe should keep Beau away from that “social-climbing seductress Helen Knight”. Having an agenda of his own, Rafe agrees to this, telling Ventnor that he will marry Helen – but he is fully aware of Thea and Helen’s scheme and has no intention of preventing the match between Helen and Beau. Instead, he will go along with the deception and marry Thea (as Helen) and gain control of the ten thousand pounds left in trust by his mother. Because Thea will marry him under a false name, she will not actually be his wife, so Rafe gets what he wants – money to continue his botanical research – doesn’t get what he doesn’t want – a wife – and Ventnor will be apoplectic with rage into the bargain. Win win.
But he’s reckoned without Thea, her vitality, her enthusiasm and optimism, which are undimmed even in the face of the unkind and unjust treatment she’s been subjected to by those who should have been her staunchest supporters. He initially believes her to be the scheming jezebel gossip says she is, but he cannot reconcile that picture with the winsome and mischievous young woman who gives back every bit as good as she gets.
And Thea can’t help but be fascinated by Rafe, who is as different from the gossip about him as she is from the gossip about her. He’s gruffly charming and adorably grumpy in a way that makes her yearn to know more about the man she glimpses only briefly, one who is kind, affectionate and funny – and to know why he locks that side of himself away. His backstory is one marked by tragedy; he blames himself for his first wife’s death and genuinely grieves the father and brothers whose deaths paved his way to the earldom. The heir who inherits unexpectedly is a frequently seen character in historical romance, but this is one of the few times I can recall that character being so eaten up with grief and guilt and convinced of his own unworthiness.
A Beastly Kind of Earl could be described as one of those buttoned-up-hero-loosened-up-by-free-spirited-heroine tales, but the author has once again managed to put her own spin on a familiar and well-used trope in such a way as to come up with something refreshingly different that transcends it. The writing is clever, insightful and delightfully nimble, the dialogue sparkles with wit and humour and the author’s shrewd observations about the social conventions that constrained female behaviour are accurate and conveyed with amazing subtlety. I laughed out loud at Thea’s reaction to mansplaining:
Then this had me laughing even harder; Rafe and Thea discuss the etymology of the word ‘orchid’ – which is apparently derived from the Greek word for testicles!
This is a funny book no question, but the humour never upstages the serious situations faced by the principals or the emotional connection between them. Thea’s helplessness in the face of the determination of the men who ruined her reputation is a horrible realisation, and Rafe’s backstory, revealed gradually, is truly heartbreaking. But watching these two wronged people find each other, fall in love and realise they belong together is pure joy; and the icing on the cake is the fact that the chemistry between them is simply scorching.
If you read Ms. VIncy’s début novel, then you’ll probably need no convincing to pick this one up. But if you’re a fan of historical romance and haven’t yet read her work, then you should get on it right away! Although this is listed as the second book in the Longhope Abbey series, it works perfectly well as a standalone, and the books can be read in any order. A Beastly Kind of Earl is, without doubt, one of the best books of 2019.
About three years before the story opens, Thea Knight, the daughter of a wealthy tradesman, is disowned and sent away to live in quiet obscurity as companion to an elderly termagant after she is labelled a “sly, scheming seductress” and accused of attempting to trap a young gentleman into marriage. With her reputation in tatters, the only people not to turn their backs on her are her sister, Helen, and her friend, Lady Arabella Larke; even Thea’s own parents – a pair of social climbers – believe the lies told about her and are adamant that her blackened name must not be allowed to ruin her sister’s marital prospects. They wash their hands of her.
But Thea is not one to be so summarily squashed. Somehow, she has retained her sense of fun and her natural optimism, and is determined to make sure that society learns the truth about Percy Russell, the son of Lord Ventnor – and to expose his lies. To this end, she has been saving money in order to have a pamphlet telling her side of the story printed and circulated throughout society, and when the story begins, hopes to soon be able to make plans for its publication. But first thing first; she has to aid Helen in her scheme to elope with the young man she loves and has been forbidden to marry… who happens to be Beau Russell, Percy’s brother and Lord Ventnor’s eldest son. Helen and Thea meet at a small coaching inn in Warwickshire in order to switch places; Thea will join a small house-party at Lady Arabella’s home while Helen and her intended make for Gretna to be married.
Rafe Landcross had no thought of inheriting the title of Earl of Luxborough, and certainly didn’t want it at the cost of the lives of his father and two elder brothers. A large, dark and dour man, he bears the scars of a Jaguar attack sustained in the forests of New Spain (part of Mexico today) and, a keen botanist, much prefers the company of his plants to society. His reclusiveness and curt, abrasive manner have led to all sorts of rumours circulating about him – including one that he murdered his wife, Lord Ventnor’s daughter.
The subject of nasty rumours herself, Thea is sure this cannot be true, but even so, has no desire to meet Luxborough – which is unfortunate as he, too, is to be a guest at the small party at Arabella’s home. Even though he rarely – if ever – leaves his estate, the earl has been tempted to do so by the prospect of obtaining some rare plant specimens being conveyed there by Lord Ventnor. But Ventnor wants a favour in return, namely that Rafe should keep Beau away from that “social-climbing seductress Helen Knight”. Having an agenda of his own, Rafe agrees to this, telling Ventnor that he will marry Helen – but he is fully aware of Thea and Helen’s scheme and has no intention of preventing the match between Helen and Beau. Instead, he will go along with the deception and marry Thea (as Helen) and gain control of the ten thousand pounds left in trust by his mother. Because Thea will marry him under a false name, she will not actually be his wife, so Rafe gets what he wants – money to continue his botanical research – doesn’t get what he doesn’t want – a wife – and Ventnor will be apoplectic with rage into the bargain. Win win.
But he’s reckoned without Thea, her vitality, her enthusiasm and optimism, which are undimmed even in the face of the unkind and unjust treatment she’s been subjected to by those who should have been her staunchest supporters. He initially believes her to be the scheming jezebel gossip says she is, but he cannot reconcile that picture with the winsome and mischievous young woman who gives back every bit as good as she gets.
“We’ve barely met and you’re not very nice.”
“True, but I am an earl.”
“And?”
“Are you saying you do not find me interesting?”
“Not nearly as interesting as you find yourself.”
And Thea can’t help but be fascinated by Rafe, who is as different from the gossip about him as she is from the gossip about her. He’s gruffly charming and adorably grumpy in a way that makes her yearn to know more about the man she glimpses only briefly, one who is kind, affectionate and funny – and to know why he locks that side of himself away. His backstory is one marked by tragedy; he blames himself for his first wife’s death and genuinely grieves the father and brothers whose deaths paved his way to the earldom. The heir who inherits unexpectedly is a frequently seen character in historical romance, but this is one of the few times I can recall that character being so eaten up with grief and guilt and convinced of his own unworthiness.
A Beastly Kind of Earl could be described as one of those buttoned-up-hero-loosened-up-by-free-spirited-heroine tales, but the author has once again managed to put her own spin on a familiar and well-used trope in such a way as to come up with something refreshingly different that transcends it. The writing is clever, insightful and delightfully nimble, the dialogue sparkles with wit and humour and the author’s shrewd observations about the social conventions that constrained female behaviour are accurate and conveyed with amazing subtlety. I laughed out loud at Thea’s reaction to mansplaining:
“Oh. You’re going to educate me. Very well.”
She folded her hands and waited politely.
“You don’t sound thrilled,” he remarked.
“On the contrary, my lord. I’m always thrilled when a man wants to tell me all the important things he knows… and if I’m very lucky, you’ll explain at length how you know more about it than anyone else.”
Then this had me laughing even harder; Rafe and Thea discuss the etymology of the word ‘orchid’ – which is apparently derived from the Greek word for testicles!
“Allow me to confirm that I have understood correctly,” she said, her puzzlement overriding her nerves. “Here is this gorgeous, magnificent flower, and some man – who for unknown reasons is put in charge of naming it – he looks at this gorgeous, magnificent flower and he says ‘By George, that looks like my bollocks’. And then he says, ‘You know what the world needs now? The world needs more things named after my bollocks.’ So he names this gorgeous, magnificent flower after his bollocks and all the other men look at it and say, ‘How excellent. It is named after our bollocks.’”
His expression was unreadable as he studied her. She would not be surprised if he stalked off in disgust at her unladylike speech.
“I must admit,” he finally said, “that us men are immensely fond of our bollocks.”
This is a funny book no question, but the humour never upstages the serious situations faced by the principals or the emotional connection between them. Thea’s helplessness in the face of the determination of the men who ruined her reputation is a horrible realisation, and Rafe’s backstory, revealed gradually, is truly heartbreaking. But watching these two wronged people find each other, fall in love and realise they belong together is pure joy; and the icing on the cake is the fact that the chemistry between them is simply scorching.
If you read Ms. VIncy’s début novel, then you’ll probably need no convincing to pick this one up. But if you’re a fan of historical romance and haven’t yet read her work, then you should get on it right away! Although this is listed as the second book in the Longhope Abbey series, it works perfectly well as a standalone, and the books can be read in any order. A Beastly Kind of Earl is, without doubt, one of the best books of 2019.
November 29, 2019
(2.5 stars) I feel "beastly" saying this, but Vincy's sophomore effort is not a "winsome" book. She won me over as a fan/follower with her debut HR, A WICKED KIND OF HUSBAND. That first book of her (very loosely-connected) Longhope Abbey series was so good--romantic, funny and clever, with excellent give-and-take between H and h--that it was perhaps my favorite romance read of 2018.
Well, I can't say the same for this second book of the series. It does have some "win" moments, but mostly it was a "lose" read, a bit of a rabbit warren of a book. The development of the plot and characters was all over the place, as if written under the influence of some drug the hero and his Peruvian witchy-woman employee were developing.
The banter between hero and heroine that was so clever and witty in the first book felt more contrived and sophomoric here and more anachronistic. I guess if you enjoy Tessa Dare or Julia Quinn you may like this, but I stopped fully enjoying those authors a few years ago. This new Vincy has too many "earl school" jokes and other funny, 21st-century-like comments such as a discussion of the origin of the word "orchid" that jarred in a 19th-century setting. Granted, they were cute and funny but not what I personally was looking for.
We do get some serious issues to chew on here also. A hero with physical scars from a jaguar mauling (yes, that's right) but, more than that, seriously struggling with guilt over what had happened to his late wife, never mind the fact that he was blameless in her tragic death. And a heroine whose reputation was ruined unjustly by two spoiled, immature upper-class young men and then hung out to dry by her social-climbing parents, leaving her with only two defenders in the world, one sister and a best friend. Naturally, the H and h will find and heal each other and I'll admit that there are some romantic and touching moments in their interactions.
So we have a romantic comedy at times and a more serious story at others, with a side dish of social commentary on the treatment of mental illness and 19-century attitudes towards lesbians (worse than now but not almost 200 years worse, unfortunately). The cast of secondary characters is extremely varied and may entertain you if you're in the mood for it. There's a big bad villain (ex-father-in-law of our hero); two minor villains (the rotters who ruined our heroine's reputation); a surprisingly-unfiltered bishop (our hero's cousin); the heroine's very likeable bad-a$$ best friend; the hero's trouser-wearing gay housekeeper, who's a former popular London actress; the hero's Peruvian employee helping him develop plant-based drugs; the most horrid parents a heroine could ask for, and more.
This is a not-exactly marriage of convenience in which love develops and then real marriage. It's a story about facing your fears and learning your strengths and letting go of guilt. It has some admirable moments. Unfortunately I wasn't in the mood for such an unstructured plot that wanders around into so many rabbit warrens of subplots and activities. There is minor spoofing of gothic romances; the heroine trading places with her sister to facilitate the sister's elopement (to one of the villain's sons, no less); the need of both H and h to accrue funds, he to finance his medicinal plants project, she to pay for publishing a pamphlet exposing the perfidy of those two society men who defamed her; the MOC under false pretenses on both sides; the sexual orientation and mental illness issues already mentioned and more.
The Beauty and the Beast theme has been done many a time before in romances. The hero here has scars outside and inside and has become a recluse on his estate. The heroine is an optimistic, upbeat Disney Belle character in spite of what life has handed her although she does have parent issues she struggles with. H and h heal each other. They will live happily ever after. In my opinion, the treatment Erie Satie gave the Beauty and the Beast theme in her Bed of Flowers worked much better. In that story the hero actually had a reason for feeling guilt which he had to work through. Not the imaginary one this Vincy hero was feeling.
I'm still optimistic (like our heroine here) that the third book in this series will be more to my liking. Friend Arabella and her father issues and maybe romance with the newly-returned-to-England peer she had once been betrothed to sounds promising. And Vincy's writing talents are undeniable.
Well, I can't say the same for this second book of the series. It does have some "win" moments, but mostly it was a "lose" read, a bit of a rabbit warren of a book. The development of the plot and characters was all over the place, as if written under the influence of some drug the hero and his Peruvian witchy-woman employee were developing.
The banter between hero and heroine that was so clever and witty in the first book felt more contrived and sophomoric here and more anachronistic. I guess if you enjoy Tessa Dare or Julia Quinn you may like this, but I stopped fully enjoying those authors a few years ago. This new Vincy has too many "earl school" jokes and other funny, 21st-century-like comments such as a discussion of the origin of the word "orchid" that jarred in a 19th-century setting. Granted, they were cute and funny but not what I personally was looking for.
We do get some serious issues to chew on here also. A hero with physical scars from a jaguar mauling (yes, that's right) but, more than that, seriously struggling with guilt over what had happened to his late wife, never mind the fact that he was blameless in her tragic death. And a heroine whose reputation was ruined unjustly by two spoiled, immature upper-class young men and then hung out to dry by her social-climbing parents, leaving her with only two defenders in the world, one sister and a best friend. Naturally, the H and h will find and heal each other and I'll admit that there are some romantic and touching moments in their interactions.
So we have a romantic comedy at times and a more serious story at others, with a side dish of social commentary on the treatment of mental illness and 19-century attitudes towards lesbians (worse than now but not almost 200 years worse, unfortunately). The cast of secondary characters is extremely varied and may entertain you if you're in the mood for it. There's a big bad villain (ex-father-in-law of our hero); two minor villains (the rotters who ruined our heroine's reputation); a surprisingly-unfiltered bishop (our hero's cousin); the heroine's very likeable bad-a$$ best friend; the hero's trouser-wearing gay housekeeper, who's a former popular London actress; the hero's Peruvian employee helping him develop plant-based drugs; the most horrid parents a heroine could ask for, and more.
This is a not-exactly marriage of convenience in which love develops and then real marriage. It's a story about facing your fears and learning your strengths and letting go of guilt. It has some admirable moments. Unfortunately I wasn't in the mood for such an unstructured plot that wanders around into so many rabbit warrens of subplots and activities. There is minor spoofing of gothic romances; the heroine trading places with her sister to facilitate the sister's elopement (to one of the villain's sons, no less); the need of both H and h to accrue funds, he to finance his medicinal plants project, she to pay for publishing a pamphlet exposing the perfidy of those two society men who defamed her; the MOC under false pretenses on both sides; the sexual orientation and mental illness issues already mentioned and more.
The Beauty and the Beast theme has been done many a time before in romances. The hero here has scars outside and inside and has become a recluse on his estate. The heroine is an optimistic, upbeat Disney Belle character in spite of what life has handed her although she does have parent issues she struggles with. H and h heal each other. They will live happily ever after. In my opinion, the treatment Erie Satie gave the Beauty and the Beast theme in her Bed of Flowers worked much better. In that story the hero actually had a reason for feeling guilt which he had to work through. Not the imaginary one this Vincy hero was feeling.
I'm still optimistic (like our heroine here) that the third book in this series will be more to my liking. Friend Arabella and her father issues and maybe romance with the newly-returned-to-England peer she had once been betrothed to sounds promising. And Vincy's writing talents are undeniable.
December 4, 2019
(Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Enemies to Lovers, Fake Relationship, Mistaken Identity/Disguise, Scarred (hero), Unstarched)
While reading I made 68 highlights! (don't worry, it's just a selection below)
I absolutely ADORE Thea – she is one of the most endearing heroines I have read in a long while. She is smart, resourceful, funny, by own admission not particularly well educated but not embarrassed about it, lonely, holds her own, and banters deliciously with Rafe.
The hero is scarred and grumpy, but not in an annoying – woe me – way. He’s got a temper, but his bark is bigger than his bite, but most importantly he is able to have fun with Thea.
The two of them together is absolutely electric.
(The marriage scheming is a little confusing in the beginning, but just power through it and it will work itself out. And it goes a little haywire at the end, but it’s still totally worth it.)
*****
- What had she done? Just when it seemed she couldn’t pay enough ways for telling one silly lie in her youth . . . this happened. She’d agreed to marry a perfect stranger. One who cared nothing for her, and one she was in danger of caring far too much about.
*****
- I don’t much care whom I marry, so long as she’s female and she… No, that’s it. Just so long as she’s female.”
- “We’ve barely met and you’re not very nice.”
“True, but I am an earl.”
“And?”
“Are you saying you do not find me interesting?”
“Not nearly as interesting as you find yourself.”
- “Orchid.” She tried out the word, savoring its shape in her mouth. “What an odd name. Orchid.”
“It’s from an ancient Greek word,” he said irritably. “Orkhis.”
“Oh. You’re going to educate me. Very well.” She folded her hands and waited politely.
“You don’t sound thrilled,” he remarked.
“On the contrary, my lord. I’m always thrilled when a man wants to tell me all the important things he knows.”
- “Are you a good earl?” she asked.
“‘Good’ as in competent, moral, or well-behaved?”
“Any of those.”
“No.”
- “Do they not teach you how to propose at earl school?”
“‘Earl school’?”
“Yes. Lessons in proposals, after your lessons in posturing, prejudice, and pomposity.”
- “I have no interest in courting you, Miss Knight. If you yearn for pretty words and nice sentiments, you can provide them yourself.”
“Very well, I shall. ‘My dearest Miss Knight—’” She paused and looked at him expectantly.
Rafe met her gaze and said nothing.
- The mere thought of your ankles makes me swoon.’”
“You want that in your marriage proposal?”
She eyed him defiantly. “I rather like the idea of a man swooning over my ankles.”
“If he swoons over your ankles, he won’t be good for much else. I assure you, they are not your most interesting feature.”
“Whatever can you mean? My ankles are fascinating.”
- “‘The sight of you makes my heart go pitter-patter like raindrops on a—’”
“No. Enough. Let me emerge with some dignity.”
“Your aim is to emerge with an engagement; your dignity is of no consequence.”
- “Lord and Lady Lucks-bor-ough. Oh—Do they call you ‘Lucky’?”
“Astonishingly enough, they do not.”
- “Is the house not to your liking?”
“It’s not even old,” she complained.
“I never said it was.”
“It should be old and crumbling and gloomy, with mad monks and bats and ghosts.” She shook her head. “Honestly, Luxborough. How do you manage to stay so grumpy when you live in such a beautiful place?”
“An overabundance of natural talent, I suppose.”
- “I suppose you don’t like the theatre.”
“Yes, I do,” he said, vexingly stung at her disappointment and annoyed that he cared enough to defend himself. “But being around you is theatre enough.”
- With his attention on the practical details of his scheme, Rafe had failed to consider Thea Knight as a real woman. A woman whose skin promised to be soft, and whose smile promised mischief, and whose curves promised that her ankles were definitely not her most interesting feature.
- How intriguing that he cared about a flower, this big, gruff man, who must have gone to wild places and seen wondrous things and done terrible deeds, because one did not get mauled by giant jungle cats by sitting nicely in one’s club in St. James.
- Why could she not simply behave like a caricature of a social climber? Why did she insist on having a personality? But what else could he do? He was an earl, yet she could make him dance like a carnival bear.
- Her eyes were so bright, her spirit so lively. It would be a small matter to take one more step, to brush her hair away from her face and slide his lips over hers. If he were a different man, he would.
- “This is Arum ovatum,” he said, indicating another plant, his voice lower. “Used for treating burns.”
She reached for one of the large, flat leaves, then pulled her hand back and feigned innocence. “Sorry,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t touch.”
“You can touch. You can definitely touch.”
Her eyes flicked up to his hair, down to his chest, and his skin tingled as if it already felt her fingers.
- “Swimming fully clothed… That seems rather impulsive.”
“It won’t be impulsive if you keep bloody talking about it.”
“You are so grumpy.”
“I am not.”
But he was smiling. Properly smiling, dimple and all. Thea slid an arm around his neck and gave him her weight.
- “If I could truly change the past, I would make it so no one had ever hurt you. If I could, I would change the whole world, so it could never hurt you again.”
“I wish I could do the same for you,” she said.
- Pain shot through him. The pages spilled from his hands and his forehead landed on the desk with a thud. “Oh so help me,” he groaned into the wood. “I miss her so bloody much.”
*****
- “You are never gone from my mind.”
Her shoulders flinched, and the flower under her hand quivered. Slowly, she turned to face him. He read the questions in her eyes, in those expressive blue eyes that he hoped to read every day. “Never,” he repeated.
A satisfied smile spread over her face.
“Never?”
“You give me no peace at all.”
4.25 solid stars
While reading I made 68 highlights! (don't worry, it's just a selection below)
I absolutely ADORE Thea – she is one of the most endearing heroines I have read in a long while. She is smart, resourceful, funny, by own admission not particularly well educated but not embarrassed about it, lonely, holds her own, and banters deliciously with Rafe.
The hero is scarred and grumpy, but not in an annoying – woe me – way. He’s got a temper, but his bark is bigger than his bite, but most importantly he is able to have fun with Thea.
The two of them together is absolutely electric.
(The marriage scheming is a little confusing in the beginning, but just power through it and it will work itself out. And it goes a little haywire at the end, but it’s still totally worth it.)
*****
- What had she done? Just when it seemed she couldn’t pay enough ways for telling one silly lie in her youth . . . this happened. She’d agreed to marry a perfect stranger. One who cared nothing for her, and one she was in danger of caring far too much about.
*****
- I don’t much care whom I marry, so long as she’s female and she… No, that’s it. Just so long as she’s female.”
- “We’ve barely met and you’re not very nice.”
“True, but I am an earl.”
“And?”
“Are you saying you do not find me interesting?”
“Not nearly as interesting as you find yourself.”
- “Orchid.” She tried out the word, savoring its shape in her mouth. “What an odd name. Orchid.”
“It’s from an ancient Greek word,” he said irritably. “Orkhis.”
“Oh. You’re going to educate me. Very well.” She folded her hands and waited politely.
“You don’t sound thrilled,” he remarked.
“On the contrary, my lord. I’m always thrilled when a man wants to tell me all the important things he knows.”
- “Are you a good earl?” she asked.
“‘Good’ as in competent, moral, or well-behaved?”
“Any of those.”
“No.”
- “Do they not teach you how to propose at earl school?”
“‘Earl school’?”
“Yes. Lessons in proposals, after your lessons in posturing, prejudice, and pomposity.”
- “I have no interest in courting you, Miss Knight. If you yearn for pretty words and nice sentiments, you can provide them yourself.”
“Very well, I shall. ‘My dearest Miss Knight—’” She paused and looked at him expectantly.
Rafe met her gaze and said nothing.
- The mere thought of your ankles makes me swoon.’”
“You want that in your marriage proposal?”
She eyed him defiantly. “I rather like the idea of a man swooning over my ankles.”
“If he swoons over your ankles, he won’t be good for much else. I assure you, they are not your most interesting feature.”
“Whatever can you mean? My ankles are fascinating.”
- “‘The sight of you makes my heart go pitter-patter like raindrops on a—’”
“No. Enough. Let me emerge with some dignity.”
“Your aim is to emerge with an engagement; your dignity is of no consequence.”
- “Lord and Lady Lucks-bor-ough. Oh—Do they call you ‘Lucky’?”
“Astonishingly enough, they do not.”
- “Is the house not to your liking?”
“It’s not even old,” she complained.
“I never said it was.”
“It should be old and crumbling and gloomy, with mad monks and bats and ghosts.” She shook her head. “Honestly, Luxborough. How do you manage to stay so grumpy when you live in such a beautiful place?”
“An overabundance of natural talent, I suppose.”
- “I suppose you don’t like the theatre.”
“Yes, I do,” he said, vexingly stung at her disappointment and annoyed that he cared enough to defend himself. “But being around you is theatre enough.”
- With his attention on the practical details of his scheme, Rafe had failed to consider Thea Knight as a real woman. A woman whose skin promised to be soft, and whose smile promised mischief, and whose curves promised that her ankles were definitely not her most interesting feature.
- How intriguing that he cared about a flower, this big, gruff man, who must have gone to wild places and seen wondrous things and done terrible deeds, because one did not get mauled by giant jungle cats by sitting nicely in one’s club in St. James.
- Why could she not simply behave like a caricature of a social climber? Why did she insist on having a personality? But what else could he do? He was an earl, yet she could make him dance like a carnival bear.
- Her eyes were so bright, her spirit so lively. It would be a small matter to take one more step, to brush her hair away from her face and slide his lips over hers. If he were a different man, he would.
- “This is Arum ovatum,” he said, indicating another plant, his voice lower. “Used for treating burns.”
She reached for one of the large, flat leaves, then pulled her hand back and feigned innocence. “Sorry,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t touch.”
“You can touch. You can definitely touch.”
Her eyes flicked up to his hair, down to his chest, and his skin tingled as if it already felt her fingers.
- “Swimming fully clothed… That seems rather impulsive.”
“It won’t be impulsive if you keep bloody talking about it.”
“You are so grumpy.”
“I am not.”
But he was smiling. Properly smiling, dimple and all. Thea slid an arm around his neck and gave him her weight.
- “If I could truly change the past, I would make it so no one had ever hurt you. If I could, I would change the whole world, so it could never hurt you again.”
“I wish I could do the same for you,” she said.
- Pain shot through him. The pages spilled from his hands and his forehead landed on the desk with a thud. “Oh so help me,” he groaned into the wood. “I miss her so bloody much.”
*****
- “You are never gone from my mind.”
Her shoulders flinched, and the flower under her hand quivered. Slowly, she turned to face him. He read the questions in her eyes, in those expressive blue eyes that he hoped to read every day. “Never,” he repeated.
A satisfied smile spread over her face.
“Never?”
“You give me no peace at all.”
4.25 solid stars
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January 22, 2020Second novel from this author whose first was one of the standouts of last year (A Wicked Kind of Husband, fantastic). The central romance is lovely, with charming characters (the bishop Nicholas is a joy), real humanity and feeling, and some absolutely delightful glittering dialogue. Very much set in Romancelandia Regency, with a moustache-twirling villain.
Unfortunately the book goes a bit floppy after a great start, with the very common problem of a static middle in which the characters seem locked in a repeating dynamic, going over the same ground. There's lots of stuff in there--many minor characters and a plotline about the hero's dead first wife--but it isn't stuff that drives the story forward, so the book stalls. It restarts with a enjoyable if implausible third act giving us the dramatic ending, plus a very good scene with the heroine's estranged parents that warmed my judgemental heart.
The writing and dialogue are terrific and I am looking forward to book 3, the heroine of that one makes a lovely impact here (well judged and not taking up more space than she should).
One thing: There's a character with a severe case of Romance Foreigner English (totally fluent with a huge vocabulary and able to do complex constructions, but can't remember words like 'yes' or 'so' which must be said in the native tongue). I have read literally hundreds of romance characters who talk exactly like this and it has only recently dawned on me how weird it is, when my own pathetic attempts at language learning always start with precisely those words. ("Oui...um...alors!" I mumble at the unfortunate French.) This is a trope we, as a genre, could surely stand to drop.
Unfortunately the book goes a bit floppy after a great start, with the very common problem of a static middle in which the characters seem locked in a repeating dynamic, going over the same ground. There's lots of stuff in there--many minor characters and a plotline about the hero's dead first wife--but it isn't stuff that drives the story forward, so the book stalls. It restarts with a enjoyable if implausible third act giving us the dramatic ending, plus a very good scene with the heroine's estranged parents that warmed my judgemental heart.
The writing and dialogue are terrific and I am looking forward to book 3, the heroine of that one makes a lovely impact here (well judged and not taking up more space than she should).
One thing: There's a character with a severe case of Romance Foreigner English (totally fluent with a huge vocabulary and able to do complex constructions, but can't remember words like 'yes' or 'so' which must be said in the native tongue). I have read literally hundreds of romance characters who talk exactly like this and it has only recently dawned on me how weird it is, when my own pathetic attempts at language learning always start with precisely those words. ("Oui...um...alors!" I mumble at the unfortunate French.) This is a trope we, as a genre, could surely stand to drop.
April 6, 2021
This book was highly anticipated by many, myself included. Unfortunately, it did not quite match the endearing freshness of Ms Vincy's debut book. I didn't buy the premise at all. I tried. I put on my rose-coloured glasses like one of my GR friends recommended. The rose-tint still did not mask the giant plot holes and a heroine who was more annoying than endearing.
Thea was all over the place with the hyperexuberance and impulsiveness of my 14 year old girl, but with even less common sense. Her inane chattering and hyperactivity was exhausting and she was woefully ignorant at times. She had a tendency to rush into ill-thought out plans and seeking out further trouble. I hated the silly concept of her "Rules of Mischief". She had found herself in exile from family and society after being falsely accused of scandalous behaviour. This was her one chance to regain her meagre social status and yet she was taking great risks by courting further scandals. She ‘married’ the hero to get the funds to pay for her piss-poor scheme that she hoped would exonerate her, but how would engaging in a false marriage and living with a man who was not her legal husband going to redeem herself in the public eyes? And moreover, why on earth would good society care about the fall or resurrection of a mere merchant's daughter from grace?
The beastly earl, Rafe, fared a bit better although I got a bit frustrated by his ongoing failure to translate his thoughts and feelings into external words and actions. I was also a bit dubious about his partnership with Martha, the herbalist, whose ethics pertaining to the experimentation of her various remedies were highly questionable, certainly by today's standards.
There were some nice bantering reminiscent of A Wicked Kind of Husband, although never quite reaching its lofty standard. I am looking forward to Arabella's story, which will be the next in the series. It promises tantalising antagonism between the two protagonists.
She was one of those aristocrats who nurtured indifference as if it were a pet.
“Here is this gorgeous, magnificent flower, and some man—who for unknown reasons is put in charge of naming it—he looks at this gorgeous, magnificent flower and he says, ‘By George, that looks like my bollocks.’ And then he says, ‘You know what the world needs now? The world needs more things named after my bollocks.’ So he names this gorgeous, magnificent flower after his bollocks, and all the other men look at it and say, ‘How excellent, it is named after our bollocks.’”
Her expression brightened, and he thought, It is wrong for anyone to take that from her. Then she schooled her face: She tried to hide her delight and failed utterly. Rafe had never been so glad to see anyone fail.
Thea was all over the place with the hyperexuberance and impulsiveness of my 14 year old girl, but with even less common sense. Her inane chattering and hyperactivity was exhausting and she was woefully ignorant at times. She had a tendency to rush into ill-thought out plans and seeking out further trouble. I hated the silly concept of her "Rules of Mischief". She had found herself in exile from family and society after being falsely accused of scandalous behaviour. This was her one chance to regain her meagre social status and yet she was taking great risks by courting further scandals. She ‘married’ the hero to get the funds to pay for her piss-poor scheme that she hoped would exonerate her, but how would engaging in a false marriage and living with a man who was not her legal husband going to redeem herself in the public eyes? And moreover, why on earth would good society care about the fall or resurrection of a mere merchant's daughter from grace?
The beastly earl, Rafe, fared a bit better although I got a bit frustrated by his ongoing failure to translate his thoughts and feelings into external words and actions. I was also a bit dubious about his partnership with Martha, the herbalist, whose ethics pertaining to the experimentation of her various remedies were highly questionable, certainly by today's standards.
There were some nice bantering reminiscent of A Wicked Kind of Husband, although never quite reaching its lofty standard. I am looking forward to Arabella's story, which will be the next in the series. It promises tantalising antagonism between the two protagonists.
She was one of those aristocrats who nurtured indifference as if it were a pet.
“Here is this gorgeous, magnificent flower, and some man—who for unknown reasons is put in charge of naming it—he looks at this gorgeous, magnificent flower and he says, ‘By George, that looks like my bollocks.’ And then he says, ‘You know what the world needs now? The world needs more things named after my bollocks.’ So he names this gorgeous, magnificent flower after his bollocks, and all the other men look at it and say, ‘How excellent, it is named after our bollocks.’”
Her expression brightened, and he thought, It is wrong for anyone to take that from her. Then she schooled her face: She tried to hide her delight and failed utterly. Rafe had never been so glad to see anyone fail.
August 23, 2020
This is first in a series, but the third was published first and I couldn't find any connection to them. So I don't know what's up with that and it confuses me. By all means start with this one, though, as it's the better story and it's not like it'll spoil anything in the third (or vise versa).
This starts off with a madcap scheme and loads of humor and that drew me in very well. And I liked the couple a lot with Thea being a great counter-balance to Rafe in all the right ways and him acting as the support she desperately needs. I particularly liked that both were aware of the fraudulent nature of their marriage right off as that drained a lot of the tension out of those early interactions and allowed them to spar comfortably (even though Thea didn't know that he knew).
I was worried (and took a few days break) at around 80% when the couple were so in sync and had clearly fallen in love with each other and so much story was left. That pretty much means that a break of some kind is coming and I had to brace myself (because the potential for stupid is huge at that stage in a romance). While I didn't like the break when it manifest, it was understandable and a result of them not having enough common understanding to breach their very different backgrounds and experiences. So while they communicated, they were talking past each other and it took a while (the remainder of the story, naturally) for epiphany to strike. Which I like because it means that there's true growth in overcoming their misunderstandings and the fact it went both ways was a very strong element of the story.
The plot is wild enough, and I had to consciously suppress my disbelief enough, that I can only really give this four stars. But I had a great time (despite the couple-days pause) so I'm glad I took the chance on this one despite series order weirdness.
A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene of about average length so this is the low end of my steam tolerance. I think it was well-done enough, though Thea's motivations are suspect (because she's ).
This starts off with a madcap scheme and loads of humor and that drew me in very well. And I liked the couple a lot with Thea being a great counter-balance to Rafe in all the right ways and him acting as the support she desperately needs. I particularly liked that both were aware of the fraudulent nature of their marriage right off as that drained a lot of the tension out of those early interactions and allowed them to spar comfortably (even though Thea didn't know that he knew).
I was worried (and took a few days break) at around 80% when the couple were so in sync and had clearly fallen in love with each other and so much story was left. That pretty much means that a break of some kind is coming and I had to brace myself (because the potential for stupid is huge at that stage in a romance). While I didn't like the break when it manifest, it was understandable and a result of them not having enough common understanding to breach their very different backgrounds and experiences. So while they communicated, they were talking past each other and it took a while (the remainder of the story, naturally) for epiphany to strike. Which I like because it means that there's true growth in overcoming their misunderstandings and the fact it went both ways was a very strong element of the story.
The plot is wild enough, and I had to consciously suppress my disbelief enough, that I can only really give this four stars. But I had a great time (despite the couple-days pause) so I'm glad I took the chance on this one despite series order weirdness.
A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene of about average length so this is the low end of my steam tolerance. I think it was well-done enough, though Thea's motivations are suspect (because she's ).
August 23, 2020
This book feels truly unusual and I'm still working on how to characterize a mistaken identity, but not. A grumpy hero-who doesn't much like company with a butterfly of a woman. An optimist vs a heartbroken cynic who can't quite reconcile his desire to make things better for people with his dislike of them.
It's a hero who loves deeply and a heroine with a penchant for mischief who is alone in so many ways. And by golly, the slow burn was quite delicious, the dialogue was sunny, and it was just a delight for me to read. 4.5
It's a hero who loves deeply and a heroine with a penchant for mischief who is alone in so many ways. And by golly, the slow burn was quite delicious, the dialogue was sunny, and it was just a delight for me to read. 4.5
June 21, 2021
2,5 Stars
The writing was as good as in the first one in the series (which I enjoyed much better), but here the line where I usually draw my historical inaccuracy tolerance limit was crossed several times and the story soon took an overdone farcical bend that sent the plot, the interactions and the characterisations all over the place.
March 9, 2021
Adorable!! Damaged hero, ruined heroine out to clear her name. Tessa Dare like banter. A very fun read!
December 9, 2019
4.5 (A-)
I was eager to see if Vincy could follow up her lovely first novel with an equally well-written second one, and so I'm satisfied that she has. I think perhaps that I enjoyed this second one maybe even more. This second book offers a charming romance between two people who share a similar problem of being stuck in their pasts and hindered from moving forward in life. Learning to let go of the past is a key theme in the book, and I found the lessons and observations astute. This is where the parallels between Thea and Rafe stop though, as they are very different people. Thea, the happy-go-lucky and eternal optimist, and Rafe, the often dour introvert, initially make an odd couple. Thrown together in an elaborate marriage of convenience, they easily could have driven each other crazy because of their differences, and so it is to their credit that they don't and it's fun to watch how they respect each other's differences, tease each other over them, and ultimately learn more about love and commitment because of them.
The book has a bit of a convoluted marriage of convenience plot to bring Thea and Rafe together and quite honestly, I kept flipping back to remind myself from time to time of all of the reasons why they need to marry, to stay married, to avoid consummating said marriage, and to explain why they need to separate in a big break. I enjoyed all of the themes built into the book, but the complicated plot took away some of my enjoyment. I also started to feel a little frustrated with Rafe's insistence that he is to blame for his wife's untimely death, despite the fact that he bears no responsibility, and every single character in the book except for the villain tries repeatedly to make this clear to him. At a certain point in my reading, Rafe's guilt-trip felt less like characterization than it did a convenient plot point.
I did though enjoy the leisurely pacing of the book - it felt like a long read and I liked that. It wasn't for me what some readers call "slow burn" because much of the leisurely pacing is about the complex histories of both characters. Rafe has a complicated history as a widower who feels damaged by his inability to keep his first wife alive and well. And because of the details of his first wife's death, he has a complicated relationship with her immediate family, as well as with his own role in his immediate family. Thea too has a complicated relationship with her parents and carries around guilt and insecurity over what she feels she is entitled to in life. Neither Thea nor Rafe are in a place where they can give themselves over to being in love and build a stable relationship, and so while they flirt with possibilities of a sexual relationship or even more, it does take three quarters of the novel before there is a break in their self-understanding.
Throughout the novel, there are strands of ideas that I loved, including Rafe's greenhouse and his experimentation with plants and medicine. I did not know that cannabis was called bhang in the 19th century, but I found the numerous occasions when cannabis is used to be fascinating. I loved the gentle mockery of Gothic elements here. The teasing and banter between Thea and Rafe is entertaining. Also, this is a book where mental health, sexuality, class consciousness, and women's vulnerabilities within patriarchy are explored and interwoven well into the larger story. Finally, like many readers, I loved Thea, and I loved Vincy's characterization of her as a relentlessly resilient woman because of her ability to look for positive elements in her world. Just when I thought that Thea was so down on her luck that nothing could pull her out, she finds joy in details around her for which to be happy, and this is ultimately a lovely message about life. Probably more than anything else, Thea's optimism and joie de vivre ensnare the grumpy and misanthropic hero.
Looking forward to Annabelle's book!
I was eager to see if Vincy could follow up her lovely first novel with an equally well-written second one, and so I'm satisfied that she has. I think perhaps that I enjoyed this second one maybe even more. This second book offers a charming romance between two people who share a similar problem of being stuck in their pasts and hindered from moving forward in life. Learning to let go of the past is a key theme in the book, and I found the lessons and observations astute. This is where the parallels between Thea and Rafe stop though, as they are very different people. Thea, the happy-go-lucky and eternal optimist, and Rafe, the often dour introvert, initially make an odd couple. Thrown together in an elaborate marriage of convenience, they easily could have driven each other crazy because of their differences, and so it is to their credit that they don't and it's fun to watch how they respect each other's differences, tease each other over them, and ultimately learn more about love and commitment because of them.
The book has a bit of a convoluted marriage of convenience plot to bring Thea and Rafe together and quite honestly, I kept flipping back to remind myself from time to time of all of the reasons why they need to marry, to stay married, to avoid consummating said marriage, and to explain why they need to separate in a big break. I enjoyed all of the themes built into the book, but the complicated plot took away some of my enjoyment. I also started to feel a little frustrated with Rafe's insistence that he is to blame for his wife's untimely death, despite the fact that he bears no responsibility, and every single character in the book except for the villain tries repeatedly to make this clear to him. At a certain point in my reading, Rafe's guilt-trip felt less like characterization than it did a convenient plot point.
I did though enjoy the leisurely pacing of the book - it felt like a long read and I liked that. It wasn't for me what some readers call "slow burn" because much of the leisurely pacing is about the complex histories of both characters. Rafe has a complicated history as a widower who feels damaged by his inability to keep his first wife alive and well. And because of the details of his first wife's death, he has a complicated relationship with her immediate family, as well as with his own role in his immediate family. Thea too has a complicated relationship with her parents and carries around guilt and insecurity over what she feels she is entitled to in life. Neither Thea nor Rafe are in a place where they can give themselves over to being in love and build a stable relationship, and so while they flirt with possibilities of a sexual relationship or even more, it does take three quarters of the novel before there is a break in their self-understanding.
Throughout the novel, there are strands of ideas that I loved, including Rafe's greenhouse and his experimentation with plants and medicine. I did not know that cannabis was called bhang in the 19th century, but I found the numerous occasions when cannabis is used to be fascinating. I loved the gentle mockery of Gothic elements here. The teasing and banter between Thea and Rafe is entertaining. Also, this is a book where mental health, sexuality, class consciousness, and women's vulnerabilities within patriarchy are explored and interwoven well into the larger story. Finally, like many readers, I loved Thea, and I loved Vincy's characterization of her as a relentlessly resilient woman because of her ability to look for positive elements in her world. Just when I thought that Thea was so down on her luck that nothing could pull her out, she finds joy in details around her for which to be happy, and this is ultimately a lovely message about life. Probably more than anything else, Thea's optimism and joie de vivre ensnare the grumpy and misanthropic hero.
Looking forward to Annabelle's book!
April 29, 2021
Enjoyable, gripping story telling. Clever plotting. I am not sure if it is due to Kate Reading’s excellent narration, but I was picking up on some Loretta Chase influence. Thea’s parents are awful—zapped any sympathy I might have felt in book 3.
March 8, 2023
I keep enjoying Mia Vincy's romances (I have no more left!). I like her characters and interactions between love interests. There is a tasteful amount of smut and a nice historical setting. But I think the less plot her books have, the better they are. The plot here is kind of convoluted and I don't see how it can possibly play out in this period. It's a fake marriage plot, I don't need any more side stories. I just need to see these people I like fall for each other. That's it.
November 28, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised by Mia Vince’s debut novel A Wicked Kind of Husband. It was a great story, full of witty dialogues and very cleverly written. It reminded me of Georgette Heyer, with a fresh note. I was in awe! I recommended her book to all my friends and everybody loves it! It is one of those books that stands out for its originality, which brings a new voice to an overcrowded room.
This second book is a little different. The witty dialogues are still there, the lovely characters, the beautifully written prose, but it lost a little in uniqueness, it read more like many other good historical romances. I would say it will captivate a broader audience (this one has definitively steam), but it was less special to me.
Don’t get me wrong. It is still a great book. I would compare her now to Lisa Kleypas (which is surely a good thing). She is obviously very talented.
The plot requires rose-colored glasses (heroine plans to recover her reputation by publishing pamphlets that she will pay for by marrying someone pretending to be her sister), but I put my glasses on and the characters were so lovely that it just worked.
There are also some interesting side stories involving medicine making and a fierce housekeeper that reminded me of Gentleman Jack. I really loved the side characters and their many layers.
I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
This second book is a little different. The witty dialogues are still there, the lovely characters, the beautifully written prose, but it lost a little in uniqueness, it read more like many other good historical romances. I would say it will captivate a broader audience (this one has definitively steam), but it was less special to me.
Don’t get me wrong. It is still a great book. I would compare her now to Lisa Kleypas (which is surely a good thing). She is obviously very talented.
The plot requires rose-colored glasses (heroine plans to recover her reputation by publishing pamphlets that she will pay for by marrying someone pretending to be her sister), but I put my glasses on and the characters were so lovely that it just worked.
There are also some interesting side stories involving medicine making and a fierce housekeeper that reminded me of Gentleman Jack. I really loved the side characters and their many layers.
I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series.
December 6, 2021
3.5 🌟 (Marriage of convenience/fake marriage, Beauty and beast retelling, dislike to like to love, witty banter, slow burn)
This series has been on my radar for ages but then a while back someone mentioned that Mia Vincy writing is the same as Tessa Dare. And, see I do not have a very strong opinion about many authors' writing styles but saying Tessa Dare to me is the one way to stop me from ever reading any book.
I know, I know people say authors like Lisa Kleypas also write historical like contemporary but you like her books all right. But, after reading 8 books(Yes!!! I have so little faith in myself😖😖) by Tessa Dare, I have realized I like the witty premise and start of her books. But, then she brings out completely insane plotlines and, I feel stupid for reading her books in a bad way.
Sorry, Sorry, let's stop talking about my hangups and start the review of this book.
Plot
Thea is a merchant's daughter. After a scandal a few years back, she was forced out of her family. Now, her sister wants to elope and marry so Thea agrees to pretend to be her sister for a week or two.
Rafe, the earl of Luxborough is a widower and never wants to marry again. But he wants to get his inheritance and knows about Thea's deception. So, he played his own game to have a fake marriage with Thea. So, both of them were using each other for their benefit because they thought the other party deserved it.
Things I loved….
1. The writing- Mia Vincy seriously knows how to write witty banters and simmering hot scenes without actually writing a lot of sex scenes.
2. The hero- I love beauty and the beast retellings and have read a lot of these books in HR too. And, believe me when I say Rafe(H) was the right balance of beastly without being too mean. And, I love his sense of humor mixed with heavy sarcasm.
3. The slow-burn- Most of the Marriage of Convenience/fake marriage stories are filled with too many sex scenes. I don't wanna say I don't like them but I like them more if they go with the plot and do not feel forced. Here, the slow burn is sweet and we can feel the sexual tension all through the book.
4. The well-written side characters.
Things I feel okayish about/ reasons for 3.5 star
1. Thea(h)- I have mixed feelings about her. I love her lively and mischievous nature but sometimes I felt she acted too hastily and even silly. Especially the way she reacts when she gets to know about Rafe's deception. I mean women...you too were using him so why the hell this double standard. 😏 😏
2. The last 25-30% felt too stretched, the misunderstanding felt forced. Up to this point, I was thinking of it as 4 stars read but I don't like my MCs to have a sudden personality transplant and start behaving stupidly just so the author can bring a forced separation before the HEA.
This series has been on my radar for ages but then a while back someone mentioned that Mia Vincy writing is the same as Tessa Dare. And, see I do not have a very strong opinion about many authors' writing styles but saying Tessa Dare to me is the one way to stop me from ever reading any book.
I know, I know people say authors like Lisa Kleypas also write historical like contemporary but you like her books all right. But, after reading 8 books(Yes!!! I have so little faith in myself😖😖) by Tessa Dare, I have realized I like the witty premise and start of her books. But, then she brings out completely insane plotlines and, I feel stupid for reading her books in a bad way.
Sorry, Sorry, let's stop talking about my hangups and start the review of this book.
Plot
Thea is a merchant's daughter. After a scandal a few years back, she was forced out of her family. Now, her sister wants to elope and marry so Thea agrees to pretend to be her sister for a week or two.
Rafe, the earl of Luxborough is a widower and never wants to marry again. But he wants to get his inheritance and knows about Thea's deception. So, he played his own game to have a fake marriage with Thea. So, both of them were using each other for their benefit because they thought the other party deserved it.
Things I loved….
1. The writing- Mia Vincy seriously knows how to write witty banters and simmering hot scenes without actually writing a lot of sex scenes.
2. The hero- I love beauty and the beast retellings and have read a lot of these books in HR too. And, believe me when I say Rafe(H) was the right balance of beastly without being too mean. And, I love his sense of humor mixed with heavy sarcasm.
3. The slow-burn- Most of the Marriage of Convenience/fake marriage stories are filled with too many sex scenes. I don't wanna say I don't like them but I like them more if they go with the plot and do not feel forced. Here, the slow burn is sweet and we can feel the sexual tension all through the book.
4. The well-written side characters.
Things I feel okayish about/ reasons for 3.5 star
1. Thea(h)- I have mixed feelings about her. I love her lively and mischievous nature but sometimes I felt she acted too hastily and even silly. Especially the way she reacts when she gets to know about Rafe's deception. I mean women...you too were using him so why the hell this double standard. 😏 😏
2. The last 25-30% felt too stretched, the misunderstanding felt forced. Up to this point, I was thinking of it as 4 stars read but I don't like my MCs to have a sudden personality transplant and start behaving stupidly just so the author can bring a forced separation before the HEA.
May 20, 2020
After the triumph of A Wicked Kind of Husband I was so happy to dive head first into this. The first chapter had my head spinning with every single character and their mother introduced but I pushed on. The heroine, Thea has her "rules of mischief" and while being outcast by her family and society for a scandal of which she is innocent is plotting to help her sister marry the man she loves by assuming her sister's identity until her sister Helen is safely married (are you confused yet? Don't worry, you will be). Enter the scarred and reclusive Rafe Landcross, Earl of Luxborough with rumors about his involvement with his wife's death but despite being determined to never marry is in need of funds that come with a marriage. Rafe knows of Thea masquerading as Helen and takes her as his bride to gain funds through this invalid marriage and of course nothing goes as planned.
While I like Rafe, Thea was just Meh and could not connect to her at all. The plot was convoluted and it felt like 8 different books haphazardly thrown in one. I didn't like the drug use by the hero, Thea's "rules of mischief." Although some parts were wonderfully written it all felt a bit wordy and pretentious making the story come off as in not authentic. The bright spot was Bishop Nicholas & Arabella but it doesn't bode well when the side characters steal the show. I did love Kate Reading narration and that helped me get through the story. I'm hoping this is just a sophomore slump and book 3 is up to scratch.
While I like Rafe, Thea was just Meh and could not connect to her at all. The plot was convoluted and it felt like 8 different books haphazardly thrown in one. I didn't like the drug use by the hero, Thea's "rules of mischief." Although some parts were wonderfully written it all felt a bit wordy and pretentious making the story come off as in not authentic. The bright spot was Bishop Nicholas & Arabella but it doesn't bode well when the side characters steal the show. I did love Kate Reading narration and that helped me get through the story. I'm hoping this is just a sophomore slump and book 3 is up to scratch.
September 2, 2024
Too silly to continue.
Second read: too silly to continue.
I’ve read 2 of this author’s books with high ratings. But the premise of this book is beyond strange. The h devises a stupid plan to take her friend’s ID, while her friend is escaping to the border to elope with the son of a titled man. And the H arrives at the son’s house under the auspices of picking up a rare orchid and to marry the friend so he can get 10 thousand pounds of inheritance, but he knows h is the fake friend and that’s fine with him bc after he gets his $, he can claim he didn’t know she was fake and be out of the marriage but still have his $.
And of course let’s make it MORE convoluted by having the H scarred by a Jaguar and have all kinds of rumors about him dabbling in black magic and killing his wife…
Come ON!!
WHY???? After such good NORMAL books, did this author have to contrive THIS monstrocity???
DNF 11%
Second read: too silly to continue.
I’ve read 2 of this author’s books with high ratings. But the premise of this book is beyond strange. The h devises a stupid plan to take her friend’s ID, while her friend is escaping to the border to elope with the son of a titled man. And the H arrives at the son’s house under the auspices of picking up a rare orchid and to marry the friend so he can get 10 thousand pounds of inheritance, but he knows h is the fake friend and that’s fine with him bc after he gets his $, he can claim he didn’t know she was fake and be out of the marriage but still have his $.
And of course let’s make it MORE convoluted by having the H scarred by a Jaguar and have all kinds of rumors about him dabbling in black magic and killing his wife…
Come ON!!
WHY???? After such good NORMAL books, did this author have to contrive THIS monstrocity???
DNF 11%
December 3, 2022
Some good bits, MV style
*like the easy and insta chemistry and the fluffy romance. I loved (for most parts) the cutely done romance in this double deception moc. It gets a tad same-old-same-old after a while but still I was a happy camper.
* I enjoy MV's characterization of her mcs. The H is a grumpy, scarred, introverted widower as also a 'botanist-scientist'. The ruined h has been badly let down by her parents but still manages to be sunny pollyanna with enough positive energy to light up a whole town.
Her constant niceness and cuteness does start to grate a bit but then as the H says ...
“Lost as she was in the simple pleasure of watching butterflies in a flower garden on a warm summer’s day. This was her strength. It was not the kind of strength the world valued, but its power stole his breath. This was what made her a survivor: her gift for transforming the ordinary world into a wondrous, captivating place. Despite everything, no one had taken that from her...”
*The h's revenge (against the villains) was the cherry on the top even if it takes a long while to fructify. Conveniently, the villain is every 'good' characters' villain.
*Her pining for her selfish parents' approval is annoying. So, I was glad that she shows some spine and clarity - even if only till the epilogue.
Some pretty weird and long drawn out stuff
*like the hyped up mystery around the dead wife and the way its unravelled, explained. Convoluted and just pull-you-hair-out annoying. A very hazy treatment, of the timeline as well.
*As also anachronistic as how easily a character is accepted at the end. It's not just about the sexual preference but also how the duplicity is forgiven, ignored. The poor H spent years tormented about his 'part' in his wive's death and this person, while acting as a 'friend', lets him suffer by keeping the truth hidden. Actually, I don't even understand why it couldn't be told by this person that it was the villain (ex-wife's father) who had played a part in her death and not the H.
*The h/H's push pull towards the later part, also takes away from the story. Also, he almost loses the reader's respect but rallies quickly.
*like the easy and insta chemistry and the fluffy romance. I loved (for most parts) the cutely done romance in this double deception moc. It gets a tad same-old-same-old after a while but still I was a happy camper.
* I enjoy MV's characterization of her mcs. The H is a grumpy, scarred, introverted widower as also a 'botanist-scientist'. The ruined h has been badly let down by her parents but still manages to be sunny pollyanna with enough positive energy to light up a whole town.
Her constant niceness and cuteness does start to grate a bit but then as the H says ...
“Lost as she was in the simple pleasure of watching butterflies in a flower garden on a warm summer’s day. This was her strength. It was not the kind of strength the world valued, but its power stole his breath. This was what made her a survivor: her gift for transforming the ordinary world into a wondrous, captivating place. Despite everything, no one had taken that from her...”
*The h's revenge (against the villains) was the cherry on the top even if it takes a long while to fructify. Conveniently, the villain is every 'good' characters' villain.
*Her pining for her selfish parents' approval is annoying. So, I was glad that she shows some spine and clarity - even if only till the epilogue.
Some pretty weird and long drawn out stuff
*like the hyped up mystery around the dead wife and the way its unravelled, explained. Convoluted and just pull-you-hair-out annoying. A very hazy treatment, of the timeline as well.
*As also anachronistic as how easily a character is accepted at the end. It's not just about the sexual preference but also how the duplicity is forgiven, ignored. The poor H spent years tormented about his 'part' in his wive's death and this person, while acting as a 'friend', lets him suffer by keeping the truth hidden. Actually, I don't even understand why it couldn't be told by this person that it was the villain (ex-wife's father) who had played a part in her death and not the H.
*The h/H's push pull towards the later part, also takes away from the story. Also, he almost loses the reader's respect but rallies quickly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2020
Another wonderful and delightful story of a mischief heroine who meets her match with her hero. Enjoyed both books 1 & 2 of this series and look forward to the next.
4-Stars
4-Stars
May 19, 2023
Really really enjoyed this. Thea was such a charming ball of delightful energy and I really warmed up to Rafe once he saw Thea for exactly how she was and loved her for all of her quirks. Plus he immediately believed the truth to her story the minute he heard it and never questioned her sincerity, so he really won me over after his initial horrible set up and poor impression of her. The layers of deception by both of them made this a really compelling plot, even if the logistics and Thea's exit strategy for the fake marriage plan don't exactly all come together for me.
December 29, 2019
RTC...
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July 23, 2023
3.5*** stars
************
Longhope Abbey Series
Book 1 - A Beastly Kind of Earl - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - A Dangerous Kind of Lady - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - A Wicked Kind of Husband - 4.75 stars
Book 4 - A Scandalous Kind of Duke - audio tbr
September 27, 2020
Loved it. Absolutely recommend it to anyone. Intriguing hook from the beginning of the story. I love how Mia Vincy writes its intelligent, funny with interesting plots and great relationships.
The reason for my star down is a feeling I have that I’m not going to remember much about this book in few days. I sure will remember this beautiful cover though.
The reason for my star down is a feeling I have that I’m not going to remember much about this book in few days. I sure will remember this beautiful cover though.
Shelved as 'dnf'
December 8, 2024DNF at 35%. I just... can't. Which is a shame since I enjoyed the only other book of hers I've read. This book puts me to sleep every time I picked it up 😭. So, this one is a no go.
December 1, 2019
When I read books like this one I am reminded all over again why I love historical romance so much and the joy this genre can bring. This is the second Mia Vincy book i’ve read - and while I enjoyed the first one immensely, this one I absolutely ADORED.
It had all the ingredients that make a good romance - a grumpy botanical nerd of an earl, a ray of sunshine heroine who I COULD DIE FOR, a set of well-rounded, supportive friends, a barely plausible premise, lots of magnificent locations, cat anecdotes, villainous villains and ladies loving ladies.
But most importantly, it was WARM. And CHARMING. LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY. Even when the characters seem right on paper, when the tropes make u giddy to dive into the book - without the warmth, the HR will never accomplish its purpose.
This one had it in abundance: from the very first pages, the characters came alive; they did not feel like cardboard cutouts but living, breathing people, their words, their actions felt real and possible and the story Mia Vincy had spun had me hooked till the very last page.
I must emphasize how funny and genuinely charming this book was, as well as how electric the chemistry between the characters felt. All of this magnificence captured with a skillful, witty prose, a respect for the time period, plenty of research, sensitivity and care.
End result: my heart feeling like it might burst out of my chest from the wholesomeness of this book.
Mia Vincy is a new shining star of the romance community and I can already promise to read everything she ever writes. MASSIVE REC. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
It had all the ingredients that make a good romance - a grumpy botanical nerd of an earl, a ray of sunshine heroine who I COULD DIE FOR, a set of well-rounded, supportive friends, a barely plausible premise, lots of magnificent locations, cat anecdotes, villainous villains and ladies loving ladies.
But most importantly, it was WARM. And CHARMING. LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY. Even when the characters seem right on paper, when the tropes make u giddy to dive into the book - without the warmth, the HR will never accomplish its purpose.
This one had it in abundance: from the very first pages, the characters came alive; they did not feel like cardboard cutouts but living, breathing people, their words, their actions felt real and possible and the story Mia Vincy had spun had me hooked till the very last page.
I must emphasize how funny and genuinely charming this book was, as well as how electric the chemistry between the characters felt. All of this magnificence captured with a skillful, witty prose, a respect for the time period, plenty of research, sensitivity and care.
End result: my heart feeling like it might burst out of my chest from the wholesomeness of this book.
Mia Vincy is a new shining star of the romance community and I can already promise to read everything she ever writes. MASSIVE REC. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
February 10, 2022
Helen is going to elope with Beau. So her sister, Thea, comes up with a plan. Thea pretends to be her sister, so that gives Helen and Beau time to elope.
In the meantime, Rafe, the Earl, knows that Helen is really Thea. Rafe needs to marry so that he can get the money that was left to him by his mother's trust. He doesn't want a wife, but if he marries Thea using Helen's name then he could get the money, but the marriage would not be binding.
This story is such intense in parts - lots of twists and turns. I loved it!
In the meantime, Rafe, the Earl, knows that Helen is really Thea. Rafe needs to marry so that he can get the money that was left to him by his mother's trust. He doesn't want a wife, but if he marries Thea using Helen's name then he could get the money, but the marriage would not be binding.
This story is such intense in parts - lots of twists and turns. I loved it!
March 17, 2021
I rate this 2.5 stars. I read book 3 in the series and LOVED it. This book was a Hodge podge of ideas that just don't work. The h "tells stories" (fibs or exaggerations) Somehow an elaborate revenge plot against her occurs. Then there is the pretend marriage. So of course she is going to fix her reputation by doing more wacky things. The H "mad" dead wife. If it sounds disjointed that is how I felt reading it.
March 16, 2021
3.75 Stars
Based on the overall rating, I was concerned about Vincy's sophomore release. I actually enjoyed most everything about it. I will say, It wasn't the most conservatively written story. There were numerous characters who had important placement within the lives of the main characters, but their individual stories began to muck up the flow of the middle portion of Thea and Rafe’s story line. I felt that there could have been a way to have included the roles of the secondary characters's in the MC’s lives, but with some tightening up of some extraneous details. Personally, I was intrigued by those details and found them entertaining, but Thea and Rafe's story threatened to get lost in the melees and it occasionally stunted the story progression. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I think listening to the audio helped me forge through some of the elaborate middle portion.
September 27, 2020
3.5. I can’t really tell where this story went south for me, as the premise was a lot of fun and there were plenty of feel good moments. The plot seemed a bit loose however, and the heroine, Thea, felt child-like. She was meant to be lovable and guileless, like a Garwood heroine, but instead she veered into cloying and obnoxious. Her joie de vivre is meant to be the balm to the wounds of the hero, Rafe, who has a PP (Painful Past) and he is charmed by her. Shockingly, Rafe does not share my concerns about her character.
I appreciated the accurate (seeming?) historical and botanical elements, as I love a well-researched story, and the author also had diverse representation throughout, which I appreciate as well. But seriously, that heroine.
I appreciated the accurate (seeming?) historical and botanical elements, as I love a well-researched story, and the author also had diverse representation throughout, which I appreciate as well. But seriously, that heroine.
September 23, 2023
I read this before so I'll put a 4 stars to it in memory of liking it. But at 78%, I'm tossing in the towel on this reread. I don't think I'll want to reread this one again.
It's darker and more complicated than I remember and i don't wanna.
It's darker and more complicated than I remember and i don't wanna.
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