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turtlemagix's review against another edition
4.0
This one started off slow for me, but I quickly fell in love with Camilla & Arch! Camilla seems cold and bitchy at first but the reader quickly finds out it’s because she has 2 secrets she doesn’t want anyone to find out. This was another great read by Lorraine Heath.
rachael_45's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
virginiaduan's review against another edition
4.0
I am so pleased! Looks like Heath is becoming an author I enjoy reading! (It looks as if I may have to break down and check out her Texas Rogues series (even though I am not a fan of American romances).) Archibald Warner, the current Earl of Sasche (pronounced Saxee if you can believe it) is so romantic and just the right balance of dangerous and kind. Countess Camilla Warner (the previous earl's widow) is just the right balance of heart and iciness. I loved seeing their relationship unfold and blossom. I fell in love with Arch and even though the twist wasn't what I expected, I appreciated what it brought to the story. Lovely!
turophile's review against another edition
3.0
The hero, Archie, is an accident heir to the peerage. Raised in a comfortable and happy middle class home as the son of a school master, he is elevated to the Earl of Sachse when the previous earl dies without Issue. The widowed Lady Sachse who married the formal earl at the age of 16 takes it upon herself to teach him the ways of nobility and to find him an appropriate wife who can bear him a child. She believes that she is barren is searching for a widowed Duke who already has issue to marry. Yet Archie quickly decides that he wants her.
The plot is slight. Camilla attempts to hide a variety of secrets: she’s not a calculating social climber, instead she puts up a facade that hides her early life of poverty and her current acts of charity. There are two secrets that she believes she can never reveal to the earl: her illiteracy and the fact that her previous husband beat her with a riding crop leaving tiny scars all over her body. The development of attraction and love between the two through the slow unveiling of these secrets to Archie (and at times to society) is the main focus.
Several aspects of the story made it a pleasant but unsatisfying read for me. The main characters were almost too perfect, even with the “flaws” written into the heroine’s character. Camilla’s attitude toward her secrets was puzzling at times. Early on, she feared that her commoner background would be uncovered by the Marlborough set and that she’d be cast out from society. I would think that background would have been known when she married the elder Earl, because she’s not in any peerage books. Then Camilla tells Archie she has two secrets she can never share (nothing like waiving a red flag in front of a bull). Her illiteracy had been made known, but the second - the beatings by her husband- were a puzzling choice of literary device. The way the story had built up the “secrets” I thought it would be her commoner background/early life of poverty, but concerns about that secret were dropped. Instead, it was the scars she bore from her deceased husband beating her. A horror no doubt, but the way it was built up it seemed to be used as a device for making Archie even more angry about the way Camilla had been treated than as something that required secrecy.
And then, a plot twist that I wasn’t expecting, the deceased earl’s son turns out to be alive in America which means Archie is no longer and earl, so it’s no longer important that he marry someone who can give him an heir and a spare. Yet Camilla struggles because she still wants an earl. That newly found heir was a surprise, but you can guess where the story goes from there.
A pleasant but somewhat unsatisfyin read for me.
The plot is slight. Camilla attempts to hide a variety of secrets: she’s not a calculating social climber, instead she puts up a facade that hides her early life of poverty and her current acts of charity. There are two secrets that she believes she can never reveal to the earl: her illiteracy and the fact that her previous husband beat her with a riding crop leaving tiny scars all over her body. The development of attraction and love between the two through the slow unveiling of these secrets to Archie (and at times to society) is the main focus.
Several aspects of the story made it a pleasant but unsatisfying read for me. The main characters were almost too perfect, even with the “flaws” written into the heroine’s character. Camilla’s attitude toward her secrets was puzzling at times. Early on, she feared that her commoner background would be uncovered by the Marlborough set and that she’d be cast out from society. I would think that background would have been known when she married the elder Earl, because she’s not in any peerage books. Then Camilla tells Archie she has two secrets she can never share (nothing like waiving a red flag in front of a bull). Her illiteracy had been made known, but the second - the beatings by her husband- were a puzzling choice of literary device. The way the story had built up the “secrets” I thought it would be her commoner background/early life of poverty, but concerns about that secret were dropped. Instead, it was the scars she bore from her deceased husband beating her. A horror no doubt, but the way it was built up it seemed to be used as a device for making Archie even more angry about the way Camilla had been treated than as something that required secrecy.
And then, a plot twist that I wasn’t expecting, the deceased earl’s son turns out to be alive in America which means Archie is no longer and earl, so it’s no longer important that he marry someone who can give him an heir and a spare. Yet Camilla struggles because she still wants an earl. That newly found heir was a surprise, but you can guess where the story goes from there.
A pleasant but somewhat unsatisfyin read for me.
joreadsromance's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful love story
5 stars
Archibald Warner was a simple teacher until a death elevated him to the new Earl of Sachse. With the rules of the ton overwhelming him, Arch is glad to have Camilla, the former Earl's young widow to help tutor him through the pitfalls of high society and help find him the perfect bride.
But Arch is convinced that he has found the perfect bride in Camilla. He seduces her with his kisses and tempts her with his touch yet she still resists his advances. When Camilla's past comes to light and Arch uncovers the secrets that haunt her eyes, he must make a decision that will change their lives forever.
I have enjoyed [a:Lorraine Heath|104926|Lorraine Heath|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png]'s books before and this book just reminded me of what a good storyteller she is. As seems to be the norm for Heath, the book is very character driven with the main story being about how Arch and Camilla interact with each other and fall in love.
The love story is very emotional and I just adored both Arch and Camilla. Arch is a wonderful hero - determined to do the right thing while battling his desires for Camilla. Camilla herself was the standout character for me as she was both strong willed while also being so vulnerable and in need of the love of a good man. Together the pair are perfect for each other and the ending, or more importantly the epilogue, is just dreamy!
This book is the first in a trilogy (coming before [b:A Matter of Temptation|1814625|A Matter of Temptation (Lost Lords, #2)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349067967l/1814625._SY75_.jpg|1814104] and [b:Promise Me Forever|911923|Promise Me Forever (Lost Lords, #3)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388272752l/911923._SY75_.jpg|1814121]) but apparently both Arch and Camilla first appeared in Heath's [b:Love With a Scandalous Lord|1629395|Love With a Scandalous Lord (Daughters of Fortune, #3)|Lorraine Heath|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388272640l/1629395._SY75_.jpg|1623507]. Despite this, the books do appear to all stand alone though so there's no need to read them in order.
Overall this is a really well written, emotional and satisfying love story that I'm sure you will really enjoy - I definitely did. 5 stars.
kazen's review against another edition
3.0
A solid historical romance, just what I needed after the annoyance that was my last read.
The good:
- Lovely banter is sprinkled throughout the book. I wish there were more, but it wouldn't have fit the characters' development and I respect that.
- Heath handles historical details well (as I've come to expect) and everything just makes sense.
- There are kids on the periphery of some scenes but no plot moppets.
- I kept thinking about the next time I would be able to open my e-reader, always a good sign.
The not-so-good:
- Regarding the ending,I know that having kids is really important for a lot of people, and if a person wants them I wish them good luck in getting them... but I don't like it when a heroine is "barren" until the right man comes along. His magic peen solves all her ills! In fact, he's so virile that she can't seem to stop popping out kids! Grah. I know this comes up a lot and I brace myself for it, but I got all hopeful reading "He can Camilla could share his sister's children, they could look after the boys at the school. She would have children in her life, even if they didn't come from her womb". Maybe I should just stop reading epilogues.
That was the only major drawback but it's a doozy for me. This might have been a four star read otherwise.
The good:
- Lovely banter is sprinkled throughout the book. I wish there were more, but it wouldn't have fit the characters' development and I respect that.
- Heath handles historical details well (as I've come to expect) and everything just makes sense.
- There are kids on the periphery of some scenes but no plot moppets.
- I kept thinking about the next time I would be able to open my e-reader, always a good sign.
The not-so-good:
- Regarding the ending,
That was the only major drawback but it's a doozy for me. This might have been a four star read otherwise.
ashontheline's review against another edition
3.0
This one was alright. I liked the hero heroine dynamic and how they got together. I saw the little surprise coming but it was still held my attention throughout.