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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Four innocent young ladies-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales spend the night sheltering from a wild party in her residence – only to discover in the morning that Her Highness was never there. And the news is already out. The ladies flee the scene to fight as best they can for their lost reputations. And to confront the man who tricked them.
Hazel Curwen is ruined. With no money, no near family, and the stagecoach to her old governess’s home vanishing into the distance, she is forced to accept the help of the one man she never wished to set eyes on again. To Hazel, the handsome and respected diplomat Sir Joseph Sayle is an infamous rake who took advantage of the princess she served. Under normal circumstances she would never have dreamed of setting foot in his curricle, least of all when he was, by his own admission, “not entirely sober” after a night’s carousing. However, the journey in his relaxed company is unexpectedly fun, and when they reach their destination and are threatened by a parcel of eccentric children with a pistol, he enters the adventure with enthusiasm.
The start of a new series - I loved it & read it in two sittings finishing it well into the night, as I couldn’t put it down. A very well written engrossing read with very well portrayed characters who all had plenty of depth. I loved Hazel who was a strong woman who didn’t 'fall apart' when she was left to fend for herself whilst also facing ruin. Oh Joe! toe curlingly gorgeous, caring, honourable and with a lovely sense of humour. The road to their HEA was highly entertaining with a vengeful villain, highwaymen, an Ottoman prince & several delightful children. I look forward to the rest of the series & can’t wait for the villain's plan to be fully revealed
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Hazel Curwen is ruined. With no money, no near family, and the stagecoach to her old governess’s home vanishing into the distance, she is forced to accept the help of the one man she never wished to set eyes on again. To Hazel, the handsome and respected diplomat Sir Joseph Sayle is an infamous rake who took advantage of the princess she served. Under normal circumstances she would never have dreamed of setting foot in his curricle, least of all when he was, by his own admission, “not entirely sober” after a night’s carousing. However, the journey in his relaxed company is unexpectedly fun, and when they reach their destination and are threatened by a parcel of eccentric children with a pistol, he enters the adventure with enthusiasm.
The start of a new series - I loved it & read it in two sittings finishing it well into the night, as I couldn’t put it down. A very well written engrossing read with very well portrayed characters who all had plenty of depth. I loved Hazel who was a strong woman who didn’t 'fall apart' when she was left to fend for herself whilst also facing ruin. Oh Joe! toe curlingly gorgeous, caring, honourable and with a lovely sense of humour. The road to their HEA was highly entertaining with a vengeful villain, highwaymen, an Ottoman prince & several delightful children. I look forward to the rest of the series & can’t wait for the villain's plan to be fully revealed
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
3.5 stars.
An enjoyable romp, but lacking something towards the end of the story. The heroine was spunky and brave. The hero was an interesting character who fell for the heroine early on but never seemed to make a good impression on her.
The story had plenty of twists and turns, but seemed to meander along without being tidily wrapped up at the end. It is book 1 in a series so maybe more will be resolved later.
This book contains a mildly described love scene.
An enjoyable romp, but lacking something towards the end of the story. The heroine was spunky and brave. The hero was an interesting character who fell for the heroine early on but never seemed to make a good impression on her.
The story had plenty of twists and turns, but seemed to meander along without being tidily wrapped up at the end. It is book 1 in a series so maybe more will be resolved later.
This book contains a mildly described love scene.
I really liked the premise of the book, having to go on the run with a romantic interest to get away from a villainous suitor, but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me! I thought the plot flowed pretty well, and I did like our main characters - Joe and Hazel - along with their friends and family who come up later in this tale. I would have loved to see more about the Spriggs kids, we got to see them in a fair amount of detail early on in the novel, but that did tail away by the halfway point which I thought was a shame. I also really liked seeing Joe's family here but, again, would have liked to have seen more of them. I think Lancaster did a great job giving us these likeable characters we want to root for, but at points it felt a little 'tell' and not 'show', especially in relation to Joe's feelings towards Hazel.
In terms of the set up of the novel, I found the start a little confusing but found my bearings pretty quickly. I would have loved to have see more establishing of the other maids of the princess in this one, as I have a feeling this series will be following each of them in turn and I still don't know them at all. That being said, seeing how far the relationship between Joseph and Hazel comes throughout the novel was really sweet, but again, part of me wishes it had unfurled a little slower as the transformation from seemingly hating Joe to falling for him felt a little too quick for me.
I also think I've discovered a pet peeve that I have when it comes to characters, and in particular, the bad ones. I do tend to enjoy books with likeable characters a lot, but I am capable of enjoying the experience of reading about unlikeable people, as long as they are fully fleshed out and don't remain as caricatures. This was an issue I had with [b: Blackmoore|15795628|Blackmoore|Julianne Donaldson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1366846456l/15795628._SY75_.jpg|21517875]. Lord Barden was that caricature character and there was literally no redeeming him and honestly he just came across slightly psychotic. If that had been the intention, it definitely came through, but I don't think the narrative really pushed this idea forward, simply stating that he's got a grudge and would go to pretty major lengths. The saving grace of this novel is that he is the only character who had this kind of characterisation, I enjoyed all the other characters :)
A lovely little book, but I felt that I didn't quite connect with it! I feel like this is a pretty harsh review for a book I did genuinely enjoy. I just felt there were a few things that, if fixed, would exponentially improve the book for me. It's a 3 star rating for this one, but I also would really like to see what the next books involve. I hope it involves a further delving into the interactions between the handmaids because there was none of that here, I'm hopeful for future instalments :)
This book was kindly given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
In terms of the set up of the novel, I found the start a little confusing but found my bearings pretty quickly. I would have loved to have see more establishing of the other maids of the princess in this one, as I have a feeling this series will be following each of them in turn and I still don't know them at all. That being said, seeing how far the relationship between Joseph and Hazel comes throughout the novel was really sweet, but again, part of me wishes it had unfurled a little slower as the transformation from seemingly hating Joe to falling for him felt a little too quick for me.
I also think I've discovered a pet peeve that I have when it comes to characters, and in particular, the bad ones. I do tend to enjoy books with likeable characters a lot, but I am capable of enjoying the experience of reading about unlikeable people, as long as they are fully fleshed out and don't remain as caricatures. This was an issue I had with [b: Blackmoore|15795628|Blackmoore|Julianne Donaldson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1366846456l/15795628._SY75_.jpg|21517875]. Lord Barden was that caricature character and there was literally no redeeming him and honestly he just came across slightly psychotic. If that had been the intention, it definitely came through, but I don't think the narrative really pushed this idea forward, simply stating that he's got a grudge and would go to pretty major lengths. The saving grace of this novel is that he is the only character who had this kind of characterisation, I enjoyed all the other characters :)
A lovely little book, but I felt that I didn't quite connect with it! I feel like this is a pretty harsh review for a book I did genuinely enjoy. I just felt there were a few things that, if fixed, would exponentially improve the book for me. It's a 3 star rating for this one, but I also would really like to see what the next books involve. I hope it involves a further delving into the interactions between the handmaids because there was none of that here, I'm hopeful for future instalments :)
This book was kindly given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I read this after reading and loving the second one in this series.
As with that one, I am convinced that Ms Lancaster is taking inspiration from the OG - Georgette Heyer with this series. One scene in particular brought to mind one of my favourites 'Sprig Muslin'. The rest of it with the children tagging along and a couple of side-quests is very much Heyer.
The way the first chapter reads, if this series was written by Lorraine Heath or Lauren Smith, it could have taken a dark turn. But Ms Lancaster à la Ms Heyer keeps things light.
Why I couldn't like this as much as 'Abandoned to the Prodigal' is the first meeting between our leads. To know that the man you are falling for has been a rake in the past and to actually see that in action and still fall for him are two very different things and I just couldn't get past it even till the very end.
As with that one, I am convinced that Ms Lancaster is taking inspiration from the OG - Georgette Heyer with this series. One scene in particular brought to mind one of my favourites 'Sprig Muslin'. The rest of it with the children tagging along and a couple of side-quests is very much Heyer.
The way the first chapter reads, if this series was written by Lorraine Heath or Lauren Smith, it could have taken a dark turn. But Ms Lancaster à la Ms Heyer keeps things light.
Why I couldn't like this as much as 'Abandoned to the Prodigal' is the first meeting between our leads. To know that the man you are falling for has been a rake in the past and to actually see that in action and still fall for him are two very different things and I just couldn't get past it even till the very end.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋 (very vague language, flowery and poetic instead of explicit)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (one very vague open door scene)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from the hero and heroine a bit from the villain (Braden)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, about 6% (there are some remembrances before this point)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, two months later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form 4 years past due
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Lancaster’s Season of Scandal series.
Basic plot:
Hazel is ruined and desperate to find a place of safety. Help turns up in the unexpected and unwanted form of Joseph Sayle.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- class difference elements – diplomat hero and ‘nobody’ heroine
- ruined heroine
- light road trip vibes
- diplomat hero
- former princess handmaiden
- close proximity
- villain to overcome
- low steam – one scene that is very light and a few kisses
Ages:
- Heroine is 22, didn’t catch hero
First line:
The residence of the Princess of Wales blazed with light.
My thoughts:
I really love the idea of this series. Compromised/ruined heroine is one of my favorite tropes so a whole series that features that sounds really fun to me!
But this one sadly fell a bit flat for me. There’s a lot of uncertainty from the heroine and a lot of self doubt. Lots of toeing around how each other feels while dealing with a villain, mystery side characters and some minor other woman drama.
The steam was a let down for me. It was open door but very light.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- kidnapping of the heroine
- purposeful ruination by the villain and attempting to force the heroine to be his mistress
- parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: I don't believe so but it's so vague you can't tell
Hows the consent? It's good!
42% - kiss
90% - kiss
94% - kiss, very vague open door scene (can’t really tell position, not a lot of details in any way and short scene)
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋 (very vague language, flowery and poetic instead of explicit)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (one very vague open door scene)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from the hero and heroine a bit from the villain (Braden)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, about 6% (there are some remembrances before this point)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, two months later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form 4 years past due
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Lancaster’s Season of Scandal series.
Basic plot:
Hazel is ruined and desperate to find a place of safety. Help turns up in the unexpected and unwanted form of Joseph Sayle.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- class difference elements – diplomat hero and ‘nobody’ heroine
- ruined heroine
- light road trip vibes
- diplomat hero
- former princess handmaiden
- close proximity
- villain to overcome
- low steam – one scene that is very light and a few kisses
Ages:
- Heroine is 22, didn’t catch hero
First line:
The residence of the Princess of Wales blazed with light.
My thoughts:
I really love the idea of this series. Compromised/ruined heroine is one of my favorite tropes so a whole series that features that sounds really fun to me!
But this one sadly fell a bit flat for me. There’s a lot of uncertainty from the heroine and a lot of self doubt. Lots of toeing around how each other feels while dealing with a villain, mystery side characters and some minor other woman drama.
The steam was a let down for me. It was open door but very light.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- kidnapping of the heroine
- purposeful ruination by the villain and attempting to force the heroine to be his mistress
- parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
42% - kiss
90% - kiss
94% - kiss, very vague open door scene (can’t really tell position, not a lot of details in any way and short scene)
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Well, I finished it. It should have been like three different books at least. Meaning it should have ended at least three times but it kept going with some shit the author got out of… somewhere. Stuff that made zero sense to me, things that no person in their sane mind and with two neurons to rub together would do. Just to keep the “plot” going for another hundred pages or so. Reminded me of the soap operas the TV show “Jane the Virgin” was making fun of.
The language was grating, not awful, but there were moments when they didn’t talk like people would at the time this supposedly happens. They use very informal language, and an awful lot of phrasal verbs I wasn’t sure were used at the time. I’m no expert, though, so it’s just my opinion, but it made this a bit of a chore to read.
And the “smut”!!! It was completely unnecessary, unjustified, out of character (for both MCs), and it wasn’t even good.
The language was grating, not awful, but there were moments when they didn’t talk like people would at the time this supposedly happens. They use very informal language, and an awful lot of phrasal verbs I wasn’t sure were used at the time. I’m no expert, though, so it’s just my opinion, but it made this a bit of a chore to read.
And the “smut”!!! It was completely unnecessary, unjustified, out of character (for both MCs), and it wasn’t even good.
Pursued by the Rake is the first book in the Season of Scandal series and it certainly started the series with a bang! It was full of humor, witty banter, misconstrued reputations, villains, and intrigue. I feel like my emotions were on a roller coaster, but I think this might be my favorite book by this author. I loved the storyline and my attention was grabbed from the beginning. The series is based on four ladies-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales being tricked into spending the night at the Princess’s residence when she wasn’t there, but their reputations are ruined when news spread that a wild party had occurred.
Hazel Curwen’s reputation was ruined, with no family in London her only option is to travel to her previous governess’s house to stay until she can follow her grandmother to Scotland. Encountering Sir Joseph “Joe” Sayle, a known rake, and traveling with him to Essex was not the plan, but she had few options. She didn’t expect her opinion of him to change along the trip or to start having feelings for him. Joe had fallen for Hazel the first time he saw her, but him coming from another women’s bed-chamber didn’t start their relationship off very well. Can their adventurous journey to Essex help improve her opinion of him and allow him to win her heart?
I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I’m curious about the other three women’s stories and why the villain tricked them. Also, I hope to see Selim again and his future happiness.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hazel Curwen’s reputation was ruined, with no family in London her only option is to travel to her previous governess’s house to stay until she can follow her grandmother to Scotland. Encountering Sir Joseph “Joe” Sayle, a known rake, and traveling with him to Essex was not the plan, but she had few options. She didn’t expect her opinion of him to change along the trip or to start having feelings for him. Joe had fallen for Hazel the first time he saw her, but him coming from another women’s bed-chamber didn’t start their relationship off very well. Can their adventurous journey to Essex help improve her opinion of him and allow him to win her heart?
I can’t wait for the next book in the series. I’m curious about the other three women’s stories and why the villain tricked them. Also, I hope to see Selim again and his future happiness.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
DNF @ 25% I might pick it up later on, but I really struggled to get into it. The characters felt very bland for me and I wasn't able to get connect with them at all. I was also really confused about what was happening as well. I didn't know who was who. We were just chucked into it and it didn't do anything for me
I do love that the author had to clarify that she made up the orgy
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes