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scoutmomskf's review
4.0
Pretty good book. Elise is trying to keep her father's shipyard going after his death. She has a half built yacht that she hopes will give it the boost she needs - if she can get a shipbuilder to finish it for her. She's having trouble getting anyone to work for her because she's a woman. When her brother introduces her to Dorian she's not impressed. She especially doesn't like the effect he has on her. But she soon realizes that he has what it takes to finish the ship. He also makes her want to forget society's rules and do things she wouldn't otherwise do.
Elise is very independent. She has been involved with the shipyard since she was a child and is fully qualified to run it. Unfortunately her investors don't agree and have pulled all support, leaving her struggling. Dorian's arrival is just what she needs to save the business. She is attracted to him from the beginning but also frustrated by his high handedness. She hates being banished from her office, where she has spent most of her time, but approves of the progress Dorian is making. One of the things I really liked is the way that, once they started talking, they respected each other's knowledge and opinions. They also started to develop a real friendship as they worked together. She also had to admit to herself that she was glad he was there as accidents and attacks started happening at the shipyard. I also enjoyed her reaction to his kisses. She admitted the attraction and made her own reasoned decision to pursue it even though she knew that he had no intention of staying in England. As the danger increased Elise got closer to Dorian and knew she would have to make a decision about her future. I loved the race and its aftermath.
Dorian was intrigued by Elise. He wasn't used to women who were so intelligent and independent. He took on Elise's job as a way to get the money to get back to Gibraltar. With his attraction to Elise he also thought about romancing her out of the boat he was building. He also found himself very protective of her from the beginning which was very unusual for him. Although he had been born a gentleman he has spent most of his adult life doing less savory activities and is not received by society. He really doesn't care. From the beginning he makes no secret of his attraction to Elise and seems to really enjoy stirring her up. He also takes advantage of her life on the edge of scandal to push her into fun but risky activities. When the problems start happening he figures out who is behind it pretty quickly, but it take awhile before they figure out why. I liked the way that his plan to simply seduce Elise starts to change as his feelings for her deepen. He doesn't feel that anything can come of it because of who he is and thinks that she'll feel the same when she finds out. I liked the fact that he did tell her about his past and enjoyed his surprise when she didn't condemn him. His increasing feelings for her made him think about changing his plans. He was really worried about her safety and tried everything he could to protect her. I really enjoyed the way they worked together to sail the ship and how it showed their connection. I really enjoyed the ending.
Elise is very independent. She has been involved with the shipyard since she was a child and is fully qualified to run it. Unfortunately her investors don't agree and have pulled all support, leaving her struggling. Dorian's arrival is just what she needs to save the business. She is attracted to him from the beginning but also frustrated by his high handedness. She hates being banished from her office, where she has spent most of her time, but approves of the progress Dorian is making. One of the things I really liked is the way that, once they started talking, they respected each other's knowledge and opinions. They also started to develop a real friendship as they worked together. She also had to admit to herself that she was glad he was there as accidents and attacks started happening at the shipyard. I also enjoyed her reaction to his kisses. She admitted the attraction and made her own reasoned decision to pursue it even though she knew that he had no intention of staying in England. As the danger increased Elise got closer to Dorian and knew she would have to make a decision about her future. I loved the race and its aftermath.
Dorian was intrigued by Elise. He wasn't used to women who were so intelligent and independent. He took on Elise's job as a way to get the money to get back to Gibraltar. With his attraction to Elise he also thought about romancing her out of the boat he was building. He also found himself very protective of her from the beginning which was very unusual for him. Although he had been born a gentleman he has spent most of his adult life doing less savory activities and is not received by society. He really doesn't care. From the beginning he makes no secret of his attraction to Elise and seems to really enjoy stirring her up. He also takes advantage of her life on the edge of scandal to push her into fun but risky activities. When the problems start happening he figures out who is behind it pretty quickly, but it take awhile before they figure out why. I liked the way that his plan to simply seduce Elise starts to change as his feelings for her deepen. He doesn't feel that anything can come of it because of who he is and thinks that she'll feel the same when she finds out. I liked the fact that he did tell her about his past and enjoyed his surprise when she didn't condemn him. His increasing feelings for her made him think about changing his plans. He was really worried about her safety and tried everything he could to protect her. I really enjoyed the way they worked together to sail the ship and how it showed their connection. I really enjoyed the ending.
mrsbooknerd's review
3.0
Mills and Boon Regency/Historical romances can be hit and miss, but I enjoyed 'A Lady Dares'.
Dorian was charming and flirty from the off and I do love it when we get a 'rougher' cut of hero than all the polished Dukes about.
I liked Elise's passion and pride and I felt she was an equal to Dorian. She certainly made a change to the gasping, naive Ladies of the genre.
The plot was well paced and the developing romance felt natural and with real chemistry. It was steamy enough to keep me interested, and the secondary criminal plot was interesting but not over dramatic.
I did feel that it was quite modern in tone. I picked this book because I had wanted a regency / historical novel to break up all the crime novels I've been reading but actually it felt a ageless. Dorian accepting Elise's position and lifestyle without question and neither conforming to social norms made it feel modern in style.
But overall one of the better Mills and Boon novels that I have read in a long time.
Dorian was charming and flirty from the off and I do love it when we get a 'rougher' cut of hero than all the polished Dukes about.
I liked Elise's passion and pride and I felt she was an equal to Dorian. She certainly made a change to the gasping, naive Ladies of the genre.
The plot was well paced and the developing romance felt natural and with real chemistry. It was steamy enough to keep me interested, and the secondary criminal plot was interesting but not over dramatic.
I did feel that it was quite modern in tone. I picked this book because I had wanted a regency / historical novel to break up all the crime novels I've been reading but actually it felt a ageless. Dorian accepting Elise's position and lifestyle without question and neither conforming to social norms made it feel modern in style.
But overall one of the better Mills and Boon novels that I have read in a long time.
merrybelletrist's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I loved how Elise and Dorian got along. Like they really listened to each other and respected the each other's wishes. I also liked that Elise saw how messed up society's rules were and she turned her back on them in the end.
wyvernfriend's review
4.0
Elise Sutton is a woman fighting the Victorian assumptions that she can't be the owner of a business and in particular that she can't be a yacht designer. She desperately needs to finish her father's last yacht to keep the business afloat (yes I went there). Her brother introduces her to Dorian Rowland, a man on the edges of society, who has done some shady things in his past, and between them they start to fight the prejudice and the forces amassed against them.
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