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kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
An historical romance novel set in 1815 with a crusading zeal.
My Take
Page is an engaging author and as whiny as I usually get when an historical storywriter doesn't pay attention to the story's time period, I actually enjoyed this, although I'm not sure if it's the writing or Page's do-good spirit that caught me. It certainly cracked me up how very inept Anne is at the harlot business. She hasn't a clue and yet she's a successful prostitute? Guys, this is so not flattering to y'all...
Page does tend to leap about and pull in some odd twists, but since they are questions about which I've always wondered, I'm being hypocritical enough to let them go.
I'm rather surprised there is no one in his household who can read. Who does the accounts?
Our Anne is a very caring person and she's more interested in incorporating what she learned with how her blind grandfather coped than with doing a better job of faking her orgasms when she's with the duke. She's also quite gung-ho about the evils of prostitution and providing women without family or spousal support with a better way of making a living.
The Story
As a result of a misplaced poker, Anne Beddington has had to flee London and seek a hiding place from the Bow Street Runners and an overheard conversation sends her to the Duke of March's hunting box. It seems his friend thinks bedding a woman will cure his blindness.
Now if only this innocent can entice his grace into keeping her.
The Characters
Anne Beddington, alias Cerise, alias Annalise Black, is a lady with a life-threatening problem. She's too innocent to understand and god knows how she muddled through life at a whorehouse. Millicent was Anne's mother. Lady Julia is Anne's remorseful great-grandmother. Kat Tate is a courtesan friend of Anne's who will do almost anything to help her.
Devon Audley, the Duke of March, was blinded at Waterloo and is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of events at the battle. Treadwell is the butler at his hunting box. Lady Rosalind Marchant was the woman he had fallen in love with, the reason he went off to war. Tristan de Gray is the fifth Earl of Ashton and March's friend.
Caroline, Devon's pregnant sister, has run away from her husband, the Earl of Cavendish. Other sisters include Lizzie and Win as well as his mother, the duchess who is quite insistent that he get married to a respectable woman.
Mr. Wynter was a Bow Street Runner and is now engaged by the duke as an investigator. Captain Tanner's widow and son Thomas are the subject of a search by the duke. Sir John Laurence is the current magistrate at Number 10, Bow Street.
Madame Sin, a.k.a., Mrs. Meadows, ran a whore house in London with Mick Taylor as a bouncer. Sebastian Beddington, Viscount Norbrook, is Anne's salacious cousin with his own designs upon Anne.
The Cover
The cover is pink. A stately-ish home set back from the street with lush gardens in front creates a background that will have you wondering which gated community this is set in while the half-dressed couple embracing...and the pink...definitely clues you in that this is a romance.
The title is true for both parties are Engaged in Sin.
My Take
Page is an engaging author and as whiny as I usually get when an historical storywriter doesn't pay attention to the story's time period, I actually enjoyed this, although I'm not sure if it's the writing or Page's do-good spirit that caught me. It certainly cracked me up how very inept Anne is at the harlot business. She hasn't a clue and yet she's a successful prostitute? Guys, this is so not flattering to y'all...
Page does tend to leap about and pull in some odd twists, but since they are questions about which I've always wondered, I'm being hypocritical enough to let them go.
I'm rather surprised there is no one in his household who can read. Who does the accounts?
Our Anne is a very caring person and she's more interested in incorporating what she learned with how her blind grandfather coped than with doing a better job of faking her orgasms when she's with the duke. She's also quite gung-ho about the evils of prostitution and providing women without family or spousal support with a better way of making a living.
The Story
As a result of a misplaced poker, Anne Beddington has had to flee London and seek a hiding place from the Bow Street Runners and an overheard conversation sends her to the Duke of March's hunting box. It seems his friend thinks bedding a woman will cure his blindness.
Now if only this innocent can entice his grace into keeping her.
The Characters
Anne Beddington, alias Cerise, alias Annalise Black, is a lady with a life-threatening problem. She's too innocent to understand and god knows how she muddled through life at a whorehouse. Millicent was Anne's mother. Lady Julia is Anne's remorseful great-grandmother. Kat Tate is a courtesan friend of Anne's who will do almost anything to help her.
Devon Audley, the Duke of March, was blinded at Waterloo and is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of events at the battle. Treadwell is the butler at his hunting box. Lady Rosalind Marchant was the woman he had fallen in love with, the reason he went off to war. Tristan de Gray is the fifth Earl of Ashton and March's friend.
Caroline, Devon's pregnant sister, has run away from her husband, the Earl of Cavendish. Other sisters include Lizzie and Win as well as his mother, the duchess who is quite insistent that he get married to a respectable woman.
Mr. Wynter was a Bow Street Runner and is now engaged by the duke as an investigator. Captain Tanner's widow and son Thomas are the subject of a search by the duke. Sir John Laurence is the current magistrate at Number 10, Bow Street.
Madame Sin, a.k.a., Mrs. Meadows, ran a whore house in London with Mick Taylor as a bouncer. Sebastian Beddington, Viscount Norbrook, is Anne's salacious cousin with his own designs upon Anne.
The Cover
The cover is pink. A stately-ish home set back from the street with lush gardens in front creates a background that will have you wondering which gated community this is set in while the half-dressed couple embracing...and the pink...definitely clues you in that this is a romance.
The title is true for both parties are Engaged in Sin.
litjrzygrl's review against another edition
3.0
This was our independent pick for our book club pick for March. This scored 3 1/2 stars but I rounded it down because I feel the story just dragged on a bit too much.
Characters - I really liked Anne and Devon. She's been dealt a hard hand in life but she hasn't let it get her down and she's determined in all that she does (though at times I wanted to smack her and tell her to back down on the stubbornness). Devon has also been dealt a hard hand, he went off to war and was blinded, he doesn't want to face the world now and has locked himself away. Together they work, Anne helps Devon out of his funk and Devon shows Anne that she doesn't have to be strong all the time. (1 Star)
Plot - Another reviewer mentioned this story suffers from the kitchen sink syndrome. There was just too much going on with this story. The first half or so of this book was great. But as soon as they return to London it's like every other plot device she could through in got added. Did we need all that stuff with the dead friend's son or the numerous times Anne runs off, or the last 60 or so pages? It just felt like way too much going on.(1/2 Star)
Setting/Accuracy - Everything was going good in this department until we hit the sex swing. That just threw me for a loop. I don't know the history behind them and they very well could of been around then but it just didn't work for me (1/2 Star)
Genre - It worked as a Regency era historical. The only complaint I had was about the decision of two ladies running off to London with no protection, but it wasn't completely unheard of or unthinkable. (1 Star)
That extra something - This started out with that little something special. Anne was a prostitute and Devon was blind. That's right was, he got his sight back. I think the story still would have been great if he stayed blind and didn't have those kitchen sink elements in it! (1/2 Star)
Characters - I really liked Anne and Devon. She's been dealt a hard hand in life but she hasn't let it get her down and she's determined in all that she does (though at times I wanted to smack her and tell her to back down on the stubbornness). Devon has also been dealt a hard hand, he went off to war and was blinded, he doesn't want to face the world now and has locked himself away. Together they work, Anne helps Devon out of his funk and Devon shows Anne that she doesn't have to be strong all the time. (1 Star)
Plot - Another reviewer mentioned this story suffers from the kitchen sink syndrome. There was just too much going on with this story. The first half or so of this book was great. But as soon as they return to London it's like every other plot device she could through in got added. Did we need all that stuff with the dead friend's son or the numerous times Anne runs off, or the last 60 or so pages? It just felt like way too much going on.(1/2 Star)
Setting/Accuracy - Everything was going good in this department until we hit the sex swing. That just threw me for a loop. I don't know the history behind them and they very well could of been around then but it just didn't work for me (1/2 Star)
Genre - It worked as a Regency era historical. The only complaint I had was about the decision of two ladies running off to London with no protection, but it wasn't completely unheard of or unthinkable. (1 Star)
That extra something - This started out with that little something special. Anne was a prostitute and Devon was blind. That's right was, he got his sight back. I think the story still would have been great if he stayed blind and didn't have those kitchen sink elements in it! (1/2 Star)
clare_s2395's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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