Reviews

The Uncompromising Lord Flint by Virginia Heath

norwayellesea's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

The first novel of 2019 and a fabulous beginning it is too. Set mostly against the rugged coast of Cornwall, the author delivers a romantic and suspenseful adventure with added tomfoolery!

Lord Flint's assigned to the task of bringing the treasonous Lady Jessamine Fane back to Britain to stand trial. However, the job proves to be more difficult than he expected. After escaping from his custody twice, he takes matters into his own hands. A decision with life-changing consequences for them both.

Lady Jessamine 'Jess' Fane has spent most of her life in France, where her mother lived with her lover, Comte de Saint-Aubin-de-Scellon. Now, she is in the custody of his majesty; en-route to the gallows for crimes she has committed. Only, her custodian is kind and different to the men she's previously met. Can she convince him of her innocence?

Chalk and cheese, the protagonists are opposites on the attraction spectrum, yet somehow find common ground. The only male in a female dominated family, Peter Flint's accustomed to interfering, strong women, never expecting to attract to such a woman himself. Jess isn't used to caring, thoughtful people but embraces the kindness of those surrounding Lord Flint even though she sees her time within their company as temporary. Needless to say, most of the time, this defiant woman runs rings around her custodian and it's entertaining to see how she manages to break through Flint's determinable insistence to follow the rules as his family delight in the fact their dear son and brother has found the perfect woman.

This is my first Virginia Heath novel and I heartily enjoyed it. The narrative skips along at a steady pace and while the protagonists are a strong and feisty pair, additionally, a couple of secondary characters add an entertaining and at time laugh out loud hilarity to the proceedings too. With an equal balance between suspense and romance, The Uncompromising Lord Flint is the second book in the King's Elite series and is standalone and a must-read for fans of Cornish historical romances.

***arc generously received courtesy of Harlequin Historical***

scoutmomskf's review

Go to review page

5.0

This was an excellent enemies-to-lovers story. It is the second book in the King's Elite series, where the members of the Crown's spy agency have been trying to shut down a French spy/smuggling ring that has members in the highest echelons of British society. Though each book can be read as a standalone, they are better read in order as each one builds on the previous ones.

In this book, Lord Peter Flint is tasked with escorting Lady Jessamine back to England to stand trial for treason. He is well-known for his cool, calm devotion to duty, and he is determined to deliver her safely to London. However, Jess does not make it easy for him. She is feisty, brave, and determined to escape from his custody. The opening salvos in their battle are impressive and set the stage for an interesting battle of wills.

I loved both Peter and Jess. There is more to each of them than the other realizes, and their voyage of discovery was a delight to read. Peter's devotion to duty runs bone-deep as he follows in his father's footsteps as a member of the King's Elite. As a young agent, he made a mistake with a female prisoner that had a lasting effect on him; he will not trust anything that Jess says to him. He is also a gentleman who has five older sisters, and his protectiveness for the female of the species cannot be denied. Jess is an amazing young woman. Torn from her home in England when her French mother ran away with her lover, Saint-Aubin, Jess was subjected to unthinkable neglect and cruel abuse. After her mother's death, Jess was forced to help him with his smuggling/espionage ring. More clever than Saint-Aubin realized, Jess found a way to betray him. She is determined to free herself from both the English and Saint-Aubin and live life on her own terms.

The relationship between Jess and Peter was confrontational at the beginning. I had to laugh at the sight of her pelting him with bread as she screamed French insults at him. In spite of that, Peter defends her right to be treated humanely, something that ends up biting him in the butt when it gives her the chance to escape - twice. Though frustrated by her actions, he can't help but be impressed by her cunning and determination. By the time he catches up with her the second time, he has to redo his entire plan for getting her to London while using her as bait to draw out both the French and the English traitors who want her back in their hands or dead. It isn't too long before the sparks of confrontation turn into the sparks of attraction, but both are reluctant to lower their guards. I liked seeing the trust slowly grow between them as they try to keep Jess safe from Saint-Aubin. As their trust grew, so did their love for each other. But until Jess is proved innocent of the charges against her, there is no way that they can be together.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. I was glued to the pages from start to finish. With all evidence pointing toward Jess's guilt, Peter was determined to get her to London to stand trial while at the same time laying a trap to catch those in charge of the operation. Jess's attitude did nothing to change his mind. But as more of Jess's past was revealed, it became clear that there was more to the story than he knew. Peter is wary of trusting what Jess says, and Jess is unwilling to share everything in an attempt to protect herself. It isn't until she spots Saint-Aubin himself that she confesses all to Peter. As the depth of her knowledge becomes clear, the need to protect her intensifies. As all the players converged on Peter's home in Cornwall, the tension was palpable. There was a terrific scene with Peter, Jess, and Lord Hadleigh as Peter finally convinced Hadleigh of Jess's innocence. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as treachery nearly won the day, though of course, the good guys prevailed.

The secondary characters were terrific also. Lord Gray has some great moments as he provides backup for Peter. He is also outspoken in his dismay over some of his friends' romances. This makes me especially eager to read his story and see how Cupid's arrow brings him down. Peter's mother was one of my favorites. Her outspoken attitude regarding any hint of "tomfoolery" made me laugh, even as it frustrated and embarrassed Peter. I also loved her pragmatic attitude toward what was happening, having had years of experience with Peter's father and his activities. I especially loved her acceptance of Jess and the way she pulled Jess into the family circle. Though he was only doing his job, there were moments when I detested Lord Hadleigh's attitude toward Jess. I loved seeing his eyes get opened to the truth and the effect it had on him.

My only problem with this book, as with the first one, is one of the author's writing quirks. I'm told it is a British thing, though I haven't come across it in any other British author I've read. Phrases such as "she was stood" or "Jess found herself sat" instead of "she stood" or "she found herself sitting" tended to pull me out of the story because they sound wrong to this American reader. I expect I will get used to them the more I read from this author, but it's hard going right now.

kayo32's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced

3.5

ecofriendly_bookworm's review

Go to review page

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

3.5

jessbookishlife's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

If you have been following my reviews you know I loved historical romances and I will read them quickly because I won't put down the book until I have finish it. That's what happened with this one. "The Uncompromising Lord Flint" is the second book in the King's Elite series and although it can be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend you to read the first book in the series, and also, Wild Warriner Series because they are connected.
Now, about this book, you get two awesome characters with that magical touch that Virginia Health always gives to her main characters that makes me just fall in love with them. Jessamine and Peter, two amazing people, with different personalities, but that together they created sparks.
For me there was a good balance between them. Peter was a patriot, and since he's a an agent of the crown of course there is loyalty in him, and of course that shocks with Lady Jessamine's personality and the crimes she was accused of. But I don't want to give any spoilers so I want talk about the story in detail, let me just tell you that I love the book and I will say way.
First of all, Jess' strong minded way and intelligence was something that made the book so much interesting, specially to see what she would do. She doesn't trust people and she believes she doesn't need help. So you can imagine why Jess and Peter would be enemies. But this isn't the typical 'enemies-to-lovers' romance. She was someone I could really relate with.
Then, the novel had a good pace and amazing scenes that gave life to the story. With a plot that elevates the importance of all the moments between the characters, by putting them in situations where their beliefs, thoughts, everything is put into perspective. And I liked that. I liked that this book was different from so many others in the genre, especially because of the reason why the characters met and got together.
Besides, no only were the there amazing main characters, the secondary characters were amazing and they gave the story some added dynamics to the novel and it made it fun to learn more about that time period, the community that Virginia Health created. Every character has an important role in the story and in helping or not the characters, and I love how intertwined everything is in Virginia's series.
It all made sense and it made me excited to turn each page to read more. It was an addicting story, with the right amount of action, mystery, suspense, full of witty moments and sexiness, because there is not enough of sexiness and romance in a regency romance novel.
Now, I have to wait for the next book in the series and that just shows me how powerful Virginia Health's writing is, it leave us wanting for more. I wasn't expecting this characters to end up together, but that's the amazing thing about books, it make us excited, connect emotionally to the characters and feel like we are part of the story. In this case, this book has all that and it was just what I needed.
I definitely recommend this book. If you want a sassy, strong minded, determined female character and a strong, loyal, agent of the crown, both following what they think is right… if you are like me that historical romances are your favorite, go grab this book.

katie_83's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

The Uncompromising Lord Flint (The King’s Elite #2)
By Virginia Heath
5 stars
Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Book Blog

Another fantastic read from this author! She definitely knows how to write the perfect historical romance story! The characters are always really strong and the storylines are exciting to read. I loved that the characters in the story weren’t the ones you would expect to have a romance as they were so different but I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning. I loved Lady Jess, I thought she was a great female lead, yes she had had a hard start to life but that shaped her into the strong, resilient person that she was in the story. My heart did ache for her but I also really admired her and how she had overcome everything.
The first meeting between Jess and Peter was quite funny and definitely made me laugh, there were some good humorous moments during this read that I really enjoyed. I did have a soft spot for Peter; there was just something about him that made me like him straight away.
I thought that the author’s writing was rich and detailed and it flowed really well. This could be read as a standalone however having read book 1 I would also highly recommend that one too! Characters from book 1 do appear in this book also.
I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

keribopps's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This is the second book in the Kings elite series.
This book is about lady jessamine fane who is being held prisoner by Lord peter flint who is part of the Kings elite. She has been accused of being one of napoleon's supporters and had committed all manner of atrocities which had resulted in many good men loosing their life's.
But not everything is as it seems and jess has many hidden secrets.

Such an amazing book! This has definitely become one of my favourites. I feel in love with every character. My fravourite of course being lord flint 😉 I loved the chemistry between jess and Peter. I loved the fact jess is not some damsel in distress that needs saving! She is headstrong, feisty and determined to save herself.

The story line had me hooked from the start. Virginia Heath has a brilliant writting style that draws you in. I hadn't read anything by Virginia before his book and can safely say this book won me over. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

I can safely say I defiantly recommend this book, such an amazing read 😊

booksuperpower's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

The Uncompromising Lord Flint by Virginia Heath is a 2019 Mills & Boon/ Harlequin Historical publication.

I’ve only recently discovered Virginia Heath and must say I’m very impressed with her writing. This book helped solidify her reputation for me. The story grabbed my attention right from the beginning and kept me entertained from start to finish!!

Lady Jessamine Fane lived in France since childhood, when her mother left her father for Comte de Saint-Aubin-de-Scellon. After her mother died, Jessamine was forced to work for St. Aubin, who is a part of an elaborate spy ring, or face his cruel wrath. Now, she is being transported back to London, where she will probably stand trial for treason.

Lord Peter Flint is a member of the King’s Elite, where he’s developed a rigid, uncompromising fortitude in his loyal service to the Crown. After a hard lesson learned, Flint is especially wary of female prisoners. However, he makes sure Jessamine comes to no harm and is treated well while in his care. However, Jessamine is far more cunning than Peter could have guessed, becoming an unlikely asset to him. However, her life could now be in danger. Is Jessamine guilty or innocent? Can Peter trust her, or she him?

Peter and Jessamine are both well drawn characters, and I could see both sides of the equation, which gives the story an emotional and compelling complexity. Trust and faith are key points in the story, as both Peter and Jessamine must decide if the risk is worth taking, with so much at stake.

The conclusion is a tad bit rushed, but other than that, I’m starting off on a good roll with my historical romance novels in 2019. This story is full of intrigue, mystery, and adventure and was a pleasure to read.

ksmarsden's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Lord Flint is a professional, devoted to uncovering a smuggling ring that could unsettle the English government. Nothing can distract him, except a the french traitor, Lady Jessamine.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in The King's Elite, but it works quite well as a stand-alone. That being said, I'm glad I read The Mysterious Lord Millcroft, to give a little background into the smuggling ring in England.

This book follows Peter Flint, the epitome of an English lord, he is cold, distant, and would go to any lengths to protect his country. He lives by strict rules and morals, which make him unforgiving, but fair (as long as you're on the right side!).
He takes the honour of transporting the traitor Jessamine back to England for a trial. The young woman is beautiful and seductive; but Peter underestimates just how smart and resourceful she is, and how passionately she wants to stay alive. Which becomes all the more tricky as - no matter which side she's on - there's some dangerous information in her head that people are willing to kill for.

I loved Jessamine, she's so intelligent, and ready to use every thing she has, to escape the clutches of the English. She doesn't trust anybody, and can only rely on herself to keep alive. Ultimately, Jessamine is playing a dangerous game; she doesn't care that her countrymen don't see her as a hero, and she definitely doesn't need a hero to save her.

It was so enjoyable to watch the pair slowly give in to their attraction, amidst a plot of spies and smugglers, and the greatest danger yet!

I found the ending all wrapped up very quickly, as though the author suddenly had enough, and wanted to move onto the next book; but I really enjoyed it. Not quite up to par with Lord Millcroft - that book is hard to beat - but still very very good.
I'm looking forward to the next story in the King's Elite!

mom_reads_romance's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Granted, I'm not naturally drawn to spy books. This one was ok, but ultimately I wish there was more "getting to know you" between the MCs earlier in the story. I did really love the mother in this story. She added some humor that was needed. Otherwise, it felt quite boring, and procedural even.