Sara Ramsey - The Earl Who Played With Fire

No one would suspect prim, proper Prudence Etchingham of lusting after her best friend’s brother. Nor would anyone guess that she’s responsible for dozens of the best forgeries in London’s antiquities markets. But if her love for Alex is doomed to fail, she must raise enough money to escape the marriage mart. She just needs one last, daring forgery to set herself up for life...
Alex Staunton, the rich Earl of Salford, lives a charmed existence. No one knows that he’s dangerously attracted to his sister’s best friend. Nor has he revealed that he suffers from an ancient curse—one that has given him everything, but prevents him from marrying the woman of his dreams. But when an enemy from his past takes an unseemly interest in Prudence’s future, Alex must find a way to break the curse... or risk losing her forever.
Every seductive encounter brings them closer together—but their secret, smoldering desires will inevitably burn them. And when Prudence’s illicit forgery collides with Alex’s desperate search, more than their hearts are at stake. Can they break Alex’s curse and save Prudence from her unwanted suitor? Or will their love become a weapon that will destroy them both?

Comment: This is the fourth and final installment in the Muses of Mayfair series by author Sara Ramsey. Last year I had read the first book and liked it enough to want to carry on with the series but the truth is that the first book ended up being the one I liked the most, and the following three, including this last one, were more average to me.

In this story we finally have the story of the final Muse, Prudence. All female protagonists have a certain hobby which makes them special at a time women weren't encouraged to pursuit other interests than the norms society told them they should, but these three have their own way of thinking. Prudence is as intelligent and capable of debating scientific subjects and she does, in fact, exchange correspondence with many other brilliant minds, although she doesn't tell her she is a woman. One of those men is precisely Alex, the earl of Salford (brother to Amelia, from book #2) with whom she has been in love since they met and started meeting in the same circles. 

While Alex also cares for Prudence, and was devastated when she was supposed to have married another, he believes she is safer without him, for there is something wrong with him. However, another of Alex's acquaintances, the duke of Thorington, shows up now and starts making inquires to marry Prudence, even though she has no money. Alex feels this is a way to get the upper hand on him, but will he finally realize that he can beat overcome any obstacle with Prudence's help?

One of the reasons why the first book was much better to me was the fact Madeleine's desire to be an actress and her relationship with her future husband were subjects that matched quite well. I felt invested in their dilemmas and why she could not be open about her acting. However, the plights of the heroines of the following books didn't seem to be as "organic" to their behavior and personality and, in fact, the general plot of their books seemed less well done. Perhaps there are solid reasons why this is this way, but it feels as if the first book was planned a lot better than the others.

Prudence was supposed to have married the hero from the second book, but he fell in love with her friend Amelia instead. By then of course we knew Prudence loved Alex and their story took longer to happen, so I wished for something special and rewarding, after so long waiting. I was certainly not ready to find that the big reason why they couldn't be together sooner was due to Alex's secret and why he felt he couldn't be distracted by a woman who would demand all his love and attention, such as Prudence.

The reality is that Alex is "cursed" and he believed that years ago when making a wish with a magical dagger, his wish came true and now he can't be distracted from his studies otherwise the obstacle is somehow removed from his path, as it happened to a mistress long ago. If these books had had paranormal content or something, I might have accepted this "excuse" better, but what I thought was, author, come on... I do feel I'm being unfair about how much I disliked this silly plot point, but what could have been a solid romance, came down a lot on my regard, and I feel there could be better ways to develop the story.

This means that Alex hid something from everyone from the start, and even though he likes Prudence, despite he fell in love with her, he also felt he had to protect her by not being with her. Since none of this was shared until a key point in the book, for Prudence it felt he didn't feel the same, and she believed she would need to stop pining for him. What a big case of miscommunication, and I think that or the author could have used a different conflict motif, or their relationship should have been presented differently, because if they were this close and didn't trust one another, the exchange of everlasting love declarations feels rather weak, when it happens.

The story kept revolving about this and some pointless secondary situations (for me) which meant things took some time to finally come to light; I will admit I wasn't always as eager to keep reading, but I also wanted to finish the series and see if these two would finally talk. They do, at last. But does this means they used their brilliance to devise a plan and stick to it? Not really, and it felt as if this would never end... when they finally explain everything and when the story ends, they are a couple and destined for happiness, but I wasn't left with the best impression... some things just didn't seem to make much sense to me.

This said, I feel glad I've finished the series and I did like certain elements in all stories, but I cannot say reading this series made me eager to read more by the author. Perhaps I'll try something else one day, but right now I don't think so.

Grade: 5/10

TBR Challenge: Sara Ramsey - The Marquess Who Loved Me

The widowed Marchioness of Folkestone is notorious for her parties, her art collection, and her utter disregard for the rules. But Ellie Claiborne knows her destruction is near. The new marquess is her first lover–the man whose sculpted body and sardonic grin haunt her every time she picks up her paintbrush. If he ever returns to claim his inheritance, her heart won’t survive seeing him again.
Nicholas Claiborne hasn’t stepped foot in England since watching Ellie marry his cousin. He has no use for the gorgeous, heartless girl who betrayed him, or the title she abandoned him for. But when his business in India turns deadly, Nick must return to London to uncover a murderer–and take revenge on the woman he couldn’t force himself to forget.
Nick hates Ellie’s transformation from sweet debutante to jaded seductress. Ellie despises him for leaving her behind. Still, the sparks between them reignite the passion that should have been their destiny. As their demands of each other turn darker and a potential killer closes in, they must decide whether to guard the fragile remnants of their hearts—or find a way to fall in love all over again.

Comment: One more month gone and it's now time for a new TBR challenge post! For April the theme is "no place like home" and in my mind I imagined someone returning home after being away for a long time, for that feeling of cherishing home is certainly stronger in that situation. It just happened that I had already planned to read this book this month, about a man who left his country and is now back to take charge of his estate, thus my choice was easy this month. 

This is actually the third installment in the Muses of Mayfair series, about four friends who have uncommon hobbies/passions considering the historical setting. 

Elinor, a widowed marchioness and painter, is going on about her life as usual, when Nicholas Claiborne decides to return and take over his estate. In the past Nick and Ellie had been sweethearts in love but when her father was told about this, he found a titled husband for her instead of Nick, who was a merchant's son at the time. Coincidentally, Ellie's new husband was Charles, the marquess of Folkstone, who happened to be Nick's cousin, and he could not accept the betrayal, leaving for India. Now Nick is back after several years, is the current heir of the estate where Ellie has lived and he wants revenge. However, despite the years, could it be that there is still love between them, and a place at home for Nick?

I will say that most of this book proved me right, once again, on why I tend to not enjoy the lovers reunited trope that much.

Ellie and Nick had been in love, a sweet, puppy kind of love which they believed could last forever and they were even intimate. Then, events happened to prevent them from being together and Nick could not believe she would marry his cousin instead, thinking she had done it only for the title, whereas he and his family were linked to trade and he could not give her the same. That is why he left and why he became successful. Now he is back and wants to get revenge on Ellie, but as they start interacting once more, they both realize the teenage feelings aren't gone.

I find these lovers reunited stories very boring in general, because there are pages and pages or scenes popping up all the time about past memories, about reminiscence, about past events/situations which cannot be changed and that, nevertheless, affect the characters and their choices in the present. I was, I admit, rather annoyed at Nick and Ellie for how they behaved in the past, but even more so for how they are now and the type of actions/behavior they have. This meant that while the story had its appeal, and I was curious to see them interacting with the secondary characters, their actual romance and reunion was boring as everything.

Certainly that this is a personal interpretation of the story line, and the reunion the actual purpose of the plot, but I struggled to find interest in what they were saying and doing. Most times I was annoyed because a frank conversation both in the past and now would make things easier - if not solving the conflict right away - but when this does happen to minimize the problems between them as I predicted, many chapters of silly games had already happened, increasing my general displeasure about them as a couple.

In the past, Ellie accepted to marry Nick's cousin because it was what her father wanted. However, I could not sympathize because in the now, the father is no longer in the picture and Ellie is sometimes acting as a jaded widow, and I just could not empathize with her. I think we are supposed to see her as becoming colder or cynical because of her past experiences, but I think I'd have liked her more if her choice in the past had been for a greater/stronger reason. Pleasing a father in an historical context might have more importance than in a contemporary one somehow, but I don't think the author wrote things in the best way to make the reader (well, me) convinced that those reasons had been the only possible ones.

Perhaps I can add that, in general, the writing of this story was not very.... satisfying. Perhaps, in part, it's the trope's fault, always something I'm already beware of, but the characterization of Ellie and Nick in the now just did not made me root for them. I knew the end would be that they would become an established couple again, but the process was not a romantic nor sweet one enough for me to think of them as a successful one. 

Nick, as well as Ellie, is now a more experienced person in relationships with others and this did affect his behavior into something less understanding. But I could put this aside if his goal was to win Ellie back or to find a way to finally get answers, but his silly games of revenge and how the author invented a way for them to need to be together while they didn't want to nor needed to, was really frustrating. Silly sexual revenge games did not make me think of them as a romantic couple, and when, supposedly, their feelings are romantic and happy again, I was no longer interested in them.

There are some references to Ellie's painting and why it was important to her, but not as much as the passions of the other female protagonists had been highlighted for plot purposes. I did like the interaction between the protagonists and the secondary characters, but when the author adds an apparent villain who is trying to kill Nick, so that the plot has to move towards romantic bliss more obviously, I thought this was a rather weak method of doing it. 
I think the "no place like home" notion that prompted my choice was well achieved, for Nick does return from India and he does reminisce about his home and his younger years, and the story ends with an HEA for him and Ellie in his current role, and estate.

Still, in general, this wasn't as special as I imagined it could be despite my usual reservations for this trope... I hope the final story of the quartet is more to my taste, at least the idea of it seems to be and I hope I won't be disappointed.

Grade: 5/10

Sara Ramsey - Scotsmen Prefer Blondes

When a friend is forced to consider a marriage of convenience, Lady Amelia Staunton is determined to rescue her. But her plans trap her in an illicit seduction, and Amelia must marry him herself. Malcolm’s all-consuming kisses and devilish humor might make up for her lost freedom, but she believes he will force her to abandon the Gothic romances she yearns to write. Since she can’t escape him, she must distract him from her secret...
A powerful autocrat with a well-hidden rebellious streak, Malcolm MacCabe doesn’t need another beautiful mistress–he needs an obedient wife. Obedience is not one of Amelia’s virtues. But he’s too enthralled by her wit and passion to let her go–even if it means risking the political reputation he is building to save his clan.
Despite their intentions, every wicked embrace binds them together. But as their conflicting desires combust into insatiable hunger and unavoidable ruin, they must decide whether to pursue their personal destinies alone–or fight for the love that could destroy them both.

Comment: This is the second installment in the Muses of Mayfair series, about a group of friends who share specific and uncommon interests in a society where ladies are supposed to be all the same. In the first book we met Madeleine, who wanted to be an actress, and in this second book the heroine is Amelia, who secretly writes books the aristocracy people she interacts with would not approve.

This story begins with a small gathering at the house of Scottish lord Malcolm McCabe, so that he could meet Prudence and Malcolm could meet and, perhaps, agree on a marriage of convenience. The problem is that while Prudence was trying to feel fine with the idea, after she meets Malcolm she can't seem to show her personality and wit. In an attempt to help, Amelia makes plans, while trying to ignore the attraction between her and Malcolm, but things backfire.

Now that a friendship seems to be practically lost, but marriage is on her path, Amelia needs to come to terms with her actions, her secrets and maybe she and Malcolm could even find a happy enough marriage...but he wants a scandalous free lady for a wife and Amelia doesn't think she can give up on her writing and on how much happiness that brings her... is there a way for this to work out between them?

In general, I did like this story and I've appreciated the elements used by the author to make it interesting, such as the secret Amelia has, the fact she and Malcolm were apparently reluctant to start something when that could hurt Prudence's feelings, but I will say that I was a little disappointed in how things progressed after this more wowing beginning.

Amelia is a very complex character because she likes writing and does it for pleasure and to prove she is able to accomplish something many would not believe she was able to. She is also a beautiful woman and is aware of how that impacts men so she has been successful in delaying an engagement because people more easily accept a refusal if she plays her beauty card. She has a group of friends in Madeleine and Prudence, and even on Madeleine's sister in law, but she also comes cross as being a bit aloof. I will have to say I didn't fully warm up to her and while I liked she and Malcolm eventually found their HEA, this story didn't marvel me.

Malcolm is a more likable person, in my opinion. He loves his Scottish lands and traditions and is even slightly put off to have to go to London and be in politics, but it's an annoyance he still will take on for the sake of those who depend on him. He is immediately taken with Amelia but would put that attraction aside if Prudence had shown any sign of interest in him, which convinced me he would do the right thing, in detriment of his own preferences. I also liked he was concerned about his family and the tenants in his lands.

To me, the issue of why this story didn't work as greatly as it could was how the relationship between Malcolm and Amelia progressed. On one hand, they take things slowly from the moment they decide they need to be married, but I feel there was no chemistry between them and the fact Amelia was more eloquent in speaking to him than Prudence was not enough to tell me they were that suitable. Also, a good part of the conflict was set on Amelia's writing and how that was a secret, but I don't feel the plot development portrayed this element in the best way.

As a matter of fact, it felt that Amelia's big secret was only a convenient way to justify why they would need to be at odds, or why Amelia had to feel she could not tell Malcolm something like that right away. It is true that many husbands would not accept the news well, but in my opinion, this was not developed very well, and Malcolm even has an out of proportion reaction about it mostly because of when he finds out, and not as much for the secret itself.

The romance was not very captivating to me. I feel they didn't really work out, or at least I don't think the author did the best to make it seem so. Their personalities were OK, I've liked Malcolm more, but as a couple I don't think they were that special. I think the romance development in the first book was better achieved because their feelings seem to be in better evidence. Besides, the romance between Malcolm and Amelia was only set on their physical attraction and how they could go head to head as equals. I've missed some more sweet scenes or situations where both their vulnerabilities would be one more reason for one person to want to help/support/defend the other.

I've finished the novel and I don't think I will remember this couple that much. Some interactions were interesting, as were a few scenes, but for the most part I could easily put the story aside. It just seemed as if many situations were a little contrived and the protagonists didn't always seem to be very certain of what they wanted, considering the fact they both appeared confident to others...

Grade: 6/10

Sara Ramsey - Heiress Without a Cause

A disgraced son with a dark reputation, William “Ferguson” Avenel is content to live in exile–until his father dies in the scandal of the Season. With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England–and he won’t ruin her, even if he secretly desires the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.
Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity–even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.
Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?

Comment: Another book in the pile for a long time, as it often happens I must have read something positive about it somewhere and it was enough to convince me to add it to the TBR list.

In this historical novel, we meet lady Madeleine Vaillnt, an orphan who has been raised by her aunt and her family and that, along with cousin Amelia and friend Prudence, has created a small niche of friends. The three are interested in things that usually aren't young ladies preferences but they are all getting closer to be on the shelf than the other way around and Maddie doesn't mind it, if only she could be the actress she desires. She knows a lady cannot do such a thing so she found a way to act, in disguise, so she could feel what it is like to perform for real in front of an audience.

William "Ferguson" Avanel, now the duke of Rothwell, knows he and his family are linked to scandals and he has preferred to live his life in Scotland, but he has two younger sisters who have not come out yet and he is told lady Madeleine is the right person to help him, even though she is single herself. One night he happens to discover Madeleine's secret, and this tells him there's more to her than the innocent lady she shows to others.. could it be they would be right for each other?

I think, as it happens with so many novels, there's a certain suspension of belief in order to accept certain things and here, it is the same, but I was interested nevertheless, and this turned out to be a fascinating story to follow.

Maddie is a young lady from a good family and she lost her family in France. She now lives with an aunt and has been well treated but her spirit dreams of being an actress. Since she cannot be one openly, she found a disguise and has been giving in to her dream in a theater in the less appealing area of London. However, things change when Ferguson sees her act and is as captivated as the not so aristocrat public around him. Following the basic idea which many of his peers certainly would have, he tries to meet the actress and make her his mistress.

Maddie is not convinced and believes she was successful in leaving and hiding from him, but Ferguson sees her arrive home and starts thinking who could it be that lives there, which happened to be the house where the new sponsor of his sisters also lives in. It doesn't take him long to find the truth but while this is possible, it is also extremely unlikely and only by accepting this as an artistic license can we enjoy the story line. Still, it was a good reason for why Ferguson and Maddie were spending time together and, as one can imagine, their connection quickly starts to seem too close for some people.

I don't think it's any surprise that there is thought of marriage at some point and, this being a romance, the path to it isn't easy but it's practically a given. Most of the conflict between them isn't about Maddie's activities in the end, but how each one sees a possible relationship developing. It's clear from the start they like one another and I think the author managed to add enough scenes with them interacting to convince me the romance was taking some time but was becoming an established factor and we get to have the notion other people around them would expect it of them.

I'd say the biggest hurdles were to convince people Ferguson was ready to let go of his interest in the actress to faithfully marry lady Madeleine. It was quite a blast to read about this while they both were aware of the situation and this was not a secret of only of them. Then, the biggest issue is that Ferguson is still trying to convince himself that Maddie would tire of their life there and if they lived in Scotland, where he had hidden spent most of his adult life, things could keep on being easy between them. I think this part could have been better because it felt as if the author was simply stretching out the problem...

I liked the writing style in general and putting aside some stubbornness of the characters, this was actually pleasant to read. I think some scenes, which seemed a little exaggerated, could have been toned down and nothing would be lost, but perhaps that is only my preference. I've liked Maddie and Ferguson in general and could accept most of their thinking regarding the different issues they faced. I think their romance was also a good one, but that self doubt by Ferguson closer to the end felt like a problem that didn't have to last for so long...

I'm thinking about reading the other books, which feature Maddie's cousin, and then her best friend, with also one of Ferguson's sisters (not the ones needing to come out) but probably not this year anymore. I think I can put aside some personal dislikes if the overall story is as appealing as this one.

Grade: 7/10