MY SCANDALOUS VISCOUNT by Gaelen Foley

Publisher:   Avon

Date published:   September 25, 2012

ISBN:  978-0062075932

Genre:   Historical Romance

Book format:  Paperback

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

Carissa Portland is not a gossip.  No, not at all.  She is a woman of information.  That means she listens in to other people’s conversations, gathers all kinds of tidbits of news and stores it away for future use. The one person she seems to be seeking the most news on is Sebastian, Viscount Beauchamp (Beau). Well no, not really because he is plain and simple a rake and not at all suitable company for Miss Portland. Well, at least for the image she puts forth of herself. But there is something about Beau she just can’t seem to stay away from.

Viscount Beauchamp has done much to cultivate his image as a licentious rake. As a member of the Inferno Club debauchery, drunkenness and committing all sort of bad boy activities are the norm for him. Behind that reckless façade is a man who will do anything for his country and those he loves most. There is one woman he has never been able to keep far from his mind and that is Carissa Portland. He’d like to hold her in more than his mind but his fellow Order agents have warned him against paying too much attention to the Lady of Information. On pain of death they’ve told him to stay away.

But that is easier said than done when Carissa can’t seem to keep herself away from Beau. When she stumbles on a questionable meeting between Beau and another man she suddenly finds herself in a precarious situation that leads to her being shot.  Knowing he must treat her wound as quickly as possible and without the general public finding out about her injury Beau brings Carissa to Dante House, the Inferno Club’s headquarters. But the Lady of Information is unable to sit still and keep from snooping and before long learns Beau’s deepest secrets. To protect her Beau determines they must wed. Can a marriage brought by layers of secrets survive and blossom into true love?

Gaelen Foley’s MY SCANDALOUS VISCOUNT is the fifth book of her Inferno Club series.  With the Prometheans obliterated the members of the Order can turn their attention to other situations that threaten England. At the beginning of the book Beau is not aware of what has happened in Bavaria and if Drake is in fact a traitor or hero. Because he has no news on his fellow agents and with their mentor Virgil dead, Beau is tasked with protecting the Order’s interests in the capital. Part of that requires him answering questions from an MP, Mr. Green.

I found the story to be a well done transition from the Order vs. the Prometheans earlier books in the series and the new challenges the agents will face.  I didn’t quite warm up to Carissa because while she was feisty I didn’t see her as someone I’d want to be friends with. I’m not sure I could trust her with any information about myself out of concern as to whether any interest was truly in me or merely to collect information. She has a bit of a problem telling the truth as well.  On the other hand I enjoyed reading about an intelligent and creative woman.  

I did like Beau and his epiphany about how his marriage to Carissa was a mirror to what he himself had been doing to other men was well done.

Aside from using horses and carriages this story could pretty much have taken place in any time period. What threw me off a few times, which happened in the earlier books, was the use of modern American English slang terms. I like my historicals to reflect the period in description and language.

I didn’t warm up to either Nick or Trevor but since I’m one of those people who start a series just have to finish it I will probably read their stories when they are written.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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My Scandalous Viscount Available from All Romance Ebooks

 

MY RUTHLESS PRINCE by Gaelen Foley

Publisher:   Avon

Date published:   December 2011

ISBN:  978-0062075918

Genre:   Historical Romance

Book format:  Paperback

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

Beat almost beyond recognition, his memory taken from him, Drake, Earl of Westwood has turned away from the Order of St. Michael and joined ranks with their arch enemies, the Prometheans.  What his brother warriors do not know is how much Drake has revealed of their names, families, homes and interests. Despite the Order having him back in their hands for a short time the wily agent managed to escape. Now, in the wilds of Bavaria he stands by his new mentor’s side and plots Promethean world domination.

Emily Harper’s father was the Westwood family woodsman and Emily learned survival skills from her father.  She can track, hunt and shoot an arrow with unerring accuracy. Emily has also loved Drake since childhood. As children the pair shared adventures and secrets including Drake telling her of his future in the Order. But Drake’s parents would never condone more than retainer and servant between Drake and Emily and as a young man he abided by their wishes. Emily had little choice in the matter and accepted what she could from Drake. Now as an adult she knows her heart and nothing will keep her from the man she loves. To that end Emily not only helps Drake escape his friends, she follows him to Bavaria, determined to bring him home and help him regain his memory.

When Drake finds Emily has followed him to the Promethean stronghold he first tells her she must leave then, believing it for her safety, relents. Emily does her best to convince Drake to return with her—and to do so before his fellow Order agents track him down. Can Drake remember the girl he loved before he loses her once again?

Gaelen Foley’s MY RUTHLESS PRINCE is by far my favourite book in her Inferno Club series. We first learn about Drake in book 1, MY WICKED MARQUESS, when he is first captured by the Prometheans and something about him just caught my attention. In each book we learn a bit more about him and in this, his story, we see him in full warrior mode as well as the vulnerable man inside. Ms. Foley takes us into his mind where the fears of what was done to him reside and at the same time, through Emily, shows us, as she tells Drake, the sun and sky.

Portions of the story, particularly at the end, are reminiscent of the Indiana Jones movies with daring rescues and wonderfully dramatic explosions. Well thought out Ms. Foley engages the reader’s imagination and takes him or he along with Emily and Drake.

There were times when the dialogue felt a tad forced--as if the author got the characters into a box and wasn’t able to get them out. But the force of Drake’s character outshines whatever weaknesses the story might have.

I liked Emily for her determination and forestry skills. She’s courageous and doesn’t falter in the face of overwhelming danger. The romance between Drake and Emily is highly emotional and really well done.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

MY IRRESTIBLE EARL by Gaelen Foley

Publisher:   Avon

Date published:   March 29, 2011

ISBN:  978-0061733963

Genre:   Historical Romance

Book format:  Paperback

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

Twelve years ago Jordan, Earl of Falconridge, put duty and country before the woman he loved. Now he’s back in England and before he knows it that woman is before him, as lovely and beguiling as ever. Jordan tells himself leaving her behind was for the best. After all, Mara, Lady Pierson, didn’t wait long at all to marry another suitor and he died rather prematurely. Once again, however, Jordan’s country calls and this time Mara is in the middle of the greatest threat—the life of the Prince.

Mara chose marriage over continuing to live with her harpy mother. In fact it was at a house party just after her mother slapped her she first met Jordan. Rather than wait for the man who stole her heart she married another. The best part of that short marriage was the birth of her son, Thomas. Thomas is her world, her reason for living and she will do anything for Thomas.

When Jordan returns to her life she finds she is more attracted to him than ever. Despite her vow not to wed or even become involved with a man again she quickly falls in love all over again with the blue eyed Earl. But Jordan’s secret life is not something she chooses to live with, but can she live without him?

MY IRRESTIBLE EARL is the third book of Gaelen Foley’s Inferno Club series.  I was lukewarm about book 1, MY WICKED MARQUESS but loved book 2, MY DANGEROUS DUKE. MY IRRESTIBLE EARL felt like step back for men in terms of the main characters.  Mara and Jordan fall in love seemingly minutes after meeting. He goes away and they pine for each other while still moving on with their lives.  They reconnect and they are in love all over again.  I didn’t find that credible. I did, however, like Jordan a lot. He is described as the thoughtful one, the one who fights with his brains as well as his body and I liked the way he thinks.

Mostly I liked Drake’s part in the story. He appears for a few moments in book 1, more in book 2 and in book 3 we get to know the man he had to become to survive even more. There is something just so appealing about this secondary character that I kept reading just in case he popped into the story again.

I also liked little Thomas. Most of the time children in books come across as way too precotious and quickly become annoying. Thomas is a very appealing two year old and Ms. Foley captured the real side of a two year old in a totally likeable way.

This series isn’t quite a stand alone. Each couple does have their happy moment but there is no final happily ever after for them. Instead the epilogues are teasers for the next book in the series. Although considering what the men and now their wives do, can they ever truly have a peaceful happily ever after?

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

MY WICKED MARQUESS by Gaelen Foley

Publisher:   Avon

Date published:   January 31, 2012

ISBN:  978-0062022462

Genre:   Historical Romance

Book format:  Paperback

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

 

Returned from doing battle against Napoleon, specifically after serving the crown at Waterloo and protecting Wellington, Max, the Marquess of Rotherstone is able to turn his attention to his future. Along with his friends, compatriots of the Order of St. Michael, Max believes they have won the centuries old battle to defeat evil. First on Max’s list of things to do is to find himself a bride. Tackling the issue of a wife the same as he would any battle plan Max has a list of likely candidates prepared and settles on one Daphne Starling. Despite the caveat that she may be troublesome, Max seeks her out and initially finds her delivering goods to an orphanage. Before Daphne can complete her task she is attacked and Max proceeds to help the woman he intends to wed to escape. But Max isn’t quite prepared for Daphne’s reaction.

Daphne is no one’s fool. She has been labelled a jilt for rejecting three suitors.  The men were not ones that would have gone along with her plans for the orphanage or the life she wishes to lead. She has a definite idea of what, and who, she wants and that is her long time friend Jonathan. Instead, when she is accosted outside the orphanage she sees Max come under attack and rushes to send the constable to help him. No one is more surprised than Daphne when Max turns up at a ball not long after.

Max’s life in the Order has kept him from society and in many ways he is treated as an unaccepted rake and libertine. He needs a wife to gain entry into that same society. When he once again protects Daphne and her honor he finds himself as a loss and moves to depart the event. Daphne catches up with him before he leaves and their attraction begins to become a tangible thing. Max begins an earnest pursuit of Daphne. He takes her to his home, showers her with gifts and speaks to her father about their union. Daphne is having none of the good looking, seemingly kind and caring man. Despite what becomes an array of good deeds she continues to hold herself apart from him. Despite her best efforts, there is something about Max she cannot help but feel herself drawn to.

But evil lurks behind each corner. Can Max convince Daphne of his feelings and that they belong together before he can vanquish those who threaten the crown?

                                        

MY WICKED MARQUES is my first Gaelen Foley book and I found myself conflicted about the story. It felt like Ms. Foley began the book at one point, put it down and picked it up again sometime later and rather than read back what she had written, continued on. There was a lack of continuity between the characters as I first met them and how they ultimately ended up.

The story line was intriguing to me:  a secret order, founded at the time of the crusades battles against another clandestine alliance. One wants to pursue a free world; the other world domination. Set against the backdrop of Napoleon’s bid to own the world the possibilities seemed endless—even with descendants in the future continuing the battle.

The idea of an Inferno club of ne’er do wells who are actually forerunners of James Bond seemed enticing. The book began strongly. In the beginning I liked Daphne as a strong, caring woman who, despite being a product of her times was more than an ornament. Likewise, I liked Max. He was entertaining with his list of possible brides and his pursuit of them—or at least Daphne. Their first “meeting” when he stumbles, quite literally to her rescue, was entertaining and unique.

But at some point, around the time Drake’s secret is hinted at, the story changed.  As Max continued his relentless pursuit of Daphne he began to seem more and more like a stalker and she lost all that made her unique. In the beginning she seemed like a self-possessed and intelligent woman of her time. As Max became more a part of her life, she seemed to become increasingly immature. By the end of the book they struck me more as teenagers than mature adults.

The heavy Christian beliefs portrayed toward the end seemed almost misplaced. It was a tad off putting. Certain modern day words, such as “daddy” seemed out of place in a historical romance and terms such as “Coast Guard” could have easily been researched—it was not a British agency at the time of the book.

That said, Ms. Foley does have an entertaining writing voice and I will continue to read the series as I want to find out just what happened to Drake and see how Max’s friends fare with their own bride searches.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.