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WORK TITLE: Chasing the Heiress
WORK NOTES:
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BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://rachaelmiles.com/
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STATE: NY
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NATIONALITY:
http://rachaelmiles.com/index.php/contact
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Former professor of book history and nineteenth-century literature.
AVOCATIONS:Knitting.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Rachael Miles is the author of the “Muses’ Salon” series of romance novels set in Regency England. She has been a professor of book history and nineteenth-century literature.
Jilting the Duke
Jilting the Duke, the first book in the “Muses’ Salon” series, deals with a second chance at love. Aidan Somerville, the son of a duke, was engaged to Sophia Gardiner before he went to war. Sophia, however, married his best friend Tom, Lord Wilmot, even before Aidan’s ship sailed. Ten years later, Tom has died, leaving behind his wish that Aidan become coguardian of Sophia’s son, Ian. Aidan, now a duke and working for the British Home Office, is determined to make Sophia suffer for jilting him, but he soon finds he still loves and desires her, and she reciprocates his feelings. He also learns that her late husband has been accused of treason, and Sophia is implicated as well. He cannot believe there is any merit to the charge, but he undertakes an investigation under orders from his superiors at the home office, all the while trying to protect Sophia and Ian from a mysterious enemy.
Several critics praised Jilting the Duke as a well-written Regency romance that avoids clichés. It “draws readers in with unusual characters and the interplay of secrets and lies,” observed a Publishers Weekly reviewer, who termed the novel “cozily scrumptious.” A contributor to a Web site called Red Wine & Books noted: “Not only were the characters complex, and the story engaging, but the attention to detail was simply fantastic.” Kathe Robin, writing online at RT Book Reviews, dubbed Jilting the Duke “a charming, sweet and sensual novel” marked by “delightful dialogue and surprising twists.”
Chasing the Heiress
This novel focuses on Aidan’s younger brother Colin, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars who is also working for the Home Office. He is ready to retire but goes on a final mission, escorting the widowed, pregnant Princess Marietta to London. They are attacked and seriously injured, and he turns to a young scullery maid named Lucy for help. Lucy is a capable nurse who restores Colin to health and takes charge of the baby delivered by Marietta, who subsequently dies. Lucy’s work as a servant is only a masquerade; she is really Lady Arabella Lucia Fairborne, who has run away from her family’s estate and assumed this guise to escape a cousin who sought to kill her and claim her inheritance. She is also a strong, independent woman who developed her nursing skills while accompanying her late father, a military officer, to battlefields where she cared for wounded soldiers. She and Colin fall in love, but she keeps her true identity secret, so he believes there is a class divide between them. In addition, both remain in danger from those who had pursued them previously.
Some reviewers considered this another strong story. Miles combines “realism and pure romance” in “an engaging tale that’s a feast for the imagination,” remarked a Publishers Weekly critic. RT Book Reviews online commentator Joan Hammond termed Chasing the Heiress “a sensual and very moving novel.” Liana Smith Bautista, writing at a Web site called Will Read for Feels, noted that “the love story in this novel is golden, and it’s got a sense of drama and heartbreak.” She concluded: “It’s a not-to-be-missed read.”
Tempting the Earl
In Tempting the Earl, Miles once again tells a story involving secret identities. Harrison Walgrave, Earl of Levesford, is an associate of the Somerville brothers at the Home Office; he is a member of Parliament and also a spy. He is estranged from his wife, Olivia, who has remained at his country estate, where she secretly writes a newspaper column under the pseudonym “An Honest Gentleman.” The column is often critical of British government and society. Harrison admires the writer, not knowing it is his wife, but at the same time suspects the columnist of treasonous intent. Olivia, frustrated by her husband’s neglect, decides to seek an annulment of their marriage on the grounds that it was not conducted legally. When he travels to the estate from London in an attempt to talk her out of the plan, he finds she is far more interesting than he ever realized. The intrigues in which both are involved, though, put them at risk and complicate their attempt at reconciliation.
Like Miles’s previous novels, Tempting the Earl received substantial critical praise. The story of “spy versus spy in a tantalizing second-chance love story” makes for “a delicious, original read,” observed Kathe Robin at RT Book Reviews. John Charles, writing in Booklist, called the novel “expertly grounded in the era’s history . . . impeccably researched and beautifully crafted.” A Publishers Weekly contributor thought the historical background a bit excessive at times, saying Miles displays an “impressive grasp of the era’s politics and mores,” but her “fondness for showing off her research sometimes encumbers the story.” An online commentator at Romance Junkies, however, commended Tempting the Earl without qualification, finding it “truly fulfills a reader’s need for intrigue, romance, and a happily-ever-after.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 15, 2016, John Charles, review of Tempting the Earl, p. 23.
Publishers Weekly, November 23, 2015, review of Jilting the Duke, p. 54; May 2, 2016, review of Chasing the Heiress, p. 37; October 3, 2016, review of Tempting the Earl, p. 107.
ONLINE
All About Romance, http://allaboutromance.com/ (March 12, 2017), Caz Owens, reviews of Jilting the Duke and Tempting the Earl.
Night Owl Reviews, https://www.nightowlreviews.com/ (March 12, 2017), review of Chasing the Heiress.
Red Wine & Books, http://www.redwineandbooks.com/ (February 9, 2016), review of Jilting the Duke.
Romance Junkies, http://romancejunkies.com/ (March 12, 2017), review of Tempting the Earl.
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (March 12, 2017), Kathe Robin, reviews of Jilting the Duke and Tempting the Earl; Joan Hammond, review of Chasing the Heiress.
Will Read for Feels, http://www.willreadforfeels.com/ (February 9, 2016), Liana Smith Bautista, review of Jilting the Duke; (June 6, 2016), Liana Smith Bautista, review of Chasing the Heiress.
Written Love Reviews, http://writtenlovereviews.blogspot.com/ (February 1, 2016), review of Jilting the Duke.
Meet Rachael!
Rachael Miles writes witty, sexy romance novels set in the British Regency.
"Impeccably researched and beautifully crafted," Miles' debut series The Muses’ Salon (published with Kensington Zebra Shout) has been praised in Publisher's Weekly, RT Book Reviews, and Booklist. Miles' 'cozily scrumptious historical' novels have been compared to those of Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney. Her latest book--Tempting the Earl--was named one of Amazon's Editor's Best Books for November 2016 as well as an RT Book Reviews Top Pick.
A native Texan transplanted to upstate NY, Miles lives in the woods with her indulgent husband, three rescued dogs, an ancient cat, and a herd of deer who love her vegetable garden. A former professor of book history and nineteenth-century literature, she is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary.
Twitter: rachael_miles1
Facebook: RachaelMilesAuthor
Goodreads: Rachael_Miles
Pinterest: Miles3275
Ravelry: Rachael Miles (I'm a new knitter: I know how to knit and purl ... and drop stitches, sometimes intentionally)
You can also contact Rachael by email.
Rachael is represented by the always fabulous Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary Agency, San Diego, CA.
Quoted in Sidelights: expertly grounded in the era's history
impeccably researched and beautifully crafted
Tempting the Earl
John Charles
Booklist.
113.4 (Oct. 15, 2016): p23.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Tempting the Earl. By Rachael Miles. Nov. 2016.352p. Zebra, paper, $4.99 (9781420140903); ebook
(9781420140910).
Enough is enough. Ever since he married her, six years ago, Olivia Walgrave's husband, Harrison, Earl of Levesford,
has completely ignored her. Left by herself to manage their country estate, Olivia has found personal fulfillment
writing essays on the social ills affecting England, using the pseudonym "An Honest Gentleman." But Olivia wants
more from life than an absentee husband, which is why she is pressing Harrison for an annulment. Harrison knows he
has been busy with secret work for the War Office and ending his marriage would easily allow him to continue on with
his life as it is. However, when he returns home to his estate, ostensibly to check up on his wife, he discovers that
letting go of Olivia may be more difficult than he thought. Fans of Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney as well as all
readers who value Regencyset romances that are expertly grounded in the era's history will be delighted to discover
the latest in Miles' (Chasing the Heiress, 2016) impeccably researched and beautifully crafted Muses' Salon series.
John Charles
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
Charles, John. "Tempting the Earl." Booklist, 15 Oct. 2016, p. 23. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA468771268&it=r&asid=108d3a5f2fddd93314a5a04da27e4d8b.
Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468771268
Quoted in Sidelights: impressive grasp of the
era's politics and mores,
fondness for showing off her research sometimes encumbers the story.
1/30/2017 General OneFile Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1485831278295 2/4
Tempting the Earl: The Muses' Salon Series
Publishers Weekly.
263.40 (Oct. 3, 2016): p107.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Tempting the Earl: The Muses' Salon Series
Rachael Miles. Zebra Shout, $4.99 mass market (362p) ISBN 9781420140903
Miles's third Muses' Salon Regency (after Chasing the Heims) enmeshes opinionated countess Olivia Walgrave in a
plot that involves spies, thespians, ne'erdowells, Parliament, the Home Office, and her absentee spouse. Olivia was
abandoned by her husband, Harrison Walgrave, Earl of Levesford, just after their hasty nuptials. She's enjoyed reigning
over his estate for six years and has established herself as a competent overseer of his business affairs; secretly, she's
also an outspoken critic of the Parliamentary status quo. Her essays appear in a broadsheet under the pseudonym An
Honest Gentleman (AHG), protecting her anonymity and providing a reliable income. Harrison, a member of
Parliament, both admires AHG and suspects the writer of scurrilous intent. The two eventually square off amid political
and sexual fireworks. Regency fans fond of intrigue and detailed subplots will enjoy Miles's impressive grasp of the
era's politics and mores, but the author's fondness for showing off her research sometimes encumbers the story. Agent:
Courtney MillerCallihan, Handspun Literary. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"Tempting the Earl: The Muses' Salon Series." Publishers Weekly, 3 Oct. 2016, p. 107. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA466166611&it=r&asid=8435322222ea4df95b1f221d746764df.
Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A466166611
Quoted in Sidelights: realism and pure romance,
an engaging tale that's a feast for
the imagination.
1/30/2017 General OneFile Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1485831278295 3/4
Chasing the Heiress
Publishers Weekly.
263.18 (May 2, 2016): p37.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Chasing the Heiress
Rachael Miles. Zebra Shout, $4.99 mass market (376p) ISBN 9781420140880
Miles continues to demonstrate her skill with historical romance with the excellent second book in the Regencyera
Muses' Salon series (after Jilting the Duke). Scullery maid Lucy is really Lady Arabella Lucia Fairbourne, in flight
from her dastardly cousin after the death of her greataunt Aurelia. She must find her way to London before her cousin
can make good on his plan to surreptitiously kill her. Colin Somerville, the younger brother of a duke, has had his fill
of duty, yet he undertakes one last mission for the Home Officeone that nearly ends in his death. Lucy nurses him
back to health while giving him her heart, though not her secrets. The pair must stay alive while fleeing deadly
machinations from all sides. Miles isn't afraid to include stark descriptions of life during the time period, and she
manages to walk that fine line between realism and pure romance, blending both into an engaging tale that's a feast for
the imagination. Agent: Courtney MillerCallihan, Handspun Literary. June)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"Chasing the Heiress." Publishers Weekly, 2 May 2016, p. 37. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA452883999&it=r&asid=59a33a14f6687ccd25b8d8df39c80f72.
Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A452883999
Quoted in Sidelights: draws readers in with unusual characters and the interplay of secrets and lies
cozily scrumptious
1/30/2017 General OneFile Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1485831278295 4/4
Jilting the Duke
Publishers Weekly.
262.47 (Nov. 23, 2015): p54.
COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Jilting the Duke
Rachael Miles. Kensington/Zebra Shout, $4.99 mass market (352p) ISBN 9781420140866
Debut author Miles's reluctant duke is set on revenge against the woman who jilted him, and he sets out to make her
paywith passionin this cozily scrumptious historical romance, the first in a Regencyera series. Orphaned Sophia
had promised herself to Aidan, the third son of a duke, but she married his best friend soon after Aidan went off to war.
A decade later, Aidan has the title and a quiet career with the Home Officeand has been named coguardian of the
widowed Sophia's son. All his schemes for making Sophia pay for throwing him over fly out the window when she is
threatened by a shadowy foe. The normally formulaic foundation of period pieces is tweaked with just enough intrigue
to set this novel apart from others of the genre. Rather than focusing on the typical parade of dresses and debutantes,
the novel draws readers in with unusual characters and the interplay of secrets and lies. Agent: Courtney MillerCallihan,
Sanford Greenburger Associates. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"Jilting the Duke." Publishers Weekly, 23 Nov. 2015, p. 54. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA436439889&it=r&asid=63a0063d25d9760dbca4487d8f9ab60e.
Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A436439889
the love story in this novel is golden, and it’s got a sense of drama and heartbreak
It’s a not-to-be-missed read
Book Review: Chasing the Heiress by Rachael Miles
June 6, 2016 3 Comments Written by Liana Smith Bautista
Book Review: Chasing the Heiress by Rachael Miles
I received this book for free from Tasty Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Book Review: Chasing the Heiress by Rachael MilesChasing the Heiress by Rachael Miles
Series: The Muses' Salon #2
Published by Zebra on May 31, 2016
Genres: Historical Romance, Romance
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iBooks • Add to Goodreads
four-stars
Heiress On The Run
Lady Arabella Lucia Fairborne has no need of a husband. She has a fine inheritance for the taking, a perfectly capable mind, and a resolve as tough as nails. But what she doesn't have is the freedom to defy her cousin's will--and his will is to see her married immediately to the husband of his choosing. So is it any wonder that she dresses herself as a scullery maid and bolts into the night?
Colin Somerville's current mission for the home office is going poorly. Who would have expected otherwise for a rakish spy tasked with transporting a baby to the care of the royal palace. But when, injured and out of ideas, Colin stumbles upon a beautiful maid who knows her way around a sickroom, it seems salvation has arrived. Until he realizes that though Lucy may be able to help him survive his expedition, he may not escape this ordeal with his heart intact…
I might not have been too happy with Jilting the Duke, the first book in The Muses’ Salon, a Regency romance series by Rachael Miles, but the second book in the series, Chasing the Heiress, just goes to show that first impressions don’t always last when it comes to authors, series, or stories. This book was so packed with feels, I not only found myself wholly engrossed, but I now have every intention of revisiting the first book to see what I may have missed.
The first thing I loved about this story was the heroine. Lucy is everything you want in a romantic main character from any time period: she’s spunky and fierce, but also kind and gentle; she’s got a unique skillset that would make her devastating as a toon in the MMORPGs I used to love (a nurse and herbalist, sharpshooter, and fencer? That’s your healer, DPS, and melee in one tiny woman!).
But she also has a painful past and has a tendency to isolate herself and distrust even those who only have her welfare at heart. So she’s got just enough stubbornness to avoid the boredom of perfection, but a large enough dose of spirit and grace to delight readers and have them (me included) eager to be her cheerleaders through the book. And because she’s such a strong character, of course the author had to put her through the wringer. Parts of this book had me thinking I’d somehow stepped into an episode of Penny Dreadful or American Horror Story (had it been set in historical England, anyway!). But even though what happens may make your tummy hurt as it did mine, it only made me want her to get a happy ever after all the more.
Meanwhile, Colin Somerville, the hero, has an equally traumatic past, and while the weight of it has caused his family to worry, the core of his character shines through, and it’s made of honor, integrity, duty and a surprising amount of sweetness. What’s great is that you see the sobriety his experiences in the war has weighed him with, but you also see hints of the mischief and sense of humor that must have marked his character before the events in this book. He’s got the typical alpha bossiness, but also a vulnerable side that comes through unexpectedly. And his crisis at the crossroads of heart and honor is well portrayed, so you really feel for the guy.
I actually also enjoyed the auxiliary character in this series, especially the steel-spined yet oh-so-vulnerable Lady Em. I did wish, however, that the villains in this piece had been a little better defined. It felt like the author was holding stuff back for future installments in the series—which admittedly is a good tactic, but in execution should not be one felt by the reader.
On a similar point, I found the bit of danger and intrigue in the plot a bit convoluted, as there are a two separate threats to our heroes’ lives and happiness. I suspect they are linked, but again have frustratingly inadequate information and buildup. Moreover, these do not seem to be satisfactorily concluded, and again I feel like it’s so some big reveal can happen later in the series.
Still, the love story in this novel is golden, and it’s got a sense of drama and heartbreak and aww-inspiring feels seen in classic love stories. It’s a not-to-be-missed read, and I am certainly holding out for a future installment featuring Lady Em!
Feel Factor Rating:
swoon-factor3
steam-factor3
intrigue-factor2
tear-factor1
Series Reading Order
1. Jilting the Duke
Buy on Amazon • Add to Goodreads • Read My Review
2. Chasing the Heiress
Buy on Amazon • Add to Goodreads
About Rachael Miles
Rachael Miles has always loved a good romance, especially one with a bit of suspense and preferably a ghost. She is also a professor of book history and nineteenth-century literature whose students frequently find themselves reading the novels of Ann Radcliffe and other gothic tales. Rachael lives in her home state of Texas with her indulgent husband, three rescued dogs, and an ancient cat.
3½ Stars
Author: Rachael Miles
Review by: Barb
Genre: Romance
Tags:
* Rom: Historical
Publisher: Zebra Shout
Chasing the Heiress
The Muses' Salon Series
Rachael Miles has written quite an adventure in “Chasing the Heiress”. This novel is set in the time after the Napoleonic War. Lady Arabella Lucia Fairborne worked with her officer father on the battlefields tending the wounded soldiers. Colin Somerville was involved in the war as an officer and now was engaged on a mission for the Prince. Lucy had to escape from her avaricious cousin before he murdered her and Colin needed help finishing his mission. This story’s adventures were never-ending. Even though they were just “friends” Colin and Lucy became more than that as they travelled together. Lucy was on the run and Colin was to protect her, but somehow she was caught and went through untold horrors at the hands of her cousin and his cohorts.
I think you will enjoy this fast-paced novel set in an England where class reigned. Aristocracy and servants were not to mix nor mingle. See how this works out in this offering from Ms. Miles.
Book Blurb for Chasing the Heiress
Heiress On The Run
Lady Arabella Lucia Fairborne has no need of a husband. She has a fine inheritance for the taking, a perfectly capable mind, and a resolve as tough as nails. But what she doesn't have is the freedom to defy her cousin's will--and his will is to see her married immediately to the husband of his choosing. So is it any wonder that she dresses herself as a scullery maid and bolts into the night?
Colin Somerville's current mission for the home office is going poorly. Who would have expected otherwise for a rakish spy tasked with transporting a baby to the care of the royal palace. But when, injured and out of ideas, Colin stumbles upon a beautiful maid who knows her way around a sickroom, it seems salvation has arrived. Until he realizes that though Lucy may be able to help him survive his expedition, he may not escape this ordeal with his heart intact…
Night Owl Reviews Aug, 2016 3.50
Quoted in Sidelights: sensual and very moving novel.
CHASING THE HEIRESS
Image of Chasing the Heiress (The Muses' Salon Series)
Author(s): Rachael Miles
With her keen knowledge of the Regency era, Miles, in her second book of The Muses Salon series, brings her readers a hero tired of his missions for the Home Office and a heroine fearful for her life and on the run. She includes recurring characters, intrigue and danger in this sensual and very moving novel.
Agent Colin Somerville vows that this will be his last mission for the Home Office. He is in charge of transporting the very pregnant Princess Marietta, a young widow, to London. When the mission goes awry, Colin, along with the princess, are wounded and he and his men seek help at a nearby inn. Lady Arabella Lucia Fairborne has no desire to marry, so she runs away and finds employment at an inn. With her knowledge of treating gunshot wounds, Lucy tends to Colin. As he slowly recovers, he becomes intrigued by this woman. Unfortunately Marietta dies, but her infant son survives, and Colin asks Lucy to help with the babe. Once in London, Lucy decides that they must part, only to meet again in a fortnight. Little does she know that this decision will put her in the greatest danger of her life. Will Colin be able to heal her body and mind and get back his intelligent, spirited Lucy? (ZEBRA SHOUT, Jun., 352 pp., $4.99)
Reviewed by:
Joan Hammond
CHASING THE HEIRESS
AUTHOR Rachael Miles
RELEASE DATE
PUBLISHER Zebra
ISBN/ASIN ISBN -13: 978-1-4201-4088-0
OUR RATING
REVIEWED BY DianaMcc
BUY THE BOOK
OUR REVIEW
‘CHASING THE HEIRESS’ by Rachael Miles is book two in the “The Muses’ Salon” series. It is the story of Lady Arabella Lucia Fairborne and Colin Somerville. I have not read the previous book ‘Jilting the Duke’. However, this is a standalone book.
Lady Arabella’s father is a military man. She has followed her father on many campaigns during the Napoleonic war. When he dies she becomes her aunt’s ward. After her childless aunt dies Lucy finds she has inherited her fortune.
Since Lucy has not reached her majority, her older male cousin plans to force her to marry so he will inherit instead.
Lucy takes her aunt’s will, and runs away. She disguises herself as a scullery maid and works in a tavern.
Colin Sommerville is a spy escorting a pregnant charge to London. When their carriage is attacked they are both wounded.
Colin and his charge are brought to the inn for care. Lucy’s experience nursing the wounded during the war gets her assigned to care for Colin.
Having soldiering in common, Colin and Lucy develop a bond.
(I had a bit of a problem with Colin having been shot, and yet, his first thoughts when he sees his caregiver are lustful?)
When Colin is well enough to travel he takes Lucy with him out of gratitude for saving his life. She never tells him why she is on the run. They fall deeper in love, and yet, never talk about their feelings with each other.
Once in London Lucy is captured by her cousin’s men. He imprisons her in a mental institution where she is sedated with opium.
In the meantime Colin thinks she abandoned him as she never showed up for their meeting, but they had agreed at the beginning of their relationship, that they would go their own ways after they reached London, still, the night before they had declared their love.
After grieving for several months he proposes to another woman.
A drugged Lucy is given back to her cousin. He takes her to her future husband’s ball in London where she and Colin rediscover each other. Colin along with his family who are in attendance, through planning and intrigue are able to get Lucy free of her cousin’s clutches.
There are a lot of plot lines in this book. The romance is slow, in my opinion. If you enjoy historical detail and intrigue you’ll want to go on this compelling journey with Lucy and Colin, in “CHASING THE HEIRESS”, by Rachael Miles.
Book Review: Jilting the Duke by Rachael Miles
February 9, 2016 1 Comment Written by Liana Smith Bautista
This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Book Review: Jilting the Duke by Rachael MilesJilting the Duke by Rachael Miles
Published by Zebra on January 26, 2016
Genres: Historical Romance, Romance
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iBooks • Add to Goodreads
two-stars
Broken Promise, Broken Heart
Aidan Somerville, Duke of Forster, is a rake, a spy, and a soldier, richer than sin and twice as handsome. Now he is also guardian to his deceased best friend’s young son. The choice makes perfect sense—except that the child’s mother is the lovely Sophia Gardiner, to whom Aidan was engaged before he went off to war. When the news reached him that she had married another, his ship had not yet even left the dock.
Sophia does not expect Aidan to understand or forgive her. But she cannot allow him to stay her enemy. She’s prepared for coldness, even vengeance—but not for the return of the heedless lust she and Aidan tumbled into ten years ago. She knows the risks of succumbing to this dangerous desire. Still, with Aidan so near, it’s impossible not to dream about a second chance…
A handsome Regency duke who’s a war hero to boot? I figured Rachael Miles’ Jilting the Duke would have no trouble gaining swoon factor points, and I was right. Aidan Somerville, Duke of Forster, is one yummy package—and on top of that, he’s good with kids.
Which is not to say that he is a flawless example of hotness and heroism of course. He’s stubborn, arrogant, and sometimes willfully blind, plus he has trust issues that cause him to get in his own way, and belligerently so. Still, character-wise, I found him interesting, more so, unfortunately, than I did the heroine, Sophia Gardner, Lady Wilmot.
It isn’t so much that Sophia is a particularly bad character, or even a flat one. She’s a good mom, and she has a somewhat overdeveloped sense of responsibility. More, she has allowed the ways in which she’s been hurt in the past to turn her from a vivacious girl who won Aidan’s heart to an ice princess he’d like to see get her comeuppance. Except, that is, when it comes to her son.
I suppose I would have liked Sophia more as a character had hers been a proactive rather than reactive nature. Initially, I was quite put out by how she seemed to have stepped out of much of the decision-making process in her life (and in the story), allowing others to manipulate her, whether or not it was for her own good or something she agreed with. The result felt a little like she had to be dragged into this story rather than being a present, active part of it. Although I did warm to her later after she’d realized how passive she had become about virtually every aspect of her life apart from motherhood and decided to get some of her own back, I thought this happened a little late in the story to fully redeem her.
It’s a pity, really, because second-chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and I guess this is partly why I wanted to see more of a sense of rediscovery between the hero and heroine. I do appreciate a slow burn when it comes to chemistry between couples, but sometimes it can be a little too slow to keep the reading lively. I guess the reason for this is the intrigue brought to the plot when Sophia’s life and family are endangered by an unknown threat. Here again, though, I felt she didn’t quite step up as you’d hope a heroine would.
I suppose my frustration with this novel is not so much that the elements and emotions for a compelling read are absent so much as that they are present but not fully developed or explored—had it been, I think I would’ve easily given this book four stars. Even the danger to the characters’ lives is diverted rather than thwarted, and you don’t get a sense of justice or closure at the end of the novel. Plus, the supporting characters have the same feel of muted potential, like they would be engaging if only they were allowed to be. So it’s not that this is a bad read. In fact, had I liked the ingredients that made up these characters a bit more, it would have been a solid 3-star read. But seeing all the promise in Jilting the Duke almost make it only to hit a flat note, well, it made me feel a little jilted myself.
Quoted in Sidelights: Not only were the characters complex, and the story engaging, but the attention to detail was simply fantastic.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016
Review: Jilting the Duke (The Muses' Salon #1) by Rachael Miles
Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra (January 26, 2016)
From Goodreads.com: BROKEN PROMISE, BROKEN HEART
Aidan Somerville, Duke of Forster, is a rake, a spy, and a soldier, richer than sin and twice as handsome. Now he is also guardian to his deceased best friend’s young son. The choice makes perfect sense—except that the child’s mother is the lovely Sophia Gardiner, to whom Aidan was engaged before he went off to war. When the news reached him that she had married another, his ship had not yet even left the dock.
Sophia does not expect Aidan to understand or forgive her. But she cannot allow him to stay her enemy. She’s prepared for coldness, even vengeance—but not for the return of the heedless lust she and Aidan tumbled into ten years ago. She knows the risks of succumbing to this dangerous desire. Still, with Aidan so near, it’s impossible not to dream about a second chance…
*******************
My Rating: 4 stars out of 5
As I read this story, I found it hard to believe that this is a debut novel from a brand new author. Everything about this story was engaging and amazingly well written - something I would have expected from a seasoned author instead of one just getting started. Not only were the characters complex, and the story engaging, but the attention to detail was simply fantastic. You could easily visualize the story as it was happening, even when you weren't entirely sure which side to root for!
One final thing - I was so excited to learn that this is only book one of a new series! At first I was disappointed that there seemed to be no real conclusion to the overall plot (aside from the romance), which tends to be a turn off for me as I like stand alone novels even when they are part of a series. However - this story was so good that I didn't mind. In fact, it only enticed me to read the rest of this series as it becomes available. Hopefully by the end all of the secrets have been revealed (and we see more of these two delightful characters).
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Review: Jilting the Duke by Rachael Miles / @TastyBookTours @Rachael_Miles1
Title: Jilting the Duke
Series: The Muses' Salon, Book 1
Author: Rachael Miles
Publisher: Zebra Shout
Release Date: January 26, 2016
Genre: Historical, Romance
ARC Received From: NetGalley
Reviewed For: Tasty Book Tours
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Broken Promise, Broken Heart
Aidan Somerville, Duke of Forster, is a rake, a spy, and a soldier, richer than sin and twice as handsome. Now he is also guardian to his deceased best friend’s young son. The choice makes perfect sense—except that the child’s mother is the lovely Sophia Gardiner, to whom Aidan was engaged before he went off to war. When the news reached him that she had married another, his ship had not yet even left the dock.
Sophia does not expect Aidan to understand or forgive her. But she cannot allow him to stay her enemy. She’s prepared for coldness, even vengeance—but not for the return of the heedless lust she and Aidan tumbled into ten years ago. She knows the risks of succumbing to this dangerous desire. Still, with Aidan so near, it’s impossible not to dream about a second chance…
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Goodreads
It's amazing how things can work out, even if it takes years.
Aidan and Sophia were on the cusp of having it all until a mistake, bad timing, misunderstanding, and miscommunication took it all away. Their story really wasn't that complicated. Once engaged to be married, Aidan left for war and Sophia promised to wait for him. That promise was almost immediately broken and she found herself wed to Tom, an incredible man with a huge heart. He saved her from ruin, gave her a title, and made her child his heir. But theirs was a marriage that was never supposed to happen. Her heart still longed for Aidan, and Tom's longed for his own love.
Tom's wishes brings Aidan and Sophia together again as co-guardians to her son, Ian. Their first meeting was hard to read. Aidan's anger and need for vengeance on the woman he believed wronged him ran so strong I was surprised Sophia didn't choke on it. His feelings were relevant but he had to suspect something else had happened, right? From that meeting, something felt... Off? Weird? Unsaid? Pick a word but there was something Sophia wasn't saying to Aidan. Finding out what it was close to the end had me wishing it'd been said earlier. The animosity between them would have been pacified but they would have missed out on getting reacquainted the way they did.
Their past was the elephant in the room but, thank God, it wasn't what kept them apart.
One aspect of this story I hope others appreciate like I did are the premonitions and dreams woven into it. Sophia's late husband plays a huge part in them and they act as guides for both Sophia and Aidan.
I enjoyed this story immensely, not just for the romance but for the change in both Aidan and Sophia. She'd changed because of the life she lived, of the love she lost, but Aidan gave her a reason to smile again, to love again. The man I met at the beginning was not the man at the end. Aidan was happier, lighter, braver. He made amends for his mistake and gave back to Sophia what she was always meant to have: his heart. The future was brighter and promising because they found in themselves the willingness to change, forgive, and move on.
Quoted in Sidelights: a charming, sweet and sensual novel
delightful dialogue and surprising twists
JILTING THE DUKE
Image of Jilting the Duke (The Muses' Salon Series)
Author(s): Rachael Miles
In her debut, Miles delivers a charming, sweet and sensual novel that allows her voice to shine. The engaging characters draw readers into the tender second-chance romance, while the delightful dialogue and surprising twists keep them reading until the very end.
Once, Sophie loved Aidan Somerville more than life itself, but when he went off to war, she quickly married his best friend. Now she’s a widow with a 10-year-old son, and though she doesn’t expect Aidan to understand her decisions, she wonders if he’ll follow her husband’s request that he become her son’s guardian. At first, Aidan wants nothing to do with Sophie because he is still in love with her and tempted to rekindle the passion they once shared. It’s nearly impossible for Sophie to resist the sensual pull, but the secrets she holds could destroy their fragile, newfound love. (ZEBRA SHOUT, Feb., 384 pp., $4.99)
Reviewed by:
Kathe Robin
Jilting the Duke
Rachael Miles
Buy This Book
Rachael Miles’ début novel, Jilting the Duke is an entertaining and well-crafted story featuring a pair of attractive and strongly-characterised protagonists and a well-drawn set of secondary characters. There is a lot going on – perhaps too much at times – but at its heart are a well-written second-chance romance and an intriguing espionage story, both of which pulled me into the book and which were compelling enough to enable me to see past some of the flaws I’ll discuss later in this review.
Ten years earlier, Aidan Sommerville, third son of an impoverished duke, had to make his own way in the world and had chosen the army as his profession. Having no means to support a wife, he and Sophia Gardiner became secretly engaged before he went to war, but mere weeks after they parted, he was heart-broken to learn that she had married his best friend, Tom, Lord Wilmot and moved to Italy with him. Years later, and following the deaths of his father and older brothers, Aidan became the Duke of Forster and has worked hard to turn his fortunes around at the same time as he continues to work for the British government as a Home Office agent. He has never really recovered from Sophia’s betrayal, and grabs at the chance to revenge himself upon her when she returns to England a widow with a nine year old son.
Sophia has lived quietly in the year since her husband’s death, as dictated by the custom of mourning, but now, she receives unwelcome news in the form of a letter written by Tom before his demise, telling her that he wants Aidan to assume the co-guardianship of their son, Ian. She is naturally fearful that Aidan will want to remove the boy from her care, given that women had no rights over their children, as well as worrying about how she will react to Aidan and he to her. She is pleasantly surprised when Aidan turns out to be conciliatory and not at all desirous of taking custody of her son, but rather makes suggestions which she can see are going to be of great help to Ian as he makes a new life for himself in England.
Of course, this is all part of Aidan’s plan to gain her confidence, seduce her and then publicly ruin her, but even at this stage, it’s clear to the reader that his actions are not at all consistent with such a scheme. His intentions may be very dishonourable, but what Ms Miles shows us is a conflicted man who is still bitter and angry at Sophia, but who loves her as much as he ever did and whose desire for revenge is ultimately never strong enough to overcome the depth of his feelings for her.
Because of her censorious aunt and self-righteous prig of a brother, Sophia has learned to be very cautious about what she allows others to see, so at the beginning of the book is reserved and aloof. I enjoyed watching her gravitate towards Aidan and unbend in his company; and although she holds on to some of her secrets a little too long, she’s a relatable heroine and one I quickly came to like.
At the same time as Aidan is making a place for himself in the lives of Sophia and Ian, he is asked by his superiors at the Home Office to investigate an accusation of treason that has been levelled against Tom, who, in addition to being an authority on botany and author of several highly regarded tomes on the subject, was a British spy. The accusations extend to Sophia, but Aidan can’t believe either of them guilty and agrees to use his renewed closeness with her in order to find out the truth. It quickly becomes clear that the government isn’t the only interested party when one of Aidan’s brothers – the manager of the Wilmot estate – is brutally attacked by a mysterious intruder who is clearly looking for the papers which are believed to be in Sophia’s possession. With Sophia and Ian in danger, Aidan swiftly whisks them away from London intent on guarding them closely while he works to discover the identity of the traitor and to find the coded documents Tom sent to England just before his death.
As I said at the beginning of this review, this is a strong début and I was impressed by the author’s ability to tell a rollicking good story. There are, however, a number of flaws which brought my final grade down, and which I hope the author will be able to iron out as she develops as a writer.
One of the biggest problems is that, at several points in the book, it feels more like the second or third in a series than the first. There is a fairly large number of secondary characters in the story, most of them family members, and it seemed as though I was already supposed to know who they all are and how they ended up with their relative spouses. For example, reference is made to the dramatic events leading up to the wedding of Sophia’s cousin Malcolm and his wife and mention is made of the fact that she has a son and they have a daughter. There’s clearly a story to tell about Aidan’s brother Colin (hero of the next book) and his wife as well. Whereas in many series books, the author sets up certain characters as sequel bait; here, it’s like they’re prequel bait, and while I can’t say that I wasn’t intrigued at the thought of eventually reading those stories, the little snippets I was thrown made me feel as though I’d missed something important and distracted me from the book I was actually reading.
The pacing is good, but there is simply too much going on, which again, sometimes made me feel as though I’d missed something. Taken in random order, there is a dead spy-husband, a dead (possibly) spy-brother, a mistress, a secret love-child, secret codes, a ghostly apparition, an evil mastermind… Ms Miles clearly had a plan and organized everything well, but the book would have benefited from some judicious pruning so that she could have concentrated on fewer elements and perhaps developed them more.
Aidan and Sophia make a good couple and there are some nice moments of sexual tension between them, but the actual sex scenes are a little clumsy and therefore disappointing. I get the feeling the author wanted to write them, but was a bit shy of or reluctant to do so – and that reluctance is obvious on the page. Writing sex scenes is one of those things where you either go for it, or you don’t. If you’re going to write a sex scene, then go for it; you have to have the courage of your convictions or your readers won’t be convinced and the whole thing will be one big anticlimax (:P)
In her informative author’s notes at the end Ms Miles says that she has taken care with the language used in the story so as not to use words which were not in common usage at the time the book is set. I always applaud an author for this sort of attention to detail – but Ms Miles, why, when you were so careful with things like this did you fail to weed out the numerous Americanisms that appear? I keep repeating myself in reviews, but in England, we have pavements (not sidewalks), Autumn (not fall), suspenders are worn to hold up a man’s socks not his trousers (the over-the-shoulder-holding-up-trousers-things are called braces) and the only sort of pants worn by men here are underpants, which I’m sure isn’t what you meant when you used the term – they’d be pantaloons, breeches or trousers. If you can research which words might be anachronistic, then surely it’s not too hard to look up which words don’t travel across the Atlantic?
Having said all that, I’m still giving Jilting the Duke a qualified recommendation, because the thing that shines through all those flaws is the fact that Ms Miles is an excellent storyteller. Had she not been, the book would have received a much lower grade, or maybe it would still be languishing in my TBR pile. That it isn’t is down to the fact that she drew me into the story within the first few pages and engaged me sufficiently as to make me not want to put the book down. I will certainly be looking out for the next book in the Muses’ Salon series, Chasing the Heiress, and will hope that some of these weaknesses have been addressed.
Jilting the Duke may be ordered here.
Book Details
Reviewer : Caz Owens
Grade : B-
Sensuality : Warm
Book Type : Historical Romance
Quoted in Sidelights: A delicious, original read.
Spy versus spy in a tantalizing second-chance love story
TEMPTING THE EARL
Image of Tempting the Earl (The Muses' Salon Series)
Author(s): Rachael Miles
Spy versus spy in a tantalizing second-chance love story is just what readers need this busy season. Not only is there a bit of Mr. and Mrs. Smith thrown in, but there’s plenty of eccentric characters, secrets, codes, assassins and passion for readers to relish. Though there are several plot themes and a large cast of characters, Miles manages to weave all the threads together into a romance filled with snappy repartee and humor. Some may take time to process the plot twists, while others will be swept away by the mysteries and danger faced by the characters. A delicious, original read.
Tired of waiting for the husband who abandoned her after their wedding, Olivia Walgrave returns to her double life spying for the Crown and writing under the pen name The Honest Gentleman, whose ideas cause an uproar in political circles. Harrison Walgrave, Earl of Levesford, has one last mission to accomplish: expose the Honest Gentleman. When it appears technicalities in their wedding ceremony allow Olivia to legally have the marriage dissolved, Harrison can’t sign the papers because he realizes he needs a wife to help crack his case. To learn about his estranged wife, he returns to his estate posing as one of the scholars who study in the manor’s famous library. Once his ruse is up, he and Olivia are at odds, but someone else is out to expose her and with her life in danger Harrison and Olivia band together. They begin to build a friendship and rekindle the smoldering passion, but will stubbornness and pride keep them apart? (ZEBRA SHOUT, Nov., 352 pp., $4.99)
Reviewed by:
Kathe Robin
Tempting the Earl
Rachael Miles
Buy This Book
Tempting the Earl is the third book in Rachael Miles’ Muses Salon series, and even though I was a little disappointed in the previous one (Chasing the Heiress) I wanted to read this because it makes use of one of my favourite tropes – the estranged couple who has to learn how to be married again. Or, as in this case, learn to be together full-stop, given that they have spent the six years of their marriage living apart. This aspect of the story is handled fairly well, but, as I found to be the case with the previous books, once the author starts to broaden her canvas and pick up some of the threads laid down in those earlier stories, things become far too busy and the romance gets sidelined.
We’ve met Harrison Levesford, Earl of Walgrave in the earlier books, as a friend and fellow Home Office agent of the two Sommerville brothers – Aidan and Colin – who were the heroes of those stories. Like them, Walgrave is a spy, dedicated to keeping his country safe, but he is also an active and highly respected Member of Parliament, an exceptional orator and a man widely tipped for high political office. What very few people know is that he has a wife living at his country estate with whom he has not communicated directly for the past six years. Forced into a marriage he most emphatically did not want, Walgrave joined the Navy a few short weeks after the wedding and has not returned home since.
His father insisted that he had chosen Harrison a wife perfectly suited to him, which his son interpreted as meaning a woman who was practical, demure and ultimately dull. Olivia Fallon fulfilled the first two of those expectations, so the intensity of Harrison’s attraction to her was both unexpected and very welcome, as he found his modest wife to be surprisingly passionate in bed. Even so, he went to sea, leaving the very capable Olivia to oversee his estate, not even taking the trouble to let her know when he returned to England and took up his position at the Home Office.
We learn these facts about Walgrave and Olivia’s past as the story progresses and through a few flashbacks, rather than as a prologue or first chapter, and the gradual unfolding of their history is well done. Their reunion is prompted by Olivia’s demand for a separation based on the fact that the marriage was not actually legal. Walgrave has been quite happy with the status quo, so the request unsettles him and he makes his way home to try to find out what has prompted her request after six years of what he had believed was a convenient arrangement for them both.
Olivia is an orphan whose father seems to have been involved in some very suspicious dealings. He disappeared when she was about five years old, and she was taken in by Sir Roderick Walgrave, Harrison’s father (and I stopped here to wonder a) how Walgrave is an earl while his father was only a knight and b) why Sir Roderick’s last name is Walgrave and not Levesford) and sent to Miss Finch’s School for Exceptional Girls. Olivia agreed to the marriage for a number of reasons, not least of which was her great affection for and gratitude towards Sir Roderick for everything he did for her and because it was one way of keeping herself safe and hidden away from those who had been her father’s associates. She came to love her handsome young husband in the short time they spent together and had hoped that he would come to love her, too, but his abrupt departure and subsequent failure to inform her of his return proved to her that she meant nothing to him.
Had Walgrave remained and taken time to come to know the woman he’d married, he would have learned that she was much more than the quiet country mouse he had assumed her to be. When we first meet Olivia, she is hurrying through the London streets looking desperately for somewhere to hide from a man she suspects is following her. We learn that she is the writer of a popular newspaper column under the pseudonym of An Honourable Gentleman in which she regularly rails against social injustice and advocates reform. And not only that, but like her estranged husband, Olivia is a government agent, currently engaged in trying to root out the traitors who are using the periodical press to convey state secrets to the enemy.
So far, so good. We’ve got a Regency Era Mr. and Mrs. Smith on our hands, and I anticipated a bit of a cat-and-mouse game as Olivia sought to evade exposure while she and her husband rekindled their earlier passion and fell in love all over again. That – with a few added elements of intrigue and suspense – would have been enough to sustain the story, but the romantic development is diluted by all the other plot elements that are piled on and it became difficult to keep track of all the different plotlines and who was working for whom and why.
There is an overarching plot running through the three books in the series relating to some coded documents left to the possession of Sophia, heroine of the first book, Jilting the Duke. While the documents are now in the hands of the Good Guys, the code has yet to be broken. Add to this the further machinations of the mysterious Charters and his henchman, a woman intent on revenge on Olivia’s father, Walgrave’s search for a traitor, Olivia’s other secret identity as the author of gothic novels, the strange presence of seven very eccentric scholars who pretty much live on the estate, and it was all too much. I thought I might have to resort to making a flow chart.
On the positive side, I enjoyed the brief glimpses we were given of the relationship between Walgrave and his two closest friends, the two principals are engaging, attractive characters and the chemistry between them simmers nicely – which makes it even more frustrating to think that there was a potentially satisfying, well-constructed romance in there somewhere. Olivia and Walgrave do get their HEA in this book, but there are lots of threads left hanging, which would have been fine if there hadn’t been so many of them, and if they’d made more sense during the course of this story. I’ve read and reviewed all three books in this series so far, and it’s been interesting from my point of view to look back and find that I have made similar comments about each of them, most significantly that the novels are “too busy”. Ms. Miles can clearly craft a decent plot, but she is apt to throw in too much, with the result that the plotlines are underdeveloped and the sheer number of them can cause confusion. I came away from the book with a vague sense of having read something that wasn’t quite finished; there are several unresolved plot threads left hanging at the end but I venture to suggest that Ms. Miles might need to consider wrapping some of them up soon or readers may get tired of waiting.
Arriving at a final grade was difficult. Ultimately, Tempting the Earl worked better than Chasing the Heiress, to which I gave a C+, so I’m going to give this a very qualified recommendation with a B-.
Quoted in Sidelights: truly fulfills a reader’s need for intrigue, romance, and a happily-ever-after.
TEMPTING THE EARL
tempting-the-earl by Rachel Miles
AUTHOR Rachel Miles
RELEASE DATE October 25, 2016
PUBLISHER Kensington Publishing's Zebra Imprint
ISBN/ASIN 978-1420140903
OUR RATING
REVIEWED BY Vanessa E.
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OUR REVIEW
Abandoned bride, Olivia Walgrave, Countess of Levesford, has been running her husband’s estate for six long years, while he chose to leave her for the Continent to protect England from the threat of war. When the Earl finally decides to return home, he discovers that the mild-mannered girl he thought he left behind to enjoy the comforts of the country was really a woman of intrigue whose secrets are part of a greater mystery that needs to be unraveled.
TEMPTING THE EARL is part of Rachel Miles’ collection titled “Muses’ Salon.” This title tells the story of Harrison Walgrave, Earl of Levesford, recently returned from serving a secret mission on behalf of England’s Home Office. He’s making his way home to visit his wife, Olivia, who harbors her own secrets that she would rather not be discovered.
Olivia has managed to maintain her husband’s lands and accounts, while satisfying her own intellectual needs by secretly authoring a series of newspaper columns that cast serious doubts on the direction the English government is heading. On a more personal note, she has even secretly authored a book about the woes and triumphs of “The Deserted Wife” and occasionally disguises herself so that she can perform on stage–all things no proper lady would ever consider doing.
As the reader learns more about why Harrison left to defend his country, you also learn, as he does, just how remarkable the woman he married is and how truly little he knew about her. This book wonderfully tells the tale of the joy of discovering that person who you thought you had so little in common with, is now the person who is completely etched inside your soul. The one person who you suddenly realize you cannot live without. Ms. Miles expertly weaves those waves of discovery, culminating with a crescendo of passion that are not to be missed.
As the mystery that is Olivia Walgrave unravels in each chapter, the reader becomes more invested in her story, wanting more of her life to be revealed. As each new piece of the puzzle is placed, the message is clear–TEMPTING THE EARL truly fulfills a reader’s need for intrigue, romance, and a happily-ever-after.
RJ RECOMMENDED READ!