Review - Notorious Pleasures

Title: Notorious Pleasures
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: February 2011
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I purchased a new copy.

Notorious Pleasures is the second book in Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series. Lady Hero , right before her betrothal to the duke of Wakefield is to be announced, finds her finace's brother having relations with a married woman. Hero finds everything about the Duke's brother off putting. So why then does she find herself attracted to the blasted man? Even when Hero is off helping the orphanage she is a major patroness of; she finds Griffin meddling in her affairs.

I actually wasn't going to read this book. I was just going to skip on over to Silence's story when it came out. But I was talking to Ms. Hoyt at RT and she was telling me that Silence's story continues in Notorious Pleasures and of course since I like Silence so much I caved in and read this one. I know. I act like it was such a hardship :)

I think if most readers can get past the first chapter where the heroine finds the hero with another woman, then they are in for good read. I really enjoy Ms. Hoyt's writing style. She does a fantastic job of balancing action, dialogue and internal insight to the characters with pizzazz and flair. Notorious Pleasures is no exception. There is a lot of really wonderful dialogue between Hero and Griffin. There is a lot of heat and sexual tension between these two.

There is mystery that has continued on from the first book Wicked Intentions that will continue along through the other books in the series. I think it would be best to read this series in order, although, each book does stand alone. I can't wait for Silence's book. Really, I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of Silence in this book, but there was just enough of a teaser to get me really hungry for the next book.

Review - Wicked Intentions

Title: Wicked Intentions
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: August 2010
Genre: Historical
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I received a used copy from Paperbackswap.com

Wicked Intentions is the first book in a new series by Elizabeth Hoyt. Lord Caire, a man who can feel no emotion yet haunted by the brutal death of his paid companion, needs access to the slums of London. He makes a proposition to Temperance Dews whose life's purpose is to clothe and feed the orphans of St. Giles. Temperance is in desperate need of funding for her orphanage. Lord Caire can introduce her to high society where she has the opportunity to snag a rich benefactor.

Wicked Intentions is a strong start to Hoyt's new series. Temperance and Caire are fascinating characters whose uniqueness will compel readers to immerse themselves in this rich story. Temperance is haunted by her own sexuality, in which she views her desires as unclean or those of a loose woman. Lord Caire is a man who is unable to withstand the touch of others without it physically causing him pain. He also is emotionally numb, using Temperance as a way to channel emotions foreign to him through her. Temperance is very expressive and that fascinates Caire, drawing him in and he is powerless to resist her.

Besides the explosive chemistry between Caire and Temperance, there is a secondary storyline involving Temperance's sister, Silence. The storyline doesn't take up much page time, but the small amount that is there makes a big impact. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Silence is in the next book. As it stands now, I am not sure when or if at all Silence will get her own book. I am going to email Ms. Hoyt and see if she can let us know what is in store for the Maiden Lane series. I’ll keep you posted.

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Review - To Desire a Devil

Title: To Desire a Devil
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: November 2009
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: A friend thoughtfully sent me her copy after she finished reading it.

To Desire a Devil is the conclusion to Elizabeth Hoyt's quartet The Legend of the Four Soldiers. Reynaud St. Aubyn was captured during the French and Indian War at the battle of Spinner's Falls. His fellow comrades in war believed him to be dead, when he was actually living as an Indian captive for seven years. He managed to survive his captivity with the strong drive that he would make it back home to England - to his title as the Earl of Blanchard and his lands. The story opens with Reynaud literally crashing a tea party in the home of the current Earl of Blanchard. He is on death's door having taken sickness from the voyage from America to England. Beatrice Corning the current Earl's niece nurses him back to health for she has always been intrigued by the portrait of smiling young man. She recognizes Reynaud from his portrait even though he seems quite changed.

Again, Elizabeth Hoyt delivers! I really enjoyed the main characters Reynaud and Beatrice. Beatrice is a sweet, simple woman. Honestly, there is nothing complicated about her. What you see is what you get. She has many good qualities, such as compassion for both Reynaud and her Uncle Reggie. Reynaud's personality is more forceful and brash in comparison. He sees her quiet strength and compassion and wants to surround himself in it. He decides what he wants and is determined to have it. Theirs was just an enjoyable romance to read.

I felt the conclusion to who the traitor was over the Spinner's Falls massacre was a tad unexciting. I mean, there have been three previous books leading up to this conclusion and when we finally get to it, it seemed deflated. However, I did enjoy seeing Sir Alastair Monroe from To Beguile a Beast put to use a very clever ambush tactic upon the traitor. It made for a good laugh. It's little clever pieces like that which keep me coming back for more. Bravo Ms. Hoyt! You make it seem so effortless!

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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon

Review - To Taste Temptation

Title: To Taste Temptation
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: May 2008
Genre: Historical
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot

To Taste Temptation is the first book in Elizabeth Hoyt's Legend of the Four Soldiers Series. To learn a little more about this series visit my Series Sunday post. Samuel Hartly has made a name for himself by expanding his Uncle's trade business in Boston. He travels to London in the hopes of securing an exclusive partnership with a new pottery company founded by none other than Mr. Wedgwood.

Secretly there is another purpose to Samuel's visit to London. He hopes to find the traitor that caused the slaughter at the battle of Spinners Fall during the French and Indian War. Samuel was a soldier that fought in that battle, which haunts him to this day. In London, he moves in next door to the widowed sister of one of his fallen comrades, Lady Emeline Gordon. Under the pretext of needing Emeline's help to instruct his sister in the proper ways of comportment, he insinuates himself into London Society where he can fox out the traitor.

To Taste Temptation is a story about opposites attracting. Emeline and Samuel are about as different as the come. Emeline is from the upper crust of London Society, was married to an Earl. She at all times expects herself and others to act with the utmost decorum and propriety. She is flabbergasted and annoyed by Samuel the first time she meets him. She thinks him an uncouth barbarian who can barely contain his baser animal urges. Samuel goes out of his way to not conform to society's wishes. He could care less what anyone thinks of him. He feels a man is defined by what he accomplishes, not by how he dresses.

I hate to admit it, but I did not like Emeline. At first I could accept the way she acted, always arguing with Samuel - snipping and griping at him. As the story continued though, I was hoping to see more growth of her character. She had some issues that kept her from allowing people to get close to her - thus her prickly disposition, but towards the end I was hoping for some likability. I never got it. Samuel, on the other hand, was attracted to her sharp edges and that was the biggest reason for him to pursue her. He liked sparing with her and because of it Emeline felt she could be herself. So, in that aspect I felt the attraction was believable.

I really did like that Hoyt did not gloss over the atrocities of war and how they can affect men differently. She explored Samuel's emotional recovery after the effects of the war. This gave quite a bit of depth to Samuel. I would have liked to have seen more of this with Emeline's character. It's possible I would have been more sympathetic to her. Which brings me to the ending. It was rushed. Everything seemed to get wrapped up all to quickly. Emeline who had been so standoffish the whole book finally gets some clarity in the last few pages. It was all to pat for my tastes.

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This book can be purchased in print and kindle format from Amazon

Series Sunday - Legend of the Four Soldiers

Elizabeth Hoyt made her big debut into the world of romance in 2006 with the award winning novel The Raven Prince. She was voted best new author and The Raven Prince won for Most Luscious Love Story in AAR's 2007 Readers Choice Annual Poll. I am very excited to report that Ms. Hoyt has started another series. This time it's a quartet called Legend of the Four Soldiers.

This series is about four soldiers that fought in the French and Indian War. Each book takes place after the war when the soldier comes home and has to integrate back into society. Luckily for him he finds his lady love and lives happily ever after. Each soldier has his own stand alone love story, but there is an overall mystery that runs through the series and hopefully will come to fruition in the final installment. I happened to read the third book first. I didn't feel lost in reading about the romance, but I could tell that I didn't understand all the details surrounding the war mystery. It would be a judgement call by the reader on whether or not to read the series in order.

Series Reading Order:
1. To Taste Temptation
2. To Seduce a Sinner
3. To Beguile a Beast
4. To Desire a Devil (releases November 09)

Review - To Beguile a Beast

Title: To Beguile a Beast
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: May 2009
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot

Helen Fitzwilliam was once young and in love with the Duke of Lister. He succeeds in seducing her and making her his mistress. She has two children by him, Abigail and Jamie. The Duke is the type of man who will never let what he thinks of as "his" go. Unhappy with her life as the Duke's mistress, she runs away with her children. Helen runs from London to the farthest reaches of Scotland with her friend Lady Vale's help. She has arranged for Helen to be the housekeeper for Sir Alistair Monroe. Alistair is a recluse who has never left his castle since he returned maimed from the French and Indian war in the Colonies. Helen arrives on his doorstep with her children, desperate with no where for her to go. Alistair is willing to allow her to stay one night, but then she and her children with have to leave in the morning. Only, somehow Helen and the children worm there way into Alistair's heart and a new adventure begins.

To Beguile a Beast is another stellar work of art from Ms. Hoyt. This time the novel is a variation on Beauty and the Beast. Alistair is quite prickly at first, and I think that he has good reason for it. Alistair really is horrifically scarred. He is missing one of his eyes and a couple fingers, plus one side of his face has extensive burns. Because his looks frighten many people, he has restricted his existence only to his castle and the grounds surrounding it. He lives in a huge rundown castle with only one man servant. When Helen and her children come into his life, he starts to live again.

Helen is good for Alistair. Up to a certain point, she doesn't allow him intimidate her. She forces Alistair to join the land of the living. When Alistair gets wind of Helen's problems, he takes it upon himself to help her. He derives a clever way to defeat the Duke (without bloodshed). This brings me to what I really enjoy about Ms. Hoyt's writing style - the characters are very cunning and there is a resourcefulness to them that entertains immensely. I also find the humor to be very subtle, yet prominent. The humor isn't so much as laugh-out-loud funny, but more of a laugh that sneaks up on you and makes you chuckle under your breath.

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Review - The Serpent Prince

Title: The Serpent Prince
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: 2007
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot

Lucy Craddock-Hayes is on her way home from the local village when she finds a man, completely naked and unconscious, face down in the ditch on the side of the road. He has a stab wound in his shoulder and a head injury. Lucy manages to get him to her home and she precedes to nurse him back to health. Simon, the Viscount of Iddesleigh, after he heals from his injuries is determined to stay one step ahead of his attackers and put a stop to them, before they can do the same to him. Only Lucy might be the one thing standing in his way.

There are two things that really stand out for me in The Serpent Prince. The first is how sensual I found this novel to be. I almost wanted to give it a "Burning" rating. Aside from the numerous love scenes (of which there are plenty) I was just mesmerised by Simon's all encompassing passion for Lucy. And the wonderful thing about Hoyt's writing is that she didn't just tell me how much Simon wanted Lucy, she showed it. That is was sets this author apart from others.

The second thing that really stood out for me was the time period. This book takes place in 1760 when the men wore wigs or powdered their hair. They also wore very elaborate coats with lots of lace and trimming and high heeled shoes. Now, I don't know about you, but it is really hard for me to picture a man in that get-up and for me to find him sexy. I try to picture the character Will from Pirates of the Caribbean, but usually an image of Elizabeth's father pops into my mind. Trust me that is not a good thing.



Other than the whole issue I have with the time period's fashion hiccups, The Serpent Prince is a wonderfully written novel. Elizabeth Hoyt has a way with the written word that allows the characters to come alive on paper. In addition to Simon and Lucy there are many well drawn secondary characters. Lucy's father, the general in particular was a favorite. I also liked the depth to Simon's young friend and fencing partner Christian.

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