Awesome read..

I just love having to stop long enough to laugh out loud again and again. BUT mostly I love, love, love sexual tension in a book, and this one has a lot. I don’t even care if there’s sex as long as the tension is there. I absolutely, positively hate it when there’s no desire, no lust, no thoughts, no nothing, then there’s an explicit sex scene or two. AND some reviewers call that “hot and steamy.” Umm, no it’s not! It’s sex thrown in because sex sells. BUT there’s NOTHING that led up to the sex so that makes it boring.

Anyway, this is my first book by Ms. Bowen but it won’t be my last. I like sex in my books and I’m always looking for authors who can write sexual tension. So far I’ve found Samantha Holt and Katie Reus, and 1 other that escapes me right now.

I really like Max and Ivory, and everything that happened in his sister’s bed chamber. And I loved how Ivory kept giving Max orders and he fought her every step of the way then ended up agreeing with everything she said. It really did remind me of Olivia Pope, of the TV show Scandal. If you like the show you would like this book, and the way Ivory and Elise solve problems for the TON. I have to admit I was getting more and more interested in what happened to Beatrice. AND after I did find out, I realized she was just a normal, non-thinking teenager, as dumb as a box of rocks. I wish the author would have handled that a little bit different. I was hoping I would like Beatrice but I didn’t when the truth came out. It almost ruined the book for me. But not quite.

There was, as I said before, sexual tension throughout this book and some great sex scenes. There were a couple of “dammits” but that’s about all. So, for all of you who like explicit sex but absolutely NO swearing, this book is for you.


As to the narrator: Ms. McNab does a good job on the male and female voices but she doesn’t have much emotion when she reads. She doesn’t laugh at all, when it’s called for. She just reads it like normal. Ashford McNab used to be one of my favorites but lately so many narrators seem to be looking at reviews and listening to what people have to say about what’s wrong with narration. For example, Eric G. Dove was just OK for me but I just borrowed my daughter’s iPad and listened to him do Tessa Dawn’s Blood Curse series, and OMG he was phenomenal. He did all the things he never used to do. The same things Susan Duerden ALWAYS does. Things I wish A.M. would do. I’ll continue to listen to her but there are those who are so much better now.

40 people found this helpful

Absolutely Amazing Story! Superb Narration!

WOW WOW WOW!!! I enjoyed every minute of this book! I didn't want it to end. One of the best historical romance books I have listened to in a long time. The heroine Ivory has to be one of my favorites! Loved her. She was smart, witty, and just wonderful! Loved Max the Duke of Alderidge, fantastic hero.

This is one of the best story lines and plots written for a historical romance. The dialogue throughout the book was fantastic and there was lots of it! I love lots of dialogue.

If you like Historical Romance books you will love this one! I will absolutely look for more books by Kelly Bowen!

As of the narration, I am a fan of Ashford McNab and she did great. She is not real big on the emotion part of her narrations but she has a great reading voice and the men sound like men. Loved the narration.

Just get this book! It does not disappoint at all! love it love love it.

Thank you Kelly Bowen for writing such a wonderful book. I read/listened this book in one sitting I couldn't stop listening!

10 people found this helpful

Fun story...narration is not so good

Any additional comments?

I loved this story, it was cleaver and moved at a great pace. The narration for the female characters was good, you could tell the difference between characters and you could feel a little personality come thru in the readings. the male characters, however, are a different story! Male support characters were ok, the main character was AWFUL!!!! he sounded like a monotone dullard. I almost stopped halfway thru and returned the book because he was so painful to listen to. I ended up listening till the end, but i definitely will not be purchasing any other books featuring this reader! This listen had so much potential, I wish they had switched readers for the other books in the series. I would love to read them, but don't have time to sit and read so will not be purchasing them.

2 people found this helpful

Excellent! (really)

STORY: This is the first Kelly Bowen book I have come across and I hope there will be more. Finding this in the 'historical' romances is a tiny bit deceiving since there is no history of any kind whatsoever... not even a specific point in time that I can recall. It is definitely London.... Regency.... but a more unique HEA Mystery Romance in this genre I haven't seen in quite a while.

NARRATOR: Ashford McNab always delivers and this is another masterful performance. When you hear male and female, young and old, voices with such distinctive individuality you know you've struck gold.

HEAT FACTOR: Mature theme from the onset but heat? Yes, there is some true chemistry culminating in a few steamy scenes... scorching even!

CREDITWORTHY? YES!

9 people found this helpful

Brilliant book

I love this book. It’s so well written. Plot holds up believably well and people make generally reasonable choices. Delightful HAE. The narrator does a good job of holding unique voices and is generally enjoyable to listen to.

I’ll be ordering more books by this author and narrator in future.

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful!!!

I listen to a lot of historical romances, but it has been a long time since one has held me so captive or touched me like this one. The writing is intelligent and emotional. The characters are smart, funny, honorable and passionate. The romance is excellent, but the mystery is equally good. Although I wasn't quite sure about the narrator's approach in the very beginning, I found it didn't take long to find the rhythm and personalities. I immediately looked for any other work by Ms. Bowen! Is she new? Please do a series with these characters! I couldn't put this book down. /JB

7 people found this helpful

Heavy going...not worth a credit

could not/would not make it past 1st chapter. don't waste your money...or your credit on this.

2 people found this helpful

Great Read!

Kelly Bowen is a new author to me. I love her writing style. Her story lines are original and her plots interesting.

Max and Ivory start off a little rocky when a dead earl is found in Max's sister's bed. The story grabs you from the start and just keeps you on your toes.

Ashford McNabb is my favorite narrator hands down so the combination in this book is perfection for me.

I highly recommend this book and also the next in the series too. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did.

2 people found this helpful

Mystery, romance, humor..

This was a pretty enjoyable story. I liked that there were acta lot of things that were “mysteries” that e didn’t realize were until we got the answers to them. Loved all the secondary characters, especially the kids. I am excited to read the next in the series.
Ashford McNab is not my favorite narrator, not is my least favorite, but I do wish this could have been read gy someone else. I was looking forward to the ‘sexual tension’ other reviewers spoke of, but this narrator does not aloow for me to connect in that way, and the intimate scenes are actually kind of awkward. She reads very slow and every time I listen to her I have to speed the book up a bit.

I got this in a 2 for 1 sale and it was worth it, I’d have not thought it was worth a whole credit though .

I very has mer her man

what a great love story and it held your interest thru out the whole story thru all the cast of chapters. I will say anyone picking up this story will enjoy the thrills, the mystery,and the love. I cannot wait for another by Kelly Bowen