The last man Judith Worth wants to see again is Christian Trent, the Marquess of Ashford—the man who spent summers at her family home, who kissed her one magical night…and then heartlessly ruined her father. But when a tricky business matter arises, he’s the only one she can ask for help. With any luck, he’ll engage a servant to take care of the matter, and she won’t even have to talk with him.
… him.
But Ashford has never forgotten Judith. He knows she will never forgive him for what he’s done, but when offered the chance to assist her, he arrives in person. His memory of Judith may have haunted him, but it pales in comparison to the reality of the vivacious, beautiful woman he rediscovers. Throughout his life, he has always done what is correct. But now, he finds himself doing something utterly wrong…falling in love with the one woman he can never have.
Once Upon a Marquess is the first book in the Worth Saga.
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This is classic Courtney Milan: interesting characters, funny dialogue, and hot chemistry in the face of somewhat grim realities.
Judith and Christian were really interesting as heroine/hero. Judith is strong even though her life has been turned upside down and she’s responsible for troublesome younger siblings (who are, of course, as delightful as they are annoying). She is fighting really hard to survive, but she does it with grace and dignity and without feeling sorry for herself. Christian is reckoning with his past decisions, which include a complicated relationship with Judith and her family. He has all the privileges of a titled male peer, but he is also a little different. My favorite part is that their chemistry is shown through pretend conversations between swans and a very steamy scene with a piece of bread.
The only weakness to this book is that the reality surrounding Judith and Christian is pretty grim. Judith’s family is basically a victim of the opium trade, while Christian is a recovered opiate addict. A lot of the book deals with the grief of a lost brother (and, to some extent, father). It is all really well done, and I still felt like I had escaped, but not as much as if it had simply taken place in a ballroom. Of course, I think that was Milan’s intention!
I’m waiting anxiously for her to finish the rest of the Worth saga!
Courtney Milan never disappoints! I anxiously await each new book by this author and can put the book down until it is finished. I highly recommend Once Upon a Marquess!
I liked this book as I have liked all of Courtney Milan’s books I have read. There is an original quality to the characters dialogue. This story also had original dialog and did not disappoint. I am ready to read more!
The family of well born Judith Worth, the heroine, has lost its money due to the treasonous actions of her father and brother. She is living in a low end part of 19th century London, trying to keep things together for her younger sister and brother. Her difficulties lead her to reach out to her erstwhile friend/potential lover, Christian Trent the Marquess of Ashford. Both Judith and Christian, have personality quirks – she is a wind up clockwork toy designer and he suffers from night terrors and a resulting addiction to laudanum from the “cure” for them his doctors provided in his childhood that takes all his strength to stave off re-using.
This unlikely pair works together to solve the mystery of her brother’s disappearance, the location of a second sister, and whether they can rekindle their emotional connection. It’s well written, and interesting- I liked it – but less action oriented and more talky that some readers will prefer.
I had not read this author in some time, and it was a pleasure to renew our acquaintance. She is a wonderful,author, with rich characters and interesting storylines. You will not be disappointed.
This book was somewhat different from Milan’s other books. It was more of a cliff hanger. I immediately had to by the next book; I needed to know what would happen next. The back and forth between the heroine and the hero went on for too long. However, the story line was unusual for Milan.
The H was a likeable character, always smiling with a joking attitude, hiding pain of his part of losing his best friend and the woman he loved. The H and h meet again 8 yrs later. She needs some help, the feelings are still there. I really enjoyed this story. The past is heart wrenching. The h is strong, taking on her siblings to care for, especially her youngest sister. There’s so much more I just don’t want to give anything away. Lol! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Milan always has great plots but her dialogue is so inane, so without tension of any kind, that one can only be disappointed.
Different plot-hard to find a line I have not heard before. Unique!
The characters were a mixture of realistic and humorous giving the reader a fun and entertaining romp thru the pages.
Reader is totally invested in the characters from the beginning. Interesting plot developments and very romantic.