Lady Emmeline Hartley has overcome every obstacle life has thrown her way. A spinster, disappointed in love, Em is on the brink of a marriage of convenience, when the man who rejected her heart reappears in need of her help. It gives Em a chance to escape, put to use one her most unusual talents—and perhaps convince him once and for all to risk his heart . . . Adam Montclair–one of the most … successful agents at the Home Office–rubs elbows with the highest levels of society. Even so, he wasn’t to the manor born. No matter how much he desires Em, as a match he is completely unsuitable. While it pains him to be near her, it’s a punishment he richly deserves. Now on a mission to uncover a plot against the government, Adam knows Em’s uncanny ability to recall voices will be essential. Yet as the two thwart the dangers in their path, it may become impossible to deny that Em is essential to happiness itself . . . Praise for the Muses’ Salon series “A feast for the imagination.” –Publishers Weekly “Rachael Miles’ knowledge of the time period she writes about adds a depth of authenticity that enriches every page.” –Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author “A delicious, original read.” –RT Book Reviews Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com
more
I love the characters in The Muses’ Salon including Lady Emmeline Hartley and Adam Montclair. Their journey had many twists and turns and I really enjoy these novels. Rachael Miles is an excellent author and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
The cover drew me in on this one. While I loved the characters of Emmeline and Adam I felt that they went back and forth in their relationship too much. Emmeline’s disability and unique lifestyle plus Adam and his were another reason I wanted to read. I had issues with the story. The story was very lagging in places with the internal thoughts of how unworthy or how the relationship was or was not going. The villain was in there in bits and pieces. Have to say this may have been higher rated if I had read the first books. Felt rather lost with the past history and other characters/relationships in the book. If the book was just a little bit shorter and the flow of the story fixed this would be a great read. Even with the lagging I kept on reading hoping it the flow would sort itself out. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
This book started out really slow for me, and maybe that was just the thing that killed it for me. I think this author has a lot of potential, and I will read her again, but this one wasn’t for me. I was never sold on their second chance romance and that’s something I need to be if I’m going to root for them. I think jumping into the middle of this series might have not been a good idea even though I seen that this could be a stand alone book. This is probably a “it’s not you it’s me” case here and I get that. I will try her again though.
Brazen in Blue by Rachael Miles is book 5 in The Muses’ Salon Series. This is the story of Adam Montclair and Emmeline Hartley. I have read the previous books which of courses added to my enjoyment of this one, but I do feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Adam is an agent for the Home Office which dictates his life and who can know who he really is. Which is why when he meet Em he couldn’t be honest with her and had to leave. But now he is back needing her help with an assignment using her special talents. Em lost her heart to Adam but he had left when he reappears at her wedding of convenience she asked him to help her leave it. This opens them up to adventure and a second chance at their feelings.
I’ll admit, I am new to this author’s work but I was craving a historical romance with diverse rep and was excited to see a heroine with a physical disability. That sure sounds grim and weird, I know. But, I enjoy reading about diverse heroines, and Miles certainly delivered with Lady Emmeline. After a horrific carriage accident that resulted in the passing of her mother and siblings, Emmeline is left with a brain injury and a mangled leg. The addition of a support animal, Queen Bess, was so much fun to see. Honestly, I loved Bess the most. Adam was every bit the chameleon you would expect from an agent of the Home Office. A former lover of Em’s while he was undercover, there is plenty of tension between the two when they reconnect.
Unfortunately, I think I was expecting more intrigue going in. I was surprised, and a bit disappointed, to see it was primarily a character-driven story and light on plot. We spend a lot of time inside Adam and Emmeline’s heads but this plot against the Crown was very much a secondary, or even tertiary component. Additionally, I didn’t particularly care for either of the characters. Miscommunication was rampant on both sides of this relationship with flimsy reasoning to boot. It drove me up the wall each time they chose to keep something from the other party needlessly. I loved Em’s recall ability and I wish it played a bigger roll. I found myself forgetting this remarkable ability repeatedly, especially during an unnecessary tutorial in crafting. I’m a knitter and have dabbled in spinning but I just didn’t think it fit this story and it threw off the pace.
I would definitely try the author’s work in the future but unfortunately, this story just didn’t work for this reader. I do recommend for fans of character-driven historical romance with fade to black intimate scenes and lovers of the second-chance trope.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Colin, her best friend had shown up needing help, she had to help him. A few months later she got a note from Adam Locksley/ Montclair to meet at the old oak, He told her there was too much distance in the classes between them and he was not worthy of her. Emmeline Hartley had been getting ready for the wedding. She loved Colin but not enough and he loved Lucy. Em had decided to run. Em had scars on parts of her body and now she walked with a limp. She also lost that day, her mother and all of her sisters, in a carriage accident. Her leg was badly broken and they were not sure she would live. She had watched him cross the cemetery to the chapel, to say goodbye. Maybe, just maybe he could forget her. All Adam wanted was to hear her vows and realize that she never be there for him again. He worked for the Home Office and was a spy. His sisters, cousins, and children lived on a small property up towards the North of England. He had not exactly honest with Em. He knew she would not trust him.
This is a love and spy story. There are a few twists to the plot. The tale is excellent and well written. The characters are warm and engrossing. She was one of those people who liked to help out and felt it was their duty. He would do anything for country and duty.
I received this ArC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Spinser Lady Emmeline Hartley has valiantly overcome the various trials life has thrown at her but now, rejected by the man she loves, she’s just about to enter a marriage of convenience with her oldest friend. But when she realizes she can’t go through with the it, the man she truly loves is their to help her escape. Em decides to accept his help and perhaps convince him to take a chance on their love.
As one of the best agents the Home Office has, Adam Montclair is used to filling many roles. But as often as he associates with the aristocracy, he is painfully aware of his own lowly status as the son of a clergyman. No matter how much he loves Em, he believes he could never be worthy of marrying her. His latest mission to uncover the identity of a nobleman plotting against the government requires Em’s talent for recognizing voices and, though he despises telling her only half-truths, he agrees to help her knowing it will suit his purposes as well. It’s torture for Adam to spend so much time around Em and the more dangers they face, the more Adam’s priorities begin to shift as regards their relationship and his position.
Boy this was a convoluted plot. I’ve only read one other book in this series, so that’s likely the problem but there were so many loose threads here that I struggled to follow where we were going. I’m wondering if perhaps the books in this series are all occurring concurrently or at least close to it; they must be as I kept feeling like I was missing large chunks of story throughout the book. Adam and Em’s past relationship wasn’t ever fully explained so I felt a bit adrift from the start and struggled at times to keep all the secondary characters straight. I did like the overall vibe of the book, but it was a struggle to get through because the flow was so choppy and Em was so hot and cold all the time, while Adam was mostly just fatalistic and too lacking in self-worth. I also found this to be rather lacking in steam, intimate scenes were very vague and left me questioning just how close Em and Adam had really gotten, making their relationship development confusing to follow. After all that struggle, Adam still wound up being pretty disgraced and the story line of the villain was left unresolved, though I’m guessing that’s being left for a later book. Overall, I liked the mystery and subterfuge aspects here, but the book left me feeling like I’d just been dumped into a party at which I knew no one. It was just a bit disorienting. I think for me the dogs were the best characters here and this series must be read as a whole, and presumably in order, to be enjoyed fully. This was an okay read, but wound up just a bit anticlimactic for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Brazen in Blue by Rachael Miles
The Muses Salon #5
Second chances to get it right in love don’t come as often as we might like. Lady Emmeline Hartley is willing to try again and leave a man she admires, but does not love passionately, at the altar to pursue her true happiness while allowing Colin to do the same.
What I liked:
* Emmeline: a woman that overcame so much to become all that she did. Giving, kind, and true she does have injuries that impede her in some ways but don’t impinge on her ability to run her estate, provide for those that count on her and love truly and deeply. Her skill with voices is…interesting, too.
* Adam: a great man but I did get tired of his woes about station and not being good enough for Em. Otherwise he was charming, able, a chameleon, etc.
* Queen Bess & Persis: canines that added a great deal to the story
* Jeffreys: I good friend and mentor to Emmeline
* The sisters and cousins of Adam – I can see them starring in books of their own in perhaps a spin off series
* That Colin & Lucy get their HEA
* Wondering about Mr. James and Joe Pasten – wonder if more will come out about them in the future.
* The concept of the stories revolving around The Muses Salon but also dealing with Agents of the Home Office
* That the series is not over even though Emmeline and Adam have found their HEA.
What I did not like:
* Cousin Stella: spoiled rotten woman who was mean in the way spoiled stepsisters in fairy tales are. Would have loved to see her get her comeuppance and seen her reaction.
* Charters & Flute: evil men that were identified but not dealt with finally
* Having to wait for more books in the series.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
razen in Blue is part of the Muses Salon Series. I feel that not having read the earlier books in the series put me at a disadvantage. There were a lot of characters and backstory I was not clear on and some impacted the actions of the characters in this book.
The hero, Adam Montclair is an agent for the Home Office and in one of his roles he and Em met and fell in love.
He had infiltrated some farmers with revolutionary inclinations and Em feels that he betrayed and used her when people she knew were hung for their part. She also believed that Adam was hung for his part.
Some time later, Em agrees to marry Colin, who she loves but more as a brother. Her cousin, Stella, calls Colin out on a long ago promise to marry her and he feels he needs to go along. Adam is invited to the wedding-he and Colin both work at the Home Office and he can’t keep away and Em realizes he hadn’t died after all. Colin still loves another woman but he insists on marrying Em so she decides to run away from her wedding so Colin can marry her. His brothers support that decision and ask Adam to find her and keep her away from Colin until he comes to his senses. They do not know that Em has already asked Adam to help her escape. The Home office is also involved-Colin had bragged about Em’s ability to identify people based on their voices and they wanted her to help identify the man who was instigating the people to revolt.
Thus begins a road trip to Adam’s estate, meeting his family and learning of his/their situation and then back to London to try to identify the villain. They’ve always been in love, but Adam’s pride prevents their being together. But eventually there is an HEA.
.I’d rate this a 3.5. I enjoyed it enough to go back and read others in the series and feel the author is talented at telling a story, but it was a bit convoluted as a standalone.
I received an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
‘Brazen in Blue‘ is the fifth title in ‘The Muses’ Salon‘ series, and while I’ve read the earlier books (but not yet reviewed-I’d purchased and did a binge read of the series up to this point this past weekend, the reviews are still to come) – I still had some trouble with Adam and Em’s romance. I enjoyed the second chance romance aspect of this story. The special talent of recognizing any voice that Em has heard at least once before is, frankly, fascinating. Yet, for me, there were places that were left empty, questions asked but the answers not delivered.
So, I’m torn in many ways on ‘Brazen in Blue‘. It’s a good story, I enjoyed my time back in this world once again. It simply didn’t blow me away. There are a lot of familiar faces in Adam’s and Em’s story. This is a series that, in my opinion, really needs to be read in order. I’m going to leave this review at this point. A good story, an enjoyable visit with previous book friends… and perhaps those spots that gave me pause will be addressed in the next title in the series. As with any review, these are my thoughts – you should make up your own mind.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Lady Emmeline Hartley has overcome every obstacle life has thrown her way. A spinster, disappointed in love, Em is on the brink of a marriage of convenience, when the man who rejected her heart reappears in need of her help. It gives Em a chance to escape, put to use one her most unusual talents. Adam Montclair–one of the most successful agents at the Home Office–rubs elbows with the highest levels of society. Even so, he wasn’t to the manor born. No matter how much he desires Em, as a match he is completely unsuitable. While it pains him to be near her, it’s a punishment he richly deserves. Now on a mission to uncover a plot against the government, Adam knows Em’s uncanny ability to recall voices will be essential.
This is the fifth book in the series & it could just be read on its own but to more fully appreciate it I’d recommend reading from the beginning. A well written book with strong characters. The pace was good & I was drawn in from the start. I really liked both Em & Adam & that they had their second chance. I also liked the recurring characters & I love a romance with a mystery, whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the book I wasn’t totally engrossed but I do want to find out what happens
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Love is a Fool’s Game
Brazen in Blue is a delightful spy romance, with a runaway bride. Rachel Miles blends spirited characters with an entertaining adventure. Lady Emmeline Hartley (Em) has had a challenging past, and all she wants is a quiet life tending her estate. But as a woman of fortune, marriage is what is expected of her, and Lord Colin Somerville is a good man. When she has second thoughts, the only person who can help is the scoundrel spy Adam Montclair. He broke her heart once, and she refuses to repeat that mistake again. Covered in so many lies and aliases, Adam wants nothing more than to make things right with Em. Together they find a way to work through their pasts, and remember who they are. Em and Adam are well matched, have quite a few similar experiences, and love a lot of the same things. There are a few references to past events that are not reiterated. So, it takes a little bit to get oriented into this story if you have not read the previous The Muses’ Salon books. It also takes a while for them to tell each other their difficult secrets. A great romance about remembering, forgiving, and falling in love.
This was a well-written, entertaining historical romance. Lady Emmeline Hartley was rejected by love in the past and is about to enter into a marriage of convenience. Adam Montclair knows he hurt Em in the past, but now he needs her help. The book was fast-paced and hard to put down. I enjoyed this romance and would read more books by this author.
Barbara’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Muses’ Salon #5
Publication Date: 8/25/20
Number of Pages: 352
This fifth book in The Muses Salon series brings us another Home Office agent, Adam Montclair, in search of the arch-villain known as Charters. They are getting closer to identifying him – they even think he might be an aristocrat, but they still don’t know who he really is. Only one person, Lady Emmeline Hartley, has the talent to recognize him from his voice. She has an odd talent for being able to recognize any voice she’s ever heard, and she heard the villain speak at a reform meeting. Adam and Em have a history and he certainly doesn’t want to involve her in this dangerous pursuit – except the Home Office gives him no choice.
Adam met and fell in love with Em a year ago on another mission, but he was convinced there could be no future for them because of the differences in their stations. She didn’t feel that the differences mattered – but he did – and so he left her. After she waited, she finally accepted a proposal from her childhood friend. Neither of them was in love with the other, they actually each loved someone else, but …
Adam arrives at Em’s estate just in time to help her flee her wedding. Em realizes that she cannot marry her betrothed because he now has a chance to marry the woman he really loves, but won’t break his betrothal to Em. Adam and Em take off on a journey where they must remain hidden in order to assure that Em’s betrothed doesn’t find her because he’ll surely come looking for her. The Home Office knows Adam is with Em – and his mission is supposed to be to convince her to help them identify Charters. Em believes Adam is a scoundrel of the first order and doesn’t trust him as far as she can see him. Convincing her to trust him again will be an impossible task.
Their journey takes them across England, to a lovely island that seems like a faery’s home, then to London where they run into the real danger. Can Adam keep his heart safe and protect Em at the same time. Will Adam ever realize that he and Em can have a future together or will he wait until it is too late.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read and visiting with the recurring characters. There is plenty of danger and intrigue within a lovely, moving, and sensual story. However, to me, there was a big hole in the plot. Maybe I missed something. Em identified Charters to Adam – but – then we never heard any more about it. Nobody at the Home Office went to work on the information. It was like the whole plot of the story was based on getting Em to identify Charter and when she did – Pfffffft – nothing more. Maybe some of that will be explained in the next book, but it sure left a hole in this one for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I like Ms. Miles’ style of writing and I’ve read some of the other books in this series, but it’s been so long between books that I forgot a lot of what happened previously. This book started out great–a bride having second thoughts about marrying her best friend and then asking a former lover to help her escape. Lady Emmeline Hartley just can’t through with the marriage knowing that her husband-to-be loves someone else. She asks Adam Montclair to help her disappear even though the last time she saw him, she threatened to kill him. This was a great set-up for the story, but the book meandered too much to hold my interest although I did finish the book.
Unfortunately, even though the villain in the book was identified, that storyline was just dropped. I assume it will pick up again in the next book, but I felt like a good opportunity to wind up that plot line was squandered. Although this wasn’t my favorite book in the series, I certainly will pick up another book by Ms. Miles.
I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.
My suggestion is to read this series in order. This is my first book to read in the series and I was totally missing part of the story that didn’t fall into place. Even though the last quarter of the book shed some light on the connections, this book has unanswered questions that I assume will follow in the next book. There is no doubt Miles can write a romance, but I don’t consider this a standalone. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.