She’s a servant masquerading as a lady… Gillian Beaumont never had a fairytale life: she was left penniless after her father’s death, forcing her into service as a lady’s maid. Luckily, her mistress is more adventurous than most ladies and soon Gillian is aiding her espionage. One such spy mission forces Gillian to masquerade as a high-born lady to infiltrate a Hellfire Club. But when she … when she falls into the club’s trap, she’s rescued by gentleman rogue, the Earl of Pembroke. His heated kisses make her long for a different life, but she has a secret that could destroy everything…
He’s a gentleman on the outside, but a rogue on the inside…
James Fordyce, Earl of Pembroke, tries to be a well-behaved man—for the most part. A member of the Wicked Earls’ Club, he has his fair share of notoriety, but he’s longing for the day when he might settle down. A chance encounter with a mysterious beauty leaves him feeling full of hope. When she vanishes without a trace and danger seems to be following her, he knows he must find her and rescue the woman he is determined to make the future Countess of Pembroke. Tracking her down to the seedy halls of a Hellfire Club, he knows he’ll have to fight against all odds to save her before it’s too late…
Warning: This book contains a woman dreaming of a life she can never have, a hero who’s convinced he’ll never find the one woman destined to be his and a love so powerful nothing can stop it.
Steamy and adventurous, fans of Julia Quinn and Johanna Lindsey won’t want to miss out on this upstairs/downstairs romance!
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*Note this can be read as a standalone or a part of the League of Rogues series.
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Great book for Regency romance lovers!
Gillian Beaumont never had a fairytale life: she was left penniless after her father the Earl of Morrey’s death, forcing her into service as a lady’s maid. Luckily, her mistress Audrey is more adventurous than most ladies and soon Gillian is aiding her espionage. One such spy mission forces Gillian to masquerade as a high-born lady to infiltrate a Hellfire Club. But when she falls into the club’s trap, she’s rescued by gentleman rogue, the Earl of Pembroke. James Fordyce, Earl of Pembroke, tries to be a well-behaved man. A member of the Wicked Earls’ Club, he has his fair share of notoriety, but he’s longing for the day when he might settle down. A chance encounter with a mysterious beauty in a modistes leaves him feeling full of hope. When she vanishes without a trace and danger seems to be following her, he knows he must find her.
Another engrossing long novella from one of my must read authors which lived up to her high standard. I couldn’t put it down & read it in one sitting. The characters as always are so strong. This story as well as being a Wicked Earls book is part of the League of Rogues series & both series are so very very good, I loved the cross over. Gillian has featured in earlier Rogues books & I’d been impatiently waiting for her story & now I can’t wait for Audrey’s story & I hope Letty & Pauls’ stories. I could wax lyrical about the book but just read it to appreciate it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Gillian has always been one of my favorite characters throughout this entire series, the strong moral compass that keeps Audrey from veering too far off course…I was thrilled to find her the heroine of this story!! Gillian is so sweet, smart and just such a great heroine you cannot help but love her, loyal to Audrey to a fault she will do whatever it takes to keep her lady out of trouble. So mature for 19, yet so innocent, she knows that loving and wanting a life with James, an Earl who is above her station as a servant isn’t possible. She may have been raised with the education and manners of a lady of the ton, and her Father was an Earl, but her Mother was his mistress, and well….society was cruel to those children for the “sins of the parents”
Gillian and James are so great together, no angsty misunderstandings, no you lied, you aren’t worthy, just two people in love who defy convention and fight for each other, for their love, because what they have is worth it.
Love the League of Rogues, and watching these Wicked Earls fall one by one is such fun!! Makes me feel like Lord Coventry
Goodness, gracious me! This delightful novella makes the heart go pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat – thrum, thrum. I think this might be the sweetest and most romantic book I have read in a long while. Lauren Smith’s writing and turn-of-phrase are delightful, the characters are so well defined that you want to claim them as personal friends and the romance was just sigh worthy. James may be a member of the Wicked Earls Club, but he certainly does not personify its reputation – he is honorable to a fault. The only reason he is a member is so he can retreat into its dark and silent rooms when his responsibilities begin to weigh him down.
We met Gillian Beaumont in several earlier books in the League of Rogues series and I liked her then, but she just shines in this one. She is beautiful, brave, intelligent, level-headed and absolutely devoted to her friend and employer Audrey Sheridan. Gillian is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Morrey. Her father had loved both her and her mother, but he failed to provide for them in his will. So, when he died, she had to take care of her mother and chose to enter into service as a lady’s maid. She has half-siblings, but she’s never met them and is sure they don’t know of her and wouldn’t want to meet her if they did. She has met the most wonderful man, his kisses thrill her and he makes her dream. She knows that is all it can ever be – but dream she does.
James Fordyce, The Earl of Pembroke is handsome, charming, and has a heart of gold. He adores his ailing mother and does all in his power to care for her. Family means the world to him. He’s met, and kissed the most intriguing lady – and now she has disappeared. He has to find her, but how. While he is puzzling over her, he starts to put some pieces to the puzzle together and realizes she is in danger and he needs to rescue her from the hellfire club known as the Unholy Sinners of Hell.
After the exciting rescue, the book focuses on the romance between the two. He pursues, but she knows they cannot be a couple. When Audrey tricks her into attending a house party that James is attending, they have a wonderful week – and a painful one.
Their HEA is wonderful. Would you like an example of some of the sweet and romantic things James says?
“But beauty is not merely that of one’s face and form. It extends far deeper, into the mind and soul. That beauty grows with time rather than fades.”
“There has only ever been joy for me when I’m with you. When you’re here, it’s like feeling the sun on my face after a cold winter”
See – I told you pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, thrum, thrum, thrum.
I highly recommend this delightful novella and all of the other books in the League of Rogues series.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
4 1/2*STARS*
A chance meeting, then a rescue bring a lady’s maid and the Earl of Pembroke together. It doesn’t take long for passion to consume them, only he doesn’t know who Gillian really is. I don’t consider this Earl wicked at all. A novella that has a few tense moments, but very little angst.
And a brilliant series marches on
This is another brilliantly written book in what is a great series. The plot is full of emotional suspense and wonderful characters that have the courage and determination to overcome their social differences. This is a beautifully crafted story that will keep all who love steamy historical romances entertained from start to finish.
A sweet book with a simple story and good characters. i loved that the story did not include drama arguing and lashing out then making up between the main characters. They were connected from the beginning and honest with their feelings not allowing anyone else to interfere. That’s the stuff for good books!
This was a sweet story. The Earl of Pembroke was not very wicked, but I still liked him. It was a good book, although it had potential to be amazing.
This book was a sweet tale of two people who recognize immediately their other half.
So it is how they reach another and deal with each other past and secrets.
There was no drama nor angst, only acceptance and with time truth.
James Fordyce is not the usual regency hero, all alpha, drinking, gambling and whoring. He only manages his estate and takes care of his kin, until Gillian awakened desire for more.
Gillian Beaumont feels she does not deserve happiness because of her lineage and that she is working in service, but she is impossibly drawn to the Earl Of Pembroke and she is not enough strong to turn her back to him.
It is a cute story of how with some friends help they will find their way together.
Earl of Pembroke by Lauren Smith is book 7 in The League of Rogues series and book 10 in The Wicked Earls’ Club series. This is the story of James Fordyce, The Earl of Pembroke and Gillian Beaumont. This can be a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Gillian is rescued from the club of hell and awakens something in James. But Gillian is a illegitimate daughter of an earl who has to earn a living. But their attraction is something that is bringing them together at each of their meeting.
Enjoyed their story very much.
Quick read. Typical regency romance story
Trite
I like to read this type book. I enjoy reading about Historic England and find a lot of funny attitudes
Very good read flow was very good.
A sweet, steamy romance. Pure delight. Loved the characters of Gillian and James. Kudos to Lauren Smith for creating a very engaging and romantic read.
This was a fun story with a very interesting beginning. I loved Gillian’s loyalty to her friend, braving danger to protect her. Her honesty was also endearing as she struggled with when and how to admit to her past. I found this a grittier look at that time period. James was a sweetheart and wanted his heart’s desire no matter what. The narration by Carolyn Morris kept me listening as well. I highly recommend this story, and I look forward to reading all the Wicked Earls.
I received a copy of this audiobook as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.
I have been reading the whole series
This book is well written and entertaining, and goes well with the rest of her League of Rogues series.
Love all the characters in this series. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
Big Sigh as I turned the last page. A wonderfully crafted story that will make your heart smile. Gillian Beaumont, is a lady’s maid to her friend and employer Audrey Sheridan. She was born the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Morrey and had little options to support herself when he and her mother passed away. She is very intelligent, beautiful and knows her station in life or what it has to be. But as fate would have it, she meets the very handsome, goodhearted Earl of Pembroke, James Fordyce. James does not realize who she is and only knows her name. Sparks fly and their meeting is magical but she disappears and James is determined to find her. James a member of the Wicked Earls’ Club, is really part of the club just to get away from his sadness due to the illness of his mother. What follows as James searches for Gillian is an intriguing next meeting and several twist and turns until they are back together. This story is so very romantic and emotional that you will be sighing as I said at the beginning until the last page. You can never go wrong with a story by Lauren Smith and this one is no exception!!