A mistress. A mountain of debt. A mysterious wreck of a building.
Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring, learns the hard way that her husband, “Dear Dull Derring,” is a lot more interesting—and perfidious—dead than alive. It’s a devil of an inheritance, but in the grand ruins of the one building Derring left her, are the seeds of her liberation. And she vows never again to place herself at the … never again to place herself at the mercy of a man.
But battle-hardened Captain Tristan Hardy is nothing if not merciless. When the charismatic naval hero tracks a notorious smuggler to a London boarding house known as the Rogue’s Palace, seducing the beautiful, blue-blooded proprietress to get his man seems like a small sacrifice.
They both believe love is a myth. But a desire beyond reason threatens to destroy the armor around their hearts. Now a shattering decision looms: Will Tristan betray his own code of honor…or choose a love that might be the truest thing he’s ever known?
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Stayed up all night reading this lovely, lyrical romance. So worth the lack of sleep!
As a long time reader of Long’s historical novels, I was delighted to see her return to that genre. Her unique prose, wonderful characterization, witty and intelligent dialogue were all on display. It stated slow and left the heroine out of the action for the main mystery plot, but I loved the ending! An award-winning declaration by the hero For a spectacular happy-ever-after.
Five. Freaking. Stars. Lady Derring Takes a Lover is pure historical romance magic. Magic, Magic, Magic. I feel like this book could be adapted for BBC television. It’s really that good.
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Julie Anne Long writes with such a GORGEOUS poetic quality that I quite literally forced myself to read this book slowly so I could savor every single word. This book is an ensemble of charming, hilarious, thoroughly entertaining characters and I fell in love with each one despite myself. Funny, and sweet and quirky, Lady Derring Takes a Lover is also the story of women standing in their own power and forging their own way. It’s timely and it’s awesome.
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The love story between Delilah and Tristan unfolds slowly. So heads up there. But in my opinion it couldn’t have happened any other way. It was PERFECT. And when it finally gets to blazing…it’s FIRE. Consuming, scalding, perfect fire.
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Lady Derring Takes a Lover charmed me in every possible way from the very first page. I was entirely transported. Attention historical romance fans: DO NOT miss out on this one. I loved it.
I absolutely loved this book, the characters are amazing, the plot is so thick and just brimming with romance and passion! Long’s writing is truly impeccable, she takes you to another time and place and literally leaves you there to experience it all so vividly! I would highly recommend this book, you will not be displeased!
Good, diverse characters
Delightful – can’t remember when I enjoyed a Historical Romance more. Excellent engaging writing, with intelligent, clever and witty dialogue and drawn out seduction building to heartfelt romance. Going on my 2019 Favourites List and my All Time Favourites List. Loved it!
It just goes to show you that sometimes you truly can make lemonade out of the lemons life throws you. Delilah finds out that her deceased jerk of a husband left her almost destitute and accidentally meets her husband’s mistress who was left in that same situation. The only thing left her was some old building in a questionable neighborhood down by the docks. When these two put their heads together, out comes a wonderful story of friendship and love and a whole slew of side stories and characters. Highly recommend this book as it has a little bit of everything – wit, humor, romance, etc.
A historical romance with unexpected characters. I enjoyed this book immensely. The cast of characters were fun and amusing, banding together in an unlikely scenario that would bring them all together in a boarding house. Ms. Long is at her best in this very entertaining book.
Julie Anne Long’s books have sparkling repartee, emotional depth and marvelous turns of phrase.
Julie Anne Long has a gift for nuanced, amusing romances with smart characters, hot chemistry and interesting situations. Her Pennyroyal Green historical romances have all of these characteristics in spades, as does the first book in her new Palace of Rogues series: “Lady Derring Takes a Lover.” This one also has Austenian overtones, with a cast of wonderful secondary characters complementing our hero and heroine. Thus a charming comedy of manners plays against the main romance and promises an enjoyable backdrop for future books in the series.
Lady Derring is a widow who learns she’s been left penniless, and worse, her husband had a mistress who was left in the same situation. So why not collaborate and open a boarding house in the one building left to her – a building with a shady past that is of great interest to bootlegger-hunter Captain Tristan Hardy? Captain Hardy is tough, taciturn and scarred, but he’s unexpectedly delighted by the straightforward and clever Lady Derring and the cozy atmosphere she attempts to create at the unlikely boarding house. Their relationship takes some time to develop, but the journey is a pleasure. Can their slow-burn seduction, which is threatened by Tristan’s closely held reasons for being there, survive his deception and her cynicism? Well, this is a romance, my friends, so place your bets and enjoy.
A wonderful new novel from the author of the Pennyroyal Green series. Julie Anne Long is one of my favorite authors.
There were so many good things about this book (and JAL’s books in general). Her writing seems effortless as she literally crafts characters who become so real and dear that I never want to finish their stories. She is my very favorite historical romance author because I laugh out loud at her humor, feel deeply for her characters and become lost in her wonderful love stories. Can’t wait for next in series this fall!
I am trying to find the right words to express why this book delighted me so much. LADY DERRING TAKES A LOVER took me by surprise because, honestly, I was dazzled, and that doesn’t happen to me very often anymore, especially with the start of a new series. This was my first book by Julie Anne Long and I can’t believe I slept on her stories for so long!
From page one I was wholly invested in Delilah (Lady Derring) and her personal journey. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, because it would spoil part of the fun of this book, which is how Delilah picks up the pieces of a shattered life. Let me just say, this book is full of girl power and women supporting women and it was all done within a (mostly) believable for the time period frame.
The absolute best part of this story was the banter! It brought me back to classic Amanda Quick novels (one of the highest compliments I can give a book!). The humor was dry, sarcastic, and had me actually yelling, “BURN” a few times. I can’t count the number of times I laughed out loud. The dialogue flowed effortlessly and at no time did the story drag.
Now on to the romance/hero. Where can I find my own Captain Tristan Hardy? He was mature, he was arrogant, he was slightly stuffy at times but had a wicked sense of humor, but best of all: he only melted his icy exterior for the heroine. I felt like Tristan and Delilah just couldn’t stay away from each other and it delighted me to no end.
Overall, I highly, highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun and fast-paced historical romance and the start to what I am sure will be one of my favorite new series of 2019. I can’t wait to see where JAL takes us from here!
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
***3.5 Stars ***
It has been a long time since I’ve read a book by this author and it is nice to see her in the historical romance category again. I really, really, really wanted to absolutely love this book and from the blurb, I was sure that I would. I liked it pretty well but didn’t absolutely love it. I absolutely adore a great romance with a great mystery, but these seemed to both fall a bit short.
Delilah Swanpool, Countess of Derring, has always been someone’s property to be bargained for their betterment and not her own. When her husband dies suddenly, she finds that he was totally broke and she is now completely penniless. What will become of her now? Her husband had one piece of property that he owned outright and it is now hers, it is all she has – but – it is the first thing she has ever owned, the first thing that is hers.
When Delilah goes to see the property, it is located near the docks – definitely NOT the best part of London. Before trying to enter the forbidding property, she and her maid decide to have something to eat at the nearby pub. In the pub, they meet Delilah’s husband’s former mistress, Angelique, who is in the same predicament as Delilah. Delilah and Angelique decide to sell the few jewels they have left and team up to open a boarding house in Delilah’s property.
Captain Tristan Hardy is the Captain of the King’s Blockade. He’s the king’s favorite hunting dog and has almost rid England of smugglers. There is one group of smugglers left and they have done the unthinkable. They set fire to an aristocrat’s residence and took the lives of the entire family – one of whom was the king’s former mistress. So, the king wants those smugglers caught and punished and he wants it to happen now!
Tristan’s investigation has brought him to London and all information points to the Earl of Derring. Now what? The Earl has just died and Tristan is at a loss. He finally learns of the one piece of property the Earl had left and that the widow has taken possession of it. Is she involved in the smuggling ring? It is up to him to find out.
For the go-getter that Tristan is supposed to be, he certainly seems to carry on a laid back investigation. The romance also didn’t feel real to me. To me, if he had shared who he was and what he was doing with Delilah and they investigated together, there could have been a lot of interest and excitement that the story was missing. As it was, it wasn’t particularly exciting nor romantic, but I did enjoy the read.
I believe the next book will feature Angelique and I look forward to seeing how that one goes.
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I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Newly widowed Delilah Swanpool, Countess of Derring is shocked to find that her dull late husband has left her with nothing but a mountain of debt and a rundown building near the docks. She realizes she never really knew him and he certainly didn’t know her. She isn’t even hurt by the revelation of his mistress’ existence. Delilah soon realizes she not only has no money, she has no idea who she truly is behind the proper lady’s facade she developed during the six years of her marriage. Delilah forms an unlikely alliance with Mrs. Breedlove, her husband’s mistress, and the two turn Deliah’s dilapidated building into a respectable boardinghouse in the hopes of establishing their independence separate from any man.
Captain Tristan Hardy has risen from the streets of St. Giles to a position of power and authority in the King’s navy. Tristan’s mission is to rid England of smugglers, most specifically the violent gangs who terrorize and threaten those who will not help or hide them. When unique, traceable contraband cigars lead Tristan to Lord Derring, he is disappointed to learn that the earl has died and is curious about how his widow was able to afford the refurbishment of her boardinghouse on the docks, much less why she would remain there rather than live with family. Suspicious of her potential knowledge of, or even involvement in her late husband’s smuggling efforts, Tristan takes a room at the boardinghouse in an attempt to learn more.
There is an immediate connection between Tristan and Delilah and not just a physical awareness; though he wants to run, Tristan is inexorably drawn to her and decides that her bed may be the best place to learn the secrets of a suspected smuggler.
Tristan wound up being a very sweet and romantic hero and Delilah was a very likeable heroine. The two do have an instant connection of lust, but they also come to know each other as friends and develop a real relationship. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to others.
I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
How have I not read this author!! This book was just sooo good- like female power and then throw in a Caption that is so swoon you need a chair! Delilah loses her husband and find a friend in one of the more awkward situations but they make it as a team and you just love what they do! Then Captain Hardy man oh man..not a poet but he is and so sweet!
I can not wait to read the rest of the series and then start in on her other books!
5 stars
3.5 steam
Proper etiquette is always required at The Grand Palace on The Thames. Unless, of course one simply cannot contain themselves….
Engaging
The story has a great plot and interesting characters. However, the romance was minimal. Both Lady Derring and Tristan were overeager and the rush tends to diminish the romance to me. Overall it was a good read.
Julie Anne Long has a lovely, lyrical writing style. The first in The Palace of Rogues series, this is a delightful tale of a near-destitute widow determined to make a life for herself, and a war hero of dubious beginnings who more than anything needs a home and family. There’s plenty of action and suspense while these two gradually and inevitably come together. Loved it, and can’t wait to read the next in the series.
Just loved this story…. Strong women, clever plot, witty dialogue, and laugh out loud moments made it a pleasure to read!