A PopSugar Best New Romance of NovemberA She Reads Fall Historical Romance PickA Bookclubz Recommended Read “Unique characters and emotional depth…a winner. Spencer gives you all the feels!”—Sabrina Jeffries“Brilliantly crafted…an irresistible cocktail of smart characterization, sophisticated sensuality, and sharp wit.” —Booklist STARRED REVIEW “Sparkling…impossible not to love.” —PopsugarFans … and sharp wit.”
—Booklist STARRED REVIEW
“Sparkling…impossible not to love.”
—Popsugar
Fans of Evie Dunmore, Sarah MacLean, and Eloisa James will delight in this innovative, empowering, and sexy story from acclaimed author Minerva Spencer. Join the Rebels of the Ton as they subvert Regency norms and expectations…and manage to find true love along the way.
The cure for a willful wife . . .
Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn’t marry. But that doesn’t stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend’s brother, notorious rake Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel’s heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it’s enough to make Dru’s formidable resolve crumble . . .
. . . is a smitten husband.
She’s sharp-tongued, exasperating—and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there’s the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprisingly sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru’s affection, his temperature flares even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they’re to save their future—and their very lives—they’ll need to trust in each other and their growing love.
“Packed full of fiery exchanges and passionate embraces, this is for those who prefer their Regencies on the scandalous side.”
—Library Journal
“Strong, complex, and believable.”
—Publishers Weekly
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I’ve read a few books from this author and really enjoyed most of them. This was a bit harder for me. The second part of the book is a lot better. The sex scenes are really good and you absolutely can see the conection between the main characters. What I didn’t like was Druscilla. She is supposed to be a modern woman with liberal views, but she is really judgmental and cold. Gabriel is not an easy hero, but he is always respectful with her. I didn’t feel comfortable with the way she treated him at first, but maybe it’s just me.
Everyone should absolutely read this one and form your own opinion about it.
I’ve received an ARC of this book and all the opinions are my own.
Drusilla Clare was the daughter of a very rich merchant. Her father had died and left her very rich. Her money was handled by the trustees. Eva de Courtney was her best and only friend. They were always together. She was a petite woman and Dru was a little taller. She was also a little heavier. Eva was gorgeous and worried she would go nuts like her mother. She was also Gabriel’s sister. Gabriel Marlimgton was sought after by women just about everywhere. He was tall, well built, had green eyes and black hair with a sullen auburn tone. He is the son of the former sultan of Oran, with no titles but he had great connections. His Grandfather was a duke and his mother’s husband was a Marquess. Dru found him very interesting. She disliked herself and thought while she was not ugly, she was handsome. With definite thoughts on women’s rights. She was also opinionated, outspoken, and loved Mary Wollstonecraft’s words. Wollstonecraft believed in taking lovers, had children without being married, and tried to kill herself when she was left alone. Then he asked her to marry him. Oh yes, there is a duel and his two mistresses living in the same house and they are actress, A kidnapping twice is also in the offering. There are a lot of misunderstandings and it does get a little complicated. The story is fast-moving and there always seems to be something happening. The characters are touchy but kind and gentle. They just battle along through a lot of the book. It is unbelievable what they believe of each other. A truly great novel. I loved it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Drusilla does not need to marry. She is forced into marrying her best friend’s brother, Gabriel, who is a rogue and someone she always had a crush on. Will he see her as more than an obligation? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest review.
***3 Stars***
I’ve started, stopped, written, re-written this review a few times since finishing the book and I can never seem to find the right words to convey how I felt about it, so we’re going to do it the quick and dirty way.
Overall, I liked it. It gave me total Victorian era pride and prejudice vibes when it came to class, gender and everything in between. I found Drusilla and Gabriel quite interesting considering that both were outsiders when it came to the Ton, just in different ways, but then came that feeling of needing more. The first simply comes from Drusilla and Gabriel themselves and their journey to their HEA. While I liked them together, I felt like they spent so much time apart that I never got to truly see them fall for each other, and when they finally did, it felt rushed. The other is that there were quite a few moments that I wished we had experienced with the characters instead of being told about after the fact. There was one in particular that I felt was a true moment for Drusilla to shine and we didn’t get to experience it and it was a let down.
I don’t read a lot of historical romance nowadays, but this one peaked my interest in many ways ~ the cover, the title, even the first sentence of the blurb ~ so I am disappointed that I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped I would. This isn’t to say that you won’t enjoy it, because it has some pretty great moments, but it didn’t give me the feels like I had hoped it would.
~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
Notorious by Minerva Spencer
Rebels of the Ton #1
At first, I must admit I was not immediately taken with Drusilla and Gabriel’s story but gradually I was drawn in. Both the main characters tended to make matters worse rather than better every time they interacted with one another. I felt they were both young, at 21 and 24, to be in the position they were but also acting younger than their years…at lest in some ways. But, as I mentioned, I did begin to understand them both, warm to them and hope they would start communicating, sort through their feelings, and find a way to move forward together.
I also thought about the culture, times, my own marriage to an Arab over forty years ago, the movies The Wind and the Lion and Ben Hur, and the book The Sea Hawk. I went on to think about what it would have been like if I had been the slave who mothered Gabriel and that also put a different spin on the story. I spent some time before writing this review and found that Oran is a place in Algeria, that there were Barbary Wars and one of those wars took place a bit like was mentioned in this book, and that whites from Europe were frequently captured and sold as slaves by the Barbary pirates…over centuries. So, the story is based in fact and that makes it another positive mark in my book.
Drusilla and Gabriel would never have made a match together if circumstances had not been such that it was necessitated. They probably would have limped along together living separate lives and begetting children as many in the Ton did if their relationship had not grown and matured. The fact that these two finally were able to come together as a united couple took a great deal of compromise on both of their parts and I admire them for it although I wish they had not had to be unkind and hurtful to one another before that took place. And yet, it seemed real and part of the story even when I wanted to shake one or the other of them, sit them down and give them a talking to. I think the main thing I would have told them would be to open up, speak the truth, share, care and not hide what they were thinking and feeling due to fear of…whatever they were afraid of.
I am curious to find out what will happen in the next book and though Eva doesn’t seem to end up with the man who loves her it should be an interesting read. Characters I want to hear more about are Eva, Godric, Godric’s missing sister, and Byer
Did I like this book? Yes…I came to like it well
Would I read more in this series? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
4.25 Stars
This is the first in a new series but is a spin off from the Outcasts series. Gabriel Marlington has grown up since we last met him & is living in London, he’s wealthy, gorgeous & keeps not one but two mistresses who share a house. Drusilla Clare is the wealthy merchant’s daughter who is passionate about helping the needy. Their common link is Dru’s best friend Eva who is Gabe’s step sister. Whenever Gabe & Dru meet sparks fly & it’s their verbal bantering, which is highly entertaining but both have secrets. When a situation is misread they have to marry & that’s when communication totally fails. I loved both Gabe & Dru but I lost count of the number of times I said talk to each other & at times I wanted to shake both of them. Misunderstandings, secrets & unrequited love plus a couple of villains made for an entertaining read. I do love the authors books, she’s a must read for me, whilst this wasn’t my favourite it was still a very good read. I felt the ending was a little rushed & I had questions, especially about Dru’s meeting with the ‘aunts’. I do look forward to Eva’s story.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is where I am a bit disappointed and really wish I could return this for to get my points back (if only there was a way to do that).
After reading “Miss Tavistock’s Mistake”, and always wanting to give “new to me” writers a chance, along with new genres, I got this one with my points.
This has a cute premise to it, and I really wanted to enjoy it. I was very excited to get this in the mail.
Needless to say the writing was definitely a bit more … graphic than I was used to. Nothing wrong with that, if a reader is so warned though.
This is a regency romance, and not that I was expecting a clean read – there is some nudity, talk of sex, descriptive sex acts, and some violence. This is where reading reviews and going in depth with them is a good thing.
I truly wish I had read more reviews on this.
If you’re one for “wild” regency novels – this might be your forte. As far as foul language – I don’t really know as I skimmed through most of the book after seeing some questionable content.
This does appear to be written quite well. I wasn’t able to get into the characters or the plot as neither one grabbed me.
I might go back someday and read this again, but it definitely wasn’t for me at this time.
A witty and interesting Regency.
This is like the old Regency books from the past. I enjoyed this story and it’s characters. Drusilla is shy, has a self esteem problem. Yet is very outspoken. Gabriel is very patient and tolerant. He tries to be nice to her but she always takes his comments the wrong way. Thus, she responds with sarcasm.
A situation occurs at a ball they are attending which puts them, especially, Drusilla in a bad predicament. It will destroy her reputation and future. Since, Gabriel is involved he steps in to offer his hand in marriage. Drusilla has no choice but to accept. In the meantime, as it has always been, there is plenty of banter between them keeping them apart. It is funny in a way and makes you wonder what is wrong with her. They eventually come to an understanding of each other. Also, a plot is taking place by a man named Visel. He hates Gabriel and is out to get him.
I received this ARC for an honest review. Thank you #bookishfirst #MinervaSpencer #RebelsOfTheTon
Whew, what a wild ride this story turned out to be. You might remember Jibril/Gabriel from Dangerous and I wanted him to get his own story and what a story I got. The wildness of his upbringing is very much present in this story. There is a lot going on in this story and I will admit I did not like that Gabriel was friendly with his ex-mistresses. I was very uncomfortable but that also makes a good story. I was on edge through most of the book wondering why can’t they just talk. The never-ending problem in romances. Minerva pushes the envelope with her stories. They aren’t always what you could consider typical and I love her for that. The journey for Drusilla and Gabriel is a hard one but one that will entrance you and keep you in their bubble.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
I am a big fan of Minerva Spencer’s The Outcasts series, and I was looking forward to Gabriel’s story since we first met him in Dangerous, which is his mother’s book. Notorious is technically a spin-off of The Outcasts series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but for an enhanced experience and to better understand Gabriel’s character, it’s worth reading Dangerous first.
Gabriel Marlington is the son of an English woman and Sultan of Oran. He was raised with the expectations of one day becoming a sultan, ruling the people, and having multiple wives and concubines. After his father’s death and the power struggle between him and his brother, he left Oran and came to live in England, his mother’s birth country. Drusilla Clare has been in love with Gabriel for years since she first laid eyes on her best friend’s stepbrother. Because Dru is a wallflower and Gabriel is a notorious rake who has never shown any interest in her, she believes that he will never notice or love her. Due to unfortunate circumstances, they find themselves forced into a marriage to avoid scandal.
I enjoyed this book but not as much as other books by this author. As much as I liked Gabriel in the previous books, I sometimes found him too overbearing in Notorious, but he is the product of his upbringing and his birthplace, so I forgave him. I also didn’t love Drusilla. She was very insecure around Gabriel, and she constantly doubted his actions and feelings. Her insecurity caused a lot of unnecessary fights between them. I am still a fan of Minerva’s books, and I am looking forward to the next installment.
Notorious
Rebels of the Ton Series #1
Minerva Spencer
https://www.facebook.com/MinervaSpencerSMLaVioletteAuthor/
Release date 11/24/2020
Publisher Kensington Books
The cure for a willful wife . . .
Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn’t marry. But that doesn’t stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend’s brother, notorious rake Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel’s heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it’s enough to make Dru’s formidable resolve crumble . . .
. . . is a smitten husband.
She’s sharp-tongued, exasperating—and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there’s the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprisingly sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru’s affection, his temperature flares even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they’re to save their future—and their very lives—they’ll need to trust in each other and their growing love.
Will she be able to put on pause her battle of wits to accept the outstretched hand her new spouse offers …
It had been a while since I had read the author’s classic tale even if nothing is never classic in true meaning of the term with her.
But my last reads were all stories about broken nearly beyond repair characters, very moving but also unsettling tales. Tales I adored but needed time to process too.
So sometime it is good to sit down and enjoy the ride with a much easier read, well it was what I thought I had in my hands.
Wowowow, I have thrown my ideas all along the pages of my reading, but now I must put everything in order.
And while I was reading Gabriel and Drusilla’s journey toward their HEA, I had to consider the short span set for the 2/3 of this story.
Let just say I bit my teeth more than one time. I even caught some objects to throw at them.
This said, I am not sure I liked Drusilla, I dislike spiteful tongues, and lashing out to hide her attraction is not really for me the act of a strong mind.
Plus how can she love someone and says so disparaging or hurtful paroles.
The only offense was Gabriel did not really saw her as a woman, she was just his stepsister’s friend, especially in a time of grand changes in his life, she has nothing truly to appeal to him.
And for this slight, she began her course of throwing virtual daggers to his face.
After with all the quips and barbs they exchanged over the years, is it truly love or a mere infatuation as no one really know the other. They do not navigation the same sphere.
Also I was surprised that for a supposed clever woman preaching Wollstonecraft ideas, she is prudish and lacks of useful knowledge to help her fellow women .
Gabriel is a complex character, part his father’s son with a vey different view of marriage and women and also his mother’s son, honorable and caring. But he is no superhero and can’t read mind. So he is unable to understand Drusilla’s loathing of him is the manifestation of her inability to speak her feelings.
And while he is angered when he witnesses things he has every right to feel suspicious, when he rethinks the film of he events he is kind enough to try to find excuses for her behavior.
He is flawed with many misconceptions about women, but he is far more honest and straightforward than his poltron of a wife.
Oh how I was pulling my hair out at their impossibility to communicate, along the many times they could have cleared the path, for a woman supposed with wit, Drusilla let questionable ideas about her fidelity take hold, she let him believe she found him abhorrent or she had a love interest. She jumps at his throat and wonder why he snaps at her. She is the assailant for most of their talks. She is the one rejecting every time he takes a step forward. And it takes very few things to discountenance her, even when she is on guard. I so would have liked her to have more spine and a steelier core. I hated how she fell in any trap set to hurt/belittle/anger her and how she pushes him back at every turn.
After I needed to remind me the 2/3 of this book takes place over a few days, so the anger between those two has nearly no time to abate, they bit and strike one minute after another, then reflect on their actions and try to make amend but their temper gets the better of them again.
They can’t erase five years of fights in so short a time.
But once, they finally cool off and accept to not slight one another throat, they can be articulate and able to listen. From this moment, it is the smooth path in getting to know the other and discover there is more than meet the eyes.
4 stars for this full of anger story.
Now I am curious about the next installment as the villain of this one is to be featuring the next hero, how will the author redeem him.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Kensington, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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I enjoyed this Historical romance except sexual content was a little too much of the focal point. I received this story for free and I voluntarily chose to review this. I’ve given it a 4* rating. This is not for the under 18 readers. This had some interesting bits and did keep me turning the pages when I had a chance to read. This is a first in a series, so there is a chance to develop the characters some more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely romance. I loved meeting Gabriel (Jibril) and Drusilla as well as their families and friends. The book had it all – humor, seriousness, twists, turns, villains, prejudice, kidnappings, and, most of all, a lovely HEA.
Drusilla Clare is an outspoken, Wollstonecraft quoting, wallflower who has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s older step-brother since the first time she saw him five years earlier. Drusilla sees herself as unattractive and since she espouses Wollstonecraft’s views, she won’t marry. The man she loves is so handsome, so charming, such a rake – she knows he’d never, ever, actually ‘see’ her. So, she has developed a very, very, prickly personality around him – chastising him, berating him, sniping at him. Why not, she knows he thoroughly dislikes her.
Gabriel Marlington, grandson of a duke and step-son of a marquess – and also the son of a Sultan, is nothing the ton accepts – but given his connections, they can’t very well exclude him. Gabriel’s mother was kidnapped when she was very young and installed in the Sultan of Oran’s harem where she gave birth to Gabriel. As the heir to the sultanate, he was raised to expect to have many wives and to have everyone take his word as law. After a civil war with his half-brother, Gabriel left Oran to live with his mother – who had escaped. He often feels lost and out of place in this new land where people see his mixed-race as inferior. He misses his homeland, but he has decided to embrace his new home. He loves his mother, his step-father, and his new half-siblings – especially his step-sister Eva. It is too bad Eva’s best friend absolutely hates him and takes every opportunity to let him know it.
When Gabriel defends Drusilla and rescues her from a villain, the scene is quickly misconstrued and they end up having to marry. Each thinking the other loathes them, the marriage is off to a rocky start. Both of them do things and say things they shouldn’t because both are very volatile. Their biggest problem is the lack of communication. You’d think two very intelligent people would know how to communicate better than they do, but emotions just get in the way every time.
There is a villain out to cause trouble – maybe more than one – but the trouble that comes is unexpected. They’ll have to save themselves, their burgeoning relationship, and their family by working together.
I love that the HEA was several weeks in the making – it didn’t just happen at a single glance. The declaration scene was lovely and romantic. I loved watching Gabriel come to terms with his new life in England and learning to accept the new ways and new expectations. Gabe was so much more open to acceptance of new ways than I would have guessed from the beginning.
Now, I will tell you that Drusilla did get on my very last nerve during the first half of the book. She took offense at everything. She would take the most inoffensive comments and take it as a huge insult and go off on a rant. For that first half of the book, I was wishing she’d fall off the page and another heroine would magically be inserted. Up until then, it was beyond me how Gabriel could come to love her. Yes, Gabriel did some things he shouldn’t have, but nothing to the point of Drusilla though.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I requested an ARC of this book, and all opinions are my own.
This is the first book in a new series, and as such I expected there to be a good amount of back-story. However, I feel like the back-story here was delivered a bit slap-dash, and as such the pacing was rather slow. The main characters of Gabriel & Drusilla were…..fine. I was much more interested in some of the minor characters, and I hope they’ll get their own stories at some point.
Overall it was a decent read, although nothing terribly new or exciting. Not a bad pick if you’re looking for something to spend a rainy day reading curled up on the couch with a warm cup of cocoa.
This is my first book by this author and it definitely got me interested in the sequel. I’m new to the HR genre – COVID and its stressors have made me appreciate books with a guaranteed happy ending. So, take that into consideration when considering my review. If you’re a long die-hard of the genre, you might feel differently or have more specific preferences.
This book started out slowly for me. Even though it was well-written and flowed nicely, I wasn’t invested in the characters and didn’t particularly like either of the leads. (Eva did interest me. I’m excited for her book.) To be honest, I almost DNFd this at around 16%. I’m so glad that I didn’t! From then on, I couldn’t put the book down. I ended up liking both the leads because of their flaws.
Pros:
Variety of characters/personalities
More complex characters than I’d originally thought
Bonus points for diversity in an HR book
Great side characters
Cons:
Slow beginning
Somewhat abrupt ending
One thing I appreciated – that you don’t often get in HR books – was that the Gabriel didn’t change quickly and didn’t hold modern views. He was raised in a different society and had different ideals. I know this might turn some people off, but I hate it when authors fully portray Regency characters with 21 century-Western values. The world has changed in the last two hundred years. (Not to mention that Gabriel wasn’t from Western society anyway.) We want to see growth in our characters but people slip up – which he kind of did.
I would have liked to have seen more of Dru’s philanthropy work, but I know it’s hard to find time to cover everything and still keep the book moving. It did create a somewhat abrupt shift in the beginning and I think that’s one reason I had a hard time liking her. But, I quickly got over it as the focus quickly shifted to the main plot of the book.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, fun read. There were a few things that bugged me, but I became invested enough that they didn’t matter. I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.
Notorious by Minerva Spencer is a great historical fiction/romance/mystery novel all wrapped up into one.
This book has a lot going on. An intricate plot with multiple subplots between a full character cast that kept me interested throughout.
This is the first in a new series: Rebels of the Ton. While it can easily be a first and stand-alone, it looks like some of the characters’ backstories are better described in parts of another book (Dangerous) from another series: The Outcasts. To fully appreciate the full history, I am definitely going to snatch up this book and read it as well.
I enjoyed the main characters: Dru and Gabrielle. They are both polarizing, interesting, complex, and emotional characters. Their personalities definitely attract one another and create chemistry and interesting material. I especially liked Eva and hope that a future installment can focus more on her. There is definitely plenty to work with.
This book is for anyone that enjoys historical fiction, romance, and great plots.
4/5 stars
Loved this one! It had fun things, serious things, twists and turns, and the perfect amount of swoon! I could bask in that cover for all eternity as well! Dru wasn’t very confident in herself which I could totally relate! But as the book progressed, we learn more about her and see her growth! And Gabe was totally on fire!
Notorious was my first read by Minerva Spencer, and even though it didn’t quite live up to my expectations, it was still an enjoyable read, and I’m still interested in continuing the series.
What I liked:
Gabriel and Drusilla had excellent banter.
Their snark and back-and-forth was fun to read.
The borderline enemies to lovers aspect.
Gabe and Dru hid their true feelings for each other behind an initial dislike, and I enjoyed watching their feelings change.
The slow-burn romance and steamy moments were right up my alley.
What I didn’t like (contains slight spoilers):
Gabe’s dalliance with one of his two mistresses the morning of his wedding was off-putting. Said dalliance consisted of kissing and touching, and it just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Samir being kept secret for the amount of time he was seemed unnecessary, but it may have just worked out better for the story timeline.
At the beginning of the book, Drusilla was mentioned as a great advocate of charity work and the like. I would have liked to see her involvement of such things throughout the book, but really, she didn’t seem to do much of anything.
The intrigue of Visel and Rowland and all that took over quite a bit of the story. I felt it didn’t leave much time for Gabe and Dru’s relationship and romance to develop as much as I would have liked.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read, and I am interested to see what will happen in Outrageous, the next book.
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via Bookish First.***
This is a stand-alone book.
The premise of the book is this: Drusilla who is adamant not to get married is rescued from the clutches of a nasty scoundrel from none other than her best friends brother Gabriel and in return is then caught in a compromising position with her. Gabe does the right thing an offers up a less than stellar proposal to Dru who isn’t happy but eventually accepts. Dru has harbored feelings for Gabe for years and now she is about to become his wife.
Gabe can’t quite figure out his sharp-tongued wife who blushes when he gets close to her. Can they put aside their differences and make this marriage work? You really need to read the book for the answer.
This book is definitely one to remember. I absolutely loved it. The character growth was spectacular. I really enjoyed how the characters evolved. The story unfolded at a nice pace and kept me intrigued throughout the book. I anxiously await the next book in the series so that I can see what happens to other characters that were in this book as well as new ones.
Thank you Kensington and NetGalley for the book.
#Notorious #NetGalley
I adore the cover art for this book. The story is just fantastic Drusilla and Eva are the best of characters. Their wit is unparalleled. Gabriel has a hard time trying to keep up with them once they start arguing with him. The story deals with so many topics that were unconventional for the time but does it in such a way that is both outrageous and totally hilarious. I found myself laughing and alternately rolling my eyes at something one of the characters would say or do. The entire story is an absolute delight from start to finish and I can’t wait to see what antics Eva gets up to in the next in the series.