Their lives were perfect . . . Lady Hero Batten, the beautiful sister of the Duke of Wakefield, has everything a woman could want, including the perfect fiance. True, the Marquis of Mandeville is a trifle dull and has no sense of humor, but that doesn’t bother Hero. Until she meets his notorious brother . . . Until they met each other. Griffin Remmington, Lord Reading, is far from perfect – and … far from perfect – and he likes it that way. How he spends his days is a mystery, but all of London knows he engages in the worst sorts of drunken revelry at night. Hero takes an instant dislike to him, and Griffin thinks that Hero, with her charities and faultless manners, is much too impeccable for society, let alone his brother. Yet their near-constant battle of wits soon sparks desire – desire that causes their carefully constructed worlds to come tumbling down. As Hero’s wedding nears, and Griffin’s enemies lay plans to end their dreams forever, can two imperfect people find perfect true love?
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I don’t know what took me so long to get to Elizabeth Hoyt’s ‘Maiden Lane’ series, but now that I’ve started it, I’m hooked! And while I enjoyed the first book, Notorious Pleasures (book 2) is really something special! It blew my socks off, and I enjoyed ever word of it!
I’m a sucker for forbidden love, and it doesn’t get more forbidden than falling for your brother’s fiance (or in the case of the heroine, falling in love with the brother of your fiance). Hero and Griffin burn up the pages in this riveting tale. When they weren’t trading witty, snappy banter, they were having some of the hottest sex I’ve ever read in a historical romance. And Griffin … oh, Griffin. How I love a brooding bad boy, and he ticked every box for me when it came to hero likability and sex appeal. He falls hard for our heroine, and I was rooting for him to finally have her in the end. There’s just enough suspense added to the story to make it even more interesting, surrounding the hero and heroine with the perfect amount of drama and angst.
A five star read I can see myself re-reading in the future, again and again!
** 3.75 stars **
This was mostly enjoyable read. It was well paced with all the expected elements to make it a success: a rake who falls in love and is reformed, a perfect lady who is as pure as snow but gets a little naughty, the suitably reprehensible villain and the high society of 1737. I liked the MCs, Lady Hero and Griffin, and I enjoyed revisiting the foundling home and all its residents.
Certain dialogues were too predictable and annoyed me. While the writing in regards to time period and intimate encounters was good and I enjoyed the characters and most of their journey, the last 20% percent had me groaning. I do not know who I was angry at most Thomas, Griffin’s older brother, Hero’s older brother the Duke of Wakefield or Hero herself for wtffery that was going on. Poor Griffin surrounded by a bunch of idiots. Gah. The finale was as dramatic and heroic as in the first book, so I finished the story in good spirits, but still. That was some weird nonsense the author had her characters do and say. I felt really sorry for Griffin. It all turned out well in the end, thank goodness. As in the previous book, Silence Hollingbrook had her page time, and author bit by bit lead to how her story to her HEA would begin. Overall, it was good, not perfect, but good.
I had the privilege of attending presentations by Elizabeth Hoyt at the 2012 WisRWA conference, and I was mightily impressed with her skill as a writer and her personable nature. This is the first book of hers I’ve read, but it won’t be my last.
Griffin Reading is just the kind of reprobate hero virtuous ladies like Lady Hero want most to reform–and most to bed. And readers love a good sparring match between just such a couple who fall in lust before they fall in love. A fast-paced story with engaging characters, subplots, and setting. This is one of those books where the reader wonders how they could possibly overcome the hurdles, yet the author manages to satisfactorily tie up everything.
Audiobook: Narrator – Ashford McNab
Wow! This narrator did an exceptional job with this story! The characters were each unique and even her male voice, especially that of the hero, was satisfying. Her voice for the brother was a bit annoying but after my first response to it, I realized it was supposed to be. He was a real snob and that is exactly what her voice conveys. I’m hoping she does the other audiobooks I have in this series.
Hero first meets Griffin in a manner that I absolutely hate but so did Hero so that consoled me some. Their initial meeting sets them up as enemies but when Griffin finds her in the worse part of town a woman of her standing should be, he forces his company on her to keep her safe. That opens the door for this couple to get to know one another and what Hero learns is that there is much more to Griffin than the gossip mill allows.
I really enjoyed this book and the sparing then the angst between this couple and all they had to overcome to find their happy ever after. The steam is off the charts – this ain’t the historical romances my momma introduced me to – and the chemistry felt real as well as their progression from enemies to lovers. There are other stories brewing beneath this couple’s and I was thrilled when one ended in a satisfying manner and the other opened the door for the next book.
I think the thing I enjoyed most about this book was the paring of the hero and heroine: she was the sister of a duke and he was a gin maker. Such a unique pair! This second book in the Maiden Lane series was such fun and is a great continuation of the series. The world building is spectacular, I felt invested in all the characters (not just the main ones), I love how Hoyt builds up other characters for their upcoming books. . . this is just an awesome series!
Second great book by Elizabeth Hoyt in the Maiden Lane Series! Will be reading all the Maiden Lane books!
Elizabeth Hoyt, I have to tell you, I have read many of amazing good delicious books but this one , this one I literally could not put down. Thanks to one of your followers that showed the book on face and stated hoe amazing it was so I went and bought it on amazon. I LOVED IT!! Wow This is a must read I am TOTALLY in love with Reading and the humor it was good. This is a definitely must read. I give this book a 10+. I will be grabbing book 3.
Notorious Pleasures, by Elizabeth Hoyt. I could not stop reading this book. I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t look away from it. I simply could not resist it.
How is it that I have been reading for years now and not read one book; not one book from this author. This writer had me on a fantastic romantic adventure, that was filled with intrigue, suspense, murder, betrayal, scandal, hatred, love and romance. And let me tell you the romance was wicked and glorious. I had to take a pretend cigarette break each time Griffin male anatomy stood at attention. I will share a little of those scenes with you latter.
I was very happy to read that Hero’s age was written at twenty four. For me this book reads as though it was written for a movie. My reasoning for this, is from how the writer simply gave me a romantic love story from the moment Griffin couldn’t get Hero out of his head or his soul. As the characters traversed through the streets of London, as they sipped tea and dined with the ton, while throwing eye daggers at their nemesis. As they clung on to the gossip that swirled in the air around them, made the entertainment in the story very intriguing and exciting to read.
The excitement of the story marked the pace of the book to be a splendid page turner. At the end of each chapter I was saying, “ I have to know what’s going to happen next” (as my fingers quickly flip the page). And believe me, I read a number of ending chapters that had my eyes bulging and me saying, “ he did what? WTH? Hero, you are a naughty little minx, and a no he didn’t?
Oh and one more, “ girl, don’t lay there crumpled on the floor. Get up and slap his — (you fill in the blank) back! Make him feel the sting of your uprising. I thought all the characters personalities definitely defined how they played their parts in the story. I found their parts very solid, with commanding performances.
Inside I was applauding for Silence and how performed in her storyline. My imagination was taken over by this story and gave me a few hours of enjoyment. I succumbed to the illicit romp in a dark room during an engagement ball, where stolen kisses are clear and bright during the festival of fireworks. Where one mans lifetime dream hangs in the balance of another mans anger and hatred. I ask myself could this book get any better?
Bring in the action! The sword fights and shots fired in the dark of night had me holding my breath at the outcome. The drama between Griffin and Thomas had me biting my nails, wondering who was going to crack first. What’s a Mater to do with two head strong sons? Griffin and Hero’s realize the heat that grows between them to be tenacious.
Resistance was futile once Hero became the euphoric delight to Griffin’s ravenous need to pleasure. I was week in the knees, as I read the many times and ways Griffin took Hero. Each scene was explained in the most wonderful details that did not let up till completion. My mind was on overload and it was the best. From the beginning of the book, when Griffins glorious golden backside was described with a indentation on each mound, I couldn’t help, but picture that during each love scene.
The scenes where not only hot, but they were scorching hot. These scenes were very steamy, ravenous and sensual. This book was dynamic. I give this book triple snaps and a twist (only as a shout out to Griffin, because he loves to fondle a certain ladies décolletage). Until next time my fellow readers… read on!
4.5 Stars!
Two books in and I’m loving this series. Along with a great story line and a very sexy romance, this author does a fabulous job lightly weaving the various characters from past and future books into the current one. The scenes that act as a prelude to Silence and Mickey’s romance in next book have me anxious to jump in.
I found this book through a recommend by another author and am so glad that I read it as it is really well written with lifelike characters who impinged on my imagination to come to life.
It is the love story about Griffin and Hero and there are also three separate little stories running alongside it.
You will read about an illegal gin manufacturing operation too.
I loved Hero, the young lady betrothed to Griffin’s brother and the way she handled herself.
Griffen too is a remarkable character who just wouldn’t give up in his pursuit of the lady.
I too am happy to recommend this story and intend to read more of this series very soon.