After five seasons… scandalous…but if she’s never to marry, perhaps he can show her the pleasures of the marriage bed!
The Cinderella Spinsters miniseries
Book 1 – The Awakening of Miss Henley
Book 2 – coming soon!
“The strongly-written heroine and excellent hero – and their very genuine feelings for one another – buoy The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife to a high recommendation.” — All About Romance on The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife
“A lovely and tender friends to lovers story.” — Goodreads on The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife
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The first book in the Cinderella Spinsters series by Author Julia Justiss is a beautifully written romantic story. The old cliche’ that beauty is only skin deep is very well written as Miss Emma Henley finds herself without the possibility of a marriage made from love, so she thinks. Being plain and unattractive, Miss Emma does not have any suitors and does not think she has any prospects. Being the unconventional lady that she is, Emma intends to set up house with her two best friends and continue to throw herself into her work towards worthy causes. Having met the dashing Lord Theo Collington at an earlier engagement, Emma finds him to be an amusing conversationalist and in her case, a sparring partner. Lord Theo has no plans to marry now or ever. Having had several mistresses, he finds he tires rather quickly of their drab company. That is until he meets Miss Emma and decides that she would a worthy friend. As luck would have it, Lord Theo and Miss Emma are in each other’s company quite a bit due to attending the same functions. Never missing the chance to spar with his worthy opponent, Lord Theo finds himself enjoying Emma’s company. What does the future hold for Miss Emma? Will she get to live her life as a spinster and work on the good causes she so much enjoys or will life throw her a curve ball? Will Lord Theo continue to be the rake that he portrays or will his heart be won over by Miss Emma? This is such a touching and romantic story that also includes a great deal of laughs. Author Julia Justiss continues to write beautiful, awe inspiring books! I look forward to the next book in this great new series!
The Awakening of Miss Henley
The Cinderella Spinsters Series #1
Julia Justiss
https://www.facebook.com/JuliaJustissAuthor/
Release date 10/01/2019
Publisher Mills&Boon/Harlequin Historical
Blurb :
After five seasons…
She was still on the shelf!
Part of The Cinderella Spinsters. Miss Emma Henley knows she’s neither pretty nor rich enough to land a husband. Instead she’s thrown her passion into good causes. But this season she’s tempted by a flirtation with Lord Theo. The dashing rake is just as determined to stay unwed as she is. It’s scandalous…but if she’s never to marry, perhaps he can show her the pleasures of the marriage bed!
My review:
Can a plain miss, determined to not marry, discover passion in the arms of a renowned rake and leave unscathed.
As I am slowly reading one by one the talented authors published by Harlequin Historical, regularly I discover new-authors-to-me.
And Mrs Julia Justiss is one of them today. And for sure, Emma and Theo’s story will not be my last. I’m already eager to read the next installments in this series.
How to not love Miss Emma Henley, she is clever, witty, generous and rather independent for a woman of her time.
I digress, I just wondered during which period the plot was set?
She is also strong willed and won’t settle for half-measures. When she could have left bitterness surround herself after a life of inconsequent and tactless verbal abuses because she is no diamond of the first water.
I do admired her need to live life at the fullest, even taking inconsiderate risks to sample the true taste of the freedom only men can enjoy.
She is amenable even to face ruin or scandal.
My only reserve was when she quite forced Theo’s hand. She knew he was an honorable man, I quite disliked she compelled him to continue their relationship when he explained why he thought it was not right. And after she doubted him of being fickle, when she has no proof of the contrary.
Theo is not the cad he appears in the eyes of the society, even if it has become like a second skin, he masquerades his way of life. When once Joan a time he has other things he would have pursued instead of loosing himself in mindless carousing, gambling and other brainless pleasures.
Him being a spare, leaves him freedom to do as much as he likes but to also be easily dismissed by his family, as he is of few importance.
Mrs Justiss constructed a slow-burn romance, there was no sizzling chemistry at first, only a keen interest when their first secondly meet.
Then their interactions flourished when Theo realized he enjoyed and even looked forward to their path crossing. The tiny spark of interest moved to a tempest that shook both senses.
When at first they playfully battle with barbs and quips, they soon shared their deeper thoughts and hopes.
Theo sees her beyond her so called ordinary appearance, he is drawn by her gaze sending lightning when animated, and those sensual lips calling to him. When Emma encourages him to follow his own forgotten dreams, to not allowing Society rules to forbid him to enjoy the simple activity that fulfills his longing for something else.
Together they will grow stronger, but will it be enough to alter and curb their so mapped out plans.
I so enjoyed this brilliant tale of giving character a chance over appearance, that next year is far away to wait for the next story.
5 stars.
I was granted an advance copy by the author but I had prior to it preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/photos/a.449451878977322/457658598156650?type=3&sfns=mo
Delightful.
After five seasons Emma is hopeful that her family will allow her to leave society and concentrate on the political causes that interest her. However before her friends join her in her new future, she is tempted to risk her reputation by indulging in the pleasures of the flesh with Lord Theo. Enjoyable story that kept me interested throughout.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Awakening of Miss Henley is the first in a new series by Julia Justiss called The Cinderella Spinsters. But the hero and heroine of this story actually make their debut in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife as secondary characters. I enjoyed this book. I have read a number of Ms. Justiss’s books and haven’t been disappointed. She is very skilled at layering her characters and then gently peeling back the outward facade they carry to expose the inner vulnerable being within. I thought Lord Theo Collington a very lovable rogue. I enjoyed his witty banter with the heroine – Emma Henley. Emma is not the typical English beauty – but extremely plain in her features, so she doubts her appeal and finds it hard to believe that romance could ever be truly experienced in her life, even when an actual suitor arrives on her doorstep. “Gentle, tender, sensual, the touch of his mouth had set off little lightning bolts of sensation that had shot to every corner of her. Just as she seemed to learn his rhythm and pressed upwards to kiss him back, he’d withdrawn. Leaving her bereft and trembling.” So why only 4 stars and not 5? My only real qualm with this book is that I kept waiting for a villain…and waiting and waiting. Maybe some unexpected twist? Or some dangerous scenario? Nope. There were quite a few passionate scenes. Overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next in this series. I was given a copy of this book.
I grew up reading Georgette Heyer, and have never found anyone who even comes close. This is the closest I’ve found in 40 years of looking. I’d read this again.