#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens returns with a new series that captures the simmering desires and intrigues of early Victorians as only she can. Ryder Cavanaugh’s stepsiblings are determined to make their own marks in London society. Seeking fortune and passion, THE CAVANAUGHS will delight readers with their bold exploits. An independent nobleman Lord Randolph Cavanaugh …
Lord Randolph Cavanaugh is loyal and devoted–but only to family. To the rest of the world, he’s aloof and untouchable, a respected and driven entrepreneur. But Rand yearns for more in life, and when he travels to Buckinghamshire to review a recent investment, he discovers a passionate woman who will challenge his rigid self-control…
A determined lady
Felicia Throgmorton intends to keep her family afloat. For decades, her father was consumed by his inventions and now, months after his death, with their finances in ruins, her brother insists on continuing their father’s tinkering. Felicia is desperate to hold together what’s left of the estate. Then she discovers she must help persuade their latest investor that her father’s follies are a risk worth taking…
Together–the perfect team
Rand arrives at Throgmorton Hall to discover the invention on which he’s staked his reputation has exploded, the inventor is not who he expected and a fiercely intelligent woman now holds the key to his future success. But unflinching courage in the face of dismaying hurdles is a trait they share, and Rand and Felicia are forced to act together against ruthless foes to protect everything they hold dear.
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Series: The Cavanaughs #1
Publication Date: 4/24/18
What a wonderfully, delightfully different take on a historical romance. It was such a refreshing change that I felt like starting at the beginning and reading it all over again. What, you might ask, is so different? Well, the romance itself. Rand and Felicia had never met – they didn’t hate each other, they weren’t childhood friends who had become enemies. There wasn’t a malevolent family member trying to do either of them harm. They were both warm and loving toward their families. Neither had any deep, dark secrets that they were in constant angst about. What wasn’t to love about it? Their relationship grew in trust, respect, honesty, and love over a period of time. They made a commitment to each other and vowed that nothing would deter them from that commitment no matter what happened with the things that were going on around them – and they stuck to that commitment. They looked toward the future and worked together through the obstacles that were put in their way.
It was lovely to see Ryder Cavanaugh’s brothers and sister all grown up and getting their own series. Ryder was paired with Mary Cynster in about book 20 or so of the Cynster novels – The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh. Rand, our hero in this novel, was actually Mary’s target husband in that book. Isn’t it lucky for us that Ryder won the lovely lady Mary instead? Now, all of Ryder’s brothers and his sister want the kind of love and marriage Ryder found with Mary.
Randolph Cavanaugh has been working hard to make a name for himself other than being a Cavanaugh and brother to a Marquess. He has a gift for financial management and investment and worked with Gabriel Cynster for several years while he learned the ropes. Now, he has his own investment firm – Cavanaugh Investments – and he’s doing very well. However, his latest investment seems to have hit a snag and he needs to check on it – since he’s in the area anyway. When he arrives unannounced, he discovers that his inventor has died and his son has taken over the project. The son is a capable inventor, but he’s run into some problems and the boiler has exploded. Ryder knows his reputation is riding on the successful completion of this invention and decides to stay around and manage the project himself. Of course, the inventor’s lovely sister, Felicity, wouldn’t be too hard to put up with either.
Felicia Throgmorton’s jaw drops when she learns that her brother William John has deceived Lord Randolph and that she has been, unknowingly, benefitting from that deception. She readily accepts Lord Randolph into their home and encourages him and her brother. Then, she discovers a long-forgotten affinity for inventing in herself and can sometimes help William John and Rand.
Then, you have the villain – and a wily dude he is – sort of – sometimes you just have to be careful who you hire. He wants nothing more than to sabotage the invention and assure it fails miserably. Rand and Felicia have to help work out the problems with the invention and thwart the villain all while they are very busily falling in love.
This book holds the first ‘form of address’ error I ever remember catching in a Stephanie Laurens book. Since this was an ARC, that may have been caught and addressed prior to the actual publication. She constantly addressed Rand as Lord Cavanaugh – and she even addressed his brother Kit as Lord Cavanaugh in the epilogue. Rand should have been Lord Randolph and Kit would have been Lord Christopher – or both could have been simply addressed (by close friends & relatives) as Cavanaugh, but that would have been confusing with three brothers who could have all been called that.
There was a lovely set-up for the next book contained in the epilogue. I can’t wait to read that one with Kit and Sylvia Buckleberry (don’t you just love that name?).
Delightful prose populates this book from beginning to end. Stephanie Laurens is in a class of her own when it comes to a lovely turn of phrase. I’ll give you a quote here, but remember this is an ARC, so the quote may have been altered or deleted by publication.
“He was beyond grateful he’d found her – the right wife, the perfect helpmate, the partner-in-life he hadn’t had the faintest inkling could exist, much less that such an intelligent, independent lady was the bride he’d instinctively, if unknowingly, been searching for – the one lady in the whole world he needed to complete his life.”
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a wonderful romance.
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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.”
Ryder Cavanaugh’s step-siblings are determined to make their own marks in London society.
Lord Randolph Cavanaugh is loyal and devoted but only to family. To the rest of the world he’s aloof and untouchable, a respected and driven entrepreneur. Rand yearns for more in life & is on his way to visit Ryder & Mary when he makes a detour to review a recent investment as the letters from William Throgmartin have dried up, he discovers a passionate woman who will challenge his ruthless self-control. Felicia Throgmorton intends to keep her family afloat. For decades, her father was consumed by his inventions and now, months after his death, with their finances in ruins, her brother, William John insists on continuing their father’s tinkering. Felicia is desperate to hold together what’s left of the estate. Rand arrives at Throgmorton Hall to discover the invention on which he’s staked his reputation has exploded, the inventor is not who he expected, and a fiercely intelligent woman now holds the key to his future success.
I love the author’s books & this didn’t disappoint, this was a straight forward story of two people meeting & whilst there was attraction they came to like, respect & finally love each other. No one was trying to separate them or sully their romance. It was a lovely love story, the kiss on the terrace was toe curlingly hot & showed that a well written kiss could far more sensuous than pages of sex as it was full of emotion. The story also revolved around the horseless carriage & a saboteur, this also had me gripped but it was the romance that made this a lovely book. I look forward to Kit’s story which was ‘set up’ in the epilogue
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Lord Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, the younger half-brother of Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne has carved out a life for himself as an investor. He is currently on his way to see William Throgmorton, an inventor with a project due in less than a month, whom he has not heard from in months. Throgmorton’s invention is the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage. As the exhibition at Birimingham is going to be attended by Prince Albert, Rand wants to make sure the project is on schedule and ready for presentation – he has a lot invested in this venture and will do whatever is necessary to ensure Throgmorton’s success.
He arrives at Throgmorton Hall just as a loud explosion sounds, followed by the members of the house filing out and smoke escaping the opened door. He immediately offers his assistance to an older woman coming down the stairs, he settles the woman and then sees a young man being led from the house by an enraged young woman. A woman that makes Rand look twice…
Miss Felicia Throgmorton is not a fan of inventors, she has seen the carnage their obsession can produce and wants no part of it! When the explosion shakes the house, she immediately gets her staff and Cousin Flora out and then gets her brother, William John out. On the lawn she notices a stranger – a very handsome stranger with Flora. The man introduces himself and she sees her brother go pale. Rand asks to speak to their father and learns that he passed away months ago.
Concerned about his investment, Rand decides to stay for a few days and work with William John. He is attracted to Felicia, but has no time for a romance, this project is and will remain his first priority. But that doesn’t stop him from getting to know her a bit better. For her part, Felicia is shocked and angered by her brother’s deceit regarding the funds he received for the invention – Felicia now realized how imperative it is that the engine is a success. She grudgingly offers her assistance and is soon pulled into the thrill of the invention process.
But there are those that are not as excited at the prospect of Throgmorton’s success, who will do whatever is necessary to see the engine fail. Rand and Felicia will grow closer as they work together with her brother and each other to ensure the engine is ready for the exhibit and to thwart any attempts at sabotage. Along the way, they will find a love that neither was looking for, but soon realize has been exactly what was missing in their lives.
This book is classic Stephanie Laurens, it has all her signature elements, a strong, intelligent hero paired with an equally intelligent heroine, steamish love scenes, a dash of danger, a bit of intrigue, a soulmate type bond, a twist that changes everything and a wonderful cast of secondary characters. The book is a little wordy, but I kept turning pages to see what was going to happen next! I was fascinated by the invention process and I actually felt a little sorry for the villain. The epilogue perfectly set up the next book in the series without taking anything away from Felicia and Rand.
I happily recommend this book and am looking forward to Kit’s story!
Intimate scenes by S.L. are the same from story to story, and don’t necessarily add anything to the story being told; they just take up an immense number of pages. Rand and Felicia are two likeable characters who get the job done – literally and figuratively – and that’s about it.
Love these books. Pure escapism, delightful and very well written.
Very typical Stephanie Laurens; strong alpha male meets equally strong female. They click immediately and events go from there. I did find the woman – inventor bit kind of awkward. Lots of restrained but powerful sex scenes.
My favorite writer! She always delivers entertaing read with wonderful charters. Never miss one of her books! I highly recommend any of her books.
It took me a while to really get into this book. There’s a lot of work that’s gone into setting the stage for everything that takes place during this story. From the plight of the Throgmortons to the history of the Cavanaughs to the ‘corporate’ espionage that makes up the intrigue we’ve come to expect from a Stephanie Laurens title, there’s quite a lot to set up for. I enjoyed this book, though to me, it didn’t really get rolling until I was about half way into it. A great deal of time was spent focusing on the details of the invention that I don’t think needed to be that detailed. Most of us reading this book aren’t going to appreciate the nuances of the different valves and pistons and drive shafts involved in assembling it. I especially enjoyed watching the relationship between Rand and Felicia develop. Obviously, there was instant attraction between the pair, but the relationship itself was a sweet, slow progression that felt very organic. I loved that Felicia was bright, intelligent, and capable, but wasn’t the usual sort of ‘managing female’ that often populates regency fiction. Rand, while being scarred by past events in his family, was still open to possibilities. He doesn’t have any great personal demons to vanquish which made this a tender, light-hearted romance. I adored the ending and look forward to seeing how Kit’s story plays out.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.
There are characters from other series so it’s like revisiting them and seeing how their families are changing and growing.
This is the first book by this author that has been a problem for me to complete. Usually her works are among my favorites, but this was a non-starter.
Warning: Adult Sexual Content and Subject Matter, which you can skip over and still fully enjoy the book
Lord Randolph Cavanaugh travels to Buckinghamshire to check up on an investment made by him and his investment group. He is concerned that he has not heard from the inventor and hopes that the invention and the money he invested will be alright. Lord Rand, as he is known arrives to find out that not only is the inventor deceased but the inventor’s son has taken it upon himself to continue working on the invention. Almost all of the money is spent and it is looking like the invention outcome will not be successful. There is light at the end of the tunnel at Throgmorton Hall for Lord Rand when he meets the inventor’s daughter, Felicia. The story plodded along at many points which almost caused me to give up. Even with the reunion of the other Cavanaugh characters I was disappointed in the story and felt it too long and bogged down.
Stephanie Laurens again proves her mastery of historical English romance as she moves seamlessly into the Victorian era from her well-loved Regency Romance series. You won’t be disappointed as she creates the same delightful characters and shadowy villains, surprising plot twists so that even though you know everything will work out in the end, you’re still on the edges of your seat until the climax at the end. _et another Laurens’ book I couldn’t put down!
In a word, I thought this book was boring.
Honestly, ANYTHING by Stephanie Laurens is wonderful!
THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH is the first instalment in Stephanie Laurens’ historical, romance THE CAVANAUGHS series. This is Lord Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, the younger half-brother of Ryder Cavanaugh, Marquess of Raventhorne (The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh), and Felicia Throgmorton’s story line. THE CAVANAUGHS is a spin off from the author’s Cynster / Cynster Sisters Duo where we met Ryder Cavanaugh and his wife Mary Cynster.
Told from several third person perspectives including Rand and Felicia THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH follows the building romance between Randolph Cavanaugh aka Rand, and Felicia Throgmorton. With the approach of Birmingham Exhibition only days away, Lord Randolph ‘Rand’ Cavanaugh sets out to check on Cavanaugh Investments current expenditure- an exclusive stake in the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage. All too aware of the potential for sabotage from competing firms, Rand takes notice of a new stranger who appears to have designs on Felicia Throgmorton, a stranger with the gift of an artist but secrets to hide. What ensues is the building romance between Felicia and Rand; the preparations for the upcoming Exhibition; and the potential fall-out as the Throgmorton Steam-Powered Horseless Carriage is targeted.
The relationship between Rand and Felicia falls victim to a lack of palpable sexual attraction. The limited interaction between the couple squashes any chemistry that could have otherwise turned passionate and romantic leaving this reader neither intrigued nor interested in the couple’s growing love. The emotional build up is absent.
The Cavanaugh siblings play secondary and supporting characters including Christopher aka Kit, Eustacia aka Stacie, Godfrey and Ryder. We are introduced to Felicia’s brother William John, and Clive Mayhew, an artist who has found himself in a precarious situation.
THE DESIGNS OF LORD RANDOLPH CAVANAUGH is a well-written but slow building story line that gets caught up in the historical and technical information of building a steam-powered engine. As our trio struggle to perfect their entry into the upcoming Exhibition, the story line follows a path of industrial and mechanical jargon rife with bits and parts, and steam-powered details that deviated from the growing relationship between our leading couple, as well as the build up towards sabotage and ruination. The building romance falls victim to the constant return to the mechanization of the steam-powered, horseless carriage; the conflict resolution was quick and anti-climactic.
This writer is really amazing. Was a follower of Georgette Heyer in the day. These books , I really enjoy.
I haven’t finished this book yet. Love the historical aspect. Not quite up to what I expect of Stephanie Laurens.