Lady Elinor wants nothing to do with love. Her arranged marriage—and one glorious but ill-fated kiss with a handsome footman—cured her of any romantic notions she’d ever entertained. Now a widow, all Elinor plans to do is rebuild her life—without a man in it. She certainly has no intention of falling for the charming and entirely too tempting American who seems so determined to win her favor … favor …
Stephen Worth is no longer the impoverished footman who lost everything because of the impulsive actions of a reckless young lady. Having reinvented himself long ago, his sole focus now is revenge. He’ll do whatever it takes to exact a pound of flesh from all who wronged him so long ago. And if that means ruining the lovely Elinor in the process? So be it.
But it’s not long before Elinor finds herself drawn to Stephen despite her best intentions—and before Stephen starts to wonder if maybe a life with Elinor is worth more than his revenge. Can Stephen and Elinor overcome their painful pasts and take a second chance on love? Or is the cost of trust simply more than they’re willing to pay?
TRIGGER WARNING*** MISCARRIAGE, ABUSE.
Praise for The Outcasts:
“Spencer’s brilliant and original tale of the high seas bursts with wonderfully real protagonists, plenty of action, and passionate romance.”
★Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW
“Fans of Amanda Quick’s early historicals will find much to savor.”
★Booklist STARRED REVIEW
“Sexy, witty, and fiercely entertaining.”
★Kirkus STARRED REVIEW
“[A] suavely sophisticated hero with sex appeal to spare, and a cascade of lushly detailed love scenes give Spencer’s dazzling debut its deliciously fun retro flavor.”
★Booklist STARRED REVIEW
more
The Footman
The Masqueraders Series #1
Minerva Spence as S.M. LaViolette
https://www.facebook.com/MinervaSpencerSMLaVioletteAuthor/
Release date 04/07/2020
Publisher Crooked Sixpence Press
Blurb :
Lady Elinor wants nothing to do with love. Her arranged marriage—and one glorious but ill-fated kiss with a handsome footman—cured her of any romantic notions she’d ever entertained. Now a widow, all Elinor plans to do is rebuild her life—without a man in it. She certainly has no intention of falling for the charming and entirely too tempting American who seems so determined to win her favor …
Stephen Worth is no longer the impoverished footman who lost everything because of the impulsive actions of a reckless young lady. Having reinvented himself long ago, his sole focus now is revenge. He’ll do whatever it takes to exact a pound of flesh from all who wronged him so long ago. And if that means ruining the lovely Elinor in the process? So be it.
But it’s not long before Elinor finds herself drawn to Stephen despite her best intentions—and before Stephen starts to wonder if maybe a life with Elinor is worth more than his revenge. Can Stephen and Elinor overcome their painful pasts and take a second chance on love? Or is the cost of trust simply more than they’re willing to pay?
TRIGGER WARNING*** MISCARRIAGE, ABUSE.
My review :
Will his revenge have the perfect savor when he get to know the woman he wants to extract it from …
It is revenge tale and as it is, it is full of angst and hurt.
But Mrs Minerva Spencer or S.M LaViolette make the words flow and the pages turn themselves. The action flawlessly continues, until the arc is fully resolved.
While for the first half, it alternates present and flashback chapters, revealing what went through the characters prior their actual encounter, it then moves forward until they fix everything between them.
It is no easy read when You read about the abuses and pains the heroes went through, nor even if I knew what was coming, to witness Elinor’s humiliation and then Stephen’s groveling and he has a lot to do, it was heart-wrenching.
I am in awe of the author’s talent, usually when a story deals with topics unsettling me, I need to stop from time to time my reading. But here, no need, the narrative follows naturally, why I needed to know what would come after, page after page, Harper after chapter.
Impossible to put it down, the life infused in the characters make them so real, I wanted to follow them step by step.
Elinor, whatever her mistakes, paid a dear price, but never she let the abuses she suffered change her. She always chooses the path letting her help others, those she thought suffered more than herself.
Stephen let hate and thirst of revenge lead him, and while it fueled his soul, it also drove him to the road of success.
There shows the brilliance of Mrs Spencer as while i knew where the story would go, I didn’t know how she would mend the road for them, as outside the blows stricken by Stephen, Elinor fights also her own ghosts.
Why my 5 stars rating, as I can’t give more, Mrs Spencer with her unusual but incredibly strong protagonists shows one more time the wide range of her ability.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and prior to it I preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/591012231487952/?d=n
This book is one heartbreaking emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. An exceptionally well written book of a young lady’s innocent mistake and what happens in the fifteen years for the young man to take his revenge. I was on pins and needles the entire time I was reading it. A definite keeper!
(Extreme violence)
Gifted a copy of this book.