“I have a favor to ask… I want you to marry me.” Part of The Sinful Sinclairs. Samantha Sinclair was always Lord Edgerton’s complete opposite. But when Edge encounters Sam again in Egypt, it’s clear the years have changed her as much as him. So after she blurts out an impulsive, convenient proposal, Edge’s protective urge compels him to accept. Is it possible for two such different people to … different people to be together and find the happiness they both deserve?
more
The Lord’s Inconvenient Vow
The Sinful Sinclairs Series #3
Lara Temple
https://www.facebook.com/LaraTempleAuthor/
Release date 11/01/2019
Publisher Harlequin Historical / Mills&Boon Historical
Blurb :
“I have a favor to ask…
I want you to marry me.”
Part of The Sinful Sinclairs. Samantha Sinclair was always Lord Edgerton’s complete opposite. But when Edge encounters Sam again in Egypt, it’s clear the years have changed her as much as him. So after she blurts out an impulsive, convenient proposal, Edge’s protective urge compels him to accept. Is it possible for two such different people to be together and find the happiness they both deserve?
My review :
They have known each other all their life but will it be enough to trust fully one another …
WoW, it was such an emotionally shaking read. Mrs Lara Temple has brought to life two very poignant characters, they reflect the different nuances of shattered souls.
How being the nemesis of the other during their childhood to their young adult life led them to be right for one another. All their life, they taunted each other, they have known them at their worst, so quite naturally like oil and water, they were drawn to each other, each filling the missing part of the other as night and day.
Despite everything, they are tattooed in the other’s skin.
Just how awfull they are at conveying their feelings, they discuss and share their past’s issues but by giving only half-truths, they more deeply wound one another.
This is story filled with so much angst, pain and regrets, angst because imagine the worst, pain they caused, regrets for what might have been.
Sam longs for roots, she felt she has been rushed around from one place to another. Why she made the mistake to marry to fulfill even if it was only half her need as the man she wanted was denied to her.
Her youth prevented her to see the errors of her way until it was too late.
Edge made the same mistake, and life was as cruel with him than with Sam. Why he retreated behind his prim and proper mask, living an austere life he felt complete by expressing with words his deepest thoughts and dreams.
It is only a crazy chase, leading him back to Egypt that awaken the man he thought buried deep inside his heart’s walls.
Sam’s proposal is a jump in the unknown as they might have grew up together, they do not know anymore who they are.
Their failed marriage made them weary of the others and hard to give their trust. And it was because she has always trusted him that Sam thought they might have a possible common future. But both keep secrets that might shatter their reciprocal faith.
So if Edge needs to find in himself the strength to offer his confidence, Sam has to understand roots are not always a place, they can be souls you care deeply for.
Hopefully in spite of the heaviness of the sentiments shared, tiny hints of sarcasm alleviated at time this tale. Plus Mrs Temple if she bleeds them raw, she also offers them aplenty of moment to patch things straight. If they are willing to face their greatest fears.
5 stars for stirring second chance story.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, I preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/photos/a.450536738868836/480639502525226?type=3&sfns=mo
OMG! My feelings are in overload. One word sums up this book for me – swoon! I confess I’m besotted.
TLIV is only my second ever Lara Temple read, but cements why 2019 was the year of Laura’s historical-romance-fiction-addiction. (It’s always a bad sign when I talk about myself in the third person, lol.)
You all know by now that I am a geek to the nth degree, so when you combine my love of ancient Egypt with sweeping Regency romance I am in heaven.
As you no doubt have worked out, I have still to read Chase and Lucas’ stories, but I admit to being glad it was Sam aka Lady Samantha Sinclair that introduced me to the Sinclair clan. Sam is light years ahead of her time. Feisty, adventurous, a smidgen *pinches fingers* opinionated, and a heart overflowing with its capacity for love. I couldn’t help but warm to her from the opening scene.
Now we come to Edge aka Lord Edward Edgerton. Edge, although dashing, initially came across as aloof and a tad staid, but boy oh boy, when you scratch that surface you find someone altogether different. Prepare for The Swoon, ladies. Trust me, the capitals are totally justified. Don’t believe me? Well, we can talk after you’ve read the ‘back scene’ – too sensual for words *sighs*.
Enigmatic, Edge draws you in, and as each layer was peeled back, the quicker I lost my heart.
With secrets on both sides, can this marriage of convenience survive when truths are revealed? Ugh, I wanted to indulge in some head knocking, but alas, it was not to be *snorts*.
It may be cliché to say, but I ran the full gamut of emotions reading Sam and Edge’s story. I honestly think someone has hot-wired my tear ducts of late as they are permanently leaking whether I’m happy or sad, lol.
As Mary Pope Osborne once said, “Reading is a passport to countless adventures.” and TLIV is one adventure I hope to revisit time and time again.
My wait now begins for Rafe’s (Edge’s brother) story. I’m a goner already…
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-16i
There are many parallels in the lives of Samantha “Sam” Sinclair and Lord Edward “Edge” Edgerton. They are both English by birth, have fractured family lives, and have been raised mostly in Egypt. Edge was sent away from his home at the age of six to live with Uncle Poppy and Aunt Janet, who loved him dearly. He became good friends with the Sinclair brothers, Lucas and Chase, who were also living in Egypt with their mother and younger sister, Samantha. Sam has always been passionate, daring, and somewhat outrageous as she trails after the young men. Edge has always urged her to be cautious and more circumspect.
The years pass, and Sam is now eighteen, seeing Edge for the first time in a couple years, as he had returned to England. There is a new awareness between them, a spark of attraction. Before anything can come of that spark, Edge announces that he’s engaged and will be returning to England to marry. Ever impulsive, Sam steals a kiss, but manages to hide her pain and wish Edge well in his future. Though Edge feels uncertain, he goes ahead with his marriage.
Sam, determined to find her own happiness and to create a home and family, enters society. She marries Ricki, almost immediately realizing that she has made a huge mistake. The eerie similarities in Sam’s and Edge’s lives continue, as both suffer the loss of a child / step-child, and lose their spouse after perceiving that they married the wrong person.
The death of Edge’s son, Jacob, affected him greatly. His older brother, Rafe, helped him immensely through this dark period, and the brothers grew close again after being separated for years. When Rafe disappears, and a cryptic message declares him dead, Edge knows it can’t be true. He begins a globe trotting search, and the path takes him back to Egypt, where he encounters Sam, who has also returned there. Knowing that they are truly ships passing in the night, Sam impulsively proposes marriage to Edge, and to her surprise, he unhesitatingly accepts.
That physical bond still exists between Sam and Edge, though they had been apart for eight years. They share a passionate and fulfilling wedding night, but the next day reality sets in. They are to return to England to continue Edge’s search, but the ship they are to sail on is truly unfit for passengers. Edge wants Sam to remain and book passage on a suitable ship, but she knows she may not see Edge for years if they part. This is just the first of the many conflicts and hurdles they will face in the upcoming months.
Edge is a closed off, secretive man, one who is still carrying the scars of being sent away by his family, and the wounds from his disastrous marriage and his lost son. Though he is a generous and passionate man, he can’t help but to keep a very large part of himself behind walls. Unlike Edge, Sam is a woman who literally howls at the moon. She wants to know everything about him, and share every part of his life. Though they manage to overcome much of their conflict, there is one huge secret Edge still keeps, and it’s one that affects Sam personally. When she finds this out from another source, her trust in Edge may be lost forever.
THE LORD’S INCONVENIENT VOW is truly intense and fraught with conflict and uncertainty. Both Sam and Edge are so fully depicted, that I felt I knew both of them down to their innermost thoughts. I loved both characters, and wanted them to find middle ground, because I didn’t want either of them to change their basic self. In addition to the ongoing battle to save the fledgling marriage, and to watch this couple come to realize their genuine love for the other, there is plenty happening with the search for Rafe, and finally having Edge discover the mystery of why he was sent from his home. I read THE LORD’S INCONVENIENT VOW in one sitting, and highly recommend it for readers who enjoy another layer of depth to go along with the passionate romance.
Third in the Sinful Sinclairs series, there is very little referenced from the previous books in this one, and though both Edge and Sam were introduced in earlier books, rest assured you can start reading here and not feel like you’ve missed anything.
What I’ve loved most about this series is the way Lara Temple really creates a sense of place; in this story, Edge and Sam spend a lot of time both in the present and in past reminiscences in Egypt, exploring archaeological sites. Both of them spent most of their formative years in Egypt and are reunited there as adults who’ve both been widowed. The scene where they’re out at a desert camp in the night and get ‘lost in the starlight’ almost brought me to tears – I’ve experienced nights like that, and they’re the closest thing to magic I think you can experience. The author’s description really brought it to life perfectly.
Sam and Edge have both made mistakes in the past which have had lasting consequences (trigger warnings for death of children and spouses apply) and there’s no easy resolution until both of them are able to fully ‘come clean’ with each other, confronting their past mistakes and accepting each other as they are, flaws and all. I have to say I’m really enjoying the current crop of historical romances from Harlequin/Mills & Boon and the way the authors have been given free rein to write introspective stories, with some pretty deep character examination rather than just light and fluffy romances. They’re not always easy reading, but they do leave you feeling both satisfied and as though the story is about real people, dealing with the kind of real emotional and physical issues couples have to today, but without the medical and mental health support available in the modern age to support their working through their issues. It’s sensitively and sensibly handled and absolutely believable, with the promise of a guaranteed happy ending to keep you going through the angsty parts.
If you want light and fluffy, this might not be a book for you, but I really enjoyed it. It’s a satisfying journey for two complex characters who are, in the end, perfect for each other. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via Rachel’s Random Resources.
The Lord’s Inconvenient Vow is the third and final book in author Lara Temple’s series, “The Sinful Sinclairs”. For those of us who have been reading this series from the start, we’re sad to see it come to its end! It’s been a fabulous series featuring the Sinclair siblings, Lucas, Chase & Sam “Samantha”. Although this book could easily be a stand-alone, I highly recommend you read the entire series!
Lady Samantha Sinclair is back in Egypt again. After a disastrous marriage, the death of her mother, and her two brothers happily married, she’s finally trying to come to terms with her past and has decided to move forward and create a home for herself.
Lord Edward “Edge” Edgerton is back in Egypt too. His older brother Rafe has gone missing and Edge is searching for clues to where he is. When he shows up at his Uncle & Aunt’s home in Egypt, he’s rather shocked to see Sam there too, especially since they haven’t seen each other in eight years.
We’re back in Egypt and I absolutely love it! Lara Temple’s knowledge of Egypt is evident as the story just vividly comes to life. We were transported to Egypt in the previous book in this series and I was excited to hear that at least for part of this story we were going to return. I for one have been anxiously awaiting this story since I read about Sam and Edge in the previous stories. There was something about this couple’s past that made me curious to know what happened between them and who they were.
I do love when a couple has a history together and Sam and Edge have had an interesting one. They have known each other since they were children and they seem quite the opposite of each other. Sam was rather bold and daring in her youth, trying to keep up with her brothers and Edge. Edge is more reserved and was always rescuing Sam from scrapes and scolding her for her antics. I have to admit I loved them both and loved the dialogue between them. It didn’t take long to see there was something special between them, a connection that if they finally accepted it, they could be good together. But eight years apart and heartbreak on both sides have left these two broken and lonely. When Sam abruptly proposes marriage to Edge and he accepts, one has to wonder if they will actually overcome the obstacles and make it to their HEA…
Lara Temple’s writing is as always wonderful, flawless and detailed. Her research and knowledge of Egypt transports the reader into another place and time with vivid images of Egypt. I love how she incorporated the Desert Boy series into the beginning of each chapter and revealed finally the importance of those stories that Edge wrote and Sam illustrated. It was a unique tie this couple had and a lovely touch to their story.
Such a fabulous ending to this series! Sam and Edge were wonderful characters who truly deserved their happily ever after. This story also had fabulous secondary characters, including Rafe, Edge’s older brother, along with an appearance of Lucas, Olivia and Inky the cat from the first book! As I was writing this review, Ms. Temple just announced that we will be getting Rafe’s story in the near future and I for one can’t wait! I look forward to getting his story and possibly catching up with the Sinclair family! 🙂 I Highly recommend this story and series!
You MUST read this book. A marriage of expediency between two childhood friends or a second chance for love? Either way, it’s a wonderful book not to be missed. Friends since their childhood, Sam and Edge, they meet eight years ago in Egypt, shared stolen kisses, then parted ways. She married to try to heal her broken heart. He married because he needed an heir. Both marriages were disastrous. They meet again after these disasters and Sam, being Sam, impulsively proposes marriage to Edge. For some reason he agrees. There are obstacles in the path to their happiness that they must overcome. Will these problems be resolved so they will realize they have loved each other all along? I recommend you read it and find out. It was expertly written with the characters leaping to life from the pages. The descriptions of Egypt were so good I felt like I was transported there. I laughed at their antics and wept for their past hurts. I was gifted this book and am voluntarily reviewing. My opinions are my own. Wonderful job Lara Temple
A fitting end to this fabulous series. Edge and Sam come into this story carrying so much baggage, and their path to happiness is both difficult and beautiful. As usually, Lara’s description is exquisite, and the glimpses into the Desert Boy books make you wish they were real. This is definitely a book you could read over and over.
Here it is the extremely long awaited next – and final **Sniffles and grabs a box of Jaffa cakes, for comfort** Sinful Sinclair book **Sobs** I can’t do it, I cannot write this review because If I do that will be it – no more!! **Sobs again, while munching through the Jaffa Cakes**
So, we are here the third and final Sinful Sinclair’s, this time we have the Sam and Edge’s story, if you have been following this series then I am presuming you all have been looking forward to finally meeting Samantha, which I am so pleased to say she does not disappoint, I think she could be one of my favourite heroines. But, no worries if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the Sinclair’s as this is very much a stand-a-lone.
Firstly, I have to say that Lara Temple has taken my childhood love of Egypt and placed it on the page in such a way that I have fallen in love with this mysterious and golden place all over again. She has woven a glittery, magical story around me and made me love Egypt even more then I did before, she has made me appreciate and see this country with fresh eyes, something which I will be eternal thankful to Lara for; Thank you! I have never set foot in that golden, sun baked country in my life and most likely may never set foot there, but because Lara is a master of capturing the essence of the setting, right down to the most obscure and little known detail her stories are always vividly stunning. Yet this book caught my imagination far more then any other I have read, each and every scene is breath-takingly vivid, I was devouring every moment. I was soaking up every sight, every smell, this book is a blatant assault on the senses, I could see the sandy dunes and star lit sky in my mind with so much clarity it was as though I was standing right beside Edge and Sam.
For as long as they can remember, Samantha Sinclair and Edward Edgerton have been friends/enemies, they are like chalk and cheese, she has always been the more compulsive and passionate, a bit of a dare devil she has always wanted to tag along with the boys, she has climbed statues and basically made a bit of a nuisance of herself, making her brothers and their close friend Edward – or Edge/ stay-away-from-the-edge as Sam nicknamed him – roll their eyes and groan at her exploits. At Eighteen Sam and Edge meet again in Egypt, there is a frisson of something in the air around them but they are again heading in different directions and make choices that will change their lives.
Fast forward eight years and out insipid duo are back in Egypt and are back at tormenting one and other, it is here that Sam realises that all she has been through this is the moment that she will grab hold of the one thing that she has always wanted; Edge! Yes he drives her crazy with his staid and very sensible persona but she has seen the man beneath the glacial exterior, even now he is so changed from the man she knew, she can see what many can’t and she wants her green eyed god and so being the spontaneous, free-thinking woman she is, she takes the bull by it’s horns and proposes…..I know, scandalous! She knows that if they can both put their past behind them and move forward past each of their own hurt and painful personal memories they can be happy, they can be the adventure loving twosome she has always dreamed them to be.
But with so much – namely Edge – standing in their way, can they really make it through the storm and find their much yearned for and so deserved happiness? Well, I’m not going to tell you, am I? You’re going to have to out and read it for your selves
I absolutely adore Sam, she is exactly how I imagined her to be from what we have learned about her from the previous books, literally how she is written is how I have been imagining her to be. She reminds me of Evie out of ‘The Mummy’ (Which really is the highest compliment I can ever give for her as that film is one of my absolute favourites, I always wanted to be Evie when I was little) she is smart, savvy, a little careless and clumsy when she is having one of spontaneous moments, she thrives in dusty mystical Egypt. She is a girl after my own heart never happier then when she’s knee deep in the mud, uncomfortable in social circles and much prefers the company of true friends and family who see her for the slightly eccentric woman she is – plus she has a fondness for green eyed men
Edge as much as he really makes Sam (and the reader) go through the mill for him, is a wonderfully complicated and complex man, he certainly has his issues, he has his inner demons that do cling on to him for dear life – even the strength that Sam holds has trouble expelling them, he reminds me of a career soldier who has left the military after many years and now he is trying to adjust to civilian life again – if that makes any sense? He can’t dispel his pain, he can’t move forward and he can’t allow anyone close to help mend his wounds, he both infuriated me and made me weep.
My only word against this glorious book – and I do hate to say any less than perfect words about Lara Temple’s books, but I vowed to write unbiased and honest reviews, even though it doesn’t make me feel less horrible for what I have to say, don’t worry I will hang my head in shame – I did think that there was a little too much “will they every have their HEA?/ Will they ever actually get past all this tension/ The hero is being a bit of a pillock” thing that was going on, don’t get me wrong I love tension and emotional turmoil within romance and anyone who knows me, knows that I love a damaged hero, but -and this is my personal opinion – I think this time it did somewhat slow down the pace of the book, which took the shine of my overall experience of it, it was fine to begin with but it did wear a wee bit thin. Sorry! I’ll go and hide now!
Apart from what I said above, I did really love this book, the story is an emotional ride, you will go through a whole host of emotions with this; laughter, giddiness and excitement, sadness and heart-break, annoyance, the entirety of human emotional depth is right here under the microscope for us all to see and feel. For me personally what holds this above all others is the exquisite and rich setting and historic detail of Egypt, I genuinely felt the authors passion for the country, the culture, the history, the people coming through the words, I was completely enchanted by it, this book has taken me on a mesmerising adventure which will stay close to my heart forever.
Just one more thing, I sooooo need Rafe’s story, he is fabulous! He reminds me a little of Chase Sinclair (Everyone knows how much I love that guy…#DoubleSigh!!!) Rafe is a mystery; charismatic, charming, fun but I also sensed there was a little darkness behind that scarred smile, I felt he was haunted – or maybe I am reading too much into it, either way I loved him as much as I was fascinated by him.
Over all this is a wonderful end to what has been an gorgeous series, I am sad that there won’t be any more Sinful Sinclair’s, but I can see that this is the perfect ending for them, it closes one door while others stand ajar making us readers wonder as to whether those doors will open and what is behind them.
3.5 stars rounded up
Lady Samantha “Sam” Sinclair and Lord Edward “Edge” Edgerton grew up together in Egypt, Edge left for war with Sam’s brothers, but is now back. Sam always thought Edge was too stuffy and proper, but now that she is 18 she is seeing him in a new light – but almost as soon as she realizes he owns her heart, he breaks it with the news that he is returning to England to marry. In a moment of insanity, she kisses him and he kisses her back, but quickly comes to his senses and breaks the kiss and leaves her.
Eight years later, Sam is now the widowed Lady Carruthers and is once again in Egypt when she crosses paths with Edge again. Their time apart has been riddled with heartbreak – Sam suffered an unhappy marriage because she couldn’t love her husband and he punished her by using his natural daughter to taunt her and then broke her heart anew when the little girl passed away. Her only real joy is illustrating pictures for the Desert Boy books, a wildly popular series that has taken England by storm and the author is unknown – even to Sam. Edge didn’t fare much better, he is also widowed, his wife was unhappy and left him after giving birth to a son, Jacob. Edge loved Jacob with all his heart and was broken when he died. The only reason he has come out of seclusion is to find his missing brother Rafe, the Duke of Greybourne. This has lead him back to Egypt and Sam.
He plans to stay only a day, but is convinced to stay a little longer and let his uncle Poppy’s sources find some new leads. He gets his lead and is preparing to leave, when Sam proposes they marry. Stating they like each other and both want a family. To her surprise – he agrees and they marry within days. But he makes it clear, his main priority is finding Rafe.
Sam wonders if she has made a huge mistake, after an amazing wedding night, she feels Edge slipping away and he ignores her for almost the entire journey, he finally talks to her and she thinks they will be happy, but then he abandons her almost as soon as they reach London. When he returns, they again seem to make headway and then she learns the secret he has been keeping from her and it threatens to ruin everything.
I thought this was a good story, but it did drag a little, I wished the author gave more background about his brother and I had a hard time believe that both Sam and Edge were so completely oblivious to the other’s feelings, not to mention, I felt the title was completely wrong for this story. But all in all, it was a sweet story of second chances, healing and love. With wonderful characters, warm love scenes, a little heartache, a little mystery and a lovely epilogue. This is the third book in The Sinful Sinclairs, but you can easily read this title as a standalone.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an eARC that was provided to me*
Meeting in Egypt again, Sam and Edge share brief kisses, but neither one mentions love. He returns to England and his fiance, she enters Italian society looking to replace a broken heart. Eight years later they meet again in Egypt and Sam takes a chance and proposes to Edge. He accepts. Their bond is three Desert Boy books that he wrote and she Illustrated. These books are the key to their happiness. I enjoyed this series so much. It was hard to read the last page.
I recommend reading all three books in the series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
THE LORD’S INCONVENIENT VOW is book 3 in The Sinful Sinclairs series, it stands perfectly on its own, but not that much is mentioned about the scandalous family, so if you haven’t read the previous books, rest assured that the Sinclairs are infamous. Lady Samantha Sinclair and Lord Edward Edgerton – or Edge, as Sam playfully calls him – had been frenemies since they were children. But meeting again in Egypt when Sam was eighteen would change their lives, and not for the better. Eight years had gone by before they saw each other again, and this time Sam will not let her chance pass her by, and she asks Edge to marry him. She has always loved him, but would she regret her impetuous move?
From the first page, Lara Temple transports the reader to early nineteenth century Egypt through her exquisitely vivid descriptions. The author’s research is astounding – I felt like I was discovering Egypt along with Regency London. Ms. Temple’s prose is so lyrical and vibrant that I felt the heat, the dust, I experienced the sounds and smells, the sultry atmosphere; it’s magical! The dialogues are also terrific, especially the teasing banter between Sam and Edge at the beginning.
Both Sam and Edge are exceedingly complex characters: she’s a force of nature, fearless, and passionate. He’s reserved, somewhat cynical, and extremely hard to read; he’s as enigmatic as the Sphinx. While they had been friends, they didn’t really know each other that well, and this is why Sam’s spontaneity backfires, for a time. I’ll admit I didn’t quite understand why Sam asked Edge to marry him, what made her think he would accept. Neither had anything to gain from it, but he surprisingly did. I adored Sam, Edge not so much. Not that I disliked him – he’s a good man, but weak, and often oblivious to the world around him except for the task at hand, in this case his brother Rafe, whom I loved – but I thought he was entirely wrong for Sam, and I felt if this were real life, theirs might not have been a fulfilling marriage. The reason my rating isn’t higher is due to a classic case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. I don’t do angst well. I have enough stress in my own life, I don’t need any more, and Sam’s and Edge’s marriage is filled with tension. It is a very realistic depiction of a marriage that is mostly based on lust and watching Sam fight for her exasperating man left me drained, completely exhausted. But it is a personal preference, and readers who thrive on conflict will be in seventh heaven, because THE LORD’S INCONVENIENT VOW is a literary masterpiece and a brilliant character study.
Lady Samantha Sinclair Carruthers and Lord Edward Edgerton grew up together with her brothers in Egypt. Yet both are badly broken with the pieces buried so deep, that neither knows how bad the breaks are. Nor do they realize that together their broken pieces fit. Sam thinks marriage and caring about Edge might help her get past the rough spots. And there are so many rough spots before their HEA. Edge barely acknowledges his broken parts.
The backstory at the beginning didn’t give the information I wanted, or needed, to understand Sam and Edge. Actually their wasn’t much of a backstory. Or enough of his brother Rafe. Perseverance was rewarded and Lara Temple made it all clear. A little past the halfway mark it was all coming clear and I was hooked. It was a hard won HEA.
Rafe said the most important line to Edge: “Why don’t you talk to her?”
I do recommend it; it completes The Sinful Sinclairs miniseries. It lost a star because I struggled with the first half of the book. Now for a book about Rafe. Please.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Thank you Lara.