Finding out that her husband was a bigamist didn’t devastate Portia Stefani; she held her head high when she forced him out of her life. But losing her beloved music school as a result of the traitorous bastard’s gambling debts almost destroyed her. The only way she’ll be able to make ends meet is to accept a lucrative tutoring position in remote Cornwall. What Portia hasn’t anticipated is the … life-altering impact that her mesmerizing new employer has on her.
Stacy Harrington learned the hard way to keep people at a distance. Playing the piano is the only thing that makes his solitary life enjoyable these days, and he’ll be damned if he allows his albinism to keep him from everything he loves. Bringing a private music tutor into his home is disruptive, but it’s the only solution. Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming attraction he feels toward his fiery new employee.
It’s not long before a shared passion for music develops into something infinitely deeper. But when ghosts from the past—along with some very dark secrets—emerge to threaten everything they’ve built, can Stacy and Portia continue to make beautiful music together? Or will their happily ever after end on a painful, discordant note?
Praise for Minerva Spencer’s Outcasts series:
“Minerva Spencer’s writing is sophisticated and wickedly witty. Dangerous is a delight from start to finish with swashbuckling action, scorching love scenes, and a coolly arrogant hero to die for. Spencer is my new auto-buy!”
–NYT Bestselling Author Elizabeth Hoyt
“[SCANDALOUS is] A standout…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
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Music Of Love by Minerva Spencer (writing as S.M. Laviolette) is the first book of The Academy of Love Series. This book is spicier than the author’s previous books, but it has all the ingredients of dangers, villains, earth-shattering secrets, and raw passion.
Stacy Harrington has albinism. He is a smart and strong individual who is accustomed to people staring at him as a freak. He shuns the society but refuses to live like a hermit. Portia Stefani, after discovering her husband of ten years was a bigamist, uses deceit to obtain a music instructor position. Stacy is furious but agrees to give her one month to prove she deserves the position. Their love for music leads them into an explosive night of passion. Upon learning Portia’s pregnancy, Stacy marries Portia. While their marriage of necessity blooms into a union of love, sinister forces from both their pasts threatens to tear the lovers apart.
The chemistry between Stacy and Portia is explosive with heat and passion. Stacy is a good contrast to Portia’s hot temper and raw emotions and desires. Their sexual attraction is explosive both in and out of the bedroom. Portia is a sensual and sexual woman while behind Stacy’s cool exterior, he is as explosive as a lover. The plot moved like a burning wildfire with twists and turns, hot tempers, and hot sex. I LOVE IT! Music of Love keeps me intrigued from beginning to end. The story is marvelously well written in the plot, characterizations, and details. Minerva Spencer is a talented writer who knows how to tell a great story. This is my honest review.
Finding out that her husband Ivo was a bigamist didn’t devastate Portia Stefani; she held her head high when she forced him out of her life. But losing her beloved music school as a result of the traitorous bastard’s gambling debts almost destroyed her. The only way she’ll be able to make ends meet is to accept a lucrative tutoring position in remote Cornwall. Stacy Harrington learned the hard way to keep people at a distance. Playing the piano is the only thing that makes his solitary life enjoyable these days, and he’ll be damned if he allows his albinism to keep him from everything he loves.
I’ve loved the author’s other books so expected to thoroughly enjoy this new series starter & boy did I enjoy it! I devoured it. I loved Stacy & Portia they sizzled even when they argued the tension was palpable, they were extremely well portrayed but the author doesn’t do two dimensional characters. There were secrets, deception, vengeful characters all of which had me totally engrossed & took me on a roller coaster of emotions & left me breathless at the lovely ending, I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This was an unconventional story with memorable, unusual characters, It was a pleasure to read.
I’m glad there are some new things I haven’t come across in a story before, if not then its been a long time. So thats a new refresher and definitely not what I was expecting. Both Portia and Stacy are quite unique, had a bit of push and pull at times with each other. Just be in for a ride with this one because just when things start calming down, someone usually stirs up the intensity in the next scene. I’m glad I read to the end. I really enjoyed this one.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Music of Love (The Academy of Love Series Book 1) by Minerva Spencer. 5 STARS!
What a “Wonderful Surprise” this story turned out to be! Not what I expected, but Infinitely more!
The story starts out with an arrangement for piano lessons and an attraction sparks but, both Stacy and Portia are carrying deep scars and erected walls of mistrust. Stacy had spent a life of being stared at, called a freak, and to watch the looks of horror and disgust on the faces of people when they come into contact with his albinism. After her father’s death, Portia married his piano student who became a famous pianist. But, the marriage was over as soon as it began after her husband realized she wasn’t pure on their wedding night. He cruelly paraded his affairs and after years of marriage, and an accident that left him unable to play, he let it be known that he was already married when he married Portia. Both him and his first and legal wife were reported to have run off and died on a ship that sank.
I want to tell you so much more about the exciting and devastating wild twist this story takes but, I won’t ruin the story for you!
For me it was exciting and gut wrenching all at the same time watching the raw intensity and the emotional vulnerability and angsts of the characters as the story developed.
Portia and Stacy find themselves enthralled in a physically raw connection, that neither of them expected. The plot is exciting, complex, cleaver, witty, and expertly written and executed, bringing the story and it’s characters to life. This is only the second book I’ve read by this author and I myself plan to read a lot more of this author’s work. I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a great historical romance that heightens the senses and delivers a Brava storyline.
Happy Reading
Content Note: Adult Content
Genre: Historical
Content: Steamy romance with explicitly described intimate scenes.
The Music of Love
The Academy of Love Series #1
Minerva Spencer
https://www.facebook.com/MinervaSpencerAuthor/
Release date 12/31/2019
Publisher Crooked Sixpence Press
Blurb :
Finding out that her husband was a bigamist didn’t devastate Portia Stefani; she held her head high when she forced him out of her life. But losing her beloved music school as a result of the traitorous bastard’s gambling debts almost destroyed her. The only way she’ll be able to make ends meet is to accept a lucrative tutoring position in remote Cornwall. What Portia hasn’t anticipated is the life-altering impact that her mesmerizing new employer has on her.
Stacy Harrington learned the hard way to keep people at a distance. Playing the piano is the only thing that makes his solitary life enjoyable these days, and he’ll be damned if he allows his albinism to keep him from everything he loves. Bringing a private music tutor into his home is disruptive, but it’s the only solution. Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming attraction he feels toward his fiery new employee.
It’s not long before a shared passion for music develops into something infinitely deeper. But when ghosts from the past—along with some very dark secrets—emerge to threaten everything they’ve built, can Stacy and Portia continue to make beautiful music together? Or will their happily ever after end on a painful, discordant note?
My review :
When two peoples harbor secrets, they might doom their relationship because of them…
Mrs Minerva Spencer did it again, it was a marvelous read, quite angsty but when you have a fiery tempered heroine, there is no other way.
Portia made her way to Stacy’s home by deceit, and she was lucky he gave her an opportunity to prove her worth.
Their interactions are from the beginning driven by their chemistry, they try to deny it but they must after one another.
And Portia, sensual as she is, needs to chastising herself to not give her attraction. Yet, she does not shy away and when she finds herself in a delicate way, she is honest and straightforward.
Her flaw is what makes her strength, she has a temper and lets it often take the lead on her, still it is what fires the blood of this passionate and lively woman.
Stacy’s condition held him on the fringes of the living for most of his life. It also shaped him in the strong man he is now, allowing in someway more freedom than if he has lived among his kin.
He built a facade around his heart, and hardened his soul until a widow with god like talent with music barges in his life and shatters everything.
Their relationship is not an easy one, between the unsaid, the secrets and betrayals from their past and their miscommunications, their road is paved with dents and holes.
Sure I was at time shouting at them for not seing what was very evident for me, I was frustrated and upset but they finally found their own path and hopefully not too late.
It is no rushed story, the author gave the characters ample time to get to know the other and then to grow to become a better version of themselves.
And what a wondrous emotional epilogue to give closure to the characters.
5 stars for this moving tale.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/528287781093731/?d=n
Overall:
Plot/Storyline:
Feels:
Emotional Depth:
Tension:
Romance:
Sensuality:
Intimate Scene Length: –
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes):
Humor: Yes, a touch.
(These are scale 1-5, personal opinion)
Basic plot
Our heroine, Portia, answers an ad from Stacy (our hero) asking for a piano instructor. He thinks he’s getting Portia’s husband, a famous musician, but his ship sank at sea and Portia desperately needs the money. Stacy lives a recluse life due to his albinism.
Give this a try if you want:
– Regency England – 1816 time period
– Country home setting – almost all of the book takes place between 2 country homes
– High steam – a variety of scenes on page – also a just a hint of ‘control’ behavior from the hero
– A musician heroine and a hero with albinism
– An experienced heroine – she’s a widow with past relationships
– You’re all right with a bit of other woman/other man (OW/OM) drama
My thoughts:
I’ve read 4 of Spencer’s books previously and enjoyed them, but this is my first under her SM LaViolette name. Definitely more sex and it was a bit more adventurous.
I enjoyed Stacy. He is a recluse due to his albinism and people’s reactions to his coloring. I appreciated the detail to having albinism and featuring a character with that, as this is the first published work I’ve come across with this. There was quite a bit of focus on his eyes being red. Sometimes you can see the blood vessels through the iris of a person with albinism and it makes the eye take on a reddish hue, but I think it was way overdone in this book.
He was hurt by how society treated him but I felt like he had overcome that the best he could and become his own person. Lonely, yes, but happy in his own way. Something I really loved about him was how much passion simmered under his surface. I tend to really love those heroes – cold and almost cruel at the surface but in the bedroom there’s an explosion of emotion.
Portia has secrets that she would prefer stay in her past. She’s pretty feisty and has a short temper. It was a nice change to read about a heroine that loves being with a partner and they just dive in together. I also loved that she was a musician, though I wish that aspect to her person had been more developed.
I did struggle with this book. For me, the character depth was lacking a bit. I’m not sure if it was just a personality disconnect or what because I don’t usually feel like that with her writing. I found the first half the book kind of….boring? They did get intimate fairly soon, yes, but to me not much else was happening, and they jumped into it kind of out of nowhere for me. There wasn’t a lot of dialogue between them and I didn’t feel tension building.
The second half then made up for that slower start with lots of drama, danger and intrigue. I was still waiting to get to the know the characters better at this point, so I found for me they got a bit lost to me towards the end. Much of the conflict between them could have been resolved with some conversation, and I do find that a touch annoying after reading it as a plot device for 25 years lol.
Sit back and hold on, because you are about to take a journey that will keep you mesmerized and enthralled!
Portia Stefani was desperate. Her “husband” had left her with a mound of debt and she had to close their music school. She answered an ad posing as her husband, who was a very talented musician, and prayed all would go well. It was a position to be a teacher to one man who lived far in the country.
Stacy was not what she expected but he did let he stay after she demonstrated her ability at the piano. But began as a job quickly turned into more and their attraction exploded.
Looking forward to more in this series!
Great book! Interesting and unusual aspects within the storyline! Portia and Stacy were very sensual characters and the sex scenes were very steamy!! I liked it so much!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Two (or More) Stories in One
I liked the first part of the story, as the hero and heroine were getting to know each other after the heroine’s big deception in accepting the role of his music teacher. He certainly had an instant attraction to her, but she was a little more reticent. I did enjoy this first part of the story, but I didn’t really enjoy the second half or so when it became tied up with family drama. I especially didn’t like that the heroine seemed to suffer for too long because of what she mistakenly believed. There were betrayals, yes, and misunderstandings, but it seems like these would have been easily cleared up if the hero and heroine just talked. I don’t like it when situations are blown up into major conflicts, but they could be so easily solvable with simply a few words. The book was steamy, especially at first, but then simmered down. I felt like the heroine was inconsistent in the way she acted. She is presented as an impetuous firebrand with strong sensual needs at first, but again, that seemed to fade away quickly. The hero was the best part of it; he’s a great character with strength, humility, and a reserved grace. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
I became of fan of Minerva with Barberosa and it continues to be my favorite of hers. while I didn’t love the book, I did enjoy however I was a little bit shocked with all of the sex in this book. It’s not that she doesn’t write sex scenes in the other books that I have read from her, but in this genre and the time we were reading it was more than I expected even though let me be honest and in that time frame widows tend to be loose with their favors that is what I kept trying to remember. So we have a destitue widow who decides to lie to get a post as a piano teacher, but yes I know you figured out that she will fall in love the the man she is about to teach. There were other situations that will keep you interested
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Must Read!
I’ve had this one bookmarked for a while now and I finally found a break in my reviewing schedule to read it – and I am so happy that I did.
Firstly, the cover drew me in as it is so very different to the normal ones that we see today and is very attractive.
Then we have the title, ‘The Music of Love’ which is like a melody in itself and no mention of duke, earl nor marquess in the title either! These I think have been a bit overused of late.
And then we have the story! Oh, the Story! This one kept me going. Couldn’t put it down. Totally engrossing!
Now let me say something about this tale of ‘I want to trust him/her, but can I?’
Both of the main characters, Stacy and Portia are passionate, both in beliefs and love.
I had a good chuckle every time Stacy promised Portia that she would not do something ever again and then, a short time later, do it! I kept wondering if she was just a liar or if she was merely prompted by the situations she found herself in and that she didn’t realize that she was the one creating these situations.
Both of them have secrets in their pasts which they haven’t disclosed to each other and as they fall more and more in love, these really begin to create problems, but of course, love wins out in the end and they live happily ever after. Sigh!
Of courseI am recommending this story! How could I not? So enjoy.
This is my first experience with reading something by this author and I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. This is a beautiful and touching story of love and two people who have some deep healing to do. The plot was an intricate mix of intrigue, drama, suspense, and passion that make for some intense scenes. Ms. Spencer’s descriptions are so vivid that you really get a feel for the surroundings, the feelings of the characters, and what’s happening in the scene. The storyline caught my attention from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. Just the right mix of intrigue and romance. The characters were great and worked well together. Plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing. I will definitely be looking for more to read by this author!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love a nice historical romance, especially one that includes blackmail! and “The Music of Love” was just spot on!
Love a good historical. Entertaining and intense read. Good dialogue and situations to keep you turning to the next page. Great characters and story that keeps you hooked until the last page!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I liked this story, but had a bit of a hard time with Portia’s illogical temper and all the angst. However, the plot was interesting, and the steam was yummy. I also liked that Stacy wasn’t a typical H rake.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
The first book in the The Academy of Love Series a well written suspense story that kept me turning pages. This is Portia Stefani and Stacy Harrington’s story there is suspense, drama, danger, evil, murder, a villain, and romance. I want to read more in this series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Stacy and Portia have a passionate relationship built on secrets and lies. From the beginning she lied about who she was, pretending to be her deceased husband when Stacy hires a music teacher. Stacy also doesn’t tell her the truth about his relationship with Kitty. Portia doesn’t tell him about Ivo and instead goes out of her way to try to cover things up and makes him distrust her instead. They are both shot and attacked. He doesn’t want her to walk alone but she keeps going out on her own despite the risk. He encourages her to ride a horse even though it’s something she should consider giving up now that she’s pregnant. There were several people in the book who doing suspicious things, but they didn’t investigate it further, which frustrated me. It was interesting to read about albinism and how it affects a person and. Stacy was still able to live a full life, but had consider the effect of the sun on his skin and eyes. This was a steamy historical romance with plenty of mystery and suspense.
This is the story of Portia and Stacy. He has hired Portia to be his private music tutor. She has taken this job to save her music school. They didn’t expect the connection they feel for each other. I enjoyed the unexpected twists in this story. I received an arc of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Music of Love by Minerva Spencer writing as S.M. LaViolette
The Academy of Love #1
Twisted tale with two unusual characters finding that together they might have a better life than apart. This book had a LOT going on in it with an albino male lead that has managed to thrive, make quite a bit of money, and live well in a rather solitary existence. He “knows” that his affliction will keep him apart. He has made a life for himself without expecting more. Portia Stefano is on her way to be Eustace “Stacy” Harrington’s music instructor hoping he will hire her instead of the man he thinks will be arriving. She has secrets of her own but is a brilliant musician and pianist.
This is a steamy story with two passionate characters coming together early on and then often. There are unscrupulous characters, twists and turns, misunderstandings, fights followed by silences, making up after the fights, some very unscrupulous characters including blackmailers and murderers. This is not the most believable historical romance I have ever read but it was a fun way to spend the day. I was happy that the baddies were unveiled and dealt with and that there was a happily ever after for Stacy and Portia.
Did I enjoy this book? It was okay
Would I read more in this series? I think so
Thank you to Booksprout and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars