She saved his life, but can she save him from himself?Hunter, Marquess of Aaron, has the ton fooled. Outwardly he’s a gentleman of position, with good contacts, wealth and charm. Inwardly, he’s a mess. His vice—drinking himself into a stupor most days—almost kills him when he steps in front of a hackney cab. His saviour, a most unlikely person, is an angel to gaze at, but with a tongue sharper … sharper than his sword cane.
Cecilia Smith dislikes idleness and waste. Had she been born male, she would already be working for her father’s law firm. So, on a day when she was late for an important meeting at one of her many charities, she was not impressed by having to step in and save a foxed gentleman rogue from being run over.
When their social spheres collide, Hunter is both surprised and awed by the capable, beautiful Miss Smith. Cecilia, on the other hand, is left confused and not a little worried by her assumptions about the Marquess and his demons. It is anyone’s guess whether these two people from different worlds can form one of their own…
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An independent Lady.
Cecilia Smith is known for her good works. Charity is her life. After she rescues a drunken Marquees from being hit by a hack, they find themselves at odds. Cecilia wants his building for a children’s school, he plans to turn it into a gentleman’s club. A kiss leads to a bet that he can stop drinking, but when the drinking demon has him within it’s clutches only Cecilia can help him. A very emotional and touching love story.
The daughter of an attorney, Cecilia Smith has no aspirations of being a lady. Her sole aim in life is to provide a safe place for the orphans of the poorer districts of London, where they can experience warmth, enough food to fill their bellies and an education to give them a better start in life. Observing the antics of the drunken Marquess of Aaron reaffirms her belief that members of the ton are selfish and self-absorbed. But when that same man staggers in front of a hackney cab, Cecilia does what any self-respecting person would do, she charges out in front of the hack and pushes Hunter out of the way. When they meet again a few days later under surprising circumstances, Cecilia is put out by the arrogant man’s attitude, but as she keeps meeting up with him, she begins to realise that he has deeper issues and genuinely needs her help. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy about her new-found friends and when her father begins to make demands that she doesn’t agree with, Cecilia has a choice to make. If drunkenness were not bad enough, Hunter compounds his sins and insults Cecilia in the worst possible way. However, when he recognises all he may lose, he wonders whether he will have the strength to make the changes necessary to alter his course in life. I always enjoy reading books by experienced writers, as the plot doesn’t drag, there are no long-winded internal dialogues and the story moves at a pace that keeps the reader’s interest. This novel is also well written, entertaining and comes to a happy conclusion.
‘She saved his life, but can she save him from himself?
Hunter, Marquess of Aaron, has the ton fooled. Outwardly he’s a gentleman of position, with good contacts, wealth and charm. Inwardly, he’s a mess. His vice—drinking himself into a stupor most days—almost kills him when he steps in front of a hackney cab. His saviour, a most unlikely person, is an angel to gaze at, but with a tongue sharper than his sword cane.
Cecilia Smith dislikes idleness and waste. Had she been born male, she would already be working for her father’s law firm. So, on a day when she was late for an important meeting at one of her many charities, she was not impressed by having to step in and save a foxed gentleman rogue from being run over.
When their social spheres collide, Hunter is both surprised and awed by the capable, beautiful Miss Smith. Cecilia, on the other hand, is left confused and not a little worried by her assumptions about the Marquess and his demons. It is anyone’s guess whether these two people from different worlds can form one of their own…’
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To Madden a Marquess is the second book in Tamara Gill’s Lords of London series. Cecilia is the close friends of Darcy, the main character from the last book. But although the characters from these first two books are connected, it is not necessary to read them in order as this book can serve as a stand-alone.
Cecilia is a strong character, capable and compassionate. She works hard to protect and support those less fortunate. A business woman determined to expand her company, not for profits, but to increase the amount of lives she can help improve. I liked and respected her character, but it is also hard to believe that a woman like her would have existed at this time, been so influential in her charity work, and have moved around so easily among the upper classes.
Hunter is just such a mess. He’s an alcoholic, but one of the dangerous ones that you would never know it if you weren’t looking for the signs. He can still carry on with his day and his drinks are often disguised into his daily lifestyle in a way that nothing seems out of sorts. But since Cecilia’s first encounter with him proved his weakness for drink and she is familiar with the signs from her charity work, he isn’t able to hide from her. Even if he is managing to hide from himself.
Hunter was so flawed, but so great. I don’t think I’ve ever read a historical fiction before in which a main character suffers through the pain of withdrawal. I love that Tamara Gill is always able to surprise me in one way or another with each of her books.
I loved that although Cecilia did push Hunter toward keeping away from drink, she left it to him to make to choice for himself if he would change his life or not. Although I must say that ealier on she was cruel with her mocking of his addiction and the fact that he didn’t just tell her off and have nothing else to do with her was astounding. The fact that he didn’t lash out made me respect his character more.
Her father’s reaction to the potential scandal of his daughter and Hunter was understandable, but I was really shocked by his behavior once Cecelia declared her intentions and his handling pf the situation with Mr. White.
To Madden a Marquess was such a lovely addition to this series, I enjoyed it more than the first in the series in fact and will be reading the rest of the series. I recommend this book and the Lords of London series.
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I read this book with my Kindle Unlimited membership.
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
(Happy Sigh) I really, really enjoyed reading this book. It was serious and witty at the same time. The story touched on many social societal topics that need to be addressed. Whether 100 years ago or today, these issues are still present and universal. Our heroine, Miss Cecilia Smith, is the daughter of a well-established lawyer. She is three and twenty, considered a spinster and is a bluestocking. She has strong beliefs and a strong tongue to match. She never fears to speak her mind in a way that is direct and without guile. Her life is dedicated to charities that help the orphaned children of London find a home in the orphanages she has helped establish and run. The school, which is part of the orphanage, provides the children with education so they can be gainfully employed one day. She has one small charity that is dedicated to the parents of the children in need of assistance. Many of these parents either have drinking problems or medicinal addictions. They are cared for and attended to. I quote from the book because it says it better than I ever could. “If she managed to be instrumental in making just one of the orphaned children of London have a good stable job that enabled them to live a full and happy life, then her work at the charity was worth it. It was the best day in the world when children who’d arrived, sick and poor left and became house and ladies’ maids, cooks even, if their inclination leaned them in that direction. The boys becoming footmen, stable hands and those who were mathematically inclined, stewards even. If one wanted to change, one had to work toward the goal and not believe everything would just fall in your lap.” This is what she lived for. She was a member of the London Relief Society. These women all contributed in one way or another to all these charities. One day on her way to a meeting of the relief society she came across the very handsome, very rakish Marquess of Aaron. She was walking down the street when she noticed him stumbling along. Then all of a sudden, the Marquess thought to walk out in the middle of the road and was about to be hit by a cab. What else was she to do but to save him from being run over. Even in his well-cut fancy clothes he reeked of alcohol and sweat. She was a spitfire admonishing the Marquess that it was too early in the day to be foxed. They bantered back and forth, she gave as good as she got. As she walked away from the encounter Hunter, the Marquess was intrigued, impressed and was attracted to her. Although they ran in different societies they probably would never meet again. But what she had said to him stayed on his mind. Cecilia finally made it to her meeting and advised the group that there was a persistent need in a part of London that greatly needed their services. She has found an abandoned building, in need of repairs but the size and location was perfect for a new endeavor. After some discussion they all agreed to put forth an offer to the owner of the building. Cecilia advised the group that her father would assist in finding out who the owner was and sent out the proposal. It turns out that Hunter owns the building. At a meeting Hunter told Cecilia that he would not sell. She became incessed and reminded him she saved his life. In return he should sell to her. Now begins the battle of the wills. Cecilia comes up with ingenious way to annoy Hunter in order to sway him to sell. Cecilia thought Hunter was the most vexing man she ever met. Hunter felt the same way about Cecilia. However, their attraction to each other grew. When Hunter wants a kiss from Cecilia she tells him he can have one if he does not drink any alcohol at any event up until the time he sees her again. He agrees. When he stops drinking he goes into withdrawals. He won’t he let his closest friends, the Duke and Duchess of Athelby, help him. He only wants Cecilia. The Duchess goes and retrieves Cecilia. Cecilia must protect her reputation and hide the fact that she is going to help the Marquess. She leaves a note for her father that she going to spend a few days at one of the orphanages. Cecilia explains to the Duke and Duchess she has seen this reaction before with the parents at her charity who leave drinking and drugs. She informs them that it will be a difficult time for the Marquess but he will recover. He should be find in about a month. When Cecilia returns home she is met by an angry father and an employee of his a Mr. White. He found out where she really was and said he had had enough of her disobedience. He has contracted with Mr. White to marry her. Cecilia cannot believe her father would coheres her into marriage to a slimy man that she deplores. He threatens to pull all his funding for her charities if she does not comply. She leaves his office without saying a word. After crying in her room she comes up with a desperate solution. It would cause her to socially lower her status. But this is the price she will pay to continue working with her charities and avoid marrying Mr. White. When Hunter found out he was quite upset. He owed his life to Lia as he called her. She brought him out of a stupor of alcohol that has been with him for a very long time. He feels better, thinks clearer and sees how self centered he had been. Lia makes him want to be a better man. When Hunter finds out that the first bann has been read for the engagement of Mr. White and Cecilia, he his hurt. He never gives Cecilia a chance to explain her new situation. Hunter puts her down and insults her. Her heart is broken. Will Hunter ever admit that he is in love with his Lia? Will Cecilia succumb to her father’s demand and marry Mr. White? Will Mr. White expose Cecilia for attending the Marquess when he was sick without a chaperone? What of Cecilia’s parents, will they disown her if she walks away? Will Cecilia ever get over her love for the Marquess? Will Hunter every forgive himself for the way he treated Cecilia when he last saw her? Will Hunter still try to make Cecilia his mistress? Will Cecilia and Hunter ever get together? This is such a good book. I highly recommend it. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
My main issue with this book was how poorly developed the characters were. They felt very one dimensional to me and very little about them was fleshed out. Unfortunately, that’s a pretty large issue, so I was not able to immerse myself in the story. I will say that there wasn’t anything really problematic for me with this book in consent issues- which is always a plus. The plot was predictable, but it usually is for this genre, so that doesn’t bother me. Sometimes you want a book that you know exactly where it’s going, in which case this is a great pick. The “twists” the plot had were over wrought and not well executed, but mostly because of all the characters, not just the main ones, being poorly fleshed out.
Cecila is an extremely strong, smart person. She works in her father’s law firm. She is very straight forward and opinionated. She meet Hunter, who is a marques and a drunk. Their worlds collide and makes for an interesting story.
A bluestocking who helps her father in his law office and orphans in the slums of London meets a drunken marquess on the street. I like the idea of a strong woman not bending to her family’s dictates about marriage and finding ways to manage on her own as well as reform a self absorbed noble with an alcoholic disposition but it seems to happen so fast. We don’t hear about the jerk she was supposed to marry or her father’s business. Overall I enjoyed the story, just wanted more.
To Madden A Marquess is an outstanding historical romance by Tamara Gill. Ms. Gill has given readers a book that is well-written and loaded it with phenomenal characters. Cecilia is the daughter of a lawyer on her way to a charity meeting when she rescues Hunter. Hunter is an alcoholic. Cecilia’s father is pressuring her to marry the lawyer that works for him. Hunter and Cecilia’s story is loaded with drama, humor, and spice. This is a fairly quick read, perfect for those with limited reading time. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Tamara Gill in the future. To Madden A Marquess is book 2 of the Lords of London Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
After reading the latest release by Mrs Gill, I remembered I had this one in my kindle so I decided to give it a try.
Cecilia is such a strong character I even wondered if she could have existed, past societies were not fair to women, and worst when they were courageous, smart and feisty.
She lets nothing crush her, she goes where she wants and her father might have designs for her future, if they are not she wishes too, she won’t comply.
Hunter has lost himself among the London ton distractions, so much, he can’t function without being imbibed, so when Cecilia rubs his face in it, he argues with her, unable to see the true in her words even if they hurt.
She soon becomes a challenge for him, so when she defies him to stay clean to be able to kiss, he never expected it will be so much an issue, a task which bring pain to get to it.
And while he is on his way to rehabilitation, Cecilia must face her life going the wrong way and having to make harsh decisions.
It was a fast paced and very entertaining read, Even if I liked to see Hunter apologizes, I would have loved some more groveling.
A 5 stars read which deals with substance abuse problems.
This is the second book in the Lords of London Series. Cecilia and Hunter’s story is beautifully written, romantic, sexy, and steamy. Cecilia is such a great and strong character! I loved to see Darcy and Cameron again. Duchess DeFoix and Duke DeFoix did an amazing job with the narration! I enjoyed my listening and, I totally recommend this audiobook, and this Series! I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily written this review.
Cecilia Smith is the daughter of a successful Attorney. Her passion is to set up and oversee orphanages and other charities to help the poor. Her father wants her to marry a vile Mr White so that the firm (which he will hand down to Mr. White) will stay in the family. Cecilia can not stand the man. On her way to a meeting, about purchasing a building, she meets Hunter, Marquess of Aaron by chance, well actually saves his drunk behind from getting hit by a carriage. She makes quite an impression on Hunter and now he can’t stop thinking of her. She later finds out he owns the building and refuses to sell to her. Her friend the Duchess of Athelby invites her to a ball and she meets Hunter again. Once again he is drunk. She recognizes he has a problem. She makes a wager stay sober and she will allow him to kiss her. He doesn’t realize what that entails. He goes through a very rough time and Cecilia stays by his side. Her actions angers her father and Mr. White and they both demand that she marry. They even post the banns. Now she realizes she loves Hunter and stands firm, but Hunter is a rogue and doesn’t quite realize what a treasure she is and wants her for his mistress. She is broken hearted and leaves both her family and Hunter. With her gone Hunter realizes he wants her for his wife. He needs to convince her of that!
Tamara Gill handles a major addiction problem quite well in this story. She addresses the problem and details the recovery while maintaining the romance in this story! Well Done!
Regency with a modern twist re addiction.
Predictable
A joy to read!
Nice short read.
It was kind of boring.
A twist on the typical plot, bringing in the problem of alcoholism and weaving a wonderfully redemptive love story.
This was a good easy read. I liked the characters and the story. Good romance and a happy ending.
There was no chemistry, no real plot, and the author told us they were in loving rather than telling a story and developing the relationship. I was bored.
Great book. Could not put it down. A woman who knows her own mind, but still has time for others. Not afraid to stand up for what she believes. Comical in some places. Loved the book, very well written.