From a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author:One look at the towering ocean-side manor that is to be her new home, and exiled socialite Susan Stanton knows: This is a place haunted by secrets, and riddled with menace.For Susan, there is no escaping the most dangerous element of all—dark-haired smuggler Evan Bothwick, a man whose rakish countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.But Susan … rakish countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.
But Susan has a secret of her own—a special gift that renders her privy to the darkest mysteries lurking within the walls of the manor and in the labyrinthine cellars beneath. And the only man who can help her is the very rogue she would do anything to be able to resist…
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The Gothic goodness continues… I love the slight edge and mysterious threatening vibe that runs throughout this book. This series is by far my favorite series of Erica Ridley!
This one especially felt like reading a ghost story, with the perfect gloomy and daunting setting. And if the ghosts aren’t enough, there’s plenty of creepy living secondary characters to go around, so brilliantly –scarily- written that the butler and the shopkeeper at times will frighten you more than the pirates and smugglers that are lurking about.
Susan and Evan circle each other warily, neither knowing what to make of the other nor if they can trust each other. I really enjoyed seeing them navigate their growing feelings for each other all the while trying to solve a murder mystery. There’s a lot of misdirection and figuring out who the good guys/women are is quite the challenge. I also loved Susan’s new and highly secret ability and how she learned to cope with it.
This book was a treat. Witty, romantic and full of unexpected danger and challenges for our couple to be. Loved it!!
This was ok, gothic light with some subtle humor tossed in here and there. It did not grab me. Susan speaks without thinking, but cannot put together two words in some situations to explain her actions when caught.
Evan Bothwick plays the love ’em and leave ’em role well.
I received an advance copy; the thoughts expressed are my own.
“Too Sinful to Deny” by Erica Ridley
More twists and turns and tangles than a bowl of spaghetti.. And I loved every one of them. Not a boring moment in the full-length (about 350 page) story. I received an ARC of this story from the author via BookFunnel and this is my review. If you like suspense you will find it here. Happy Reading !!
Enjoyed it!
What I liked:
Gothic romance
The writing style
The characters
Part of a series: Gothic Love Stories
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC.
I can’t help but think of comparisons to the Ghost Whisperer and Mr. & Mrs. Smith set against a gothic Regency landscape. Through most of the first book, Susan wasn’t my favorite person and I’m not sure I can say my opinion of her has increases all that much. I loved her cat-like curiosity and desire to help the defenseless, but her selfishness and attitude of entitlement rubbed me the wrong way. Evan is the textbook definition of a charming rogue, but he also has his moments of honor and nobility. There is a lot going on in this book. Maybe a bit too much. At times I got a little confused as to exactly which plot point Susan and Evan were chasing down. This story contains lots of mystery and plenty of double-crosses. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Good story, with ghosts, smugglers, and lots of secrets. No one is who they seem to be. Kept me interested. I received an ARC of this book.
One look at the towering ocean-side Moonseed Manor that is to be her new home, and exiled socialite Susan Stanton knows that this is a place haunted by secrets, and riddled with menace.
For Susan, there is no escaping the most dangerous element of all—dark-haired smuggler Evan Bothwick, a man whose rakish countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.
What a fun read, there’s plenty of suspense as Evan tries to find his brother’s murderer. If you like a gothic romance with smugglers, ghosts, & romance then this is right up your street. Strong characters & a well written well paced story kept me engrossed from start to finish. I hadn’t warmed to Susan in the previous book but grew to really like her. The banter between Evan & Susan was so highly entertaining.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Wow! Gothic romances are my new favourite genre. Such a well-written storyline with lots of secrets, mystery, pirates, smugglers, danger and a romance which turns everything topsy turvy. This book grabbed by interest from the very first page and kept me turning the pages just to find out what would happen next. I loved the banter between Evan and Susan. These two wonderful characters take us on a wild ride at times, but make you feel welcome as you follow their romance. I really enjoyed the final chapters. Such a great read.
I have to be honest and say this book didn’t do it for me as well as the first one…It kinda moved a bit slow with the romantic part of the story. You kinda get the sense that they are attached to each other but are fighting their feelings with every step they take. As for the mystery and intrigue?? I was perfect with all the strange characters, smugglers and the danger..I just wished for more of the uncontrollable love that I usually read with HR books…
On to the next one
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
Can two persons with different agenda find a truce and work together.
Estranged from London ton for her unsuitability to keep her mouth closed, Susan finds herself hurled to the confines of nowhere. Where she steps in the middle of a smuggler/pirate war.
When I saw this second book will be about Susan the haughty and scheming young Miss from the previous book, I was not sure about it.
Susan is far from the best heroine, but from the beginning I do liked her spoiled bratty self. She was full of quips and sarcasms.
This was until she meets Evan, at first it was a battle of wits then the more they denied their chemistry, the more I was upset by their distrust of the other.
Even if it was rather humorous to see Susan put her feet in her mouth, I disliked their inability to talk calmly, trust another and always hiding things from the other. They spent 90% of the story doubting the other, keeping secrets and by the way causing heartaches.
I do liked the paranormal side, it added to the tension between Susan and Evan.
Evan is a very complex character, part gentleman what ever he says, smuggler bordering piracy, but kind and respectful from the weakest.
In fact I do think I liked both main characters alone, it was their relationship that bothered me more, their sizzling moments were like out of control scenes. At the end, they were perfect together but their way to another was too bumpy and filled with betrayal, miscommunications and misconceiving.
A 4 stars rate for this earlier work by the talented Mrs Erica Ridley.
I was granted an advance copy by the author and previously I had preordered my own copy. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
Too Sinful to Deny by Erica Ridley
Gothic Love Stories #2
Susan Stanton has been exiled to Bournemouth and upon arrival finds herself in a situation she does not want to remain in. Her cousin is missing, the man of the house is huge and fearsome, the butler is odious and she is less than impressed. Her immediate goal is to get back to London as quickly as possible and everything she does is with that goal in mind. Evan Bothwick is another man Susan meets shortly after her arrival. He is visiting Moonseed Manor and not the happiest of men as he speaks with Ollie.
With smuggling, murder, secret treasure, ghosts, a small town of closed minded people and a woman kept chained in the bowels of Moonseed Manor this is a book that also provides intrigue, a few laughs and a romance that was superb.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I like to read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Dark romance with smugglers, ghosts, and an evil giant
After getting to know Susan Stanton in the previous book, Too Wicked to Kiss, I was counting on the author developing and maturing this character once she became the heroine in her own book. What I found was a character that is still banking her life’s plans on marrying any suitable gentleman as long as he has a title and enough spare change to keep her happy. Matching her up with a man who is entirely unsuitable does force her to reevaluate her priorities, but her maturity was a little late to the party. Evan is a dashing rogue who possesses only the necessary principles, and while he was certainly a romantic hero he didn’t seem to see much more in Susan than I did.
The story is somewhat dark and slow-moving. A lot of the mystery is derived from not fully understanding who each of the characters are, especially in relation to each other. There’s a bit of humor with Susan’s interactions with the recently departed, and plenty of steam in the undeniable chemistry she shares with Evan. In the end, we have a HEA for our couple and justice for all. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Oh, this one is REALLY good! Miss Stanton is sent to a tiny coastal village in disgrace. Mr. Bothwick is an untitled rake and smuggler and, disgraced or not, Miss Stanton intends to marry a wealthy, London gentleman. Mr. Bothwick never intends to marry and, besides, he has some very serious business to attend – if he can just keep his mind off her long enough …
Susan is desperately trying to survive being banished in a castle and village where the strangest things are happening. She has acquired a new skill which is sure to make people think she is going crazy. Evan is a little bit of pirate. He is stymied by his attraction to Susan as he tries to solve the mystery of his brother’s death. The characters are geniuses crafted in looks to represent their actions. It is often hilarious as Susan gets into one scrape or the other. If you love ghosts you will absolutely love this story. Susan finds unexpected happiness in the last place she thought she would.
I am afraid that although this is a lovely story I found it a bit too long – but that’s just me as I seem to have gotten used to the shorter stories of late.
That said, it does have a rather interesting approach to a love story with Susan, (we met her in Book 1 of this series) starts off as an eavesdropper and a bit of a spoilt brat, is being punished for her misdemeanors by being sent to a remote place without any money or friends to rely on. She soon finds that many very strange things are going on around her and, of course, she involves herself in trying to find out more and to solve these mysteries. She has suddenly, after an accident, developed a new ability too!
She meets Evan, who is a Smuggler by trade and the two of them are attracted to each other. Love soon blossoms ….
The characters, all of them, are really quite interesting. Each of them has their own endearing or weird side and I couldn’t help but love the two main ones.
I have just finished reading an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this edition and this is my voluntary and unbiased opinion of it.