Book 2 of 5 in the Gentleman Courtesans Series.Lady Lucinda Bowery has decided to cast off mourning attire and begin moving on from the loss of her husband. Hiring the gentleman courtesan known as an experienced dominant seems like just the thing to propel her out of bereavement and back to life. She intends for him to give her pleasure, and perhaps help her find a bit of the woman she was before … of the woman she was before being widowed.
Aubrey Drake became a courtesan to help bolster his expanding business, as well as provide a trousseau and dowry for his ward. Over time he has grown bored catering to women who only see him as an exotic offering to be enjoyed temporarily and then discarded. Thus, the thrill of mastering a submissive bedmate has lost its luster, leaving him cold. When Lady Bowery is suggested as his new keeper, he expects to be as apathetic toward her as all the others. But, when sparks fly at their first meeting, Aubrey becomes determined to master Lucinda in every way possible—even though she seems intent on keeping him at arm’s length.
As she finds comfort and pleasure with her new courtesan, Lucinda finds it increasingly difficult to deny that what she feels for him goes beyond simple lust. Yet, embracing the possibility of a future with him means letting go of her past.
Aubrey is determined to win Lucinda’s heart, but she still clings to the memory of her first husband. Can Lucinda come to return Aubrey’s love before it’s too late?
more
I loved Lucy and Aubrey’s story!! I loved that Aubrey had taken on the job of being a gentleman courtesan because he need to make sure that his niece had everything that she deserved. This says a lot about the man! I also really like Lucy. She gave everything to her husband and didn’t think she had anything else left to give. But when she came together with Aubrey, she started to feel again and it scared her. She ends up keeping a part of herself away from Aubrey, which just leads to heartbreak for both of them. My emotions were all over the place with this book!!
I have loved this series and can’t wait for the next Gentleman Courtesans book!!
A Courtesan and a widow.
How many times does a man have to let a woman give him hope and then take it away? Aubrey Drake’s contract with Lady Lucinda Bowery has become more than just two bodies meeting for an appointment. For Aubrey it’s love. If only he can convince Lucy to let go of the past and go forward to the future. An excellent series that develops so many interesting characters and then puts them through challenges for an HEA.
I was very excited for another Gentleman Courtesan book and Aubrey and Lucinda did not disappoint. I loved this book from start to finish. Lucinda and Aubrey were really good together and had steamy chemistry. I will definitely be rereading this book and am excited for more books in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book two of The Gentleman Courtesans series a well written story this series just gets better with each new book. I want to read the next book, I hope Benedict gets his story soon. This is Lady Lucinda Bowery and Aubrey Drake’s story he is to be her gentleman courtesan. I enjoyed reading their story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Excellent and so well-written.
Ms. Vale has written an interesting look at male courtesans. This one has Aubrey Drake who is trying to boost his business along with doing what is right for his family. Lady Lucinda Bowery a widow seeks a courtesan who is dominant. What these two find is not just a business relationship oh no there a sparks just waiting to start a super hot fire. I adored this book it is an erotic but has such an interesting story with characters that were excellent and so well-written. If you like regencies that bring on the heat then this is the book for you. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Yet another sizzling, binge-worthy book in the Gentleman Coutesans’ series. This one is full of broken hearts, sorrow, forgiveness, secret confessions, sexism, racism, class snobbery, friendship, disappointment, hope, trust, and love. And exceptionally high levels of steam, oh my. Being an on-going series, there are several unresolved side stories, as well as a tantalizing cliffhanger in the epilogue, but Aubrey’s long and bumpy path leads to a much deserved HEA. Victoria Vale has become one of my favorite authors of all time, and I warmly recommend not only this book and series, but everything else she’s written so far.
I received a free copy of What a Courtesan Wants, but that did not affect my review.
Hot and steamy, BDSM, and erotica are everything I crave in a good book and as usual Victoria Vale delivers.
She is a master at developing her characters, scenes and feelings to set the stage to pull you in.
Aubrey Drake, a successful draper and businessman, is also a courtesan to fund a dowry and future for his niece he has raised.
He has become bored with being a courtesan and dominant to his keepers.
Enter Lucinda Bowery, dowager duchess, widowed 2 years by her beloved husband who was also a dominant.
Lucinda decides to become Aubrey’s keeper and the sparks fly from the moment they meet.
Can either of them let go of the past, recognize their true feelings and find their HEA?
Enter the world of this exceptional author and find out.
This is one of the best series out there and this one is one of Ms Vale’s best! Aubrey is such a well written character that you can feel his plight and even identify with him. Who wouldn’t do all they could to give their family the best they could. Lucinda is wonderful and you start to wonder if she can really giver her heart to anyone. Steamy and raw pleasure throughout the story is wonderful. Can’t wait to see what happens next to the courtesans!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Steamy and erotic read. This second book in this series did not disappoint. I can’t wait for the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Smoking historical.
It’s not just that, which is very good and descriptive. It’s that at the heart of the matter, is well. The heart. The whole of both Aubrey, the courtesan and draper with a ward he’s providing for; and Lucinda, the lady who lost her husband who was her Sir.
Their arrangement is purely physical, but quickly it’s the emotional that keeps them bound together. Both damaged and jaded by life, they find something worth fighting for and unexpected.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I wondered how this story would work, with the H from one race and the h from another, but this author managed it believably. I don’t know why I worried because I thought the same thing when I first started reading this series and was wowed then too.
Lucinda is a bedroom sub who lost her husband two years before. She was feeling lonely even though she still didn’t want to let go of her deceased husband. Aubrey is a Dominate. Aubrey was tiring of being an oddity for women to use him and discard easily. When Aubrey and Lucinda meet the match is just right and the timing worked out. He was supportive and wonderful everything a woman wants in her man.
I found these characters easy to connect with and the story flowed smoothly, the chemistry between these characters was hot, and I was not disappointed at all in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes their historical romances steamy but with a wonderful story to go with it.
I received this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
Another good read by the author, set in the courtesan world. A submissive loses her master and needs to find a new way to move on. Enter the most perfect matched master she can imagine. After getting a first hand view of just how he treats his submissive, she is sure they can start something together. But is she ready to let go of her old master completely? New her circle of friends thinks she can, and he is just the man for the job.
I’m totally enjoying, maybe too much, this venture in this new way of reading historically written pieces. Rarely do we see something set mostly in the male perspective, though we get a good bit into the female thought process as well in the series.
Can’t wait to see what comes next.
There is so much more to this book than what you would expect. There is grief and sorrow, loss and pain. Two people brought together by mutual need until Lady Lucinda fears she is starting to feel again. Aubrey has fought hard for all he has and never expects to find so much with Lucinda. The emotions are high.
Storyline with character and heart…
I really enjoyed reading a story involving a man of color in Georgian Era England. Aubrey Drake did have a fortunate childhood, in that his father received a good position in a gentleman’s home and that gentleman took Aubrey into his care and ensured that he received a good education and an apprenticeship in his business – which Aubrey later inherited. However, being a black man (free from birth) in a land where slavery was still legal came with discrimination and mistreatment was touching. These two each have their wounds and fight an emotional connection but where Aubrey must look to the future for his business and niece Lady Lucinda Bowery cannot let go of her late husband and fights her feelings with all her being. As this story winds together an honorable man and a woman with heart, passion, and integrity there are sweet moments, definitely sexy moments (thank you Victoria), drama and engaging dialogue and twists/turns it creates a wonderful world and a tale I recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have enjoyed this series of gentlemen courtesans. Of course they all fall in love with their keepers. This one is about Aubrey and Lucinda. Lucinda’s husband died two years ago and she just wants a man in her bed again. Things get complicated when they both want more. I liked how Lucinda was conflicted about her feelings for Aubrey and her dead husband. Aubrey bought the life back into her. People assumed she married her first husband just for his money but she had loved him and society made it hard for her to go back out into it, but Aubrey did not want her to care what society thought.
“…she was out of mourning, opening herself up to the possibilities of a new future.”
“How could she tell him how badly she wanted to be his, but hadn’t yet figured out how to untangle the remnants of herself from a dead man?”
“How was she to survive without Aubrey there to remind her how good it felt to not only live but to be alive?”
ohhhhhhhh I don’t know if I can even begin to put into words how freaking amazing this book is. It is my FAVORITE in the series and is up there in my favorites of Victoria Vale. I love the courtesans and I luuuuuuuvvvvvv Aubrey. I love his story, I love that he cared for his niece Elizabeth. I LOVED that he was such a good Dom. I think my heart broke for him a few times in this book. I adored Lucy. She was so broken hearted when her Magnus died. I loved when she talked to him, I love her submission to Aubrey and her strength. This may be one of my favorite Dom/sub books. That scene before the Opera…OH MY and the one where she seems him after their fight after the “L” word…holy moley get the fire extinguisher. I can’t wait to read more from these men.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love love love Aubrey’s story. Aubrey is a courtesan only to get his business back on track and to make sure his niece has a dowry to offer when she turns 18 soon. He is also a masterful dominant who has not had any emotional feelings for any of his keepers. Lucinda is a widow who is a submissive but cannot get over the death of her husband two years previous. She is ready to have her physical needs met only which is why she employs Aubrey. They teach each other to love again although is not an easy road.
Book two in The Gentleman Courtesans series. Can be read and enjoyed as stand-alone. Each book will follow a different courtesan with secondary characters the same throughout. Told in dual POV with HEA. Aubrey is the only courtesan that is also a BDSM master. Lucinda has been in mourning for two years after the death of her husband and master. She is looking for the release of submitting without the intimacy of a relationship. The characters have well developed back stories and the drama/angst was believable and not drawn out. The epilogue sets up the next in the series. I highly recommend to anyone who loves steamy historical romance and I cannot wait to read more in the series!
Starring Aubrey Drake and Lady Lucinda Bowery, Dowager Countess of Lanhope
This is what I love about Victoria Vale’s books: She writes about sex… yes. They’re steamy and kinky… yes and yes!! But through it all, the love story between her hero and heroine always rises to the top and takes center stage. It’s not just about the steamy, kinky sex… although thank goodness there’s lots of that too!!
Aubrey is a totally unconventional hero… one that I’ve never read in this time period. I loved his backstory on how he came to he the man that he is now. He was one hot dom and I wouldn’t mind calling him “sir” myself. I loved that he was a wonderful surrogate father to his niece, Elizabeth (I hope she will have he own story with Kit). I loved that he was so patient with Lucinda and allowed her to talk about her husband without jealousy or restrictions. I love that when he felt, he felt deeply. I mean, he was so swoon-worthy wonderful!!
Lucinda is climbing the charts on my “All time favorite heroine” list. Usually when I read Widow stories, the women either hated their husbands, found them “meh”, or just had a compatible fondness for them. Often times they did not find a grand passion in their marriage. This story is a very rare case because Lucinda was very much in love with her deceased husband. He showed her passion and taught her what love was. He also made her realize her worth by always praising her. So of course the road to falling in love with Aubrey was filled with guilt and self doubt. She was such a “real” character. And her journey to the person who she is now kinda punches you in the heart… like really hard. It was emotionally beautiful and I was cheering for her every step of the way.
“…I didn’t yet realize that loving you did not change the fact that I loved him. It doesn’t erase what he and I had, just as the fact that I was wed to him doesn’t diminish how much I love you.” ~Lucinda
Forget it, I couldn’t see the pages anymore because I was bawling so hard. Aubrey and Lucinda’s story was beautifully written. I am in total awe of Victoria Vale. I loooooove her books and it’s no wonder why she is one of my “keeper shelf” author. She is amazeballs… and I can not wait to read about the other men in the “Gentlemen Courtesan” series. I’m crossing my fingers that Dominick or Benedict is next!!
PS. Okay, how awesome is it that Victoria Vale gives us a playlist for this story?! Bonus!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily reviewed it and the comments are my own.
5 stars: Ugly cried AF… major book hangover… characters were amazing… made me wanna hug the author for writing a book that gave me all the feels!! Will be re-reading this story over and over and over again!!
Victoria Vale has done it again! What Courtesan Wants is a wonderfully sexy read with a lot of heart. What I really love about Ms. Vale’s books is they are historicals that really show the real wants and desires of her characters. There’s love and courtship but also sex and kink. All things people through the ages have felt. This book was particularly good as it showed two people who are really self made in a lot of ways. Showing two strong people who learn to trust and love is particularly pognant. I look forward to more books in this series as there is an on going mystery that needs to be solved.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.