TEST
Dabney: SHE’S BACK! And, man am I happy about that. Don’t get me wrong–I enjoyed all of Long’s Hellcat Canyon books. But. There’s no writer of historical romance I love more than I love JAL and her Pennyroyal Green series. So I was over the moon when I heard she was returning to HR. And what a return!
Kristen: Yes! Since I’m a bit of a late joiner to Romancelandia, I read all of the Pennyroyal series as part of Ms. Long’s back catalogue. When I heard she was releasing a new historical series, I was thrilled to be getting in on the ground floor, as it were. I eagerly read this tale in one greedy sitting and adored it pretty much top to bottom.
Well, now that I’ve tipped my hand… ladies, what say you?
Dabney: I too love this book. So many things about it are my jam–the wonderfully witty banter, the smouldering tension between the leads, the developed and integral cast of characters. And the writing is as good as any in Long’s catalog.
Alexandra: I couldn’t agree more. I’ve always enjoyed Long’s writing, but this book has to be one of my favorites. I particularly liked the character of Delilah, Lady Derring. She comes across as innocent and naive in the beginning, but then surprised me with her wit and, well, daring.
Kristen: In my professional life, I spend a lot of time with women who own businesses and many who started ones because they had no other choice, much like Delilah. There is such an air of “right, let’s get on with it” about this book that I found gorgeously authentic to the women I work alongside and gave me such a deep affection for the character. Delilah could have easily wallowed in her circumstances, emotionally anyway, and instead took a deep breath and made it work.
How did you ladies react to the initial reveal of Derring’s mistress?
Dabney: I thought it was a win. And I love how her character, Angelique, evolved over the course of the book. (Slight spoiler ahead!) For me, as lovely as the relationship between Delilah and Tristan is, the relationship between Delilah and Angelique is every bit as wondrous. I was trying to think if Long has ever written such a strong female friendship in any of her other historicals. I adore these two.
Alexandra: I loved that element too–it some ways, this book felt like Women’s Fiction wrapped in a Historical Romance. At the core there was a focus on Delilah discovering her own strength as she confronts her husband’s mistress and starts her own business. I also particularly liked that those elements stood apart from Delilah’s relationship with Tristan. Although he’s supportive, her accomplishments are due to her own hard work, not Tristan riding in to save her.
We’ve talked a lot about what we loved in this book. Was there anything you ladies had problems with?
Dabney: The romance is a bit of a slower burn than I usually like but the banter between Delilah and Tristan is so brilliant that bothered me less than it might have.
Kristen: I can find niggly things for sure – a few lines of dialogue that felt clunky and I’m with Dabney that it took longer to move than I prefer, but honestly? Nothing that deterred from my unadulterated love for this thing. It ticked every box I wanted it to and gave me such a happy book feeling. I was craving a good friendship story more than I even knew, and this delivered.
Also. More Angelique ASAP please and thank you. This one is a A+ from me – I think that’s the third one I’ve ever given out.
Alexandra: I’m right there with you Kristen, it easily earned an A in my book. There was nothing major that I found to dislike, and I actually enjoyed the slow burn aspect of the romance. It felt right to me, as it allowed time for Delilah to find her footing after her husband’s death and realize her own internal strength. By the time she officially begins an affair with Tristan, she’s doing so as an independent woman seeking companionship, not a damsel in distress seeking a knight in shining armor. For me, that was one of the elements that made this not just a good book, but a great one.
Dabney: I’m going with an A too. (I’ve never given ANY book an A+.) Not only is this a delight to read, it sets up a context, just as she did with the town of Pennyroyal Green, I love and can’t wait to read more of. Here’s hoping Angelique’s story comes out soon!
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Grade: A
Book Type: Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 01/02/19
Publication Date: 02/2019
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
Impenitent social media enthusiast. Relational trend spotter. Enjoys both carpe diem and the fish of the day.
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I just finished reading “Lady Derring Takes a Lover” a few minutes ago and wow! I am so glad I did. Thank you everyone at AAR for recommending it.
As for side characters, I do hope Mr. Delacorte finds a lady love. I can just picture him with a mature, full figured widow used to dealing with an old bachelor’s idiosyncrasies.
Coming over here to say that I just read this and loved it. For some reason when it first came out the description didn’t grab me (even though I am a big JAL fan), but I picked it up when it went on sale and I’m sorry I waited so long. The romance is great for all the reasons set out in this review, but just as much, I loved watching the friendship develop between Delilah and Angelique. You really don’t find that very often in historicals, especially here where it feels like a plot line in its own right and not just a way to pass the time between romantic scenes. And the cast of secondary characters is terrific – they don’t feel two-dimensional, and I found myself wondering which ones will have their stories developed in which books down the line (book-reading barmaid Frances, please and thank you.) Long has set the stage for a great new series here and now I am eagerly anticipating Angel in a Devil’s Arms.
You will LOVE Angel in a Devil’s Arms!!! And she does set up the next book at the end of it. So much to look forward to.
Aww, just finished it today and loved it and for so many reasons. I love the earnest stating and restating of the home’s name — The Grand Palace on the Thames – by Delilah, who cannot contain her pride and love for her new home. I love too though the way Tristan starts correcting people on the title as a perfect indication of his love for and pride in Delilah. And the ending…so good! I can’t wait for Angelique’s book.
I finally read this and enjoyed it very much. The epilogue is one of my favorites – focused on the ongoing personal growth and professional success of the heroine, not excessive and boring bliss. I want to hear Angelique’s story, too!
This is one of the best historical romance I’ve read in a few years! I appreciate your Pandora’s Box Review and am excited for the next book in the series.It’s a wonderful feeling to be reading an awesome book!
I’ve preordered mine. After reading your review it feels like the countdown till Christmas! Anything Julie Ann Long feels like writing I am grateful to read. Historical, contemporary, I’ll gobble it up. Love her!
… And I think it is very mean of all of you to review a (good) book that is only coming out by February 26. 26 days away! Grumph!
We just couldn’t contain our excitement!
JAL NEVER disappoints me, and I’m delighted this one’s worth swooning over!
This book is crammed with language like this. As Em said, “I am DEAD.”
“You’re truly not a music lover, Captain Hardy?”
“I like music well enough.” He sounded surprised by the notion that she might think otherwise. “Good music, well played. It’s just that I’m haunted by one particular sound and I don’t want anything to interfere with my memory of it.”
“The wind snapping in the sails? The ringing sound that bullets make when they glance off your iron hide?”
He’d lowered his voice. “That sound you made when I moved inside you for the first time. It has quite ruined all other sounds for me.”
That’s a killer scene & that last line. OMG. But really, so much of it is wonderful. This will be on my year end Best of 2019 list for sure. It’s terrific.