| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the story of the last Essex sister, Josephine. Eighteen year old Josie is not having a good Season! During her first Season in London Josie, the last of the Scottish Essex sisters, is labelled the "Scottish Sausage" by a group of malicious young bucks who think it amusing to ruin young womens chances in the marriage mart. Josie is therefore snubbed and ignored by eligible young men who might have previously thought her attractive, as they don't want to be held up for ridicule. Josie is endowed with the voluptous figure of womanhood out of a Raphael painting. The ridicule undermines her confidence in herself and she takes to wearing a ristricting corset, thinking it makes her look better. Instead, it makes matters worse.
Only after being shown by her guardian's friend, the Earl of Mayne, a sophisticated man in his middle thirties, that men like voluptuous, curvy women, does Josie shed her corset and have new dresses made which show off her figure. She then attracts men like bees to a honeypot.
However, she also attracts the lasting spite of one of the malicious young bucks, who actions will ruin her reputation. Will she be forced to marry him?
A very witty and entertaining read. I enjoyed the other Essex sisters books, but liked this the best of the lot.
Only after being shown by her guardian's friend, the Earl of Mayne, a sophisticated man in his middle thirties, that men like voluptuous, curvy women, does Josie shed her corset and have new dresses made which show off her figure. She then attracts men like bees to a honeypot.
However, she also attracts the lasting spite of one of the malicious young bucks, who actions will ruin her reputation. Will she be forced to marry him?
A very witty and entertaining read. I enjoyed the other Essex sisters books, but liked this the best of the lot.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Misuzmama
Format:Mass Market Paperback
In the final book about the Essex sisters, James (author) has set the bar high for herself. Not only does she try to convince the reader of a romantic pairing betweeen the youngest of the sisters, sassy and outspoken Josie (18), with the familial friend (and beloved rake of her previous books) Earl of Mayne (34), but does so while proclaiming that he is in love with someone else ( and engaged!) for most of the book. While it was probably inevitable that these two would get together, it just didn't work for me and the age difference wasn't the problem.
My biggest problem was that Mayne was so supposedly in love with another woman for a good 3/4 of the book. James mentions over and over how he loves this and that about his fiance and everyone around him can see how *in love* he is with her. This distracted from the sexual tension that James could and should have exploited between Mayne and Josie earlier. There were just not enough sparks between these two and I'm still not convinced that he truly loved her in the end. Their love scenes were odd and a bit vague to me. There was no defining moment when I said -aha! - these two are in love. Maybe a grand romantic gesture/sacrifice would have convinced me.
On the other hand Mayne's sister's romance completely stole the show. Griselda trists with the dashing, but younger, Darlington added the spice and sexual tension which was sorely lacking in the book. Their love scenes were steamy. I absolutely loved the way Darlington pursued Griselda and tried to convince her that their age difference didn't matter.
So, I don't really know how to rate this book. I suspect that most readers who have been anxiously waiting for a romance for Mayne won't be dissapointed much, I just feel that James should have given him a separate book. I don't think that of all the sisters (all of whom have had romantic intentions towards Mayne at one time of another), Josie is his best match. Its more of a luke-warm pairing and not what a former rake deserves. It maybe worth it to borrow this one from the library just to read about the secondary romance, but its certainly not a shelf keeper for me.
My biggest problem was that Mayne was so supposedly in love with another woman for a good 3/4 of the book. James mentions over and over how he loves this and that about his fiance and everyone around him can see how *in love* he is with her. This distracted from the sexual tension that James could and should have exploited between Mayne and Josie earlier. There were just not enough sparks between these two and I'm still not convinced that he truly loved her in the end. Their love scenes were odd and a bit vague to me. There was no defining moment when I said -aha! - these two are in love. Maybe a grand romantic gesture/sacrifice would have convinced me.
On the other hand Mayne's sister's romance completely stole the show. Griselda trists with the dashing, but younger, Darlington added the spice and sexual tension which was sorely lacking in the book. Their love scenes were steamy. I absolutely loved the way Darlington pursued Griselda and tried to convince her that their age difference didn't matter.
So, I don't really know how to rate this book. I suspect that most readers who have been anxiously waiting for a romance for Mayne won't be dissapointed much, I just feel that James should have given him a separate book. I don't think that of all the sisters (all of whom have had romantic intentions towards Mayne at one time of another), Josie is his best match. Its more of a luke-warm pairing and not what a former rake deserves. It maybe worth it to borrow this one from the library just to read about the secondary romance, but its certainly not a shelf keeper for me.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Josie Essex, the youngest of the 4 Essex sisters, is having a terrible Season. It's hard enough for a young woman with curves to try to meet the fashionable pattern for slimness, but when your appearance has attracted the ire of a celebrated wit (whose criticisms of and nicknames for some of the young women on the Marriage Mart have severely damaged more than one debutate's matrimonial hopes) and landed you with the moniker 'the Scottish Sausage', things really can't get much worse.
Enter the long-standing friend of the Essex sisters, the Earl of Mayne, and his sister Griselda. Griselda's fashion advice is precisely what you'd expect from an experienced and stylish chaperone with her own fair share of curves, but what about Mayne's interest? Surely it's above and beyond the call of friendship for a member of the aristocracy to don a young lady's gown in order to help her learn to sway when she walks, and to provide her with her first kiss? After all, Mayne is in love with his fiancee: the slim, French Sylvie de la Broderie... isn't he?
Although part of a series, with a number of characters who appeared first in James's original Duchess Quartet, this is a successful stand alone novel. The plot is fairly well split between the romance involving Josie and Mayne, and Griselda's burgeoning friendship with a younger man. Both storylines are well-plotted and written in James's usual beautiful prose.
Enter the long-standing friend of the Essex sisters, the Earl of Mayne, and his sister Griselda. Griselda's fashion advice is precisely what you'd expect from an experienced and stylish chaperone with her own fair share of curves, but what about Mayne's interest? Surely it's above and beyond the call of friendship for a member of the aristocracy to don a young lady's gown in order to help her learn to sway when she walks, and to provide her with her first kiss? After all, Mayne is in love with his fiancee: the slim, French Sylvie de la Broderie... isn't he?
Although part of a series, with a number of characters who appeared first in James's original Duchess Quartet, this is a successful stand alone novel. The plot is fairly well split between the romance involving Josie and Mayne, and Griselda's burgeoning friendship with a younger man. Both storylines are well-plotted and written in James's usual beautiful prose.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 52 reviews
3.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not the book most are probably expecting
I think only the most die hard Mayne fans will be happy with this book, the type that will take him in any form. Read more
Published 9 months ago by kushti
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eloise James - Pleasure for Pleasure
Part of a series. Couldn't put it down once started, needed to finish it. Racy like the other books but easy reading for chilling with. Other books should also be read in order.
Published 14 months ago by SE
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty Good Ending
If you've read the first three books in this quartet you've got to read the last one anyway as you want to know what happens to Josie. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Sarah|GG|
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasure for Pleasure
Great book as were the first three in the set - see review for 'Taming on the Duke' for further comments.
Published on 14 April 2009 by Bookaholic
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a great book!
I have read many of Eloisa James' books and I must say that this is my favourite in the Essex sisters series. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2008 by Mrs. S. G. Brophy-lemay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Some people don't get this book
..but that is because they expect there to be a grand gesture the hero should make to the heroine. In real life there are no grand gestures, yet it can still be as magical and sexy... Read more
Published on 30 April 2007 by P. Agarwal
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Romance > Historical
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
