- Mass Market Paperback: 379 pages
- Publisher: Silhouette Books; First THUS edition (10 Dec 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0373770820
- ISBN-13: 978-0373770823
- Product Dimensions: 16.6 x 10.6 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 708,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
After years abroad, Captain Jack Carrington returns home to find a wife. But his life is thrown into turmoil when he meets the mysterious Lady Belle, the most infamous courtesan in London. Original.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is the best book yet from Julia Justiss and I can`t recommend it enough! I expected it to be a typical Mills and Boon with quite conventional Heroes and heroines, despite the title, but this really is a 5* book.
The hero is Captain Jack Carrington, now returning home to family and friends having servived the horrors of the Peninsular and Waterloo. Invited out by his friend to a mysterious engagement, Jack is facinated to find that he is watching a fencing lesson unlike any he has seen before.The student is a woman, a famous courtesan,known as Lady Belle, now free as her protector has recently died. Men who wish to win her favours fight against her, while others bet on who she will chose next.Her beauty and scandalous attire attracts Jack and soon he finds that the attraction is mutual. Belle challenges Jack and they fight.Although Belle is good, Jack can beat her, but he is suprised by her ferocity and hatred, and his momentary lapse means that Belle is able to deliver an almost lethal blow.
The rest of the book details how their relationship develops as she cares for him and he slowly unravels the mystery surrounding her. Jack is a true Gentleman and takes time to find the real woman, not the courtesan that other men desire.
Justiss has written a tender, yet sexy love story, that had me gripped from beginning to end. I loved it and I hope that you will to.
The hero is Captain Jack Carrington, now returning home to family and friends having servived the horrors of the Peninsular and Waterloo. Invited out by his friend to a mysterious engagement, Jack is facinated to find that he is watching a fencing lesson unlike any he has seen before.The student is a woman, a famous courtesan,known as Lady Belle, now free as her protector has recently died. Men who wish to win her favours fight against her, while others bet on who she will chose next.Her beauty and scandalous attire attracts Jack and soon he finds that the attraction is mutual. Belle challenges Jack and they fight.Although Belle is good, Jack can beat her, but he is suprised by her ferocity and hatred, and his momentary lapse means that Belle is able to deliver an almost lethal blow.
The rest of the book details how their relationship develops as she cares for him and he slowly unravels the mystery surrounding her. Jack is a true Gentleman and takes time to find the real woman, not the courtesan that other men desire.
Justiss has written a tender, yet sexy love story, that had me gripped from beginning to end. I loved it and I hope that you will to.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This heart warming story of how a beautiful woman overcomes the most horrific of years spent at the mersey of one man. Her fight for independance and control of her own future is both memorable and heartwarming. The relationship of Belle and Jack is just so tender and i am not sorry to say led me to tears at times. This is the only book to move myself to write a review, Having read many many others written by great aurthors such as Kleypas, Lindsey, Garwood and others. This book is a keeper. Enjoy. Lin x
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
10 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
wonderful gender bending Regency romance
30 Nov 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Former soldier Captain Jack Carrington watches the late Lord Bellingham's courtesan Lady Belle defeat an admirer in a sword contest. Afterward, Jack's pal bets he can defeat the unbeaten Belle. Early in their duel, Jack realizes she is at least is equal and maybe his superior so he tries to tire his opponent. Her cork falls off the tip and not long afterward the undefeated Belle wins the match stabbing Jack in the chest. She is stunned as he falls down with blood flowing everywhere. Belle agrees to nurse Jack in her home as he has no other place to go.
As Jack heals, he observes his hostess be kind with people. He soon realizes he wants Belle in his life permanently. Belle tells Jack that Bellingham threatened to hurt a child if she left him so she never left the odious man. Jack vows to respect his Belle who fears she loves her guest though nothing can come of it as his sister is to be presented shortly. To prove he is a rat like all men, she tries to seduce him. He angrily rejects her though he desires her. He tells her he wants her not the whore, but though they make love she believes he deserves better.
These delightful lead protagonists display honor and loyalty as his fine courtship serves as the center of the story line. Belle is the more interesting protagonist and not just because of her prowess with a sword in which she remains undefeated against a myriad of male opponents, but also her history. Though the ending seems too easy, a solid secondary cast adds to a wonderful gender bending Regency romance.
Harriet Klausner
As Jack heals, he observes his hostess be kind with people. He soon realizes he wants Belle in his life permanently. Belle tells Jack that Bellingham threatened to hurt a child if she left him so she never left the odious man. Jack vows to respect his Belle who fears she loves her guest though nothing can come of it as his sister is to be presented shortly. To prove he is a rat like all men, she tries to seduce him. He angrily rejects her though he desires her. He tells her he wants her not the whore, but though they make love she believes he deserves better.
These delightful lead protagonists display honor and loyalty as his fine courtship serves as the center of the story line. Belle is the more interesting protagonist and not just because of her prowess with a sword in which she remains undefeated against a myriad of male opponents, but also her history. Though the ending seems too easy, a solid secondary cast adds to a wonderful gender bending Regency romance.
Harriet Klausner
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Marvelous characters
12 July 2007
Format:Mass Market Paperback
From the back cover:
Seducing the seductress...
After years of dangerous fighting on the Peninsula, Captain Jack Carrington has returned home to take up family duties and find himself a wife. But his life is thrown into turmoil when he views a fencing lesson unlike any other. The talented student is no student at all, but a beautiful young woman, and the most infamous courtesan in all of London--Lady Belle.
Who is the mysterious Belle? A jaded cyprian seeking her next protector? A kind friend helping those in need? Or a mistress of sensual delights that tempt a man to madness? Eager to uncover the true woman behind the facade, Jack wagers he can win a kiss from Lady Belle if he bests her at fencing. And though Belle is a woman he can neither afford to keep nor dare to marry, he's willing to risk it all to win her to his bed.
And my review:
I decided to try a full-length novel by this author, since I'd enjoyed her novella AN HONEST BARGAIN in Harlequin's Officer'S Bride collection. After reading the back cover description, I was a little worried that this would be a lust-fest book, but I was pleasantly surprised.
If you're sick of domineering men who ignore what the women want, then you'll love this book, because Jack was so wonderfully respectful of Belle. He was kind and gentle, yet never appeared weak. I really like that he wanted Belle to come to him willingly, or he was prepared not to have her at all. So many romances are filled with men who have an "I love you and you're going to do what I say" attitude, so Jack was a really refreshing change from that kind of nonsense.
I was also worried that I wouldn't like Belle, since she was basically a one-man prostitute. But Belle had been forced into that life, and had never wanted to become any man's harlot. I ended up really liking her and feeling for her. I felt that she and Jack really complimented each other, and it was easy to cheer for them to be together. The attraction between them was based on more than sex, which is also a welcome change in the romance world. I could see why these two should be together.
I also like how the problems keeping them apart were more compelling than just stupid pride or big misunderstandings. There were real issues to be dealt with, and obstacles that seemed insurmountable.
My only complaint was that I felt the ended was a little too good to be true, which is where the book lost a star. I found it a little hard to believe that Belle would have been accepted by society, no matter who was supporting her or who her relations were. The ton was very unforgiving! But that's a minor flaw, and I still think the book is worth a read.
I will be on the lookout for more books by this author!
Seducing the seductress...
After years of dangerous fighting on the Peninsula, Captain Jack Carrington has returned home to take up family duties and find himself a wife. But his life is thrown into turmoil when he views a fencing lesson unlike any other. The talented student is no student at all, but a beautiful young woman, and the most infamous courtesan in all of London--Lady Belle.
Who is the mysterious Belle? A jaded cyprian seeking her next protector? A kind friend helping those in need? Or a mistress of sensual delights that tempt a man to madness? Eager to uncover the true woman behind the facade, Jack wagers he can win a kiss from Lady Belle if he bests her at fencing. And though Belle is a woman he can neither afford to keep nor dare to marry, he's willing to risk it all to win her to his bed.
And my review:
I decided to try a full-length novel by this author, since I'd enjoyed her novella AN HONEST BARGAIN in Harlequin's Officer'S Bride collection. After reading the back cover description, I was a little worried that this would be a lust-fest book, but I was pleasantly surprised.
If you're sick of domineering men who ignore what the women want, then you'll love this book, because Jack was so wonderfully respectful of Belle. He was kind and gentle, yet never appeared weak. I really like that he wanted Belle to come to him willingly, or he was prepared not to have her at all. So many romances are filled with men who have an "I love you and you're going to do what I say" attitude, so Jack was a really refreshing change from that kind of nonsense.
I was also worried that I wouldn't like Belle, since she was basically a one-man prostitute. But Belle had been forced into that life, and had never wanted to become any man's harlot. I ended up really liking her and feeling for her. I felt that she and Jack really complimented each other, and it was easy to cheer for them to be together. The attraction between them was based on more than sex, which is also a welcome change in the romance world. I could see why these two should be together.
I also like how the problems keeping them apart were more compelling than just stupid pride or big misunderstandings. There were real issues to be dealt with, and obstacles that seemed insurmountable.
My only complaint was that I felt the ended was a little too good to be true, which is where the book lost a star. I found it a little hard to believe that Belle would have been accepted by society, no matter who was supporting her or who her relations were. The ton was very unforgiving! But that's a minor flaw, and I still think the book is worth a read.
I will be on the lookout for more books by this author!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Almost a 5 star - really quite a love story!
1 Feb 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The only reason I will not give this 5 stars is like others I felt it took a little too long for Lady Belle and Jack to connect. So either this story needed a little longer - wildly romantic ending or it needed to shorten the time period when they were first to connect! Belle and Jack were just a wonderful couple. How Jack just sees into Belle sole from almost the beginning, see more than just some prostitute, really has a major feeling of much more than lust for Belle - and he is so worried that he will not have enough money, or he will not be able to even get to know her, let alone kiss her. And Belle, who is so very very wary of any man - for oh so many reasons takes such a long time to come to know Jack Carrington. Somehow I just wish this part could have hastened a bit! Because this couple was so beautiful. Jack truly came to find out what an accomplished Lady she was - how intelligent, talented and how afraid of love and giving her heart she was. But when these two finally connected - it was wonderful!! Sadly so much bad stuff still would happen! But what a true knight Jack turned out to be - nothing detered him from wanting this woman as his wife. What a wonderful family Jack had to support him. and how this all came together in the end - well of course it did - was just so romantic and beautiful!But like I said it needed a little more of the happy parts for me to give it 5 stars!
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