Review: The Seduction of Lady Phoebe

The Good:  This book abides by all rules of Regency.  You will learn about the complexities of the era and then some.  It is truly remarkable how well Ella Quinn weaves the strict social conventions of the Regency era into an intriguing love story.

I loved the strength of Lady Phoebe.  She knows her mind and is unafraid of expressing herself and exerting her will.

And, can Lord Marcus Finley be anymore romantic? Who wouldn’t want to be the object of his affection?  His determination to win Phoebe’s heart was positively simmering.

This novel is sexy, sexy, sexy! Ella Quinn does not hold back as Marcus seduces Phoebe and it so much fun to read.

The Meh: Her angst about falling for him was a little, tiny bit over the top. I believed it at the beginning.  But, for me, it lasted a little longer than necessary.

Overall: awesome, super fun read.  Hot, sexy and oh so romantic. At times, a bit too many exacting details about the era – but at the same time I see this as a positive because it really stays true to Regency.

Would love to hear from others who have read this one!

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Nice: Bland or Romantic?

Love, love, love Colin Bridgerton from Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.

In case you haven’t had the chance to read Quinn’s Bridgerton series, you can find out about it here.  Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is the third installment in the series and my absolute favourite, followed closely by It’s In His Kiss but more about that another time.

The reason I love this character so much is Quinn’s constant reassertion that he is just so…

Nice.

Hmmm.  A word that many men I have met throughout the years shy away from…”nice guys finish last” or the fact that women only like “the bad boys”.

Nice can get a bad rap as bland, ordinary and without complexity.  But in this novel, Quinn shows us that nice is in fact the exact opposite.  Nice has depth of feeling, ability to understand life’s conundrums and takes them in stride with a lopsided grin.

Nice is refreshing.  It’s a person who doesn’t resort to a stormy temper the minute something goes wrong – not to say nice people don’t experience anger, perhaps they take longer to get there. It’s a person who can smile and find solutions instead of problems. Nice is light and airy and romantic.

Have you stopped yourself from spending time with someone because they were so nice?

Have you stopped yourself from using the word nice when building your characters?

I used to.  But Ms. Quinn certainly changed my mind about the word nice through the unforgettable and charming Colin Bridgerton.

The next time you’re writing and are having trouble with adjectives for your protagonist – give nice a try.  You might just be on your way to creating an unforgettable character.

 

 

Your Two Defining Words

So this is what happens when you go to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary and search for the definition of Romance.

1. intransitive verb

• to exaggerate or invent detail or incident
• to entertain romantic thoughts or ideas

2. transitive verb

• to try to influence or curry favor with especially by lavishing personal attention, gifts, or flattery
• to carry on a love affair with

And, this is what happens when you search for the definition of Incurable:

1. impossible to cure : not curable
2. not likely to be changed

So that must make me a person prone to exaggerate or invent details because I like to entertain romantic thoughts for which no cure exists so I lavish attention on those I love and hope to carry a love affair with and this will never change.

*Phew!*

That sounds about right. (perhaps I would veto the love affair part – but included it for fun)

What two words perfectly define you?

We All Need More Romance

 

image courtesy fanpop.com/clubs/daydreaming images

These are but a few ways to describe me and to describe what I hope to accomplish at The Incurable Romantic.

We live in a world that very easily dissolves good emotions through cynicism, bitterness, mockery, and sarcasm.

But what if we make the conscious decision to leave that ugly list of negativity behind us? Imagine the possibilities and opportunities for love (old and new) that we could create in our lives?

Though we love to believe in happily ever after and celebrate romance – how much do we truly celebrate love in all of its glorious forms?

I believe that we can actively attract love, revel in it and make it a permanent affair in our lives.

Clearly, I am an optimist.

So, welcome to The Incurable Romantic where I will review steamy, romantic books, share swoon-worthy quotes, fantasize about unforgettable characters, provide tidbits about the eras we all love to read about and discuss how love can help to shape our lives for the better.

Thank you for joining me in celebrating romance and love.

So tell me…how do you know you are an incurable romantic?