Rating: 
Summary: A good read
Review: This was a very good read, and left me with tears and laughter. The story between Freddie, Edward, and Florance is really quite touching, and gives you another point of view on a very personal topic.The love story is touching a told in such a way that it keeps you turning the pages looking for a happy ending. Edward finds Florance and works out a way for her to be introduced to his brother Freddie as a way to keep scandal from the family and as a way of protecting his brother, only problem is is that Edward has developed an attraction to Florance instantly but love for his brother prevents him from acting on this. This is an author that I look forward to reading again in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Tantalizingly Erotic Without Being Cutesy, Holly Can WRITE!
Review: The only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars is the embarrassing cover art; it looks like the old "True Confessions" pulp fiction stuff, and I confess, I still won't read this thing outside of my bedroom because of the artwork. That aside, though, the book is marvelous, and THIS WOMAN CAN WRITE! I can't remember when I have read a novel that so transported me into time and place. Miss Holly is a natural story teller. Moreover, she is not afraid to write about real sexual feelings, in all of their dark, conflicted realities - and she is able to write about adult sexuality without euphemisms or cutesy words, and she is forthright and frank when writing about the homosexual character as well. While the story itself is a little thin (I'd call it a character study more than a story as we know early on who the "bad guy" is going to be) it's extremely entertaining, witty and quite breathtakingly erotic. Buy it, you'll like it!
Rating: 
Summary: Erotic fiction with historical content
Review: This book was a real find! Very seductive and well written. It has a twist in the story that leaves you surprised and breathless with the ending. Ms. Holly is new to the historical romance genre but, obviously, she will be around for a while. I am anxiously awaiting her next historical romance!
Rating:
Summary: One of the year's best!
Review: I mostly read contemporary and paranormal romance with only occasional historicals (Lisa Kleypas, Robin Schone, Julia Quinn) but as I've loved Emma's other books I bought this as soon as it was published and loved it! It's a great story, very steamy and one of the best books I've read this year.
Rating: 
Summary: Sadly, a disappointment
Review: I wanted so very much to like this book. I bought it because I thought it would be an interesting change from some of the usual sorts of historical and regency fiction which I prefer. Erotic elements are not a problem - I have read several works by writers like Robin Schone so prudery is not a problem for me! However, I was very disappointed with this book. Sometimes I had the feeling that there was more than one writer at work as the quality of the writing was highly erratic - sometimes the author used short, choppy almost juvenile sentences (for example the description of the journey into Derbyshire in the first part of the book) and at other times the prose was markedly improved. I felt, at times, a screaming need for a blue pencil whilst reading it! Sometimes the erotic scenes were good and at other times the use of out of synch and rather coarse language was terribly jarring and broke the rhythm of the story. I felt the overall concept of the plot was very good and, in the hands of a better editor, the book would have come to life. Instead, I felt the main characters were very one-dimensional and that we never really got to know the heroine in particular. As I have never read anything else by this author, I cannot tell if this sort of prose is at her usual level of competence or not but, in this case, I have to admit that I skimmed the last third of the book because I simply lost interest. Erotic scenes are something that can add or detract to a story. However, I think writers like Stephanie Laurens or Gayle Wilson can evoke a far more heightend sexual tension in their books than Emma Holly has managed to do here. Her editor really needs changing; if it were me I would be very angry to have been let down like this. Also, the continual and multiple errors in this book in terms of the titles the main characters held was simply ridiculous. Why do writers want to set their stories in the context of the English aristocracy and then fail to do such elementary research on this topic? Too many readers know the right forms; this sort of thing is incredibly distracting. What are the editors doing???? Again, I wanted to like this book; my expectations were very high but, sadly, very much let down. I gave it two stars purely because the plot was fairly original even if the execution of it was so poor.
Rating:
Summary: WOW! Emma Holly, You have my attention!
Review: This is one of the most captivating books I have read in a long time!! I have already re-read it several times. I grew to care about all of the characters. Please write another book like this Ms. Holly!! I have read all of your books and I like this BEST!!
Rating:
Summary: Sascha's Romance Review
Review: Personally I'm a bigger fan of her Black Lace books, they appeal more to what I write. But when I saw this out on a mailing list I follow I had to check it out. THe woman reading it gave it a good review and that intrigued me. Well, I bought it, read it and I can say this: It kept me reading. I didn't want to put the book down because Emma had written a novel that, much like her Black Lace books, had me desiring more. I will say it's a typical romance novel in the sense that it follows some standards, happy ending, conflict, blah blah blah, but the writing makes or breaks a novel for me. And her novel held me. That's really all I can say! Personally I'd reccommend it to others. Sascha Illyvich
Rating:
Summary: Erotic romance at its best.
Review: Florence Farleigh was the epitome of a country vicar's daughter, the picture of innocence in a time that was exceedingly decadent. When her father passed away, Florence went to London to find a husband. Edward Burbrooke, the earl of Greystowe would do anything to prevent his younger brother Freddie from being maligned in public. Having his brother found in the arms of one of the footmen didn’t help, but Edward was determined to find a way to stop the gossip. The best way that he could think of was with a wife--a wife of impeccable integrity, but desperate enough to be willing to marry under false pretenses. Freddie would make a good husband if not physically one. But the earl, who had a reputation for being very cold, didn’t count on falling for the shy, country miss himself. And the thoughts and images he was having of her were anything but cold! This is a sensual story of a man willing to do anything for love, including giving the woman of his erotic dreams to his younger brother to protect his reputation. Ms. Holly creates a situation rarely seen in romance novels, but treats it with dignity and respect besides the eroticism.
Rating:
Summary: a very erotic book!
Review: I read this book based on the amazon reviews and I was not disappointed. The plot was very simple. Edward contrived to get Florence married to his gay brother, Freddie. But it is Edward and Florence who are attracted to each other. But the story was well written, compared with other simliar "erotic" novels i've read. You could totally feel the attractive they felt toward each other. And I'd agree w/ the other reviewers. Holly set up the characters first before they got together. By then the tension between them is so great we can't well. I would only take off maybe a half point for the supposed conflict which Holly set up. (which made Florence mad at both brothers eventually). It didn't feel quite believable, esp after the reader has become so involved in the feelings of Florence and Edward. But other than that, one of the best books i've read recently!
Rating:
Summary: Stunning romance novel rekindles memories of first passions
Review: Emma Holly has toned down her more earthy, Black Lace type erotic writing skills in this romance novel that does not stop at the bedroom door with thoughts and wishes, but rather she takes us on a wonderfull magical journey into our minds and allows the reader to fully re-experience that wonderfull moment of submission with your first true love. The story, set in the late 1800's in London deals with Edward, our hero, who must find a wife for his younger brother, Frederick, who was caught red handed (or something like that) with one of the handsome young males by a member of the upper echelon of London society. Since Freddie was the younger brother with no real inheritance, and on top of that, was now the talk of the town, in relation to his sexual preferences, the finding of a suitable society wife was no mean task to say the least. In walks our heroine, Florence, the only daughter of a humble vicar left with barely enough inheritance to survive for a few more years. Florence decides to hire a lawyer, take her inheritance and invest it into a search for a suitable husband that would be able to maintain her for the rest of her life. The perfect solution for Edward and his problem in getting Freddie married off.... and ... like all simple plans of mice and men, Edward was having problems controlling himself from the first moment hey laid eyes on Florence. The book takes us through a romantic stroll as Florence is introduced into London society, as a long lost cousin of Edward and Freddie, by the reigning queen of the social circles, Edward's Aunt, Hypatia. In true romance novel fashion, the author spends a great deal of time setting up the characters as we witness the utter frustration of watching Edward begin to realize that maybe his brother was getting the better part of this deal. The moment of 'awakening' for Edward and Florence is so well written being both tender and filled with love lust that the pages verily sizzle, and, if there is anyone that can do that and make it seem that you are there and living the experience, it's Emma Holly .... I must say that this is the first romance book that I have read that is also an erotic masterpiece......
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