Rating: 
Summary: The Kidnapping Saved the Book!!!
Review: Reforming a Rake was your typical book about the man of the house being forced to play protector of his aunt and cousin. Only Lucien REALLY seems to hate Rose and Fiona....not that I blame him because I didn't like Fiona either. So he engages the beautiful Alexandra (Lex) to help "polish" Rose's skills to win a husband. The only problem....Lucien falls for Lex and Fiona has her own designs on Lucien for Rose. What happens next is a funny, sometimes boring (hey I can't lie) tale of three women and one man. The part that saved the book was when Lucien kidnapped Lex and held her captive in his wine cellar and she got even with him by running his household staff all over creation to see to her comfort. Which made me laugh becuase that sounds like something I would do. All in all this book was good, but a little slow.
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Summary: Leading the Rogues Gallery is...
Review: The baddest scoundrel of them all- Lucien Balfour, the 6th Earl of Kilcairn Abbey. A blackguard to the core and with a terrible reputation is about to be reformed by a governess, whose reputation is about as bad as his. Lucien is deliciously roguish and arrogant and it's gleefully fun to see Alexandra Beatrice Gallant trying to reform him. Although, her real job is to be a governess to Lucien's young cousin. With a foul scandal following on her heels, the last thing she need is another scandal. Alexandra is determined to make it in the world without any one's help... after all, she's been on her own since 17...(On a side note: "Sexy" could not describe Lord Lucien Balfour... he is not only HOT in the looks department but very charming and funny... As Alexandra describes him "tall, strong and magnificent" like "Greek statues in the museum".) With so many romance novels out in the market, it's refreshing to read one with an interesting plot and characters with witty dialogues... I loved Lucien's dry wit and Alexandra's quick comebacks. It's good to see two stubborn and memorable characters carry on a battle of the wits and a great interaction with lots of sexual tension. The question is... can this bad boy be reformed by a governess who's been starched with propriety to the bone? You really should find out. Julianne
Rating:
Summary: The hero, Lucien, is adorable
Review: The opening paragraph of 'RAR' sets the whole tone for the book. It also set the tone for the hero Lucien's character. He was witty without even trying and I could give this book five stars on the strength of his character alone. What an adorable hero! Looks, intellegence, and wealth. Heavens, what more could a girl want. Hey, he's also pretty darn nice too, even though he wouldn't agree. Did I mention loyal? Enoch really created one heck of a romantic hero here. Alexandra almost seems pale in comparison to Lucien (almost). But she too is an interesting character in a nicely written tale. But 'Reforming a Rake' is Lucien's tale, I think. Some of his dialogue is just wonderfully witty. He believes Alexandra without question when she tells him what happens at her last position and the scandal that followed. If there was one thing I would wish to change about the book, I would like to have had Enoch attempt to restore Alexandra's reputation. She had done nothing wrong and I would have liked to have seen Lady W. bested. The old biddy! So, RAR has a delicious hero, a neat heroine and a wonderfully nasty villian (that will surprise you). The two main characters really click, the writing is well done and the plot not too well worn. What more could a romantic reader want. Nothing terribly heavy here. And that's fine with me. Can't wait for the next book - this one about the Vixen. debbie
Rating: 
Summary: Fun, witty and deep, but little heat!
Review: There was so much I loved about this book. The best thing was that both characters were strong and intelligent. The dialogue was excellent -- Lucien's and Alex's verbal battles were so sharp and hilarious. Also, I loved the fact that both characters showed such emotional depth. By far, Lucien is one of the best romance hero ever written in an historical romance. My only criticism is the lovemaking scenes -- they were so tame they almost put me to sleep!! I realize that not every romance author is comfortable writing graphic sex scenes, but lovemaking scenes are included in romance stories for a reason. If written well, these scenes can explore and explain the characters' growing attraction, as well as give the reader glimpses into their hearts. That didn't happen here at all. One of the lovemaking scenes was a mere three sentences long!! Talk about "wham-bam-thank-you-mam"!!! The way it was described, I don't see how the lovemaking was at all satisfying to Alexandra. And that's part of what romance is all about. Thre has to be some sizzle between the characters in order to make their physical attraction credible. This book clearly lacked that. Aside from this rather glaring shortcoming, this book had the romance, fun, wit and depth to make it a very enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, witty and deep, but little heat!
Review: There was so much I loved about this book. The best thing was that both characters were strong and intelligent. The dialogue was excellent -- Lucien's and Alex's verbal battles were so sharp and hilarious. Also, I loved the fact that both characters showed such emotional depth. By far, Lucien is one of the best romance hero ever written in an historical romance. My only criticism is the lovemaking scenes -- they were so tame they almost put me to sleep!! I realize that not every romance author is comfortable writing graphic sex scenes, but lovemaking scenes are included in romance stories for a reason. If written well, these scenes can explore and explain the characters' growing attraction, as well as give the reader glimpses into their hearts. That didn't happen here at all. One of the lovemaking scenes was a mere three sentences long!! Talk about "wham-bam-thank-you-mam"!!! The way it was described, I don't see how the lovemaking was at all satisfying to Alexandra. And that's part of what romance is all about. Thre has to be some sizzle between the characters in order to make their physical attraction credible. This book clearly lacked that. Aside from this rather glaring shortcoming, this book had the romance, fun, wit and depth to make it a very enjoyable read.
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Summary: one of the best books i've ever read
Review: This book was great. I have been reading historical romances for many years. Whenever I find a new author I get so excited!!!
Suzanne Enoch is number one. I can't wait to pick up the next two books in this series. The hero had a reputation but all ladies love a bad boy. The heroine has a brain and is not afraid to use it. The sexual chemistry between these two is hot! hot! hot! , while the scenes weren't overly graphic.
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Summary: Entertaining, but leave credibilty at the door
Review: This is a fun read, and I really did like both Lucien and Alexandra; Rose and Robert were interesting as secondary characters, as well. Enoch gives us some intriguing insights into both Lucien and Alexandra's thought processes as this romance plays out. There are some very amusing scenes, and much of the dialogue between Lucien and Alexandra is highly witty. Lots of good sexual tension early on, too! But - and I know I'm going to get lots of 'not helpful' votes for this - Enoch hasn't done her period research properly, and that partly spoils the book for me. I prefer my Regencies not to have inaccuracies which jump out at me, wrenching me from the story. For instance, once Lucien gives Alexandra the job (at some time after 12 noon), he lends her his carriage to collect her belongings, and says he will see her at dinner that evening. She then goes to Derbyshire and back... in an afternoon! Even now, with a fast car and if relatively little traffic could be guaranteed, it would take three to four hours to get from central London to Derbyshire, one way only. The later journeys to Hertforshire and back sounded similarly fantastical. Some of the 'feel' of the period was wrong to me; although I enjoyed the explanation of delaying tactics for young ladies stuck for dinner table conversation, otherwise the Society scenes just didn't seem to have the accuracy of a Balogh or an Oliver. I found Fiona, Rose's mother, to be completely beyond all credulity, and her marital ambitions for Rose, revealed later in the book, made no sense whatsoever given her characterisation and behaviour earlier. The character was a caricature, and spoilt the book for me. I also thought Alexandra was far too ready to give Lucien what he wanted - more than once - and without either regretting her behaviour or worrying about the consequences. For a well-born young woman of that period, this is unbelievable. He was the one who brought up the possible consequences, and it was an element of the story Enoch left hanging. In fact, the story was unfinished in more ways than one: she built up some big mystery about Lucien's cousin James, about whom he felt some sort of guilt, and about whom Alexandra tried to get him to talk on several occasions. Yet we were never told what that was all about. (If she's planning on explaining it in a sequel, she could have said so! There is no explanation anywhere about the 'With This Ring' series). Finally, though with some suspension of disbelief I was able to enjoy Lucien's method of stopping Alexandra leaving, but there was always a voice in the back of my mind saying 'this is *ridiculous*!'
Rating:
Summary: Funny and full of excitment.
Review: This is a great light romance with lots of fun in the story. Lucien, you may guess being a terrible rake, turns out to be quite the romantic person in his quest for Alexandra. His meetings with Alex were full of humor and certainly his dealing with his aunt and niece. Not being a reader of 'tormented' love story, this was perfect for me. If you love light-hearted romance with an interesting hero, this is it for you.
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Summary: ENOCH'S BEST BOOK!
Review: This is by far Enoch's best book--although Taming Rafe is very close. The hero and heroine are very evenly matched and you can't help but fall for the hero. He's everything a hero should be - persistent in his pursuit for the governess, very vulnerable to love, and considerable to a fault( when he kidnaps her, he tries to make her comfortable in the cellar). I have read Enoch's works in the past and have enjoyed her works, but this is her best by far. The characters, the plot and the dialogue come together very well in this book and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Actually, 1 1/2 stars. l gave it 2 for Lucien.
Review: This is the 3rd book I read from this author, and 2 of them have had the same problem, at least for me.
The book started out fine, I was caught up and having a lot of fun. Lucien was so charmingly rude, (if such a thing exist) that had me laughing all the time. I loved the way he makes fun of his aunt and cousin, and the way he always says exactly what he thinks, no matter who might get offended. Alexandra seemed like an intelligent, sensible and likeable person, at least until about half of the book.
When did things start to go completely wrong? When Lucien proposes marriage and she starts rejecting him for reasons that I didn't find valid at all. I totally agree with another reviewer (Fani) who said that she is the most ungrateful, selfish female ever. He does everything he can to prove his love for her, actually, half of what he did should have been prove enough for any sensible woman, and melt her heart in the process, but she keeps stubbornly rejecting him. All because when her parents died, an uncle that she had never met before, refused to love and protect her and she had to make her way on the world by herself, therefore, she is now incapable of accepting anyone's love or protection. Doesn't it sound stupid?
This ruined the entire second half of the book for me, which is a shame, because I had started liking it a lot.
Some other reviewers have mentioned mistakes regarding the time period and the use of french, however nobody has mentioned what I think is the most glaring mistake of this book. Apparently, Lucien has to marry and produce an heir, or otherwise his cousin Rose's future child will inherit his title and estates. Wait a minute! Rose is his cousin on his mother's side. She is the daughter of his mother's half brother. I admit I'm not an expert in the matter, but I am an avid reader of Regency romance novels and it is my understanding that in England titles are passed only through the paternal line. If he doesn't produce an heir, and there are no other male relatives on his father's side of the family, then at his death, his title and estates will revert to the crown, but Rose's family would never be in line to inherit. Even if he had had a sister, daughter of his father, the previous Earl, such sister offspring would never inherit either, unless there was a very rare clause on the title that would allow a female [direct descendant] to assume the title in case there was not a male child. I have never heard of the title going to the in-laws, which is what Rose's father became to the previous Earl by way of his sister's marriage. In short, if it is not a male with the same last name as the Earls, it is not in line for the title.
This mistake is so noticeable, that I'm amazed it got pass the editor, and that none of the other readers mentioned it either. I could have ignored it, if the plot had stayed interesting and amusing, but this, together with a heroine so exasperating that I felt like shaking her, and a story totally lacking in originality made me want to trow the book across the room and growl in frustration.
Now the question is, should I give Suzanne Enoch another chance? I like her heroes a lot, but so far, have disliked 2 out of 3 heroines. I like the first half of her books, but have completely disliked the second half of 2 out of 3 books. That is the problem, if it were all bad, I wouldn't have any doubts about ever buying another of her books. But since she has managed to catch my attention in some ocassions, I keep thinking she has the talent to write a good book that I would enjoy in its entirety.
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