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Love Takes Root #1
The Harlow Hoyden
Miss Emma Harlow hasn’t earned the reputation as a hoyden for nothing.So when the Duke of Trent discovers her in his conservatory stealing one of his orchids, he’s isn’t surprised—charmed, delighted and puzzled, yes, but not surprised. It is Emma who is amazed. She has naturally concluded that the man reading in the conservatory must be the country cousin (who else in London would actually read?) and is quite vexed to discover that he is the Duke of Trent himself—imagine, stealing the duke’s prize Rhyncholaelia digbyana under his very nose! But her vexation doesn’t last long. For Emma is a practical young lady with a to end her dear sister Lavinia’s engagement to the villainous (and dreadfully dull!) Sir Waldo Windbourne, and she thinks that the famous libertine is just the man for the job. If he would only seduce her sister away from Sir Waldo…. Well, not seduce exactly, but flirt mercilessly and engage her interest. Perhaps then Lavinia would jilt the baron. The Duke of Trent is resistant, of course.Despite his reputation, he does not toy with the affections of innocents. And besides, it’s not her sister he longs to seduce.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2014
About the author
Lynn Messina
51 books591 followersLynn Messina is author of more than a dozen novels, including the best-selling Fashionistas, which has been translated into sixteen languages, and a series of Regency romance novels. Her essays have appeared in Self, American Baby and the New York Times Modern Love column. She lives in New York City with her sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
March 31, 2016
I have been seeing the Harlow Hoyden pop up on various places and I finally grabbed a copy yesterday. First let me say, I love the title. I love the word hoyden. It is one of the most fun words in the English language. It draws pictures that make me laugh. Secondly this girl was hilarious as I hoped she would be. Not pratfall hilarious, but so staunch in her beliefs that she can not see the forest for the trees funny.
She starts the book in a totally unseemly manner stealing from a house where she is a guest. Not just stealing as in silverware or money, but something rare and beloved. She does so in front of an audience who deems to help her so that she does it right.
Emma Harlow from that point on amuses and confounds some of the most important people in the ton. There are unknown factors sprinkled all through the book which gives it an intensity that I did not expect from the title. So I was pleasantly surprised that there was so much intrigue and mystery involved.
This is a regency book and I was ready for that after weeks of detective books and thrillers. It was the perfect choice for a late night read that kept me reading until after eight am. I think you would enjoy it if you like Dukes, Wonderful forward thinking Dukes. The Duke of Trent pushed all my buttons for a leading man. He was a willing and sometimes an unwilling participant in all manner of escapades along with the Harlow Hoyden. I was so glad I picked this up yesterday. I believe I will be re-reading it on a regular basis.
She starts the book in a totally unseemly manner stealing from a house where she is a guest. Not just stealing as in silverware or money, but something rare and beloved. She does so in front of an audience who deems to help her so that she does it right.
Emma Harlow from that point on amuses and confounds some of the most important people in the ton. There are unknown factors sprinkled all through the book which gives it an intensity that I did not expect from the title. So I was pleasantly surprised that there was so much intrigue and mystery involved.
This is a regency book and I was ready for that after weeks of detective books and thrillers. It was the perfect choice for a late night read that kept me reading until after eight am. I think you would enjoy it if you like Dukes, Wonderful forward thinking Dukes. The Duke of Trent pushed all my buttons for a leading man. He was a willing and sometimes an unwilling participant in all manner of escapades along with the Harlow Hoyden. I was so glad I picked this up yesterday. I believe I will be re-reading it on a regular basis.
October 6, 2020
TSTL.
DNF.
I read a lot of reviews saying that Emma was so innocent and that this was charming and so on.
I can only say: Stupidity is not charming. At all.
It is annoying.
Emma is criminally stupid. So naive that it really really hurts.
She risks not only her own reputation but heads off to ruin her beloved sister. For any well-bred young lady it would have been glaringly obvious why her behaviour is disastrous.
She thinks herself so clever and all-knowing, and she thinks it is her decision whom her sister marries, because Emma knows best.
And because Emma thinks that marriage is awful, her sister shall remain unwed.
What utter bullshit.
DNF.
I read a lot of reviews saying that Emma was so innocent and that this was charming and so on.
I can only say: Stupidity is not charming. At all.
It is annoying.
Emma is criminally stupid. So naive that it really really hurts.
She risks not only her own reputation but heads off to ruin her beloved sister. For any well-bred young lady it would have been glaringly obvious why her behaviour is disastrous.
She thinks herself so clever and all-knowing, and she thinks it is her decision whom her sister marries, because Emma knows best.
And because Emma thinks that marriage is awful, her sister shall remain unwed.
What utter bullshit.
August 23, 2015
Okay, finished this last night. And just, no.
I mean, it had fun moments. I am not denying the fun moments. And I almost suspect that I might like the sequel better, because I enjoy the idea of a botanist heroine.
But mostly Emma is so extreme. I don't disagree with the sentiments about the sexism present in that society, but her reactions are just too extreme to be believable. She might have worked better in a modern context, or if they'd somehow tweaked her situation in the regency to make the total unconcern for propriety a little more plausible. I'd believe racing a carriage down the street, not the rest. So out of proportion; seriously, this is her thought process: I think my sister's fiance is not the man for her so I will 1) try and induce a rake to seduce her away from him (how could this POSSIBLY backfire?), and when that doesn't work, 2) break into his house and search for incriminating evidence.
At no point will I say anything to her like, 1) Look, I know we're twins, but unlike everyone else, your fiance can't tell us apart after a glance, is this really the dude you want to marry? 2) He's told me that he's going to do everything in his power to separate us after your married, thinking you were me, and 3) He's also burned the book you were writing and vows to make you give up your favourite hobby after said marriage (told me this when he again thought you were me).
And then the dramatics really kick off. Seriously, the above is only the first half. I mean, secretly!spies was telegraphed pretty heavily pretty early on, so I can't say I'm surprised (though parenthetically, I will give points for having the two spies be the brother and the fiance, and not giving into the temptation of having the male lead also in the end turn out to be a super!secret!spy - sort of novel). But it was just so... much. It was just dramatic incident after dramatic incident. The book could have been resolved about three times, before it actually was resolved. In fact, 40 pages from the end, as we started approaching a potential resolution, I started hoping there was a really long excerpt from the sequel at the end of the e-book, and that was what was requiring the extra pages, and not yet another DRAMATIC TWIST. Obviously, I was disappointed (but not surprised).
I'm not saying it didn't have some good moments, but it was also really, really irritating. Honestly, half of what kept me going was my irritation with it. It was just, too much.
I mean, it had fun moments. I am not denying the fun moments. And I almost suspect that I might like the sequel better, because I enjoy the idea of a botanist heroine.
But mostly Emma is so extreme. I don't disagree with the sentiments about the sexism present in that society, but her reactions are just too extreme to be believable. She might have worked better in a modern context, or if they'd somehow tweaked her situation in the regency to make the total unconcern for propriety a little more plausible. I'd believe racing a carriage down the street, not the rest. So out of proportion; seriously, this is her thought process: I think my sister's fiance is not the man for her so I will 1) try and induce a rake to seduce her away from him (how could this POSSIBLY backfire?), and when that doesn't work, 2) break into his house and search for incriminating evidence.
At no point will I say anything to her like, 1) Look, I know we're twins, but unlike everyone else, your fiance can't tell us apart after a glance, is this really the dude you want to marry? 2) He's told me that he's going to do everything in his power to separate us after your married, thinking you were me, and 3) He's also burned the book you were writing and vows to make you give up your favourite hobby after said marriage (told me this when he again thought you were me).
And then the dramatics really kick off. Seriously, the above is only the first half. I mean, secretly!spies was telegraphed pretty heavily pretty early on, so I can't say I'm surprised (though parenthetically, I will give points for having the two spies be the brother and the fiance, and not giving into the temptation of having the male lead also in the end turn out to be a super!secret!spy - sort of novel). But it was just so... much. It was just dramatic incident after dramatic incident. The book could have been resolved about three times, before it actually was resolved. In fact, 40 pages from the end, as we started approaching a potential resolution, I started hoping there was a really long excerpt from the sequel at the end of the e-book, and that was what was requiring the extra pages, and not yet another DRAMATIC TWIST. Obviously, I was disappointed (but not surprised).
I'm not saying it didn't have some good moments, but it was also really, really irritating. Honestly, half of what kept me going was my irritation with it. It was just, too much.
August 30, 2014
There's something that really appeals to me about the heroine in a historical romance who spurns convention. The problem is that finding a book which has a butt-kicking Regency heroine but which doesn't descend into ridiculous goofiness and involve multiple implausible character shifts is trickier than you would think.
Well, this one, provided by the publisher through netgalley, absolutely gets it right! The heroine is an unrepentant troublemaker, who doesn't understand the word "no", and is absolutely determined to live her life on her terms, and yet, the social pressures of the time period aren't forgotten, and it's written well enough that you can see, almost, how she might be able to stay, just about, on the right side of Society.
The adventures of the heroine drag the rest of the characters along in her wake. You know they'll never keep up, thank goodness, and (hooray!) you know she'll never change. The other characters are actually fairly predictable (the "stiff" hero, the gauche male cousin and the long-suffering relations), but what makes this one stand out is the absolutely wonderful dialogue, both between characters and inside their heads, and not just between the hero and heroine either. The interactions between all the characters just sparkle off the page and even had me chuckling out loud several times.
So, 4 stars. I really, really liked it.
Well, this one, provided by the publisher through netgalley, absolutely gets it right! The heroine is an unrepentant troublemaker, who doesn't understand the word "no", and is absolutely determined to live her life on her terms, and yet, the social pressures of the time period aren't forgotten, and it's written well enough that you can see, almost, how she might be able to stay, just about, on the right side of Society.
The adventures of the heroine drag the rest of the characters along in her wake. You know they'll never keep up, thank goodness, and (hooray!) you know she'll never change. The other characters are actually fairly predictable (the "stiff" hero, the gauche male cousin and the long-suffering relations), but what makes this one stand out is the absolutely wonderful dialogue, both between characters and inside their heads, and not just between the hero and heroine either. The interactions between all the characters just sparkle off the page and even had me chuckling out loud several times.
So, 4 stars. I really, really liked it.
August 6, 2020
Miss Emma Harlow is desperate to end her identical twin sister, Lavinia's engagement to Sir Waldo Windbourne, a man she is sure would make her sister miserable. Emma has a plan - find a rake to attract Lavinia's attentions away from Windbourne, and draw her affections (this latter point had my eyebrows raising, not a thought through plan). In order to achieve her task, Emma approaches the Duke of Trent, he is anything but delighted by Emma's plans
This was a re-read but unlike the first time I didn't find myself drawn in. Some fun moments but it felt way too long and Emma just didn't seem to think through a lot of her actions and thoughts.
This was a re-read but unlike the first time I didn't find myself drawn in. Some fun moments but it felt way too long and Emma just didn't seem to think through a lot of her actions and thoughts.
May 20, 2014
UNREADABLE
Miss Emma Harlow is desperate to end her sister, Lavinia's, attachment to Sir Waldo Windbourne. Emma has a plan: Find a rake to attract Lavinia's attentions away from Windbourne. Toward that end, she approaches the Duke of Trent.
The heroine in this book would be diagnosed with a mental illness if such a person existed. In Regency times, Emma would certainly be locked up. Emma's good judgment and common sense are non-existent. Any woman who approached men in contemporary times, the Regency era, or any time, as Emma did in this book, would certainly be in grave danger of being harmed. I find this kind of stupidity to be totally unreadable. The whole premise of this book is completely unbelievable and unrealistic. It makes one wonder if this author had any knowledge about the Regency Period.
The plot is ridiculous, not funny. No Duke would get embroiled in such an idiotic scheme if he was above 10 years old. This book would not even be a good fairytale, despite its juvenile approach. Here we have one more author who tries to write in the Regency Era, while ignoring everything that makes up the fabric, social mores, and manners of said era. There ought to be a rule that these authors have to label their books "fake Regency", so us readers do not have to waste our money and precious reading time on these pretenders. Actually, there is no genre, in which I would enjoy this plot or this heroine.
Miss Emma Harlow is desperate to end her sister, Lavinia's, attachment to Sir Waldo Windbourne. Emma has a plan: Find a rake to attract Lavinia's attentions away from Windbourne. Toward that end, she approaches the Duke of Trent.
The heroine in this book would be diagnosed with a mental illness if such a person existed. In Regency times, Emma would certainly be locked up. Emma's good judgment and common sense are non-existent. Any woman who approached men in contemporary times, the Regency era, or any time, as Emma did in this book, would certainly be in grave danger of being harmed. I find this kind of stupidity to be totally unreadable. The whole premise of this book is completely unbelievable and unrealistic. It makes one wonder if this author had any knowledge about the Regency Period.
The plot is ridiculous, not funny. No Duke would get embroiled in such an idiotic scheme if he was above 10 years old. This book would not even be a good fairytale, despite its juvenile approach. Here we have one more author who tries to write in the Regency Era, while ignoring everything that makes up the fabric, social mores, and manners of said era. There ought to be a rule that these authors have to label their books "fake Regency", so us readers do not have to waste our money and precious reading time on these pretenders. Actually, there is no genre, in which I would enjoy this plot or this heroine.
August 29, 2022
Emma is outrageous, spirited, and fiercely loyal to her family and friends. Is her behavior ridiculous at times? Absolutely. Is she still a delightful heroine in this romp? For sure.
The regency period in the romance genre is a sandbox and Lynn Messina plays in it with humor and wit. The banter I loved in her Beatrice Hyde-Clare series is here. The oh-no-they-didn’t shenanigans are here as well (we even get a nighttime break in!).
If you thought the sandbox had rules, you might be dismayed by the drama here, but if you are open to an author having a lot of fun with this period and setting, you’ll enjoy the ride.
The regency period in the romance genre is a sandbox and Lynn Messina plays in it with humor and wit. The banter I loved in her Beatrice Hyde-Clare series is here. The oh-no-they-didn’t shenanigans are here as well (we even get a nighttime break in!).
If you thought the sandbox had rules, you might be dismayed by the drama here, but if you are open to an author having a lot of fun with this period and setting, you’ll enjoy the ride.
July 4, 2015
Silly, far-fetched and unbelievable but still entertaining.
Under normal circumstances I would never have finished this book but ultimately I'm glad I did.
Ok, what do I mean?
I'm down with a chest infection and can't concentrate on anything, I've tried loads of books but discarded them all so when I noticed this I decided a simple period romance to be just what I needed but Emma annoyed me, really annoyed me to the extent where I had to stop reading (several times) and normally that would have been the end of it but I continued on and I'm glad I did.
So what's wrong with Emma?
She's innocent and naive but also stupid, dangerous and completely lacking in common sense on top of which she's arrogant, a very dangerous combination and don't get me started on the Duke, seriously a thirty year old worldly wise man of his station.
So the story is ridiculous, far-fetched nonsense completely unbelievable and no way a representation of the time but it's a romance not a history book so I let a lot slide but Emma was way too much for me.
But as I said I continued on and I don't know if it got better or I just settled into it accepting it for what it was a silly romance but I finished it and liked it enough to give it 3 stars.
November 5, 2019
Always looking out for her quieter sister, Emma sneaks off into the conservatory during a house gathering to steal a cutting from the Duke of Tent's prized orchids so that her sister may expand upon her own orchids. But she is caught and seeing as the man is stealing time alone to read in the conservatory, she assumes that he must be the duke's country cousin who has come to visit. Because what duke would ever read in his consevatory? But it is he and instead of being upset, he is amused and intrigued. Although shocked to discover that it is in fact the duke himself, her mind quickly begins to plot.
What Emma is most passionate about is trying to save her sister from a dreadful marriage to Sir Waldo Windbourne, a.k.a. Sir Windbag. So she dreams up a scheme and recruits the duke to woo her sister away from her engagement. The Duke isn't keen on this plan and initially refuses to be involved, but later he reluctantly accepts in the hopes of keeping Emma from further trouble. And he can't deny that he is intrigued and drawn to her.
____________________________
I loved Emma. She was was the star of this book. She was ridiculous and entertaining and I loved her. She was amusing throughout the entire book. Not in a cheesy or gimmicky way, but she's just so true to who she is and her plans. To the point where she has no sight of the bigger picture. Just so stubborn. And I'll be honest, her reasoning is often incredibly flawed and not best for those around her. But her heart is in the right place.
The other characters are your more generic historical mystery/romance characters. I don't mean that in a negative way, just that they adhere to the usual roles available to this genre, but Emma truly throws a wrench in that. She shakes things up and even pull the other characters out of their predictability. I just really loved her.
I thought this was going to be a light and shallow storyline and mystery, but this book was so much more. I was pulled in and I really loved when the mystery started to delve deeper than I expected it would.
The only negative thing for me is that Emma and Keswick do fall into the pitfall of misunderstandings and miscommunication, which does get drawn out a bit. But then they get called out for it and brought to their sense, which is done in such a unique and amusing way and I really enjoyed that.
I really enjoyed this book and I will be continuing with the series.
What Emma is most passionate about is trying to save her sister from a dreadful marriage to Sir Waldo Windbourne, a.k.a. Sir Windbag. So she dreams up a scheme and recruits the duke to woo her sister away from her engagement. The Duke isn't keen on this plan and initially refuses to be involved, but later he reluctantly accepts in the hopes of keeping Emma from further trouble. And he can't deny that he is intrigued and drawn to her.
____________________________
I loved Emma. She was was the star of this book. She was ridiculous and entertaining and I loved her. She was amusing throughout the entire book. Not in a cheesy or gimmicky way, but she's just so true to who she is and her plans. To the point where she has no sight of the bigger picture. Just so stubborn. And I'll be honest, her reasoning is often incredibly flawed and not best for those around her. But her heart is in the right place.
The other characters are your more generic historical mystery/romance characters. I don't mean that in a negative way, just that they adhere to the usual roles available to this genre, but Emma truly throws a wrench in that. She shakes things up and even pull the other characters out of their predictability. I just really loved her.
I thought this was going to be a light and shallow storyline and mystery, but this book was so much more. I was pulled in and I really loved when the mystery started to delve deeper than I expected it would.
The only negative thing for me is that Emma and Keswick do fall into the pitfall of misunderstandings and miscommunication, which does get drawn out a bit. But then they get called out for it and brought to their sense, which is done in such a unique and amusing way and I really enjoyed that.
I really enjoyed this book and I will be continuing with the series.
July 8, 2015
Miss Emma Harlow will do anything for her twin sister Lavinia, including stealing a priceless orchid from a Duke's conservatory- right under his very nose! Of course she had assumed he was the country cousin, but still, she stole a Duke's orchid and he wasn't at all upset about it. Emma decides that Alex Keswick, Seventh Duke of Trent is exactly the right person to help her with her PLAN. Emma has a plan to rid her sister Lavinia of her odious fiance, Sir Windbourne. Emma can't stand the old windbag and she hates the idea of losing her sister and having her sister lose her identity in marriage. Lavinia dreams of having children some day while Emma decries the married state. She plans to have Trent seduce her sister into breaking off her engagement to Sir "Windbag." Trent categorically refuses. He may be a rake but he doesn't trifle with innocents. If he won't agree to her plan, Emma will find another libertine - one who may have less of a conscience than Alex. Alex reluctantly agrees to court Vinnie but he can't keep his eyes or his hands off Emma. Emma has high hopes for a match between Vinnie and Trent, despite her own feelings on the matter. They are slow to come together so Emma decides to find something on Windbag that will cause Vinnie to break off her engagement once and for all. Little does she dream that her investigation will yield surprising results - in more ways than one.
The plot of this story is largely interesting - if not original. The addition of an added mystery plot saved the book from tedium. The faux romance between Vinnie and Trent went on way too long and was boring. The romance is very hot and steamy with lots of passionate kisses, touching and a love scene that comes at the right moment for those characters. I found the mystery plot really unbelievable. I would think that Mr. Harlow or at least Roger would investigate the man their daughter/sister is engaged to! I also really disliked the morning after misunderstanding. It's such a common trope but I liked the way it was resolved.
Normally I can't stand crazy heroines and Emma takes the cake in craziness but she was charming and I couldn't help but like her. I felt bad for her that she had such a terrible childhood that it ruined her views on marriage. I happen to agree with her beliefs that given the time period, marriage was a bad deal for many women, especially those like Lavinia who made marriages of convenience. Emma's schemes and scrapes never failed to astonish me. I kept wondering what she would do next. She's a very modern girl running around Regency England. She's not the kind of girl that every reader will like. Lavinia is a better period heroine. She's correct in her behavior but she's still lively and has horticultural interests that most women didn't think about. She is a devoted, caring sister for all the right reasons so I fail to see why she would attach herself to someone her twin sister felt so strongly was a bad match. A little communication between them would have been nice and communication with Roger would have been better but then the romance plot wouldn't have advanced.
The hero is kind of disgusting at first, he can't stick to one mistress at a time, or maybe he's lying. He is an honorable rake who cares deeply for the people he chooses to love and who would do anything to keep his beloved safe. He is considerate and caring towards Vinnie though he isn't attracted to her. He does some wonderful things for her and they could have a happy marriage if they wanted to, or at least if passion didn't get in the way. Alex is the one with a level head trying to keep Emma out of trouble for safety's sake and not because she isn't behaving as a young maiden should.
Sir Waldo "Windbag" is worse than Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins is an idiot and Sir Waldo isn't quite that silly. His motives are so transparent I guessed right away what he was up to. It's so obvious that I kept groaning in frustration as Emma took the difficult course with him instead of the logical one. The ending of his plot surprised me a lot and I don't really think I liked it.
There are a couple of minor characters who add more comic relief to the story. There is also Sarah, Mrs. Roger Harlow, sister-in-law to the twins. She is kind and level-headed and very much in love with her husband. I would have liked her story a bit more than this one.
The plot of this story is largely interesting - if not original. The addition of an added mystery plot saved the book from tedium. The faux romance between Vinnie and Trent went on way too long and was boring. The romance is very hot and steamy with lots of passionate kisses, touching and a love scene that comes at the right moment for those characters. I found the mystery plot really unbelievable. I would think that Mr. Harlow or at least Roger would investigate the man their daughter/sister is engaged to! I also really disliked the morning after misunderstanding. It's such a common trope but I liked the way it was resolved.
Normally I can't stand crazy heroines and Emma takes the cake in craziness but she was charming and I couldn't help but like her. I felt bad for her that she had such a terrible childhood that it ruined her views on marriage. I happen to agree with her beliefs that given the time period, marriage was a bad deal for many women, especially those like Lavinia who made marriages of convenience. Emma's schemes and scrapes never failed to astonish me. I kept wondering what she would do next. She's a very modern girl running around Regency England. She's not the kind of girl that every reader will like. Lavinia is a better period heroine. She's correct in her behavior but she's still lively and has horticultural interests that most women didn't think about. She is a devoted, caring sister for all the right reasons so I fail to see why she would attach herself to someone her twin sister felt so strongly was a bad match. A little communication between them would have been nice and communication with Roger would have been better but then the romance plot wouldn't have advanced.
The hero is kind of disgusting at first, he can't stick to one mistress at a time, or maybe he's lying. He is an honorable rake who cares deeply for the people he chooses to love and who would do anything to keep his beloved safe. He is considerate and caring towards Vinnie though he isn't attracted to her. He does some wonderful things for her and they could have a happy marriage if they wanted to, or at least if passion didn't get in the way. Alex is the one with a level head trying to keep Emma out of trouble for safety's sake and not because she isn't behaving as a young maiden should.
Sir Waldo "Windbag" is worse than Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins is an idiot and Sir Waldo isn't quite that silly. His motives are so transparent I guessed right away what he was up to. It's so obvious that I kept groaning in frustration as Emma took the difficult course with him instead of the logical one. The ending of his plot surprised me a lot and I don't really think I liked it.
There are a couple of minor characters who add more comic relief to the story. There is also Sarah, Mrs. Roger Harlow, sister-in-law to the twins. She is kind and level-headed and very much in love with her husband. I would have liked her story a bit more than this one.
March 27, 2014
I was provided with a free copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don't read a lot of historical romance, so I wasn't really sure what to expect of The Harlow Hoyden. The story of the irrepressible Emma Harlow and her relationship with the Duke of Trent, which forms after she steals one of his orchids for her twin sister, surprised me in being fast-paced, a bit racy and thoroughly engaging. I liked all the main characters in this story for once, apart from, of course, the villainous Lord Windbourne, and although I felt like the second half of the story wavered a bit - with it's sudden injection of French spies and England being in danger - I really liked see how Emma and the Duke both gradually came to terms with their own attraction, Emma's 'hoyden' reputation and how to rub along together. I have to say that although Emma was a 'modern' character in her attitude, she never felt out of place in the story's time period and it was really good to see a serious discussion about what marriage really meant for women, including Emma, in this age and how some might want to rail against it's constraints a little. After reading this, I'd definitely like to read more of Lynn Messina's work as she sucked me in with this one.
A fast-paced, engaging and fun regency romp. 4 stars.
I don't read a lot of historical romance, so I wasn't really sure what to expect of The Harlow Hoyden. The story of the irrepressible Emma Harlow and her relationship with the Duke of Trent, which forms after she steals one of his orchids for her twin sister, surprised me in being fast-paced, a bit racy and thoroughly engaging. I liked all the main characters in this story for once, apart from, of course, the villainous Lord Windbourne, and although I felt like the second half of the story wavered a bit - with it's sudden injection of French spies and England being in danger - I really liked see how Emma and the Duke both gradually came to terms with their own attraction, Emma's 'hoyden' reputation and how to rub along together. I have to say that although Emma was a 'modern' character in her attitude, she never felt out of place in the story's time period and it was really good to see a serious discussion about what marriage really meant for women, including Emma, in this age and how some might want to rail against it's constraints a little. After reading this, I'd definitely like to read more of Lynn Messina's work as she sucked me in with this one.
A fast-paced, engaging and fun regency romp. 4 stars.
November 14, 2015
I adored this Regency romp. Emma Harlow needs to end her twin sister's engagement to Sir Windbag. She recruits a Duke to ply Lavina with charm and sweet words hoping that it will put an end to the betrothal . Of course the Duke falls for Emma, her sister quickly discovers the plan and there is much more going on than what meets the eye.
The dialogue is fast and witty, reminded me of the the TV show moonlighting. The actions are slightly absurd but the book is great fun and an enjoyable read.
I'd rate it Pg-13 it has some steaminess
The dialogue is fast and witty, reminded me of the the TV show moonlighting. The actions are slightly absurd but the book is great fun and an enjoyable read.
I'd rate it Pg-13 it has some steaminess
April 20, 2014
You definitely can’t be a stickler for the authenticity of the time with The Harlow Hoyden but then again I’m not reading historical romances for a history lesson. I want the romance and it delivers that in spades. It’s fun and humorous and love wins out, so who could ask for anything more!
Full review available at http://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress....
(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)
Full review available at http://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress....
(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)
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March 25, 2022Review previously published by The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: Something of an afterthought
Character Chemistry: He’s her most trusted ally!
Plot: A romp
Overall: How can you go wrong with a hoyden?
In this case, I really wished I could just quote nearly all of the first two chapters. Messina caught my attention hook, line, and sinker. The Duke of Trent, reading in his conservatory, catches Miss Emma Harlow attempting to steal one of his prize orchids.
Emma is completely unabashed by her own behavior all the time because she is being her authentic, impetuous, enterprising self all the time. There is a point at which Emma asks her chaperone sister-in-law what is more important–her person or her reputation:
Emma is a modern woman making her way in a Regency setting, thus the hoyden appellation. She thinks her twin sister Lavinia is getting married for all the wrong reasons to a man who is truly horrible. At first her sister’s fiance, Sir Waldo, is just horrible because he is a pompous snob who wants Lavinia to quit all her own hobbies and just be his wife and a mother to his children because that should be all the fulfillment she needs in life. Eventually, the story takes a turn toward the adventurous and Sir Waldo becomes truly dastardly and traitorous, which is also when things really get rollicking.
Rather condescendingly, nearly every major character either tells another major character or Emma herself that she’s being irrational because she just doesn’t want to lose her sister. If I were told just one of the things Emma reports hearing directly from Sir Waldo because he can’t figure out which sister he’s engaged to (so if that didn’t tell you right there…), I’d say, “Maybe you are correct, and this was a bad decision on Lavinia’s part.” Everything Sir Waldo says makes him sound like a horrible man, and I don’t understand why anyone thinks it’s a good idea for Lavinia to marry him. He’s a good catch because he has an old and respected family name?
Trent, initially enchanted by the audacious young woman invading his conservatory, is quickly taken aback by Emma’s proposal for Trent to draw Lavinia away from her fiance by seducing her. He becomes priggish and swears he’ll have nothing more to do with her, but he just can’t stay away! He has to protect her from herself! One must give Trent his due for telling Emma that only Lavinia can make her own decisions and no one can make them for her. Much of his interaction with Emma is focused on saving her from herself, which some may find annoying, but which I found entertaining probably because Emma is a very strong, self-confident character who layers her emotional reactions to situations with well-considered strategy. And she doesn’t care at all if he goes with her on her adventures or not, although he is her “most trusted ally”.
There are a number of distracting, silly errors in the text that would have been corrected by more careful editing and which other readers might not be so willing to overlook. Typically if there are too many grammatical errors or the author clearly doesn’t understand what words mean, it’s difficult for me to get through multiple chapters. In this case, the situation is not so dire, but also I think it’s more palatable because it’s a comedy rather than a drama.
The romance was not what made the story so much fun, but it was still well done in context. Emma and Trent are both avoiding marriage for different reasons, which causes Emma to make some bad decisions when she thinks Lavinia must marry Trent to save her from a disastrous marriage and also Emma thinks she herself could never marry Trent because he wouldn’t be faithful to her (not sure why she thinks Trent would be faithful to her sister). Trent soon decides that he is in love with and wants to marry Emma and suffers through some heartbreaking moments because when Emma tells him she’s not interested, he believes her and leaves (which really is the respectful thing to do, after all).
UGH. Of course, once they finally start communicating with each other more truthfully, the result is quite satisfying. There is enough of the ridiculous that I’d recommend this story as an entertaining way to spend a few hours.
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Heat Factor: Something of an afterthought
Character Chemistry: He’s her most trusted ally!
Plot: A romp
Overall: How can you go wrong with a hoyden?
In this case, I really wished I could just quote nearly all of the first two chapters. Messina caught my attention hook, line, and sinker. The Duke of Trent, reading in his conservatory, catches Miss Emma Harlow attempting to steal one of his prize orchids.
“I say, is that the best way to do that?” the gentleman asked after a moment.
Emma, whose feathers were never the sort to ruffle easily even when she was behaving improperly in a place she didn’t belong–in this case, with her fingers around the stem of a prize Rhyncholaelia digbyana in the Duke of Trent’s conservatory – calmly turned around. Her blue-eyed gaze, steady and sometimes intimidating, met with an amused brown one. “Excuse me?”
Emma is completely unabashed by her own behavior all the time because she is being her authentic, impetuous, enterprising self all the time. There is a point at which Emma asks her chaperone sister-in-law what is more important–her person or her reputation:
Sarah looked at her with considering eyes. “Honestly, my dear, I don’t know the answer to that one”
“Well, I do, and that’s all that matters.”
Emma is a modern woman making her way in a Regency setting, thus the hoyden appellation. She thinks her twin sister Lavinia is getting married for all the wrong reasons to a man who is truly horrible. At first her sister’s fiance, Sir Waldo, is just horrible because he is a pompous snob who wants Lavinia to quit all her own hobbies and just be his wife and a mother to his children because that should be all the fulfillment she needs in life. Eventually, the story takes a turn toward the adventurous and Sir Waldo becomes truly dastardly and traitorous, which is also when things really get rollicking.
Rather condescendingly, nearly every major character either tells another major character or Emma herself that she’s being irrational because she just doesn’t want to lose her sister. If I were told just one of the things Emma reports hearing directly from Sir Waldo because he can’t figure out which sister he’s engaged to (so if that didn’t tell you right there…), I’d say, “Maybe you are correct, and this was a bad decision on Lavinia’s part.” Everything Sir Waldo says makes him sound like a horrible man, and I don’t understand why anyone thinks it’s a good idea for Lavinia to marry him. He’s a good catch because he has an old and respected family name?
Trent, initially enchanted by the audacious young woman invading his conservatory, is quickly taken aback by Emma’s proposal for Trent to draw Lavinia away from her fiance by seducing her. He becomes priggish and swears he’ll have nothing more to do with her, but he just can’t stay away! He has to protect her from herself! One must give Trent his due for telling Emma that only Lavinia can make her own decisions and no one can make them for her. Much of his interaction with Emma is focused on saving her from herself, which some may find annoying, but which I found entertaining probably because Emma is a very strong, self-confident character who layers her emotional reactions to situations with well-considered strategy. And she doesn’t care at all if he goes with her on her adventures or not, although he is her “most trusted ally”.
There are a number of distracting, silly errors in the text that would have been corrected by more careful editing and which other readers might not be so willing to overlook. Typically if there are too many grammatical errors or the author clearly doesn’t understand what words mean, it’s difficult for me to get through multiple chapters. In this case, the situation is not so dire, but also I think it’s more palatable because it’s a comedy rather than a drama.
The romance was not what made the story so much fun, but it was still well done in context. Emma and Trent are both avoiding marriage for different reasons, which causes Emma to make some bad decisions when she thinks Lavinia must marry Trent to save her from a disastrous marriage and also Emma thinks she herself could never marry Trent because he wouldn’t be faithful to her (not sure why she thinks Trent would be faithful to her sister). Trent soon decides that he is in love with and wants to marry Emma and suffers through some heartbreaking moments because when Emma tells him she’s not interested, he believes her and leaves (which really is the respectful thing to do, after all).
He wanted to talk of their marriage, not his and Lavinia’s or Lavinia and Sir Waldo’s. “After all that’s happened between us, you still want me to kiss your sister?”
…
“Yes,” she said in a soft voice after a very long pause, during which the duke held his breath, “after all that’s happened between us, I still want you to kiss my sister.”
The duke sighed, feeling the heart flow out of him. He was prepared to fight her willfulness and obstinacy and the sheer bullheadedness that he had come to love, but he had no words to overcome her indifference.
UGH. Of course, once they finally start communicating with each other more truthfully, the result is quite satisfying. There is enough of the ridiculous that I’d recommend this story as an entertaining way to spend a few hours.
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January 3, 2015
So the relationship itself was fun, but then there was the requisite dramatic plot () and then the book just went ON and ON. TWICE everything seemed to be winding down to a nice conclusion, but, oh no, plot twist! We can't have the happy ending yet!
I'm off to read the sequel, though. I think. The heroine is one of those "proper", practical sorts, which I appreciate, being that sort myself. Although I don't really know what "proper" means in modern times.
I'm off to read the sequel, though. I think. The heroine is one of those "proper", practical sorts, which I appreciate, being that sort myself. Although I don't really know what "proper" means in modern times.
October 23, 2019
I was hoping this book would be similar to the Beatrice Hyde-Clare series by the same author, but I was mistaken. It's not nearly as good, super predictable and reads like so many other regency romances with lots of sex. Call me prudish, but I don't want to read that.
April 6, 2021
This was a fun romp with drama, excitement and plenty of humour. I enjoyed it.
If strong female characters entertain you the way they do me, then you will enjoy Emma Harlow as much as I did. She was incorrigible, fearless and, well, the title pretty much describes her to a "T". I found her delightful and charming, although everyone in her world despairs of her. It makes for a really fun read, though.
This is a regency romance, and it is pretty characteristic of the genre. What made the book for me was Emma and her complete and utter disregard for any rules or social expectations of the world she lives in, in favour of doing what she wants to do, and knowing she is capable - mostly - of doing the things she wishes to do.
The supporting characters here, including the requisite Duke, are as fun and entertaining and likable as Emma, so that rounded out my enjoyment of this nicely. I was fond of all the characters in Emma's world and enjoyed getting to know them.
There was suspense and danger, and I won't spoil how that plays out. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy Regency romance, and strong female characters, this is a fun entry and an easy, fast read.
If strong female characters entertain you the way they do me, then you will enjoy Emma Harlow as much as I did. She was incorrigible, fearless and, well, the title pretty much describes her to a "T". I found her delightful and charming, although everyone in her world despairs of her. It makes for a really fun read, though.
This is a regency romance, and it is pretty characteristic of the genre. What made the book for me was Emma and her complete and utter disregard for any rules or social expectations of the world she lives in, in favour of doing what she wants to do, and knowing she is capable - mostly - of doing the things she wishes to do.
The supporting characters here, including the requisite Duke, are as fun and entertaining and likable as Emma, so that rounded out my enjoyment of this nicely. I was fond of all the characters in Emma's world and enjoyed getting to know them.
There was suspense and danger, and I won't spoil how that plays out. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy Regency romance, and strong female characters, this is a fun entry and an easy, fast read.
February 19, 2020
I gave it 3 stars because I found it entertaining. However, there are many things that I was bothered by..., First, it is set in the Regency era but there is a lot of modern notions and behaviors (and I get hoyden is part of the title and her name, but they were usually distanced by society and rarely found charming.). Secondly, I hated the ending. The ending was left open..., it just ended. Also, the person they were looking for is not named so it didn't even tie up the plot of looking for and saving the country. I will not be reading the rest of the series.
October 21, 2023
I read another series by this author and really enjoyed it, so I thought I would give this book a try. In the author’s defense, I listened to this book and the narration was awful so it’s possible this was a factor in my low rating of this book. I really like regency books, especially if there’s a mystery to solve. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine - but I’m very picky about them. There are a ton of stupid and poorly written books in the genre and this was one of them. I gave it two stars because something I can’t identify, compelled me to finish it. I want my ten listening hours back.
May 11, 2023
This book is humorously preposterous. I thought I’d quit after reading it, but I need to find out about Vinnie. The only thing about this novel that rings true to the Regency period are the dates (and Napoleon). The rest is absurd. There’s very little meat and to a discerning reader all of that is foreshadowed far too clearly. So I will quit after the next one.
May 3, 2024
Livre audio en VO
Je squizze le dernier chapitre car ça tourne en rond avec du drama inutile sur la fin. Dommage car 75% du bouquin était plutôt sympa.
Je squizze le dernier chapitre car ça tourne en rond avec du drama inutile sur la fin. Dommage car 75% du bouquin était plutôt sympa.
March 10, 2021
I loved this book. Can't wait to read the next one in the series.
September 6, 2016
I became familiar with Lynn Messina’s writing when I read one of her chick-lit titles in the Red Dress Ink line. In addition to chick-lit, Ms. Messina also has young adult, fantasy, paranormal and historical romance in her repertoire. The Harlow Hoyden is a historical romance set in the regency period featuring Emma Harlow, a woman who lives by her own set of rules and refuses to bow down to the expectations of society. She enlists the assistance of The Duke of Trent to break up her twin sister Lavinia’s engagement to the odious Sir Waldo the Windbag. Her plan is simple…he will draw Lavinia’s attention away from her fiancé in the hopes that she will develop feelings for The Duke and call off her engagement. Emma is convinced that Sir Waldo is a villain and cannot stand the idea of her beloved twin ruining her life. What happens next is a madcap adventure that has Emma breaking into Waldo’s home, dancing the waltz and chasing down traitorous spies, with The Duke of Trent either by her side or close on her heels.
I really enjoyed this story. Emma is a breath of fresh air and I liked her immensely. She’s daring and direct and refuses to let society or her family dictate to her how a proper lady should behave. She has been given the nickname The Harlow Hoyden because she walks a fine line between propriety and scandal and she could care less. She has no interest in marriage or making a suitable match and prefers to live her life as she sees fit. Whether she is stealing a prized orchid from The Duke’s conservatory or proposing outlandish schemes to break up her sister’s engagement, she does so with a gusto and headstrong determination that would make most people cringe in horror. There are a few moments in the book that made me wonder if Emma’s actions are too rash, but quickly remembered that is why she earned her moniker.
I thought The Duke was an excellent character and the perfect match for Emma. This period in time usually depicts men being in charge and viewed as complete masters of the universe. I enjoyed seeing The Duke agreeing to help Emma thinking he would be able to deter her, not realizing who is really in charge. Emma’s twin and her brother and his wife were also likeable characters. I am hoping that Lavinia will get her own story in the future.
Overall, fans of historical romance will enjoy this offering and if you are not a fan of historical romance, but enjoy a fun and adventurous story with strong characters and witty dialogue, where villains are vanquished and good triumphs over bad, give this one a try.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Harlow Hoyden from the author in exchange for an honest review
I really enjoyed this story. Emma is a breath of fresh air and I liked her immensely. She’s daring and direct and refuses to let society or her family dictate to her how a proper lady should behave. She has been given the nickname The Harlow Hoyden because she walks a fine line between propriety and scandal and she could care less. She has no interest in marriage or making a suitable match and prefers to live her life as she sees fit. Whether she is stealing a prized orchid from The Duke’s conservatory or proposing outlandish schemes to break up her sister’s engagement, she does so with a gusto and headstrong determination that would make most people cringe in horror. There are a few moments in the book that made me wonder if Emma’s actions are too rash, but quickly remembered that is why she earned her moniker.
I thought The Duke was an excellent character and the perfect match for Emma. This period in time usually depicts men being in charge and viewed as complete masters of the universe. I enjoyed seeing The Duke agreeing to help Emma thinking he would be able to deter her, not realizing who is really in charge. Emma’s twin and her brother and his wife were also likeable characters. I am hoping that Lavinia will get her own story in the future.
Overall, fans of historical romance will enjoy this offering and if you are not a fan of historical romance, but enjoy a fun and adventurous story with strong characters and witty dialogue, where villains are vanquished and good triumphs over bad, give this one a try.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Harlow Hoyden from the author in exchange for an honest review
May 26, 2019
Ok, so two stars for the fact that I actually finished the book (I reserve one star for books I can't even get through). Another star for the fact that overall the writing style was pretty good (if we could give half stars, I would have given a half for that).
I couldn't give it any higher because the main character, Emma, was such an annoying character and everything about her was just off.
1. She is basically a thirteen year old girl in a twenty-three year old body. She thinks she is so smart, so sensible, so ... so clever, but she is a complete and utter idiot. She plans to find a libertine to seduce her sister because she doesn't like the sister's fiance. Let's think about that for a moment. Firstly, if Vinnie goes off with any man while betrothed, it is going to set tongues wagging, but to go off with a known libertine, it is going to socially ruin her. It is going to remove any chance of Vinnie finding happiness in marriage any time in the future. What a great plan. Secondly, having her fall in love with a man to the extent that she will call off her engagement, then have him dump her because he was only pretending all along, that is the height of cruelty. I wanted to slap Emma for even thinking of it, let alone putting it into motion. Then, having everyone else act so understanding and forgiving of Emma's inappropriate ways made me want to slap them.
2. Speaking of inappropriate ways, with Emma's actions and reputation, I very much doubt she would be invited to social events.
3. The whole thing around Emma and fear was inconsistent and irritating. Firstly, she broke into Windbag's house and when they nearly get caught and had to hide, she tasted fear for the first time. But, when Windbag goes and holds a gun to her head and kidnaps her, she's sitting in the carriage feeling slightly inconvenienced. Likewise, both times he was just moments away from killing her, she ended up shrugging it all of as nothing. In fact, her only concern was that she ended up with bruises on her neck that she would have to hide. Lynn Messina would have done better giving Emma some appreciation of the danger she was in. Then she wouldn't have come across as quite so mentally lacking. A truly brave person is someone who continues on despite their fear and if Emma had been written that way, she would have come across as a much nicer character.
4. With all of Emma's strange and irritating ways, I just couldn't see Trent going for her. I felt like they had all the sexual attraction, but he was destined to spend the rest of his life looking after a child in a woman's body, trying to keep her safe when she got all impulsive, and cleaning up her messes. I think he would grow to regret his marriage decision.
Now, do I attempt book number 2?
I couldn't give it any higher because the main character, Emma, was such an annoying character and everything about her was just off.
1. She is basically a thirteen year old girl in a twenty-three year old body. She thinks she is so smart, so sensible, so ... so clever, but she is a complete and utter idiot. She plans to find a libertine to seduce her sister because she doesn't like the sister's fiance. Let's think about that for a moment. Firstly, if Vinnie goes off with any man while betrothed, it is going to set tongues wagging, but to go off with a known libertine, it is going to socially ruin her. It is going to remove any chance of Vinnie finding happiness in marriage any time in the future. What a great plan. Secondly, having her fall in love with a man to the extent that she will call off her engagement, then have him dump her because he was only pretending all along, that is the height of cruelty. I wanted to slap Emma for even thinking of it, let alone putting it into motion. Then, having everyone else act so understanding and forgiving of Emma's inappropriate ways made me want to slap them.
2. Speaking of inappropriate ways, with Emma's actions and reputation, I very much doubt she would be invited to social events.
3. The whole thing around Emma and fear was inconsistent and irritating. Firstly, she broke into Windbag's house and when they nearly get caught and had to hide, she tasted fear for the first time. But, when Windbag goes and holds a gun to her head and kidnaps her, she's sitting in the carriage feeling slightly inconvenienced. Likewise, both times he was just moments away from killing her, she ended up shrugging it all of as nothing. In fact, her only concern was that she ended up with bruises on her neck that she would have to hide. Lynn Messina would have done better giving Emma some appreciation of the danger she was in. Then she wouldn't have come across as quite so mentally lacking. A truly brave person is someone who continues on despite their fear and if Emma had been written that way, she would have come across as a much nicer character.
4. With all of Emma's strange and irritating ways, I just couldn't see Trent going for her. I felt like they had all the sexual attraction, but he was destined to spend the rest of his life looking after a child in a woman's body, trying to keep her safe when she got all impulsive, and cleaning up her messes. I think he would grow to regret his marriage decision.
Now, do I attempt book number 2?
March 16, 2014
I have read and reviewed several of Lynn's books before this one, each in different genres. I was eager to read another, but admittedly somewhat weary of its "romance" placement. It appears other books, that I shall not name, gave me the impression that all romance novels would be more along the lines of erotica, and thus I avoided the genre all together. Don't get me wrong, I have read books with romance in them, it was just to the focus. That being said, here is what I thought of "The Hoyden Harlow":
I was taken in within the first chapter. The setting, the characters, and the language combined to make a exciting read. I fell in love with Emma's personality from the beginning, though she did bring the mind Elizabeth Bennett. The dynamic between the sisters and the poor duke was wonderful, and I couldn't wait to see what would come of the ever deepening layers of their schemes. The story brought me laughter, grimaces (in response to the story), and plenty of blushing. I would certainly recommend this for anyone who not only wants romance but substantial characters and plot to go with it.
I was taken in within the first chapter. The setting, the characters, and the language combined to make a exciting read. I fell in love with Emma's personality from the beginning, though she did bring the mind Elizabeth Bennett. The dynamic between the sisters and the poor duke was wonderful, and I couldn't wait to see what would come of the ever deepening layers of their schemes. The story brought me laughter, grimaces (in response to the story), and plenty of blushing. I would certainly recommend this for anyone who not only wants romance but substantial characters and plot to go with it.
February 26, 2014
I love a good historical romance and this book has some great characters and a delightful plot. I loved reading about Emma from the very beginning when we meet her as she is stealing the Duke of Trent's prized flower. She is independent, spunky, and a lot of fun. The Duke of course cannot resist her and ends up entangled in her many plots.
I was really enjoying this one until the very end. It seemed like the author felt the need to add so much intrigue and excitement to the end of the book that I found it unbelievable and it really took away some of my enjoyment of the book. Emma's adventures just seemed to be too dangerous by the end I really do not think all of the extra suspense was necessary. I really enjoyed reading the interactions between Emma and Trent and wanted more of the two of them together, not a lot of plot twists and turns.
Even though I was not a big fan of the end I still enjoyed reading this one because of Emma and Trent. They were a lot of fun and would love to read another book about their lives together.
June 4, 2020
Run ...Don't Walk Away From This Book!
Really didn't like this book at all. I made it to about 63% and decided to stop reading (which I rarely do unless I REALLY dislike the book). I made the mistake of not reading the reviews first ..but I had already read 2 other of this author's books and liked them so felt I didn't need to. Big mistake!!
The Heroine is a bully, very pushy, narcissistic, selfish, thoughtless, headstrong, doesn't ever listen to anybody else and is just bloody awful (etc.). She is the main reason I gave this book only 1 star but not the only one. The plot is ridiculous, there is no witty banter as in her other books and no humor ...it's just tedious. I can't believe I wasted so much time on it.
And there is a steamy sex scene which the book summary didn't even hint at. I could've chosen whether I wanted to read the story beforehand if there was, instead of being ambushed by sex scenes in a rented hack. I don't recommend this book. Very disappointed!
Really didn't like this book at all. I made it to about 63% and decided to stop reading (which I rarely do unless I REALLY dislike the book). I made the mistake of not reading the reviews first ..but I had already read 2 other of this author's books and liked them so felt I didn't need to. Big mistake!!
The Heroine is a bully, very pushy, narcissistic, selfish, thoughtless, headstrong, doesn't ever listen to anybody else and is just bloody awful (etc.). She is the main reason I gave this book only 1 star but not the only one. The plot is ridiculous, there is no witty banter as in her other books and no humor ...it's just tedious. I can't believe I wasted so much time on it.
And there is a steamy sex scene which the book summary didn't even hint at. I could've chosen whether I wanted to read the story beforehand if there was, instead of being ambushed by sex scenes in a rented hack. I don't recommend this book. Very disappointed!
April 28, 2014
Jane Austen’s arguable masterpiece, Emma, featured a heroine who danced to her own tune, managed people’s lives, and thought very highly of herself indeed. Most readers find Emma Woodhouse conceited, bossy, and rude, but I have always found her amusing. She lives life on her own terms and that is always admirable to me. Lynn Messina, a new-to-me author, has created another vexing Emma in her charming historical romance novel of manners, The Harlow Hoyden.
Emma Harlow also reminds me of other independent-minded literary heroines: Sophy Stanton-Lacy from Georgette Heyer’s The Grand Sophy and Flora Poste in Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm. Both of those stories were laugh out loud funny and feature a pushy, managing, yet thoroughly enchanting heroine who only sees things her way and fixes bad situations.
For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/S1c5pp
Emma Harlow also reminds me of other independent-minded literary heroines: Sophy Stanton-Lacy from Georgette Heyer’s The Grand Sophy and Flora Poste in Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm. Both of those stories were laugh out loud funny and feature a pushy, managing, yet thoroughly enchanting heroine who only sees things her way and fixes bad situations.
For my full review on my historical romance and history blog: http://bit.ly/S1c5pp
January 20, 2019
If I could give this book a 0 star review, I would.
At 45%, I really didn't want to finish this book. Nevertheless, I persisted and was not rewarded for it.
My main issue with this book is the Duke of Trent's behaviour towards anything Emma said or did.
"Please can you flirt with my sister enough for her to leave her fiancé and then break her heart when you've done that?"
"Sure, I'll do it. Though I'm only doing it to stop you asking another guy who might ruin you"
Why does he care? He's got no obligations towards Emma and if he wanted her to stop causing a scandal or getting into trouble, he just had to tell Sarah. Ah, but he can't tell Sarah what Emma's plan is because of it would a betrayal of trust. WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO SOMEONE YOU LITERALLY JUST MET?!
And then the last few chapters. Oh my gosh. This happened and then this happened and then another thing happened.
I'm glad it's over.
At 45%, I really didn't want to finish this book. Nevertheless, I persisted and was not rewarded for it.
My main issue with this book is the Duke of Trent's behaviour towards anything Emma said or did.
"Please can you flirt with my sister enough for her to leave her fiancé and then break her heart when you've done that?"
"Sure, I'll do it. Though I'm only doing it to stop you asking another guy who might ruin you"
Why does he care? He's got no obligations towards Emma and if he wanted her to stop causing a scandal or getting into trouble, he just had to tell Sarah. Ah, but he can't tell Sarah what Emma's plan is because of it would a betrayal of trust. WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO SOMEONE YOU LITERALLY JUST MET?!
And then the last few chapters. Oh my gosh. This happened and then this happened and then another thing happened.
I'm glad it's over.
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